Helle Thorning-Schmidt

The Huffington Post UK

When four-year-old Malou first arrived at the Save the Children stabilisation centre in the small community of Fedeto, she was severely underweight and limp, her feet swollen. But having been treated for the effects of malnutrition, and it seemed starting on the road to recovery, she now has a second battle on her hands – to overcome pneumonia. This is just a small illustration of Ethiopia’s current crisis: that a child who fought one life threatening illness would emerge from that, only to be exposed to another.

Children are at the forefront of this suffering, amid the country’s worst drought in fifty years, with six million said to be at risk. $600million is needed to tackle this crisis. I implore the international community to step up and urgently respond.

The irony is that the environment has been particularly cruel to a country which has been doing all it can to improve itself. Perceptions of Ethiopia are fraught with contradictions but there are two equally important facts which are at risk of being lost in the mire.

Ethiopia is not any country. It is a country right in the middle of an economic u-turn – despite ranking the second poorest country in the world, it is now achieving steady economic growth, at an average of 10% per year in the last decade, and set to be a middle income country within the next ten years.

This is not just any drought. This is the worst drought in fifty years. The extent to which the rains have failed is unprecedented, regional temperatures are higher than ever, and we are dealing with the strongest El Nino on record. The damage caused by climate change and erratic weather patterns driven by El Nino are only going to see conditions worsen.

Ethiopia is financially secure enough to respond to the crisis alone if it has to, but not without detriment to the massive development progress it has made so far – or without damaging its ability to respond well, in the future.

Rainfall patterns are deteriorating at an alarming rate in East Africa. The spring rains, which usually bring fifteen days of rainfall a month between February and April are now two months overdue. In places like Siti Zone in the east of the country, this is the third failed rainy season since mid 2014. The landscape paints a bleak picture of dried leaves on tiny shrubs, peppered with the carcasses of emaciated livestock and dried out, cracked, riverbeds. Around a third of the population – including six million children – are now entering the ‘hunger season’, facing critical food shortages.

It is important to note that Ethiopia has made huge strides since previous droughts. In 1990, it was estimated that 204 Ethiopian children in every 1000 would die before their fifth birthday. By 2012, the country had reduced this toll by 67%, meeting its Millennium Development Goal commitment to reduce child deaths, three years ahead of time.

The Ethiopian Government has shown strong leadership in the food crisis too, committing an unprecedented $380million to tackling the growing emergency. NGOs have worked with the government in recent years to channel development funds into strengthening resilience, and the country is better equipped than ever to respond to the crisis. These factors – are the reason we are not seeing the loss of life we saw previously.

But the scale of this crisis cannot be overstated. An estimated six million children – are currently hungry, or without access to clean water. Save the Children is working closely with the government to identify the areas in most critical need. Much of our work in the 100 stabilisation centres we operate in focuses on treating moderate acute malnutrition, and preventing it from reaching the ‘severe’ stage, which is much harder to recover from, and has long term implications on child development and health. Children who are malnourished do not have the resilience to fend off other childhood illnesses, like measles or diarrhoea – two of the major causes of under-five mortality.

In Fedeto, I met Habiba, a former pastoralist whose family had struggled for months without clean water, watching as her livestock died off in front of her. Like her neighbours, she was confronted with difficult decisions – to wait for the rains, knowing the animals may not survive, or to leave them to perish, and have no livelihood to return to. The decision was eventually made for her, when six of her children fell ill, as a measles outbreak wracked the small community that had been home to her all of her life. Weakened and already underweight, her children were at high risk of the illness. Save the Children’s outreach teams brought Habiba and her family to Fedeto, where the children underwent a month long course of treatment to bring them to recovery.

The complexities of this crisis go beyond the very real human need I saw playing out in Fedeto. Were it faced with this drought alone, the Government of Ethiopia would have a heady, but manageable task. Sadly, all indications of the climate change trajectory suggest that this is not an isolated case of drought, but rather the paradigm for what is yet to come.

The Government is faced now with dealing with three challenges:

The emergency needs of the 10million people facing food shortage; Preparing to respond to the next drought, which could come at any time, including by ring-fencing funding so it can be released fast, at the first signs of drought, to address critical needs and prevent escalation; and, Developing a longer term sustainable plan for adapting to this changing environment and ensuring livelihoods and communities are given the skills and resources for much needed change. The funding and resourcing must be available to take on all of these tasks, if any of them are to truly succeed.

Ethiopia offers economic hope to the horn of Africa – it is one of the most stable countries in the region, attracting significant overseas investment. It provides a haven to 750,000 refugees, the largest amount in Africa, many of whom are fleeing conflict in neighbouring countries. It is critical that we recognise the value in having a stable country in this region.

The international community invested heavily in bringing Ethiopia to a point where it can lead a self-sustaining economy, capable of withstanding crisis. This included the development of all the early warning systems to identify risk and to stop emergencies like the current food crisis escalating into a catastrophe. It is the failing of us all, if we ignore the sound of the alarm bells ringing now.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the former prime minister of Denmark

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Must listen interview with Ato Zemene Mheret interviewed (Ethiopia Andnet radio)

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ESAT Daily News Amsterdam April 15, 2016

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The Ethiopian government is cracking down on journalists and NGOs. Where’s the outrage from the international community?

By Felix Horne,
Foreign Policy in Focus

Since November, state security forces have killed hundreds of protesters and arrested thousands in Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest region. It’s the biggest political crisis to hit the country since the 2005 election but has barely registered internationally. And with the protests now in their fifth month, there is an almost complete information blackout.

A teacher arrested in December told me, “In Oromia the world doesn’t know what happens for months, years or ever. No one ever comes to speak to us, and we don’t know where to find those who will listen to our stories.”

Part of the problem is the government’s draconian restrictions on news reporting, human rights monitoring, and access to information imposed over the past decade. But restrictions have worsened in the last month. Some social media sites have been blocked, and in early March security officials detained two international journalists overnight while they were trying to report on the protests. As one foreign diplomat told me, “It’s like a black hole, we have no idea what is happening. We get very little credible information.”

With difficulty, Human Rights Watch interviewed nearly 100 protesters. They described security forces firing randomly into crowds, children as young as nine being arrested, and Oromo students being tortured in detention. But the Ethiopian media aren’t telling these stories. It’s not their fault. Ethiopian journalists have to choose between self-censorship, prison, or exile. Ethiopia is one of the leading jailers of journalists on the continent. In 2014 at least 30 journalists fled the country and six independent publications closed down. The government intimidates and harasses printers, distributors, and sources.

International journalists also face challenges. Some do not even try to go because of the personal risks for them, their translators, and their sources. And when they do go, many Ethiopians fear speaking out against government policies—there are plenty of cases of people being arrested after being interviewed.

Diaspora-run television stations have helped fill the gap, including the U.S.-based Oromia Media Network (OMN). Many students in Oromia told me that OMN was one way they were able to learn what was happening in other parts of the region during the protests. But since OMN began broadcasting in March 2014 it has been jammed 15 times for varying periods. Radio broadcasts are also jammed–as international broadcasters like Voice of America and Deutsche Welle have experienced intermittently for years.

In December OMN began transmitting on a satellite that is virtually impenetrable to jamming. But security forces then began destroying private satellite dishes on people’s homes. Eventually the government applied pressure on the satellite company to drop OMN, which has now been off the air for over two months.

Social media has partially helped fill the information gap. Photos of injured students and videos of protests have been posted to Facebook, particularly in the early days of the protests. But in some locations the authorities have targeted people who filmed the protests on their phones. At various times in the last month, there have been reports of social media and file-sharing sites being blocked in Oromia, including Facebook, Twitter, and Dropbox. Website-blocking has been documented before – in 2013, at least 37 websites with information from Ethiopia were blocked. Most of the sites were operated by Ethiopians in the diaspora.

Independent non-governmental organizations that might be reporting what is happening face similar restrictions. The government’s Charities and Societies Proclamation of 2009 virtually gutted domestic nongovernmental organizations that work on human rights issues. The independent Human Rights Council released a report on the protests in March. It was a breath of fresh air, but the council released it at great risk. As the first report from Ethiopian civil society on an issue of great political significance, it was a damning indictment of the limits of freedom of expression in Africa’s second-largest country, with a population of 100 million.

The government may believe that by strangling the flow of information coming out of Oromia it can limit international concern and pressure. And so far the response from countries that support Ethiopia’s development has been muted. The deaths of hundreds, including many children, have largely escaped condemnation.

Yet the government’s brutally repressive tactics cannot be contained behind Ethiopia’s information firewall for long. The sooner the government recognizes this and acts to stop the mass arrests and excessive use of force, the better the outlook for the government and the affected communities.

The government—with the assistance of its allies and partners—needs to support an independent investigation of the events in Oromia, commit to accountability and justice for the victims, and start dismantling the legislative and security apparatus that has made Ethiopia one of the most hostile places for free expression on the continent. What’s happening in Oromia has long-term implications for Ethiopia’s stability and economic progress, and Ethiopians and the world need to know what is happening.

Felix Horne is the Ethiopia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

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The ‘Trojan Horse’ is from a Greek mythology where the Greeks in their last resort to break into the well-guarded city of Troy, came up with an idea of a horse like statue. As the deceitful statue, hid with soldiers, was entering the city, there were Troy residents who suspected trickery insisting that the gift be burned before it brings a curse. But, their suspicion fell on deaf ears and rather they were considered as paranoid. The Trojan horse was then placed on prime real estate inside the city of Troy until the hidden soldiers, lurch out of the statue and open the gates of Troy for the Greek army waiting outside to enter the city and carry out all forms of atrocities known to men of the time. The paranoid of Troy, a priest said “I fear the Greeks even those bearing gifts” and here I am crying “I fear this Monument – Aanolee and the concept behind it.”

The basic information about the monument was posted on Awrambatimes with the heading, Aanolee Memorial Monument colorfully inaugurated in Arssi on April 8, 2014. It adds that it was a tribute to the Arssi Oromos who were victims of the Emperor Menelik’s imperial expansion in the nineteenth century and that the inauguration was attended by high level federal and regional officials in Hetosa, Arssi, 150 kms southeast of Addis Ababa. Per H.E Muktar Kedir, it was constructed at a cost of twenty million birr to commemorate those Oromo heroes and heroines who were cruelly massacred for strongly resisting the then oppressive regime. The monument shows a severed hand stretched upward holding a women’s Breast. At the inauguration Mohammed Jilo, Head of Oromia Culture and Tourism Bureau elaborated on the need to make the monument a tourist attraction center.

I, for one, would not dare to take a position in history without testing arguments behind issues of the time because my principle is to question every representation of historical events for validity. Equally important, our attempt to understand the prognosis of history before us and the nature of the event that took place in the past, should be dealt with neutrality and freedom from bias based on ethnic or other hidden considerations. Every historical event need to be tested for reasonableness, depth and frequency before arriving at a conclusion about a particular phenomenon, as proper representation of an event or personality. To me, Oromo refers to the thousands of people I personally know and respect as Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Friends, Grandfathers, Grandmothers, Children, Heroes, Religious Leaders, Musicians, Sportsmen, Politicians, Soldiers, Scientists and more. An ethnic name is so sacred and I wish I was not forced to be speaking in terms of this very special collective noun, since an error committed would be multiplied by millions. I will, therefore, try to be cautious in sharing my point of view without causing any harm to communities so that we see the colossal conceptual mistake in the monument, and may be, correct the situation for our common good.

The purpose of this article is not to make a determination as to whether or not the breast mutilation in fact occurred. My idea, however, may help as additional criteria in determining the validity and the magnitude of the accusation that there was a breast mutilation. I strongly believe that our perception of how and who committed the atrocity has significant implication to our future as a nation. There are fellow Ethiopians who strongly state that their ancestors were victims of the breast mutilation act, and given the fact that the area around the horn, including Somalia is known for various similar cultures involving body mutilations as fulfillment of cultural duties, it may be irrational to refute the allegation completely. What I can say here at this moment is, express my sympathy for the women alleged to be victims of breast mutilation and demand that our historians and anthropologists study the issue further, including any atrocity that may have been committed by Arssi Oromos also, so that we have a balanced picture of what happened with in the religious, social and political framework of the time, again with honesty and impartially.

Most Africans agree with me that European writers have a tendency to exaggerate if an issue is one that supports their racist theory that Blacks or Africans are inferior or barbaric in nature. Equally, the narrations by recent Eritrean writers remain questionable without genuine answers to the following questions. Why are they so keen on issues that antagonize Oromos from the rest of Ethiopia? Do the Christian highlanders of Eritrea have a culture of body mutilation in Hamasene, Serai, or Akale Guzai? If their response is not in the affirmative then my second question would be, if there is no such culture among Eritrean highlanders, then why would it exist in Tigrai, in Gonder, in Gojam, in Wollo, in Wollega, or in Showa? Most Christians revere Saint Mary, a women, and somehow these cultures place special significance to women in general because of this Mary – Women connection. Hence, I don’t see this society going that far, practicing breast mutilation as an acceptable method of punishment of women. I am not indulging in a denial and what I am only saying is, in order to assess the true extent of what happened, we need to examine the cultures and personalities accused of the atrocity. I am not fantasizing the idea that there are no criminals among the Christians. The challenge here is the appropriateness of this caricature that Emperor Menelik, an Orthodox Christian, had body mutilation as a sanctioned form of punishment to Oromo mothers, and that this is a proper depiction of the Emperor who had an Oromo first cousin, and who among other things gave us Adwa and a railway in the nineteenth century.

Let me give you another issue that could be a wonderful dish for similar characterization. Nowadays, it is common to listen to news broadcasts about the Ogaden Liberation Front accusing the Ethiopian forces of rape and other atrocities. But, how much of such accusations are true? Doesn’t that somehow hurt our deeper feelings as Ethiopians since rape is culturally a taboo? Will it be far from the truth we, Ethiopians, regardless of our ethnic background or political beliefs agree that more than 99.99 % of Ethiopian soldiers would abhor and denounce rape of any form? Are we really insane to believe that the soldiers used rape as a sanctioned form of punishment or it is a better description of the army today? Just because there has been such incidents, per the accusations, can somebody make a foolish generalization that the late Prime Minister Meles or Prime Minister Haile Mariam was/is rapist?

US statistics shows that there is about a quarter of a million rapes each year in the US and that it occurs every two minutes. Assuming there is no repeated assault by a transgressor, the rapists make about .08 % of the population. From this we can deduce that there is a chance for less than .08 % of Ethiopian army to comprise rapists. No army can escape this statistic be it American or Eritrean. There are rapists in Ethiopia and Hanna Lalongo is in our recent memory. My point? Body mutilation is a similar atrocity of a different score and, if it happened, the reason will only be either because some members of Menelik’s forces or administration were from a culture that practiced body mutilation as a form of punishment or there were some who were psychologically sadistic. Studies on sadistic behavior talk about sadist percentages in a population based on cruelty to animals, and I believe, if the percentage of sadists is expressed with cruelty to human and especially with women, it will even be smaller.

What was the intention of Emperor Menelik’s expansion? Do we see him as an Emperor who had a desire to build a bigger empire that could resist European colonialism or an evil whose objective was to annihilate a particular ethnic group(s) the way Hitler targeted and mass murdered the Jews? Considering the composition of Menelik’s army and its leadership, I doubt, if the Aanolee war could even be seen as a war between Oromos and Non Oromos because Menelik’s army comprised a significant percentage of Oromos of all ranks. My ancestors in the south must have lived through the era of Menelik’s expansion and maybe they were unhappy about it. But, as a result of Menelik’s action, we are not only a country but the only Independent African nation that defied European Colonialism. What was the antitheses or the inaction of Menelik to people in the southern Ethiopia? Wouldn’t an inaction of Menelik mean the annexation of the southern Ethiopia with the British Empire as part of Kenya or Somalia? Do I wish that I were a Kenyan or Somalian, in the first place? What were the atrocities of colonialism that the Kenyans went through including the Oromos in Kenya? Is there anyone who has the gut to argue the fact that with the current interpretation of ethnicity, Emperor Haile Selassie and President Mengistu were nothing but Oromos who ruled Ethiopia for a continuous sixty one years? Every thesis has an antithesis! As a believer in Pan Africanism, I say, Menelik’s expansion was a necessary evil to defeat colonialism at Adwa, the way chemotherapy is for Cancer. Please note, I am not referring to breast mutilation!

If Anole is to be remembered, it will be wise to tell the story of the warriors who challenged Menelik’s army. Who were the generals that lead the resistance against Menelik? What were their institutions that helped them fight for years? What was their ideology, religious identity or ethnic identity? How and where did they get the armament that helped them endure that long? How high was the determination and bravery of the Arssi fighters? How many did they kill and how much damage they endured? The correct perspective is to recognize the heroes that fought Menelik even if they lost the war. To me, that is the bigger picture that needs to be capitalized, which adds pride in us, be it as Oromos or Ethiopians. The warriors and their horses should be the centers of the monument than a view of a sadistic act that misleads generations depicting Arssi Oromos as hopeless victims who were even unable to protect women; so convenient politically to  demonize Emperor Menelik and may be, instigate vengeance. The correct way that builds Ethiopia as a nation is talking about success anecdotes for the present generation to follow, not a story that only transpires hostility and revenge among citizens. It will be a service to generations if the monument was about the role of Oromo women in defending what they consider at the time to be theirs, be it religious or ethnic identity. What was the role of women in providing at least material and morale support? How did they express bravery? It’s better to be talking about the contribution of Arssi women or a heroic act than hinging on a controversial sadistic scene. I suggest that we look at the grace of “Mother Russia Statue” built commemorating the over a million lost at Siege of Leningrad, during World War II. Also see how Europeans portray their mothers on “Statue of Liberty” as a comparison with our active intent and choice to denigrate our ancestors on either side of that conflict.

I see a lack of knowledge or information about Mastofact or Mazophila behaviors, and a public display of a women’s body, of what westerners would call an ‘R’ rated “soft porn” is an indication of our degeneration as society. Is it culturally acceptable to portray our grandmother’s naked body on a cenotaph and talk about tourism? What kind of tourism will that be? Oromo mothers I know are very decent and give special attention to morality, and the private part of women is not subject of a public scenery. The same applies to Oromo fathers. Considering the fact that the majority of Arssi inhabitants are believers, it seems strange, if the monument is in fact an idea agreed on by the people. With my very limited knowledge of the religions in the area, I am aware that there is a practice of “Hijab”. I believe Islam and Christianity have so much in common. You will see the concept of hijab even with in the Orthodox Church as women cover most parts when attending Sunday mass. Although the two religions practice hijab differently, there is common understanding about what modesty represents. So isn’t the content of the monument somehow obscene? Why was this basic value of the majority in Arssi compromised? I would like to understand how that community interprets modesty and how its value interacts in shaping peoples reaction or judgement of a statue made of one of the most private parts of a women, especially that of our ancestors. Wouldn’t this modesty be a hypocrisy of both Moslems and Christians ,if we expect women to cover their head while offending everyone culturally and religiously by allowing this offensive statue stand right there for everyone to see, I wonder if the area is off limits to children? I really want to hear from Muslim and Christian leaders in Arssi and beyond about the place of the statue given our belief, culture and decency. And what is going to be the reaction of the future generations to such a highly offensive image? Does that help or impede the peaceful coexistence of Ethiopians? What were the driving forces of the recent tragic killings in Arbagugu, Bedeno, Cheleko, Garamuleta, etc.? What fueled that level of hatred, beheading even a one year old supposedly Amhara child, 1991 Arsi? Were there any lessons learned from the recent actions of Nelson Mandela? How constructive is it to go back over a hundred years only to bring what could only be a reflection of the very worst in us? How does that make us better than those who lived a century before us?

Every Ethiopian should have nothing but sympathy for the alleged Aanolee victims in Ethiopia because confirmed or unconfirmed, women breast mutilation is sadistic. At the same time we should be cognizant that there are groups that use ethnic conflicts to their ultimate but hidden agenda. The Aanolee war is one of the many wars Emperor Menelik fought in the process of forging the present day Ethiopia. We need to reconsider the good intention of the Emperor and his multi ethnic army along with the diverse cultures represented there. It is illogical to believe that, body mutilation was a punishment to Arssi Oromo sanctioned by Emperor Menelik whose circle comprised Negus Teklehaimanot, Ras Gobena, Ras Mekonnen, Ras Mengesha Yohannes, Ras Alula, Fitawrari Habtegiorgis, Dejazmatch Balcha etc. These were not only our ancestors, but the cornerstones of Pan Africanism sprout from Ethiopianism of that century. The breast mutilation act should be seen as an isolated cruelty of either a person of culture that practices body mutilation or a Sadist, definitely not a legacy of Emperor Menelik. I believe it is ok to commemorate the warriors who resisted Menelik’s expansion, and there are a number of ways to do that; statues of confederate soldiers are still observed in the US. The theme of Aanolee’s story should be the strength, courage and heroism of the people who fought against Menelik’s expansion and that would be an addition to Ethiopian heritage.  I don’t believe the Aanolee monument is in par with the culture and beliefs of the Arssi Oromo in particular and Ethiopians in general. The monument will only let a sadistic act linger in our minds, and I don’t see a point in letting this perverted act continue poisoning our relationships, here in the twenty first century. The monument is obscene, immodest and immoral that only infuriates the present and future generations. I don’t see any reason other than ensuing or perpetrating bitterness, risking our very peace and continuance as a country, and may be serving as a cause for our own demise, like the Trojan horse. This could be annoying to those who are already captivated by a rage for vengeance on a century old controversial incident, but I urge that this serve as my humble appeal to my fellow Ethiopians for correction.

The monument is indecent self-deprecation, and I say, Hijab Please!

Melaku Girma

Atlanta

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Seife Nebelbal Radio, April 15, 2016

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My Condolence to Ethiopians and Ethiopia

I wish to express my heartfelt condolences and sympathy to all my Nuer brothers, sister and the bereaved families in these hours of grief. My condolences to all the massacred in Gambella. My prayers for your families and loved-ones.
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I have heard the Weyyane condemning the Murle gangs inhuman act against our Nuer people in Gambella. This is an insult to our intelligence. Weyyane has no moral authority to condemn any form of killing. Weyyane itself is a licensed and certified mass murderer, and killer.

As I speak, Weyyane is killing innocent Ethiopians the same way as the Murle gangs did yesterday. If Ethiopians are serious in condemning the Murle gangs inhuman killing of our Nuer brothers and sisters, Weyyane, a vicious murderer on the throne that is known for its indiscriminate killing of innocent men, women and children, should also be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

After all, if Weyyane believes that it is a government for the people of Ethiopia, by now, it should have taken actions against the culprit Murle gangs wherever they are, just like what Kenya did the other time.

Does Weyyane have the moral courage to do that? I do not think so! Because;

1. The Weyyanes are cruel zombies, they cannot feel the pain of others.

2. The Weyyane doesn’t have a track record of protecting Ethiopians from any foreign criminal gangs raid and killing.

3. The Weyyane mafias have accumulated part of their stollen wealth and illegally acquired assets in South Sudan. So, they don’t want to put themselves in trouble.

4. The weyyanes are busy robbing the nation. So, they don’t have time to prepare and react in sympathy of the death of their subjects.
5. The Weyyanes don’t want to jeopardize their future relationship with South Sudan ( and the surrounding area) for their soon coming Greater Tigray republic, that will be achieved through annexation and incorporation of Gambella and Benshangul, shares borders with the Sudan and South Sudan to the West.

6. It is well documented that the Weyyanes own much of Gambella’s fertile land. I don’t think they would hesitate to see the entire Gambella land cleaned from the natives. Fore sure, the Weyyanes would like to see the Gambella land cleaned from all of its indigenous people, because the annexation of Gambella to the greater Tigray republic wouldn’t be easy unless all the “would be” obstacles for annexation are removed in advance. The Weyyanes have had enough life and experience of cleaning indigenous people before annexing their land to their greater Tigray. This is exactly what the Weyyane had done to the Amharas in Welkait, Tsegede, Humera and Northern Wollo before finally annexing their land to Tigray. That is why I said, Weyyanes would be happy to see Gambella cleaned from all of its indigenous people let alone imagination of retaliating their killers. Definitely, they will welcome and hug any killer of the natives in Gambella. They are now rushing ahead of time to meet Meles’s vision of forming the republic of greater Tigray by annexing Northern Gondar, Northern Wollo, Gambella and Benshangul to the “country” of the “golden people of Tigray”. To this end, for the Weyyanes, the Murle gangs inhuman act against our Nuer people in Gambella is action that paves the road for their “would be” republic.

7. After all, we all know that the soul of Ethiopians is nothing for Weyyane. Weyyane, a roving banding, is ruling the nation like a profit seeking colonial business firm that doesn’t care for its laborers. We all remember how the these roving mafias on the throne have handled the slaughtering of Ethiopians by the ISIS. The only “action” they have taken was to say that the “action of ISIS is condemnable, inhuman, harsh” while ISIS itself doesn’t deny the fact that its act is full of cruelty.

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The government of Ethiopia has proposed a new legislation on the use of Internet services including email and social media networks. The draft law labeled ‘Computer Crime Proclamation’, was presented to the Ethiopian Parliament on Wednesday and is expected to be approved soon.

While the text of the legislation has not been published, reports indicate that the new legislation punish spammers and mass mail distributors as well as people who share pictures and other contents through internet.

“Whosoever intentionally intimidates or threatens another person or his family with serious danger or injury by disseminating any writing, video, audio or any other image through a computer system shall be punishable, with simple imprisonment not exceeding three years or in a serious cases with rigorous imprisonment not exceeding five years” says Article 13 sub article 1 of the draft proclamation.

Following the introduction of the draft law, journalists, bloggers and human right activists are expressing their opposition against the law and are condemning the government.  They claim that the law restricts the right to freedom of expression over the internet and silence independent voices, criminalizing online activities.

Ethiopia is most repressive country in internet freedom in Africa. Over the past years, a number of websites have been censored and blocked, while internet users like journalists and bloggers have been arrested, tortured and imprisoned over the information they posted online.

According to Freedom House, broad application of the country’s 2009 anti-terrorism proclamation has served as the basis for a number of recent convictions with bloggers and journalists convicted on terrorism charges based on their online and offline writings.

Kalitipress

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The government of Ethiopia has proposed a new legislation on the use of Internet services including email and social media networks. The draft law labeled ‘Computer Crime Proclamation’, was presented to the Ethiopian Parliament on Wednesday and is expected to be approved soon.

While the text of the legislation has not been published, reports indicate that the new legislation punish spammers and mass mail distributors as well as people who share pictures and other contents through internet.

“Whosoever intentionally intimidates or threatens another person or his family with serious danger or injury by disseminating any writing, video, audio or any other image through a computer system shall be punishable, with simple imprisonment not exceeding three years or in a serious cases with rigorous imprisonment not exceeding five years” says Article 13 sub article 1 of the draft proclamation.

Following the introduction of the draft law, journalists, bloggers and human right activists are expressing their opposition against the law and are condemning the government.  They claim that the law restricts the right to freedom of expression over the internet and silence independent voices, criminalizing online activities.

Ethiopia is most repressive country in internet freedom in Africa. Over the past years, a number of websites have been censored and blocked, while internet users like journalists and bloggers have been arrested, tortured and imprisoned over the information they posted online.

According to Freedom House, broad application of the country’s 2009 anti-terrorism proclamation has served as the basis for a number of recent convictions with bloggers and journalists convicted on terrorism charges based on their online and offline writings.

 Kalitipress

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Hunger or famine games in Ethiopia?

By Alemayehu G. Mariam
USAID says there is no famine in Ethiopia, only hunger (a/k/a “severe malnutrition”, “food insecurity”, “food scarcity”, “food insufficiency”, “food deprivation”, “severe food shortages”, “chronic dietary deficiency”, “endemic malnutrition”, etc.) caused by El Nino drought.

I say there is famine, as in F-A-M-I-N-E!

In countless commentaries over the past 8 years, I have called attention to the occurrence, recurrence and flareup of famine in different parts of Ethiopia.

Is there or is there not famine in Ethiopia in April 2016?

The only people in Ethiopia who could answer that question are the people who are facing the Black Horseman of the Apocalypse straight in the eye.

They have spoken.

The people of Tigray have told USAID they are facing FAMINE as never before.

A couple of weeks ago, the people of Tigray told Jeremy Konyndyk, Director, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance that they are teetering on the verge of total collapse.

Konyndyk summarized what the people of Tigray told him:

This drought is massive.  It is the worst drought in 50 years in most of this country… When we were out in Tigray yesterday we spoke with many people living in communities there who told us  this was the worst drought they had ever seen in their lives — worse in many cases than the conditions that their areas had seen in 1983, 1984.  And yet we also know that the outcomes of this drought don’t need to look like the outcomes in 1984…” (Emphasis added.)

What were the “outcomes” in 1984?

In 1984, 32 years ago, Ethiopians in Tigray region and other parts of northern Ethiopia  faced “biblical famine”.

Today even though the people of Tigray are telling Konyndyk and USAID that they are facing “the worst drought they had ever seen in their lives” and by Konyndyk’s admission is the “worst drought in 50 years,  Konyndyk and USAID adamantly refuse  to use the “F”amine word to describe their catastrophic condition.

Is Konyndyk willfully ignorant or simply turning a deaf ear to the people of Tigray?

There is no question Konyndyk would have heard the same story if he had visited various parts of Oromia, Afar, Amhara and SNNPR regions devastated by the “drought”/famine.

Frankly, I do not know why Konyndyk did not go to the other regions.

Perhaps the T-TPLF would not allow Konyndyk  to go to the other regions. The T-TPLF probably thought  Konyndyk would go to Tigray, listen to the T-TPLF line about “very severe malnutrition”, do a photo op and come back and do a press conference at the  “5 star” Marriott Hotel in Addis Ababa.

But the people of Tigray would not lie for the T-TPLF by saying they are facing “very severe malnutrition”.  They told him the real deal. They ARE suffering from biblical FAMINE!

Wouldn’t it make sense for Konyndyk, the chief U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, to visit at least a couple of the other regions as part of a more complete  fact-gathering effort?

Perhaps Konyndyk did not bother to go to the other regions because he believed that if you have seen one “drought”/famine, you’ve seen ‘em all!

Konyndyk  and USAID talk about DROUGHT, DROUGHT, DROUGHT…?

But they never ask and answer in public the logical next question: What are the effects and consequences of DROUGHT?

Konyndyk glossed over the question in his interview. He just said the “outcomes of this [2016] drought don’t need to look like the outcomes in 1984.”

What exactly were the “outcomes” of the “drought” in 1984?

Konyndyk says Ethiopia is facing “massive drought” today, the worst in 50 years!

A massive drought in 1984-85 caused massive famine in Ethiopia. But Konyndyk wants us to believe a massive drought in 2016 is just a massive drought?

“Oh! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”

There was a time when USAID used to be able to tell the truth about drought/famine in Ethiopia.

That was three decades ago! How time flies and the Big Lie flies with time.

USAID in its “Final Disaster Report: Ethiopia Drought/ Famine, FY 1985-1986” (p. iii) told it like it was:

In 1984, the world came to know, through the nightly television news broadcasts, the tragic plight of the famine victims in Ethiopia. By the end of 1984, with nearly 8 million people In Ethiopia considered at risk of death due to starvation, appeals were made for 1.3 million metric tons of food, in addition to millions of dollars in other emergency relief supplies. The response was tremendous. (Emphasis added.)

In April 2016, Konyndyk says:

It is the worst drought in 50 years in most of this country… The figure, the estimate of the people in need of relief are about, well they exceed 10 million and that’s the current projections.  We expect that the period over the summer will be the worst period…” (Emphasis added.)

Even though Ethiopia is in “the worst drought in 50 years”, Konyndyk gags and chokes as he tries to utter the “F”amine word.

“How inexpressible is the meanness of being a hypocrite! How horrible is it to be a mischievous and malignant hypocrite?”, quizzically ruminated Voltaire.

How come the world does not see on “nightly television news broadcasts” bloated and emaciated Ethiopian children ravaged by famine?

The answer is simple: The T-TPLF has stonewalled and sandbagged all information from the famine-stricken areas.

Any journalist who reports from the famine-stricken areas will be charged under the T-TPLF’s bogus “anti-terrorism” law.

But it is not only journalists who are gagged and censored by the T-TPLF.

The T-TPLF has also delivered stern warnings  and threats to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that if they use the “F”amine or “S”tarvation words or phrases like “children are dying on a daily basis,” “the policies of the government in Ethiopia are partially to blame” in their public statements, they will be kicked out  on their tails before they can say Jack!

When will we begin to see a few smuggled photos of bloated and emaciated Ethiopian children famine victims on “nightly television news broadcasts”?

Simple. As soon as the T-TPLF allows the international media free access to the famine-stricken areas.

Konyndyk would have done American taxpayers a great service if he had brought along with him international journalists to visit Tigray region and other parts of the country to freely report on the famine/”drought”.

Is it too much to ask that USAID operate with minimal transparency in a country where it claims to be the Second Coming?

Konyndyk sat at the Addis Ababa “5-star” Marriott and fielded softball questions from representatives of international media: (How ironic! Talking about starving people hanging out at a “5 star hotel”? WOW!!!)

Paul Shem (Associated Press/ Washington Post): “A lot of aid agencies were saying about a month or two ago that there’s a chance of the food pipeline breaking down… ?”

Konyndyk: “On the food pipeline issue… We’ve also been talking with the Ethiopian government who are very keen to avoid that… I’ll defer to them on what their plans would be for covering any break [in the pipeline]…”

Really!?

Eskinder (VOA Horn of Africa Service): “I see here that the HRD [Humanitarian Requirements Document] will be updated by the Ethiopian government and its partners.  Does this mean that, we already know that there are 10.2 million people in need of emergency food assistance?

Konyndyk: “We’re still, ultimately the [Ethiopian] government sets that number and we’re supporting the government in that process.” Really?!

Just like USAID supported the propagation of the bogus 10 percent annual economic growth figure fabricated by the “government”?

Andualem Sisay (National Media Group): “My question is about lasting solution for such humanitarian crisis.  We’ve been in such a situation every three and four or five years, so what is your suggestion for a lasting solution to such crises?”

Konyndyk: “That’s a great and a really important question…  [T]his is not an every four or five-year drought.  This is an every 50 years drought…  This is an extraordinarily strong global El Nino…   Ethiopia so far has had some of the most severe weather impacts of that, but southern Africa is suffering quite a lot as well now.” (Emphasis added.)

Really!? Ethiopia is El Nino’s chosen one this time around?

By the way, USAID knows how to synchronize talking points. USAID Administrator Gayle Smith said exactly the same thing in a recent interview: “This phenomenon called El Nino, [ ] is striking hard at a number of parts of the world, [but] nowhere harder than in Ethiopia.” (Emphasis added.)

They all babble from the same talking points!

Why can’t the various members of the international media go out in the drought/famine affected areas and report on their own?

Why must they be spoon-fed information sitting comfortably at a “5-star hotel”?

Konyndyk sits at the “5-star” Addis Ababa Mariott and showers his agency, the T-TPLF, the U.N. and the other partners with self-serving commendations and complements on a job well done.

Re: the T-TPLF, Konyndyk says, “I want to convey our thanks at the top to the government of Ethiopia for hosting a very useful visit and for the broader partnership that we’ve had together for many many years and the strong partnership that we have together on this response to the drought.”

“Many, many years and the strong partnership” with the T-TPLF!

I am cool with that.

Barack Obama visited Ethiopia in July 2015 and declared the ruling T-TPLF regime (the Thugtatorship of  the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front, an organization currently classified as a terrorist group by the Global Terrorism Database,  which claimed to have won the May 2015 parliamentary elektion by 100 percent) “democratic”.

I guess that’s what strong partners do for each other. Lie through the teeth for each other.

If Barack Obama can stand in front of the world and call the T-TPLF democratic, no one should be  surprised when Konyndyk stands in front of the world and denies there is FAMINE in Ethiopia.

There is an old Ethiopian saying, “Fish stinks from the head.”

Konyndyk acknowledges, “Thanks as well to our partners from the United Nations and the NGO community who are doing really tremendous and heroic work supporting the response to this drought.”

Wouldn’t these words sound more convincing if they were said by the international media?

USAID says the cause of “hunger” (a/k/a “very severe malnutrition”, etc.)  in Ethiopia is drought caused by “El Nino” (warming of the ocean surface resulting in a shift in atmospheric circulation and reduced rainfall).

Not only is El Nino the cause, it seems, if one is to believe USAID Adminstrator Gayle E.Smith , El Nino is sent by Providence to punish Ethiopia.

I was so incensed by Smith’s nonsensical statement that I wrote a letter asking her why she thought Ethiopia was singled out by El Nino and struck harder than any other country on the planet.

I also asked Smith if she believed poor governance, lack of planning and organization by the T-TPLF is an actual cause or at least a partial proximate cause for the “drought”, or at least an aggravating factor in the causation, spread and/or persistence of the current “drought” in Ethiopia.

Smith passed my letter off to her assistant administrator to respond. In his letter, the assistant administrator tried to finesse me with bureaucratic mumbo jumbo: “First, we acknowledge that food shortages and livestock losses related to the drought are having a direct and significant impact on people’s ability to thrive.”

What happens to people who cannot “thrive” because they have absolutely nothing to eat?

I say the root cause of the persistence of famine in Ethiopia is the depraved indifference of “El T-TPLF”.

El T-TPLF  has been in the saddle of power in Ethiopia for the last 25 years. In May 2015 El T-TPLF claimed to have won 100 percent of the seats in “parliament.

In 2010, El T-TPLF claimed to have won 99.6 percent of the seats in “parliament”.

El T-TPLF has been in total control of Ethiopia for the past 6 years after rigging elections.

What has the T-TPLF done to prevent “very severe malnutrition” in Ethiopia over the past 6 years?

Not a doggone thing!

What has the T-TPLF done to deal with the effects of a “very severe malnutrition”?

Not a doggone thing!

What the T-TPLF has done is siphon off humanitarian aid and spirit it out of the country into its off shore accounts.

What the T-TPLF has done is stretch out its begging bowls year after year for international alms and handouts.

I guess not much more could be expected from Africa’s premier Baksheesh (Beggar) State.

USAID and T-TPLF in Denial-istan, Ethiopia

The T-TPLF and USAID have entered into a silent conspiracy of famine denial in Ethiopia.

They give self-congratulatory and self-laudatory interviews from Denial-istan, Ethiopia and expect the world to buy their lies, damned lies and statistics.

The T-TPLF (the “LF” in T-TPLF stands for “Lie Factory”) has been denying the occurrence of famine for at least eight years.

When the T-TPLF leaders were in the bush, famine was the all-important issue and topic. They claimed famine alleviation and prevention is their be-all and end all.

In 1985 when hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians were dying of famine, the late Meles Zenawi  said:

There is no point in fighting if the people are finished. This is the saddest time in my life. I have seen many desperate times. But none of them is as desperate as this one. Because the people I am fighting for are dying because of lack of food. They are hardworking but because of lack of support, because of lack of scientific agricultural practices these people are dying. Because of no fault of themselves. That is the toughest thing for a fighter to face. (Emphasis added.)

(Yeah, right! In 1984-86,  Meles and his crew siphoned off tens of millions of dollars earmarked for famine relief in the Tigray region to buy weapons and enrich themselves. Read all about it in my commentary  “TPLF Licensed to Steal”. That’s what I call easy money for a “tough fighter”.)

In August 2008, 17 years after sitting in power, Meles Zenawi waxed philosophical telling  Time Magazine, “Famine has wreaked havoc in Ethiopia for so long, it would be stupid not to be sensitive to the risk of such things occurring. But there has not been a famine on our watch — emergencies, but no famines.”

Meles Zenawi’s “Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development”, Mitiku Kassa,  echoed  his boss stating, “In the Ethiopian context, there is no hunger, no famine… It is baseless [to claim famine], it is contrary to the situation on the ground. It is not evidence-based. The government is taking action to mitigate the problems.”

In 2011, Meles Zenawi pompously  declared, “We have devised a plan which will enable us to produce surplus and be able to feed ourselves by 2015 without the need for food aid.” In other words, famine, starvation, severe malnutrition, etc. will be banned from Ethiopia for eternity!

In January 2012, CNN asked  Meles Zenawi: “Ethiopia is facing a major famine. How can you justify spending on a military operation in another country when your own people are starving?” Zenawi responded, “There is no famine in Ethiopia as all humanitarian organizations will tell you. There is a serious drought, but we are able to keep our people fed….”

In June 2012, USAID  reported:

The drought was considered in some parts of the region to be one of the worst in 60 years, affecting more than 13.3 million people in the Horn of Africa. The month before the official drought declaration, USAID’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) warned: ‘This is the most severe food-security emergency in the world today.’

In December 2015, T-TPLF “Deputy Prime Minister” Demeke Mekonen  said, “It is obvious that the foreign media works with different bodies of special interest. There is no such thing as famine in Ethiopia these days.”

On April 11, 2016, USAID  reported, “The projected level of relief food assistance for [Ethiopia in] 2016 is 10.2 million people.”

Does that mean 10.2 million people have nothing to eat and if handouts do not arrive on time,  a whole lot of them will die?!

Such is T-TPLF-USAID broadcasting from Denial-istan, Ethiopia. No famine! No starvation! No Nothing. Only El Nino-caused drought.

I will never forget what Meles Zenawi said in his very first press conference after parking himself comfortably in the saddles of absolute power in 1991. Meles said he would consider his “government a success if Ethiopians were able to eat three meals a day.”

Today, over 10 million Ethiopians are facing famine in the eye.

Today, the T-TPLF bosses and their cronies are living high on the hog.

Does the T-TPLF leadership today ponder on the ultimate litmus test of success set by its founder and visionary leader?

The T-TPLF leadership today does not give a rat’s behind about its dead visionary leader’s dreams of three meals a day or the millions of Ethiopian dying from FAMINE! That is a FACT!

But the famine is getting worse by the day in Ethiopia. Untold number are dying every day hidden from the world.

On April 12, 2016, Bloomberg News citing UN sources reported:

The number of Ethiopian districts identified as suffering a humanitarian emergency  increased 18 percent to 219 from December to March as the impact of drought worsened, the United Nations said.

Consecutive missed rainy seasons last year caused by the ocean-warming effects of El Nino have left about a fifth of Ethiopia’s approximately 100 million population in need of food aid. A total of 443 districts were categorized as being in at least some difficulty, up from 429 in December, the UN’s humanitarian office said Tuesday in an e-mailed bulletin.

Of those, 219 areas are defined by a “very severe lack of food security,” which may include “excess mortality, very high and increasing malnutrition, and irreversible livelihood asset depletion,” according to the government. Ethiopia comprises about 800 districts, or woredas. (Emphasis added.)

“Very severe lack of food security” sounds like, you know, F-A-M-I-N-E to me.

What could be worse than “very severe lack of food security”?

Very, very, very, very… severe lack of food security?

The “very severe lack of food security” could produce “excess mortality”.  I think that is a nice way of saying the famine (or is it drought?) is going to wipe out a whole lot of Ethiopians.

George Orwell said, “Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”

The USAID, T-TPLF and the UN are engaging in semantic gymnastics to make the 2016 famine look like 10 milloin Ethiopians are missing mid-afternoon snack.

Why are USAID, the U.N and others lying through the teeth about the FAMINE in Ethiopia?

Why?

In May 2012, I wrote a commentary entitled, “African Hunger Games at Camp David.”

In that commentary, I complained about how Meles Zenawi and his international supporters and international poverty pimps have been able to play public relations and semantic games with famine and starvation in Ethiopia.

I get it!

It is embarrassing for a regime wafting on the euphoria of a bogus “10-11 percent economic growth over the past 10 years” to admit famine.

If USAID and their international “partners” begin to use the “F” word, then the U.S. Congress may have to conduct hearings into the causes and consequences. That means accountability for USAID.

The international press would be demanding access and accountability, and all hell could break loose.

Martin Plaut in a recent article in News Statesman argued, “Ethiopia’s “biblical” famines of 1973 – 74 and 1984 – 85 left hundreds of thousands dead, probably around 200,000 and 400,000 respectively. The first resulted in the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie; the second contributed to the end of the Marxist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam.”

The T-TPLF knows it could share the fate of previous Ethiopians governments if the people find out the scope and magnitude of the FAMINE today.

That is why USAID and the T-TPLF react reflexively and defensively whenever the “F” word is mentioned. The T-TPLF  lackeys froth at the mouth condemning the international press for making “baseless” claims of famine, and castigate them for perpetuating “negative images” of the country merely because the international press insists on finding out verifiable facts about the food situation in the country.

USAID famine/hunger/ drought semantic games

USAID’s messaging and talking points on drought/famine in Ethiopia are carefully calculated to insulate and immunize the T-TPLF from any legal, moral and political responsibility for its depraved indifference to the spreading famine in Ethiopia.

USAID and the other international partners know full well the consequences of openly talking about FAMINE.

But USAID needs to know two simple facts:

1) Ethiopians are not as dumb as they look. You can stand up and tell them their lives under T-TPLF dictatorship is a democracy. But do not mistake their stony silence for stupidity. Do not insult their intelligence. Do not equate being hungry and poor with being stupid and dumb.

2) A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But famine by any other name (“very severe malnutrition”, “El Nino caused drought”, etc.) is the bitter fruit of tyranny. (Is “very severe malnutrition” a kinder and gentler word for famine?)

USAID is free to defend its T-TPLF partners, cover up and tell lies for them and do whatever they like. Emile Zola said, “If you shut up truth, and bury it underground, it will but grow.”

The seeds that sustain life may not be growing in Ethiopia, but there is a forest of truth about the T-TPLF and USAID that is growing like weeds.

How shameless of USAID not to mention a single (not one) fact about the failure of governance and the failure to adequately plan for famine/drought mitigation?

How shameless of USAID not to mention the death of a single person (one person) from the 50 year-drought!!! 

USAID thinks it can pull the wool over the eyes of Ethiopians by feeding them a steady diet of feel-good propaganda:

Thanks as well to our partners from the United Nations and the NGO community who are doing really tremendous and heroic work supporting the response to this drought.

This drought is unquestionably a disaster.  It is not necessarily a catastrophe.

It is entirely possible to ensure that we do not see severe, catastrophic outcomes due to this drought.

We have seen very clear leadership by the government of Ethiopia in tackling this drought.   I saw across the board a strong, strong political will, strong commitment to ensuring that this does not become a catastrophe.

[We can lick the famine in 2016] because we  have capacity and expertise that we did not have 30 years ago.  We have techniques and technologies we did not have.  We have specialized feeding products.

We’ve been working with the government.  The government has stepped up in a big way.  So there is a lot being done, there’s a lot that’s been achieved, there’s a lot that’s been in place.

USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team to help prevent the drought in Ethiopia from becoming a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe. (Is a “full-blown humanitarian catastrophe” FAMINE?!

Why can’t USAID use the word FAMINE? “The 2016 drought in Ethiopia could become a full blown FAMINE.”

J’accuse USAID!

USAID’s approach to famine prevention and mitigation in Ethiopia is HANDOUTS and MORE HANDOUTS.

The Indian economics Nobel laureate Amartya Sen argued that the best way to avert famines is by institutionalizing democracy and strengthening human rights: “No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy” because democratic governments “have to win elections and face public criticism, and have strong incentive to undertake measures to avert famines and other catastrophes.” Famines are kept hidden from public view by jailing opposition leaders, journalists and civic society advocates who could sound the alarm over an impending famine. That isexactly what is happening in Ethiopia today!

Barack Obama last July stood up in Addis Ababa and declared the T-TPLF is a “democratic government.” In his defense, he did not say a “functioning” democracy.

A non-functioning democracy is a thugmocracy. (That is what you get when you cross a thugocracy with democracy or when thugs hijack democracy.)

The T-TPLF is a thugmocracy.

The truth about famine in Ethiopia is occasionally told by honest members of the international donors and loaners.

In 2011, Wolfgang Fengler, a lead economist for the World Bank, in a refreshingly honest moment  for an international banker said, “The famine in the Horn of Africa is a result of artificially high prices for food and civil conflict than natural and environmental causes. This crisis is manmade. Droughts have occurred over and again, but you need bad policymaking for that to lead to a famine.” (Emphasis added.)

In other words, it is bad and poor governance that is at the core of the famine problem in Ethiopia, not drought, El Nino or El Nina.

Penny Lawrence, Oxfam’s international director, after visiting Ethiopia observed: “Drought does not need to mean hunger and destitution. If communities have irrigation for crops, grain stores, and wells to harvest rains then they can survive despite what the elements throw at them.”

Martin Plaut, BBC World Service News Africa editor explained that the food “crisis [in Ethiopia] is in part the result of policies designed to keep farmers on the land, which belongs to the state and cannot be sold.”

So the obvious questions are:

Why does a regime that has rejected socialism and is presumably committed to a free market economy insist on complete state ownership of land?

Why is there not an adequate system of irrigation for crops, grain storages and wells to harvest rains throughout the country?

What is the T-TPLF’s food security policy for Ethiopia?

Meles Zenawi said Ethiopia will not need food aid by 2015? Is that T-TPLF’s food policy?

In a 1992 article, Prof. Edmond J. Keller argued:

The ‘Great Famine of 1983-86’ was exacerbated by the ill-conceived  policies of the Derg. Because of climatic changes, the drought of that period was bound to be major, but under other circumstances its effects might have been mitigated through effective policies and timely foreign disaster relief. But the Ethiopian [Derg] regime seemed more interested in pursuing a  political agenda of statist control rather than a strategy designed to achieve food security.

Today, the T-TPLF  is more concerned about a political agenda of total statist land ownership and  land grabbing and land giveaways than a strategy designed to achieve food security by ensuring land security.

USAID cannot save El T-TPLF from accountability for famine in Ethiopia by blaming El Nino.

J’accuse USAID!

USAID! Stop insulting the intelligence of the people of Ethiopia as you watch them perish in famine.

Man up USAID!

If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, IT MUST BE A DUCK!

If it looks like famine, feels like famine and kills like famine, IT MUST BE FAMINE.

That is food for thought at USAID.

I will make USAID an offer they can’t refuse:

If USAID stops telling lies about the non-existence of famine in Ethiopia, I will stop telling the truth about USAID’s El Nino and severe malnutrition lies in Ethiopia.

Deal?!

The post USAID Hunger Games in Ethiopia (Al Mariam) appeared first on Satenaw.

Death toll rises from cross-border cattle raid as government says more than 100 children were taken by attackers.

18 Apr 2016 07:58 GM

By Sunday afternoon, the number had risen to “208 dead and 75 people wounded” from a figure of 140 a day earlier, government spokesman Getachew Reda told the Reuters news agency.

Women and children were among the dead, he said, adding that the assailants had also taken 2,000 head of livestock.

“Ethiopian Defence Forces are taking measures. They are closing in on the attackers,” Getachew said.

The attack happened on Friday in the Horn of Africa nation’s Gambela region which, alongside a neighbouring province, hosts more than 284,000 South Sudanese refugees who have fled a conflict in that country.

Getachew earlier told Al Jazeera that Ethiopian forces had killed 60 of the attackers and would cross the border into South Sudan to pursue the assailants if necessary.

No government link

Cross-border cattle raids have happened in the same area in the past, often involving Murle tribesmen from South Sudan’s Jonglei and Upper Nile regions – areas awash with weapons that share borders with Ethiopia.

Previous attacks, however, were smaller in scale.

The attackers are not believed to have links with South Sudanese government troops or rebel forces who fought the government in Juba in a civil war that ended with a peace deal signed last year.

South Sudanese officials were not immediately available for comment.

Under pressure from neighbouring states, the United States, the United Nations and other powers, South Sudan’s feuding sides signed an initial peace deal in August and agreed to share out ministerial positions in January.

Source: Reuters

The post Ethiopia attack: 200 people dead, 100 children missing appeared first on Satenaw.

• Dozens of migrants have reportedly drowned whilst crossing to Europe 
• Over 400 migrants, mainly from Somalia, were aboard the capsized vessels
• The boats were travelling from Egypt to Italy when the tragedy happened
• For the latest on the refugee crisis visit www.dailymail.co.uk/refugeecrisis

By TOM WYKE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 19:15 EST, 17 April 2016 |

Dozens of African migrants have reportedly drowned after a boat carrying 400 people capsized in the Mediterranean Sea.  Most of the 400 migrants aboard the boat were fleeing from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea and had been hoping to reach Italy.

Somali media reports say that rescue workers have only managed to save 29 passengers from the waters after the shocking incident. Over 400 migrants are thought to have drowned, the Somali ambassador in Egypt told BBC Arabic

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/

The post More than 400 migrants drown in the Mediterranean after four overcrowded boats capsized whilst crossing from Egypt to Italy appeared first on Satenaw.

Ethiopians

In my previous article, “Refugees in The United States,” I appealed to Ethiopians to rally together in attempt to save Ethiopian immigrants detained here in the state of Florida.  The Oromo Community of Tampa Bay, Ethiopian community members, and Kefyalew Fekade of Miami, organized a massive campaign to save these desperate individuals from deportation.

On behalf of the Oromo Community and Ethiopian Community members, I would like to thank www.zehabesha.com  for promptly publishing the previous article “Refugees in United States.” I also thank Mr. Tamagn Beyene and Dr. Aklog Birara of Global Alliance, Mr. Shibabaw of Tampa, and the Odaa Self Help Association members for the quick and critical financial support they pledged/provided in support of this cause.

I am confident that many of our people have been made aware of the 16 individuals currently detained in the Broward Transitional Center and Krome Detention Facility in Florida. The situation has been extensively reported on ESAT radio, OMN (Oromia Media Network), and in online publications. Tragically, countless Ethiopians in similar plights have been deported in the past, facing horrific consequences. We call on the US government and international humanitarian organizations to investigate the state of these individuals, and hold the Ethiopian government accountable for violations of their human rights. The hope is that the group currently in Florida will avoid deportation and the fate of their predecessors. I continue to believe that we have a moral obligation to stand up in support of our countrymen as they face persecution, detention, and death from the Ethiopian government if deported.

Ethiopia 

The Ethiopian government is controlled by incompetent, unqualified dummies who obtained their positions based on loyalty to the TPLF junta and EPDRF. Dedication to the rights of its people and enforcement of laws to protect its citizens does not exist; as everyone from doctors to students; from farmers to businessmen; have been terrorized in their own country for the last 25 years. Those in power are taking the country on extremely dangerous path in order to satisfy their personal greed and financial gain.  Educated citizens are barred from key government positions, and blind followers are recruited into the military to kill their own people. The regime is both dangerous and powerful, committing terrorist acts against Ethiopian citizens both at home and abroad.

Western Hypocrisy

It is difficult, if not impossible, to believe that the US government is not aware of the fate awaiting Ethiopian citizens seeking asylum if deported back to their country. In the most recent “election”, the current government of mannequin prime minister, Haile Mariam Desalegn, claimed victory with 100% of the votes. To any observer, it is clear that opposition is silenced, nonexistent, and there is no democratic process or governance in that country. During a recent interview, US National Security Adviser Susan Rice couldn’t help but laugh when questioned about legitimacy of the election, then illustrating how ridiculous the notion of fairness is within the Ethiopian government. However, the European Union and US Governments were “largely silent” during the elections; instead choosing to celebrate a “peaceful election.”

President Obama’s visit to Ethiopia in 2015 was largely protested by Oromo and Ethiopian Americans; fearing that without addressing human rights issues, the visit simply legitimizes the authoritarian regime and its atrocious acts. During the joint press conference in Addis Ababa on 27 July 2015, President Obama described the Ethiopian regime as a “a democratically elected” government, while Human Rights organizations have extensively reported on the arbitrary arrests of opposition leaders and journalist.  None of these issues were discussed during the president’s visit in which he toasted Champagne with offending government officials. Indeed, billions of dollars continue to be given to Ethiopia from their US, UK, and European allies for “aid,” seemingly in support of a regime that is allowed to render its terrorized citizens voiceless. By allowing the horror to continue, Western governments are simply enabling and arming the regime while ignoring laughing at the victims subjected to the atrocities of the regime.

Could it be true that democracy is not the priority of these governments as claimed? Western leaders appear to speak strongly about human rights and democratic freedom, but actions tell a different story entirely

Ethiopian Government: Terrorist??

According to the 16 Ethiopian detainees, Ethiopian government agents are terrorizing them without consequence from ICE or DHS officials. We would like to ask the Justice and State Departments to launch an investigation into this matter. While the Ethiopian regime kills, tortures, and displaces its helpless people at home, it then works tirelessly to recover those who flee from its tyranny. In contrast, there are countries that go so far as to hire attorneys and help their nationals secure freedom.

The other example of this regimes terrorist activity is the case of Mr. Andargachew Tsige, a UK citizen illegally kidnapped, abused and tortured. Mr. Tsige continues to be held nearly 2 years later without consequence to the Ethiopian government. If Mr. Tsige was a citizen of Russia or Israel, Ethiopia wouldn’t dare oppose demands for his release.

Our People

Sadly, the Ethiopian junta has been successful in its campaign to divide the people of Ethiopia into clashing segments. By instigating conflict, the regime ensures that interethnic groups do not unite, leaving them weaker than if they rallied together.

According to Reuters News Agency, Ethiopian officials said on Saturday that gunmen from South Sudan had crossed the border, killed 140 people and abducted more than 39 children. The Ethiopian government has no regard for the lives of these poor citizens.

As recently as 2015, government security forces burned down businesses owned by Amharas in the Oromo region and blamed it on Oromos; inciting hate and distrust between the groups. Discord is then encouraged using propaganda on TV, radio and other media- spreading deceptively democratic messages spewing hatred and fear.

To reward the Ethiopian regime with ethnic dispute is to augment its power to terrorize. When Oromo farmers are evicted and forced to become beggars on their own land, Amhara people sit idly by. When Amhara people face similar injustice, Oromo people also turn away. With such discord, the regime can easily crush any uprising, and feels confident that the groups will continue to allow each other to suffer violence and maltreatment. If Oromo and Amhara citizens came together, their objections would come from a much stronger opposing force.

Oromo people from around the world are gathering in Washington DC on April 19th for the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission briefing. This campaign was organized to push human rights issues and stop the madness in this Ethiopia. This cause affects all Ethiopians; not only the Oromo who have been active thus far. The Woyane reign of terror cannot be stopped until all Ethiopians stand together and demand justice for all.

Call To Action

Today we fight for the 16 endangered individuals we have identified in Florida. There are surely more in need of assistance across the United States. I am calling on all Ethiopians to come together, to unite, to use every resource available- and locate and support our countrymen in need across the US. I would encourage courageous individuals to initiate their own campaigns to save our people not only in the US, but throughout the world. We have seen ISIS executions of Ethiopians in Libya. Shame on us! It is obvious that our government is incompetent; but at least we, the Diaspora, who have freedoms our fellow Ethiopians do not, should come together and speak for those in need. We should lobby the UN and peace-loving countries to stand with us and help resolve the issues in Ethiopia. Our mission is to save Ethiopians from Ethiopia’s thuggish regime.

For this campaign, contributions of any amount are gratefully accepted, and can be directed to: https://www.gofundme.com/ethiopiandetainees  This fund has been set up by the Oromo and Ethiopian Communities of Tampa Bay and Mr. Kefyalew in Miami.

By Lalisaa Hiikaa: focatampabay@gmail.com

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VIDEO Boat with 400 migrants mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia capsizes off Egypt coast

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From Students Movement to Semayawi (Blue) Party- ESUNA – SBS Amharic

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After reading my recent articles, a colleague thought that writing about the leadership gaps and accusing of our culture as the root cause for our major troubles at this very critical moment is a distraction from the main thing. For him, the main thing is removing TPLF by all means with a sense of urgency. After a thorough discussion, we finally reached a common understanding. We agreed that these articles aren’t diversions but rather alarms and necessities if our desire is to quicken our struggle in bringing a regime change, and most importantly to enjoy a lasting peace, democracy, and the rule of law in post TPLF Ethiopia. Yet, it occurred to me that many other readers might have felt the same. So, I decided to write a couple of articles to clarify the need to reform our culture, and develop the capacity of our contemporary & future leaders before releasing my articles on bridging the leadership gaps, which I promised at the end of my last article. We all may agree that, while TPLF is in power and continuing to implement its faulty policies, it’s unlikely to bring true democracy and freedom in Ethiopia. Thus, in principle, I concurred with my critic that removing TPLF must be the first priority. But, it’s possible that we can carryout multiple synergetic efforts simultaneously toward the main thing. While some of us engage in fighting at the political battlefronts, the rest of us should participate in the change process in the areas of our passion and using our talents and experiences at multiple other fronts. When we engage in such a coordinated manner, that is when TPLF is unable to stand the pressures, and then give way to the change whose time has long overdue. Hence, we don’t necessarily need to abandon everything else and put all of our eggs in one basket, especially knowing that TPLF has been working hard day and night in changing our centuries old culture in order to divide and conquer, overcome resistance against its ethnic-apartheid style rule, corrupt our productive citizens, and effectively promote its own other sinister agendas.

TPLF has been waging wars at multiple fronts since its jungle days. Once it took power, it has been using state machineries such as the police, military, security apparatuses, economy, media, and the education system to maintain its dominance at every front. It invests hundreds of millions of dollars per year toward lobbying so as to silence international pressures. It wholesales not only our lands but also give away our national interests to appease, and in turn put neighboring countries in its pocket. It squashes its opponents mercilessly using every available means, and also do so many additional ugly things while busy reforming our culture to make it susceptible, and then, unable to withstand its menacing plots against Ethiopia and its people. Why then should we disregard all other facades and focus on one front? This approach is faulty at many levels. For one, it has been tried for decades and didn’t bring satisfactory results, and why then should we do it again and again and expect a different result? As Albert Einstein put it beautifully, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is insanity”. Second, TPLF continues to have a field day since it could easily squash our ‘one basket filled with multitudes of eggs’. Third, the problems we face are deep and multifaceted that requires manifold synergetic moves.

Thus, we should discontinue our insanity, self-examine, evaluate our past, learn some lessons, drop those things that haven’t delivered, and come up with new ones that could bring lasting transformation. The latter, however, cannot happen without reforming our culture. Culture is the god of its inhabitants. The ways we think, behave, communicate, decide, act, and interact are molded by our culture. So far, these couldn’t help us get ride of tyranny, bring lasting peace, stability, cooperation, economic and technology advancements. We continue to experience conflict, further disintegration, chronic famine, and corruption. We’re known worldwide as one of the poorest countries in the world regardless of our abundant natural resources, great people, and rich history and so many golden cultural attributes. Unfortunately, we keep doing the same things again and again that failed us overcome these dire situations.  Shouldn’t we stop and ask ourselves why these vicious circles continue to exist regardless of our continuous efforts to change them?

Let me share with you one of the vicious circles that I shared with my colleague. Many patriotic Ethiopians in the Diaspora have done their best to contribute their share in bringing democracy in Ethiopia since the late 60’s. Some of them sacrificed so many things toward this cause and died without witnessing the realization of their dream. Many others are still fighting one regime after another in the past several years without any meaningful outcomes- one tyranny replaces another, and the struggle continues against the latest and worst tyrant. These patriots fought the feudal regime boldly hoping that its downfall would bring a lasting change including going back to their native country. Their dream cut short when Derg took power. They didn’t have any choice except to continue fighting. Their frustration turned into a nightmare when a racist and divisive- a more repressive junta- substituted the military regime. The fight is still on with a sense of urgency; more of our people are leaving the motherland and going to very volatile places, let alone those of us who are already in exile to return. The question is: what has been missing? Rather, first, what has been the constant? Fighting one dictatorial regime after another with laser-focused attention has been there but without any significant outcome. What has been missing was the ability to invest our talent, time, and resources to carryout other background things at multiple fronts so that dictatorship wouldn’t have any room after a regime change.

It shouldn’t be our destiny to continue fighting one tyrannical government after another throughout our life. We need to reform our culture so that it repels, starves, and punishes tyrants. The present-day matured democracies inherited a stable culture that doesn’t entertain dictatorship because they had configured their culture by adopting the right constitution and designing a governing system that has checks and balances at various levels. They made sure their education system nurtures the culture; their arts, music, and media promote those values that are pillars to their culture such as individual liberty, freedom of expression, and the rule of law. They formulated their legal system to protect these values. They also built their armies and law enforcement bodies in such a way that their loyalty is to the constitution, which is the embodiment of these values. We may not need to copy and paste everything from them but one thing we must learn, if our desire is to enjoy the freedom, liberty, and democracy they have been enjoying is to reform our culture one step at a time the way it fits our objective conditions on the ground. But, culture cannot easily be reformed overnight. It takes years, sometimes decades. The right place to begin the reform is raising leaders (rather, change agents), at all levels, in different industries (politics, business, NGO, religion, academics, art, media, etc.). We should raise, promote, encourage, and reward those that detest dictatorship; those who won’t be tempted to promote the domination of one group over the others; and those whose preoccupation is serving, not becoming parasites.

That is why, as much as the political front is important and urgent, so is working on our culture and leadership capacity building. Abraham Lincoln said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Bridging the leadership gaps, reforming our culture, and other background works are like sharpening the axe, and are critical to chop down the bad tree- TPLF, and some elements in our culture that allow tyrants to flourish. After TPLF, we should make sure that another generation wouldn’t go to the jungle to bring regime change, migrate to save their lives, and pursue their freedom somewhere on foreign lands. This vicious circle must stop in this generation. As intelligent, hardworking, and God fearing people, we must reflect, learn from our past, take some lessons, continue to implement those approaches that worked and change those that failed us, and project into the future and make sure that the next change won’t be the same. While fighting at the political battlefronts, we must raise the capacity of, first, our leaders, and then our people. We need capable, empowered, and extraordinary change agents to lead the cultural reform. It’s possible but it takes humility, open heart, ready minds, and committed souls. Are you one of them?

We must stop doing things haphazardly (BeZemecha). Let’s also stop acting like a fire brigade J. We’re good at coming out to tackle a problem once it reaches a tipping point. Once the threat subsides, we go back to our routine, and hibernate until another emergency situation awakens us. We need to wage deliberate, calculated, effective battles at multiple fronts, and measure our progress frequently and if necessary make amends quickly. Let’s have continuous, civilized, and inclusive discussions to have a shared vision, and a culture that is conducive to realize this vision. Let’s continue to engage in informative, participatory, and productive debates to shape the future of Ethiopia NOW. Let’s be open and entertain diverse ideas about the kinds of constitution, federal system, and development policies we need so that the shared vision may come to fruition. These and many other activities at multiple fronts should begin NOW. We don’t need to wait until TPLF is gone to do these things. Lastly, as Albert Einstein said, we must know that “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Whatever thinking, approaches, and systems we have had in the past brought us here. If we don’t like where we are NOW, we must change the former. If our genuine desire is to experience different kinds of results than what we have had so far, let’s stop doing the same things again and again. Most importantly, let’s stop the restlessness, and begin anew. Some of the activities that are running in the Diaspora are genuine. But, many of these are limited in scope while the rest are without wide array of support. Still others are staged and for the purpose of creating sound bites. What we need is broader, coordinated, and unscripted approaches led by change agents from various industries. That is when we begin to experience lasting transformation through cultural reform and leadership development. As promised, I’ll continue to write articles on these themes. My articles are aimed at provoking our thoughts, and igniting further debates (not to distract). My hope is that our community organizations may take these two things (reforming our culture, and raising change agents) seriously, establish institutions, design programs, recruit and train the trainers, arrange conferences, workshops, mentoring programs, and organize practical volunteer opportunities, and so on. Stay tuned!

[1] Dr. Assegid Habtewold is an organizational and leadership development expert. Assegid can be reached at ahabtewold@yahoo.com

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20 Ethiopian Political and Civic organizations write to WHO board of directors in opposition to the candidacy of Tedros Adhanom to the post of Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dear Matsoso:

We are a diverse group of Ethiopian Diaspora organizations from all parts of the world, working in the field of human rights. We write in opposition to the candidacy of Tedros Adhanom, Ph.D. for the post of Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) and respectfully urge you to reject his candidacy.

Tedros Adhanom

As the face of that government, Dr. Adhanom did not lend confidence as a public health figure while he served as the Minster of Health in Ethiopia. As outlined in this letter, his tenure as head of the Federal Ministry of Health was fraught with mismanagement, incompetence and in particular to the monies granted from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria, resulted in an audit by the Office of the Inspector General.Dr. Adhanom’s nomination as the sole candidate representing Africa is not only an insult to Ethiopia but to all Africans. His candidature must be read in the context of the political, social and economic policies of the government of Ethiopia that he represents. He has served as the Minister of Health from 2005 – 2012 and currently serves as the Foreign Minister for the government of Ethiopia. One need only to scan the various reports from international organizations to gain an understanding of the human rights tragedies ever present in Ethiopia as a direct result of the policies of the Ethiopian government. Dr. Adhanom is a member of the inner circle of a ruling party whose leadership style is antithetical to democracy and respect for the rule of law. Lack of free elections in more than two decades, a fact that has been documented by numerous organizations and governments, serves as prima facie evidence of a repressive regime.

Therefore, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which an individual with such a compromised resume would be a candidate worthy of serious consideration for the immensely respected and extremely consequential position of the Director General of the WHO.

Minister of Health—Ethiopia (2005-2012)

In 2008, under his watch there was a major cholera outbreak in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region. An investigative report published by the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health paints a disturbing picture of a deliberate inaction on the part of Dr. Adhanom in the face of the tragic health crisis that was rapidly claiming so many lives. Chief among the findings were:

1- Despite laboratory identification of V cholerae as the cause of the acute watery diarrhea (AWD), the Government of Ethiopia decided not to declare a “cholera outbreak” for fear of economic repercussions resulting from trade embargos and decreased tourism.

2- The government, in disregard of International Health Regulations, continually refused to declare a cholera epidemic and largely declined international assistance.

3- The failure to acknowledge a cholera outbreak had several important implications. First, it meant that the WHO could not assume responsibility for managing the epidemic because this requires that the state declare a cholera outbreak and request assistance. Under the WHO International Health Regulations, 2005, cholera is considered a disease “with demonstrated ability to cause serious public health impact and to spread rapidly internationally.”

As a signatory to this agreement, the Government of Ethiopia had the obligation to report the outbreak because cholera is not endemic to the country. Second, without official declaration of a cholera outbreak, there was a delay in accessing donor funds. Declaration of a cholera outbreak might have resulted in a much more vigorous international response, and resources might have been mobilized much more rapidly. Also, refusing to acknowledge a cholera epidemic weakens the chances for ongoing surveillance to recognize the potential for cholera endemicity in the region.

4- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported unacceptably high case fatality rates (in 3 of the 5 affected Oromia zones (Guji, East Shewa, and Bale).

In a July 2008 Press Release titled “Health risks add to crisis in Ethiopia,” Dr. Eric Laroche, Assistant Director-General for WHO’s Health Action in Crises said, “In humanitarian terms, the situation is unacceptable. The health of millions of Ethiopians is worsening by the day, and the international community must act to support the country’s government to ease this terrible suffering.”

It is an incontrovertible fact that the Ministry of Health under the under the stewardship of Dr. Tedros Adhanom deliberately failed to contain the crisis and was directly responsible for the death of thousands of Ethiopian citizens. His action smacks not only of gross incompetence but outright criminality.

It defies common sense that such a compromised individual responsible for the tragic and unnecessary loss of so many lives in one country should even be considered as a viable candidate to run the World Health Organization.

Audit of funds from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM)

While Dr. Adhanom served as the head of the Federal Ministry of Health, his office was a recipient of funds from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria. In 2010, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), a body commissioned to audit and investigate Countries receiving Funds from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), conducted an audit of Ethiopia. It is important to note that audits and investigations are performed when a specific risk is identified in countries GFATM programs operate and/or due to a unanimous or open whistle blowing. In Ethiopia, both were found to be the reason which prompted the investigation into the funds (USD 1,306,035,989) allocated to Ethiopia.

Chief among the findings of the audit report were:

1) Misappropriation of Funds and use of donor funds for unsound and politically motivated programs

2) Substandard quality of constructed health facilities by diverting funds which were budgeted for other activities including procuring drugs for patients and prevention activities.

3) Ineligible expenditure

4) Weaknesses in accounting systems and delaying internal and in-country audits

5) Inadequacies in internal audit and lack of organizational independence 6) Principal Recipient (PR) Governance.

The OIG concluded that “the Global Fund grants have been successful in increasing coverage for the three diseases. At the time of audit, there was weak implementation of PMTCT reflected in poor performance against grant targets. A total of USD 165,393,027 was spent on Health Centre construction, resulting in over expenditure of USD57,851, 941 or 54% against the approved budget for health facility renovation. There was inadequate control in place to assure quality and effective use of the constructed health facilities. From the audit findings, the OIG could not provide assurance that oversight arrangements ensured that grant funds are used for the purpose intended. It was the recommendation of the OIG that the Ethiopian government should refund USD 7,026,929 to the Global Fund.

Minister of Foreign Affairs—Ethiopia (2012 to present)

As a politburo member of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that has been ruling Ethiopia for the last 24 years Dr. Adhanom is closely associated with a regime well known for its systemic patterns of political repression and egregious human rights violations against Ethiopian citizens.

The abysmal human rights record of the Ethiopian government is very well documented by all the major international rights groups (Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Freedom House) including in the U.S. State Department annual human rights report.

In considering Dr. Adhanom’s candidacy for Director General, we implore you to take the following factors into account regarding the human rights situation in Ethiopia.

• the violent repression of attempts at peaceful protests;
• the recent mass killings of over 400 Oromo civilians some as young as 8 years old.
• the 100 million denizens of Ethiopia that are suffering from systematic political and economic repression;
• the draconian Charities and Societies Proclamation and Anti-Terrorism laws specifically created to stifle dissent.
• the imprisoned journalists whose incarceration has made Ethiopia the second worst jailer of journalists in Africa according to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ);
• the widespread attacks on freedom of expression and information, including censorship, control of news and information, and the closure of newspapers.
• the political activists who are victims of imprisonment, torture and rape;
• the prominent political leaders who are victims of harsh imprisonment and torture with their members continually harassed and intimidated by government security forces.

the Ethiopian Muslim community and religious leaders who have been unjustly incarcerated under the Anti-Terrorism Law for demanding that the Ethiopian government stops interfering in their religious affairs.

Dr. Adhanom’s election to lead WHO will effectively put a seal of approval on the gross and systematic abuses of the repressive regime in Ethiopia. It will allow the regime to claim a victory that Dr. Adhanom’s selection to lead a prestigious organization such as WHO is evidence of its respect for human rights and compliance with international standards and further embolden it to continue its shameful behavior towards its own people.

The candidate for Director General of a prestigious organization such as the WHO should not only be a person of high personal achievement but should also embody the highest adherence to internationally recognized human rights standards. Regretfully,

Dr. Adhanom’s record as a member of the ruling party in Ethiopia and specifically his record as Minister of Health does not meet the exceedingly high standards required for a Director General of the WHO. While we would be excited and proud to have a candidate representing Africa, we believe it would behoove us to promote a candidate whose track record doesn’t include policies which led to a deadly Cholera outbreak in 2008 and are leading to an impending famine in 2016.

It is inconceivable that failure at improving the health outcomes of one country and mismanagement of funds obtained from an organization such as the GFATM should result in one’s candidature for the leading health organization of the world.

Consequently because of the aforementioned reasons, we respectfully urge you to reject Dr. Adhanom’s candidacy for the post in the 2017 election.

Representatives of the coalition are available to meet with you or your staff should you have any questions regarding the concerns we have expressed regarding the candidacy of Dr. Tedros Adhanom.

We appreciate your consideration regarding this very important issue.

With assurances of our highest respect,

Ethiopian Advocacy Network

Ethiopiawinnet: Council for the Defense of Citizen Rights

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Leaders

Ethiopian Muslim Religion Leaders (First Hijrah)

Ethiopian Protestant Religion Leaders

United Ethiopian Muslims Peaceful Movement Support Group

Patriotic Ginbot 7 United

Oromo Liberation Front

All Amhara People’s Organization

Moresh Wegene Amhara Organization

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party

Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia

DC Area Ethiopian Community Joint Task Force

Netsanet Le Ethiopia

Ethiopian Constitutional Monarchy

Ethiopian National Transitional Council

International Ethiopian Women Organization

Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners

Former Ethiopian Defense and Police Force Veterans Association

Netsanet Radio

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The president of the United States of America,

Dear President Obama,

I am a son of a poor farmer who sustains his family in subsistence agriculture and still is. I am the son of that farmer, who did not try to change the life of his father, nor that of his own, believing from the outset that, it is when societal, political and economic problems are properly dealt with first that we can prosper as a nation or as a family. Mr. President, I am the son of that farmer, who tried to peruse his dream to change the conditions of his people to the better since my university campus days as a student leader and later on as an opposition politician before finally finding myself labeled a terrorist by the Ethiopian regime. I am sentenced to life imprisonment and languishing in the worst prison in Ethiopia, Kaliti Prison.

Mr. PREDIDENT, I am a “terrorist” who takes pride in his country as a cradle of mankind(as you have witnessed yourself when you visited Lucy), ancient civilization, home of Gedda Democracy , one of the only two countries in Africa never colonized, and the only country in the whole black Africa with its own alphabet. I am also a terrorist who takes pride in what our great grandmother and fathers accomplished at the battle of Adwa 120 years ago. As you know, the victory of Adwa was a landmark event for the people of Africa under the yoke of colonialism and people of African origin all over the world. I also take pride in my country’s “midwifery” role when African countries fought against colonialism.

I am also a terrorist who deeply feels disgusted and disgraced by the abject poverty, recurrent drought, famine, and age-old civil war that claimed the lives of our youth in great number for a long time now; and the prevailing pervasive undemocratic system of governance in my country. I am also a terrorist who accepts non-violent struggle as a religion and employs it to uproot dictatorship, which I believe, is a major source of our problems.

Mr. President, you said, “Ethiopians are tough fighters”. Yes, when it comes to defending the sovereignty of our country from aggressors, we are tough fighters. Sadly enough, however, we could not repeat it when it comes to defending our sovereignty from our own dictators. The Ethiopian people fought nail and teeth against the Derg military junta for 17 years, and it seemed to most of us that its downfall would herald the dawn of democracy in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, however, we cannot still have a government of different breed. We languish under the quagmire of repression since the last 25 years now. However, we are not sitting with crossed hands. As the battle of Adwa inspired people under colonialism and repressive regimes to fight for their rights, some of us were also inspired by the non-violent struggles of the people of India and the civil rights movement in America, tried to emulate it here for the cause of democracy.

During the 2005 Ethiopian National Elections, it seemed that our effort was to bear fruit, however our hope was shattered when the dictatorial regime rigged the elections. Even worse, the crackdown of the regime on the opposition was so rampant that leaders of the major opposition parties like the then Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), which I was one of its leaders, presumably winner of the elections, were thrown to jail along with thousands of members and supporters. The obstruction of democracy by the regime was so evident that the international community  in general and the European election observing mission in particular denounced the sordid immoral deeds of the regime, however, the backpedalling of the regime was not easily reversible.

It was during this time, my first incarceration, that I was introduced to your brand new ideas in a given magazine. After twenty months of imprisonment, paradoxically about 24 of us were sentenced to life imprisonment but were soon released on pardon. After my release, I was married to the love of my life, Dr. Selam  Aschale. During the subsequent four years that I spent out of jail, we were blessed with two boys Ruh and Nolawi. I had however, somehow sensed that I was bringing to this world children that I cannot raise. The day to day surveillance was an omen to what was to come. However deep in my heart I believed and still believe that it is an honorable thing to die in prison than to lead a docile and capitulated life in the face of brutal dictatorship.

During the post release years, I was lucky enough to witness your first campaign to the office of president of United States of America. I watched almost all your debates Live. I love Soccer Mr. President, but I would be dishonest, if I say I enjoyed it more than I did your debates.  Knowing full well that what I do does not count, I joined millions of your supporters and I was one of the recipients of your e-mail updates. I listened to the acceptance speech of your and Senator John McCain Live. To be quite honest Mr. President, I was deeply moved by your country’s beautiful democratic tradition, my heartfelt yearning for the same thing to take place in my own country.

Yearning for democracy of your type is an unforgivable sin in my country Ethiopia. As Mrs. Rosa Parks was arrested because of her refusal to relinquish her seat and was fined 14 dollars, I was arrested when I was serving my party, the Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) as its Vice President and Head of Public Relations Department for the cause of democracy and justice in Ethiopia. I was labeled a terrorist and sentenced to life imprisonment once again. I have been languishing in the worst prison condition even by Ethiopia’s standard for four and half years now. While staring at a sky as small as a palm, my mind wanders everywhere, and keeps on contemplating all sorts of things. I now and then ask myself in Kaliti prison, find refuge in the purity of my cause and intentions, and sleep in peace despite prison ordeal. I think of my wife, in particular my sons, who are growing without a father figure. The first, Ruh was three years old and on his first day of school and Nolawi was ten months old when I was sent into prison.

On your book, the Audacity of Hope, page 72, you discussed how you felt about your daughters and mentioned about other senators who have young families trying to discharge your responsibilities while your family is somewhere else. Mr. President, I hope you feel the pain of injustice inflicted on my family, especially on my children. My sons and the children of many Ethiopian journalists and politicians, who are behind bars are asking different endless questions that they could not find answers to, such as why their fathers don’t come home for so long. Mr. President I don’t want to waste your time by delving into torturing questions that my sons were raising for the last four and half years.

Mr. president, to what extent are people represented even in democracies I believe is a difficult question to easily find an answer, let alone in a country like Ethiopia where elections are used as a camouflage to perpetuate the quarter of a century  dictatorial rule. Even if the camouflage was unmasked during the 2005 Ethiopian National elections, the regime “won” the elections 99.6% and that of the 2015 elections, which it won 100% and it is preaching that the sun of democracy is shining like daybreak in Ethiopia. The world is more than ready to be deceived. Even you, your excellence, during your visit to Ethiopia you were heard saying that the ruling party is popular. Do you really mean it Mr. President?

           “All men are equal”

As your founding fathers wonderfully put it Mr. President all of us are created equal. Whether “the poorest of the poor” in a street or “the king of kings” in a palace, we all are created equal in God’s own image. Hence, we all deserve to be fairly treated. No one is created to be subjugated to anyone’s rule under any circumstance. Mr. President, no one can deny your eloquence and that you have beautifully addressed the issue of democracy and justice during your first campaign to the office of the president of the United States of America. You have also poignantly written about it in your book the Audacity of Hope. Your debates and success have made us believe that anything is possible so long as we are ready to avail what it takes. However, those of us in Africa, I don’t think are touched by your practice as by your speeches.

Whether in a far off country like Ethiopia or neighboring countries like Cuba, whether the relationship is economically viable or not, a true alliance between countries should be based on the sovereign right of the people.  As you very well understand, I don’t think this is the case between Ethiopia and the United States. Where is your “clenched fist” Mr. president when the people of Ethiopia are forced to walk it? I heard you admonish our leaders during your state visit in Ethiopia. Is that all what the president of the United States of America could do to help the people of Ethiopia in their fight for justice and democracy?

Mr. President, I believe that you will go down in history as one of the greatest American presidents. I, as well, believe that what you have accomplished in your two terms tenure as the President of the United States is remembered in history as the first President of the United States of America with African origin who did little or nothing to help Africans in their fight for democracy and justice. From the outset, Mr. President many people had doubted if your rhetoric will not matches your practice because of the long-standing political tradition of Washington. I now ruefully think they sounded right. I still am surprised how a president of your great quality could simply see when people are stripped of their God given rights. Is it because of political pragmatism, constructive engagement, or because of “a soul searching inspection” that you were forced to peruse the old way of doing business, Mr. President?

To be quite honest, even when languishing in prison, deep down in my heart, I welcomed your visit to my beloved country. Deep down in my heart, I was confident of you and hoped for something that can help the cause of justice and democracy to transpire as a result of your visit. To my dismay however, you were heard officially saying, “the regime is popular.” What does it really mean Mr. President? I think free and fair election is the best thing to prove if anybody is popular or not. As far as I understand, we have never had free and fair elections in our history so far. So how can it be proven that the regime is popular? Was Saddam Hussein popular when he “won” elections 100%?  It is barely one year since the Ethiopian regime “won” the national elections 100%, but the people of Ethiopia in different regions like Oromiya, Tigray, Amhara and Gambella are fighting for their rights? And people are killed and imprisoned in mass at whims. No one thinks this is what is expected of a popular party or regime. How can a regime that infiltrates, disbands and imprisons leaders of parties that it is believed to have the support of the people, a regime that stifles freedom of the press and throws journalists to jail and keeps its people at gunpoint be a popular one? In a country where the regime is claiming that the economy is growing double digit for 12 consecutive years and the income inequality is narrowing down to a small number, over ten million Ethiopians are waiting for handouts from the donor community. The so called growing economy could not even support starving Ethiopians for at least a year. I don’t think this too is a result of popular ruling party. The Ethiopian youth is fleeing in every direction from its country. Why do they flee from their “popular” government, Mr. President? As you very well know, none of the above is an indicator of a democratic government. Democracies are known for their political, economic and social stabilities.

I believe that you know very well James Meredith. Mr. president even if the authorities were hostile to him; he was able to enroll at the University of Mississippi by the order of the Supreme Court’s order. Even during the Apartheid, South African prisons had some trust on the judiciary. In Ethiopia, it is not when you are accused of terrorism that you know for how many years that you are to be sentenced. It is when you decide to join the opposition or to criticize the regime like journalists Eskinder Nega, Wubeshet Taye, Temesgen Desalenge and many other journalists, and gallant politicians like Bekle Gerba and Habtamu Ayalew and others who are paying dear price behind bars that you will know what is to come. It is not only the arrest warrant but also the verdict that comes out of palace. Institutions are used to perpetuate one party rule Mr. President. No one who loves his country tarnishes the image of his country. I love my country Mr. President, I am not doing that, but trying to show the cruel injustice from its cup even my sons’, and their mother are drinking the brunt of it. Four people were tortured to give false testimony against me. Two of them could not stand it, they did as they were trained and they were released subsequently. The remaining two Nathenael Mekonen and Kinfe Michael Debebe endured the torture however they are up to now suffering as a result of it. Both Natnael and KinfeMichael are sentenced to 18 and 16 years respectively. To put it bluntly Mr. President, we are in the dark. I am sorry that I could not join you in your praise of the regime as a popular one.

       The modern time of Adwa

In your country, in 1865, John Wilkes Booth succeeded in assassinating Abraham Lincoln, but could not stop the dawning of a new era of racial justice. Because all men are created equal and his cause was not just. The Gandhi of India was able to win over independence from the British imperial rule, because the cause was just that all men are created equal. As you know Mr. President, Adolf Hitler could not succeed in his effort to establish the Aryan races because his cause was not just, “all men are created equal.” James Earl Ray assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but the sniper that killed him did not kill his dream and you Mr. President are the President of the United States of America as the embodiment of that dream because the cause of the assassin or any one behind him was not just, because “all men are created equal.” 120 years ago exactly this time, our great grandmothers and fathers stood in unison and defeated the Italian invading force, because our cause was just that all men are created equal. Nobody has the right to invade the land or the right of anybody.

Our great grandmother and fathers however were not in a position where they can be considered as men who are created equal at home. I take pride in our father’s peacekeeping missions in Korea and Congo and most of the current peacekeeping missions in different African countries. The irony is, Ethiopians who died and are dying in great number in other countries do not have a government they deem is their own. They have an unfinished assignment at home; like the civil right activists in the 60s in the United States, we truly believe in nonviolent struggle; it is not because we are very religious, but because we believe it is a potent weapon against dictatorship; to bring about lasting peace and development. I believe we will come out victorious in our struggle whatever it takes. Because our cause is just and all men are created equal. We are not terrorists, Mr. President; we are visionaries of true democracy and justice. We are freedom fighters. Like the battle of Adwa, our great grandmothers and fathers accomplished, which seemed impossible at that time, we believe we can also overcome tyranny and can write the history of modern Adwa by making Ethiopia an oasis of democracy, which I believe is a panacea for our problems. Many Ethiopians are paying untold sacrifices to make this dream come true, Mr. President.

We are not what our jailers call us. They know very well the goal of our struggle and the purity of our intentions. The thing is our goal is not theirs, nor is theirs’ ours. This is the basic issue. Dr. Martin Luther King once said that men of bad will are very smart in their usage of time and crafty at getting what they want. This is what our rulers are doing in Ethiopia. However, we will persevere and come out victorious at last.

             You are casting tribute

Mr. President I am very mindful that safeguarding the interest of the people of the United States of America is your primary interest and responsibility. But as Dr. Martin Luther King said, mankind is tied up in a single garment of destiny. The goal of democracy and justice should be the goal of all humanity and this does not go against the inalienable rights of anyone, in fact, it goes in line with the lasting peace and prosperity of any country. Tyranny has never been sourced from any country nor will it be. The case of different dictators who are supported by different American governments is a case in point to prove that alliances with dictators are counterproductive. On the other hand, supporting the cause of democracy and justice is in line with the idea of your founding fathers and democratic rights cherished by Americans in your backyard. Mr. President, was Dr. Martin Luther King JR. wrong when he said “injustice is a threat to justice everywhere?” Does not this make sense in the globalized world in the 21^st century? Do you believe that we should walk alone Mr. President?

Lack of support from democratic countries such as yours and the ever repressive acts of our rulers can delay the dawning of the sun of freedom in Ethiopia, but I have reaffirmed my faith in the struggle of the Ethiopian people that will not remain oppressed. Would I say that you have failed us Mr. President? No, I still believe you still have time, the good will and the urge to directly or indirectly use your political clout to help the cause of democracy and justice in Africa. Your lasting tribute, when it comes to Africa, I think should be related to not only the flesh, but also the spirit of the people who are stripped of their dignity in the hands of their rulers. Therefore, I would like to kindly bring into your attention, to please take your time to remember people, who are fighting for the cause of democracy and justice in Africa in general and in Ethiopia in particular and take the appropriate measures.

Respectfully yours,

Andualem Aragie Wale

(Prisoner of conscience)

March 2, 2016

Kaliti

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Samuel Osborne/ independent

Hundreds of refugees are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea after their boats capsized. Italy’s President, Sergio Mattarella, said there seemed to have been “yet another tragedy in the Mediterranean”.

His comments followed a report by BBC Arabic quoting the Somali ambassador to Europe that 400 people had died crossing from Egypt to Europe. Reports said the refugees were fleeing to Italy from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea in four boats which were ill-equipped for the journey.

“2016, the Mediterranean is a mass grave,” Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) tweeted in response to the news.

The original flurry of reports have, however, yet to be confirmed by either Egyptian or Greek officials. The Italian coastguard has also said it knew nothing about the reported disaster. Médecins Sans Frontières has also been unable to confirm to The Independent whether the tragedy has taken place.

Earlier on Monday morning, the Italian coastguard said 108 refugees had been saved and six bodies recovered from a semi-submerged rubber dinghy on Sunday. Separately, 33 refugees were rescued overnight off eastern coast of Sicily.

A year ago, a fishing boat crowded with refugees sank in the Mediterranean with around 800 people trapped inside. Italy has now vowed to raise the shipwreck from the sea floor, to recover the corpses.

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