Ethiopia says it won’t entertain Riek Machar (Youtube-Clip)

“Ethiopia has issued warnings with regards to former South Sudan first Vice President Riek Machar visit. It says Machar’s only welcome to the country on a temporary basis. The Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalgen was quoted in an interview saying, Ethiopia will not entertain leader of an armed struggle. According to Hailemariam, Machar, will only be allowed to pass through Ethiopia in his travels. The former South Sudanese first Vice president was recently replaced by Taban deng Gai. This came after he left Juba following violence in July. He is currently in Sudan” (CCTV Africa, 2016)

Ethiopian government rejects calls for an independent investigation (Youtube-Clip)

On the International Day of Democracy, UNPO Vice-President Delivers a Statement at the Human Rights Council (15.09.2016)

ethiopia-15-09-2016

Each year on the 15 September, the world celebrates the International Day of Democracy, highlighting the global importance of maintaining democratic values for nations and peoples. As one of its fundamental principles, UNPO is committed to advocating and supporting democracy around the world. Democracy is a form of government by and for the people, where freedom of expression, protection of human rights and the rule of law ensure that all its citizens are treated equally.  For many nations and peoples, however, autocratic governments not only fail to uphold democratic values but also are the very perpetrators of gross human rights violations. On this day, the international community turns its attention to victims of undemocratic governments and reflect on what can be done to promote inclusive, participatory, representative, accountable and transparent political systems. 

On this year’s International Day of Democracy, UNPO would like to draw particular attention to the case of Ethiopia. Despite its complete lack of democratic setup, the country is generally hailed as an African democratic role model and a beacon of stability in an otherwise troubled region. Aiming to raise awareness of the human rights abuses in Ethiopia committed by the authoritarian Tigray-dominated regime, Mr Abdirahman Mahdi, the leading representative of the Ogaden People’s Rights Organization and UNPO Vice-President, spoke today [15 September 2016] at the 33rd United Nations Human Rights Council on behalf of the Nonradical Party, Transnational and Transparty.

In his speech, Mr. Mahdi highlighted that “while Ethiopia, in theory, has a federalist constitution that guarantees wide-ranging autonomy for the nations-based federal states and equal participation in national politics – in practice almost all the nations have no real say in political, economic and military affairs, instead these fall under the sole control of a Tigray-dominated elite, who does not shy away from using excessive violence”.

Ethiopia is but one case of many governments that adopt features to portray itself as democratic to the international community when, in reality, the complete opposite is true. The Ethiopian government has denied its people all the fundamental democratic rights promulgated in its constitution. Elections are consistently rigged and external observers are banned from coming to Ethiopia to monitor them. Armed and security forces extend their reach through all levels all society while trying to showcase to the world that a federal system has ensured the right to self-determination to its ethnic groups, as stated in the constitution.

However, 500 people were killed since November 2015 in various protests, including the most recent protests outside of Qilinti jail against the detention of Oromo politicians and activists which, according to Mr. Mahdi, is “the latest evidence of the readiness of the government to exert brute force against civilians”. Systematic use of rape as a weapon by the Ethiopian army and paramilitary forces as a way to exercise total control through fear and violence was also highlighted by Mr Mahdi in his speech at the HRC. In addition to systematic persecution, the victims of the Ethiopian regime are silenced due to the criminalization of free speech, impeding the news of their plight to be widespread throughout the international community. Journalists from abroad are banned access and local journalists are jailed, while NGOs on the ground are forbidden to report the facts.

Against this background, recently the Oromo athlete Feyisa Lilesa’s powerful gesture of resistance at the 2016 Rio Olympics brought much-needed media attention to the plight of the Oromos and the other ethnic groups in Ethiopia. Concomitantly, the European Commission’s decision not to send money from its Emergency Fund to Ethiopia in consideration of the serious violations of freedom of speech and right to protest in Ethiopia contributed to drawing the international community’s attention to the lack of democracy in the country. On the International Day of Democracy, UNPO reaffirms its commitment to its core values and will continue to raise awareness of violations committed by states which, in many cases, claim to be “young democracies” to conceal its appalling human rights records and dictatorial structure.

Tens of thousands of protesters call for a regime change in Ethiopia (Youtube-Clip)

“Tens of thousands of protesters have flooded the streets of Gonder in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia on Sunday demanding a change of government due to the unfair distribution of wealth in the country. The protest, reported to have been staged in defiance of a government order, is also in solidarity with the Oromia protests held between November last year to March 2016 in opposition to a government development plan in the region which could affect poor farmers” (Africa News, 2016)

Draft Communique of the 28th Extra-Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly of Head of State and Government on Somalia

igad-draft-communique-13-09-2016-p1igad-draft-communique-13-09-2016-p2igad-draft-communique-13-09-2016-p3

Ethiopia Meet EBC Getachew Reda Government Communication Affairs Minister on Oromia and Amhara demonstrations (Youtube-Clip)

Opinion: I am not worried about the Iphone7; I’m more worried about grander issues!

iphone-minijack

I am worried not worried about the new Iphone 7 or its headphone features. That doesn’t get a fig of imagination as the reality is so much deeper than the American Tech Tax Evasion in Ireland as the Multi-Billion dollar profits of Europe doesn’t deserve to pay the Nations that they are trading their goods in. The Apple Company are greedy gutsy and expect me to care about features and design. They deserve discredit for their blatant Sports Direct ways of scrapping paying tax in Europe. Did they call Mike Ashley to get advice on how to solve issues of avoiding being honourable and actually paying tax like ordinary fellows? Than when they have to cough up money after being sued by the Irish Republic then they claim to stop having their business and sacking thousands of people for actually doing what they we’re supposed to do all along. Pay tax on the profits and now trying to scam their way to get rid of taxes. This proves that the Apple Corporation doesn’t have only have a headphone problem, but a heart problem and cynic dissolution dividing themselves from ordinary folk’s ears and minds. Their Apple Geniuses at the stores need to pay tax on their income; the same should the CEO and the Boards for their profits. Maybe time to frame the company to the pedestal of European scams of fraudulent behaviour for their fear of tax from European nations.

Well, there are other issues boggling my mind today as the continuation of oppressive behaviour in Ethiopia as Oromia and Amhara protest been silenced with the army aggressively cracking down and assaulting the population. As the country we’re supposed to celebrate New Year’s, still the internet is blocked in Amhara as the fear of knowledge and intelligence leaking to the world apparently. Still, the Government has blocked the phone lines in the area to. So with mercenaries and Agazi squad assembled in the area with heavy artillery and even bombings proves the extent the Ethiopian Government goes to silence their own population as the American Ally on the Horn of Africa is allowed to act as it please.

Amhara 03.09.2016

Just to give you a moment and to let it sink in: “Secretary of AEUP, Adane Tilahun, in hiding after imminent arrest threat for interviews he gave to VoA”. If an interview get you into such trouble that you have to hide from the authorities than there are showing their no-reason non-sense control of the citizens as they are bombing and assaulting their own. Also, doesn’t want the word the out!

I am worried that people forgetting the violence of Gabon after the rigged election for the second Generation and Second term President Ali Bongo Ondimba; who just “won” with 4000 ballots after the 3 day doctoring of the ballots that gave him 98% votes in his stronghold. I was expecting 100% and a few donkeys on the tally. Jean Ping the former AU man have been tarnished and been demoted, even if he won the election; the Bongo presidency still controls the Authorities and Institutions. That the world doesn’t react to men not stealing a chicken, but a nation; we can be so grand in our ignorance because it is more important that the Iphone 7 can use ordinary Audio Connection and not Apple’s own Headphone system.

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What also worries me is the current state of CORD and Jubilee in Kenya; as the newly united party under the Jubilee Party and their structure together with the workings of the new board for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto can sell their story even if it fiction or reality to the people with their expensive PR campaign of Prado cortege through Nairobi and the Summit of setting the program. As the new pledges and fixing the cartels for Sugar and Coffee and all other industries; end corruption and fix the Mombasa port. But, if they do so doesn’t they recycle the pledges of past, will the Jubilee promise more stadiums and infrastructure projects, like making the grandest airport out of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Wonder if that will happen?

What I worried about is the men and woman who will jump ships and what their values of parties really was; let say certain individuals who has been Flagbearers, Senators, Governors and MPs for a dozen of Jubilee parties as there we’re 12 of those bad-boys in the current administration. There will be less tickets as you slash 11 parties… that means that in some districts there will dozen of candidates, new and old who will do whatever to get their seat as there is not enough place in a new structure compete the places in a new National Executive Committee and others.

So if these MPs and whatever position in the Jubilee who shuttle over to the Cord, than what is the difference and what is the key aspect of the Cord if they take in everybody who isn’t “good” enough for Jubilee and their new tickets. An if so, they should already have older or new blood through the parties of Cord that doesn’t need the high-blooded and thinking of their own ticket than about the general clue to why there are politicians. To represent the constituencies an citizens where they need support. If MPs and such are opposition are easily leaving Cord for Jubilee, why we’re they in opposition was they there because they didn’t have credit or ability to be part of current government until now? We should just worry about the values of these politicians and their wish for making a difference and even create a better future for their children’s children. Not to talk about making clearance and making sure that the debt cycle of Kenya doesn’t go over hurdle of the future ability to pay the rates and bills instead of building projects and salaries.

Robert Mugabe

I am worried about the state of affairs in Zimbabwe as the government doesn’t have cash, the banks are empty of Rands and Dollars. The bond notes are coming with future debt while the Zanu-PF elite are riding expensive SUVs through streets where people are begging to take out the savings from the banks. Zimbabwe and President Robert Mugabe are threating the demonstrations with “enough is enough” while the Courts are allowing it. The same Police and Anti-Riot Police commanders that have thrown tear-gas and brutality against citizens are still getting the same treatment as the other civil servants. The Police are now not getting a raise, not getting salary on time and also the same struggle as the nurses, soldiers and everybody else as the budget deficit is growing bigger and bigger. Since also the Finance Minister recently painted the grim picture and with the oppressive behavior from the Central Government has lost touch totally with their own citizens and their view of righteous and just actions from the ones that are facilitating businesses and safety.

I am worried about the silence on the crisis in Burundi, as the CNDD-FD youth group ‘Imbonerakure’ has apparently raped over a 150 girls in the recent days. This is happening as after the start of the third term for Pierre Nkurunziza as the President. With that in mind the assassinations and killings of opposition, military leaders and police officers proves that the AU/EAC based dialogue is pointless as the parties are silenced by the regime and the ones aggressively retaliating makes the civilians in the cross firing fleeing to Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

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Well, I am also worried!  Even Rwanda have been connected to groups violating the government and to a point of coup plot against the CNDD-FD regime; not strange as the High-Coltan exporter Rwanda are stealing Coltan from DRC and exporting better quality and levels of resources than their mines and mountains doesn’t have. Still, the world isn’t worried about the absence of justice in Beni, DRC and the RDC issues of thieving with guerrillas Nord (North) Kivu and the areas around. Paul Kagame likes to eat on stealing and killing as he has done all through his Presidency, still nobody questions him and let him by high quality weapons without any problems.

I am worried about the current instability of Juba, the PoC and United Nations actions in South Sudan. The Troika looks like three stooges who doesn’t cover their actions and expect warriors to be peace-loving drones as the riches get by the gun and not by dialogue. The Government of National Unity (TGoNU) that has installed Gen. Taban Deng Gai from the SPLM-IO and the SPLM-IG President Salva Kiir. The battles in Western Bahr El Ghazal State in the town of Wau; this proves the battles between the different fractions.

That the former Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar are back to heal in Khartoum where he was loyal before, while the SPLA where fighting Khartoum to get freedom from the Sudan Government under President Omar Al-Bashir. So the iconic leader of South Sudan seems lost, while Gen. Taban Deng Gai hasn’t had the control of the opposition even as the TGoNU have been able to get a battalion from SPLM-IO to Juba because of his appointment. The worrying is that both TGoNU and US spokesmen saying Machar doesn’t having any rights to get back to Power and be underling under President Kiir. That he giant level of fleeing citizens to Uganda and the little bound monies to camps in Northern Uganda proves the UNICEF and underfunding of the United Nation Refugee Agency that are running the refugee camps together with the NRM regime of Uganda. This show’s level of internal problems in South Sudan affects the Ugandan politics and funding.

This is just some of the things that go to through my mind. So I am not worried about the headphones of the Iphone7 and their technical changes from the last edition. There are bigger questions and more hard questions to ask about the world. Like why are the world still taking the so-called Presidential-Candidate Donald Trump serious when he recycling his lies to an extent that if you took the account of monies the Apple Corporation didn’t pay tax in Europe, the amount of lies that we’re not questioned by journalist towards Trump would be practically the same. Enough for now! Peace.

Open Letter – “Re; Addressing the escalating Human Rights Crisis in Ethiopia” (08.09.2016)

EthiopiaProtest

To Permanent Representatives of
Members and Observer States of the
UN Human Rights Council

Geneva, 8 September 2016

RE: Addressing the escalating human rights crisis in Ethiopia

Your Excellency,

The undersigned civil society organisations write to draw your attention to grave violations of human rights in Ethiopia, including the recent crackdown on largely peaceful protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions.

As the UN Human Rights Council prepares to convene for its 33rd session between 13 – 30 September 2016, we urge your delegation to prioritise and address through joint and individual statements the escalating human rights crisis in Ethiopia.

An escalating human rights crisis in Oromia and Amhara regions

The situation in Ethiopia has become increasingly unstable since security forces repeatedly fired upon protests in the Amhara and Oromia regions in August 2016. On 6 and 7 August alone, Amnesty International reported at least 100 killings and scores of arrests during protests that took place across multiple towns in both regions. Protesters had taken to the streets throughout the Amhara and Oromia regions to express discontent over the ruling party’s dominance in government affairs, the lack of rule of law, and grave human rights violations for which there has been no accountability.

Protests in the Amhara region began peacefully in Gondar a month ago and spread to other towns in the region. A protest in Bahir Dar, the region’s capital, on 7 August turned violent when security forces shot and killed at least 30 people. Recently, on 30 August, stay-at-home strikers took to the streets of Bahir Dar again and were violently dispersed by security forces. According to the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), in the week of 29 August alone, security forces killed more than 70 protesters and injured many more in cities and towns across Northern Amhara region.

Since November 2015, Ethiopian security forces have routinely used excessive and unnecessary lethal force to disperse and suppress the largely peaceful protests in the Oromia region. The protesters, who originally advocated against the dispossession of land without adequate compensation under the government’s Addis Ababa Integrated Development Master Plan, have been subjected to widespread rights violations. According to international and national human rights groups, at least 500 demonstrators have been killed and hundreds have suffered bullet wounds and beatings by police and military during the protests.

Authorities have also arbitrarily arrested thousands of people throughout Oromia and Amhara during and after protests, including journalists and human rights defenders. Many of those detained are being held without charge and without access to family members or legal representation. Many of those who have been released report torture in detention. The continued use of unlawful force to repress the movement has broadened the grievances of the protesters to human rights and rule of law issues.

The need for international, independent, thorough, impartial and transparent investigations

Following the attacks by security forces on protesters in Oromia earlier this year, five UN Special Procedures issued a joint statement noting that “the sheer number of people killed and arrested suggests that the Government of Ethiopia views the citizens as a hindrance, rather than a partner”, and underlining that “Impunity … only perpetuates distrust, violence and more oppression”.

In response to the recent crackdown, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, has called for “access for independent observers to the country to assess the human rights situation”. Ethiopia’s government, however, has rejected the call, instead indicating it would launch its own investigation. On 2 September, in a public media statement, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights reiterated the UN High Commissioner’s call to allow a prompt and impartial investigation led by regional or international human rights bodies into the crackdown.

There are no effective avenues to pursue accountability for abuses given the lack of independence of the judiciary and legislative constraints. During the May 2015 general elections, the ruling EPRDF party won all 547 seats in the Ethiopian Parliament.

Ethiopia’s National Human Rights Commission, which has a mandate to investigate rights violations, has failed to make public its June report on the Oromia protests, while concluding in its oral report to Parliament that the lethal force used by security forces in Oromia was proportionate to the risk they faced from the protesters. The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions has rated the Ethiopian National Human Rights Commission as B, meaning the latter has failed to meet fully the Paris Principles.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, who met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn at the margins of the European Development Days in June 2016, has called on all parties to refrain from the use of force and for a constructive dialogue and engagement to take place without delay. On 28 August, after the EPRDF party’s general assembly, Prime Minister Hailemariam reportedly ordered the country’s military to take any appropriate measures to quell the protests, which he described as illegal and aimed at destabilising the nation. Following a similar call regarding the Oromia protests, security forces intensified the use of excessive force against protesters.

A highly restrictive environment for dialogue

Numerous human rights activists, journalists, opposition political party leaders and supporters have been arbitrarily arrested and detained. Since August 2016, four members of one of Ethiopia’s most prominent human rights organisations, the Human Rights Council (HRCO), were arrested and detained in the Amhara and Oromia regions. HRCO believes these arrests are related to the members’ monitoring and documentation of the crackdown of on-going protests in these regions.

Among those arrested since the protests began and still in detention are Colonel Demeke Zewdu (Member, Wolkait Identity Committee (WIC)), Getachew Ademe (Chairperson, WIC), Atalay Zafe (Member, WIC), Mebratu Getahun (Member, WIC), Alene Shama (Member, WIC), Addisu Serebe (Member, WIC), Bekele Gerba (Deputy Chair, Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC)), Dejene Tufa (Deputy General Secretary, OFC), Getachew Shiferaw (Editor-in-Chief of the online newspaper Negere Ethiopia), Yonathan Teressa (human rights defender) and Fikadu Mirkana (reporter with the state-owned Oromia Radio and TV).

Prominent human rights experts and groups, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, have repeatedly condemned the highly restrictive legal framework in Ethiopia. The deliberate misuse of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation’s overbroad and vague provisions to target journalists and activists has increased as protests have intensified. The law permits up to four months of pre-trial detention and prescribes long prison sentences for a range of activities protected under international human rights law. Dozens of human rights defenders as well as journalists, bloggers, peaceful demonstrators and opposition party members have been subjected to harassment and politically motivated prosecution under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, making Ethiopia one of the leading jailers of journalists in the world.

In addition, domestic civil society organisations are severely hindered by one of the most restrictive NGO laws in the world. Specifically, under the 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation, the vast majority of Ethiopian organisations have been forced to stop working on human rights and governance issues, a matter of great concern that has been repeatedly raised in international forums including at Ethiopia’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

This restrictive and worsening environment underscores the limited avenues available for dialogue and accountability in the country. It is essential that the UN Human Rights Council take a strong position urging the Ethiopian government to immediately allow an international, thorough, independent, transparent and impartial investigation into alleged human rights abuses committed in the context of the government’s response to the largely peaceful protests.

As a member – and Vice-President – of the Human Rights Council, Ethiopia has an obligation to “uphold the highest standards” of human rights, and “fully cooperate” with the Council and its mechanisms (GA Resolution 60/251, OP 9). Yet for the past ten years, it has consistently failed to accept country visit requests by numerous Special Procedures.

During the upcoming 33rd session of the Human Rights Council, we urge your delegation to make joint and individual statements reinforcing and building upon the expressions of concern by the High Commissioner, UN Special Procedures, and others.

Specifically, the undersigned organisations request your delegation to urge Ethiopia to:

    1. immediately cease the use of excessive and unnecessary lethal force by security forces against protesters in Oromia and Amhara regions and elsewhere in Ethiopia;
    2. immediately and unconditionally release journalists, human rights defenders, political opposition leaders and members as well as protesters arbitrarily detained during and in the aftermath of the protests;
    3. respond favourably to country visit requests by UN Special Procedures;
    4. urgently allow access to an international, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into all of the deaths resulting from alleged excessive use of force by the security forces, and other violations of human rights in the context of the protests;
    5. ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are prosecuted in proceedings which comply with international law and standards on fair trials and without resort to the death penalty; and
    6. fully comply with its international legal obligations and commitments including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and its own Constitution.

Amnesty International
Article 19
Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Civil Rights Defenders
DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)
Ethiopian Human Rights Project
FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights)
Foundation for Human Rights Initiative
Freedom House
Front Line Defenders
Global Center for the Responsibility to Protect
Human Rights Watch
International Service for Human Rights
Reporters Without Borders
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

TPLF Special Forces brutal beating protesters in Amhara Region (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OadpfWUbMOY

In northern Ethiopia, the Amhara resistance is getting momentum (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr8x8Aof7T4