Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (AHN) - The African Union suspended Madagascar following the military-backed coup led by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina which ousted President Marc Ravalomanana from power.
South African leaders threatened to impose sanctions on Madagascar unless legality is restored in the island-nation.
Burkina Faso Ambassador Bruno Nongoma Zidouemba said the council views the change of power in Antananarivo as an unconstitutional change of government, which prompted the union's Peace and Security Council to suspend Madagascar's participation in activities of the union.
Madagascar is scheduled to host the next African Union summit meeting in July.
The pressure is not just from African nations, but also from France and the U.S. France condemned the manner power changed, while the U.S. vowed to block non-humanitarian assistance to Madagascar.
Rajoelina will be inaugurated as Madagascar leader on Saturday after the country's Constitutional Court approved the transfer of power to the former disc jockey and Antananarivo mayor.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Shock at Bereket Simon’s secret London meeting
Abbay Media: 20th March 2009; The right hand man of Ethiopia’s butcher, Bereket Simon invited EPRDF/TPLF supporters and sympathizers at the Weyane occupied London’s Ethiopian Embassy, in the evening of 19th March 2009. Read the full text on Abbay Media.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bin Laden urges Somalis to topple new president
DUBAI, March 19 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden urged Somalis in a new audio tape on Thursday to topple moderate new president Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, who is already struggling to deal with insurgents in the lawless Horn of Africa country.
Ahmed, a moderate Islamist elected earlier this year in the 15th attempt to form a central government, is struggling to deal with various insurgent groups who control swathes of territory.
"The war which has been taking place on your soil these past years is a war between Islam and the international crusade," bin Laden said, according to the group's own English translation of the Arabic-language tape.
"These sorts of presidents are the surrogates of our enemies and their authority is null and void in the first place, and as Sheikh Sharif is one of them, he must be dethroned and fought."
A surge in al Qaeda-linked attacks against Ahmed and his government would intensify a two-year-old insurgency led by Islamist groups against the government and its foreign backers.
Click on 'Read More.'
The violence has already uprooted more than a million Somalis from their homes and a third of the population depends on food aid. Western security services fear the failed Horn of Africa country could become a base for al Qaeda-linked militants.
Opposition leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys this month dismissed Somalia's new president as another stooge of neighbouring Ethiopia and a traitor to Islamists, a message echoed by the Saudi-born al Qaeda leader.
"My Muslim brothers in Somalia: you must beware of the initiatives which wear the dress of Islam and the religious institutions even as they contradict the rules of Islamic shariah, like the initiative attributed to some of the clerics of Somalia which gives Sheikh Sharif six months to implement Islamic shariah," he said.
"The obligation is to fight the apostate government, not stop fighting it."
Reuters was not immediately able to verify the authenticity of the tape, titled "Fight on, champions of Somalia", but the voice sounded like that of bin Laden.
In his second message posted in less than a week, bin Laden also called on Muslims to help the Somalis in their jihad.
More than 60 messages have been broadcast by bin Laden, his second-in-command Ayman al-Zawhiri and their allies since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.
In his previous message, bin Laden accused moderate Arab leaders of pitting the West against Muslims.
Call for IMF gold sale to aid Africa
FT- The International Monetary Fund should be allowed to sell some of its gold reserves to cushion Africa from the global economic crisis, African countries will argue at next month’s Group of 20 summit. Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia’s prime minister, representing the continent, said the sell-off could raise between $5bn (€3.8bn, £3.6bn) and $15bn to be channelled through the IMF, World Bank and other multilateral institutions. Click on 'Read More.'
Africa needed short-term increases in development assistance of between $30bn and $50bn to offset declining trade and investment. The availability of such funds was a matter of life and death, Mr Meles said in an interview with the Financial Times. “We are seeking a much smaller stimulus package than is being spent bailing out the small and medium-sized banks in the west,” Mr Meles said. In countries such as Britain, he added, the worst likely consequence for individuals in the downturn is the loss of employment. “The worst that can happen in Africa is that people who were getting some food would cease to get it and instead of being unemployed would die,” he said. African economies are facing a looming balance of payments crisis as income from commodities, foreign investment, remittances and aid shrink simultaneously. Mr Meles said there was a risk that fragile recent gains would be washed away, conflicts would reignite and more states would fail. “Africa was beginning to stand up and now it is being knocked down again by this crisis, which is not of Africa’s making. That is one of the biggest tragedies,” he said. In the past, African gold producers have opposed the idea of the IMF selling off its reserves because of its likely impact on world prices. “Gold prices are doing well now so a slight correction to mobilise resources for Africa would not be that difficult,” Mr Meles argued. More funds for the continent could be sourced if other developed countries join Europe in supporting a recapitalisation of the IMF with hundreds of billions of dollars of additional funds, he said. In the longer term, Africans would have to rethink all their “development strategies” and “find ways of doing well in an environment that is less permissive”. Ethiopia has resisted western pressure to open up its economy faster and privatise its banks, a position Mr Meles suggested had proved “prudent” in light of global events. “One of the problems at the moment is that the situation is so volatile,” he added. “It keeps changing every week. It destabilises everything, including one’s thinking. If we knew where the bottom was we could start thinking as to how to get out of it.”
Sudan leader: No international court can touch me
KHARTOUM, Sudan(AP) – A defiant Sudanese president rallied Arab supporters in Darfur Wednesday by saying no war crimes court or the U.N. Security Council can touch even "an eyelash" on him despite an international order for his arrest.
Speaking to thousands at a rally in the southern Darfur town of Nyala, Omar al-Bashir denounced the West for allegedly seeking to "create chaos in Sudan" and trying to split Darfur from the rest of the country.
This was al-Bashir's second visit to Darfur since the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest on March 4 on charges of war crimes in the western Sudanese region.
The Netherlands-based court accuses al-Bashir of orchestrating atrocities against civilians in Darfur, where his Arab-led government has been battling ethnic African rebels since 2003. Up to 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million have been driven from their homes.
Many fear the warrant could unleash violence against civilians and the joint U.N.-African Union mission in Darfur.
The Sudanese government responded to the warrant by expelling 13 large foreign aid agencies, most of them operating in Darfur, as al-Bashir accused them of spying for the ICC. The U.N. estimates that the expulsion threatens more than 3 million people with the loss of food aid, health care or suitable drinking water.
Click on 'Read More.' Al-Bashir again denounced the arrest warrant against him at the rally in Nyala, saying that his "holy fighters are ready to fight." His speech was broadcast live on Sudanese state television and showed a smiling al-Bashir, speaking from a truck to chanting supporters, mostly tribesmen dressed in traditional white robes and turbans. Behind the crowd, a group of tribesmen paraded, galloping on horseback.
"No ICC or Security Council or any other party will change our path or touch an eyelash in our eye," al-Bashir shouted. "The president of Sudan is not elected by Britain or America. Sudan is an independent country."
He claimed the West seeks to create chaos in Sudan similar to Iraq, where he said U.S. forces "killed women and children, looted the country and planted sedition."
"Those criminals want to do the same in Sudan," he said, occasionally waving his cane. "We will not give them the chance to sabotage our country."
Al-Bashir's expulsion of aid groups has worried Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Tuesday on the Sudanese president to reverse the order or at least replace the groups with sufficient resources to address the humanitarian crisis.
In a signal the Obama administration intends to step up involvement in the African country, President Barack Obama settled on retired Air Force Gen. J. Scott Gration, a close personal friend with long experience on African issues, to be special envoy to Sudan, a senior administration official told The Associated Press.
Many Arab and African countries have lobbied in support of al-Bashir, although they have been somewhat frustrated with the Sudanese leader's tough line. Ahead of the ICC warrant, the African Union in January announced its own high-level panel that would investigate Darfur atrocities.
The panel was launched Wednesday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, led by former South African president Thabo Mbeki. However, it doesn't have any judicial powers and its mandate remains unclear.
Sudan's Ambassador to the African Union, Mohieldin Salim, said his government supports the panel's work and believes it would "do everything good for Africa and for Sudan without any interference from outsiders."
Sudan, Ethiopia agree to enhance security, joint projects
MoFA-Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to enhance bilateral ties through joint security cooperation and development of agriculture projects and border trade.
The 11th conference of Sudan–Ethiopia border development concluded its work yesterday and adopted a series of decisions to boost the bilateral relations between the frontier regions and districts in the areas of security, trade, agriculture and health.
With regard to the security issue, the two sides agreed to encourage the competent authorities to speed up legal procedures and the exchange of prisoners and captives in accordance with the signed agreements.
They also agreed to strengthen the existing mechanism and to create a timetable for upcoming security meetings which should be on the provincial level between the two sides every three months and every two months at the district level.
The two sides also adopted a number of recommendations and guidelines to promote social and economic ties among the societies of those areas in order to achieve food security through joint agricultural projects.Also both sides agreed to coordinate in the fight against polio and AIDS.
Delegations from five Sudanese states and four Ethiopian regions participated in the three day meeting in Al-Damazin, the capital of the Blue Nile state. From Sudan the states include Gadaref, Sinnar, Blue Nile, Upper Nile and Eastern Equatoria. While the Ethiopian regions are Gambella, Beneshangul, Amhara and Tigray.
The 11th conference of Sudan–Ethiopia border development concluded its work yesterday and adopted a series of decisions to boost the bilateral relations between the frontier regions and districts in the areas of security, trade, agriculture and health.
With regard to the security issue, the two sides agreed to encourage the competent authorities to speed up legal procedures and the exchange of prisoners and captives in accordance with the signed agreements.
They also agreed to strengthen the existing mechanism and to create a timetable for upcoming security meetings which should be on the provincial level between the two sides every three months and every two months at the district level.
The two sides also adopted a number of recommendations and guidelines to promote social and economic ties among the societies of those areas in order to achieve food security through joint agricultural projects.Also both sides agreed to coordinate in the fight against polio and AIDS.
Delegations from five Sudanese states and four Ethiopian regions participated in the three day meeting in Al-Damazin, the capital of the Blue Nile state. From Sudan the states include Gadaref, Sinnar, Blue Nile, Upper Nile and Eastern Equatoria. While the Ethiopian regions are Gambella, Beneshangul, Amhara and Tigray.
Canadian in Ethiopia terror case
BBC- A Canadian citizen, allegedly held in secret detention for two years, has appeared in an Ethiopian court accused of terrorism charges.
Ethiopian-born Bashir Makhtal denies being a leader of the separatist Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Mr Bashir, who was among dozens of people arrested when Ethiopia invaded Somalia in 2006, faces the death penalty if convicted.
The former Toronto resident's case was adjourned to 20 April.
Mr Bashir's appearance on Thursday at the High Court in Addis Ababa was not his first - he pleaded not guilty at a previous hearing to all four charges:
• that he was a member of the ONLF central committee between 1999 and 2006
• that he recruited and trained ONLF members at a military camp in Eritrea
• that he led a contingent of the ONLF in the field against the Ethiopian army in Ethiopia's Somali region
• that he collaborated with Somalia's Union of Islamic Courts in Eritrea in an effort to overthrow the Ethiopian government
Click on 'Read More.'
Mr Bashir was transferred from military custody to a prison near Addis Ababa two months ago, his lawyer said.
He has repeatedly denied involvement in the ONLF and says he is being persecuted because his grandfather helped found the rebel group decades ago.
The ONLF, founded in 1984, is fighting for the Somali-speaking population in Ethiopia's oil-rich Ogaden region, saying it has been marginalised by Addis Ababa.
Prosecutors failed to present witnesses, saying they were all in the Somali region and could not reach the court because of transport problems.
The judge said that if they could not produce the witnesses in the next court appearance, the case would be tried without them.
Judge's rights reminder
The judge also reminded prison officials that Mr Bashir was entitled to access to consular officials, who were present in the court on Thursday.
Mr Bashir's family in Canada say he was held in solitary for nearly two years with no access to lawyers or embassy officials.
His relatives say he was a businessman, trading in second-hand clothes and was in Mogadishu on a business trip when the Ethiopians invaded.
Mr Bashir, who has a Canadian passport, was subsequently arrested crossing the border between Somalia and Kenya. His family say he was trying to get away from the fighting.
The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says he is one of the last of the foreign detainees from 2006 still to be held, and the first to face charges in a normal criminal court.
Other foreign detainees - among them Swedes, Americans and Kenyans - were questioned and eventually released into the custody of their own governments.
The Canadian government, under pressure from the Somali community there, has been urging the Ethiopian government to either charge and try him, or let him go, says our correspondent.
Ethiopian-born Bashir Makhtal denies being a leader of the separatist Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Mr Bashir, who was among dozens of people arrested when Ethiopia invaded Somalia in 2006, faces the death penalty if convicted.
The former Toronto resident's case was adjourned to 20 April.
Mr Bashir's appearance on Thursday at the High Court in Addis Ababa was not his first - he pleaded not guilty at a previous hearing to all four charges:
• that he was a member of the ONLF central committee between 1999 and 2006
• that he recruited and trained ONLF members at a military camp in Eritrea
• that he led a contingent of the ONLF in the field against the Ethiopian army in Ethiopia's Somali region
• that he collaborated with Somalia's Union of Islamic Courts in Eritrea in an effort to overthrow the Ethiopian government
Click on 'Read More.'
Mr Bashir was transferred from military custody to a prison near Addis Ababa two months ago, his lawyer said.
He has repeatedly denied involvement in the ONLF and says he is being persecuted because his grandfather helped found the rebel group decades ago.
The ONLF, founded in 1984, is fighting for the Somali-speaking population in Ethiopia's oil-rich Ogaden region, saying it has been marginalised by Addis Ababa.
Prosecutors failed to present witnesses, saying they were all in the Somali region and could not reach the court because of transport problems.
The judge said that if they could not produce the witnesses in the next court appearance, the case would be tried without them.
Judge's rights reminder
The judge also reminded prison officials that Mr Bashir was entitled to access to consular officials, who were present in the court on Thursday.
Mr Bashir's family in Canada say he was held in solitary for nearly two years with no access to lawyers or embassy officials.
His relatives say he was a businessman, trading in second-hand clothes and was in Mogadishu on a business trip when the Ethiopians invaded.
Mr Bashir, who has a Canadian passport, was subsequently arrested crossing the border between Somalia and Kenya. His family say he was trying to get away from the fighting.
The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says he is one of the last of the foreign detainees from 2006 still to be held, and the first to face charges in a normal criminal court.
Other foreign detainees - among them Swedes, Americans and Kenyans - were questioned and eventually released into the custody of their own governments.
The Canadian government, under pressure from the Somali community there, has been urging the Ethiopian government to either charge and try him, or let him go, says our correspondent.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Stimulating Commission for Africa !!!!
By Tedla Asfaw
The Ethiopian tyrant who currently chairs the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and other eleven countries from Africa most represented by minsters were in London meeting with Gordon Brown to beg the "rich" countries of G20 not to forget Africa in the coming April meeting in London.
The tyrant of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, recently on record told his sleepy parliament that the world crisis has no impact to his country because Ethiopia's economy is not linked with the rich nations economy. Why then now crying for money and scared his host that no money means violence in Africa ?
So what happened in the last few months for Meles to declare that if we do not get financial help, some countries surely he means Ethiopia among others will be under and Africa will be in chaos. He warned also that the cost of violence will be much higher than the cost of giving funds now. Why did the G20 care if there is violence in Africa ? When is the last time we read or heard that Africa is in economic progress and prosperity ? Click on 'Read More.'
Here is what is going to happen in April in London. Gordon Brown will do the follow up of Tony Blair's "African Commission" of the early 2000 on which Meles served and will establish a commission for "Stimulating African Economy" , " African Stimulant Commission", of course Meles Zenawi is a member, loves to be on stage. I wish he has permanent job on one of the never ending shows on Broadway and give his place for fellow African.
The defunct African Commission of Tony Blair as we all know had not produced any result and nothing different is expected from the "Stimulant Commission". The fund Meles will collect will help him keep his apartheid rule for the coming years beside paying his Chinese creditors.
How can a tyrant who put more than ten millions of people currently on foreign food aid and who is a known human right abuser will be allowed to represent Africa on April 2, G20 gathering in London ? That is a big insult to Africa. This is the man who is working closely with the Darfur butcher, Al-Beshir , committed similar crimes in Gambella and Ogaden. I have no doubt that his secret mission is also to lobby on behalf of Al-Beshir by arguing that the cost of peace in Sudan VS the cost of indicting Al-Beshir.
Melws Zenawi's appetite for cash by giving away large areas of western Ethiopia to Sudan and leasing our land for anyone with cash show that this man care less for his people and running on greed and treason. This guy has enough stimulant and do not deserve extra juice to compensate for his lose abroad from the world economic downturn.
Yes indeed, Meles and his inner circle lost money from "their investment" in foreign market. However, this is Ethiopian stolen money and we want it to be audited by independent auditors. Yes it is true also that countries who have big economic downturn will cut giving financial aid to other poor countries.
However, throwing money to African tyrants for the last fifty years haven't produced any development for our continent. The scare tactics of Meles Zenawi that violence will increase and countries will be under is the same judgement he used and send soldiers to "liberate Somalia from Alshabab" two years ago and after huge cost of human lives, we are now where we were before the invasion. The person who was behind this crime is now on world stage thanks to Gordon Brown.
It is a disgrace for Africa that we have the likes of Al-Beshir and Meles Zenawi. The difference is Al-Beshir had served Western interest in destroying Ethiopia and Meles is still on their payroll to enslave and mortgage the continent of Africa.
The Ethiopian tyrant who currently chairs the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and other eleven countries from Africa most represented by minsters were in London meeting with Gordon Brown to beg the "rich" countries of G20 not to forget Africa in the coming April meeting in London.
The tyrant of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, recently on record told his sleepy parliament that the world crisis has no impact to his country because Ethiopia's economy is not linked with the rich nations economy. Why then now crying for money and scared his host that no money means violence in Africa ?
So what happened in the last few months for Meles to declare that if we do not get financial help, some countries surely he means Ethiopia among others will be under and Africa will be in chaos. He warned also that the cost of violence will be much higher than the cost of giving funds now. Why did the G20 care if there is violence in Africa ? When is the last time we read or heard that Africa is in economic progress and prosperity ? Click on 'Read More.'
Here is what is going to happen in April in London. Gordon Brown will do the follow up of Tony Blair's "African Commission" of the early 2000 on which Meles served and will establish a commission for "Stimulating African Economy" , " African Stimulant Commission", of course Meles Zenawi is a member, loves to be on stage. I wish he has permanent job on one of the never ending shows on Broadway and give his place for fellow African.
The defunct African Commission of Tony Blair as we all know had not produced any result and nothing different is expected from the "Stimulant Commission". The fund Meles will collect will help him keep his apartheid rule for the coming years beside paying his Chinese creditors.
How can a tyrant who put more than ten millions of people currently on foreign food aid and who is a known human right abuser will be allowed to represent Africa on April 2, G20 gathering in London ? That is a big insult to Africa. This is the man who is working closely with the Darfur butcher, Al-Beshir , committed similar crimes in Gambella and Ogaden. I have no doubt that his secret mission is also to lobby on behalf of Al-Beshir by arguing that the cost of peace in Sudan VS the cost of indicting Al-Beshir.
Melws Zenawi's appetite for cash by giving away large areas of western Ethiopia to Sudan and leasing our land for anyone with cash show that this man care less for his people and running on greed and treason. This guy has enough stimulant and do not deserve extra juice to compensate for his lose abroad from the world economic downturn.
Yes indeed, Meles and his inner circle lost money from "their investment" in foreign market. However, this is Ethiopian stolen money and we want it to be audited by independent auditors. Yes it is true also that countries who have big economic downturn will cut giving financial aid to other poor countries.
However, throwing money to African tyrants for the last fifty years haven't produced any development for our continent. The scare tactics of Meles Zenawi that violence will increase and countries will be under is the same judgement he used and send soldiers to "liberate Somalia from Alshabab" two years ago and after huge cost of human lives, we are now where we were before the invasion. The person who was behind this crime is now on world stage thanks to Gordon Brown.
It is a disgrace for Africa that we have the likes of Al-Beshir and Meles Zenawi. The difference is Al-Beshir had served Western interest in destroying Ethiopia and Meles is still on their payroll to enslave and mortgage the continent of Africa.
Fired up and ready to rumble!
By Alemayehu G.Mariam(almariam@gmail.com)
From Discontent to Renewal
In the Winter of our discontent, we complained about the wasted years of antagonism, discord and strife among pro-democracy elements of the Ethiopian Diaspora. We deplored the years of infighting and useless bickering which had given much delight and merriment to the ruthless dictators. We expressed collective regret over our shortsightedness and inability to see the big picture, and to work collaboratively for the great cause of freedom, democracy and human rights in the motherland. We chafed about lost opportunities to become effective instruments for the protection of human rights in Ethiopia. We found ourselves gripped by a pervasive sense of powerlessness and political paralysis. Then we had our “Aha!” moment, that moment ringing with the “fierce urgency of now”. Then we declared, “We must learn from past mistakes, overcome our differences and march forward together to the exhilarating drumbeat of freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia.”
We are now in our Spring of hope and renewal. Our hope comes from a new sense of unbridled optimism guided by the principle that Ethiopians united can never be defeated. Our renewal comes in the form of a new consciousness: 1) that we can do things much better than before and differently, and by harnessing our resources worldwide, we can effectively promote the cause of freedom, human rights and democracy in Ethiopia; 2) by remaining divided and fragmented, we would be effectively aiding and abetting in the continuing criminal enterprise of the ruthless dictators. This Spring, for many pro-democracy Ethiopians throughout the world, is a time for a new commitment to the cause of freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia. The seeds of goodwill planted in dialogue and consultation in the Winter are now sprouting as seedlings of collaborative action, cooperation and worldwide consolidation in the struggle for the protection of human rights in Ethiopia. This Spring, pro-democracy Ethiopians can be heard all over the world saying, “Enough talk. Shake hands. Let’s get busy!”
Click on 'Read More.'
Fired Up and Ready to Rumble!
We are fired up and ready to rumble! Everywhere we turn, we find an overwhelming consensus among pro-democracy Ethiopians that building respect for human rights and the rule of law will help ensure the dignity to which every Ethiopian is entitled, and stem the arbitrary powers of dictators, reduce intolerance and political violence. Validation of this truth comes from all sectors. The refugees who fled the persecution of the ruling dictators in Ethiopia testify to it. Former political prisoners, dissidents, exiled journalists, human rights advocates and all who believe in democracy, freedom and the rule of law say in a single voice that it is time to act. The victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity call upon us in exile to champion their cause and alleviate their suffering.
Spring Into Action
Ethiopians in exile are excited about the prospect of working together to help alleviate human rights violations in Ethiopia. There is unquestionably massive consensus among pro-democracy Ethiopian exiles to forge a common human rights agenda. But there are issues that bear directly upon the practical formulation and implementation of such an agenda. We are wrestling with two such issues now:1) determining the most effective method to bring together divergent elements in the worldwide Ethiopian exile community to work and act together in common cause, and 2) identifying a set of actions and outcomes that can be taken to produce tangible and quantifiable results in improving the human rights situation in Ethiopia. These two questions require careful and thoughtful consideration.
Bringing together groups and individuals that have often been at odds with each other, or have not worked together much in the past is not an easy task. Harmonizing different organizational styles and practices requires careful balancing. But we believe we have made significant strides in seating diverse Ethiopian pro-democracy elements at the grand table of human rights dialogue and consultations. We are making good progress in our coalition-building efforts and in beginning to develop a comprehensive strategy to achieve the multiple purposes of advocacy, education, mobilization and action in support of Ethiopian human rights issues. We are going through a natural period of “acclimatization” learning about each other and our unique organizational styles and methods. But we do our best to practice what we preach. Our dialogues are open, civil and intellectually engaging. Our communications are transparent, and all input from participants are integrated in our deliberations. We build upon each other’s strengths.
Identifying a set of advocacy issues and developing an action plan for implementation of a human rights agenda presents its own challenges. We have a sense of our unique assets and resources which can be used to achieve our purposes. We are acutely aware that our issues can be paired with some extraordinary opportunities that were not available to us in the past. For instance, in the U.S. context, the change in administration offers fresh opportunities to revisit the issue of human rights in Ethiopia. We believe the blank check given to the dictators during the Bush era is likely to be a thing of the past. We also believe the continuing, sustained and flagrant human rights violations will figure prominently on the Congressional radar screen. We hope to harness our energies and resources and employ different strategies to advance the cause of human rights in Ethiopia.
There is no question pro-democracy Ethiopians in exile are fired up and ready to act on improving human rights in Ethiopia. The action items are self evident:
1. Human Rights Monitoring: We must work to ensure the regime conforms its conduct to the standards of international human rights conventions which are part of the constitutional law of the regime. Such efforts span a wide variety of activities ranging from factual investigation to documentation and reporting.
2. Advocacy: We must develop a multi-pronged approach to advocacy. There is consensus that advocacy at the highest levels of international policymaking should be a priority. We are also aware of the importance of utilizing resources at the local levels in seeking policy changes at the national level.
3. Release of All Ethiopian Political Prisoners: Recent official reports indicate that a large number of political prisoners continue to languish in the ruling regime’s prisons. Impressive public demonstrations have been held recently to call international attention to the plight of political prisoners in Ethiopia. Additional steps can certainly be taken to champion the cause of Ethiopian political prisoners.
4. Accountability: There is substantial evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ethiopia. In the past year alone, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published reports documenting such violations of international law. There is also evidence in the form of a certified list of criminal suspects in the post-election massacres in 2005.
There are other related issues which are integral to the success of the foregoing tasks. There is a critical need for human rights education and awareness in the Ethiopian exile community worldwide. One of the reasons why international human rights advocates speak on our behalf has to do with our lack of knowledge and expertise to speak for ourselves on important human rights issues. There is also a need to engage “silently concerned” exiled Ethiopians in the global human rights effort. This requires developing a clear and convincing message and creating practical ways of participation and engagement by such individuals. Increased awareness and access to accurate information on human rights is one of the best methods of mobilizing those who remain marginalized.
We Can Move Mountains!
From our efforts in supporting H.R. 2003 and predecessor bills, we have learned that a well coordinated advocacy campaign can produce significant results in terms of generating wide support for human rights in Ethiopia. The power of advocacy, we believe, lies in the simplicity and purity of the advocacy mission, the passion and commitment of the advocates and supporters and the clarity of vision about the task ahead. We believe in empowering every Ethiopian to become a human rights advocate, and to feel emboldened to take action even when confronted with seemingly impossible obstacles.
We expect bumps in the road. Despite good intentions, grassroots advocacy campaigns will hit snags from time to time. Sometimes efforts may be disjointed and progress may not be visible in linear fashion. But such is the nature of grassroots advocacy. The alternative is to hire the fat cat lobbyists of “K” Street in Washington, D.C. and feed them a princely sum of $50,000 per month. As we have seen, even fat cat lobbyists can be defeated and routed from the legislative battlefield by a disciplined and tenacious army of fleas. We are fired up and ready to rumble! We can move mountains!
From Discontent to Renewal
In the Winter of our discontent, we complained about the wasted years of antagonism, discord and strife among pro-democracy elements of the Ethiopian Diaspora. We deplored the years of infighting and useless bickering which had given much delight and merriment to the ruthless dictators. We expressed collective regret over our shortsightedness and inability to see the big picture, and to work collaboratively for the great cause of freedom, democracy and human rights in the motherland. We chafed about lost opportunities to become effective instruments for the protection of human rights in Ethiopia. We found ourselves gripped by a pervasive sense of powerlessness and political paralysis. Then we had our “Aha!” moment, that moment ringing with the “fierce urgency of now”. Then we declared, “We must learn from past mistakes, overcome our differences and march forward together to the exhilarating drumbeat of freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia.”
We are now in our Spring of hope and renewal. Our hope comes from a new sense of unbridled optimism guided by the principle that Ethiopians united can never be defeated. Our renewal comes in the form of a new consciousness: 1) that we can do things much better than before and differently, and by harnessing our resources worldwide, we can effectively promote the cause of freedom, human rights and democracy in Ethiopia; 2) by remaining divided and fragmented, we would be effectively aiding and abetting in the continuing criminal enterprise of the ruthless dictators. This Spring, for many pro-democracy Ethiopians throughout the world, is a time for a new commitment to the cause of freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia. The seeds of goodwill planted in dialogue and consultation in the Winter are now sprouting as seedlings of collaborative action, cooperation and worldwide consolidation in the struggle for the protection of human rights in Ethiopia. This Spring, pro-democracy Ethiopians can be heard all over the world saying, “Enough talk. Shake hands. Let’s get busy!”
Click on 'Read More.'
Fired Up and Ready to Rumble!
We are fired up and ready to rumble! Everywhere we turn, we find an overwhelming consensus among pro-democracy Ethiopians that building respect for human rights and the rule of law will help ensure the dignity to which every Ethiopian is entitled, and stem the arbitrary powers of dictators, reduce intolerance and political violence. Validation of this truth comes from all sectors. The refugees who fled the persecution of the ruling dictators in Ethiopia testify to it. Former political prisoners, dissidents, exiled journalists, human rights advocates and all who believe in democracy, freedom and the rule of law say in a single voice that it is time to act. The victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity call upon us in exile to champion their cause and alleviate their suffering.
Spring Into Action
Ethiopians in exile are excited about the prospect of working together to help alleviate human rights violations in Ethiopia. There is unquestionably massive consensus among pro-democracy Ethiopian exiles to forge a common human rights agenda. But there are issues that bear directly upon the practical formulation and implementation of such an agenda. We are wrestling with two such issues now:1) determining the most effective method to bring together divergent elements in the worldwide Ethiopian exile community to work and act together in common cause, and 2) identifying a set of actions and outcomes that can be taken to produce tangible and quantifiable results in improving the human rights situation in Ethiopia. These two questions require careful and thoughtful consideration.
Bringing together groups and individuals that have often been at odds with each other, or have not worked together much in the past is not an easy task. Harmonizing different organizational styles and practices requires careful balancing. But we believe we have made significant strides in seating diverse Ethiopian pro-democracy elements at the grand table of human rights dialogue and consultations. We are making good progress in our coalition-building efforts and in beginning to develop a comprehensive strategy to achieve the multiple purposes of advocacy, education, mobilization and action in support of Ethiopian human rights issues. We are going through a natural period of “acclimatization” learning about each other and our unique organizational styles and methods. But we do our best to practice what we preach. Our dialogues are open, civil and intellectually engaging. Our communications are transparent, and all input from participants are integrated in our deliberations. We build upon each other’s strengths.
Identifying a set of advocacy issues and developing an action plan for implementation of a human rights agenda presents its own challenges. We have a sense of our unique assets and resources which can be used to achieve our purposes. We are acutely aware that our issues can be paired with some extraordinary opportunities that were not available to us in the past. For instance, in the U.S. context, the change in administration offers fresh opportunities to revisit the issue of human rights in Ethiopia. We believe the blank check given to the dictators during the Bush era is likely to be a thing of the past. We also believe the continuing, sustained and flagrant human rights violations will figure prominently on the Congressional radar screen. We hope to harness our energies and resources and employ different strategies to advance the cause of human rights in Ethiopia.
There is no question pro-democracy Ethiopians in exile are fired up and ready to act on improving human rights in Ethiopia. The action items are self evident:
1. Human Rights Monitoring: We must work to ensure the regime conforms its conduct to the standards of international human rights conventions which are part of the constitutional law of the regime. Such efforts span a wide variety of activities ranging from factual investigation to documentation and reporting.
2. Advocacy: We must develop a multi-pronged approach to advocacy. There is consensus that advocacy at the highest levels of international policymaking should be a priority. We are also aware of the importance of utilizing resources at the local levels in seeking policy changes at the national level.
3. Release of All Ethiopian Political Prisoners: Recent official reports indicate that a large number of political prisoners continue to languish in the ruling regime’s prisons. Impressive public demonstrations have been held recently to call international attention to the plight of political prisoners in Ethiopia. Additional steps can certainly be taken to champion the cause of Ethiopian political prisoners.
4. Accountability: There is substantial evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ethiopia. In the past year alone, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published reports documenting such violations of international law. There is also evidence in the form of a certified list of criminal suspects in the post-election massacres in 2005.
There are other related issues which are integral to the success of the foregoing tasks. There is a critical need for human rights education and awareness in the Ethiopian exile community worldwide. One of the reasons why international human rights advocates speak on our behalf has to do with our lack of knowledge and expertise to speak for ourselves on important human rights issues. There is also a need to engage “silently concerned” exiled Ethiopians in the global human rights effort. This requires developing a clear and convincing message and creating practical ways of participation and engagement by such individuals. Increased awareness and access to accurate information on human rights is one of the best methods of mobilizing those who remain marginalized.
We Can Move Mountains!
From our efforts in supporting H.R. 2003 and predecessor bills, we have learned that a well coordinated advocacy campaign can produce significant results in terms of generating wide support for human rights in Ethiopia. The power of advocacy, we believe, lies in the simplicity and purity of the advocacy mission, the passion and commitment of the advocates and supporters and the clarity of vision about the task ahead. We believe in empowering every Ethiopian to become a human rights advocate, and to feel emboldened to take action even when confronted with seemingly impossible obstacles.
We expect bumps in the road. Despite good intentions, grassroots advocacy campaigns will hit snags from time to time. Sometimes efforts may be disjointed and progress may not be visible in linear fashion. But such is the nature of grassroots advocacy. The alternative is to hire the fat cat lobbyists of “K” Street in Washington, D.C. and feed them a princely sum of $50,000 per month. As we have seen, even fat cat lobbyists can be defeated and routed from the legislative battlefield by a disciplined and tenacious army of fleas. We are fired up and ready to rumble! We can move mountains!
Ethiopia Coca-Cola bottler stops on forex shortage
ADDIS ABABA, March 17 (Reuters) - Ethiopia this week ran out of Coca-Cola after its local bottler said it no longer had enough foreign currency to buy bottle tops.
The East African Bottling Share Company -- who have exclusive rights to bottle the drink in Ethiopia -- said they were forced to temporarily close their two plants in the Horn of Africa nation and send their 1,000 workers on compulsory leave.
"The company sent its ... workers on forced annual leave with full pay and the fate of the firm will be decided at a meeting of the board ... next week," it said in a statement.
Coca-Cola (KO.N) franchises its bottling worldwide to local companies and local legislation often makes it difficult for them to intervene in such situations.
Hotels and bars in capital Addis Ababa ran out of the drink late last week and began offering rival brand Pepsi to customers.
Bottle-top shortages have hit other companies in the poor country that has struggled to find foreign currency during the financial crisis.
Producers of Harar beer and Hakim Stout also cut production.
Local bottle-top manufacturers have been unable to keep up with demand from bottling companies who can no longer afford to source the tops abroad.
The company is also struggling to buy the concentrate needed to make the drink.
Street children have been collecting the tops from the streets of capital Addis Ababa and selling them back to companies to recycle. They are being paid around 20 U.S. cent for a kg.
Saudi-Ethiopian oil tycoon Sheikh Al-Amoudi, last week named by Forbes as the 43rd richest man in the world, distributes Pepsi in the Horn of Africa nation. (Reporting by Tsegaye Tadesse)
The East African Bottling Share Company -- who have exclusive rights to bottle the drink in Ethiopia -- said they were forced to temporarily close their two plants in the Horn of Africa nation and send their 1,000 workers on compulsory leave.
"The company sent its ... workers on forced annual leave with full pay and the fate of the firm will be decided at a meeting of the board ... next week," it said in a statement.
Coca-Cola (KO.N) franchises its bottling worldwide to local companies and local legislation often makes it difficult for them to intervene in such situations.
Hotels and bars in capital Addis Ababa ran out of the drink late last week and began offering rival brand Pepsi to customers.
Bottle-top shortages have hit other companies in the poor country that has struggled to find foreign currency during the financial crisis.
Producers of Harar beer and Hakim Stout also cut production.
Local bottle-top manufacturers have been unable to keep up with demand from bottling companies who can no longer afford to source the tops abroad.
The company is also struggling to buy the concentrate needed to make the drink.
Street children have been collecting the tops from the streets of capital Addis Ababa and selling them back to companies to recycle. They are being paid around 20 U.S. cent for a kg.
Saudi-Ethiopian oil tycoon Sheikh Al-Amoudi, last week named by Forbes as the 43rd richest man in the world, distributes Pepsi in the Horn of Africa nation. (Reporting by Tsegaye Tadesse)
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