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