Ethiopian Police Briefly Held UDJ/Andinet Party Officials
At-least seven senior officials of UDJ/Andinet, one of the main opposition parties, were in police custody a few hours ago, according to tips I received on facebook/twitter and by phone from opposition activists.
However, the government denies that was the case.
After several attempts to reach both government and UDJ party officials for information and comment, I managed to talk to MP Girma Seifu and Minister Redwan Husein.
MP Girma Seifu, who is a senior UDJ official, informed me by phone (around 9:30pm Addis Ababa time) that:
Several UDJ/Andinet party leaders – including him – were detained today, now some of them are released. His colleagues are talking to the police to have the rest of the detainee released and that he is confident that they will not spend the night in jail.
I asked MP Girma what the problem was: He replied the police indicated the party was "conducting unpermitted street announcements". Then, he added that there is no law prohibiting on-street announcements.
MP Girma believes the government is trying to obstruct the demonstration that the party planned for Sunday.
Ethiopian government downplays the claim:
After several attempts to reach Ethiopian government officials, I reached the new Minister of Government Communication Affairs, Redwan Husein, – who recently replaced Bereket Simon – (around 10pm Addis Ababa time).
I asked Redwan whether and why UDJ officials are/were detained and if permission is required conduct street announcements. Facing difficulty with my phone/network, I asked him to send me his reply by SMS – to which he generously agreed. Redwan texted me:
"No one is detained. No permission is needed if it is related to an already recognized meeting or demonstration or any sort, so long as one is not stirring public disturbances. If someone is summoned just for a briefing, that is not tantamount to detention."
This is not the first time UDJ party claiming police obstruction to its on-street announcements. Though it is common for Ethiopian opposition parties to exaggerate problems and complaints, I intend to take a close look at the law and practice of on-street announcements and present my analyses in this blog as soon as possible.
An Ethiopian housemaid committed suicide at the women’s ward of the Abyar Ali Penitentiary in Madinah on Friday.
The domestic worker had been in prison since the end of August, a local daily reported Saturday.
“The 23-year-old inmate was found hanging by her head scarf at about 8 a.m. She was immediately taken down and rushed to the nearby Meeqat Hospital, but the doctors there declared her dead on arrival,” said a source at the provincial prison directorate.
The woman, who arrived in the Kingdom as a housemaid, was sent to prison on charges of stabbing her female employer.
She was arrested a month ago after reportedly stabbing Gheelah, her octogenarian employer. Aziziah police handed her over to Aqiq police after her relatives identified her, Col. Fahd Al-Ghannam, spokesman for Madinah police, said in a statement shortly after her arrest. The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution then took over the case.
Ahmad Al-Ahmadi, the victim's son, said he knew nothing about the motive of the maid’s near-fatal attack on his mother, who used to treat her well.
The younger son of the elderly woman added that the maid’s attack was shocking and unexpected because she showed good conduct and had not manifested any signs of violent behavior or mental imbalance in the past.
Investigators could not obtain information from the maid because she refused to speak during the interrogation to reveal the motives for her attack.
Suhail Khan, director of a hospital for the mentally unstable in Jeddah, said 90 percent of female patients at his hospital were Ethiopian and that one patient a day on average is admitted. The doctor added that most cases were complicated and hard to deal with. The cases included serious psychological disturbances and schizophrenia. http://www.arabnews.com/news/466284
(by Sinke Wesho – OPride) – The 2013 Irreecha, Oromo thanksgiving holiday, was joyfully celebrated over the weekend with millions of people flocking to parks and riverbanks around the world.
Irreecha or Irreessa marks the beginning of a new lunar calendar and a seasonal change from winter to spring.
In Oromia, the Oromo homeland, winter is a busy and muddy season making travel and social life difficult. Spring (booqa birraa) ushers in a new beginning as rain eases, river levels drop, flowers blossom, and newly budding leaves prop to life. During this season, mother earth wears the green gowns of natural beauty – Irreessa or Kelloo.
Oromo recording artists Haacaaluu Hundeessaa and Abbush Zallaqaa will release their albums, titledWaa’ee Keenya and Jaala Jiloo, respectively, on September 28, 2013. Currently, the two are on a music tour in North America with two other Oromo recording artists, Nigusuu Taammiraat and Jaamboo Joote.
The first leg of their North American music tour will also be this Saturday – the “Oromiyaa Tiyya” concertin Minneapolis, Little Oromia, on Sept. 28 at Epic Center. This past Thursday, fans in Little Oromia threw an impromptu welcome party at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as the four artists arrived in the Twin Cities for Saturday’s much anticipated “Oromiyaa Tiyya” concert (watch video below).
For more on the music tour and the CD releases, visit OPride.com.
Waa’ee Keenya by Haacaaluu, and Jaala Jiloo by Abbush:
I slutten av august brøt etiopisk politi seg inn i lokalene til partiet Blå i Addis Abeba og arresterte 60 personer som forberedte en lovlig, fredelig demonstrasjon. Flere av de arresterte ble banket opp av politiet, ifølge Amnesty International.
2. juni i år demonstrerte tusener i gatene i Addis Abeba, i den største protestaksjonen siden uroen i 2005. Protestene ble organisert av den nye opposisjonsgruppen Blue Party. To måneder senere slo myndighetene til mot partiet. Foto: NTB Scanpix
I opposisjon har Høyre vært svært kritisk til utviklingen i Etiopia, et land som har hatt hyppige besøk av norske rødgrønne statsråder. Forholdet til Etiopia blir en av de første utviklingspolitiske klargjøringene som en ny borgerlig regjering må gjøre.
Statsminister Meles Zenawis bortgang i fjor har ikke gjort menneskerettighetsorganisasjonene mildere stemt overfor den regionale stormakten på Afrikas horn. Rapportene deres fastslår at kritiske journalister fengsles, bønder tvangsflyttes og sivile samfunnsorganisasjoner overvåkes og trues. Menneskerettighetsgrupper har fått sine bankkontoer sperret. Under den nye statsministeren Hailemariam Desalegn er fortsatt ikke Etiopia noen idealstat for menneskerettigheter.
«Menneskerettigheter i Etiopia er blitt forverret de seneste årene», skriver Human Rights Watch. «Kritiske stemmer blir ikke tolerert,» mener Amnesty International.
Tvangsflytting
Myndighetene har store planer om å satse på kommersielt jordbruk – både statlig og gjennom billig utleie av jord til store utenlandske selskaper. For å få dette til har de drevet omfattende programmer for å tvangsflytte folk inn i storlandsbyer. Dette gjelder spesielt i Gambela-regionen og i den nedre delen av Omo-elven der nomadefolk med kveg har levd i flere århundrer. Over 1,5 millioner mennesker er hittil berørt av tvangsmessig «landsbyfisering».
Landet er også i gang med bygging av flere store vannkraftanlegg. Mange landsbyer er blitt tvangsekspropriert for å få dette til.
Anti-terrorlover
I begynnelsen av august ble to journalister fra Radio Bilal anholdt i en uke. Radiostasjonen har hatt omfattende dekning av muslimske protester mot regjeringens innblanding i religiøse spørsmål.
Gjennom bruk av anti-terrorloven og en egen lov om organisasjoner, blir kritikk av Etiopias regjering kvalt. Trusler har ført til at mange av landets ledende menneskerettighetsaktivister har flyktet fra landet. Organisasjonen Committee to Protect Journalists, med base i USA, mener at 79 etiopiske journalister er blitt tvunget til å forlate landet de seneste årene.
I fjor ble 30 aktivister og opposisjonspolitikere dømt under den uklare og omfattende terrorloven. Den er også blitt bruk mot 11 journalister siden 2011. HRW skriver i sin årsrapport at de fortsatt kan dokumentere bruk av tortur ved flere politistasjoner i både Addis Abeba og i regionene. Amnesty rapporterer at sikkerhetsstyrker har henrettet mistenkte personer i en flere deler av landet der det er tilløp til motstand mot regimet.
Det neste parlamentsvalget i Etiopia skal finne sted i 2015.
Bistand
Til tross for kritikken av landet mottar Etiopia over 21 milliarder kroner i utenlandsk bistand i året. Norge kanaliserte 228 millioner kroner til landet i fjor. Av dette er det likevel bare 35 millioner kroner som går direkte gjennom etiopisk offentlig sektor, og svært lite går gjennom departementene.
Samtidig som Etiopia får kritikk for manglende demokrati og svake sivile politiske rettigheter, kan landet vise til store økonomiske og sosiale framskritt for befolkningen. Barnedødeligheten i landet er redusert med hele 67 prosent i forhold til 1990, viser tall fra FNs barnefond (Unicef). Fattigdommen er også på vei ned. På tjue år har barns tilgang til skole økt fra 32 til 96 prosent.
Diskuterer
Det norske utenriksdepartementet har flere ganger det siste året understreket at de stadig diskuterer menneskerettigheter med myndighetene i Etiopia. UD viser også til at Norge har inngått en treårig avtale med Addis Ababa-universitetet, via norske Senter for Menneskerettigheter. Formålet er å fremme tilgang til fri rettshjelp for fattige mennesker, med særlig -fokus på kvinner, samt styrke senterets akademiske kapasitet.
Sammen med det regionale kontoret for FNs høykommissær for menneskerettigheter har den norske ambassaden siden 2011 hatt formannskapet i Human Rights and Democracy Sub-group. Forumet er ment for diskusjon og informasjonsdeling blant en rekke ambassader på grunnlag av politiske snarere enn utviklingsmessige interesser. I 2012 arrangerte ambassaden månedlige møter om aktuelle temaer relatert til menneskerettigheter og demokrati, ifølge Norads landsider.
En av grunnene til at vestlige land er tilbakeholdne i sin kritikk av Etiopia-regimet er landets sentrale maktstilling i Afrika og på Afrikas horn. Etiopia har et godt forhold til USA og huser hovedkvarteret til Den afrikanske unionen og bidrar med tropper til fredsbevarende operasjoner i både Sudan og Somalia
Erga sanaa qabee daraggoonni naannoo sanaa faallaa shororkeessummaa akka dhaabbataniif tattaaffiin godhamaa jiru milkaa’ee jira. Ilmi obboleessa Bihi kan bara 2009 Somalia keessatti ajjeefame garuu carraa kana hin arganne.
Oakland Institute and the Housing and Land Rights Network Submit Human Rights Report on Ethiopia to the United Nations
OAKLAND CA— In a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on September 15, 2013, the Oakland Institute and the Housing and Land Rights Network outlined the human rights and international law violations perpetrated by the government of Ethiopia in the name of country’s development strategy.
Drawing clear links between recorded testimonies on the ground and breaches of specific international covenants and articles in Ethiopia’s constitution, the joint submission to the UN Human Rights Council also responds to Ethiopia’s draft National Human Rights Action Plan for 2013-2015. “Rather than working to build a development strategy grounded in human rights, the Ethiopian government is attempting to hoodwink its human rights record, leaving unmentioned its villagization program and the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation—both used by the government as significant justifications for forced resettlement, arbitrary detentions, and politically motivated arrests,” said Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of the Oakland Institute.
As previous Oakland Institute reports have chronicled, the Ethiopian government’s efforts to clear land for large-scale foreign investment has entailed widespread violations of human, social, economic, and political rights. Violations of citizen’s rights to self-determination, housing, land for subsistence production, and free political association--enshrined in the Ethiopian constitution, the Rural Land Administration and Land Use Proclamation, and in United Nations international covenants--are carried out in the name of development.
The joint UPR submission suggests that the ruling party’s ability to implement country’s unpopular villagization program rests in its monopoly on force and dominance over the allocation of humanitarian assistance. “Authoritarian governance and the methods used in implementing development projects have combined to violate human rights to livelihood and culture for land-based peoples, especially in the peripheral regions,” said Joseph Schechla, Coordinator of the Housing and Land Rights Network. “Involuntary resettlement, a form of forced evictions, accompanies deprivation of the right to food, including the right to feed oneself, particularly for agropastoralists. On the other hand, the ability to control information and stifle dissent has enabled the ruling party to present a positive face to the international community, which has dubbed Ethiopia a nation in “renaissance,” he continued.
The joint submission presents undeniable evidence that should compel the international community to advocate for a human rights centered development strategy that would benefit all Ethiopians.
Ethiopia's former President Dr. Nigaso Gidada, one of the strongest and most outspoken leaders of political opposition, has been detained. Dr. Nigaso Gidada detained 4 days before completing his peaceful "Millions of Voices of Freedom" campaign. His campaign was set to be completed on the coming Sunday with a peaceful, public demonstration. He's lead this campaign 3 months without incident then, suddenly, hes detained 4 days before its completed. .
Dr. Nagasso holds a doctorate in social history from the Goethe Universityin Frankfurt-am-Mainand is currently a part-time lecturer of history at Addis Ababa University. The title of his doctoral thesis is "History of the Sayyoo Oromo of Southwestern Wallaga, Ethiopia, from about 1730 to 1886". He is married to Regina Abelt, a German nurse and midwife. Being the First Lady of Ethiopia while holding the German Citizenship earned Abelt considerable, yet unwanted, attention by the German and European tabloid press. In marked contrast, Regina Abelt was virtually invisible in Ethiopia and never enjoyed the official title of First Lady which was instead used by the wife of the Prime Ministe
In July 2008, Dr. Negasso became a founding member of the Forum for Democratic Dialogue(FDD), a new coalition of opposition parties and activists.Then in November 2009, he announced he had joined the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party(UDJ), one of the eight parties in the FDD, "to try to unite Ethiopia". At the time of his announcement, he also asked forgiveness from Ethiopians for deceiving them that Ethiopia's current constitutionwas ratified in 1995 with full participation of all political parties in a democratic manner. "There were a number of political parties that were excluded from the process," he said during the ceremony when he and Siye Abrahawere officially inducted into the UDJ
Azeb Mesfin, the widow of Ethiopia’s deceased dictator, is facing multiple charges of corruption and her arrest is imminent unless she leaves the country, according to Ethiopian Review sources in Addis Ababa.
Political and business associates of Azeb Mesfin are dropping like flies. The biggest one to fall was Gebrewahid WoldeGiorgis, a senior official, who was charged with stealing over one hundred million Birr. Others are leaving the country with their families. Since May 2013, over 50 high profile TPLF officials and businessmen have been arrested on charges of corruption. All of them are associates and partners of Azeb.
Azeb, also known as, the Mother of Corruption, is currently being protected by Abay Woldu, chairman of the ruling Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), and Bereket Simon, former propaganda chief, but both Abay and Berket are being marginalized, and Abay is fighting to maintain his diminishing authority over TPLF.
September 23, 2013 (AFP) – The Kenyan government and UNESCO on Wednesday announced the discovery of a huge supply of underground water in the impoverished, drought-stricken extreme north of the country. The find, made using advanced satellite exploration technology and backed up by UNESCO drilling, was hailed as a scientific breakthrough that could radically change the lives of the half-million people living in one of the world’s most arid regions. Two aquifers — underground layers of permeable rock or silt soaked in water — were found in the Turkana region, the scene of a devastating drought two years ago that aid workers said pushed malnutrition rates up to 37 percent. “The news about these water reserves comes at a time when reliable water supplies are highly needed,” said Judi Wakhungu, cabinet secretary in the Kenyan ministry of environment, water and natural resources.“This newly found wealth of water opens a door to a more prosperous future for the people of Turkana and the nation as a whole. We must now work to further explore these resources responsibly and safeguard them for future generations,” Wakhungu said at the start of a water security conference in Nairobi. The firm which carried out the survey, Radar Technologies International (RTI), said the area hosts a minimum reserve of 250 billion cubic meters of water, which is recharged at a rate of 3.4 billion cubic meters per year — almost equivalent to annual water consumption in Austria. “Hundreds of thousands of livestock die because of recurring droughts. This won’t happen anymore,” RTI president Alain Gachet told AFP. “We’ve just doubled the country’s drinking water reserves. The needs are huge, as women often have to walk 10 to 20 kilometres to get water.” RTI said the largest find — the Lotikipi Basin Aquifer, located west of Lake Turkana — was roughly the size of the US state of Rhode Island. The smaller Lodwar Basin Aquifer, meanwhile, could feed the parched regional capital of Lodwar — although UNESCO cautioned that water quality still needed to be assessed. The hostile and desert-like Turkana region, near the northern border with Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia, is the poorest in the country, and its mostly-nomadic people are among the most vulnerable in Africa. Fighting between rival groups — often armed with guns — over grazing land for their livestock is common in the region. Of Kenya’s 41 million strong population, 17 million lack access to safe water, and 28 million do not have adequate sanitation. Kenya’s northern region already hosts Lake Turkana — the world’s biggest desert lake stretching 250 kilometres (150 miles) long by 60 kilometres wide at its largest point — but the famous jade-coloured waters are threatened by hydroelectric dams cutting off feeder streams in neighbouring Ethiopia. But water is not the only resource under the ground, with exploratory oil drilling ongoing.
Ethiopian Police Briefly Held UDJ/Andinet Party Officials
September
25, 2013 (Zehabesha) — የቀድሞ የኢትዮጵያ ፕሬዘዳንት እና የአሁኑ የአንድነት ለዴሞክራሲና ለፍትህ
ፓርቲ (አንድነት) ሊቀመንበር ዶ/ር ነጋሶ ጊዳዳ መታሰራቸውን ብስራት ወልደሚካኤል ከአዲስ አበባ አዘገበ፡ ዶ/ር
ነጋሶ ጊዳዳ መታሰራቸው የተገለጸው ዛሬ መስከረም 15 ቀን 2006ዓ.ም. ሲሆን ዘ-ሐበሻ ወደ አንድነት ጽህፈት ቤት
ደውላ “ዛሬ እስከ ጠዋት ድረስ ሥራ ላይ ነበሩ’ የሚል ምላሽ አግኝታ ነበር። አሁን ይህን ዜና እየዘገብን
ባለንበት ወቅት ወደ አዲስ አበባ የአንድነት አመራሮች ጋር ስንደውል ስልኮቻቸውን ያነሱ ሁለት የአንድነት አመራሮች
የዶ/ር ነጋሶን መታሰር ለዘ-ሐበሻ አረጋግጠዋል።
September 24, 2013
