Ethiopia: Dark side of Oromo Expansions and Menelik II's Conquests

Abera Tola penned the following piece on January 3rd 2014 following the infamous and deceptive boycott campaign by TPLF (Tigray People's Liberation Front) cadres in Ethiopia and their hate-mongering  foot-soldiers from abroad who bullied Bedle/Heineken breweries to cancel sponsoring of Teddy Afro's aka Tewodros Kassahun nationwide concert in Ethiopia alleging the Ethiopian Pop star glorified Menelik II's expansion as a holy war. These bullies and their gullible victims campaigned for weeks on social-medias despite the fact that the "leaked" fake story was refuted by the singer and the publisher. Ironically, TPLF,  the mastermind behind this "boycott" is incarcerating over forty thousand of our Oromo brothers and sisters in various prisons of the country; the emotionally charged campaigners from abroad never succeed to free their compatriots who're languishing in jails set-up by the TPLF mafia since 1991. All these mambo jumbo was to  meant discreet Menelik II,

Menelik II Established compulsory Free Education throughout His Dominions: NY Times 1909

Haters will hate this historical fact but The New York Times (last time I checked it's not owned by Neftegna Amharas, pun intended) published originally the story about Ethiopia's revered progressive statesman aka Menelik II's ambition and his unique entrepreneurship skills for his time a century ago on November 7, 1909. For those myopic and hate-mongering FaceBook tigers, this is Ethiopian History 101, you should check before you spite your vile based on fabricated and bankrupt rumors by TPLF/EPLF/OLF "elites" about this historical figure who is not only a pride for Ethiopians but for the black race and other freedom lovers all over the world.    

 

Abyssinia's Ruler Said to be a Heavy Buyer of American Railway Stocks

Eritrean & Sudanese Refugees Urged Israel to Respect Geneva Convention 1951

Netanyahu says "no rallies or strikes will help" and stresses that "these are illegal work infiltrators" and not refugees.

Jerusalem Post says that in a rally which started last Sunday and ends today, over fifteen thousand African migrants mainly from Eritrea and Sudan marched in the streets of Tel Aviv outside foreign embassies and the headquarters of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

TPLF will charge Ethiopian Officials who give Interviews to ESAT with Terrorism

ESAT (The Ethiopian Satellite Television), a foreign based media outlet, disclosed this yesterday quoting its insiders from TPLF (Tigray People's Liberation Front) that any official who is caught giving interviews to the dissident network will be charged with terrorism. According to ESAT's sources, giving interviews to ESAT is one of the criterion with which the officials will be scrutinized/evaluated for their performances. It was learnt that this directive was circulated to Public Relation's officers, security officers, public officials and communication workers. The directive came because those who give interview to ESAT not only legitimize its existence but also encourage others to follow suit. The officials also ordered not to give interviews to foreign medias like Voice of America, Dutch Welle Services including some online news outlets. According to ESAT, the directive was prepared by the National Information and Security Agency in collaboration with the Government Communication Agency. ESAT noted that further details about this new directive will be updated in the coming days.           

ህውሃት ባለስልጣኖቹ ለኢሳት ቃለመጠይቅ እንዳይሰጡ አዘዘ

ኢሳት  ይህንን ዜና የዘገበው ታህሳስ ፳፭( ሃያ አምስት )ቀን ፳፻፮ ዓ/ም  ሲሆን ህውሃት ባለስልጣናቱ ማንኛውንም ቃለምልልስ ለኢሳት ቢሰጡ በአሸባሪነት  እንደሚከሰሱ አስታውቋል። የባለስልጣኖች አንደኛው መገምገሚያም ለኢሳት መረጃ በመስጠት እንደሚወሰን ከኢህአዴግ የመረጃ ክፍል የደረሰን መረጃ ያመለክቷል። መመሪያው ለህዝብ ግንኙነት ሰራተኞች፣ ለደህንነት ሰራተኞች፣ ለመንግስት ባለስልጣናት እና ለ ኮሚኒኬሽን ባለሙያዎች መተላለፉ ታውቋል።

የመንግስት ባለስልጣናት ለኢሳት መረጃ በመስጠት ድርጅቱን ህጋዊነት እያላበሱትና ሌሎችም ዜጎች አንዲናገሩበት እያደፋፈሩ ነው የሚል ምክንያት መሰጠቱ ታውቋል። ባለስልጣናቱ ከኢሳት በተጨማሪ ለአሜሪካ ድምጽ እና ለአንዳንድ ስማቸው ያልተጠቀሰ ድረገጾችም መረጃ እንዳይሰጡ ታዘዋል። መመሪያውን ያወጡት የብሄራዊ የመረጃ ደህንነት እና ኮሚኬሽን መስሪያ ቤት በጋራ በመሆን ነው። በዚህ ዙሪያ ተጨማሪ ዘገባ በሚቀጥሉት ቀናት ይዞ እንደሚቀርብ ኢሳት  ገልጿል።

Discovery of Mass-grave in Addis rocked TPLF warlords and shocked Ethiopians

ECADF ( Ethiopian Current Affairs Discussion Forum) reported about the alleged mass-grave quoting South African based The Horn Times Newsletter today. According to the reporter, the mass-grave which was discovered on the eve of European New Year mortified Army chief-of-staff Gen Samora and Deputy PM D. Mekonen were spotted leaving the third battalion barracks, TPLF’s secret execution site for many years.

Despite the regime’s massive cover up campaign, intimidation and open threat of secondary mass grave for the accidentally exhumed corpses in order to avoid investigation or to conceal evidence of the mass murder; Ethiopians winced in terror when the news of the discovery of mass grave in Addis Ababa traveled across the vast nation exposing the savagery; atrocities and duplicity of the current ruling minority junta, – largely of Tigre coterie.

The gruesome discovery was made on Friday 27 December and Saturday 28 December 2013, between Sidist- Kilo and Ferensay- legasion areas at Jan-Meda, inside the barracks of the third army battalion when an excavator working for road expansion project pulled out two corpses wrapped in same color blankets and again another four corpses each wrapped in blankets of identical colors.

Eyewitnesses who got to the area and took the photos before the federal police cordoned off the vicinity told reporters that two of the corpses were still in hand-cuffs and one of the victims had his hands tied behind his back. Read more

Imprisoned Ethiopian Journalist Denied Medical Treatment

According to The Daily Journalist (an online news outlet), Ethiopian Journalist Woubshet Taye who is serving 14 years sentence in Kality Prison in Addis Ababa, is being denied a Medical Treatment. Taye is suffering from severe renal calculus (kidney stone).

Woubshet Taye is among a number of journalists who have been prosecuted under the anti-terrorism law in Ethiopia. He was imprisoned, and convicted for his work as the deputy editor of the now-defunct weekly newspaper, Awramaba Times.

Taye told to journalists, who were visiting the prisoners of conscience in Kality a week ago, that although the doctors in the prison’s clinic told him that his case was severe, he has been given no medical treatment yet.

“They told me that my case required urgent treatment in well equipped hospital, but I have not yet been transferred to such a hospital for unknown reason”, he explained. “They told me that there was nothing to do for me. They are even not voluntary to give me anti pain drugs.” he added.

TPLF Mafia causes Ethiopia's Electric Corporation over $ 26 Million Loss

Miheret Debebe, ex-CEO of the Corporation

ESAT News reported on December 31, 2013 that due to corruption within the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo), now divided into two institutions, Ethiopia has lost over 26 Million USD. The ex-CEO of the Corporation, Miheret Debebe, who opposed this corrupt practice, has finally been removed from the post.

Veteran combatant of the TPLF, current Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Board Chairman of the Corporation, Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael, speaking regarding the removal of Miheret said “as much as he is appreciated, he knows that he had deficiencies himself. He was not surprised when he was removed from office too”. Although Debretsion alleged incapacity as the main reason for the removal of the CEO, a report that has been presented to Prime Minister Hailemaraim Dessalgn by the Ethiopian  Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (FEAC) states that Meheret had been opposing the corrupt practice that had cost the Country to lose over 26 Million USD.

The Anti-Corruption Commission had submitted a report to the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi that in 2007/08 there was lack of transparency and irresponsible purchase of transformers. The corrupt practices began to unravel when the Corporation announced that an Indian company called Goodluck Steel Tubs Limited won the bids when Transformers with Conservator Units were purchased instead of Hermetically Sealed Transformers.

Several other bids and corrupt deals have been conducted between the Indian company and several top management of the Corporation, most of  which have been investigated by the Anti Corruption Commission and were submitted to the Prime Minister although measures have not been taken.

Top officials of the TPLF that have been facilitating the corruption at the back-doors and affecting Meheret’s work have not been detained or punished when many other officials have been. It is to be recalled that an Indian Company had recently signed an agreement to lead the Electric Corporation Management.

No Racists on Our Streets: 16 thousand Stockholmers

The rally was organized by Line 17, a neighborhood self-organization against racism and other socio-economic problems, in Kärrtorp in the south of capital with numbers swelled by last week's violence after a similar rally in the same place was marred by violence and attacks instigated by neo-Nazis. Representative of Line 17 group said at a brief press conference at noon that today's manifestation was more than just a protest against neo-Nazis but an overall rejection of racism as well as security problems. DJ pair Bianca and Tiffany Kronlöv in a short speech earlier in the day say

"It is too easy to say 'F you all Nazis,' we must together look at ourselves and understand the power we have in this matter every day."

 Members of the Left party made speeches and solidarity messages from Sweden as well as all over the world were read at the manifestation. The neo-Nazi group were vandalizing the area with Nazi symbols and racist graffiti recently and that why residents of Stockholm took to the street to express that such practices are not welcome on their streets and neighborhoods. Regardless of the cold weather, the atmosphere was jovial and an estimated 16-20 thousand people of all groups (men, women, children, young and old with different religious and ethnic backgrounds) were enthusiastically showing their condemnation against racism and fascism. The highlight of today's protest was that racism and Nazism are not acceptable in any forms and shape. The protesters said loud and clear "No racists on our Streets". Local artists staged performances while representatives of the left party and self-organized youth groups of different areas of Stockholm made speeches. A FaceBook group dedicated to this cause fetched nearly 20 thousands supporters from all over the world and #Kärrtorp is the highest trending hashtag here in Sweden since last week's protest. The protest against Nazism and racism was held under heavy police presence numbering over 100 officers.

Similar protest marches were held elsewhere in Sweden on Sunday including Borås, Luleå, Malmö and Motala.

#Ethiopia|n Gourmet Goes Mainstream in The US

When Punishment turns out Carrier 

Oh finally my prayer is heard thanks to Hiyaw Gebreyohannes, a young Ethiopian restaurateur and entrepreneur from Michigan - US. When he got in trouble as a kid, his mom used to punish Gebreyohannes with onion-chopping duty in the kitchen of his parents’ Ethiopian restaurant in Toronto. Typical Ethiopian, aren't we? Even now most Ethiopian men and women think that Kitchen is a "no go zone" for men; any ወንድ (MALE) who who remotely does something otherwise is considered ሴታሴት ወንድ አሰዳቢ effeminate. “Ethiopian men don’t go into the kitchen,” explains Gebreyohannes, whose parents fled the country in 1981 after Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by a coup. “When I went out to play and lost track of time, my mother would punish me, saying, ‘Now you’re in the kitchen with me.’ ” But what started as a punishment

Libya another hell-hole for African Migrants

"If an African dies here, it is normal. No one cares". 24 years-old Nigerian migrant 

"A male officer stripped me off to check out if I hide cellphone in my private parts". Pregnant woman 

I heard several horrific stories from Ethiopians and Eritreans who had stayed in Libya as a transit before they moved to Europe but I never expected these level of xenophobic and racist abuses fellow Africans including children and women just because they happen to have a bit higher melanin than the local Libyans. A report which was released today by Amnesty International shows these defenseless and helpless people are being abused, degraded, beaten, raped and killed by local self-proclaimed militias who claim to protect Libyan women from rape and their country from witchcraft. Oh no, how would a 15 years old girl

Ethiopian migrants return empty handed from Saudi Arabia : IRIN

I will never go back to that country (Saudi Arabai) 

United Nation's Organ IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks) reported today from the Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa that early 137,000 undocumented Ethiopian migrants deported by the Saudi authorities to date. This sad Ethiopian woman among thousands of returnees whose dream of having a good economic life and supporting her family was crushed by the Saudiziation crackdown last month and came back home empty handed and a lot of debts to pay.  Mohamed Yusuf, one of the tens of thousands of returnees, told IRIN that he left his home town in Ethiopia for Saudi Arabia a year ago at the age of 17, he thought life would change for the better. Instead, Yusuf's difficult and unprofitable stay in Saudi Arabia ended and deported back to his country. Yusuf says
"At first, I thought I was going to change my life and those of my father and mother, who paid for the whole trip out of their meagre income,"  whose father is a farmer in northern Ethiopia. However, the gruelling journey to Saudi Arabia and his stay there had been harrowing experiences, he told IRIN. 

During the long trek through Ethiopia’s northeastern Afar Desert to Djibouti on the Red Sea, he endured hunger and thirst and had to bury some of his friends, who perished along the way. On reaching Djibouti, he paid smugglers 5,000 Ethiopian Birr (US$261) to take him from Obock, on Djibouti’s northern coast,

across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. From there he made his way to Saudi Arabia.

The majority of male migrants from Ethiopia follow similar routes when crossing into Saudi and mostly depart from Obock, although many also leave from Somaliland. Female migrants usually enter as domestic workers under Saudi Arabia’s ‘kafala’ (sponsorship) system.

Human rights groups say the system creates conditions for abuse, including rules requiring workers to obtain permission from their employer to change jobs. Those who do so without permission are considered undocumented and were among those rounded up during the government’s crackdown on foreign workers, which started in early November 2013.

Initially, Yusuf found work as a shepherd in a rural area of Saudi Arabia but decided to leave after two months because his employers refused to pay him the 800 Saudi Arabian riyals ($213) they owed him. "One day I decided to quit my job and fled to the city [of Jeddah]. And that was when I got captured by the police and put into prison for five months before coming here like this with many Ethiopians," he told IRIN.

There was no opportunity to earn back the cost of getting there, let alone fulfill his dream of a better life. “I’m confused and do not have any idea what I’m going to do next,” he told IRIN. "One thing is for sure, I will never go back to that country after seeing and hearing what is happening to Ethiopians there."Many of the Returnees need Medical Treatment : IOM

According to Human Rights Watch and testimony from returnees, during the crackdown, Ethiopian migrant workers were subjected to beatings by Saudi police and citizens that resulted in at least three deaths.

Another returnee, Kidane Gebre, told IRIN: "After hearing this, my mother will be terrified and waiting for me anxiously. Many people from my home town were victims of this violence."

Many of those rounded up were held in makeshift detention centers without adequate food or shelter while they awaited repatriation.
The Ethiopian government initially estimated that some 30,000 undocumented citizens were being detained

and would need to be repatriated, but as of 16 December the number of returnees had reached 136,946. Of these, 84,721 were men, 45,157 women and 7,068 children.

Up until last week, over 7,000 were arriving every day, but according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the number has now slowed to about 1,000 a day. A further 35,000 migrants are still expected, according to IOM.

Six transit centres have been set up in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to receive the returnees and, with the support of government, IOM has been providing temporary accommodation, meals, medical services and a $50 transportation allowance to help the migrants complete their journey home. The organization launched an appeal on 6 December for $13.1 million to continue addressing their needs, but to date had only raised $1.9 million.

“As the number of returnees increases, the financial gap has further widened,” notes a press briefing from IOM released on 17 December.

IOM's Chief of Mission in Ethiopia, Josiah Ogina said the migrants included vulnerable people, such as the victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, and disabled persons. "Many of those detained and returned to Ethiopia arrived in need of medical support," Ogina told international donors in Addis Ababa. Click to read from IRIN

Ethiopia ranks again Second Worst Place For Journalists: CPJ

The International Press Freedom Watchdog, CPJ ( Committee to Protect Journalists) in its annual report for this year released today disclosed that 2013 is  the worst for journalist worldwide and Ethiopia is one these places where the safety of journalists is under extreme threat. Our country again named the second journalist jailer in Africa and our competitor, Eritrea is clinching its first place by holding twenty-two journalists behind bars for another reason doing their job - journalism. What makes our country is unique that it is incarcerating not only Ethiopians but two journalists from Eritrea who were captured in Somalia during TPLF's military adventure back in 2006. The whereabouts of these two Eritrean journalists are unknown, according to CPJ's report. In the meantime, our rulers are denying that there are no journalist who are jailed due their profession; an insult to our intelligence. But, I still wonder why is my colleague Shifferaw Insermu, who is the longest serving Ethiopian journalist since April 2004 and whose whereabouts is still unknown to these days,

Ethiopia: ’A Graveyard for Homosexuals’

"I won't quit anti-gay advocacy until Ethiopia adopts the death penalty". " United for Life's president, Seyoum Antonius

"I don't want a gay son. You are not my son from this minute. It is better to kill yourself than be gay." An Ethiopian Father

 "Ethiopia is supposed to be clean and holy, I felt like such a dirty person for having those feelings." Exiled Ethiopian gay man

Does Homosexuality exist in the Holy land Ethiopia?

It was last Friday that I came across with these terrifying and troubling facts on Newsweek ( one of my favorite news-magazines I grew up with reading back in the days). One of my followers on twitter re-twitted it from his follower with a subject-line: "Ethiopia is a graveyard for all sorts of human rights". Well,  I couldn't resist my curiosity but found out that my follower's follower altered the original title "A graveyard for homosexuals" for some unknown reasons when he shared. Anyway, I know the human-rights abuses is bad but the anecdotes at the beginning of this piece speak volumes about the atrocities, discrimination and abuses against Ethiopian sexual minorities not only by the government but also anyone including their parents in that country. Katie Jim A. Baker of the Newsweek should be commended for writing such a very detailed, well-researched long feature by interviewing the victims, various international watchdogs, governmental and non-governmental officials. Claire Beston, Amnesty International's Ethiopia researcher told Newsweek that Ethiopia wasn't on the radar due to limited resources and difficulties getting around the anti-advocacy law. "The U.S., U.K. and other governments give huge amounts of aid to Ethiopia while remaining tight-lipped about the extensive violations of human rights happening throughout the country," Beston said. According to Pew Global Attitudes Study conducted in 2007, ninety-seven percent of Ethiopians would like homosexuality to be outlawed in the country. Honestly, I wasn't really surprised when I read this statistics because I know homophobia is highly prevalent due to patriarchy, centuries old cultural and religious beliefs and deep rooted ignorance. Katie explored these phenomenon in her writing; it's not uncommon to hear derogatory, sexist, bigoted and stereotyped comments against LGBT groups by highly educated Ethiopians at home and abroad.
 Ethiopian LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) activists to home and abroad to shade lights about the plights these minorities. International human right groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have published reports in the past but were surprised that Katie was able to conduct with members of Ethiopian LGBT groups and warned her to check up on sources after the story comes, because "

Remembering December 13th: The Anuaks Massacre

Let us take this day of sorrow and make it a day of healing among all peace-loving Ethiopians

Anuak Council, a diaspora based advocacy group sent a letter to all Ethiopians to take December 13, where over four hundred innocent civilian Anuak were mascaraed by TPLF/EPRDF soliders,  a day of sorrow and make it a day of healing. The letter sent by representative to ECADF ( Ethiopian Current Affairs Discussion Forum), a diaspora opposition website that the tenth anniversary of the brutal massacre of 424 unarmed Anuak in Gambella, region of Ethiopia by Ethiopian National Defense Forces armed with guns and militia groups armed with machetes. Not just the families of the victims, but all Anuak, will forever remember that dark day that brought so many pains, tears and suffering.  Even after ten years, some widows, some fathers, some mothers and children are still waiting to bury their loved ones properly. Some day their bodies, which were buried in mass graves, will be exhumed and buried with proper respect by their families and loved ones. Some day a memorial of remembrance may be erected in Gambella in their honor, to remind people that behind every name on that memorial, is a human life, given as a precious gift from God, our Creator. Such memorials may be erected all over Ethiopia where innocent lives of Ethiopians have been taken. Some day, a large monument—a wall of shame—could be erected in Addis Ababa with the names of the Anuak and the names of all other people throughout Ethiopia who have lost their lives at the hands of the TPLF/EPRDF regime that devalues human life. The letter stated that on this Anuak Memorial Day, Anuak in Gambella cannot join with Anuak in the Diaspora in observing the day. It is prohibited by the TPLF/EPRDF regime. Instead, they will have to look forward to the day they will be able to join together in a service such as the ones being held in Minnesota, Kenya, South Sudan and in other cities where there are Anuak where they are free to remember the death of more than 1500 other Anuak who were killed in the next two years following the December massacre. Because public mourning is not allowed, those who want to remember family members, friends and community members who died, must quietly carry out some kind of observances within their homes and hearts. To read more click here.

To live in Saudi is to cry every day: Ethiopian Returnee

"They took our money, they took our belongings and there are people who have died," Kamer Hajji

 

"They took my money, they didn't even give me food to eat." 25 years old Ethiopian woman 

 These are some the horrific recounts of thousands of Ethiopian returnees from Saudi-Arabia who were abused, degraded and traumatized by the country's sadistic security officers and vigilante young men. They had been through a lot of an unimaginable circumstances since the oil-rich middle-eastern country started Saudization, a crackdown against migrant workers, last month. Here is what

Jenny Vaughan of AFP (Agence France Presse) who reported 2 days ago from Addis Ababa that when Ethiopia started repatriating tens of thousands of Ethiopian migrant workers who were rounded up by Saudi officials last month, 30 thousand were expected to return.

Today, four times that amount have been repatriated with numbers still swelling daily straining agencies to support one of the largest human airlift operations in recent history.

Maj. Gen. Yohannes Gebremeskel & his Rugs to Rich Mistress

Behind every Great Fortune in Ethiopia there's TPLF I mean a CRIME

Ladies Gentlemen and others:) Let me introduce you one of Ethiopia's Nouveau riche who make our country as " African Lion" with fastest creation of Millionaires. Her name is Miss Hawa, a few years before she met; became second wife and  gave birth a child to GeneralYohannes Gebremeskel (Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA); she was just an ordinary Khat (Class C stimulant drug leaves) retailer. According to Ethiopian Satellite Television ESAT's top placed sources within the Somali Regional State Administration of Ethiopia in Jigjiga, Miss Hawa is currently one of the richest people in  Somali region. It is common knowledge that  when top officials of the Ethiopian Defense Forces come to the Region, they engage in a large scale wealth accrual together with the officials of the Regional State. The two lovebirds (i.e General Yohannes and Miss Hawa) met  when he was a Colonel as the Head the Western Gode Zone. Yohnnes had helped Hawa amass over 100 million Birr ( over $ 5 million)   by letting her company subcontract the Canal Cleaning bid that the National Defense Force was made to win. The story doesn't stop there, as the love affair between the General and Hawa grew, she even went to the extent of harassing and threatening the Region’s tax officers and clearing herself from taxation.

Hawa has built two big buildings in Jigjiga with her lover, General Yohannes. In addition to this, she has been allowed to handle other projects in the Region that are worth hundreds of millions. Some of the projects include the Kabri Dehar Water Provision, Degehabur Water Provision, Jigjiga Teachers Training Expansion, Regional Education Bureau Project, Modern Meeting Hall, and other expensive buildings. Although Hawa is at the forefront of managing the wealth, sources say, it is General Yohannes who controls the construction of the region’s projects.

General Yohannes has built a very modern apartment building in Bole Medhanealem area in Addis Abeba.