Canadian inmate sues Ethiopian government

Nov 27, 2007 04:30 AM
Debra Black
Staff Reporter


A Canadian citizen who has been detained in Ethiopia for the past 10 months without being charged is suing the government there and its officials for "violations of international law, assault, battery, false arrest and false imprisonment."

The statement of claim, which was filed in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice late last week, names Warqine Gabayo, the head of the Ethiopian police, and Taadese Masareti, the head of the prison where Bashir Makhtal is being detained.

The suit claims that Ethiopia "is illegally holding" Makhtal and is "subjecting him to torture and other forms of cruel and inhumane treatment." According to the statement of claim, Makhtal has been held "incommunicado" for more than nine months, and he has not been charged with any offence. Nor has he been brought before a court of law.

His rights to legal counsel and adequate access to the consular protection of Canada have also been denied, the suit says.

"He has been denied his fundamental rights under international, Ethiopian and Canadian law," according to the suit.

The suit adds Makhtal was also "subject to frequent interrogations during which he has been subjected to torture and cruel and inhumane treatment. He was also forced to videotape a false confession under the coercion of the Ethiopian authorities. The false confession was broadcast on the television in Ethiopia."

The suit also alleges that Makhtal's family, many of whom remain in Ethiopia, have been detained, arrested and subjected to torture and coercion to force them to implicate him.

None of the allegations in the lawsuit has been proven in a court of law.

Vancouver Welcomes Debebe Eshetu

Vancouver Welcomes Debebe Eshetu

Vancouver Welcomes Debebe Eshetu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czVu5ZQ9PKc

TORONTO ROCKS WITH KINIJIT FEVER

WHEN: NOVEMBER 3, 2007
WHERE: 84 TYCOS DR.
ST'MARYS ETHIOPIAN
ORTHODOX CHURCH
TIME 2PM ........2AM
FUNDRAISING WITH
THE TALENTED ACTOR COMEDIAN ABEBE BELEW
Grand Town Hall meeting
with Kinijit Leaders

The Honorable Birtukan Midekssa
The Hounorable Gizachew Shiferaw

The Famous Comedian Actor
&
Head of Public Relation CUD
Debebe Eshetu

SUPPORT THE PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
SAY YES TO DEMOCRACY
GO CUD GO

Ethiopia in the Third Millennium—Forward or backward?

By Mr. Obang Metho / October 6, 2007

The celebrations of the Ethiopian Third Millennium going on all over the world have ended, but we still have reason to celebrate! Why? Just this past month, the recently released Kinijit leaders began a tour of the United States, Australia, Africa, Canada and Europe, speaking to thousands of excited Ethiopians in the Diaspora who are hoping that there will now be strong guidance towards stopping the oppression of the people in Ethiopia and instead bringing true freedom, justice, equality and peace to the nation.

Just this week, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill HR2003 which will directly connect the receipt of financial aid and diplomatic privileges with the upholding of human rights and democracy within the country. This was accomplished despite the alleged huge financial investment Meles and the EPRDF made to the lobbying firm, D.L. Piper, to block the bill’s passage.

More cause for celebration was given when on the same day and close to the same time of the vote on HR2003, Kinijit leaders and an Ogadeni human rights representative were given the opportunity to testify before The House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, “The Human Rights and Humanitarian Situation in the Horn of Africa: The Cases of Somalia and the Ogaden Region of Ethiopia”

All of these successes can be seen as a great advancement in the struggle, but it is not a time to sit back and rest. There is major work still to be done and we cannot stand by and be spectators, waiting for others to do it for us. Instead, we all must get ready for what may be the most difficult part of our battle for a new Ethiopia—a movement of united people—representative of all Ethiopians—that will bring about the Ethiopia we want for tomorrow. Right now, the celebrations must be quieted and the difficult work of transformation must begin. May God be our leader, guide and protector as each of us humbly carries out whatever our part might be.

Our success, if we are to achieve it, is about all of us doing our share, contributing to the whole, if we are to find our way out of the “valley of the shadow of death” that now encompasses all of Ethiopia. That valley is like a maze that brings us into unknown regions. If we Ethiopians are currently going to find our way out of such dark confusion, it will require the eyes of the Afar, the ears of the Ogadeni, the legs of the Gurage, the hands of the Tigray, the shoulders of Oromo, the head of the Berta, the feet of the Amhara, the arms of the Sidamo, the mouth of the Anuak……and the hearts of each of us to make it safely and completely to the other side. Then we will have cause to celebrate. Until then, our people remain in jeopardy.

Tremendous atrocities—what some now call a genocide—are being perpetrated against the Ogadenis. This is going on today and is a silent Darfur that we must do more than our best to stop before the lives and livelihood of these fellow Ethiopians are destroyed. This should be cause for outrage for all of us. This government’s poison has crossed the border into Somalia and the people there are suffering similarly at the hands of Meles and those under his command. We must speak up for them as well as people of moral courage who are against such evil or we may be found culpable at some later date.

Besides the ongoing human rights abuses and the suppression of the people by Meles, many areas of our country have been victims of natural disasters. Reportedly, 200,000 Ethiopians, from Gambella to Amhara have been affected by the recent flooding—many being displaced or losing their homes, crops and property. To add to this cause of misery, the rate of inflation has been climbing at record speed, causing such hardship that more and more people cannot afford the basics to survive.

We have seen recent reports that more and more educated Ethiopians, in particular, those in the medical and health professions, are leaving the country for better opportunity elsewhere, leaving an already crippled health system, even worse off than before even though Mr. Meles Zenawi, says Ethiopia does not need doctors!

Now, with all of these realities, we should know that if this bill, HR#2003, goes to the Senate and becomes law, we can be thankful for what it will accomplish and should heartily congratulate those who worked so hard on this, but please know that the struggle is not over.

More importantly, it is critical to recognize that we need the average Ethiopian, not only the politicians, to make themselves available to contribute to creating a better Ethiopia for those who follow us. Ethiopians need to regroup and reorganize. Like when nature struck, it affected seven regions of the country, making it important to work together because what is happening is affecting many of us. Ethiopians on the ground must do the work because we know outsiders have their own interests.

For instance, with Burma, as the monks courageously stood up this past week and said enough to a tyrannical government, it is Ethiopians who must do the same in our own country. If there is a message to the people of Ethiopia it is to be ready to not be a spectator but instead to become an active participant.

The Ethiopian problem cannot be solved by one political party, but will require all of us. They deserve our gratefulness for starting this struggle, but now, it will require all groups to come together because one group cannot do it by themselves. Yet, the Kinijit can take a strong stand by reaching out to all Ethiopian organizations. In fact, the most effective way to go forward is with unity, even more than democracy.

For Ethiopians to succeed, problems within organizations, not only within the Kinijit, should be quickly resolved and then each should start by reaching out to others to be coalition builders. Insulting each other, infighting, backbiting and rumormongering will only hold back the new millennium hopes for a new Ethiopia. Instead, it will be through tolerance, putting aside one’s personal interests, agendas and resentments that we will be able to move on. In the meantime, let us remain calm, but persevering in our goals and reflect on some of our strengths as well as the obstacles we must overcome.

Our country is unique and gifted with an ancient history dating back over 3000 years. We are the second largest country in Africa in terms of population, now around 80 million. We host the headquarters of the African Union. We have a reputation for being able to live in peace and harmony with Christians, Muslims, Jews and Animists.

Yet, unfortunately, when many people of the world think of Ethiopia, they are still reminded of images of famine, beggars and starving children. Someone on American radio has even referred to one of the poorest states in America, Louisiana—after Hurricane Katrina, as being “the Ethiopia of the United States.” What an embarrassing comparison.

Our standing on most every survey of how we are doing as a society, rates us near to the bottom in the world, thanks to the EPRDF who cannot even admit our dire situation. Instead, they perpetually exaggerate progress by boasting that things are improving in the country when we know how bad things really are.

Where there is development, huge debts are being incurred, robbing the future away from our Ethiopian youth of tomorrow who will be expected to pay it off. As we face the advent of the Third Ethiopian Millennium, it is high time to soberly consider where we are today and what we must do to give our descendents increased freedom, justice, equality, opportunity and prosperity in the future.

Yet, it is hard not to be excited about the recent release of the Kinijit Opposition Party leaders, journalists, human rights activists and now 18, 000 more Ethiopians (still not all) from all over the country who have been detained for months or years even though Meles had previously denied there were any political prisoners in the country. One might wonder where these 18, 000 or more prisoners came from!

As some of them are now visiting Ethiopians in the Diaspora, we can be extremely grateful to them for so quickly organizing a political movement before the May 2005 National Election that brought together so many different groups under one umbrella of the CUDP. It was in many ways, a miracle that no one, even them, expected! Even though most of us knew that Meles was a repressive dictator, we were surprised when he risked his reputation as “a new breed of African leader,” to become “one of the most vicious dictators” according to both Congressman Chris Smith and Congressman Donald Payne, made public in recent statements, by openly hijacking the election, killing 197 Ethiopian protestors and forcing the Opposition leaders and countless others to be detained in the prisons of our country.

US targets Ethiopia for sanctions

US congressmen are defending a bill threatening to impose sanctions on Ethiopian officials and stop military aid unless democratic reforms are made.

Legislator Donald Payne told the BBC the House of Representatives passed the bill "because there has been a serious problem with democracy in Ethiopia".

Ethiopia's ambassador to the US criticised the proposal saying it would "undermine regional stability".

Ethiopia is the US's strongest ally in the region in its "war on terror".

The legislation now passes to the Senate for approval and can be vetoed by the president.

Correspondents say Ethiopia has come in for increased criticism over its human rights record since the violent crackdown on post poll protests in 2005; opposition leaders imprisoned as a consequence have subsequently been released.

And since Ethiopia's went into Somalia last December to help the transitional government- a rebellion in its eastern Ogaden region which borders Somalia has escalated.

'Correct wrongdoings'

The US representatives approved the Ethiopian Democracy and Accountability Act on Tuesday, which puts Ethiopian government officials at risk of being denied entry visas over human rights violations.

It also threatens to withhold military aid of at least $1.5m

Mr Payne said the bill was bipartisan and secured unanimous approval.

"It's something that's been discussed ever since the killing of civilians, gunned down in the streets of Addis [Ababa] almost two years ago," the Democratic Congressman told the BBC's Network Africa.

"There was a feeling that Ethiopia, being an ally of the United States, should have an opportunity to correct some of the wrongdoings, and that has not happened.

"Two years later people are still being imprisoned. There's still problems in the Ogaden region. People are having food kept away from them. That's why we finally said we need to move forward with it."

Samuel Assefa, Ethiopia's ambassador to the US, called the bill "irresponsible" and said it would hamper efforts to improve things.

"The legislation also would undermine regional stability in the Horn of Africa by jeopardising vital security cooperation between the United States and Ethiopia," he said in a statement, Reuters news agency reports.

The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says as Ethiopia is such a strong ally of the US in the Horn of Africa, it is unlikely that President George Bush's administratation will be sympathetic to the bill.

Gizaw

September 24.2007

The Six Pillars of Character Trustworthiness. Respect Responsibility. Fairness. Caring. Citizenship. The Six Pillars of Character are ethical values to guide our choices. The standards of conduct that arise out of those values constitute the ground rules of ethics, and therefore of ethical decision-making.There is nothing sacrosanct about the number six. We might reasonably have eight or 10, or more. But most universal virtues fold easily into these six. The number is not unwieldy and the Six Pillars of Character can provide a common lexicon. Why is a common lexicon necessary? So that people can see what unites our diverse and fractured society. So we can communicate more easily about core values. So we can understand ethical decisions better, our own and those of others. The Six Pillars act as a multi-level filter through which to process decisions. So, being trustworthy is not enough � we must also be caring. Adhering to the letter of the law is not enough � we must accept responsibility for our action or inaction. The Pillars can help us detect situations where we focus so hard on upholding one moral principle that we sacrifice another � where, intent on holding others accountable, we ignore the duty to be compassionate; where, intent on getting a job done, we ignore how.In short, the Six Pillars can dramatically improve the ethical quality of our decisions, and thus our character and lives. 1. TRUSTWORTHINESS When others trust us, they give us greater leeway because they feel we don't need monitoring to assure that we'll meet our obligations. They believe in us and hold us in higher esteem. That's satisfying. At the same time, we must constantly live up to the expectations of others and refrain from even small lies or self-serving behavior that can quickly destroy our relationships. Simply refraining from deception is not enough. Trustworthiness is the most complicated of the six core ethical values and concerns a variety of qualities like honesty, integrity, reliability and loyalty. Honesty There is no more fundamental ethical value than honesty. We associate honesty with people of honor, and we admire and rely on those who are honest. But honesty is a broader concept than many may realize. It involves both communications and conduct. Honesty in communications is expressing the truth as best we know it and not conveying it in away likely to mislead or deceive. There are three dimensions: Truthfulness. Truthfulness is presenting the facts to the best of our knowledge. Intent is the crucial distinction between truthfulness and truth itself. Being wrong is not the same thing as lying, although honest mistakes can still damage trust insofar as they may show sloppy judgment. Sincerity. Sincerity is genuineness, being without trickery or duplicity. It precludes all acts, including half-truths, out-of-context statements, and even silence, that are intended to create beliefs or leave impressions that are untrue or misleading. Candor. In relationships involving legitimate expectations of trust, honesty may also require candor, forthrightness and frankness, imposing the obligation to volunteer information that another person needs to know. Honesty in conduct is playing by the rules, without stealing, cheating, fraud, subterfuge and other trickery. Cheating is a particularly foul form of dishonesty because one not only seeks to deceive but to take advantage of those who are not cheating. It's a two-fer: a violation of both trust and fairness. Not all lies are unethical, even though all lies are dishonest. Huh? That's right, honesty is not and inviolate principle. Occasionally, dishonesty is ethically justifiable, as when the police lie in undercover operations or when one lies to criminals or terrorists to save lives. But don't kid yourself: occasions for ethically sanctioned lying are rare and require serving a very high purpose indeed, such as saving a life- not hitting a management-pleasing sales target or winning a game or avoiding a confrontation. Integrity The word integrity comes from the same Latin root as "integer," or whole number. Like a whole number, a person of integrity is undivided and complete. This means that the ethical person acts according to her beliefs, not according to expediency. She is also consistent. There is no difference in the way she makes decisions from situation to situation, her principles don't vary at work or at home, in public or alone. Because she must know who she is and what she values, the person of integrity takes time for self-reflection, so that the events, crises and seeming necessities of the day do not determine the course of her moral life. She stays in control. She may be courteous, even charming, but she is never duplicitous. She never demeans herself with obsequious behavior toward those she thinks might do her some good. She is trusted because you know who she is: what you see is what you get. People without integrity are called "hypocrites" or "two-faced." Reliability (Promise-Keeping) When we make promises or other commitments that create a legitimate basis for another person to rely upon us, we undertake special moral duties. We accept the responsibility of making all reasonable efforts to fulfill our commitments. Because promise-keeping is such an important aspect of trustworthiness, it is important to: Avoid bad-faith excuses. Interpret your promises fairly and honestly. Don't try to rationalize noncompliance. Avoid unwise commitments. Before making a promise consider carefully whether you are willing and likely to keep it. Think about unknown or future events that could make it difficult, undesirable or impossible. Sometimes, all we can promise is to do our best. Avoid unclear commitments. Be sure that, when you make a promise, the other person understands what you are committing to do. Loyalty Some relationships � husband-wife, employer-employee, citizen-country - create an expectation of allegiance, fidelity and devotion. Loyalty is a responsibility to promote the interests of certain people, organizations or affiliations. This duty goes beyond the normal obligation we all share to care for others. Limitations to loyalty. Loyalty is a tricky thing. Friends, employers, co-workers and others may demand that we rank their interests above ethical considerations. But no one has the right to ask another to sacrifice ethical principles in the name of a special relationship. Indeed, one forfeits a claim of loyalty when he or she asks so high a price for maintaining the relationship. Prioritizing loyalties. So many individuals and groups make loyalty claims on us that we must rank our loyalty obligations in some rational fashion. For example, it's perfectly reasonable, and ethical, to look out for the interests of our children, parents and spouses even if we have to subordinate our obligations to other children, neighbors or co-workers in doing so. Safeguarding confidential information. Loyalty requires us to keep some information confidential. When keeping a secret breaks the law or threatens others, however, we may have a responsibility to "blow the whistle." Avoiding conflicting interests. Employees and public servants have a duty to make all professional decisions on merit, unimpeded by conflicting personal interests. They owe ultimate loyalty to them public. 2. RESPECT People are not things, and everyone has a right to be treated with dignity. We certainly have no ethical duty to hold all people in high esteem, but we should treat everyone with respect, regardless of who they are and what they have done. We have a responsibility to be the best we can be in all situations, even when dealing with unpleasant people. The Golden Rule � do unto others as you would have them do unto you � nicely illustrates the Pillar of respect. Respect prohibits violence, humiliation, manipulation and exploitation. It reflects notions such as civility, courtesy, decency, dignity, autonomy, tolerance and acceptance. Civility, Courtesy and Decency A respectful person is an attentive listener, although his patience with the boorish need not be endless (respect works both ways). Nevertheless, the respectful person treats others with consideration, and doesn't resort to intimidation, coercion or violence except in extraordinary and limited situations to defend others, teach discipline, maintain order or achieve social justice. Punishment is used in moderation and only to advance important social goals and purposes. Dignity and Autonomy People need to make informed decisions about their own lives. Don't withhold the information they need to do so. Allow all individuals, including maturing children, to have a say in the decisions that affect them. Tolerance and Acceptance Accept individual differences and beliefs without prejudice. Judge others only on their character, abilities and conduct. 3. RESPONSIBILITY Life is full of choices. Being responsible means being in charge of our choices and, thus, our lives. It means being accountable for what we do and who we are. It also means recognizing that our actions matter and we are morally on the hook for the consequences. Our capacity to reason and our freedom to choose make us morally autonomous and, therefore, answerable for whether we honor or degrade the ethical principles that give life meaning and purpose. Ethical people show responsibility by being accountable, pursuing excellence and exercising self-restraint. They exhibit the ability to respond to expectations. Accountability An accountable person is not a victim and doesn't shift blame or claim credit for the work of others. He considers the likely consequences of his behavior and associations. He recognizes the common complicity in the triumph of evil when nothing is done to stop it. He leads by example. Pursuit of Excellence The pursuit of excellence has an ethical dimension when others rely upon our knowledge, ability or willingness to perform tasks safely and effectively. Diligence. It is hardly unethical to make mistakes or to be less than "excellent," but there is a moral obligation to do one's best, to be diligent, reliable, careful, prepared and informed. Perseverance. Responsible people finish what they start, overcoming rather than surrendering to obstacles. They avoid excuses such as, "That's just the way I am," or "It's not my job," or "It was legal." Continuous Improvement. Responsible people always look for ways to do their work better. Self-Restraint Responsible people exercise self-control, restraining passions and appetites (such as lust, hatred, gluttony, greed and fear) for the sake of longer-term vision and better judgment. They delay gratification if necessary and never feel it's necessary to "win at any cost." They realize they are as they choose to be, every day. 4. FAIRNESS What is fairness? Most would agree it involves issues of equality, impartiality, proportionality, openness and due process. Most would agree that it is unfair to handle similar matters inconsistently. Most would agree that it is unfair to impose punishment that is not commensurate with the offense. The basic concept seems simple, even intuitive, yet applying it in daily life can be surprisingly difficult. Fairness is another tricky concept, probably more subject to legitimate debate and interpretation than any other ethical value. Disagreeing parties tend to maintain that there is only one fair position (their own, naturally). But essentially fairness implies adherence to a balanced standard of justice without relevance to one's own feelings or inclinations. Process Process is crucial in settling disputes, both to reach the fairest results and to minimize complaints. A fair person scrupulously employs open and impartial processes for gathering and evaluating information necessary to make decisions. Fair people do not wait for the truth to come to them; they seek out relevant information and conflicting perspectives before making important judgments. Impartiality Decisions should be made without favoritism or prejudice. Equity An individual, company or society should correct mistakes, promptly and voluntarily. It is improper to take advantage of the weakness or ignorance of others. 5. CARING If you existed alone in the universe, there would be no need for ethics and your heart could be a cold, hard stone. Caring is the heart of ethics, and ethical decision-making. It is scarcely possible to be truly ethical and yet unconcerned with the welfare of others. That is because ethics is ultimately about good relations with other people. It is easier to love "humanity" than to love people. People who consider themselves ethical and yet lack a caring attitude toward individuals tend to treat others as instruments of their will. They rarely feel an obligation to be honest, loyal, fair or respectful except insofar as it is prudent for them to do so, a disposition which itself hints at duplicity and a lack of integrity. A person who really cares feels an emotional response to both the pain and pleasure of others. Of course, sometimes we must hurt those we truly care for, and some decisions, while quite ethical, do cause pain. But one should consciously cause no more harm than is reasonably necessary to perform one's duties. The highest form of caring is the honest expression of benevolence, or altruism. This is not to be confused with strategic charity. Gifts to charities to advance personal interests are a fraud. That is, they aren't gifts at all. They're investments or tax write-offs. 6. CITIZENSHIP Citizenship includes civic virtues and duties that prescribe how we ought to behave as part of a community. The good citizen knows the laws and obeys them, yes, but that's not all. She volunteers and stays informed on the issues of the day, the better to execute her duties and privileges as a member of a self-governing democratic society. She does more than her "fair" share to make society work, now and for future generations. Such a commitment to the public sphere can have many expressions, such as conserving resources, recycling, using public transportation and cleaning up litter. The good citizen gives more than she takes. Love Ethiopia

UN seeks Ethiopia abuses inquiry

The UN has called for an independent investigation into reports of human rights abuses in Ethiopia's predominantly Somali Ogaden region.

A visiting UN group says they found a pervasive fear among residents caught in clashes between the army and rebels.

The Ethiopian army has been accused by ONLF separatists of operating a food blockade and causing a man-made famine.

Responding to the report, Ethiopia said it would work with the UN to ensure the region's food requirements were met.

However, it did not comment on allegations of abuses.

Click here to see a map of the area

The report by the mission, who visited the area last month, also calls on the government to give aid agencies access to the region.

It says the food situation is deteriorating rapidly and could reach emergency levels very shortly and that there is an acute shortage of drugs and other medical supplies in the area.

The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says that the fact that the mission decided not to make the report public but to share the findings privately with the government suggests that publication would have caused considerable embarrassment and prejudice the chance of getting matters improved

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL ETHIOPIANS AROUND THE WORLD

Friday, September 07, 2007

Former Addis Ababa University Professor, Gizachew Shiferaw, Kinijit's Head of Organizational Affairs, is part of the party's delegation that will tour North America. EZ Post has a revealing inteview with him.

EZ: Your upcoming tour has its critics. Why are you traveling abroad before all Kinijit prisoners are released?

Gizachew: The tour is part of the wider political activity we are undertaking now. We have to thank for the great effort and commitment Ethiopians living abroad showed both to the struggle for democracy and our release from prison. What Ethiopians abroad did when we were in prison was incredible. In 2006 and the beginning of 2007, there were massive demonstrations all over the world. They-children, the elderly, people with tremendous work and professional responsibilities- withstood the harsh weathers and made their points. They put pressures on host countries; made the media to pay attention. I haven't seen or heard the Diaspora of other countries showing such commitment.

The Ethiopian diaspora is a force to be reckoned with. This is not only because of what it has done in the past two years but also because its potential is immense. We have a lot of educated people, people with money, people with connections, people with vigor, enthusiasm and incredible love of the country living abroad. Any political force in Ethiopia should be able to mobilize our Diaspora for the benefit of the country. Kinijit will certainly do that.

But our tour doesn't exclude doing things at home. We have already established two committees which are entrusted with the task of getting the prisoners out. One is a data committee which gathers information about the prisoners all over Ethiopia. The other is a contact group which liaisons with the Shimagles. Part of our agreement when we were released was the release of all people who were imprisoned in connection to the election. The Shimagles are facilitating that and we are meeting them every two weeks. I think in our trip abroad we will also highlight their ordeals if they aren't released by then.

EZ: But why wouldn't you just wait here until they are released?

Gizachew: We can do a lot of things at a time. Our trip is short. The South African group stays for ten days. They will come and continue what we have started. We also have a lot of council members who won't go abroad. They will also do the task. I don't see any reason why we can't do two things at the same time. We are a political organization. Our tasks are vast. We should be able to do a lot of things at the same time.

EZ: There are divisions in the Diaspora. Part of the reason for your trip is to solve that. How are you going to do it?

Gizachew: Our direction and vision regarding that is very clear. There will be no more appointments from Addis Ababa. It is a cliché; but I have to say it: Power belongs to the people. Ethiopians abroad will choose their own representatives for the chapters and kinijit support groups – at city, state, national and continental basis. It is each constituency which determines what its leaders will be.

EZ: That is for the future. But what about the past? There are serious allegations; allegations of embezzlement of incredible amounts of money collected in the name of Kinijit? Allegations of authoritarianism? Can you talk about the future without addressing the past?

Gizachew: We have started to address that. What we first did when we got out of prison was to take away the political powers of groups who were acting in the Diaspora on our behalf

NTERVIEW-Ethiopian opposition leader takes fight abroad

By Timothy Gardner NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The man who was elected mayor of Addis Ababa said he is not sure whether he can hold public demonstrations there, so he is visiting the United States and Europe seeking support for a new era of democracy in Ethiopia. "It is very difficult to know what it means to be engaged in political struggles in Ethiopia," Berhanu Nega, deputy chairman of Ethiopian opposition party Coalition for Unity and Democracy, or CUD, told Reuters in an interview in New York. "Can you organize demonstrations, can you organize discussions? All this is not answered." Nega won the mayoral race of the capital city in 2005, but was jailed in November of that year after a government crackdown on a protest about the general elections where at least 193 civilians and six police officers died. The elections, the freest yet in Ethiopia, had raised hopes of democracy after decades of feudalism and dictatorship. Now Sub-Saharan Africa's second most populous country after Nigeria awaits to see whether the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the CUD will reconcile, or if there will be more authoritarian rule. After Nega's release nearly two years later in July, Zenawi said Nega and other CUD members who had won seats in parliament and Addis Ababa's city council would be free to run for office in the future. But Nega said it's too early to tell whether he will run in any future election. "Most of the institutions that are necessary for democratic order don't seem to be operating right now," he said, adding that Ethiopia's judiciary, security forces, and election boards were all under control of Zenawi. SERIOUS PROBLEMS He said the government has so far reneged on the release agreement, facilitated by traditional elders, that CUD leaders would meet with the government and third party negotiators on how to broaden democratic institutions. "Clearly what's at stake, so long as the bitter disagreement continues, is that it keeps the country from addressing its really serious problems such as overpopulation, looming famine, soil erosion and flooding," said Donald Levine, an expert on Ethiopia at the University of Chicago. Until CUD knows whether it can hold public forums, it is meeting internally and working with the international community to raise support, said Nega, who this week will address academics at The New School for Social Research in New York, where he studied for an economics degree. In addition, Nega will lead a delegation of fellow opposition members, who were also jailed after the protest, to visit New York, Washington, and Atlanta. For about a month they will visit Ethiopians who have relocated to the United States. He hopes the delegation will also meet with members of U.S. Congress and officials at the State Department to urge them to look closely at the Zenawi administration. The longer it takes for the government and the CUD to come together, the greater chance violence could spread through the country from places such as the remote Ogaden region where the government is leading a crackdown on rebels, he said. "If we don't fill the political space in this discussion with the commitment to settle this impasse peacefully, then these other forces are going to be the ones (the) government has to deal with," he said.

MSF Press Release: Urgent Appeal to Government of Ethiopia Despite repeated appeals over the past weeks to gain permission to return, the Government

Violence and displacement are threatening the lives of the civilian population in Ethiopia’s conflict-affected Somali region, says the medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Despite urgent humanitarian needs, however, two sections of MSF have been denied access to the region. MSF is calling on the Ethiopian authorities to immediately allow its teams to provide assistance to people in the region who are facing an increasingly desperate situation. MSF has a signed agreement with the Government of Ethiopia to work in the Somali region –often referred to as the "Ogaden region" – and had conducted several assessments of the humanitarian needs in the area when it was forced to evacuate its teams for security reasons in late July. Despite repeated appeals over the past weeks to gain permission to return, the Government of Ethiopia has denied MSF access.

"There is a humanitarian crisis in the Somali-region of Ethiopia," said William Robertson, Head of Mission for the Dutch section of MSF in Ethiopia. “Our teams have treated people who have been forced to flee their homes and are now struggling to survive with little or no assistance. People are living in fear because they find themselves targeted by and caught between armed groups. We are urgently calling for immediate access to the region in order to help civilians in need."

While conducting mobile health clinics and measles vaccination campaigns in the Wardher area of the region until fighting forced the MSF team to leave on July 24, MSF international staff saw emptied and burned villages and assisted numerous people who reported being forcibly displaced from their homes. Despite limited operations, MSF treated several victims of beatings and gunshot wounds, underlining the need for urgent medical care in the area.

In July, MSF also conducted assessments of the humanitarian needs in the region in the areas of Denan, Garbo, Degahmadow, Sagag, and Fiq. During these assessments, the MSF team saw a number of villages wholly or partially abandoned and were told of food shortages by villagers and displaced people.

"Last week, we asked the authorities to grant us access at least for 24 to 48 hours so we could provide medications and material to Fiq health centre. We know that the health centre and the wider district are suffering from a serious shortage of drugs as the last supplies arrived six months ago" , said Loris De Filippi, operational coordinator for MSF Belgium in Ethiopia. "But once again, the authorities refused to let our team move from the capital city Jijiga to Fiq by road or even by plane".

As insecurity has left health structures empty of staff and medicines, there is a risk that the health situation will deteriorate further. In the month since MSF carried out its assessments, no independent humanitarian non-governmental organizations have been able to provide assistance to these areas. The region is known to be extremely precarious and subject to nutritional emergencies and famines causing extremely high mortality, as witnessed by MSF in the years 1992 and 2000. Humanitarian organizations must be allowed immediate access to the region, otherwise the medical and nutritional consequences risk becoming catastrophic.

Eyewitness Report of Ogaden Crisis Villages deserted, burned in Ethiopia's Ogaden - MSF Reuters, Sep 4, 2007

"I saw burned out villages. I remember passing a number of villages that were empty other than the elderly and sick," Eileen Skinnider, assistant coordinator for Ethiopia, told the news conference via an Internet link from Canada. "We didn't pass one commercial vehicle ... I saw women and children chased away (by soldiers) trying to collect water from wells ... I saw small groups of men living in the bush."

Ethiopia 'blocking MSF in Ogaden' In December 1985 Mengistu kicked Medecin Sans Frontiers (MSF) out of Ethiopia because they spoke up against the diversion of aid and the forced resettlement program. MSF continued to work behind rebel lines in Tigray and Eritrea to provide desperately needed medical help. In 1999 MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Note - Somali region is larger than indicated in above map

ICRC deplores expulsion from Somali Regional State International Committee of the Red Cross Press Release, July 26, 2007

ICRC (Geneva) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) deplores the decision by the authorities of Ethiopia's Somali Regional State, where it has been present for over 12 years, to give it seven days' notice to leave.

In 1936, the fascist regime of Mussolini refused any cooperation with the Red Cross and bombed Red Cross hospitals and ambulances in Ethiopia. Mengistu also attacked civilians while the Red Cross was distributing relief. According to a Human Rights Watch Report (1990): "Wukro was held by the [Mengistu] government until March 1988, and was a center for relief distributions by the Ethiopian Red Cross. After the TPLF captured the town, the Ethiopian Red Cross distributions continued according to the schedule already agreed with the government. On April 8, the distribution went ahead as planned, but government bombers attacked and killed about 100 civilians who had gathered there.

A MUST READ ARTICLE FROM ANDARGACEW TSIGE ABOUT KINIJIT DIASPORA

The name KINIJIT is about transparency, democracy, accountability, participation, inclusiveness, individual freedom, equality with diversity, and more....for this Kinijit is a name associated with all of the above. The modern organization of kinijit has no place for corrupt, egoist, backward, feudal minded individuals. Recommended read Andargachew Tsige's very fine analysis about kinijit in diaspora.

Ethiopia conflict and coopration

A MUST READ UPDATED ABOUT CURRENT SITUATION IN ETHIOPIA

Political Violence and Democratic Uncertainty in Ethiopia

Summary
• The pardon and release of thirty-eight political detainees, mostly from the leadership of the main opposition party, may give impetus to political negotiations in Ethiopia after more than two years’ crisis and stalemate.
• Contentious and previously unresolved national issues, such as land and economic development; the institutional and constitutional structure of the Ethiopian state; and the best way to ensure equality of ethnic and religious communities, were brought to the fore during the past election cycle. However, after the election, much- needed national dialogue on these matters ended. It must be reinvigorated now that the political opposition’s leaders have been freed.
• Citizen discontent has grown with the caretaker administration in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa and repressive local administrations. Elections for city and local government
must be held. Further delays will undermine any democratic progress.
• The current Parliament includes members of several opposition political parties, though not the leaders who were imprisoned. Both the ruling party and the main opposition parties should make as many visible and meaningful concessions as possible
to their political opponents.
• Ethiopia’s military intervention in Somalia in December 2006, its ongoing military presence in that conflict, and its unchanged, tense border stalemate with Eritrea have contributed to growing violence in the Horn of Africa and stymied domestic democratization.
I

THE REPRESSION IN THE OGADEN MUST BE STOPPED

Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners (SOCEPP), August 14/2007

The regime in Addis Ababa is benefitting from the diplomatic and political support of certain countries that have liked its role as a foot soldier in the so called "war on terror" and it has taken this opportunity to spread terror among the people in Ethiopia. One of the main targets of its wrath are the Ethiopian Somalis living in the Ogaden.

Alleging that it is trying to stamp out an insurgency waged by the Ogaden National Liberation Front and claiming (for the benefit of the West) that the ONLF is allied with the Islamic Courts Militia in Somalia (where the troops of Meles Zenawi are waging a brutal war as an invading force), the soldiers of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi are virtually on a rampage--burning settlements, shooting down cattle and camels, killing innocent civilians. Reports coming from the area highlight gross violation of rights. The regime has expelled the Red Cross from the area and restricted journalists from going to the front to report on what is going on. This is a situation that the ruling front loves with passion-- to commit atrocities away from the public eye. But its crimes have not been covered up.

Certain actions of the ONLF have also been severely criticised.Yet,the main responsibility falls on the regime as its counter insurgency has proved to be nothing less or more than brutality and terror on the people at large. It is worse than its action in Mogadishu and deserves vigorous condemnaton.
SOCEPP calls on peace loving people to call for the immediate cessation of the State Terror against the people in the Ogaden. SOCEPP calls on all Ethiopians to oppose the actions of the regime against the Somalis in the Ogaden. Insurgency is not crushed by indiscriminate violence against innocent people. On the contrary, such violence fans more resistance and compounds the initial problem to no end.
STOP THE REPRESSION AND VIOLENCE IN THE OGADEN!

INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS INJUSTICE EVERYWHERE
SOCEPP, POSTFACH 51213, BERLIN 13372,GERMANY
E MAIL: SOCEPP @AOL.COM
WEB SITE: WWW.SOCEPP.DE

Posted on 14 August 2007 @ 22:59

PRESENTATION AT THE OGDEN YOUTH NETWORK CONFERENCE

August 11, 2007 St Thomas University, St Paul, Minneapolis

Berhane Mewa, former Member of the Kinijit International Leadership (On a personal capacity) breemewa@gmail.com
My Reflection
My appearance today in this gathering is a privilege and an opportunity to meet with concerned,
determined and energetic Ethiopians, I am delighted in many senses. I have lived for the last three years in
the United States and addressed several meetings in different places. In the last two years I was honored to
serve my party Coalition for Unity and Democracy, being a member of the Kinijit International Political
Leadership, which was delegated to execute political and organizational affairs of the Party.
My audience has been all the way supporters and members of the opposition, sympathizers and members of
the EPRDF, critics and even adamant opponents of the party I use to represent. This is my first appearance in
a sub‐regional issue based conference. This is also my first presentation in the last two years, with the
freedom of not being a party delegate and not worried of my political correctness. What excites me most is
that this meeting is called by the youth, the future of the world, the future of Africa and the future of
Ethiopia. What else can make me and all committed citizens happy than the concern and involvement of
the Youth in the affairs of our motherland Ethiopia? Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to be
part of this gathering.
Today I am not representing the CUDP party, I am participating on my own

By Ewnetu Ashenafi

Our indifference towards Ethiopia Somalis in Ogaden who suffer from the barbaric acts of genocide perpetrated by the TPLF regime is likely to have a long-term impact on freedom, democracy and Ethiopia’s unity

It is a sad and regrettable fact that Eritrean independence is the result of lack of freedom and democracy in Ethiopia. Are we repeating the same historical mistakes in the Ogaden? One of the historical mistakes that led to the secession of Eritrea from Ethiopia is the lack of statesmanship and political maturity of the then Ethiopian leaders. It seems that we have not yet taken the lessons of the past. What is currently unfolding in the Somali region of Ethiopia is indicative of this fact.

What is currently happening to Ethiopia Somali’s in the Ogaden is totally catastrophic. It is really shocking when one imagines living in Somali region at this time. People are being killed, houses are being burned, women and girls are being raped, young people are routed, kidnapped and killed and the list goes on and on. Oh my God! It is really shocking! The people of Ogaden are paying a high price alone due to the divisive political arrangements of the incumbent regime in Ethiopia.

The issue has now made headlines in the New York Times thanks to the brave work of its journalists. Thank God, the hidden dark work of the Woyanne forces has now come out into the open. It has also entered into the minds of some concerned U.S. officials such as Senator Patrick Leahy. Shouldn’t we be even more concerned about it as Ethiopians?

TPLF is using a combination of war and starvation strategies to force the Somali people to abandon supporting ONLF fighters. TPLF is causing immense damage to the people of Somali region as well as to the unity of Ethiopia in general.

What is even disconcerting is our indifference to the cause of the impoverished Somali people in Ethiopia. Our indifference is due to the wrong perception we have towards the just cause of the people of Ogaden resulting in poor response that do not go beyond mere lip service so far. If our indifference continues, the current crises will escalate to form the basis of another war of independence that is difficult to reverse in its advanced stages. This reminds me of an Ethiopian joke. A hyena came to a group of donkeys lying and sleeping in the dark night. As the hyena starts eating one of them, the victim whispers to others: you guys be quiet, the hyena starts eating me from my legs, not knowing that the hyena would not rest until he sees each one of them devoured one at a time.

The enemy we face is an angry hyena that will pursue each one of us one at a time. The divide and rule tactic is working closely with the divide and hit tactic. TPLF will not rest until it finishes its job of making Ethiopia the then Soviet Union. Meles Zenawi is the Gorbachev of Ethiopia. His Revolutionary democracy is the perestroika that is on its way to complete its job if a regime change does not happen in the short term.

The TPLF would like us to believe that the Ogaden problem is an issue of secession and as such it should be condemned and fought. Surprisingly, many Ethiopians who even oppose the current tyranny fell into this trap. The best way to avoid session is to tackle it at its root. Think of what happened to Eritrea because of the same old war policy of Mengistu Haile-Mariam. The TPLF policy is in fact aimed at fueling the conflict and exacerbating the struggle for session. What is being done has happened and will definitely happen in Oromia, Amhara, the Southern Region, Gambella and other regions of the country. Woyanne is an evil force and anti-Ethiopian in its nature. Its control of governmental powers in Ethiopia makes it even more dangerous not only to Ethiopia but also to east Africa in general.

What we need is a proactive approach to counter the divisive propaganda and action of the Meles regime. We should stand alongside the peace loving people of Ogaden, as they are Ethiopians as we are. We need to identify with them and cry for them before the international community to get attention and support. We need to coordinate our struggle with them for freedom and democracy.

We need to change our perception towards the Somali region of Ethiopia. Let us see the cause of freedom and democracy behind their secessionist movement. Let us not grossly condemn them like we did to Eritrea. The problem in the Ogaden region is part of a larger problem in Ethiopia. It is the lack of democracy and rule of law in Ethiopia.

Let us make it clear to the people of Somali region of Ethiopia and to the international community that what is being perpetrated in Ogaden is the work of TPLF regime. It does not represent the wishes of the Ethiopian people who sees the people of Ogaden as Ethiopian equally subjugated to tyrannical rule in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Somalis urgently need our help in this critical moment. The barbaric acts of TPLF in Ogaden should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. As such, condemning, not supporting, the terrorist acts of TPLF in Ogaden is standing up for human rights, democracy and Ethiopia’s unity.

Ogaden's downward spiral

Rising tensions in the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia, combined with chronic instability in neighbouring Somalia, Eritrean enmity, and human rights concerns, are testing US support for the Addis Ababa government led by Clinton-era good governance pin-up Meles Zenawi.

The Bush administration welcomed the recent release of 38 opposition politicians detained after violent protests over the conduct of elections in 2005. But it has kept quiet over Ethiopia's subsequent expulsion of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers from Ogaden's Somali regional state, following claims they were aiding Ogaden National Liberation Front separatists (ONLF).

The ICRC condemned Ethiopia's action, warning it would have "an inevitable, negative impact" on an already impoverished, largely nomadic population. The ONLF claimed the expulsions, and a ban on foreign media, were an attempt to prevent the international community witnessing "the war crimes taking place against the civilians of Ogaden at the hands of the Ethiopian regime".

The rebels also blamed Ethiopian government forces for the killing in a roadside attack on July 29 of two leaders of the main indigenous relief organisation, the Ogaden Welfare and Development Association. Despite Ethiopian denials, the ONLF says the government continues to enforce "a virtual blockade against aid and commercial goods in Ogaden". It has repeatedly called for UN intervention.

Congress's Africa committee endorsed legislation last month that could oblige President Bush to withhold US financial and military assistance to Ethiopia's government unless all political prisoners are freed, freedom of speech and information are respected, and human rights groups can operate unhindered.

"Ethiopia's authoritarian prime minister Meles Zenawi was once a darling of the Clinton administration and has forged close ties the Bush administration. With Washington's blessing, Meles sent troops to Somalia in December to expel the radical Islamic Courts movement linked to al-Qaida," a Washington Post editorial noted. But the paper said the "preposterous" charges against opposition activists, abuses in Somalia and reported atrocities in the "internal war" in Ogaden meant ties might have to be reviewed.

A recent report for the international watchdog Human Rights Watch quoted witnesses describing how Ethiopian troops burned homes and in some cases, killed fleeing civilians.

Human Rights Watch said the separatists were also guilty of serious abuses, a refrain vigorously pursued by the Ethiopian government. "The ONLF, a terrorist group acting in collaboration with the defunct Islamic Courts (in Somalia) and the Eritrean government, has been committing atrocities and human rights violations, including indiscriminate murder of innocent civilians," the foreign ministry said.

Obang Asks, "If Woyane can unify us, why can't we?

"What was very absent [at the OromoConf. in Minnesota] was any sight of the Ethiopian flag, even though Ethiopia was repeatedly referred to in the signs as not having peace, justice or freedom. Instead, almost everyone had an Oromia flag." Community

"I am not disclaiming the horrific injustices that have been done to the Oromo people, but there is another way we can approach this. An example is to have an Oromo flag as well as an Ethiopian flag for I believe that what has happened in Ethiopia cannot be solved by isolating ourselves from Ethiopia as a whole. Ethiopia is like a hut in which we live. If we get hurt inside our hut, we do not have to burn down the entire hut or abandon it, but instead, we work to change or move the thing that hurt you inside the hut.

"If we want to survive as a people, we have to put our humanity before our ethnicity...Until people shed the nation-state reference in Africa, divide and rule and playing off one group against another will prevail." -Obang Metho.

---

I was invited by our Oromo brothers and sisters through the Oromo-American Citizens Council to speak at the Second Annual International Oromo Human Rights Conference on “Conflict in East Africa and the Current Human Rights Situation.” I was to address the subject of human rights violations in Ethiopia with a special focus on the Anuak as well as to assess the risk of genocide and further human rights violations against other ethnic groups in the Horn of Africa.

I was very pleased to participate because I am fully committed to speak up for the betterment of the Oromo, who I know have been the targets of countless human rights abuses for many years, based on their ethnicity and the desire of each consecutive government to subdue and control this largest of ethnic groups, accounting for 40% of all Ethiopians. These abuses include extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detentions, torture, disappearances, false imprisonment and threats and intimidation along with more subtle forms of repression reflected in the lack of health services, infra-structure and access to economic, political and educational opportunities.

I was very aware that like the Anuak in the Gambella region, our Oromo neighbors, whose land nearly surrounds us, have suffered so greatly that many Oromos have formed a liberation front and have sought for their independence from Ethiopia in self-protection and in a desire for self-determination. Even though I personally believe in a non-violent solution to the crisis we face, I also would have been very willing to come if the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) had been the ones to invite me to speak as I understand how committed they are in working for the betterment of the Oromo after suffering so greatly and for so many years - first under Haille Selassie, then Mengistu and now under Meles Zenawi! This kind of government that destroys large segments of its own civil society in order to advance their own self-interests, cannot continue and we must look for immediate solutions.

I thank the Oromo political and civic groups for giving me the privilege and honor of presenting my own views on how I believe this war for freedom and justice can be fought. As I make my comments, I do not speak as an expert, an elder or as an Oromo scholar who has been studying this for years. I know that some of you may disagree with me, but this should not interfere with us continuing to struggle together to find common ground where we can work together. We must recognize the truth that as humans, none of us is ever 100% right - only God can be that. I accept that limitation myself so that I may also be open to others as well, just like I am asking of you.

We can easily agree when the Oromo tell us that they have been colonized, hated and enslaved within Ethiopia. We can also agree when the Oromo tell us that they have been denied their rights and called Galla - or slaves, across the country, just like the Anuak or the other darker-skinned ethnic Ethiopian people have been called Baria - or slaves. It is not even necessary to debate this as everyone knows it and these people know it better because they are the ones who have felt the pain! However, if we focus on the past too much, we can never move on as we will never forgive or let go of many justifiable reasons for our anger.

On the other hand, if we forget our past, we will repeat it as we will never learn from our mistakes. Both can lead to a destructive cycle of oppressing or being oppressed - exactly what we have been living with for many years and centuries. Neither option will ever free us. Instead, the question for today is - how can we move on without forgetting, finally getting out of this downward cycle and moving on? I think this conference is a good starting place to have this discussion and this is why I look forward to talking more with you.

After I arrived in the Twin Cities, I met for supper with a number of leaders in the Oromo community, along with non-Oromo westerners. It also was my first opportunity to meet the former President of Ethiopia, Negasso Gidada, an Oromo himself who grew up in Dembedollo about 45 kilometers from Gambella and who is now an elected independent parliamentarian from that area. We all talked, not about politics, but about life in general.

The next day, we went to the rally - “Oromia Shall Be Free,” sponsored by the International Oromo Youth Association with support from other groups as well. The purpose of the rally, as they stated in their literature, “was to address the injustices and hidden ethnic cleansing directed at the Oromo” and “to get fair and balanced media attention on the situation of Oromo refugees in Somalia and the Horn of Africa.” When I arrived at the rally, close to a thousand Oromos were already walking by the Minnesota State Capitol building.

U.S. Senator Feingold writes to Secretary Rice on abuses in Ogaden

Aug 2nd, 2007

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on African Affairs, and a bipartisan group of his senate colleagues, sent this letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice regarding human rights abuses committed by the Meles regime's military in the Ethiopia's Ogaden region.

Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C St. NW
Washington, DC 20520

July 31, 2007

Dear Madam Secretary:

We are deeply concerned by reports of systematic human rights abuses being committed by the Ethiopian military in Ethiopia's Ogaden region. We believe it is the moral and legal duty of the United States to promptly and vigorously investigate these allegations and send clear, consistent messages that there will be serious consequences if these violations of national and international law are proven to be true.

As you know, last month the Ethiopian government announced a crackdown on Ogaden National Liberation Front rebels operating in Ethiopia's eastern Somali region after the rebels attacked a Chinese-run oil exploration field in April. While the threat posed by the rebels is real and increased security measures in the area are warranted, the military's operations appear to go far beyond what can be justified by national security concerns.

A New York Times article published on June 18, 2007, described "a widespread and longstanding reign of terror, with Ethiopian soldiers gang-raping women, burning down huts and killing civilians at will." Although aggressively denied by Ethiopian authorities, reports of murder, torture, rape and village burnings have been corroborated by independent observers and aid groups struggling to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

On July 4, 2007, Human Rights Watch released a statement accusing the Ethiopian military of forcibly displacing thousands of civilians from rural areas to large towns to deny support for the rebels. The Ethiopian government has also imposed a commercial blockade on parts of the region, preventing both normal commercial exchange and the delivery of food aid and other essential humanitarian assistance. The blockade has already provoked serious food shortages and large sectors of the population may face a severe emergency if commercial and humanitarian access is not immediately restored and preserved as the coming rainy season brings the threat of renewed flooding.

For years, the State Department's own Human Rights Country Reports have cited unlawful killings and arbitrary detentions by Ethiopian security forces and police, most of which have never been investigated or resolved. In the meantime, the United States Government has been providing increased non-humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia, with a request to nearly double that support next year.

We understand that the United States has a valuable strategic relationship with the government of Ethiopia. However, we believe it is of fundamental importance to ensure that in our relationships with all governments on the African continent and around the world, the United States demonstrate a steadfast commitment to human rights, good governance, and justice.

We urge you to intensify pressure on the Ethiopian government to respect fundamental human rights norms even as it pursues critical security objectives. We expect that you will keep us appraised of new information regarding the Ethiopian military's operations and conduct in the Ogaden and how the United States is responding.

Thank you for your attention and timely action on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Senator Joe Biden (D-VT)
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO)

CC: Assistant Secretary Jendayi Frazer
CC: Ambassador Don Yamamoto

Ethiopia turns its critics into untouchables

ZOE ALSOP AND NICK WADHAMS

Special to The Globe and Mail

July 27, 2007

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA -- Dressed in a black Adidas track suit and seated amid a comfortable clutter of term papers and political science tomes in his modest office at Addis Ababa University, Prof. Merera Gudina hardly looks like a menace. But, ever since he was elected to parliament two years ago, people have been avoiding him.

There was, for example, the time that local mechanics were too terrified to repair his car when it broke down on the way back from his mother's funeral east of Addis.

THEY ARE OUT

Breaking News

USA - (5:00 AM EST) KIL source announced Kinijit leaders have been released at last. The source said, thousands of people are at kality right now. When Kinijit leaders are being taken from Kaliti by mini-buses, people were flashing the V sign and the traditional 'Eleleta' was heard. The source assumed kinijit leaders have been taken to Sheraton Addis where press conference is taking place.

Ethiopia needs to take seriously democracy and human rights

Editorial, The Wall Street Journal

July 17, 2007 — Let’s play name-that-state. After the EU declared its 2005 elections flawed, this country’s troops killed 193 protestors and arrested 20,000 more. Last week, 42 of the accused were convicted of inciting violence to overthrow the state (down from an original charge of genocide and treason). Thirty-five were condemned to life in prison and forbidden to vote on Monday. Some of the accused were journalists, so their publishing houses were fined and closed.

Did you guess Ethiopia? Probably not, since this African state has often been held up as a pillar of good governance on a troubled continent. In just over a decade, Ethiopia went from military rule to a parliamentary system. But this democracy is on paper only.

The convictions are not an isolated incident, nor are the 42 defendants just any opposition figures. They include the elected mayor of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, a former Harvard scholar and a former U.N. envoy. They’ve been condemned to the same fate, life in prison, as ousted military strongman Mengistu Hailee Mariam, who is held responsible for the murder of 150,000 academics and university students in two decades in power.

Given the government’s recent record, it’s odd to say the least to see Prime Minister Meles Zenawi advise Tony Blair’s Commission for Africa in 2005 on the future of the continent. Or to hear that the Bush Administration considers Mr. Meles a "staunch ally" in the war on terror for searching out al Qaeda suspects during Ethiopia’s messy military intervention in neighboring Somalia and makes the country a priority recipient of U.S. assistance. (The world last year sent $1.6 billion.)

America needs to work with all kinds of regimes and military cooperation doesn’t always have to be tied to democratic progress. But if Ethiopia wants to become a real ally of the U.S., possibly playing host to the new African Command, it needs to take seriously democracy and human rights.

Human Rights in Ethiopia: Another Casualty of the "War on Terror"?

An Ethiopian court sentenced 35 opposition politicians and activists to life in prison on Monday, AP reports. The prosecution had asked for the death penalty against the defendants, who included Ethiopia's top opposition leaders.

Those sentenced to life imprisonment include the leader of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, Hailu Shawel; Berhanu Nega, who was elected mayor of Addis Ababa; former Harvard scholar Mesfin Woldemariam; and former U.N. special envoy and former Norfolk State University professor, Yacob Hailemariam.

Human rights groups condemned the trial as an attempt to silence government critics, and opposition leaders have claimed it was politically motivated.

Where is the U.S. State Department in all of this? Absent without leave. It seems that since Ethiopia is doing the State Department's bidding in Somalia, the U.S. is turning a blind eye to the Ethiopian government's crackdown on dissent. That's what some of the relatives of the prisoners believe. The Washington Post reported on June 12:

The prisoners' families and others have accused the U.S. government of softening criticism of Ethiopia's human rights record in light of the country's recent military intervention to oust a radical Islamic movement in Somalia. The U.S. government supported that intervention.

"The U.S. government will not pressure the government here because they have an interest in Somalia," said a relative of one of the prisoners, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of being harassed by Ethiopian security forces. "It really is a big disappointment."

There is an effort underway in Congress to reform U.S. policy towards Ethiopia to put concern for human rights back on the table. H.R.2003, introduced by Representative Donald Payne, now has 77 sponsors. It would encourage democratic reforms in Ethiopia, beginning with the release of political prisoners. Human rights groups are pressing Congress to take action on the bill before the summer recess.

Unfortunately, the crackdown in Ethiopia hasn't received a lot of attention in the U.S. press. Your Representative needs to hear from you.
...
Take action here.

Breaking news: Court sentences CUD leaders to life imprisonment

Monday, July 16, 2007

Breaking news: Court sentences CUD leaders to life imprisonment

The Federal High Court today sentenced all CUD leaders who were convicted of outrage against the constitution to life imprisonment. The other nine who weren't in CUD leadership got sentences ranging form 1 year and six months to 18 years imprisonment.

The court also decided to take away the political rights of CUD leaders to elect and be elected. It decided that the judicial interdiction is absolute. It means the interdiction is applicable throughout their life time.