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.

Ethiopia: Suspending Addis Standard Print Version (25.10.2016)

Ethiopia: the Reported effects of the’ State of Emergency’ w/mass arrests and killings in broad daylight!

Gondar 18th October 2016

The once of you only caring about the Internet and Social Media shutdown in Ethiopia has lost a vital point on that matter. The reason for the shutdown of Internet and why there is senseless killings and arrests sponsored by the TPLF or Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Defence Force (EPRDF) and the Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. Those have set in force the State of Emergency that legalize it and tries to hide their totalitarian dictatorship that it is, while forcing fellow citizens to be oppressed, killed or detained. And giving the Aghazi Squad and Police Force all rights to detain the people without charges or court orders; even as they even are late from work is a crime itself. Take a look at the madness that the ERPDF is doing in their name and took keep power.

Effects of the State of Emergency:

“Since the state of emergency announcement, in many parts of Oromia the Ethiopian government forces have been harassing and harming citizens. For instance, today in the city of Awwaday, Agazi military in addition to their ongoing harassment have killed a civilian. In Iluu Abbaa Boora, in the county of Alee city of Goree Ethiopian government representatives are continuously harming locals. In Sandaafaa, a waste accrual centre costing up to one billion birr was protested by local residents and employees went on strike. Furthermore, since Lammaa Magarsaa, Oromia President (a direct wing of the current Ethiopian government) went to visit this centre employees have been forced to recommence work. In the city of Ambo, Awaroo secondary school students along with the organizers of protests were taken by the Ethiopian security forces and are now held in custody. The owner of Rayya Studio, Mr. Abraham Rayya along with singers and dancers were arrested by Ethiopian security forces, Agazi, whilst making their way to the studio in Finfinnee to record a music video. Mr Abraham Rayya is well respected and value amongst Oromo locals for assiting Oromo artists and releasing revolutionary songs from his studio” (SiiTube, 18.10.2016).

State of Emergency is Slavery:

“Professor Berhanu Nega, chairman of Patriotic Ginbot 7, an armed group based in Eritrea said in a video message that the rights prohibited by the state of emergency law in Ethiopia were already curtailed by the regime even before the declaration of the law” (…) “He said the regime in power had already been violating the constitution and other laws in perpetrating extrajudicial killings, mass incarcerations, muzzling the press and liquidating opposition political parties, among other crimes” (…) “There could be no political solution to the crises in the country when there is an emergency law put in effect, Prof. Berhanu said” (…) “The professor said the emergency law was aimed at stopping the ongoing uprising in the country as well as the resistance launched by the people against the tyrannical regime in all corners of the country” (ESAT, 2016).

Gondar on Strike:

“Residents of Gondar began a three-day strike on Monday, the first such strike since the declaration of state of emergency. Businesses and transportation services remained closed on Tuesday” (…) “Residents told ESAT on Monday that the strike was in protest against the state of emergency declared by the regime imposing restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly. The residents also said they were also staging the strike to denounce the mass killings and crackdowns throughout Ethiopia” (ESAT, 2016).

“The Command Post said: 93 bandits/rebels have surrendered in north Gondar zone, Amhara region. Over 1000 arms looted by protesters recovered from Oromia and Amhara regions. Scores of businesspeople, who took part in last week’s and this week’s general strikes have been arrested in Bahir Dar and Gonder cities” (De Birhan, 2016).

“Among the forefront actors in the violence and property damage occurred in west Arsi zone, Oromia Regional State, 450 suspects in Shashemene and 670 suspects in west Arsi zone have been arrested and investigation is underway” (…) “Similarly, of the 162 arms ransacked from west Arsi zone, including Shashemene, about 88 arms have been recovered by the efforts of elders and by the looters themselves. Efforts are also underway to recover properties stolen from government, individuals and development institutions” (…) “The Command Post also managed to recover 32 of the arms looted in west Guji zone. Based on the information provided by the public, some 302 suspects have been detained in the zone. About 20 suspects are also negotiating with elders to give their hands” (…) “Some 92 modern and outdated arms and 8 pistols were recovered from Adama, Bora, Lome, Liben Chikula, Adea, Boset and Adami Tulu woredas in east Shoa zone” (De Birhan, 2016).

Breakdown of Arrests today:

“Kelem Wolega =100, Shashemene= 450, West Arsi =670, West Guji=302, Gondar= 29, Bahir Dar= 29 – – Fana” (Tesfalem Waldyes, 19.10.2016).

Executions in Broad daylight:

“Execution in broad daylight is now the preferred TPLF’s method of terrorizing Oromo civilians. Today at 1:30 PM the Agazi soldiers executed young man named Ahmedo Guye in Abaro village West Arsi. You might recall they executed three young men in the neighboring district of Koksa yesterday and an elderly man in Bosat, East Shawa two days ago” (Siitube, 19.10.2016).

Semayawi Party former External Affairs chairman Abebe Akalu we’re today detained and accused of inciting violence. He is now detained at Bela Police Station.

Because of these internal fights that is created by the government and sponsored by the government, they have now also cancelled Ethiopia Premier League in football and Addis Ababa football tournament.

These reports are sad and shows to the extent, even some I haven’t covered have claimed that the Army has blatantly killed traders in Gondar and other towns, villages and cities to silence the people and their will of making a livelihood.

The validated reports prove the level of arrests, the small indications of executions and killings in broad daylight proves the excessive and brutal acts from the EPRDF and the Central Government of Prime Minister Haliemariam Desalegn. That does this kind of activity while the media is more concern about the revenue lost from the Internet blockade than the killings and detaining of fellow citizens. Good to know where the West support things, together with the far-cry from Europe when the Dutch Flower Plants we’re torched in Amhara Region. Peace.

Reference:

De Birhan – ‘New 1686 Suspected Protesters Detained In Oromia And Amhara Regions By The Command Post’ (19.10.2016) link: http://debirhan.com/?p=10666

ESAT – ‘State of emergency is state of slavery, says Prof. Berhanu Nega’ (17.10.2016) link: http://ethsat.com/48770-2/

ESAT – ‘Gondar continues strike despite tight security’ (18.10.2016) link: http://ethsat.com/gondar-continues-strike-despite-tight-security/