Snatched: Justice and Politics in Ethiopia (The Economist)

ANDARGACHEW TSIGE, an exiled Ethiopian opposition leader with British nationality, could be facing the death penalty after apparently being arrested and sent back to his country of origin while on a trip to the Gulf. While transiting in Yemen on June 23rd, during a journey from Dubai to Eritrea, Andargachew mysteriously ended up on a plane to Ethiopia. It is believed that he was detained by Yemeni officials and handed over to members of Ethiopia's security apparatus....read more..

'Britain is supporting a dictatorship in Ethiopia' (The Guadian UK)

It's 30 years since Ethiopia's famine came to attention in the UK. Now, a farmer plans to sue Britain for human rights abuses, claiming its aid has funded a government programme of torture and beatings as villagers have been removed from their homes......read more.....

Ethiopian Muslims stage anti-government protes (AFP)

Hundreds of Muslims protesters demonstrated in Ethiopia on Friday, demanding the release of 17 of their leaders jailed under terrorism charges last year.

"What the government is doing doesn't solve the problem, rather it will worsen the situation," said protestor Mohammed Seman, speaking at the demonstration following busy Friday prayers at a popular Addis Ababa mosque.

The leaders were arrested last August, following months of protests by Muslims accusing the government of interfering in religious affairs. They are currently on trial for intending to "carry out acts of terrorism".........read more.............

Ethiopia : a leadership in disarray

It may be that, in Ethiopia, history is so powerful that the past permeates the present, and it repeats itself. In this case, what we see today is simply another interregnum between two powerful men....read more...

British government statement on extradition of Ethiopian leader, Andargachew Tsege

This statement was issued today by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
On the case
“A British national, Andargachew Tsege, was reported missing in Yemen on 24 June. Since then UK officials have pressed the Yemeni authorities at senior levels to establish his whereabouts, including meeting with the Yemeni Ambassador in London this week. We are aware of reports that he may now be in Ethiopia and we are urgently seeking confirmation from the relevant authorities given our deep concerns about the case. We are continuing to provide consular assistance to his family.....read more....

Ethiopia Ginbot 7 leader facing death penalty 'extradited from Yemen'

Andargachew Tsege, who is also a British national, is secretary-general of the banned Ginbot 7 movement....read more...

UK stands accused over extradition of Ethiopian opposition leader

Andargachew Tsige, a British national, may face death penalty after extradition from Yemen...read more..

Debate: Is Human Rights Watch Too Close to US Government to Criticize Its Foreign Policy?

Human Rights Watch, one of the world’s largest and most influential human rights organizations, is facing an unusual amount of public criticism. Two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel and Mairead Maguire, and a group of over 100 scholars have written an open letter criticizing what they describe as a revolving door with the U.S. government that impacts HRW’s work in certain countries, including Venezuela. The letter urges HRW to bar those who have crafted or executed U.S. foreign policy from serving as staff, advisers or board members. Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth has defended his organization’s independence, responding: "We are careful to ensure that prior affiliations do not affect the impartiality of Human Rights Watch’s work. … We routinely expose, document and denounce human rights violations by the US government, including torture, indefinite detention, illegal renditions, unchecked mass surveillance, abusive use of drones, harsh sentencing and racial disparity in criminal justice, and an unfair and ineffective immigration system." We host a debate between HRW counsel Reed Brody and Keane Bhatt, a writer and activist who organized the open letter..........read more............

Part I: Economic and Political Backdrop

Most Ethiopians agree that appropriately planned, designed, constructed, and operated dams on Abay (the Blue Nile) are economic necessities that should be supported to ensure the long-term economic development of the country and the well-being of its people....read more...

Ethiopia’s Police State: The Silencing of Opponents, Journalists and Students Detained

Detention under spurious charges in Ethiopia is nothing new. With the second highest rate of imprisoned journalists in Africa[1] and arbitrary detention for anyone who openly objects to the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) regime’s despotic iron fist, the Western backed government in Addis Ababa is a dab hand at silencing its critics....read more...

Independent Publications in the Face of Grave Threat in Ethiopia

.......................The free press in Ethiopia has been in great trouble since 2005. The new measure is the latest move by the Ethiopian government to completely control the already engulfed newspapers and magazines operating in the county. According to local reports, together with other restrictive laws in force, the new legislation would lead to total absence of independent press outlet in the country. It is believed by many to be a strategy to silence opposition voices ahead of the 2007 election.................click to continue reading.......

የ“ቀለም” አብዮት ናፍቆት! (ጋዝጠኛ ተመሰገን ደሳለኝ ) (ECDF)

የቀዝቃዛው ጦርነት ማብቃትን ያበሰረው የጀርመን ግንብ ሊፈርስ ሶስት ዓመታት ብቻ በቀሩበት ከዕለታት በአንዱ ቀን፣ ቅጥ ካጣ አምባ-ገነንነቱ በተጨማሪ ሀገሪቷን የግል ርስቱ ያደረገው የፊሊፒንስ ፕሬዝዳንት ፈርዲናንድ ማርቆስ “ታሪካዊ” የሚባል ታላቅ ስህተትን ፈፀመ፤ ጠንካራ ተፎካካሪው ሊሆን እንደሚችል ቅድመ-ግምት ተሰጥቶት የነበረውን የተቃዋሚው ቡድን መሪ ካስገደለ ከጥቂት ጊዜያት በኋላ እንዲካሄድ የፈቀደውን ምርጫ በአሳፋሪ መንገድ አጭበረበረ፡፡ ይህን ጊዜ የሕዝቡን ትዕግስት አልባነት የተረዱና መነሻቸው ካቶሊክ.................ቀጥለው ለማንበብ እዝህ ይጫኑ...

Ethiopians Rising

There are tentative signs that the people of Ethiopia are beginning to organise themselves and stand up against the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) government, a brutal dictatorship, dressed in western democratic garb.,,read more...........

When Enough is Enough, Rise up People of Ethiopia

London : There are tentative signs that the people of Ethiopia are beginning to organise themselves and stand up against the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) government, a brutal dictatorship, albeit one dressed in democratic western garb........read more

South Sudan peace deal signed under pressure, says Kiir

May 12, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, said political pressure and Friday’s tense atmosphere within the Ethiopian prime minister’s palace ensured a peace agreement with opposition leader Riek Machar was signed without conducting face to face talks.,,,,,,,,click here to read more...

ተቃውሞ እና ጭፍጨፋ በኦሮሚያ

ተቃውሞ እና ጭፍጨፋ በኦሮሚያ

(ተመስገንደሳለኝ)

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Ethiopia: UN Review Should Condemn Crackdown

Geneva) – United Nations member countries should call on Ethiopia to stop targeting activists and the media under draconian laws. The UN Human Rights Council will review Ethiopia’s human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) procedure on May 6, 2014. ......Click here to read more

Unity for Democracy and Justice Party (UDJ)’s Addis Ababa Rally, May 4, 2014 [pictures]

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John Kerry expresses concern over arrest of Ethiopian bloggers

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Kerry urges press freedoms for Ethiopia

Addis Ababa (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Ethiopia on Thursday to allow greater freedoms for civil society and journalists, expressing concern for a group of bloggers and journalists arrested last week. click here to read  full history