Ethiopia: Global Society of Tigrai Scholars (GSTS) – rgent Request to Take the Necessary Immediate Action Against the Forcible Return of Peacekeepers of Tigrayan origin in the UNISFA, UNMISS, and AMISOM (22.02.2021)

Sudan: Thousands of Ethiopians seek asylum in Sudan’s Blue Nile State (23.02.2021)

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

23 February 2021

Several thousand people fleeing escalating violence in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region have sought safety in Sudan’s Blue Nile State over the last month.

Tensions have been high in the Metekel Zone since 2019 with several reports of inter-communal attacks in the region. The situation has rapidly escalated in the past three months. The federal Government of Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in the area on 21 January 2021.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working closely with Sudanese authorities and partners to assess the situation and respond to the humanitarian needs of the newly arrived, many of whom have arrived in hard-to-reach locations along the border.

Benishangul Gumuz is in western Ethiopia. The current displacement is not directly related to conflict in the country’s northern Tigray region which have pushed more than 61,000 to seek safety in Sudan in recent months.

Out of the 7,000 people estimated to have arrived in Blue Nile State, nearly 3,000 have been registered. This number is expected to increase as the verification exercise continues in all the locations where refugees are being hosted.

In the past weeks, UNHCR and partners have already provided humanitarian assistance to nearly 1,000 refugees in Yabatcher, on Sudan-Ethiopia border. Refugees have received food, access to health, water and sanitation facilities, and aid supplies.

The majority of these asylum-seekers are living among the Sudanese host community who continue to welcome people seeking safety. UNHCR and partners will continue to ramp up the response to support the government in its response.

Ethiopia: Statement by Macha Tulama-USA Board of Directors on the Alarming Situation of Oromo Political Prisoners Who Are on a Hunger Strike (18.02.2021)

Ethiopia: A Response from Volunteer Medical Team Regarding Ambassador Fitsum Arga’s letter written on Feb. 20, 2021 (22.02.2021)

Ethiopia: Oromo Political Prisoners Defence Tream – The Ethiopian Ambassador to USA, Ambassador Fistum Arega’s statement released on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2021, on the treatment of Oromo political prisoners is misleading and factually inaccurate (21.02.2021)

Ethiopia: The Finfinne Intercept Station letter to Under-Secretary of State for Africa James Duddridge MP (21.02.2021)

Opinion: Everyone speaking up against Abiy is labelled ‘TPLF’ associates

If you speak about Michael Plout, Alex De Wall, William Davidson, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch or Kjetil Tronsvoll. All of them are now in the same camp. The same is the International Media Houses, who all differs in reporting, than the ‘accepted’ and ‘fact checked’ based reporting of the state media in Addis Ababa. Because, everyone is supposed to eat of the hands of the authorities and of the state. Not be critical, ask questions or even check other sources. If you do… then you are an associate or a cadre of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Surely, as I have seen on social media. Some is calling my style of blogging, the fake bloggers. That’s because we straight shoot and has no cause to speak our minds. I am not involved in one party or another. I just bring the views to the table and serve them here. I’m not affiliated with any political party or movement. I speak my peace and I move-on. That is maybe one minute or years ago. I was hostile towards the TPLF for its ill activity, but now in these days questions the Prosperity Party (PP). That’s because no matter who does the wrong. I will call them out. If you are violating human rights. Then I will say so. If you are a War-Lord. I will state it. No matter what label you got on your political party.

The current method of undermining the media. Having media blackout. Ensuring avenues for humanitarian convoys into Tigray. While silencing reporters isn’t doing Ethiopia any good. Yes, it stops reporting, but also ensures the state to drop “propaganda” in its favour. They try to sway public opinion about the warfare in Tigray, but the stories from there will leak out. The acts of the state is kept in the dark, but refugees and witnesses are telling their tales. These is the stories that Federal Government wants to “hush” down.

That Prime Minister Abiy wants to look good isn’t anything new. He wants to be crowned and reflect the aspirations, which he came into office with. Abiy don’t want to be seen as a War-Lord. Though his actions speaks of it. Either its in Tigray, Oromia or elsewhere. There is violence and its persistence with state sponsored ammunition. There is no end of it and it doesn’t get better either. It is those two regions as mentioned, but also in Ogaden and Afar. There are so many unresolved conflicts and he seems to got no real aspiration to stop it. Unless, he gets the credit and can bash in glory. If any of the mentioned writers wrote this. They would be deemed ‘TPLF’ cadres to suggest such a thing.

However, they are doing this to undermine and to de-platform the ones reporting ‘negatively’ about the government. Because, the supporters and the ones cheering Abiy on. Cannot sustain the idea of separating the state and the ones running it. They have to blindly praise the government, even when it does atrocities and violates human rights. These folks have gotten so “hoodwinked” that they have to worship the Prosperity Party and their beliefs, in such a manner, that they are saying anyone who oppose – is TPLF. That is just the way things are.

It doesn’t matter, if it is true or not. They call ‘Westerners’ who oppose the warfare and the brutal conflict ‘TPLF’ on the spot. It doesn’t matter if they are just questioning the usage of force, the reporting and possibly the lies of the Federal Government. However, nobody is supposed to call them out. We are just supposed to eat out of their hands. We are just supposed to be “yes men” and be like a patronage of the Prime Minister. Because, nobody has a better vision or a mission as that man. That is just the way it is.

Nevertheless, the Prime Minister and his enterprise is only showing the deficiencies of his reign. He is opening a can of worms and it hurts him. This is why, instead of being sincere in the address of the report. It is just baselessly claiming these men is affiliated with the now deemed ‘terrorists’ and ‘outlawed’ organization, which a hot minute ago was part of government.

Well, we are not supposed to mentioned the unconstitutional sixth year of the House of Federation. The manner, which the Prime Minister and such postponed the elections to this year. The way he has arrested, killed and silenced the Oromo leadership. The way the state is also going after the leaders and candidates of Ogaden. There is no mercy ahead of the elections. However, we are just supposed to look by, as another forced leadership is ‘selected’ in the Republic. Because, that is the way ‘Ethiopia Prevails’. If that is the way it prevails, I don’t want to know how it will prosper. Since, this is just a pointless enterprise to conquer and destroy the ones who dares to challenge Abiy. By saying that… I know some would call me ‘TPLF’ too. Even though, I have criticised them countless in the past and can easily do again. However, if people want to go after them. Use legal means and use courts. Use measures and get the crimes of the past exposed. Not create new crimes and violations to get them. Then there is no difference between “you” and “them”.

No matter what side of the gun you are, there will be blood and someone will be hurt. The bullet doesn’t see, if you are “good” or “bad”. The bullet just leaves the barrel and hit someone. That is the job of the bullet. The bullets doesn’t solve anything, but only creates new victims and new cases to resolve. New damage and new suffering. The state has only created new wounds and will pay a price in the long-run. The short-con is maybe hurting the TPLF and the Regional Government of Tigray. However, the long-con will be about how they address and is able to revitalize the hurt and patch it. Also, how they can build trust in communities it came in with soldiers, mechanical warfare and killed their loved ones. Because, that is what they did for selfish reasons. Instead of solving it with words, negotiations and with mercy. No, they came with ruthless action and with vengeance.

That is why its dangerous to address anyone opposing a government as “affiliate” with the “enemy”, because if you do that. Then the next time you disagree with the government. You will be one of them too. Nobody will accept or agree with everything a government does, because if you do. Then your blind and doesn’t see what it does. You are brainwashed and cannot question the acts and keep them in check. There will be no accountability and transparency. Since everything they do is fine and dandy. That is just reckless and stupid.

It is healthy to ask and the government is not credible when it’s doing this and supporting it. The Abiy government and its supporters aren’t making any favours. Especially, when they have made media-blackout in Tigray, its issues with media before that and how it has handled critics in general. If it was open and let people criticised it. Things would have been better, but its only backfiring for an outsider looking in. It is really insincere.

Just writing a piece like this. The state and its supporters would label me ‘TPLF’ without tracing my history and my pieces in the past. I been even dismissed for addressing the TPLF, but now people are getting aimed at for reporting ‘negative’ towards PP and Abiy. That is just dumb. Peace.

Ethiopia: Seb-Hidri Tigray Civil Society Press Release – On The On-going Humanitarian Crisis and Genocide in Tigray (21.02.2021)

Ethiopia: Ambassador Fistum Arega letter to Representative Ilhan Omar (20.02.2021)

Ethiopia: Oromo Political Prisoners Defence Team – Day 24 of Hunger Strike (20.02.2021)

Jawar Mohammed, Bekele Gerba, Hamza Borana and other Oromo political prisoners are on their 24th day of a hunger strike in Kaliti Federal Prison. They are all in critical condition.

DEMANDS:

1. Release All Oromo Political Prisoners.

2. Allow Oromo political party offices to be opened and to operate fully.

3. End mistreatment of families of political prisoners while they visit their loved ones at Kaliti Prison and elsewhere.