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From Family of Ethio4all

Rice appeal to Ethiopia on Ogaden (BBC)

But at the moment, there is one major irritant to the relationship - a bill known as HR2003, which would restrict US military assistance to Ethiopia because of its poor human rights record.

It has already been approved by the US House of Representatives....more

Beggars and choosers(Ethiomedia)

Meles said, “H.R. 2003 is a curse. The U.S. Congress is making a law for Ethiopia about what kind of an election board it should have, what it should look like. We have a parliament here. Why should the U.S. Congress pass such a law?” The answer is simple. Congress does not want American tax dollars to be used to kill, torture, maim, imprison and persecute Ethiopian citizens. It has nothing to do with telling Meles how to run his show, or usurp the powers of his parliament. It has everything to do with NOT using American aid to massacre unarmed protesters, indiscriminately bomb civilian populations, and deny Ethiopian citizens basic human rights....more

Ethiopia: Oromo Opposition Calls Current Assab Status “Most Unjust”(Jimma Times)

Bulcha, whose party has run for and won some parliament seats in Oromia, however remarked a means where the two countries can share. Without this, he says the current status quo is wrong and believes in an international approach to solving the issue. “It would be one of the most unjust international decisions if it was decided that Assab should be owned and control....more

Terror is a tactic.Interview with Nir Rosen (Uruknet)

Question: The humanitarian situation in Somalia is steadily worsening. The UN reports that nearly 500,000 Somalis have fled Mogadishu and are living in makeshift tent cities with little food or water. The resistance--backed by the former government--the Islamic Courts Union-- is gaining strength and fighting has broken out in 70% of the neighborhoods in Mogadishu. Why is the US backing the invading Ethiopian army? Is Somalia now facing another bloody decades-long war or is there hope that the warring parties can resolve their differences?.. Full Interview

Dueling Dictators (News week)

f there were an award for the most pointless war of the last 25 years, Ethiopia and Eritrea's 1998-2000 border battle might well take the prize. An estimated 70,000 people were killed, another 750,000 displaced, and by the time of the ceasefire two of the poorest countries on earth had each spent over a half billion dollars fighting over a few dusty miles of parched scrubland. As if that weren't bad enough, the two dictators who oversaw that disaster are now leading their countries dangerously close to a rematch...more

Eritrea-Ethiopia deadline expires(BBC)

A deadline for long-time foes Ethiopia and Eritrea to agree their shared border is to expire at midnight.

The date was set a year ago by the Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Commission which was created following a bloody border war between the two countries.

The commission says if it fails to hear anything it will consider the line it has drawn as the official border...more

Journalists from Zimbabwe, Mexico, Ethiopia, Iraq gain recognition (Mediaforfreedom)

The IWMF also recognized Ethiopia’s Serkalem Fasil, who was jailed and, under deplorable conditions, delivered a child prematurely. She was incarcerated because of articles her publications carried that were critical of the government during the May 2005 elections. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, only China and Cuba have a worse ranking than Ethiopia for their treatment of journalists...more

U.S.'s Rice to visit Ethiopia in rare Africa trip(Reuter)

Tensions have been rising in recent months between Ethiopia and its neighbor Eritrea over its disputed border, with Eritrea accusing the United States of siding with Addis Ababa. (Reporting by Sue Pleming; editing by Philip Barbara)...Full Text

Ethiopia's Meles denies rights abuses in Ogaden(Reuter)

ncreasingly under pressure from the West over his rights record in recent years, Meles says the ONLF is lying, and is a terrorist group sponsored by arch-enemy Eritrea.

"Massive human rights abuses and massive deaths in the Ogaden do not and will not exist," he said.

Once a rebel leader himself, who helped topple former Ethiopian leader Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991, Meles said it would be counterproductive to terrorise locals.

"After all, it is only 16 or so years ago that we ourselves were insurgents," he said. "The stupidest mistake a government does is to harass civilians."

Meles generally gets high marks from Western diplomats for his anti-poverty strategies, but is frequently criticised for authoritarian tactics handling foes inside Ethiopia...Full Text

Ethiopia accused of civilian abuse(Sacbee)

The untrained and ill-equipped draftees – including students, camel herders and tribal leaders who had never fired weapons in combat – are being thrown into pitched battles with ethnic Somali guerrillas and often suffer heavy casualties, more than a dozen refugees and ex-recruits said...Full Text

Ethiopia:The Human Development Index - going beyond income(HDRStats)

The HDI for Ethiopia is 0.406, which gives the country a rank of 169^th out of 177 countries with data ..Full Text

Somalia offensive after attacks (BBC)

At least six Ethiopian army bases came under fire:

• In the north of the city at two former factories and at Ex-Control intersection
• In the south of the city at the football stadium and an army camp
• In the central Bakara market district where there are bases along the main road.

About three civilian bodies have been found on Wednesday morning around one of former factories....Full Text

Secretary of State Kenney Commemorates the Ethiopian Millennium(Canadian HEritage)

OTTAWA, November 28, 2007 - The Honourable Jason Kenney, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity), will celebrate the Ethiopian Millennium tomorrow at an event in Ottawa.

"The Ethiopian presence in Canada dates from the 1980s," said Secretary of State Kenney. "Canada now has a population of more than 15,000 Canadians of Ethiopian heritage who have contributed greatly to our economy in the areas of finance, engineering, and particularly in medicine. It is at events such as these that we can learn from each other and about our differences while celebrating our common Canadian identity.".Full Text

UPDAE 1-UN presses Ethiopia to probe Ogaden allegations(Reuter)

Aid agencies say people in the region are suffering severe food and medical needs because of the fighting, and the United Nations says 953,000 are in need of help.

"What I was trying to do was symbolise by my visit the extent of international concern about the situation there and the depths of our concern to avert a serious humanitarian crisis there in the future," Holmes told reporters in Addis Ababa...Full Text

Starbucks to open farmer-support center in Ethiopia (SeattleTimes)

Now it is building a farmer-support center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. Like the support center Starbucks opened in 2004 in Costa Rica, it will work with farmers, exporters and others to improve the quality of their coffee so that Starbucks can buy more of it...Full Text

Soldiers continue human rights abuses in Ethiopia's beleaguered southeast, say residents (IHT)

The man also described gang rapes and public hangings in the region and said that villagers had been told not to speak to international observers. Officials in the area also said villagers had been told not to speak to outsiders, and that also was mentioned in a September report by a U.N. fact-finding mission....more

Eritrea-Ethiopia border deadline looms amid war fears (Reuter)

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Tuesday said Ethiopia had no plans of fighting another war, but would make sure Eritrea "never, ever dreamed" of conflict if Asmara unilaterally launched one.

Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu reacted to the comments on Wednesday reiterating longstanding allegations Ethiopia is planning to invade. "This is just what's been said on TV screens, but we know what's happening on the ground and behind closed doors," he said...more..

Ethiopia turns waste plastic into fuel(African News)

With the objective of replicating India’s experience in other African countries, the joint venture is also on the way of installing fuel generating plants in Ghana and Mauritius. It is also negotiating with other countries such as Tunisia...more

UN to visit Ethiopia trouble spot (BBC)

..There have been persistent reports of army abuse of the civilian population but for a long time no outside agencies were able to get in to the worst-affected areas to verify the claims or to act as a restraining presence....full Text

Ethiopia:Defar wins prestigious continental award (Africa News)

Ethiopia's World and Olympic 5000m champion Meseret Defar won the premier 2007 Abdou Diouf Foundation Award for Sport Virtues in Dakar, Senegal, on Wednesday...Full Text

Ethiopia 'bogged down' in Somalia (BBC)

...Their presence is unpopular in Mogadishu and earlier this month, insurgents dragged the bodies of Ethiopian troops through the city....Full Text

PM Meles: Ethiopia Prepared for War, Wants Peace With Eritrea (VOA)

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says his country is prepared for a possible war with neighboring Eritrea, and warned that an invasion by Eritrea would lead to that country's destruction. His comments came three days before a deadline for demarcating their common border. As VOA's Peter Heinlein reports from Addis Ababa, Mr. Meles also acknowledged that Ethiopia is bogged down in another conflict in Somalia....more

Remembering the martyrs of 2005(Ethiomedia)

But resistance to tyranny and oppression need not be violent or require the use of arms. Civil disobedience is a mighty weapon of patriots everywhere as they confront the repressive state, be it foreign or domestic. Gandhi defeated the mighty British army not by swords or guns, but through peaceful resistance, civil disobedience and non-cooperation. His “Quit India Movement” was the greatest challenge to British colonial rule. Martin King helped America realize the true meaning of its creed that all men are created equal through mass nonviolent civil disobedience....more

Ethiopia: Dying regime with curious supporters (Biddho)

The US Administration, through its representatives at the State Department, and most vocally through Jendayi E. Frazer, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, has gone out of its way to publicly and aggressively defend and protect the minority regime in Ethiopia, as it violates international law, rejects the Final and Binding decision of the Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC), refuses to allow for the unconditional demarcation of the Eritrea Ethiopia border, invades and occupies sovereign territories of neighboring states, violates the human rights of the Ethiopian and Somali peoples, commits genocides, rapes and untold international crimes against humanity, tortures political detainees and employing Menghistu's scorched earth policies, uses food as a weapon of war against the people of Ethiopia...Full text

FEATURE-Ethiopia's Ogaden refugees recount horrors of conflict (Reuter)

Osman Omar Abdi's journey from the Ogaden district of Jarar began in May after, he says, his wife was shot dead in front of him, his six children scattered, and his house burned during a chaotic morning raid by foot-soldiers.

"The Ethiopians say that all the Ogaden people are part and parcel of the ONLF, they don't differentiate, so they kill everyone," he said, displaying a scar on his hand that he described as a bullet-wound.

"I heard the grandparents got three of my children. I don't know about the others," added Abdi, revealing at the end of an interview that he had been a "member of the ONLF resistance."....more

Ethiopia 'bombs' Ogaden villages (BBC)

n separate interviews reported by the Reuters news agency, the Ogadenis claimed Ethiopian soldiers had been entering villages over and over again to kill, rape and burn in a campaign to flush out ONLF rebels....more

European parliament calls for war crimes probe in Somalia (AFP)

The UN secretary general's special envoy to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, said Tuesday that war crimes suspects in the shattered African nation should be prosecuted at the International Criminal Court to end impunity.

In April, a European Union envoy to Kenya, Eric van der Linden, asked Brussels to investigate whether Ethiopian and Somali forces had committed war crimes in their recent crackdown on Islamist and clan insurgents in Mogadishu...more

Ethiopian opposition to brief media today in DC before heading home (Ethiomedia)

WASHINGTON DC - The Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP) delegation to the United States is giving a press conference at 3:00 PM Eastern Time today November 15, 2007 on the premises of the Ethiopian Television Network (ETN)..more

Who is in power? On the horns of a dilemma (Ethiomedia)

The official word from the Ethiopian government is that they have violated the terms of their release. They are accused of abusing the government’s gesture of good will in releasing them from prison. They have been talking to Congress. They said there is no democracy in Ethiopia . They have been badmouthing the government in the international press. They said there are gross human rights abuses in Ethiopia . They are consorting with the enemy. They are working with the OLF and ONLF. Reportedly, Meles held a recent video conference with the so-called regionanl council presidents, asking them to petition the federal government to charge the Kinijit leaders with treason for their support of H.R. 2003......more

Unjustly bullying and intimidating Kinijit leaders(Ethiomedia)

Important Video Clips (Ethiopian Mdia)

Toronto and Calgary's ceremonies for CUDP leaders)

Big Marathon Payday Becomes More Than a Dream (Newyork Times)

By FRANK LITSKY

Published: November 6, 2007

Gete Wami remembered the first time she earned prize money for running.

“I went to Italy and won $500,” said Wami, a 33-year-old from Ethiopia. “I took the money and built a two-room adobe back home.”

Robert Cheruiyot remembered the poverty of his youth, when he was limited to one meal a day at age 4 and had no shoes until he was 10 or 11.

“I got my first prize money when I went to Brazil, and they gave me $5,000,” said Cheruiyot, 29, from Kenya. “I went home and gave it to my mother.

“Getting this check here, I wasn’t expecting in my life to get this.”..Full txet

Students Protest Beyonce's Ethiopia Trip (Washington Post)

By ANITA POWELL

The Associated Press
Tuesday, November 6, 2007; 12:03 PM

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- Students at Ethiopia's top religious college are protesting the close ties between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the government, alleged restrictions on their speech _ and Beyonce's recent meeting with their patriarch...full text

Ethiopia, Eritrea on Verge Of Border War, Report Says (Washinton Post)

Ethiopia also has been building up its air force and jamming Eritrean radar, according to a U.S. government source, who speculated that Ethiopia may strike by air in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, hoping to topple the government there....more

VOA reports on the killing of Ethiopians in Kenya (Ethiopian review)

VOA report about the recent kidnappings and killings of Ethiopians in Kenya by Woyanne gunmen. Click here to listen

10 Ethiopian students killed, 4 journalists attacked in Kenya(Ethiomedia)

A recent report in Abyotawi Democracy, an Amharic-language organ of the ruling party of Mr. Zenawi, informs its readers that the most organized opposition forces tainting the “good image" of the government in Addis are the powerful Ethiopian Diaspora in North America and Europe, the US-based Ethiopian-American group campaigning for HR 2003 (i.e. a human rights and democracy bill pending US Senate approval), and exiled journalists and other Ethiopians based in Kenya....more

Clan elder accuses Ethiopia soldiers of killing 3 civilians (Garoweonline)

Mohamed Hassan Haad, leader of an anti-Ethiopia Hawiye elders' council, said the dead bodies of the three civilians were found today near Stadium Mogadishu, a major base for Ethiopian forces.

One of the dead victims was an old man who worked as a security guard for the independent HornAfrik radio...full history

Ethiopia rebels say killed 270 more troops (Reuter)

In its latest "military communique", the ONLF said "large numbers" of its fighters had engaged government troops in five places between Oct 26-Nov 1 due to "summary executions, detentions of nomads and senseless shooting of livestock". ...more

Coming of Age in America: Ethiopia in the Diaspora (The Ethiopian American)

By Alemayehu G. Mariam

Scattered by the Winds of Oppression

Perhaps with the exception of those Ethiopians who arrived in the U.S. in the early 1970s, most who came to the U.S. over the past three decades partly did so for political reasons. Whether it is the militarized terror of the Derg or the wanton violence of the current regime, politics remains a principal cause of Ethiopian refugees throughout the world. For obvious reasons, the U.S. remains a preferred destination for the majority of Ethiopian refugees, as it was the preferred educational venue for the earlier arrivals....Ful Text

Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of invasion plans again(Reyter

Ethiopia has threatened to pull out of the peace agreement ending the 1998-2000 war based on what it says were repeated violations by Eritrea. Asmara, in turn, accuses Addis Ababa of violating the pact...more

Dr. Berhanu Nega on Chicago Public Radio (Host: Jerome McDonnell) (KinijitEthiopia)

My encounter with Berhanu Nega - Elias Kifle( Ethiopian review)

A brittle Western ally in the Horn of Africa (The Economist)

The reasons for this economic crawl are not hard to find. Beyond the government-directed state, funded substantially by foreign aid, there is—almost uniquely in Africa—virtually no private-sector business at all. The IMF estimates that in 2005-06 the share of private investment in the country was just 11%, nearly unchanged since Mr Zenawi took over in the early 1990s. That is partly a reflection of the fact that, despite some privatisation since the centralised Marxist days of the Derg, large areas of the economy remain government monopolies, closed off to private business.

...This is where Ethiopia misses out badly. Take telecoms. While the rest of Africa has been virtually transformed in just a few years by a revolution in mobile telephony, Ethiopia stumbles along with its inept and useless government-run services. Everywhere else, a plethora of South African, home-grown and European providers has leapt into the market to provide Africans with an extraordinary array of cheaper and more efficient services, now used even by the poorest of farmers, for instance, to check spot prices for agricultural goods in markets miles away. And the mobile-phone revolution has created thousands of new livelihoods; at times it seems as if every boy on a street corner is hawking a top-up card. Not in Ethiopia.

...The Ethiopian government's efforts at political control are supported by a wide network of informers and secret police. Critics say it is exploiting the jihadist terror threat to link many legitimate opposition campaigners and supporters with terrorist groups and take them off the streets. The threats from Eritrea, where a new border war could erupt at any time, and the Islamists in Somalia are real. But at this rate, argues Mr Demeksa, “the ethnic groups are on a collision course.”...Click here to read more

Those who Came Divided Abroad Must Return Home United! Forward with the Democratic movement in Ethiopia! Ethiomedia)

With the TPLF/EPDRF is it now a case for the opposition a case of total mistrust because it is the case of once smitten twice shy? It is very difficult to take at face value the democratic credentials of the ruling TPLF/EPDRF coalition given the way the great achievements of May 2005 were derailed. They have to do a miracle to change the reality, perception people hold and remember: It is the TPLF/EPDRF that unleashed repression on the people they seemed willing to allow to vote in the first place. How would we know they will not do the same: invite the people to vote and repress when the result goes against their expectations to persons who are in the various opposition parties? What real risk can the opposition take given that the TPLF/EPDRF can behave in such contradictory fashion with carrots and sticks again and again? Can the opposition take a risk? Will the TPLF/EPDRF change and abandon the stick of reprisal and repression for the carrot of democracy? Whilst in principle there is no reason why the TPLF/EPDRF cannot change, the onus of proof lies in the TPLF/EPDRF to show that it is prepared to behave democratically and not militaristically. Until this demonstration the opposition would be always taking a risk unless it plays by the rules set by the ruling coalition! Click here to read more in PDF file

Bertukan Mideksa's Oct. 28 speech - a must listen (Ethiopian Review)

Kinijit leaders will arrive in Toronto on Nov. 1 (Ethipian Review)

Calling Our Ethiopian Ally to Account for Abuses (The Jewish Daily)

A farmer from Ogaden told a reporter that Ethiopian soldiers had strangled his wife to death with a rope; the wife had been nursing the couple’s one-year-old son when she was killed. A 25-year-old woman told The New York Times that Ethiopian soldiers visited her village each night and picked a new girl to be gang-raped. A staff member of Doctors Without Borders said she saw Ethiopian soldiers chasing women and children away from water-wells.....more

Birtukan-Mania is spreading fast in Ethiopia (Blog) (Jimma Times)

Anyway, Birtukan is capturing the hearts of many people. Those who used to say Birtukan Medeksa is Oromo only in her name are now praising her because of her plans for an all-inclusiveness of her CUD party. Until now, some Oromo and other southern people were supporting her CUD party just because they hate the ruling party. But if Birtukan manages to change the one-ethnic face of CUD, her party will unquestionably win any election in Ethiopia. Her party’s Amharic name "Kinijit" meaning Unity has been seen as a unity between Amhara and Gurage ethnicities, but now it can become a unity among all ethnicities. At least that is what most people hope....more

Clerk shot, killed at East Dallas gas station (DalasNews)

Two men armed with handguns entered the Fina Food Mart No. 1 in the 11400 block of Garland Road shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday, Dallas police said. Both men fired their weapons at Abate Z. Hailu, 43, who was pronounced dead at the scene, police said....more

Kinijit - the democratic armada - to sail back home from US (Ethiomrdia)

Once respected as the charismatic leader of the opposition party, Hailu Shawel fell from grace when he turned down frequent invitations from the Bertukan-headed delegation to join them, and instead aligned himself with Kinijit International Council (KIC), a group he single-handedly created while he was in prison but lacks recognition by the rest of the Kinijit leadership, and from bad to worse, is largely seen as a corrupt group alleged to have squandered Kinijit funds....more

Ethiopia denies plot to attack Eritrea (Reuter)

"The Ethiopian government denies the allegation of a plot to invade Eritrea in November," Wahade Belay, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Reuters....more

Rep. Smith Speaks Out for Human Rights in Ethiopia (Ephoc Times

Human rights abuses in Ethiopia, including the injuring and killing of hundreds of peaceful protesters and the detention of thousands, are well documented. Amnesty International reported that the government has subjected opposition party members to beatings, detention on trumped up charges, harassment and disappearances, according to 2007 report of Freedom House. Journalists and editors of the independent press routinely face harassment and prosecution for alleged violations of strict press laws in Ethiopia, according to the "findings" section in the bill HR2003.....more

Journalists Say Press Freedoms Lacking in Ethiopia (VOA)

CPJ says that eight newspapers were banned, two foreign journalists were expelled, and a number of websites were blocked last year. Websites critical of the government are still being blocked.

Observers say Ethiopians now have little choice on the quantity and quality of information they are able to get from the media....more

Analyst Sees Ethiopian, US Pressure Behind Somali Prime Minister Resignation (VOA)

“This was a long time in coming and what finally prompted the resignation was unquestionably Ethiopian pressure. This was Ethiopia’s game. They were making the decision as to who would stay and who would go in the TFG. They were trying to manage the long running split between President Abdullahi Yusef and Prime Minister Gedi. And in the end I think they came to understand that Gedi had to be replaced,” he says....more

Their khat deemed legal, Ethiopian immigrant couple wants it back (Herald Tribune0

When they are fresh, khat leaves contain cathinone, a chemical that produces euphoria when chewed. Cathinone is illegal under Minnesota and federal law.
But within 48 hours of harvest, the leaves' chemical composition tends to break down to the point where they contain a much milder chemical called cathine. That is what is usually found in graba, the dried khat leaves, which users often steep in tea to get their high....more

Hundreds protest Ethiopian presence in Mogadishu (AFP)

This is an uprising against the Ethiopian colonialists and its stooges," said another demonstrator, who declined to give his name. "We will continue day after day until they leave our country because we don't need them."...more

UEDF calls for national dialogue (Ethipian Review)

Heavy fighting in Somali capital (BBC)

Local elders described the Ethiopian offensive as a genocide and have appealed to the international community to intervene. ...more

Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of plotting to invade (Reuter)

"Intelligence agencies ... say that (Ethiopia) is intending to launch an invasion against Eritrea in the first week of November 2007 with the blessing of the U.S. Administration," the statement said....more

Oromo rebels welcome US appeal for talks with Ethiopia (Sudan Tribune)

The Ethiopian regime has shown that, left to its own devices, it will continue to pursue a war it can not win in Ogaden characterized by a policy of collective punishment tantamount to genocide. As such, the international community bears a moral responsibility to intervene in order to hold this regime accountable for its actions...more

N.J. lawmaker battles Ethiopia (North Jersey)

"You can't have people languishing in prison whose only crime was winning an election," Smith told another questioner who said Ethiopia was a democracy that needed to be supported instead of criticized....more

The origin of the leadership crisis in Kinijit - by Andargachew Tsige ( Ethipian review)

Kinijit Central Council member Ato Andargachew Tsige explains the origin of the ongoing leadership crisis inside Kinijit in this 15-page article in Amharic. Click here to read

Ethiopia PM in opposition warning (BBC)

The accusations came after opposition leader Bulcha Demeksa complained about widespread arrests and harassment in the Oromia region in the southern central part of the country.

Mr Meles said the government was aware that some senior leaders of opposition organisations were members of the rebel Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). ...more

Female journalists from Iraq, Mexico, Ethiopia win awards (The Times of India)

...and Ethiopian reporter and former publisher Serkalem Fasil who was released from prison in April after facing a possible death sentence for treason were also honoured...more

`Skirmishes' in Ethiopia's Ogaden(BBC)

However, an international aid worker in the region told BBC correspondent Elizabeth Blunt that there was confirmation an attack had taken place near Wardheer and that more than 100 people had been killed.,,,more

Ethiopia rebels claim killing 140 govt troops (METime)

The army officers were escorting Abay Tsehaye, a senior official in the Ethiopian ruling party, when they came under attack.

"Abay Tsehaye and a few senior officers escaped by helicopter after all land routes out of the area were blocked by ONLF forces," it said...more

No Urgent Matter than Restoring the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities (Government of Ethiopia)

Government of Ethiopia on New-york times Article -The Horn, the List and the Risks
to read press release of the gov.click here

Travel: Harar, Ethiopia, readies itself for tourism(StarTribune)

Harar was named a UNESCO World Heritage site last year, joining some of the world's top landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon, the Great Wall of China and the Acropolis in Greece.

It is also the fourth holiest city in Islam -- behind Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. And some consider Harar the birthplace of coffee. Its aroma wafts through the cool air of the Ethiopian highlands....more

Ethiopia: The Beginning of the End of a Brutal Dictatorship (Africanpath)

Ethiopians in the Diaspora have demonstrated a determination and effectiveness unparalleled hitherto to bring freedom to their fellow citizens. Waiving the tri-color that Zenawi denigrated, they have accorded a hero’s welcome to the leaders of Kinijit across Europe and the United States. They received Hailu Shawel with admiration and gratitude, Birtukan Mideksa, Berhanu Nega and the other leaders with songs and ululation, and Yacob Hailemariam and his entourage in Europe with the utmost affection and reverence. In city after city, they have opened their hearts and wallets to these leaders who have symbolized the struggle of the people against Zenawi’s tyranny....more

Expert: Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia 'a disastrous miscalculation'(garoweonline)

"It [Ethiopia] now has to be in the difficult position for itself to choose sides and its going to alienate many of its clients [in Somalia]," Dr. Weinstein said....more

The Horn, the List and the Risks(NYTimes)

What the administration needs to do now is press Ethiopia to respect the treaty. If something isn’t done quickly, we fear many more Eritreans and Ethiopians will die for no reason. There is time to put Eritrea on the list of terror sponsors if it doesn’t clean up its act....more

Ethiopia hosts Somali rift talks (BBC)

She says the whole carefully pieced-together structure in Somalia is teetering, not because of Islamist attacks but because of a quarrel between the two leading players Mr Ghedi and President Abdullahi Yusuf....more

Somali PM in Ethiopia amid debate on his fate (Reuter)

Gedi met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, with whom Gedi has personal ties going back to Meles' time as a rebel leader in exile in Mogadishu, as soon as he arrived, Ethiopian officials said....more

SMSing' restored in Ethiopia (Africanews)

According to media reports and bloggers from Addis Ababa, the 'texting' service was disabled on June 10, 2005 after an opposition party resorted to using 'SMSees' as a campaign tool to reach voters....more

East Hartford High School Team 10A has a goal of creating libraries in Ethiopia.(Zwire)

This is an amazing initiative here at EHHS," said Patla in an email announcing the project. "Through this community service project, we would like to help our students understand that they are part of a larger, worldwide community; that regardless of one's "station" in life, it is always important to share what you do have with others." ...more

Bush Backs Ethiopia Leader as Terror War Trumps Democracy Push (bloomberg)

``When you start seeing the U.S. Congress engaging in efforts like this, it's a strong signal that something has gone really wrong in a country,'' says Saman Zarifi, an advocate with Human Rights Watch in Washington....more

Eid mubarak

Eithiopian Publisher, Free From Jail, Still Faces Charges (IWMF)

“I’m not familiar with international journalists,” she said, “but journalists who are on death row anywhere in the world or who lost their life in reporting – or Ethiopians who are on death row: they are my heroes.”...more

Divisions rip through Somalia's Ethiopia-backed govt (Garoweonline)

Sources in Baidoa said Ethiopian generals postponed their plans to disarm Yusuf and Gedi's security forces for fear of an armed clash....more

GOAL statement on Ethiopia's Ogaden (newsblaz)

GOAL is calling on the Irish government to use its influence with the Ethiopian authorities to allow food aid to flow to the people of the Ogaden. For the past few months Ethiopian forces have cut the region off from humanitarian organisations, leaving 600,000 people facing starvation....more

Ban Ki-Moon Urges Restraint By Ethiopia and Eritrea as Tensions Rise (News Blez)

Of particular concern are "recent shooting incidents, as well as the building up of military forces in the border area," according to a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11215.doc.htm">statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson....more

Eritrea & U.S. Rescue of its Puppet in the Region, Ethiopia

denouncement of Jendayi E. Frazer, U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, the messenger that delivered the administrations threat, for her lies, incompetence and whatever real or perceived deficiency the ‘lady’ may have.

Some fringe minority elements within the atrociously ineffective and barely existent Eritrean opposition group, and of course the minority TPLF regime in Ethiopia, have also denounced Eritrea for bringing these actions onto itself by its involvement in Somalia, as well as, allowing the Somalia opposition group to gather for their peaceful conference in Eritrea....more

22 Somali Ministers Demand No-Confidence Vote on Government (VOA)

Twenty-two members of the Somali prime minister's Cabinet are demanding that parliament hold a no-confidence vote on the country's transitional government.....more

It was when the phone rang that things got sticky in Gode (Telegraph)

In few other countries would a phone call arouse such strength of feeling. But during my three days under armed guard in Ethiopia last week, I discovered the true meaning of "walking on eggshells". Whenever I was brought before Jamal or another official, I felt as if one careless gesture or ill-chosen word could land me in prison....more

Ethiopian refugees by Sudan

UNHCR urges the government to abide by this important principle of international law, which is also an integral part of Sudan's National Interim Constitution. UNHCR also urges authorities to abstain from any further deportations....more

Dismissive Ethiopia tests US indulgence (FT)

When the US objects to Ethiopian policies – such as a crackdown on political opponents that killed scores of people in 2005 and a scorched-earth campaign against separatist insurgents this year – it is ignored. When America gives implicit acquiescence – as it did over the Christmas invasion of Somalia and Ethiopia’s bitter border dispute with Eritrea – the US goes through the motions of diplomatic pressure and claims to have been rebuffed....more

Ethiopia's 'secret war' forces thousands to flee (Telegraph)

Ethiopia will receive £130 million of British aid this year - more than any other African country. Critics say that Mr Meles is using his favoured position - and Ethiopia's standing as a key Western ally in the war on terrorism - to avoid any protest over his behaviour....more

Rescuing Ethiopia (vanguardngr)

From the manner the trial was conducted, it is doubtful if the accused persons were given fair hearing. Zenawi did everything to hang those who dissented with him. Abraham Tetmke, state prosecutor, asked the court to impose death penalty on some of the accused just for standing up against official trampling on their political rights....more

UN Warns of Humanitarian Crisis in Ethiopia's Somali Region (Political Affairs)

“We will see a major crisis develop in the next month unless there is a resumption of livestock trade and export, commercial and humanitarian food distribution, urgent healthcare, and access by government service providers and humanitarian
partners,” stated Paul Hebert, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ethiopia, in a report issued on 5 October. Hebert led a mission to the Somali region between 30 August and 5 September.

Meanwhile, legislative moves in the United States to cut aid to Ethiopia are unlikely to have a dramatic impact on its internal policies, an analyst with a leading think-tank said.

"It is going to have some limited effect," Tom Cargill of Chatham House said of the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act, which has been passed by the House of Representatives but has yet to be approved by the Senate or President George W Bush.

"It is symbolically important because it shows there is a range of views in the US about Ethiopia, but we should not read too much or too little into it." ...more

Rebel ONLF welcomes passing of Ethiopia Democracy & Accountability Act (Sudane Tribune)

As noted by the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Dr. Jandayi Frazer "A political solution is needed in the Ogaden that will both end the region’s historic marginalization and restore the commercial trade with Somalia to prevent a humanitarian crisis. "...more

Ethiopia Democracy & Accountability Act is a major step: OLF (Sudane Tribune)

The passage of H.R. 2003 is a major step in the right direction. The Bill brings to the forefront the political crisis in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian government’s large-scale human rights violations. Moreover, the Bill sends a clear signal that promoting democracy and human rights are the ways to defeat international terrorism. To the contrary, the support of undemocratic regimes actually creates conditions on which extremism could thrive....more

Ethiopia rebels back U.S. pressure on government (Reuter)

We believe the Oromo people would have everything to gain and nothing to lose from the advancement of human rights, democracy, independence of the judiciary and the supremacy of the rule of law and freedom of the press, which (the bill) calls for," the OLF statement said.

"The bill...(highlights) the Ethiopian government's large-scale human rights violations," the OLF added, calling for the U.S. Senate and president to sign the bill into law....more

U.S. House Passes Historic Ramadan Resolution (USinfo)

Washington – A resolution recognizing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and expressing the "deepest respect to Muslims in the United States and throughout the world" was adopted in the U.S. House of Representatives October 2 by a vote of 376-0....more

Somalia: President Yusuf Loses His Grip on Power (allafrica)

As PINR forecast on September 19, the failures of the two national conferences aimed at devising a political formula for Somalia -- the National Reconciliation Conference (N.R.C.) sponsored by the country's internationally-recognized Transitional Federal Government (T.F.G.), and the Somali Congress for Liberation and Reconstitution (S.C.L.R.) organized by the political opposition based in Eritrea -- have led to a continuation of Somalia's spiral into political fragmentation and conflict. As an armed insurgency against the T.F.G. ratcheted up significantly in Somalia's official capital Mogadishu, rifts opened up in the transitional institutions, with conflict surfacing between the T.F.G.'s president, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, and its prime minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi; parliament demanding accountability from Gedi's government; and the arrest of Somalia's chief supreme court justice, Yusuf Ali Harun, followed by the sacking of the public prosecutor who initiated the case by Gedi and the prosecutor's refusal to leave his post....more

Flight from Ethiopia(CPJ)

However objectionable these conditions were, they got much worse for the press in 2005. In May of that year, contested parliamentary elections led to violent clashes between opposition groups and the ruling EPRDF party. At least 15 journalists were imprisoned on claims of antistate activity for articles that criticized the government’s handling of the civil unrest. Several others were detained on years-old charges and held without bail....more

Increased Threats to Civil Liberties Exacerbate Poor Governance in Ethiopia (Freedom House)

“In the new millennium, Ethiopia must allow civil society, political opposition, and media to not only function but to flourish,” said Daniel Calingaert, deputy director of programs at Freedom House. “It can do so quite simply by amending the draft press and NGO laws to reflect international standards and then adhering to those standards.”....more

Ethiopia angry at proposed U.S. aid sanction(reuter)

The bill, which still needs U.S. Senate approval and a presidential signature, would also deny U.S. entry visas to any Ethiopian government official involved in what it calls human rights violations, unless the president authorized a waiver....more

Ethiopia bill faces Bush backlash (FT)

Known as the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act, the bill would ban “non essential US assistance” if Ethiopia obstructed US efforts to further human rights, democracy, independence of the judiciary and freedom of the press. It would restrict security assistance and impose travel restrictions on Ethiopian officials accused of human rights violations unless Ethiopia met the conditions – although the legislation would give the president a waiver to prevent such measures from taking force....more

Germany's Merkel kicks off Africa tour with plea for democracy(AFP)

"We are in favour of further openness of the country, of the political system," Merkel said at a joint press conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa.

"We have the interest to see this society more open and the opposition's rights protected," she said, adding: "The respect of human rights is among the factors very conducive for development."...more

US targets Ethiopia for sanctions (BBC)

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....more

Q & A with President Isaias Afwerki(LA Times)

There is a process of transformation in any society. The political process is part of that social and economic transformation. You may tell me there is a constitutional monarchy here, or elections there, or multiple political parties over there. It's a mockery. It's become fashionable to pretend to be democratic, to pretend to have a constitution and multiparty-system. But those systems undermine all the processes that would lead to participation of the population. It's a matter of providing equal opportunities, not a political document, that guarantees your rights. It's not putting your vote in a ballot box that will guarantee you good living standards....more

A calm voice from embattled Eritrea(IHT)

Democratic or not, there is a certain easygoingness in Asmara, at least on the surface. The streets are spotless, and when Isaias drives through town, it is not in a motorcade with whirling sirens and sunglassed police officers. Instead, there is just one car, a white BMW, and the president rides shotgun....more

Ethiopia and the State of Democracy Hearing House has approved H.R. 2(Nazret)

Lawmakers passed the bill Tuesday on a voice vote.

The measure authorizes $20 million in each of the next two years to promote human rights, democracy and economic development in Ethiopia.

The legislation would also restrict U.S. security assistance and other aid to Ethiopia because of concerns about the country's human rights record.

The Bush administration would still be allowed to provide funds for joint counter-terrorism operations and Ethiopia's participation in peacekeeping missions.

To become law, the bill must win approval from the Senate and be signed by President Bush....more

Letter to Ben on his outrage on Coalition for HR 2003(Ethiomedia)

You see, Mr. Ben, Ethiopia needs principled friends, more so because of the hostile geophysical location in which she finds herself. Whether you like it or not, Congressman Donald Payne and Congressman Chris Smith are illustrious leaders who will be remembered for their sterling contribution to HR 2003. So the activists in the Coalition for HR 2003 are right to say that its approval marked the �Finest day for Ethiopia in US Congress�. The Ethiopian people would have greeted the news joyously out in the streets if the repressive regime would have allowed it. Then, the truth would have come out in the open as to which side enjoys the support of the majority � the vocal few in the Diaspora or the �silent majority� that you are blaming for its inaction. Against the vocal few....more

Congress Should Condition Military Aid to Ethiopia on Human Rights (Huffington Post)

Our government's support for abuses by the Ethiopian government has not received prominent media attention. But advocates for democracy and human rights in Ethiopia have been lobbying Congress. Now we have a chance to change course from a destructive policy in Africa based on the "global war on terror" towards a policy based on democracy and human rights....more

HR 2003 approved unanimously!(Ethiomedia)

All Ethiopians should take this opportunity to thank Congressmen Donald Payne, Chris Smith, Tom Lantos and Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer for their support in getting this legislation passed. When we needed their help, we called upon them . NOW IT IS TIME TO CALL AND SAY: “THANK YOU.”..more

Final action on H.R. 2003 scheduled for Oct. 2 (Ethiopianreview)

H.R. 2003 was referred to the floor on a special House procedure known as “suspension of the rules”. This procedure is used generally to act swiftly on relatively non-controversial legislation. The procedure is set forth in clause 1 of House Rule XV. When a bill or some other matter is considered “under suspension,” floor debate is limited, all floor amendments are prohibited, and a two-thirds vote is required for final passage. The equivalent calendar in the Senate is called the consent calendar...more

Gebrselassie sets marathon record (BBC)

Haile Gebrselassie broke the marathon world record in Berlin on Sunday, posting an official time of two hours, four minutes and 26 seconds....more

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/27/AR2007092700082.html (Washinton Post)

Ethiopia boasts eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites but decades of hunger, conflict and political instability have kept the country and its fabled palaces, obelisks and castles off the beaten track for most visitors to Africa.

Tourism represents a mere 2.5 percent of its gross national product -- something the government is keen to change....more

Ethiopia Legislation Moves Forward in US House of Representatives (VOA)

A key congressional committee has approved legislation supporting democracy and human rights in Ethiopia. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, where consideration by the House Foreign Affairs Committee was marked by some disagreement over how best to help bring about change in Ethiopia....more

-VP of Kinijit Birtukan Mideksa Speech - VIDEO

Open Letter to the Kinijit or CUDP LeadersAnuak Justice Council

September 22, 2007 - Dear Chairman Mr. Hailu Shawel and Executive Members of the Kinijit: I am calling on you Kinijit leaders to reconcile within Kinijit and then to reach out to others. I ask the Kinijit leaders to do this for the sake of those who lost their loved ones whose killers still walk free, for those begging on the streets, for the young child who is selling her body on the street because she has nothing to eat, for the sake of the Ethiopians who are burying their dead children because of water-born diseases, for the sake of the Ethiopian children who are raising their siblings because their parents have been taken away from HIV/AIDS. (pdf) read...

Winners don't falter at faulty moments (Ethiomedia)

This is the time for realizing the dreams of our people. This is the time for beefing up one�s organizational, material, human and financial capabilities. In fact, CUD should reach out to all concerned Ethiopian organizations and build up the ingredients for national reconciliation. It should do this to all, including the EPRDF, and invite participation in charting consensus on the future of Ethiopia.

The ENC urges all concerned, leaders, members or supporters inside and outside CUD to:

• Immediately cease directly or indirectly airing the differences within CUD.
• Set up an independent and ad-hoc committee that can mediate and recommend binding solutions to both It is time for all concerned, especially a popular opposition party, to work hard to build up national consensus to shape the future political directions of Ethiopia. CUD should realize that falling out over manageable internal administration and politics is bound to disillusion members and supporters. The public expects popular opposition parties to remain united, overcome controversies, and deliver firm leadership. No one has the stomach for yet another round of in-fighting, in yet another Ethiopian political movement. To allow division within the party by failing to compromise over internal differences is in nobody�s interest. Apart from causing public withdrawal from political engagement nationally, such behaviour presages the dangerous postponement of the date for realizing democracy in our country....more

Kinijit delegation issues a statement 9ethiopian Review0

Sep 22, 2007

The Kinijit delegation that is currently on a working visit in the U.S. has issued this statement today [Amharic, pdf]

To CUDP members, supporters, and to all concerned Ethiopians (Enset)

By Ephrem Madebo

As we all sadly heard, CUDP, the foremost Ethiopian opposition party seems to be in a deep trouble, as once were the Democrats and the Republicans here in the USA and the Bolsheviks in Russia almost a century ago. Political parties are not problem-prone; they have their high and low times. Today, CUDP is going through a series of internal corrections, a process that consumes time, affects human temper, and temporarily halts operations. However, when the outcome of the correction process settles, I am confident that CUDP shall shine again, not only for its members and supporters, but also for the entire opposition camp and for our country at large.

When the CUDP leaders went to jail we made a continuous local and international cry for their release, we won! Now the party finds itself in a jail of itself. If we need another victory, let’s constructively be engaged with CUDP leaders and behave in the same way we behaved when they were in jail. Let us learn from the American economy. When markets are in deep trouble, the first and the most reliable choice is to tell the government to take its hands off the economy and let the market correct itself. Here the logic is very simple i.e. self correction is efficient than government interference. But, this doesn’t mean the government would sit and watch the correction forever, it will interfere if the economy deteriorates further. Let us not aggravate the CUDP situation by acting like the government in the above analogy. Let us give a chance to CUDP leaders to solve their differences and stand as a single entity again. Mind you, I am not saying we need to keep quiet and wait for outcomes, we have the responsibility of being a constructive critique, but we should not by any means make an attempt to solve their problem in our own way, or be the devil’s advocate!

Source: Enset blog

Free At Last, Kinijit Leaders Continue in Ethiopia's Fight for Democracy (Pholslin)

The elections in May 2005 were supposed to be democratic. Independent newspapers set up shop and opposition parties campaigned openly, debating the ruling party on television. Millions showed up to vote. Yet on the day of the vote, the EPRDF claimed victory before half of the votes for parliamentary seats were counted. Then Meles Zenawi declared a state of emergency. Berhanu refused to give up his mayorship and other CUD members protested instead of taking Parliament seats, so the government threw them in jail....more

Ad hoc committee vs Kinijit delegation's visit to the US (Ethiomedia)

It should be noted here that the role of the Ad Hoc Committee members is strictly one of general coordination of the support groups so that they can work more effectively with the Delegation. Indeed, the Ad Hoc committee has spent countless hours interacting with the support groups for this purpose. However, it appears that some in the general public may have had the misimpression that the Ad Hoc Committee is a “road manager” for the Delegation. That view is wholly inaccurate. To be sure, it is the support groups that made it possible for the Delegation to visit the U.S. by making substantial commitment of money, time and energy. They are entirely responsible for the implementation of the Delegation’s itinerary. They deserve all of the credit....more

Somalia: Fresh Ethiopia forces deployed in Mogadishu (GaroweOnline)

t is not clear whether or not the fresh troops will replace comrades who have been serving in Somalia since last December. Unconfirmed reports said more troops from Ethiopia are preparing to deploy into southern Somalia.

There are no certain facts and figures for the number of Ethiopian soldiers in Somalia, particularly in Mogadishu where they are helping defend the interim government from insurgent attacks....more

Ethiopian Gov.Press statement In Response To United Nations Fact Finding Mission Report(relief Web)

19 September 2007 Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Addis Ababa. The United Nations humanitarian assessment mission conducted from 30 Augusl to 5 September 2007 in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia has submitted its report to the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Mission prepared its Report following its visit to Jijiga, Dhegehabur, Kebridhar, Code, Shekosh, Denan, and ten smaller villages. Based on this Report discussions were held between high officials of the Government of Ethiopia and leaders of the mission....more

O.N.L.F Statement In Response To United Nations Fact Finding Mission Report(ONLF)

The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) shares the views of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission of the need for an "Independent Investigation" into human rights conditions in Ogaden....more

Ethiopian political dispute comes to United States (The Hill)

The CUD members were among a group of 38 who were pardoned in July after being imprisoned since November 2005. They had been arrested after months of unrest in Ethiopia that followed elections in May of that year.

A report written by the European Union called the election the “most competitive” Ethiopia had ever held, but said it was “marred by irregular practices, confusion and lack of transparency.” The report credited the government for allowing relatively unbiased campaign coverage in the weeks before the election but said support of Democratic institutions waned in the weeks following the disputed vote....more

United we stand, divided we fall!(Ethiomedia)

All of us want to hear a message about the end of the era of tyranny, and the beginning of the epoch of democracy in Ethiopia. We want to know how we can overcome artificially created divisions in our society, and strengthen our common bonds of family, culture, religion and tradition. We want democracy and human rights to reign supreme in Ethiopia so that we may pass on to the next generation a legacy of hope and harmony. These are the things that are on the minds of the good people of the Ethiopian Diaspora. And the Delegation is prepared to have a conversation with you....more

Somali opposition alliance begins fight against Ethiopia(AFP-Google)

ASMARA (AFP) — Somalia's new Islamist-dominated opposition alliance said Thursday its forces have launched a bid to oust Ethiopian troops from their country.

"The alliance is undertaking every effort to get rid of Ethiopia," said spokesman Zakariya Mahamud Abdi. "We plan to spread the resistance in Mogadishu, and we have already sent people inside Somalia. This is our job."

The Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) was formed last week in the Eritrean capital Asmara, vowing to drive Ethiopia out of Somalia and nominating Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as its chairman...more

U.N. calls for rights probe in Ethiopia's Ogaden (Reuter-UK)

The team said it received "reports and direct accounts of serious violations of human rights, including substantive protection concerns for the civilian population"....more

Ethiopia's Opposition Wants US Support for Democracy Struggle (VOA)

“You know we have been in prison for almost 21 months, and the Ethiopians in the Diaspora have been helpful, so supportive in many ways such as diplomatically, financially and so on. So we wanted to come to this country to meet them face-to-face and say thank you to them. The other thing is there is a struggle going on in Ethiopia to establish democracy there, and this democracy needs the support of the people not only in Ethiopia but also outside Ethiopia. And we are here to discuss with them how best we can work together to promote the struggle for democracy in Ethiopia,” he said. ...more

DED: Letter to the Editor (Ethiomedia)

As part of the German Development Cooperation we also work closely together with the Ethiopian Ministries of Agriculture, Education and Trade & Industries, from where we receive the approval of our personnel offers; the final permit is granted by the Ministry for Capacity Building....more

Eye doc helps Ethiopians (WinnipegSun)

"They have the knowledge and skills in Ethiopia, but they just lack resources," said Brodovsky. The aid mission was led by Orbis, an organization dedicated to reducing avoidable blindness in developing nations. There are more than 28 million such cases, and roughly a million are in Ethiopia...more

UN calls for probe into alleged eastern Ethiopia rights abuses (Google)

"The mission received reports and direct accounts of serious violations of human rights, including substantive protection concerns for the civilian population," the panel said in a report....more

Saving Hailu Shawel's legacy from the Shaleqa mafia (Ethipian Review)

This is what will happen in the next few weeks:

1) Ato Hailu and friends (the shaleqa group), with the help of the EPRP media, will start labeling members of the Kinijit executive committee as Woyanne agents and sympathizers. They will say that Ato Hailu signed the apology letter that got him and others out of jail after being pressured by the other officials. They will talk about howAto Hailu is the only leader with conviction who is standing up to Woyanne, bla bla bla…...more

Teddy Afro Rocks Out Millennium in Jimma (AddisFurtune)

Even in the face of all these vital commercial activities going on that centred Jimma, the town has not progressed or became urbanised in a modern sense. Most of the road infrastructure in Jimma were last repaired or built some 15 years ago. This is not to mention the shortage of residential houses in the town as well as the commercial buildings in use for business activities that visibly lack periodic renovation over the years....more

Ancient Ethiopian city seeks tourists,(Yahoo news)

But the city, which lies some 250 miles from the capital, Addis Ababa, lacks modern amenities and suffers from a chronic water shortage. With only a handful of hotels and the nearest airport more than an hour's drive away, moving Harar into the future is an ambitious plan....more



AP Photo: A Harar bride poses before a mass wedding, July 21, 2007 in Harar, Ethiopia.

Eritreans Deny American Accusations of Terrorist Ties (NTTimes)

More than that, said Ali Abdu, Eritrea’s information minister, if Ms. Frazer was trying to make “Eritrea kneel down in front of her,” she had better learn what he called a basic Eritrean fact.

“Eritreans kneel on only two occasions,” he said. “When they pray and when they shoot.”...more

Why We Don't Hear About the Conflict in the Ogaden, (State)

The U.S. government considers Ethiopia an important ally in the war on terror, since it shares borders with Eritrea, Sudan, and Somalia, the latter invaded by Ethiopia this past Christmas with Washington's approval. Ethiopia has not been able to extricate itself from Somalia, and the military has been accused of possible war crimes there. Mogadishu even has a new nickname: "Baghdad on the Sea."

In addition to sending nearly half a billion dollars in aid money to Ethiopia every year, more than to any other sub-Saharan African country, the United States also supplies the Ethiopian military with funds, arms, and special forces training from Army Rangers.

Yet with all the recent negative attention focused on Ethiopia, it is easy to forget that the country had been on the right track. In 2005, poverty was down, growth was up, the local press was flourishing, and the capital, Addis Ababa, was brimming with hope and excitement about upcoming elections. ...more

SOMALIA: "What have we done to deserve this?", (Alertnet)

"I don't know what we have done. It is as if we are being punished by God for sins we have committed. I pray that all this will stop and we will have peace and go back to our lives."...more

Disease alert in flood-hit Africa, (BBC)

Scores of people have died and much of the continent's most fertile farmland has been washed away in what is being described as a humanitarian disaster.

The UN said more rain was expected and warned that the need for food, shelter and medicine was urgent.

Some 17 countries have been affected in West, Central and East Africa....more

Ethiopian festival enlivens Trafalgar Square of London, (Ethiomedia)

We Muslims of the World owe you, Ethiopians, for our own very existence. When our forefathers were persecuted, you took us in. We the Muslims of the World are here today because of you, Ethiopians. Your "Negus" refused to hand over the early Muslim refugees whom the Prophet Himself instructed to go Ethiopia to save our faith from extinction. Not only once did you save the lives of the Muslim refugees, but twice. When the persecutors demanded to hand over the Muslims under his protection the Negus said: "even if you give me a mountain of gold, I will not surrender these men to you." Therefore, I would like to thank Ethiopians for what they did 1,500 years ago and wish you today a happy new year and a happy millennium....more

Ethiopia Rejects Eritrean Ethiopian Boundary Commission's Authority (again)!, (Africanpath)

If Ethiopia will not abide by the decisions of a commission convened under its own authority, the suggestion by its Premier that another may be necessary in the future lacks credibility. Further, as the decisions of the EEBC are "final and binding," no changes are allowed to be made without the expressed approval of both parties, however, Eritrea has stated numerous times, "we will [not] compromise our sovereignty or territorial integrity."...more

Eritrea: New strategies on Ethiopia’s affairs (Africanpath)

One important thing is, Isayas will not try to humiliate Ethiopian EPRDF government in the north of Ethiopia, like in Afar because it will affect Eritrea in the long term. Isayas knows that gaining short term benefits in expense of long term damages has been the mistakes of many Ethiopian governments. So his focus will be in southern Ethiopia for a long time. Especially I am sure he will never support the Afar liberation movements. But one thing that I don't understand is, if he helps the Ogadenis separate from Ethiopia wouldn't he start a chain of unstoppable events towards more and more ethnicities seeking secession? If this chain of events moves north and to the creation of Tigrai and Afar republics, the existence of Eritrea will be in deep danger! This indirectly harms Eritrea’s interests. Maybe Isayas already have a plan for that. No body knows....more

INTERVIEW-Ethiopia says deaths do not deter Sinopec, (Reuter)

The attack was one of the worst on Beijing's growing energy interests in Africa, which range from Angola to Sudan and Ethiopia....more

Hailu Shawel to face angry supporters in Washington when he arrives today (Ethiopian Review)

Because of his age and worsening health condition, Ato Hailu may retire in a matter of few months. It would be sad if he leaves Kinijit in disgrace after contributing so much for the struggle to bring freedom and democracy to Ethiopia. Great leaders often have sad endings. After leading the U.K. to victory against Nazi Germany, Winston Churchill was defeated at the post-war election, and later on he was forced out of his party’s leadership. Our own Atse Haile-Selassie’s fate was even worse — he was murdered by his own officers and buried unceremoniously. These leaders could have made a graceful exit at the right moment. But they chose to be forced out. There are examples of great endings, too, such as Nelsen Mandela of South Africa. History now remembers these leaders’ positive achievements more than the mistakes they made at the sunset of their career. No matter how Ato Hailu decides to end his political career, when the dust settles he will be remembered in the history books as a national hero who worked tirelessly to bring a better future for Ethiopia....more

Some modesty, please, (Al-Ahram)

With a few exceptions, the West is wrong about the Arabs just as the Arabs are wrong about the West. This is true in politics as in culture. Muslims number 1.4 billion or so around the world. They are a majority in 57 countries (hence that number of members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference) and a substantial minority in many others, including India and Ethiopia. There are 16 million Muslims in Russia alone. One out of five people on this planet are Muslims. One out of every three countries is dominantly Muslim. So I ask you, are all these people guilty of terror?

It is wrong to lump all Muslims together or reduce Islam to one of its many strands. It is wrong to identify all Muslims with Islamists, or a small minority within them. But this is exactly what those who speak about the "Islamic threat" or "Islamic peril" do. Those who speak of Islam in tones of hostility forget that it is a creed embodying the cultural heritage of hundreds of millions of people.

There are people in our world who say that Muslims have a natural "penchant" for terror and aggression. They say so because they overlook the subtleties of Islamic beliefs, law and systems. They fail to recognise the diversity and varied spectrum of communities that live under Islam. ...more

Ethiopia detains three men linked to opposition politician( Sudane Tribune)

Bazezew said the only connection between the four men was fundraising efforts to buy a car for Birtukan Mideksa in August. Birtukan, a top opposition politician, was among 38 opposition members released from prison last July. They had been held for more than two years after security forces shot 193 civilians protesting electoral fraud. The trial attracted international condemnation and strong pressure from the United States to free the accused, who emerged from prison with strong support in many of their neighborhoods. Such support motivated a group in the neighborhood to buy Mideksa a car, Bazezew said....more

Eritrea backs Somali opposition against Ethiopia (Reuter)

ASMARA (Reuters) - Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has backed a new Somali opposition alliance, saying arch-foe Ethiopia's fight against insurgents in Mogadishu was doomed to fail, state media reported on Saturday.

The formation of the group, including top Islamist leaders, in Asmara this week has generated yet more friction between Ethiopia and Eritrea after their border war of 1998-2000....more

Ethiopia's Meseret Defar sets world record in women's 2-mile, easily beats own mark

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) — Meseret Defar set a world record in the women's 2-mile at the Van Damme Memorial meet Friday, smashing her own mark by almost 12 seconds.

The Ethiopian finished in 8 minutes, 58.58 seconds, shaving 11.89 seconds off the 9:10.47 mark she set in May at Carson, Calif.

Defar already has set two world records - in the 5,000 outdoor and the 3,000 indoor - early in the season. And last month she won the 5,000 at the world championships in Osaka, Japan.
The Associated Press

Ramadan begins across Muslim world( Al-Jazeera)

Ramadan, a month of day-long fasting, spiritual reflection and sometimes night-long revelry, has begun for most of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims....more

Ethiopia: Ogaden Leaders Accuse Govt of 'Genocide'

In July, a Human Rights Watch statement accused the government of widespread rights abuses. "Ethiopian troops are destroying villages and property, confiscating livestock and forcing civilians to relocate," said Peter Takirambudde, Africa director of Human Rights Watch. "Whatever the military strategy, these abuses violate the laws of war."

In the same statement, Human Rights Watch said that the ONLF targets civilians in their attacks. The OLNF representatives denied the charges during the interview. They acknowledged that civilians sometimes die, but contended that the government had armed civilians and said Human Rights Watch does not have full information....more

Mixed emotions in their year 2000 (chicago tribune)

More than 20 years after images of starving children with bloated bellies captured the world's attention, Ethiopians still suffer from chronic food shortages. Ethiopia ranks 170th out of 177 on the U.N. Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, literacy and education for countries worldwide. Border disputes with neighboring Eritrea and rebel uprisings are challenging security in the country.

"You celebrate when you achieve something. What are we going to celebrate for?" asked Gebriel, 44, who left Ethiopia 24 years ago and returned in April to see his relatives in the capital city of Addis Ababa. "I have seen new roads, I have seen buildings, but I measure development if the government can provide the basic necessities for the people. That's what I call growth."...more

Ethiopia accuses Norway of aiding terrorists - paper(Reuter)

Norway contributes development aid to all three impoverished African countries, but Oslo has said its direct aid to Ethiopia would be cut by about a third, or by around $5.3 million, as its embassy will not have the manpower to manage the full amount...more

Ethiopians in Washington, DC Celebrate Their Millennium (VOA)

Among the organizers of the five-day events is area resident Neamin Zeleke. He says, “the occasion serves as an opportunity to reflect on our past, assert our present and envision a better tomorrow.”

Neamin rejects critics who say any form of millennium celebration at this time is inappropriate, given the political and economic conditions Ethiopians face back home.

“The millennium celebration here is not only about chifera or dankira or festivities and merriment. We have several events that deal directly with the suffering of our people,” he says....more

Norway contributes development aid to all three impoverished African countries, but Oslo has said its direct aid to Ethiopia would be cut by about a t

"A thousand years from now, when Ethiopians gather to welcome the fourth Millennium, they shall say the eve of the third Millennium was the beginning of the end of the dark ages in Ethiopia," he said.

Because it was never colonised, Ethiopia has always had a special significance for the rest of Africa - which was summed up by the chairman of the African Union, Alpha Oumar Konare.

"We thank Ethiopia for keeping up the flame of African unity," he said. ...more

Ethiopia gets set for new Millennium, (BBC)

The official feel to the Millennium has been reinforced by the fact that none of the independent events originally planned for the New Year period will actually be taking place.

An offer by the Rastafarian community to bring over reggae stars from the Caribbean was not encouraged.

A project by a restaurateur to feed 2,000 hungry children did not get permission to go ahead.

The Taste of Ethiopia exhibition is not happening either; the tourism and culture minister said darkly that it had failed because the organisers did not work with the concerned body and took a course of their own.

And the organisers of the Great Ethiopian Run, an annual event which had been timed this year to coincide with the Millennium and which was expecting more than 30,000 participants, were told less than two weeks before the race that they had to postpone it until after the New Year celebrations. ...more

Ethiopian Diaspora Begins Millennium Celebrations, ( VOANEWS)

Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic country with Amhara the predominant ethnic group. Ephrem Madebo, systems engineer for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration addressed the topic “Democratic Response to what he called the national question in Ethiopia. He proposed a decentralized federal government.

“I brought two alternatives. It could be federalism but not ethnic federalism. It could be interpreted in a way that the Ethiopian masses agree, or it could be kind of regional autonomy. Those are my two alternatives,” Madebo said....more

Tearful joy greets CUD leaders, (Ethiomedia)

The CUD delegates who arrived in Washington DC on Saturday are scheduled to tour major cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta and others. The Europe-bound CUD delegation is also on schedule to do likewise. A third delegation has travelled to South Africa, which is also another home to a considerable size of Ethiopian community.

...more

US, UN concern over Ethiopian rebel crackdown (AFP)

Human rights groups have accused the army of razing villages, displacing thousands of civilians and imposing an economic blockade on the region, which has suffered flooding and drought...more

The Struggle for Democracy in Ethiopia:

Illegal Ethiopians on way to an uncertain future back home, (Gulfnews)

While Ethiopians in the UAE are certainly not alone in falling victim to illegal agents, according to members of the community, it is the isolation of some of their compatriots scattered around the country, as well as a language barrier that have made them more vulnerable....more

Ethiopians in Washington and London welcome Kinijit leaders (Ethiopian Review)

Members of the Kinijit delegation that arrived in Washington are now resting in their hotel after spending some time greeting Kinijit representatives from several chapters. Ato Aklog Lemeneh, chairman of the Kinijit North America chapters and Ato Yilma Adamu, Kinijit DC Metro chapter chairman introduced the representatives to Wzt. Bertukan and the other members of the delegation. Then they posed for photos (will be posted shortly). Tonight the delegates are scheduled to attend a small dinner reception organized by members of the welcoming team Ato Tamagne Beyene, Dr Alemayehu Gebremariam, and Dr Solomon Alemu, in collaboration with Kinijit North America and Kinijit DC Metro. After holding a series of meetings with officials of Kinijit North America chapters throughout the week, the next major public appearance for the delegates will be a town hall meeting next weekend. It is expected to be the largest Ethiopian gathering ever in the Washington...morre

Millennium Festivities Expose Deep Rifts, ( Washington post)

"The people are still suffering from disease and dictatorship, there are still people in prison," said Zewdu, 32, a taxi driver. "Having that in mind, I wouldn't think of going and having a party."

The Washington region, the U.S. hub for Ethiopian immigrants, will attract thousands of Ethiopians from across the country for the nation's biggest millennium events. On deck is an explosion of concerts, lectures and celebrations that are meant to show off Ethiopia -- but that also lay bare the community's deep political cleavages...more

Ethiopia: Free Oromo prisoners - OFDM & ONC,(Africanpath)

However, Mr. Bulcha Demeksa gave the harshest condemnation of this problem saying “no one has ever seen these prisoners carrying a weapon, committing a crime or killing any one. But they were simply
suspected of being a member of the OLF.” Demanding that the government set a new policy, Bulcha said that almost half were imprisoned without due process of law and government regulations clarifying which group qualifies for what do not exist.

“There are around 30-35 million Oromos in Ethiopia. These people… how do they know OLF is an illegal or outlawed group? They are imprisoned for something they don’t even know. Has the Ethiopian government ever created a law that specifically indicates any of this? The government has never, in detail, publicized the definition of which group is an outlawed, or which stands for terrorism and it should make this list so that people know which organization is identified as a terrorist and why.”...more

Ethiopia Briefly Detained 4 US Soldiers, (Townhall)

Ethiopia earlier this year briefly detained what it said were four U.S. soldiers trying to contact a rebel group that has been fighting for greater autonomy for eastern Ethiopia, government officials said Friday.

Bereket Simon, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, declined to say when the soldiers were detained or give any further details.

Asked about the U.S. soldiers, he told The Associated Press: "Four soldiers, or some soldiers, were detained. They were trying to contact the ONLF (the Ogaden National Liberation Front). That was not permitted."...more

Tales of horror from Ogaden,(sundaytimes)

"Two of my brothers who were ONLF members were hanged from a tree," says Fardosa. "It’s worse than hell what is happening in Ethiopia." Osman Hassan Ahmed, a 27-year-old from the eastern Ogaden town of Werder arrived in Bosaso on September 1....more

Coptic millennium celebrations fall flat for some Ethiopians, (iht)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia: As Ethiopia approaches its third millennium, the most popular joke in the capital city goes like this: How do you say "millennium" in Amharic?

The pun of an answer — "menem yellum," which means "there is nothing" — sums up how many in Ethiopia's largest city feel about the festivities for Ethiopia's third millennium, which begins after midnight Tuesday on Ethiopia's Coptic calendar.

With the calendar of events changing and security concerns in the capital reaching fever pitch, many ordinary Ethiopians feel the remaining celebrations — which include a concert with tickets that cost an average Ethiopian nearly two months' salary at 1,500 birr (nearly US$170) — are beyond their reach.

The Black Eyed Peas, a hip-hop act from Los Angeles, will perform Tuesday night at a brand new, US$20 million temporary exhibition hall built by Ethiopia's richest man, and the Hilton hotel will host a US$100-and-up gala.

"The millennium, it's nothing for me," said Mulugeta Demssie, 23, a taxi driver, who said he thought the concert should be free, or at least cheaper.

"Because I don't have money, I can't enjoy it."...more

Ethiopia: U.S. Donates Fund for Restoration of 130 Year Old House,(allafrica)

Founder and CEO of Addis Wubet, Mariam Senna Assefa Wossen, granddaughter of Emperor Haile Sellassie I said on her part that the restoration of Mohammed Ali house which she noted is featured on the World Monuments Watch List, forms part of Addis Wubet's pilot project for the Piazza District Mohammed Ali Shaikh Sharafally was an Indian born business tycoon of the 19th century owning a company going by the name of Mohammed Ali&Co., who established his head office in Harar in 1888....more

NTERVIEW-Ethiopian opposition leader takes fight abroad ,(Alternet)

"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....more