The Public Affairs Section of U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa organized a workshop on Higher Education Linkages between U.S. and Ethiopian universities August 15-17, 2016 at the Hilton Hotel

The government has recently killed and disappeared hundreds of people.

By CASEY JAYWORK

(Seattle Weekly) –A couple hundred members of Seattle’s Ethiopian immigrant community marched through downtown’s streets Tuesday afternoon in protest against U.S. support for the brutal Ethiopian regime.

“Back in Ethiopia, we have a dictatorial regime which has committed mass crimes against its own people,” said attorney Daniel Ajema, a marcher who identified himself as an organizer. “We’re here in solidarity with the people back home, and would like to support them and show our support.”

He’s not exaggerating. In their “Democracy Index” last year, the Economistgave Ethiopia’s government their lowest classification: an authoritarian regime, with an “Electoral Process and Pluralism” score of zero out of ten. Since November, according to the Human Rights Watch, government forces have killed hundreds of largely peaceful protesters and “disappeared” hundreds more.

Ajema said that the protest was specifically aimed at urging President Obama and philanthropist Bill Gates to try to lean on Ethiopia’s national government to do better on human rights and democracy. “We are here to voice our concern and our anger against the enablers of the regime,” he said. The Gates foundation currently has 150 projects worth more than $500 million in Ethiopia, according to the South African Broadcasting Service. The official U.S. relationship with Ethiopia is a friendly one: Ethiopian troops have battled the terrorist army al-Shabaab in neighboring Somolia, and last year our government sent theirs more than half a billion dollars in aid.

Ajema says both the U.S.’s and Gates Foundation’s money helps finance the regime, and he says both Gates and the president should insist on putting human rights ahead of political expediency.

“They’re not doing a whole lot of checking on good governance and democratic rights,” Ajema said. “They’re just blindly giving money to the government.”

This post has been edited to correct Ajema’s quote from “some people” to “its own people.”

By Mathias Gudina

OLF is Spirit, OLF is a Movement and OLF is 40+ million people: ~

• If you think OLF is dead, you are wrong because OLF lives in the hearts and minds of Oromo people.
• If you think OFC is not OLF, you are wrong because OLF lives in OFC hearts and minds,
• If you think ODF is not OLF, again you are wrong, because it lives in ODF hearts and minds;
• If you think KWO is not OLF, you are wrong, because it lives in KWO hearts and minds;
• If you think OPDO is not OLF, you are wrong because majority of OPDO members have OLF in their hearts and minds.

There is no OLF of Shanee, QC or Jijjiiramaa; there is one and only one OLF of Oromo people, a movement against century old subjugation, occupation, repression and misery. I want to see myself in that movement, in that spirit, and in that euphoria. I wish to see my friends in that spirit too. So bring back OLF from pockets of your villages to the people.

Having said that, the scope of this post is not based on academic research but first hand personal observation and life experiences in the organization. Let me remind my readers that I had projected in 2004 that OLF was on the road to breaking in to pieces. That was self evident that due to the inactivity of the organization its leaders started to regroup their own diaspora constituent for survival. They all took their fraction to their own village.

They captivated the organization under their untamed runaway ill trained ‘’dabballees’’ as their own ATM. Once their constituents alarmed and funds depleted they try to metamorphosis to different names every year comes July. Every year they produce videos of WBO in Asmara or few miles from Nairobi and tell us irbaata WBO, gargaarsa WBO or what not. It is in my fresh memory that WBO in the bushes of Oromia has never seen a dime of those ‘’gargaarsaas’’.

I knew from my experiences that WBO is self reliant. The survival strategy we acquired through hardship was valuable to rely own self (of-irratti hirkannoo) than waiting for your gargaarsaa.
These all intermingling, frustrations, freedom of speech in the west, availability of resources for or against paved the way for accusations and counter accusations in the major cities of western countries to the refugee camps around the world.

This led to the start of character assassinations of our leaders of all camps. The public has no much first hand information and couldn’t differentiate facts from fiction. People shall not be accused of personal weakness but needs to be taught, trained, and take corrective action. If couldn’t learn from that, demote or relieve from duty.

So we, me and my likes, sit aside to observe the inactivity of OLF since 1998. If any fraction (I don’t call it faction) of OLF claims any activity I would be surprised and lol.

Therefore, with due respect, much love and high expectation I have a message to my 40+ million Oromo people, Tigrai and Ethiopian people.

To my Oromo People: 
We all are one, need one organization and one nation: OLF is coming back, coming back strong more than ever with I wish, Bekele Gerba as a leader where all organizations come together form single sole representative of the Oromo nation. I repeat, Oromo nation needs one single sole representative organization. That dream comes to reality soon with all of us put pressure on every single individual, group, and organization. We need to retire our seniors gracefully and with enough resources they need to retire.

To my Tigrian friends and Tigrai people: 
Don’t call us narrow because we were wide enough to enriched your sons and daughters of Tigrai who came as a retailers of ‘’boqolt’’ with 5 star hotels, retailers of mops with multi-story buildings, multi-bus travel agencies, and many manufacturing and mining companies. You came bare foot, we gave you shoes, but we don’t have for ourselves. We value hard work and dedication but don’t try to fool us, once an honest people find out the truth they are good at disciplining. Don’t call OLF a terrorist because we didn’t kill you when you killed our students, mothers, fathers and pregnant women. Don’t give us the name that belongs to your actions. We didn’t terrorize Tigrai people when you terrorized our villages, towns and entire nation. We need you to know that we are patient, humble and tolerant people.

To my Ethiopian Friends: 
We love OLF, we love OLF flag. Respect our choice. If you don’t like it, don’t like it but don’t say anything that hurts our friendship. Don’t call us habashas, because we are not. Don’t intimidate us by calling us ‘’habasha neh?’’. We like to be called Oromos. We share country, culture and norms but we are not habasha by blood. We can be one, but we are different. Diversity in ‘’one-ness’’. That way we can live together- with respect, dignity and hope- ‘The bigger the better.’

Har’aaf kanuma,

Nagaan

Source: Siitube

BREAKING: Great tensions visibly developing whole day around TPLF’s highly secretive intelligence office located behind gate 3 of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Also code-named as “sector five”, this secretive office has long served as the HQs for the specialized commandos and killing squad. According to our insider informants, the place has completely been packed & congested by over 50 cars all platted with the defense & the federal police forces-like never been before. The place is under high patrol. Cameras are placed all over the places, intelligence agents all around armed with automatic guns and disguised as ‘beggars’, according to the leaked info we received. It’s said that this office has never been officially known to the public, though it has long been the secrete spring board from where their squads (federal police and the military para-commandos) operate in planning and perpetrating their killings, tortures……

August 15, 2016

For Immediate Release

Oromo Communities in Diaspora Condemn the killings in Ethiopia

We, the leaders of the Oromo communities in Diaspora, strongly condemn the continued brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in Ethiopia. Since November 12, 2015, the Ethiopian government has killed over 600 peaceful Oromos who were protesting against political repression, eviction from land, arrests, torture and death of their relatives. Lately, this violence has spread to the Amhara region as well where scores of protesters were also killed. The government of Ethiopia has escalated its violence on peaceful protesters to a new level. In a single weekend on August 6 and 7, 2016, government security agents and its notorious Agazi, Tigryan ethnic militia, have reportedly killed over 150 protesters. Such killings, mass arrests and tortures are still taking place throughout Oromia and other parts of the country.

The Oromo communities in Diaspora are extremely concerned by the government’s senseless actions. Oromo communities in Diaspora are puzzled and frustrated by the silence of democratic nations and their generous financial and military aid to a repressive regime in Ethiopia. While suppressing dissent and killing citizens, the Ethiopian government is receiving generous assistance from the Unites States government and European Union and its member countries. International financial and philanthropic agencies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) continue to support this repressive regime.

Ethiopia is at crossroads. Hundreds of people have died already; thousands are languishing in jail for crimes they did not commit; and still thousands are evicted from their lands, internally displaced or exiled. Unless the international community pays a serious attention and helps the innocent victims in Ethiopia, we warn that, unimaginable human tragedy and dangerous regional crises will occur. We urge immediate action to avert the situation.

For ten days, starting on August, 16, 2016, Oromo communities in Diaspora will protest against the brutal crackdown in Ethiopia and stand in solidarity with their relatives in Oromia. In their protests they will highlight the atrocities of the Ethiopian government and appeal to democratic governments, international agencies, and tax payers to stop the carnage immediately. They particularly appeal to the European Parliament and governments of member countries, to the United States government — to the White House, the State Department and Congress — to stop funding a brutal regime. Oromo communities also appeal to the United Nations and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in particular, to investigate the atrocities in Oromia and in Ethiopia in general, and bring the criminal actors to justice immediately.

United we stand, divided we fall!!!

Oromo Communities Association of North America (OCA-NA)
Oromo Communities in Europe
Oromo Communities in Australia
Oromo Communities in Canada

=====================================

Hagayya 18,2016
Godina Lixa Shaggar Aanaa Ada’aa Mogor keessaa abbootiin qabeenyaa Oromoo waraana Agaaziitiin ukkaamfamaa jiru. Fincila Xumura Gabrummaa Marsaa 8ffaa guutummaa Oromomiyaatti Hagayya 6,2016 gaggeeffameen walqabatee Mogor keessatti waraanni Agaazii abbootii qabeenyaa Oromoo manarra deemuun mana hidhaatti guuraa jira. Abbootiin qabeenyaa kunniin yeroo ammaa kana mana hidhaa Magaalaa Incinnii (Teessoo Bulchiinsaa Ada’aa Bargaa) keessatti gidirfamaa jiru. Namoota hedduu achii jiran keessaa muraasni ammaaf maqaan nu qaqqabe;
1. Tolaa Reebaa
2. Isheetuu Siyyum
3. Tafarii Bajjii
4. Katamaa Gaddafaa
5. Mokonnin kanneen jedhamanii fi abbootiin qabeenyaa hedduun mana hidhichaa keessatti hiraarfamaa jiraachutu himama.
Dabalataanis Warraaqsa Biyyoolessaa guyyichaan walqabatee dargaggootni Oromoo dhibbaan lakkaa’aman Mogorii fi Magaalaa Inicinnii irraa waraana Wayyaaneetiin ukkaamfaman mana hidhaa Magaalaa Incinnii keessaa gara mooraa leenjii waraanaa Xollaayitti dabarfamuutu himama. Kanneen, mana hidhaa magaalaa Incinnii keessatti hafan abbootii qabeenyaa fi ijoollee xixiqqoo akka ta’an barameera.
Fincila Hagayya 6,2016 gaggeefamerratti Mogor keessatti dargaggoo maqaan isaa Sardaa jedhamu kan rasaasaan ajjeese hidhataa fi basaasaa wayyaanee maqaan isaa Girmaa jedhamu akka ta’e baramee jira. Sababa kanaan walqabatee manneen basaastotaa fi ergamtootaa diinaa afur irratti tarkaanfiin ibiddaa ummata naannoon akka fudhatame gabaasuun keenya ni yaadatama. Ergamtootni tarkaanfii ummataan qabeenyi isaanii barbadaa’e kunniinis
1.Girmaa
2.Zinaabuu
3.Yashii fi
4. Masarat yommuu ta’an, mootummaan wayyaanee ergamtoota isaa kanneen Mogor keessaa baasuun Magaalaa Incinnii Waajjira Bulchiinsa Magaalichaa fuulduraa mana jireenyaa kennuufitu gabaafamaa jira. Haaluma kanaan basaasaan maqaan isaa olitti heerame kan Girmaa jedhamu yeroo ammaa kana uffata Waraana Agaazii uffachuudhaan konkolaataa Waraana Agaaziitiin gara Mogoritti deddeebi’ee dargaggootaa fi abbootii qabeenyaa mana hidhaatti guursisaa akka jiru ifatti baramee jira. Kanaafuu, ummatni, dargaggootni, qeerroon keessattuu Humni Ittisa Ummataa naannoo sanaa basaasaa wayyaanee kana tarkaanfii du’aan akka adabdan dhaamsa dabarsina!
Injifannoon Ummata Oromootif!

ድብቅ የህወሀት ባለሀብቶች [‪#‎ኤርሚያስ_ቶኩማ‬]

(Satenaw) –ብዙዎቻችን ስለህወሀት አመራሮች ስናወራ የኢትዮጵያን ህዝብ ገንዘብ የሚዘርፉት የበላይ አመራሮቹ ብቻ ይመስሉናል ሆኖም ተራ የህወሀት አባላት እንኳን በዚህ ብልሹ ፖለቲካዊ ድርጅት የተነሳ መልቲ ሚሊየነር ሆነዋል ከእነዚህም ውስጥ አንዱ በኢቲቪ ዜና ሲያነብ የምናውቀው መሰለ ገ/ሕይወት አንዱ ነው።

መሰለ ገ/ሕይወት ሆቴል ሳይከፍት አስመጪና ላኪ ሳይሆን የህዝብ ገንዘብ ተጠቅሞ ሚሊየነር የሆነ ማንም የማያውቀው ድብቅ ባለሐብት ነው።

በኢትዮጵያ በሚገኙ ሁሉም የሚኒስቴር መሥሪያ ቤት ለመልካም ገፅታ ግንባታ በሚል የሚበጅቱት በጀት አለ ይህ የበጀት አይነት ሚኒስትር መሥሪያ ቤቱ የሰራቸውን መልካም ስራ ለሕዝብ እና ለአለም አቀፉ ማህበረሰብ እንዲያሳይና ሁሉም ህዝብ ለመስሪያ ቤቱ መልካም የሆነ እይታ እንዲኖረው በማሰብ የሚበጀት በጀት ነው። ይህ በጀት እንደየመስሪያ ቤቶቹ ሁኔታ እስከ አምስት ሚሊየን ብር ይደርሳል ይህንን በጀት ነው መሰለ ገብረሕይወት ከየሚኒስትር መስሪያ ቤቱ እየሰበሰበ ሚሊየነር የሆነው።

መሰለ ገብረሕይወት ይህንን ገንዘብ ለማግኘት እንዲረዳው “ሽግግር” የተሰኘ መፅሔት አለው በዚህ መጽሔት ላይ የመስሪያ ቤቶቹን ስም እና የኢህአዴግ ሹማምንትን ስም ከፍ አድርጎ በማንሳት የመልካም ገጽታ በጀቱን ወደኪሱ ይከታል።

በዚህ ሽግግር በተሰኘች የመሠለ ገብረሕይወት መጽሔት ላይ ስሙ በወርቅ ያልተፃፈ የኢህአዴግ ሚኒስትር የለም ከቴዎድሮስ አድሐኖም እስከ ደመቀ መኮንን ከአባተ ስጦታው እስከ ኩማ ደመቅሳ ስማቸውና መሥሪያ ቤታቸው በሙገሳ ተፅፎላቸው ለመሰለ ገብረሕይወት በሚሊዮን የሚቆጠር የህዝብ ገንዘብ ሰጥተውታል።

ለምሳሌ ከዛሬ አምስት አመት በፊት “ኢትዮጵያን የአፍሪካ የትምህርትና የምርምር ማእከል ያደረጉ ታላቅ መሪና መሥሪያ ቤታቸው” የተሰኘ ፅሁፍ ፅፎ ከትምህርት ሚኒስትር አንድ ነጥብ ሦስት ሚሊየን ብር ወስዷል።በዚሁ ፅሁፉ ደመቀ መኮንን በመምህርነት ዘመኑ አንቱ የተባለ በተማሪዎች የተወደደ እንደነበረ ያትታል ሆኖም ደመቀ መኮንን በአቅም ማነስ ከባዮሎጂ መምህርነት ተነስቶ ስፓርት አስተማሪ መደረጉን በወቅቱ አብረውት ይሰሩ የነበሩ መምህር አሁንም በእስር ላይ የሚገኘው ተመስገን ደሳለኝ በሚያሳትማት ፍትህ ጋዜጣ ላይ መናገራቸውን እናስታውሳለን ሆኖም ሰውዬው መሰለ ገብረሕይወት አላማው ገንዘብ መሰብሰብ ነውና እንደደመቀ መኮንን ያሉ የኢህአዴግ ባለሥልጣናትን ስም አጉልቶ ሲፅፍ ልባቸው ሀሴት አድርጋ በደስታ እየፈነደቁ ለመልካም ገፅታ የያዙትን በጀት እየመዠረጡ ይሰጡታል እርሱም በህዝብ ገንዘብ ዛሬ የናጠጠ ሚሊየነር ሆኗል።

በዚህ ጉዳይ ላይ እንዲህ የሚል አንድ ስንኝ መቋጠር ፈለግኩ
.
“ዋሾ ከወደደ ሀገሬው በሙላ
ውሸትን ቸርችረህ እንጀራህን ብላ”
‪#[‪#‎ኤርሚያስ_ቶኩማ‬]

BY FRED DE SAM LAZARO

Women wait to receive food at a distribution center in Gelcha village, one of the drought stricken areas of the Oromia region in Ethiopia, on April 28. Photo by Tiksa Negeri/Reuters

(PBS) — We came to Ethiopia to report on the country’s response to a historic drought. We left with a very different story and a taste of how hard it is for journalists, even those covering what should have been a mostly positive story.

For years, Ethiopia has struggled to shed its association with vast human suffering earned during the epic famine three decades ago.

Gleaming high rises in the capital, Addis Ababa, are testament to what today is one of Africa’s most robust economies. An infrastructure building boom has connected the farthest reaches of this sprawling nation of 100 million people, many of them now covered by a government social safety net.

As a result, even though Ethiopia’s current drought has been far more severe than that in the ‘80s — one-fifth of its population suffers moderate to severe food insecurity — there’s very little of the classic, horrible imagery: the emaciated faces of children with distended bellies, which became the backdrop of those historic famine relief rock concerts.

For foreign correspondents, obtaining a journalist visa requires extensive paperwork, documenting the serial numbers of all equipment down to cell phones, a detailed account of every place to be visited and, once approved — if approved — stern warnings not to deviate from it.

The treatment of Ethiopian journalists is far harsher: some 60 of them have fled into exile since 2010, according to the international group Human Rights Watch.

The morning after we arrived in Addis, armed with all required permits and paperwork, we set off for the Oromia region south of the capital, shooting images of the extensive housing and road projects under construction or newly completed, some images of farmland and finally a small farm whose owners were being trained in business skills while cultivating new specialty crops to help cope with climate vagaries.

It was here where we were summoned by Ethiopia’s “security services” to the police station. It is amusing to reflect now that our first reaction was annoyance: this would rob videographer Tom Adair of the afternoon’s best light. If only that was all we would lose.

About two hours into our wait in a dimly lit office, we were told to surrender all electronic equipment, including cell phones, and our passports. No explanation was offered, only the threat of arrest if we continued to insist, as we did, that our paperwork was in order, that it is illegal to confiscate a passport, especially without a receipt.

“Report to Immigration tomorrow, and you can collect it,” we were instructed by a plainclothesman who never introduced himself. That meant a six-hour journey back to the capital and to a building teeming with Ethiopians and foreigners alike, applying for passports or visas. In our case, our chance to get our equipment and documents returned.

More hours went by before we finally got our “hearing” before five unidentified men. They’d combed through every corner of our luggage in pursuit of hidden cameras or memory cards and demanded to see every inch of footage we’d shot. Each of us was interviewed separately about exactly what our story was, why we chose to go where we did.

An emaciated cow walks through a dry field in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Photo by Tiksa Negeri/Reuters

Our explanation was simple: Oromia was hard-hit by the drought. It is where we planned to film food distribution and other retraining programs run by the government and by Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services, the largest nongovernment aid group operating in Ethiopia. A CRS official accompanying us was also detained through this ordeal. This was mystifying since his agency, far from being subversive, is a key government partner in relief work.As it turns out, Oromia is also one of several regions that have seen political unrest and protests — unrelated to the drought — which the government has put down violently. In the days just before we arrived, Human Rights Watch reported 100 deaths at the hands of riot police in the Oromia region.

It’s fair to assume that the security services were looking for footage or evidence of any encounters we might have had with protests or protesters, highly improbable given that we’d barely arrived in the country. A glance in our passports could attest to that.

Finally, 24 hours after they were taken, our passports and gear were returned with the only “official” explanation we would get.

“You did not get permission from Security,” we were advised, even though no such requirement is published anywhere.

Oromia was now off limits and interviews already scheduled with government ministers about the drought were now canceled.

In Ethiopia, “Security,” the National Intelligence Service, appears to hold the biggest sway, enforcers for a government hell bent on controlling the flow of public information and the images it sends out to the world.

Internet service was shut down throughout the country in the period just before we arrived, presumably to muzzle social media and to prevent protest images from being exported, a virtually impossible task in this day and age. Nevertheless, footage of the protests were broadcast and distributed.

Given that weeks of careful planning (to say nothing of the hefty travel costs) were wiped out by the whims of a paranoid security apparatus, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to return and tell this important story any time soon.

Felix Horne, Senior Researcher, Horn of Africa

(HRW) — Ethiopian security forces gunned down at least 100 people a week ago in the bloodiest weekend in the ninth month of anti-government protests. Unlike previous protests, which have been largely confined to the Oromia region, the protests on August 6 and 7 were also in the northern Amhara region. Altogether at least 500 people have been killed since November and tens of thousands have been detained during the largely peaceful protests.

Protesters chant slogans during a demonstration over what they say is unfair distribution of wealth in the country at Meskel Square in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, on August 6, 2016. (REUTERS/TIKSA NEGERI)

The protests in Oromia started in November over the government’s approach to development, but as the crackdown intensified, protester grievances focused on longstanding abuses and discrimination. In the Amhara region, protesters have voiced concerns over the dominance of those connected to the ruling party in economic and political affairs, complex questions of ethnic identity, and other historic grievances. Protesters vow to continue, and there is no indication of a letup from security forces or new concessions from the government.

Security force torture of people in detention has been pervasive. Girma (not his real name), an 18-year-old student, was released last week from an Ethiopian military camp seven months after he was arrested at a protest with his classmates. He told me when I talked with him after his release that the nightly beatings left him with permanent injuries that make it hard for him to walk. He is banned from returning to school and afraid he will be arrested again if he seeks medical care. He still hears the screams of the “hundreds of protesters still there who were tortured every night.”

Donor countries to Ethiopia have been largely silent about the brutal crackdown, presumably in part due to the Ethiopian government’s strategic relationships on security, peacekeeping, migration, and development. For years, the US, the UK and other influential governments have basically rejected public condemnation of the Ethiopian government’s repressive practices. But a strategy of “quiet diplomacy” is increasingly limited as Ethiopia’s human rights situation declines and its heavy-handed response to the largely peaceful protests is fueling more anger and frustration.

The small bit of good news is that the international silence on Ethiopia was broken on August 10 when the UN’s top human rights official, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, told Reuters that an international investigation and accountability are needed for the killings of protesters.

The protesters I spoke with in recent weeks have been increasingly reassessing the effectiveness of their peaceful protests in the absence of justice, accountability, and international condemnation of the government’s killing, torture and arbitrary arrests. They told me they are losing faith in Western governments to offer even the mildest criticism of their government.

There are few opportunities inside the country to monitor the government’s human rights record, to hold officials to account, or to access justice. After elections in 2015 that did not meet international standards, the government holds 100 percent of the seats in federal and regional parliaments, preventing any serious parliamentary debate. The courts have little independence on politically sensitive cases and the misuse of the anti-terrorism law is illustrated through the ongoing trial of an opposition leader and advocate for non-violence, Bekele Gerba, the ongoing trial of a former World Bank translator, Pastor Omot Agwa, and the conviction of numerous journalists on trumped-up charges. Numerous restrictions on independent media and nongovernmental organizations result in little scrutiny of abusive security forces. International journalists also face restrictions as three journalists detained during the recent protests can attest to.

Ethiopia’s Human Rights Commission should be investigating abuses by security forces. But its lack of independence was underscored by its oral report on the protests to parliament in June. It concluded that the lethal force used by security forces in Oromia was proportionate to the risk they faced from the protesters. It is not known whether a written version of the report is available to justify such a seemingly politicized conclusion. The briefing was issued just a few days before Human Rights Watch issued a report describing the excessive use of force that resulted in the killing of an estimated 400 people during the first six months of the protests.

International scrutiny of Ethiopia’s rights record has also been lacking despite its June election to the UN Security Council, and its membership on the UN Human Rights Council – which requires it to uphold the “highest standards of human rights” and cooperate with UN monitors. Ethiopia has refused entry to all UN special rapporteurs since 2007. Among the outstanding requests are from the special rapporteurs on torture, freedom of opinion and expression, and peaceful assembly.

Ethiopia’s allies should back the call from the UN human rights high commissioner and press for an international investigation. Such a move will send a powerful and overdue message to the Ethiopian government that its security forces cannot shoot and kill peaceful protesters with impunity. And it will also send an important message to the victims and families that their pleas for justice are being heard.

Ethiopia’s allies need to urgently embark on a new approach to Ethiopia before the current situation descends into an even more dangerous and irreversible political and human rights crisis. They could play a leading role in pushing for investigative or monitoring mechanisms to hold the government to account for its brutal response to citizens exercising their fundamental rights to expression and assembly — or the toll of the dead and the tortured will continue to rise.

Girma, the young student, says he wants to flee the country once his health improves. “I’m leaving because there will never be justice in my country for what happened to me and the world will not do anything,” he told me. “So I will leave rather than wait for death.”

Felix Horne is a senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.

ህወሃት ግድያ እንዲያቆም ከጌቶቹ ጥብቅ ማሳሰቢያ ተሰጠው

* “ብልጡን ባለ ራዕይ መሪ” ክፉኛ ናፍቋል!

(ጎልጉል የድረገጽ ጋዜጣ) — የትግራይ ነጻ አውጪ ግንባር /ህወሃት/ አመራሮች ሰላማዊ ተቃዋሚዎችን ከመግደልና ከማስገደል እንዲታቀቡ ታዘዋል። ግድያው የሚቀጥል ከሆነ ከወትሮው በተለየ ርምጃ እንደሚወሰድ ተነግሯቸዋል። “ወልቃይትን ለባለቤቱ ህዝብ ብንመልስ ይሻላል” በሚሉና “አንመልስም” ሲሉ በሚቃወሙ መካከል ክርክር የጀመረው ህወሃት ስምምነት ሊደርስ አልቻለም። ሁኔታው መለስን ከመቃብር ቀስቅሷል።

አባይ ጸሃዬ፣ ሳሞራ የኑስና ሌሎች ባለስልጣናት አሜሪካ እንደነበሩ ለጎልጉል ጠቁመው የነበሩት የመረጃው ምንጮች እንዳሉት ባለስልጣናቱ ግድያ እንዲያስቆሙ የተሰጣቸውን ትዕዛዝ ተቀብለዋል። በአማራ ክልል የተነሳው ተቃውሞ ያሳሰበው ህወሃት በተመሳሳይ አሜሪካ ተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች ወደ ሰላማዊ ድርድር እንዲመጡ ጫና እንድታደርግ ጠይቀዋል። ለዚህም ይመስላል በአሜሪካ በኩል የተቀናቃኝ ድርጅት መሪዎችን በተናጠል ማነጋገር ተጀምሯል።

ህወሃት በግድያው ከገፋበት ከአሜሪካ በኩል የሚሰጠው ምላሽ እንደ ወትሮው በኤምባሲ ወይም በህዝብ ግንኙነት በኩል እንደተለመደው “ጉዳዩ አሳስቦናል” የሚል ተራ መግለጫ እንደማይሆን ማረጋገጫ መሰጠቱን ጎልጉል የሚያምናቸው የዲፕሎማት ምንጮች ከአሜሪካ ተናግረዋል። እንድ መረጃ አቅራቢዎቹ ቀጣዩ የአሜሪካ አቋም በውጭ ጉዳይ መ/ቤቱ (ስቴት ዲፓርትመንት) ዋና ኃላፊ ወይም ከፕሬዚዳንቱ ጽ/ቤት (ኋይት ሃውስ) በኩል የሚተላለፍ እንደሚሆን ይጠበቃል። ባለፉት ሳምንታት ግማሽ ያህል የህወሃት ባለስልጣናት አሜሪካ ደርሰው መመለሳቸውን ለስርዓቱ ቅርብ የሆኑ ሌላ ዜናን ለማስተባበል ሲሞክሩ ሳያስቡት ማረጋገጫ ሰጥተዋል።

በሌላ ዜና በህወሃት ውስጥ “ወልቃይትን መመለስ አማራጭ የሌለው መፍትሄ ነው” በሚሉና “ሊመለስ አይገባም” በሚል የሃሳብ ልዩነት መፈጠሩ ታውቋል። የጎልጉል የአዲስ አበባ ዘጋቢ ምንጮቹን ጠቅሶ እንዳለው በዚሁ ጉዳይ የተሰየመው የህወሃት አመራሮች ስብሰባ ለቀናት ቢወያይም ስምምነት ላይ ሊደርስ ግን አልቻለም።

“ወልቃይትን እንመልስ” ባዮቹ ወገኖች አማራ ክልል የተነሳው ተቃውሞ አስፈሪ፣ የከረረ፣ እስከወዲያኛው ለስልጣናችን የሚያሰጋ ስለሆነ ወልቃይትን መልሶ አገሪቱን ማረጋጋት የግድ ነው ይላሉ። “ወልቃይትን መመለስ የለብንም፣ እንዴት ተደርጎስ ይመለሳል? ውርደት ነው” በሚል አቋም የያዙት ደግሞ ሁለት መከራከሪያ አላቸው።

እንደ ዘጋቢያችን መረጃ ከሆነ እነዚህ ክፍሎች ሁለት ነጥቦችን በማቅረብ የተከራከሩት “አንመልስም፣ ከመለስንም መሰረተ ልማቱንና ያፈራነውን ሃብት ምን እናደርገዋለን?” በሚል ጥያቄዎች የታጀቡ ናቸው።

“ወልቃይት የኖሩት ወገኖቻቸን ሃብት አፍርተዋል። ለማን ነው ጥለውት የሚሄዱት?” የሚሉት እነዚህ ወገኖች አስፈላጊውን ሁሉ በማድረግ/ሃይል በመጠቀም በተጀመረው መንገድ መቀጠል እንዳለበት የሚመኙ ሲሆኑ፣ ምኞታቸው ካልተሳካ መሰረተ ልማቱን በሙሉማፈራረስ ሌላው የመጨረሻ ውሳኔያቸው ነው።

በዚህ ሁለት ሃሳብ የሚነታረከው የህወሃት አመራሮች ስብሰባ ይህ ዘገባ እስከተጠናቀረበት ዕለት ድረስ ከውሳኔ ላይ አልደረሰም። ይሁንና በዚህ ውሳኔ ላይ እንደ ከዳ የሚነገርለት ብአዴን አቋሙ እንዲጠየቅ አልተደረገም።

ህወሃት ለረጅም ዓመታት በተለያዩ መንገዶች ሲያፍን የቆየው የሕዝብ ዓመጽ በአገሪቱ የተለያዩ ቦታዎች መፈንዳቱ ሥርዓቱን ክፉኛ አናግቶታል፡፡ በፓርቲ ወይም በድርጅት ሳይመራ በሕዝብ እምቢተኝነት የገነፈለው ተቃውሞ በስልትና በግለት እየጠነከረ መምጣቱ ህወሃት የመግደል እርምጃ እንዲወስድና ከምዕራባዊ ጌቶቹ ጋር እንዲቃቃር እያደረገው ነው፡፡ በሥልጣን መቆየት በአንድ በኩል፤ በሌላ ደግሞ ከምዕራባውያን ጋር ስሙም መሆን የወጠረው ህወሃት ከዓቅሙ በላይ የሆነው ሕዝባዊ እምቢተኝነት ከቀን ወደ ቀን እያየለበት በንጹሃን ላይ ጥይት መተኮሱን አላቆመም፡፡

ይህ አካሄድ ህወሃትን ለክፍፍል እንደሚዳርገው ከተለያየ አቅጣጫ ይነገራል፡፡ ለዘመናት ህወሃትን ስትንከባከብ

የነበረችው አሜሪካ በተወሰነ መልኩ ጉዳዩን የማክረር ሁኔታ ይታይባታል፡፡ የአሜሪካንን ፖሊሲ የማስቀየር አቅም ያላቸው ጋዜጦች ኢትዮጵያ በአናሳዎች የምትመራ ከዴሞክራሲ የራቀች አገር መሆኗን እንደ አዲስ ለፖለቲከኞቻቸው እያስተዋወቁ ነው፡፡ በተባበሩት መንግሥታት ነጻ አካል ምርመራ እንዲደረግ የተደረገውን ውሳኔ ህወሃት አልቀበልም ባለ ወቅት በመንግሥታቱ ማኅበር የአሜሪካ አምባሳደር የሆኑት ሰማንታ ፓወር ህወሃት “ነጻ ምርመራውን መቀበል አለበት” በማለት በትዊተር የከረረ መልዕክት አስተላልፈዋል፡፡

መጪው ጊዜ የከፋ እንደሚሆን የገመቱ፣ ለዘብተኛ ለመሆን የሚፈልጉና በሃብት የደለቡ የህወሃት ሰዎችና አሽከሮቻቸው “በጥገናዊ ለውጥ” ሁኔታዎች እንዲረግቡ ይፈልጋሉ፡፡ ምዕራባዊ አገራት በመቆየት ዘምነናል የሚሉና የምዕራባውያን ድጋፍ እንዳላቸው በተለያየ መልኩ የሚጠቅሱት በዚህ ውስጥ ይካተታሉ፡፡ ከእነዚህ ውስጥ ህወሃት/ኢህአዴግ ከየቦታው የሰበሰባቸውና በየአገሩ ተወካይ (አምባሳደር) አድርጎ ያስቀመጣቸው ተላላኪዎቹም ይገኙበታል፡፡ እነዚህ ክፍሎች በራሱ በህወሃት ከረከሰው ሽምግልና እስከ ዕርቅ ለመሄድ የሚጥሩትንም ይጨምራል፡፡ ብንከስርም ወልቃይትን ለባለቤቱ እንመልስ ባዮቹ የዚህ ዓላማ አራማጆች ናቸው፡፡ የነዚህ ተቃራኒዎች ማሸበርና መግደል በመቀጠል “ካልገዛን እንሞታለን” ብለው ህወሃትን ከጌቶቹ ከማቃቃር እስከ “አሜሪካ ከከፋት ጉዞ ወደ ቻይና” የሚሉ የተሰባሰቡበት ነው፡፡ የበረሃ ገድላቸውን እየጠቀሱ “ደጋፊዎቻቸው” ጠብመንጃ እንዲወለውሉ የሚቀሰቅሱና “ሪፓብሊካቸውን” በአየር ኃይል ጭምር ለመከላከል የወሰኑ በዚህ ምድብ ውስጥ ተከማችተዋል፡፡

የእነዚህና ሌሎች ኃይላት ትንቅንቅ ህወሃትን አደገኛ ፈተና ውስጥ እንደጣለው ይነገራል፡፡ አራት ዓመታት በሙት መንፈስና ሌጋሲ ሲመራ የቆየው ህወሃት/ኢህአዴግ ታዛዥነት፣ መደማመጥና “ብልጠት” ጠፍቶበት “ባለ ራዕይ መሪውን” ክፉኛ ናፍቋል፡፡

Hiriira mormii Oromiyaa, Hagayya 6, 2016

(VOA Afaan Oromoo) — Godinaa Hararghee Lixaa, aanaa Mi’eessoo, magaalaa Mi’essoo keessa ka jiru mooraa waraanaa ‘Chaayinaa Kaamp” jedhamu keessatti, ummanni gara kuma tokkoo fi dhibba saddeetii ta’an akka hidhamanii jiranitti ka dubbatan, jiraattonni magaalatti, “halkan dabre kana immoo, hidhamtoota sana achi irraa guuranii gara biraatti geessuuf jecha, konkolaatota guguddaa fidanii mooraa sanatti galchan” jedhu.

Uummatni duraanuu dhimma kana gurraa qabuu fi konkolaatota sana arge gara mooraa waraanaa sana deemee hiriiruudhaan, “namoota keenya as irraa fuutanii bakka biraa geessuu hin dandeessan” jechuudhaan dura dhaabbate – jiraattota nuti dubbisne keessaa tokko. Kan irraa kan ka’e, humnoonni mootummaa halkan dabre namoota hedduu reebuu isaanii dubbatu. “Haga ammaatti, akka yaadanitti hidhamtoota sana fudhatanii deemuu dadhaban iyyuu, galgala har’aaf itti qophaawaa jiran” jedhu. Hoogganaa Qorannaa, ka waajira poolisii aanaa Mieessoo fi hoogganaa Komaand Poostii dhaaba OPDo dubbisuu yaalle iyyuu telefoona nu irratti cufan.

(CPJ) –Ethiopian police on August 8, 2016, detained three journalists reporting on the effects of a severe drought in the country before escorting them back to Addis Ababa with a warning not to work outside the capital, the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Ethiopia said in a statement.

Ethiopian government has denied claims that its security forces killed dozens of protesters last week

Grand #OromoProtests Global solidarity joint Ethiopians Rally Held in South Africa on 18 August 2016

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) –Hundreds of Ethiopian refugees living in South Africa protested in Johannesburg Thursday condemning the recent killing of 97 protesters in Ethiopia, allegedly by security forces.

Abdurrahman Musa Jibro, leader of the Oromo People’s Association urged the South African government to help them persuade Ethiopian authorities to stop alleged human rights violations in their country.

“We urge you to put pressure on the Ethiopian government to stop killing its own citizens,’’ Jibro said in an address to more than 700 protesters who were waving flags and signs, of which some read: “We need freedom and justice”, “Release political prisoners”.

Last week, Amnesty International said at least 97 people were killed and hundreds injured when Ethiopian security forces fired live bullets at peaceful protesters in different parts of the country.

Protests were held in capital Addis Ababa and in the northwestern city of Bahir Dar in the Amhara region last weekend, complaining about alleged government discrimination and planned incidents of land-grabbing. Police responded by opening fire on them.

The protests are part of a wave of demonstrations that began in Ethiopia last November after the government proposed to expand the boundaries of the capital city of Addis Ababa into the Oromia regional state.

Many ethnic Oromo farmers expressed fear they would lose their farmlands, after the government’s proposed expansion plan known as the “Addis Ababa Integrated Development Master plan” is implemented.

The Ethiopian government has denied human rights reports that its security forces killed dozens of protesters.

An official at Ethiopia’s Amhara regional state told the government-affiliated broadcaster, Fana Broadcasting Corporation, that only seven people had been killed in last week’s protests in Bahir Dar, the state’s regional capital.

Tens of thousands of Ethiopian refugees live in South Africa where they eke out a living in the different sectors of the country’s economy.

By Ahmed Abdi

Thousands of Ethiopian expats staged anti-government protests in South Africa and U.S, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, demanding civic and political rights back home.

The Tigray-led government killed 500 peaceful protesters since November last year amid to crackdown on dissent and opposition.

The protests, which was organized by the three largest ethnic groups of Ethiopia: Ogaden, Oromo and Amhara, took place Johannesburg and Minneapolis and will likely to spread major cities around the World.

The protesters claim Tigrayan-led minority regime dominate and control the political economy of Ethiopia with the help of the West.

Ethiopia has been mired in political turmoil since November last year.

The government holds 100 percent of the seats in federal and regional parliaments, preventing any serious parliament debate, according to Human Rights Watch.

Over the last six months, dozens of civilians in 69 localities were rounded, detained, beaten, looted or killed in the Somali territory in Ogaden.

Earlier in June, 51 people were killed in Jama dubad, in the Gashamo district, while 400 Ogaden civilians placed in custody after allegedly their relatives have demonstrated against the regional President Mohamoud Omar in Australia-the detainees were tortured in Kebri Dahar, Denan, Werder, Gode and Degahbur.

What is going on in Ethopia, Police Attack on Oromo Protesters

The United States announced nearly $35 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help the people of Ethiopia face the impacts of the worst drought in fifty years

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, August 19, 2016/APO/ —

(APO) — The United States announced nearly $35 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help the people of Ethiopia face the impacts of the worst drought in fifty years.

Triggered by El Niño, the drought follows successive poor rainy seasons and has exceeded many people’s ability to cope. Today’s funding announcement will support USAID’s UN and NGO partners in providing humanitarian aid, including more than 6,000 metric tons of supplementary and therapeutic foods to help an estimated one million people suffering from moderate and severe acute malnutrition. The new funding will also increase access to safe water and sanitation facilities and promote hygienic practices to drought-affected communities.

With this announcement, the United States is providing nearly $774 million since FY 2015 in humanitarian assistance and continues to be the single largest humanitarian donor to the people of Ethiopia.

USAID’s Mission Director in Ethiopia Leslie Reed announced the new funding in Addis Ababa during an event commemorating World Humanitarian Day, which was designated by the United Nations in memory of the 22 UN and relief agency staff who lost their lives in a bombing in Baghdad 13 years ago. With this year’s theme being One Humanity, USAID stands in solidarity with the people of Ethiopia, to help them mitigate the worst impacts of the drought.

The United States commends other donors who have contributed to the Ethiopia drought response, and encourages others to join this international effort. Mobilizing a robust and coordinated global response will be critical to protect the country’s development gains and ensure early recovery.

OHCHR Press Briefing Notes – (1) Ethiopia

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Ravina Shamdasani

GENEVA, Switzerland, August 19, 2016/APO/ — (1) Ethiopia

We welcome the decision to launch an independent investigation, and we urge the Government to ensure that the investigation has a mandate to cover allegations of human rights violations since the unrest in Oromia began in November 2015, that it is indeed independent, transparent, thorough and effective, with a view to establishing whether the use of excessive force occurred and with a view to bringing to justice the perpetrators of any human rights violations.

We stand ready to assist in ensuring that the investigation is undertaken in line with international human rights standards. We also reiterate our request for access to the affected areas, as the situation on the ground makes it very challenging for independent civil society actors to operate, particularly given the tense situation in parts of the Oromia and Amhara regions, where a large security presence has reportedly been deployed, and there are reports of ongoing arbitrary arrests, intimidation and harassment of people in the regions.

We call on the Government to ensure that the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression are protected and that those detained for exercising these rights are promptly released. Protests must be handled by security forces with full respect for international human rights laws and standards on the use of force.

We also call on the Government to work towards opening up the political and democratic space. This should include a comprehensive reform of the security sector, as well as legislative and institutional reforms.