Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Ethiopia: Armed group says its forces well into inland
Patriotic Ginbot 7, an armed group fighting the Ethiopian regime from its base in Eritrea said its forces are present deep in Ethiopia and that they have intensified their attack against TPLF forces.
Speaking to ESAT from Eritrea, spokesperson and head of political affairs for the group, Mengistu Woldeselassie also said PG7 fighters have taken part in the resistance movements in Gondar in the past few months and is working with other self organized armed groups that are fighting the regime.
The spokesperson said his forces have carried out successful attacks against regime forces in Kabta Humera, Dansha, Addis Alem, Abderafi and other areas in northern Ethiopia.
He said contrary to the propaganda by the regime that says the attack was coming from Eritrea, PG7 fighters are inside Ethiopia fighting TPLF forces.
Woldeselassie denied claims by the Ethiopian regime that its forces have killed several fighters and arrested dozens last month.
Source: http://ethsat.com/2016/12/ethiopia-armed-group-says-forces-well-inland/
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Crucial Funding To WFP Avoids Suspension Of Food Assistance To Drought-Affected People In Ethiopia
Copyright: WFP/Melese Awoke
ADDIS ABABA – Thanks to timely contributions from key donors, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is able to continue food distributions later this month for more than 1.5 million people in the Somali region of Ethiopia, and can scale up nutrition help to more than 700,000 children and nursing mothers in the most drought-affected areas. The scaling up of food and nutrition support is crucial to prevent vulnerable people falling into a deeper crisis.
However, even with the new contributions, WFP has only 7 percent of the US$228 million budget required for food and nutrition interventions until June 2016.
A dramatic increase in the number of people in need of relief assistance, from 2.5 million at the beginning of the year to 8.2 million in October, led to a serious funding gap, and WFP was concerned that it would have to entirely stop distributions for people affected by the drought at the end of November.
Such a situation was avoided, thanks to contributions from - in alphabetical order - Canada,Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund. The United States Agency for International Development has also confirmed an in-kind contribution equivalent to US$17 million to WFP.
“These donors have shown incredible leadership in their response to the current crisis, and their generous contributions will help people cope with this humanitarian crisis exacerbated by El Nino,” said John Aylieff, WFP Representative and Country Director in Ethiopia.
The in-kind contribution will be used to meet the immediate food needs of vulnerable people in the early part of 2016, while the cash contributions will allow WFP to extend life-saving food and nutrition assistance until the end of the year.
More than 1.5 million people in the Somali region will receive cereals, pulses, vegetable oil and a fortified high-protein blend known as Super Cereal. These rations will help stabilize malnutrition rates, which have risen sharply in recent months since the drought took hold.
This will complement government distributions in other regions following the government of Ethiopia’s allocation of 4 billion birr (US$ 192 million) to relief efforts. Humanitarian needs still remain extremely high in the first six months of 2016, and WFP, together with the government of Ethiopia, is gearing up to provide assistance to at least 6 million people.
Recent contributions to WFP’s relief operation in Ethiopia include: USA (US$ 17 million), UN CERF (US$17 million), Sweden (US$ 16.8 million), Canada (US$ 2.6 million), Switzerland (US$ 1.7 million), and Norway (US$ 1.7 million).
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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Foreign Minister dictates orders to VOA at night
by Abebe Gellaw
The stormy relationship between the Voice of America (VOA) and the TPLF-led Ethiopian government has recently taken a strange twist after Foreign Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom and Ambassador Girma Birru managed to sneak into the headquarters of the U.S. broadcaster at night and convened an unauthorized editorial meeting with some staff members. During the backdoor meeting, the officials of the dictatorial regime tried to dictate guidance to the broadcasters and critiqued the quality of VOA broadcasts to Ethiopia, reliable sources confirmed to this investigation.VOA backdoor meeting with Ethiopian officials
The gathering, which was held behind the back of VOA executives, was held in the editorial meeting room of the Horn of Africa section, located at 330 Independence Avenue, Washington D.C. Strangely enough, the engagement was held out of work hours on a weekend night , Saturday, September 26th, from 7 pm to nearly 9 pm.
Silencing critics
Organized and facilitated by VOA Amharic broadcaster Solomon Abate, along with Betre Siltan from the Tigrigna service, the bizarre meeting between the diplomats and a group of seven VOA staff members–including two technicians, is now being branded inappropriate and disturbing.
In view of the regime’s aggressive tactics to silence critical media coverage at home and abroad, such a meeting with the top officials of a tyrannical regime with a hostile agenda towards VOA has been troubling for those who felt that it violated the legally-mandated VOA Charter and Journalistic Code.
The scandalous meeting was said to be dictated by the need to build trust and cooperation between the journalists and the repressive government, which annually tops almost every list of press freedom violators. During the talks, the top TPLF emissaries availed themselves of the opportunity to exert undue influence to alter the tone and content of VOA broadcasts to Ethiopia by making pleas and veiled threats, said reliable sources who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The foreign minister, who forbid any recording of the intimate discussion, complained that giving platform to critical voices and dissidents including Arbegnoch Ginbot 7 could be tantamount to destabilizing the government. He criticized VOA for focusing on “negative” stories.
Big brother watching
After taking a few questions, the minister expressed his displeasure that the interview he gave to VOA Amharic last July was criticized on VOA by critics of government policies. He told them that such a practice was wrong and should not have happened.
In his controversial VOA interview, the TPLF minister had misrepresented that President Obama endorsed the last elections as democratic contrary to the reality. He also said that prominent dissident Andargachew Tsigie, who was kidnapped last year in Yemen and reportedly tortured in Ethiopia, was being treated well and was even allowed to admire “development” projects. He even claimed that Adargachew was given a laptop to write a book.
Both the minister and the ambassador expressed the government’s readiness to work closely with VOA and facilitate any supports and assistance the journalists may need to bring out positive stories and images, the sources said.
The officials told the gathering with seven VOA employees that VOA broadcasts to Ethiopia should focus on promoting positive progress rather than airing “negative” stories and views, a reference to sensitive issues related to human rights violations, abuse of power and corruption. After listing down some of the progress and improvements he claimed to have been made in the last few years, the foreign minister also invited the journalists to go and see the reality for themselves.
They hinted that the Ethiopian government constantly receives information about VOA’s internal activities. The foreign minister was quoted as saying that they know who does what at the section and told the VOA employees to re-examine themselves and do soul searching.
“There are rules, procedures and codes of ethics that need to be adhered to in these kinds of engagement. It was unusual for a foreign minister to come to VOA newsrooms to chair an editorial meeting with a few people at night when everyone went to bed,” says a staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The source said he and a number of staffers felt disappointed with such a meeting that undercut the official channels and undermined the independence of VOA.
“If there is any need to complain about VOA programing or negotiate any deals, the officials should have followed the official procedures and channels instead of convening an editorial meeting at night with a selected group of VOA journalists, who are U.S. federal government employees,” the source noted.
“We are supposed to be independent journalists working for VOA. Why should the foreign minister or the ambassador come to VOA and dictate us how to do our jobs or give us instructions? It is not only inappropriate but also insulting to our intelligence and professional integrity,” another source added. “I strongly believe that VOA should continue its work with no fear or favor,” noted the source.
They pointed out that VOA, as an independent media outlet, has a mission of holding the powerful accountable with factual and truthful reporting. “Nobody can compromise or change the legally-mandated VOA charter and code of ethics.”
Another source indicated that the dubious meeting had the indirect effect of “big brother is watching you.” Some people are very concerned over the incident that calls for a thorough investigation to find out how and why this happened in a federal government building which was supposed to be a very safe and secure place of work.
The officials told the VOA employees that the doors of the Ethiopian Embassy were wide open to them. But a couple of the attendees are said to have already regretted attending the meeting as they claimed to have been misled to believe that the officials were available for a studio interview rather than chairing an editorial meeting.
Abebe Hailu, President of the Ethiopian-American Council expressed dismay and disbelief. “The current development in VOA is very alarming as it undermines the integrity of VOA. As Ethiopian-Americans, we are also patriotic tax-paying citizens of this remarkable nation, the United States of America,” he said.
And that gives us somewhat of an reason to urge that VOA and its staff members not to afford a chance to be dictated by foreign entities. We strongly believe the incident must be investigated by the Inspector General,” he noted.
A history of tension
The regime is widely criticized for extrajudicial killings, torture, abuse of power, corruption, mass displacement, land grab, discrimination and other forms of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity. During the aftermath of the 2005 elections turmoil, the regime had even filed treason and genocide charges against four veteran VOA broadcasters, among so many others, which were dropped after the U.S. government intervened in the matter.
During a visit to Ethiopia of three members of the Broadcasting Board Governors (BBG), which oversees VOA and other U.S. international broadcasters, in June 2011, the tyrannical regime reportedly submitted a lengthy complaint against VOA and a blacklist of dissidents that it wanted to be banned from VOA airwaves. Former VOA Horn of Africa Chief David Arnold had revealed that the regime wanted VOA to deny platform to a number of critics and dissidents. But Arnold was mysteriously suspended after disclosing the demands.
In 2010 the late dictator Meles Zenawi compared VOA to the infamous Radio Mille Collines of Rwanda, which incited the tragic genocide that devastated the nation.
“We have been convinced for many years that in many respects, the VOA Amharic Service has copied the worst practices of radio stations such as Radio Mille Collines of Rwanda in its wanton disregard of minimum ethics of journalism and engaging in destabilizing propaganda,” he had said after openly ordering the jamming of VOA broadcasts to Ethiopia.
His accusation was quickly rejected by the U.S. State Department as “baseless and inflammatory”. The State Department replied to the accusation by demanding the government to protect fundamental rights of freedom of expression.
Codes of ethics
VOA code of ethics prohibits employees or contract workers from working for any other state or media outlets without specific VOA authorization. It also emphasizes that in providing accurate information and news to those living under repressive regimes. “Broadcasting accurate, balanced and complete information to the people of the world, and particularly to those who are denied access to accurate news, serves the national interest and is a powerful source of inspiration and hope for all those who believe in freedom and democracy,” VOA journalistic code underlines.
Last year BBG joined BBC, Deutsche Welle and France 24 in condemning the TPLF-led regime for jamming their broadcasts, including VOA, in flagrant violation of well-established international rules and procedures on operating satellite equipment.
“The interference is contrary to the international regulations that govern the use of radio frequency transmissions and the operation of satellite systems, and inhibits the ability of individuals to freely access media according to Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights,” they noted in a joint statement.
“They are disrupting international news broadcasts for no apparent reason. This is a deliberate act of vandalism that tarnishes their reputation,” said Liliane Landor, acting Director of the BBC World Service Group.
Shifting strategy
Allergic to critical voices and media coverage, the regime has tried everything in its power to stop and disrupt Voice of America broadcasts for over two decades. Despite all the efforts, including jamming VOA’s shortwave and satellite broadcasts to Ethiopia, as well as putting diplomatic pressure, it failed to produce the desired effect.
Ethiopia, which tops annual lists of repression, ranked 4th in CPJ’s 2015 rank of 10 Most Censored Countries, just behind Eritrea, North Korea and Saudi Arabia. “In Ethiopia–number four on CPJ’s most censored list–the threat of imprisonment has contributed to a steep increase in the number of journalist exiles. Amid a broad crackdown on bloggers and independent publications in 2014, more than 30 journalists were forced to flee,” CPJ research shows. CPJ blamed the 2009 anti-terrorism law for criminalizing any reporting and freedom of expression.
Notwithstanding all the effort, TPLF’s strategy of jamming and filing false charges against journalists and dissidents has failed to bear any fruits. But its latest effort to directly talk to journalists at VOA and other independent media outlets will undoubtedly have an impact on the Horn of Africa section as the regime is expanding its support network from within and dangling carrots and sticks. It seems there are some who are lured by the dangling carrots in exchange for taking assignments beyond their journalistic duties.
VOA has not yet replied to a list of questions submitted by this reporter on the secret meeting which allegedly had an effect of interfering with VOA broadcasts to Ethiopia through direct and questionable contact from within the newsroom 
Source: ecadforum.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Ethiopia: Court Urged to Acquit and Free Four Zone 9 Bloggers Still Held
Reporters without borders
PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER 2015. UPDATED ON WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2015.
The Addis Ababa court that is trying the four members of the Zone 9 blogging collective who are still detained is due to issue a verdict when the 37th hearing in their trial is held on 8 October. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for their acquittal and immediate release.
Arrested in April 2014 under the 2009 anti-terrorism law, Atnaf Berhane, Befekadu Hailu, Abel Wabella and Natnail Feleke are facing the possibility of 10 to 15 years in prison on charges of “working with foreign organizations claiming to defend human rights” and “receiving funding in order to incite the public to violence via social media.”
The two other members of the collective and three journalists who were arrested at the same time and on the same grounds were released in July after the justice ministry decided to drop the charges against them without further legal justification.
While it welcomed their release at the time, the withdrawal of charges ordered by the justice ministry could be challenged in future before the courts, according to a local observer.
RSF therefore calls for a not-guilty verdict that would prevent any future prosecution of the bloggers on similar grounds. Since the release of two of the Zone 9 bloggers in July, the prosecutor has not presented any new evidence against the four still held.
“We urge the court and the authorities to be fair and open with the Zone 9 bloggers,” said Clea Kahn-Sriber, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Africa desk. “If there is no solid evidence against them, they should be freed at once and they should be acquitted so that there is no danger of any subsequent prosecution for the same facts.”
Zone 9 calls itself as “an informal group of young Ethiopian bloggers working together to create an alternative independent narration of the socio-political conditions in Ethiopia.”
The collective’s name alludes to the eight detention zones in Addis Ababa’s notorious Kality prison (where human rights defenders and journalists are held).
The blog was blocked by the authorities within Ethiopia soon after its creation in 2012 but remained accessible abroad and the group continued to post information and comments on social networks. Because of constant harassment by the authorities, they suspended activity seven months before their arrests, which occurred immediately after they announced that they were going to resume blogging.
There has been a dramatic decline in the number of media outlets in Ethiopia, which is ranked 142nd out of 180 countries in the 2015 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
Many reporters and editors with privately-owned print media fled the country in 2014 after being threatened by the authorities. Prosecutions of journalists under the 2009 anti-terrorism law. which provides for long jail terms, have been almost systematic.
Source:: satenaw
Saturday, September 5, 2015
EBAC Calls on the Ethiopian People to Reject the Redrawing of Ethiopia’s Border with the Sudan
September 5, 2015
Ethiopian Border Affairs Committee (EBAC)
On August 28, 2015, the Governor of Sudan’s Gedaref State, Merghani Salih “called for redrawing borders between the Sudan and Ethiopia.” This call is intended to finalize secret deals that EBAC, in collaboration with Ethiopian opposition political and civic organizations, has rejected numerous times over the past decade. Once again, we are obliged to protest this sinister act by the dictatorial governments of the two countries in the strongest terms. Among other things, ceding Ethiopia’s territories undermines its territorial integrity, sovereignty, security and the legitimate interests of the Ethiopian people.
We remind both governments that the respective territorial limits of both countries were defined by the Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1902 at the turn of the last century when Great Britain was the colonial power administering the Sudan. As is customary in international practice in delimiting national boundaries, the treaty provided for the setting up of a Joint Boundary Commission to be appointed by both sides to carry out the actual demarcation of the boundary on the ground. Upon completion of the demarcation process both parties were required to notify their citizens of the boundary as demarcated. This has not been done.
EBAC has provided documentary evidence numerous times that, despite the clear mandate of these undertakings, the treaty has remained a dead letter for over a century and, as a consequence, the boundary between the two countries has never been demarcated by a joint commission. Contrary to both the spirit and letter of the provisions of the treaty, Great Britain appointed its own officer, Major Charles W. Gwynn, to unilaterally and arbitrarily demarcate the boundary without the knowledge and the participation of Ethiopian boundary commissioners. In the event, the demarcation line which resulted from this high-handed exercise greatly favored the Sudan while causing Ethiopia to suffer a corresponding amount of territorial loss. This was vividly affirmed by the words of Major Gwynn when he testified on his report by saying, “I acted ultra vires”, meaning, “I acted beyond my power”, referring to his give-away of vast lands to the Sudan on top of his unilateral demarcation of the border without including the Ethiopians by violating the mutual agreed border treaty signed between Ethiopia and Great Britain. Hence, the current call for “redrawing the borders” is tantamount to accepting the Sudanese claim that the unilateral demarcation undertaken by the British has validity. Our contention is that no such validity exists.
Until the current dictatorship took power in Ethiopia, successive Ethiopian governments had been consistent and unequivocal in rejecting the validity of Sudan’s claims. Instead, these governments had called for a negotiated settlement of the boundary on the basis of the original treaty with the full knowledge, participation and consent of peoples likely to be affected by the demarcation line. The current government of Ethiopia has no right to subvert and undermine this long standing position. EBAC continues to argue that the international political system grants a considerable degree of importance to rights in respect of territory. The function of a boundary between states is the attribution of territory and, thus, the extent of a state’s territorial sovereignty. When the extent and limits of a state’s territorial sovereignty are determined solely and arbitrarily by one state with the collusion of a non-representative and illegitimate state to the detriment of Ethiopia, the boundary so determined becomes an enduring source of friction and tension between the adjoining states that neither the Sudan nor Ethiopia can afford. Redrawing the border at enormous costs to the Ethiopian people will inevitably cause permanent discord and lead to more instability in the region.
EBAC believes that neither the government of the Sudan nor the government of Ethiopia has legitimacy and legal credentials to make the secret deals that we have exposed and protested numerous times. In this regard, we call on the Ethiopian people to be vigilant and to reject the “redrawing” of their country’s borders conducted under duress and without their knowledge, participation and consent. The amount of fertile farmlands, rivers basins, mountains and hills, flora and fauna and other natural resources involved are substantial. These illegal transfers will affect Ethiopia’s 100 million people adversely and permanently. Indigenous people whose livelihoods depend on the security of these lands will end up poor and landless. No Ethiopian government can afford to sacrifice, dispossess and marginalize its own citizens in order to reward its Sudanese benefactors.
On the basis of the Sudanese press and Ethiopian sources, EBAC has pointed out repeatedly that, under the secretly-negotiated and concluded deals between the President of the Sudan and the late Prime Minister of Ethiopia, huge swathes of our ancestral lands will be ceded to the Sudan. The Ethiopian people received these reports with utter disbelief, resentment and anger against their own government and will continue to reject their implementation.
Neither the current generation of Ethiopians nor those of future generations will allow the deal to stand. “Redrawing” our country’s borders without the consent and participation of the Ethiopian people constitutes a serious violation of the treaty regime set up at the turn of the century. It is an affront to the sacrifices of past generations of Ethiopians who struggled hard to preserve the territorial integrity of their country. As we said above, thousands of our people will be forced to lose their homes, farms and investments if the border deal is implemented without their participation and consent. On our part, we call on the Ethiopian people to hold their government accountable for this treachery.
EBAC has sent a formal letter of protest to the Secretary General of the United Nations and to the Head of the African Union rejecting the demarcation and the “redrawing” process. We have alerted the global community that the border deal of today hatched by unelected elites will be the ticking bomb of tomorrow. Since it has neither support in law nor received the consent of the Ethiopian people, it will be a major source of friction and tension between the brotherly peoples of Ethiopia and the Sudan. The Horn of Africa is home to several failed states; it does not need an additional source of insecurity and instability beyond those that already plague the region.
EBAC is compelled to state clearly that the government of Ethiopia has a choice. It can forestall the dangerous situation of “redrawing” Ethiopia’s border with the Sudan and honor Ethiopia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and national interests; or accept responsibility and accountability for the disastrous consequences that will follow for generations to come. In this regard, we urge Ethiopia’s Defense Forces to side with the Ethiopian people and defend their lands and borders.
Last and most important, EBAC should like to go on record as asserting Ethiopia’s right to territorial sovereignty as defined by treaty – and not any other agreement that is reached behind the back of the Ethiopian people. EBAC reserves the right to not honor any boundary that results from the agreement of an unelected government that is devoid of any support or legitimacy among its own people.
EBAC also urges all Ethiopians within and outside the country to voice their rejection of the ceding of Ethiopian territory to the Sudanese government.
We never compromise with our territorial integrity and sovereignty!
Long Live Ethiopia!
Ethiopian Border Affairs Committee
P. O. Box 9536
Columbus, OH 43209 USA
Columbus, OH 43209 USA
ethiopianborders@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Senate should not confirm Gayle Smith
By Alemayehu G. Mariam
President Obama visited Ghana in 2009 and told Parliament, “History is on the side of brave Africans.” He warned Africa’s strongmen, “History is not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power.” He declared to the world, “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”
Obama has tapped Gayle Smith to run the U.S. Agency for International Development. African strongmen will be very pleased by the news; but she is the wrong choice for the job.
Smith’s history in Africa shows that she has been on the wrong side of history, on the side of Africa’s strongmen. She supported the late Ethiopian strongman Meles Zenawi for decades. Zenawi left a legacy of repression and persecution. Ethiopia today is ranked “the 4th most censored country in the world.”
Just a few days ago, Smith, along with Susan Rice, met Ugandan strongman Yoweri Museveni at the Waldorf Astoria. Museveni has been in power since 1986. Last year, Human Rights Watch reported, "Museveni’s government increasingly suppresses freedom of assembly, expression, and association while escalating threats to civil society.”
Smith’s outlook on Africa and its relationship to America is disturbing. Smith believes “aid promotes development.” Smith promotes a welfare foreign policy of aid handouts and alms-giving to Africa generously supported by American taxpayers. In 2014, USAID spent over $5 billion in Africa on various health and development programs.
No African country has developed hooked to the life-support system of U.S. aid. Dambissa Moyo has convincingly argued that the “insidious aid culture has left African countries more debt-laden, more inflation-prone, more vulnerable to the vagaries of the currency markets and more unattractive to higher-quality investment.”
What the USAID needs today is a steady hand on the tiller. USAID development programs have been plagued by allegations of fraud, waste, abuse and corruption. A Wall Street Journalinvestigation revealed that a significant amount of the nearly $10 billion spent by the U.S. in Africa between 2002 and 2012 on various health projects, including malaria and HIV control, “has been partly hijacked by organized networks that steal large quantities of donated malaria drugs and ship them from East to West Africa, where they end up for sale at street markets.”
The Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction in 2013 found that USAID’s of lack of effective oversight and monitoring placed hundreds of millions of U.S. tax dollars “at risk of waste, fraud and abuse.”
Another report by the Inspector General in 2010 concluded that “because of weaknesses in the mission’s performance management and reporting system,” auditors “could not determine whether the results reported in USAID/Ethiopia’s performance plan and report were valid.”
USAID does not need a polarizing figure at the helm. It needs a strong consensus builder with the proven ability to resolve serious internal administrative issues. It also needs a visionary leader who could envision Africa holding a plough and sickle, not a stretched out arm holding a begging bowl for American aid. USAID needs a leader who can clean house, not sweep the dirt under the rug; it does not need an administrator of welfare programs for African strongmen.
In July and September of this year, heads of state and ministers will meet to map out financial plans to implement their global development programs. Smith’s record suggests that her contribution to that effort will be a dogmatic reaffirmation of the dubious principle that development and U.S. national security are synonymous.
Smith will oversee the administration of billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Africa if confirmed. Her long and chummy relationship with Africa’s strongmen will make her a weak advocate of human rights, the rule of law and good governance on the continent.
In Accra, Obama told Africans, “You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. Because in this moment, history is on the move.”
The people of Africa cannot hold their leaders accountable when Africa’s strongmen rule from thrones cushioned with billions of U.S. aid dollars.
Obama is requesting the Senate’s advice and consent. The Senate should withhold consent and advise the president to send a nominee who is on the right side of history, the rule of law and democracy. For Africa, Senate confirmation of Smith at this moment will be the equivalent of moving the clock of history backwards.
Mariam is professor of political science at California State University, San Bernardino and a constitutional lawyer.
Source:http://thehill.com
President Obama visited Ghana in 2009 and told Parliament, “History is on the side of brave Africans.” He warned Africa’s strongmen, “History is not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power.” He declared to the world, “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
#BREAKING - hundreds gathered around Meskel square to demonstrate against the killing by IS of 28 Ethiopians and more
#Ethiopia Demonstration continues in #AddisAbaba against the ruthless Govt .see Photos pic.twitter.com/l0lsVyi4kr
— MINILIK SALSAWI (@miniliksalsawi) April 21, 2015
#BREAKING - hundreds gathered around Meskel square to demonstrate against the killing by IS of 28 Ethiopians. pic.twitter.com/OZ03TTcIQm
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#BREAKING - hundrds gathred around Meskel Square voluntarily as police are seen grappling to contain z increasing no pic.twitter.com/PJbtb5XKqF
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - police trying to disperse Ethiopian demonstrators who gathered voluntarily and unexpectedly https://t.co/0XHMA10NEG
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#BREAKING - hundrds gathred around Meskel Square voluntarily as police are seen grappling to contain z increasing no pic.twitter.com/PJbtb5XKqF
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - demonstration started at around Hilton; took a brief pose in front of the ECA and proceeding to the Kirkos neighborhood
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking – taxi drivers joining in; police trying to disperse but chants of “where is our government" loud pic.twitter.com/FI30qQWnxY
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
Recall - demonstration started at #Cherkos neighborhood where two of the victims are being mourned and proceeded to Meskel Square. Sorry!
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - Other chants include “the only country without a government “ “justice for the dead” & “don’t say they are not ours”
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - Hundreds gathered around the house for the two victims in Cherkos neighborhood; display of anger &emotion pic.twitter.com/ofvJVnmHTo
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - Hundreds gathered around the house for the two victims in Cherkos neighborhood; display of anger &emotion pic.twitter.com/PSAB1JxUrb
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - An angry mob chased away reporters from the state owned EBC; chants “don’t use this for propaganda”
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking – loud chants calling for demonstrators to proceed towards Mexico square; the police seem they have now resigned to the tune
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - schedule for a memorial candle lit ceremony for today 5 PM at the #Chrkos neighborhood where the two victims are being mourned
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - Another memorial for the 2 victims being mourned at Cherkos scheduled tomrw morning starting from 9:00 am Holy Trinity Cathedral
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
Recall - #Breaking - A memorial for the 28 victims scheduled tomrw morning starting from 9:00 am Holy Trinity Cathedral
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#Breaking - the natnal parliament summond 4 emergency meeting approved 3 days national mourning begining tomrw; flags will fly at half mast
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
Fana reporting that the gov't will organize a public rally for tomorrow. Tisshh. You can't choreograph grief. Let the people be. Arrrgghh..
— Mekdes Mz. (@Mekmz) April 21, 2015
Breaking - #Buna football club players have joined mouners at #Cherkos at the house where the 2 victims are from
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
Fantaye Belete –sister of IS victim Balcha says gov. shold help z remaining immigrants; “my brother is gone, but bring the rest” she told AS
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
3 asylum seekers who left Israel executed by ISIS http://t.co/lRzLOj6lHR 2 of the pics not correct; but hearbreaking all the same @awol_allo
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
Demonstrators slowly dispersing (aided by fed’s baton), but many still at #Cherkos neighborhood comforting the mourning family of the 2
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
#BREAKING - after the crowed started to slowly disperse 100s formed circles & continued chanting against the killing by IS of 28 Ethiopians
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015
Running chants by Ethiopians protesting against ISIS and their govt https://t.co/MoFD6oCP6g chanting "thief" v @miniliksalsawi
— reported.ly (@reportedly) April 21, 2015#Breaking – fresh demo with hundreds heading to the HQ of the African Union; police trying to stay on top of the fast unfolding events
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015#Ethiopia : #AddisAbaba Ortodox priests join with the Demonstration against the #EPRDF govt and #ISIS pic.twitter.com/50WTeLiTVG
— MINILIK SALSAWI (@miniliksalsawi) April 21, 2015#Breaking – police curbed a fresh demo headed to the AU HQ via Meshuwalekia; demos headed to Meskel square; stones being thrown
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015#Breaking – city police blockaded entry to Meskel square from various drctn; large no. of demonstrators blocked in front of St. Joseph schol
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015#Breaking - 100s of Police deployed; clearing the areas in & arund Meskel square by forcing demonstrators; truckload fed police standing by
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015Demonstrators forcing their way to access M.square behind St. Joseph, police rushing to block; 5 police, 1 fed, 1 defense trucks standing by
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015#Breaking - Police forcibly dispersing demonstrators rallying against ISIS killing of Ethiopians; many scrambling to run away
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015#Breaking- police forcibly& (effectively) dispersed demos that began this morning against the killing by ISIS of 28 Ethiopians in #Libya
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015#Breaking - meanwhile Ethiopian Orthodox church Synod declared seven days of prayers for the Ethiopian Christians murdered by ISIS in Libya
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015Ethiopian Orthodox Church declared the 28 Christian Ethiopians murdered by ISIS “Martyrs” ; asked families to bring pictures of the victims
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015calm is returning in &around M.square after police forcibly dispersed demos that began this mrng against the killing by IS of 28 Ethiopians
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) April 21, 2015Thursday, April 16, 2015
Is Ethiopia's building boom masking poverty?
By Lerato Mbele
Whenever we set up our camera and flapped open our sun reflectors in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, passers-by became curious and eager to help.
But getting them to talk on camera was another matter as in general residents of the city are reticent and keep their views to themselves.
We were filming in Addis Ababa for a programme charting the changes in the country, yet it was only on the flight back to South Africa that I met an Ethiopian willing to be candid.
I found myself seated next to an inquisitive elderly Ethiopian woman, who was chatty despite the early morning departure.
However, she was not so open as to be willing for me to mention her name here.
She wore a green twin-set, leggings and woollen socks with her loafers. After the rigorous security checks, she took the socks off, saying she only wears them to keep her feet clean at the end of the security protocols.
She reminded me a bit of my mother, both caring and bossy all in one person.
During the flight, she cut me a portion of her fruit and insisted that I eat every morsel; her stern gaze suggested that I had no choice.
'Foregone conclusion'
We talked about a lot of things, including my impressions of Nigeria, especially following the ground-breaking presidential election there when the incumbent lost.
She was proud of the manner in which Nigerians had used their vote to make a strong statement about their government.
I replied that perhaps if Ethiopians have strong views about the ruling party - the EPRDF, in power since 1991 - then they could also do the same when elections are held in May.
My neighbour dispelled that notion very quickly and whispered that she believes the result is a foregone conclusion.
I argued that surely Ethiopia's democracy is deeper than that, and that many support the government as they are grateful for the development in recent years.
She smirked and told me to open my eyes wider during my next visit.
Beggars
I was urged to investigate the economic statistics.
They show an economy growing in near double-digits, but about 40% live below the poverty line.
She reminded me of the beggars who are on the streets of Addis Ababa.
Then I recalled our filming around the city.
There is a clear image of frantic construction taking place, with a monorail, new roads and apartment blocks all being built.
But I also noticed that many of the buildings are empty.
I asked my new friend why she thought this was.
She reckons the Ethiopian middle-class cannot afford the rents, and that professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, have resorted to using parts of their home as consulting rooms, because they cannot pay for office space.
'Prestige'
I wondered why the government was intent on driving capital into these construction projects.
She answers simply that it is about the prestige.
She thinks that as a political and diplomatic leader on the continent, Ethiopia needs to show the economic signs of that position.
And Ethiopia needs to bear the hallmarks of this new-found economic prowess.
These are the thoughts of one individual, but someone who has seen a lot. She lived through the aftermath of the country's Italian occupation, the Marxist Derg regime and now the move towards a free market system and the introduction of democracy.
Her hope is that eventually Ethiopians will speak up and challenge their leaders to ensure that their economic dreams will lead to tangible change.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Thai Police Drop Slavery Case Against Dr Yonas Tegegn of the World Health Organisation
Dr Yonas Tegegn of the World Health Organisation
BANGKOK – Police on Friday dropped an investigation into allegations of slavery leveled by an Ethiopian maid at her employers a top Bangkok-based World Health Organisation official and his wife.
However, a lawyer acting on the young woman’s behalf said legal proceedings would continue.
The unnamed 25-year-old maid filed a complaint with Thai police last month accusing Dr Yonas Tegegn, the WHO’s top representative in Thailand, and his wife of abusing her and forcing her to work without pay for nearly two years at a residence in Nonthaburi.
“After questioning witnesses we have decided there are no charges to be brought,” investigating officer Pol Col Mana Tienmaungpak of the Pak Kret police station in Nonthaburi said.
Mr Tegegn, also an Ethiopian national, has firmly denied any wrongdoing over the “baseless” allegations.
According to her lawyer, the maid said she had been promised a monthly wage of 3,000 baht — less than half the local minimum wage — for a five-day week.
The couple have said they paid her 6,000 baht a month and had agreed to keep it for her until the end of her contract this June, the police officer added.
But Surapong Kongchantuk from the Lawyers Council of Thailand, said the maid worked without pay from July 2013 to March this year when she finally escaped her employers.
Legal proceedings would continue, he said, without detailing the next steps available for the maid, who is being helped by a local non-government organisation
Source: chiangraitimes.com
Source: chiangraitimes.com
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