Ethiopia: Translated Criminal Charges during the State of Emergency!

Ethiopian State of Emergency continues!

As of 29. March 2017 the continued State of Emergency from 2016 continues, as the oppression and military enterprise into Amhara and Oromia continues. The speed of this proves the neglect and little care for the civilians, as the military, Agazi squad and other battalions has been stationed in the provinces that clearly are tired of the rulers and their regime in Addis Ababa.

As stated in Parliament in Addis on the 29^th March:

“Ethiopia’s House of Peoples’ Representatives voted to extend the State of Emergency by four months on Wednesday (March 29), passing a bill entitled “State of Emergency Proclamation for the Maintenance of Public Peace and Security Renewal” (…) “This extends the proclamation decreed in October last year. The Minister of Defense and Secretary of the Command Post responsible for enforcing the State of Emergency, Siraj Fegessa, told Parliament that the Command Post, chaired by Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, wanted to see the emergency decree extended to reinforce “the peace and stability which has been gained since Parliament declared the State of the Emergency” (…) “The State of Emergency has been amended twice since October, with the lifting of the curfews imposed on areas close to industrial sites and major development projects. More recently, it has also ended the arrest of suspects without court warrants, and lifted travel restrictions for diplomats” (…) “The vote this week follows the Prime Minister’s statement to Parliament two weeks ago that “the majority of people surveyed by the government wanted to see the emergency law extended.” (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia, 31.03.2017).

So even if this is a softer ban and less limiting of the public will and public opinion, still the clear picture is that the dissidents of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), will certainly get into arrests, detained or even taken away. The amount of citizens arrested during the period has amounted to 20,000 by some estimation. That is the size of decent town put into camps to silence their disobedient selves.

Good that somebody reacts to the measure:

“The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Ethiopia (CAHDE) is considering to mount a legal challenge against the legality of the state of emergency and its extension before the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and other relevant international human rights forums” (…) “We believe that the emergency did not meet the requirements of Ethiopian law and applicable international legal standards. Even if one assumes that there were reasonable grounds to believe that exceptional measures were necessary to respond to the ‘threat’ represented by the protests, the continued enforcement and extension of emergency measures is totally unjustified and disproportionate to the exigencies of the circumstances” (CAHDE, 31.03.2017).

So even Human rights observers and NGOs are reacting to the measure made by the Central Government to silence the provinces and regions who are in turmoil, where the army has used force and the police has rounded up locals. Where the cellphone coverage, internet that has been for long time disconnected by the regime and the other needed infrastructure has dwindled away. This is happening while the citizens are scrambling to survive in the efforts of the government to destroy their livelihoods and will to stand-up against them. If the government we’re democratic than they would accept that Amhara and Oromia we’re addressing the misgivings and the maladministration of the regions, while trying to negotiate and even give way to civilians. Instead, they are sending weapons, soldiers and turning of the electricity, and phone-lines. Such noble creatures in the EPRDF.

However, we do know now that the EPRDF now fears demonstrations and dissidents so much that would kill their own, create lack of food and use the extended drought to see who will be loyal subjects, as the oppression and extended security operation inside the regions has not stopped and doesn’t seem to have an idea of when to stop. The reality is that the false flag of wishful peace, when they themselves pick up the guns or the bracelets to detain or kill fellow citizens. That is the end game of the Ethiopian tragedy, where to many lives are lost for wanting a government that cares about more than their own pockets. As seen repeatedly, that they do not care and surely the citizens wants someone govern with accountability and transparency in Amhara and Oromia. That is surely not happening now! Peace.

#AmharaProtests – ENDF continues Martial Law with added force of 25,000 to silence the Province!

“I have given order [for the army] to take action on protestors with no sympathy” Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegne

Today’s report from Amhara is not good as the Ethiopian National Defence Force is continuing to take heavy artillery to the Province. As the picture is evidence of. In Bahir Dar the people have burned down 9 Flower Farms, several shops and even factories in the city.

“I know you will continue working to make our shared vision of a peaceful & prosperous #Ethiopia become reality.” (U.S. Embassy in Addis, 31.08.2016).

As the pictures show, there aren’t much peace of mind in sight for the men and woman who get to meet the Agazi squad from the ENDF. There cannot be peace when the heavy artillery and soldiers are arriving to settle the score with the demonstrators.

The Army are acting with violence and killings in Gondar. It is hard to know the numbers and intelligence is scarce as the Internet blockade is still evident in the Amhara State. This is a government sending their specialized weapons against their own citizens who peacefully protest, not criminals or terrorist. This proves to what extent the Ethiopian Authorities does with their citizens.

“TPLF has ordered deployment of additional 25,000 regular army to Amahara region. It is also sending Tigray region special police force dressed in federal police. Wrong move. It might thing it can use overwhelming force to shut down the protest. But its risking further fracturing the army.Also Amhara farmers are armed and they be forced to abandon the current peaceful protest and confront the regime in armed rebellion” (Jawar Mohammed, 31.08.2016).

The effect in Addis Ababa is that the flower prices has sky-rocketed due to scarcity after the violence in Amhara.

“ESAT Radio: 254 fully armed soldiers defected and joined the peasant forces in Armacheho, Gondar” (ESAT Radio, 31.08.2016).

There is reports of four people have been gunned down in Debareq town, where several also been injured. Also protesters in the town burned the house of the mayor down.

Also that certain level of protester has done what they can to phone-lines to be able to call and tell what is happening in the Amhara state.

“Uprisings defense when it is a matter of patience and control obligation , but for 30 million people, has confirmed the fact that the deadly assault on the whole Africa has the capacity of various international organizations” – Dr. Debretsion Gebre Michael.

Reports from the OmoroProtest:

“#OromoProtests BREAKING: armed conflict between Karayu Oromo and Agazi soldiers at Xuxi village in Fantale District, East Shewa. Four Agazi’s and three pastoralists have been killed” (SiiTube, 31.08.2016).

What reported about yesterday:

“Deadly protests have however continued on Tuesday in Gondar and Gojam where seven protesters – three in Adet and four in Simada – were shot and killed by TPLF forces. Three people were also killed in Merawi. In Bahir Dar, angry protesters went to the Sebatamit prison and freed 700 prisoners who were detained in the recent protests. Several people were injured in the shoot out to free the prisoners, according to hospital sources. Gun fire could be heard on Tuesday in the city of Bahir Dar which saw deadly protests on Monday as four people were killed and protesters attacked businesses belonging to the regime. In Amba Giorgis, regime forces attacked residents who on Monday targeted businesses and set on fire houses belonging regime officials. Tensions remained high in Finote Selam that has seen deadly protests in recent days. Offices and businesses remained closed on Tuesday in Finote Selam” (SiiTube, 31.08.2016).

This is what I collected today. The Army and Government continues to silence and oppress the Amhara people as they goes all-in the capital city of Banhir Dar City. While the protestors are retaliating with burning businesses that even has hit the flower market of Addis Ababa. Still, the killings and violence from the government continues… the silence from the world and the little sad reports prove the fate of a people who deserve a government who takes care of them; not a government who comes with heavy artillery and tanks to silence the citizens of Amhara State. Peace.

#AmharaProtests: The Agazi Force and Martial Law in the Province!

On Ethiopian TV and on a Press Conference today the Prime Minister of Ethiopia His Exellency Hailemariam Desalegne said that the Military could take any action against the protestors of Amahara region. This here is not great news as the oppressive behaviour is continuing. The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the Ethiopia National Defence Force (ENDF) are attacking their own public. It’s scary to know how far the EPRDF are using military to silence their citizens.

As this been told there been reports of total shutdown of Internet in the Northern Regions of Ethiopia. Also, there been reports of military intervention with tanks and equipment to silence the demonstrations. So the Demonstrations in Gondar has been planned to shut down, apparently.

“Amhara regional gov spokesman said the military is underway,  which he describe “to control and take any measure in the region.” (EHRP, 2016).

“Even the little report that is, that Prison of Andasa near Bandahir have the prisoners broken out. “The Gebeya (market) area shut down.” High tensions. Agazi forces on the streets” (Habesha, 2016).

“According to sources in Addis Abeba and Amhara Regional cities, and Addis Abeba based Sheger Radio, thousands of heavily armed members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) along with the special squad of Agazi Force, have been deployed to the Gojjam and Gonder provinces of the Amhara regional state” (Link: http://debirhan.com/?p=10342, 2016)

In Amahara region the Military have set off the Martial Law. Stopping all people from moving and selling; no social networks, internet, markets and the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) is heavy deployed in the area.

In Bandahir where the forces we’re taking control over the town the tortured people who demonstrated and also killings from the military. But no numbers confirmed.

Second Report from Bandahir: 

“The regional government said yesterday it has invited the military to restore order. But, in Bahirdar city, it appears only federal police and regional forces are actively involved. The regional government disclosed today that it has arrested “key instigators of violence and vandalism”. Since several arrests and subsequent releases took place in the past weeks without much announcements, it seems the statement refers to either mass arrest or high profile arrests” (Daniel Berhane, 30.08.2016). 

Reports of full hospital at Bahir Dar Fekege Hiwot Hospital; the hospital is full of injured people after the army entered the town.

In Gojam and Gondar the Phone Service is shut off from the authorities. So the intelligence from the area is near to extinct. So if the Martial Law is in effect in the scores of the Bandahir.

This is just pieces of the puzzle, not the real picture as the government does what they can to silence their report of their behaviour. As the allies of the Government doesn’t want the world to condemn them. The UN Envoy or Special Representative Michael Keating had consultation meeting with the Minister Taye Atske-Selassie on the violence of Somalia. But the man from the United Nations didn’t care for thinking about the oppressed people in Amhara. So the United Nation takes a blind eye to Ethiopian issues as long as their army fights the Al-Shabab, because the citizens of Amhara aren’t that important. Is that what the citizens of the world should take from this and their actions?

The worrying effect is that the PM can go off on TV at a Press Conference and later the pictures of military artillery and tanks going on the roads towards the Amhara Region. With the reports of civilian casualties! This should be sanctioned and the Ethiopian Government shouldn’t be walked away from even as the United Nation, United States and other allies need their forces as peacekeepers, because their funding of this government are oppressing and killing their own. That they do because they don’t want to be silenced anymore. They does so in peace, but brutally get shut-down by army and their tanks. Peace.