Anti-TPLF demonstration was held in Copenhagen, Denmark on 3. November 2016. Oromo, Ogaden and other members of the Ethiopian community stood together and united to denounce the TPLF-led Ethiopian regime’s massive human rights violations in Ethiopia, and demanded the Danish government and the EU to stand at the side of the people in Ethiopia.

A Danish parliamentarian, Eva Flyvholm had made a speech at the rally and expressed her solidarity with the people in Ethiopia. She pointed out that Ethiopia is a beautiful and diverse country with various languages and cultures, but it has been ruled by a brutal and authoritarian regime that imprisons journalists and oppositions, and shoots at peaceful demonstrators.

Eva mentioned her concern regarding the misguided policy of Denmark and the EU to rely on the Ethiopian regime to solve the refugee crisis in Europe, but in reality the Ethiopian regime has been one of the major sources of the problem. Many flee Ethiopia because of massive human rights violations in Ethiopia, and many have lost their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe in order to get security.

Therefore, the Danish parliamentarian stressed that Denmark should play a role at the UN and the EU to put pressure on the Ethiopia regime to respect human rights in Ethiopia.

Eva promised also that as a member of the Danish parliament, she and her party will continue to support the struggle for human rights, democracy, equality and justice in Ethiopia.

The demonstrators chanted slogans, such as Down Down TPLF. Down Down Woyane. There is no democracy, justice and freedom in Ethiopia. We need democracy, justice and equality. TPLF is a killer. TPLF is a mass murderer. Stop killing the Ethiopian people.

By Berhanu G. Balcha

Interview with Ato Aklilu Wendaferahu – SBS Radio

Africa News
 
Dr Negeri Lencho, Ethiopia’s newly appointed Information Minister has expressed the resolve to develop and protect a vibrant media landscape in the country.
 
Lencho said a vibrant media was non-negotiable in the country’s democracy further linking it to tolerance and stability in a country that has been rocked by anti-government protests since late last year.
 
“We cannot build democracy without vibrant media, without public participation, without tolerance and stability,” but he admits the challenges ahead and expresses a commitment to free media.

We cannot build democracy without vibrant media, without public participation, without tolerance and stability.

“There are challenges and I like the challenges because I want to see a better media landscape… I’m not taking this office for a luxury,” the BBC quotes him to have said.

Dr Negeri was appointed early this week in a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn. He replaced Getachew Reda who served as official government spokesperson.

He previously served as a journalism professor in Addis Ababa University before his appointment as a Communication Affairs Office Minister.

Ethiopia is currently under a 6-month state of emergency imposed on October 9 to help quell anti-government protests in the Oromo and Amhara regions of the country.

As part of the curfew rules, the government has mounted a Command Post that has in the past arrested thousands of people and seized arms supposedly used by anti-government elements. They reported the release of thousands this week.

Under the state of emergency, access to social media, especially Facebook and Twitter are restricted. Any attempt to communicate with “terrorist organisations and anti-peace groups designated as terrorist” is banned.

Most of the anti government protests since last year are believed to have been instigated through social media.

There are also restrictions on which TV channels a person can watch. Esat and OMN are banned, they are both based outside the country. The government has described them as “belonging to terrorist organisations”.

The Ethiopian regime is also known to have arrested and detained bloggers and journalists in the country on charges of inciting violence.

The United Nations Commission for Human Rights in a recent release whiles calling for an independent probe into the protests also asked the government to free up the media landscape.

‘‘Instead of cutting off access to mobile data services in parts of the country, including in Addis Ababa, we urge the Government to take concrete measures to address the increasing tensions,’‘ the UN statement said.

The UN also expressed concern over the issue of the arrested bloggers, Seyoum Teshoume and Natnael Feleke, the two are said to have been detained for loudly discussing the complicity of the government in the deadly stampede of last Sunday.

‘‘There have also been worrying reports of mass arrests in the Oromia and Amhara regions. We urge the Government to release those detained for exercising their rights to free expression and opinion. Silencing criticism will only deepen tensions,’‘ the UN concluded.

BBC Africa – Ethiopia’s newly appointed government spokesperson Dr. Negeri Lencho says, he is committed to press freedom

Ethiopians have suffered under TPLF (Tigray People Liberation Front) brutal regime for the last 25 years. This elite group of Tigraen origin which was  conceived  in the womb of hate and jealousy has  ruled Ethiopians  through its sophisticated oppressive means. From its inception, it was anti-unity, divisive, hate monger and self oriented opportunistic regime. With its small departments  by adding   prefixes (Amhara,  Oromo and  Southern people), TPLF has led anti democratic regime that denied Ethiopians fundamental human rights in their own country.

TPLF   from its inception 1975 was based on hate  than principled conviction. The pioneers were young delusional students who dropped out from university for variety of reasons. Their orchestra  led by  none other than Sebhat Nega,  who is still alive and orchestrating  his divisive policy in his octogenarian age.

TPLF has ruled Ethiopians through hate, fear, divide and rule policies. It has monopolised the economy, military, foreign affair, security and all sector of the society. It has killed, tortured, imprisoned, looted, destabilised large sector of Ethiopian society principally the Amahra and Oromo people.

TPLF doesn’t represent the Tigray people which itself comprise 6% of Ethiopian population. TPLF shield itself under Tigrean people as if  it’s legitimate representative. The majority Tigraeans in Tigray live under fear and double oppression. They are not allowed to say anything except supporting TPLF. Those who live outside Tigray and in Diaspora, most benefited from the system  and defend TPLF’s merciless killings and brutal crackdown against Ethiopians. They make every effort by hook or crook to sustain TPLF’s rule.

TPLF destroyed all press, legitimate opposition parties and non governmental agencies which promote  personal, democratic right and good governance. TPLF used its rubber stamped parliament law for several years  to stifle any form of democratic exercise in the country  using its famous Anti-terrorist law/Proclamations.

TPLF attempted to destroy the legitimate educational system  and formed  its own, generation killing curriculum. It published  newly made history books which attempt to destroy Ethiopian independent, sovereign history and its heroes. Schools are used as propaganda field.

TPLF  created a delusional federal system with puppets figure head while its operatives rule under iron fist. It continued its divide and rule policy by fermenting  and  waging war among different ethnicities, nationalities  and religious members. Its inflammatory polices have made Ethiopians displaced, homeless, dispossessed, unemployed and to flee from their country.

TPLF has implemented a confused economic policy that benefited its members and supporters against the majority Ethiopians. Its  newly created  millionaires and “upper class”  are based on false economy, favouritism, contraband and nepotism. The  majority of the peasants are under the mercy of TPLF. The Ethiopian  people are  denied of its historical land right as  now illegally all land belong to  TPLF. EFFORT (Endowment Fund For Rehabilitation of Tigray), which is owned by  the few elites of TPLF top brass, controlled more than 70% of Ethiopian economy. It looted the public property, bank and run business as monopoly controlling the business field and  killing any competitions from other Ethiopians. The artificial “growth” from data manipulation, few visible infrastructure development through borrowed finance, foreign  investors  are not sustainable as we witnessed an enraged oppressed people destroying it.

TPLF  is  exhausting all its dirty political tricks to survive longer ruling Ethiopians. It has mobilized all the finance and resources  it looted from Ethiopians to galvanise its security services, Agazi “killing machine” army, propaganda outlets and mercenary agitators. But the new generation said “No” and  “Enough” resisting it peacefully with bare hand in peaceful demonstrations.

TPLF’s propaganda outlets in Ethiopia and overseas are drumming day and night false information, confusion, disinformation, exaggeration  in a manner typical of disturbed psychotic  patient  with  disorganised thoughts, pressure of speech, grandiose and paranoid delusions. The culprits, mostly paid mercenaries continue the  futile attempt to dampen the struggle of the Ethiopian People against TPLF.

The regime’s  final  means to survive long and  to dampen the struggle  is  State of Emergency, which it  declared recently. This is further to intensify its brutal suppression  and engage in  killing spree. There are palpable lies coming out from its propaganda outlets.  There are numerous pseudo promises emerging  out from the regime’s parliament to calm down the heat it is feeling. TPLF is known for  lying and breaking promises. The phantom promises are just to buy time, then to lead  its brutal regime and darkness. The only guarantee for the  freedom  is to get rid of TPLF.

The new generation  has understood this and  continued its resistance despite merciless killing, imprisonment, fire setting, genocidal propaganda orchestrated by TPLF gangs.

The newly appointed cabinet by TPLF stooge Prime Minster  is a gimmick.  Unless it has freed itself from TPLF policy and philosophy, it is designed to doomsday. Unless it has “teeth”, it will be part and parcel of dying regime, which will tarnish  Ethiopian people faith on “educated people”. The “educated” minsters should use this opportunity to change the country to what we all wish for. They have to prepare favourable environment  for transitional government, for all inclusive national dialogues and reconciliation  of all Ethiopians  and parties domestically and internationally. They have to dare to listen the people’s heart beat and breath, which is complete  changeover of TPLF regime and its poisonous policy.  If they are not up to it, they should resign publically sooner than later, otherwise they will be part of the culprit for continuation of TPLF’s  brutal regime.

The Fascist TPLF in its 25 years of brutal regime has saw seeds of hate, suspicion, disunity, false identity and history. It has established a structure that facilitate its minority regime while majority are left divided, disunited and paranoid of each other. These would create obstacles for smooth transition even after TPLF’s death.

Ethiopians have to be smart, measured, matured  and human on tackling this uneven road. Ethiopians have to be united and work together in partnership. Ethiopians have to make sure  and work whatever possible to guarantee the next administration should  offer  equal opportunity for all of us, treat us equally under the law and ensure  genuine  citizenship  with all our human, economic, social rights and responsibilities respected. We should make sure that any regime that follows shouldn’t be on power without our will ( genuine election) and the power should be also curbed.

While we are under such new challenge defining our future,  we should remain committed and united  not to let any gap where TPLF,  our historical enemies (local or far away) and opportunists  to interfere in our country and our fate.

The future of  Ethiopia has along journey to travel. The poison that would be left by TPLF  would take time to detoxify. The paranoia and false identity it created among different nationalities need proper handling and therapy.

Ethiopia is at cross road. The suffering of Ethiopian people spill out of the cup. The TPLF killer regime has continued its brutal killings, imprisoning, torturing and burning peaceful Ethiopian people at exponential rate. The young generation has said “No and Enough”, it reached to the point of no return

The siege for the last 25 years is to be broken. The cloud of fear, disunity and suspicion among Ethiopians is to clear.  The smell of freedom is on air. A new nation of freedom and equality  is closer.  Ethiopians of all walk of life have to finish the job.

TPLF is like a malignant  cancer. Unless completely removed, it will  continue to harm and bleed Ethiopians. TPLF  is irreparable. Any cosmetics will not cover its big scars. Its members and supporters  have to abandon it to live in peaceful Ethiopia for themselves and their children.

TPLF is currently wounded and it is on death bed gasping for air, it is using emergency oxygen called Emergency State. It is on last oxygen tank.  Even at its bed, it is not willing for peaceful transition and reconciliation. It  is in grandiose and paranoid delusion of  power.  It has no insight of the Ethiopian people sufferings and quest for freedom.

National reconciliation among Ethiopians is a must to start  the journey for democratic and compassionate Ethiopia. The pathogenic policies of TPLF should be eradicated  in the New Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian people should unit, work together in partnership  to continue and intensify the struggle against the TPLF regime to finish the job. TPLF is on cliff edge. A popular well organised and united push from Ethiopians of different nationalities, faiths, educational status, ability, income, gender and  age  will bring the demise of TPLF.

Do not resuscitate a dying TPLF regime.

Negeri Lencho, Ethiopia’s newly appointed Information Minister has expressed the resolve to develop and protect a vibrant media landscape in the country.

Lencho said a vibrant media was non-negotiable in the country’s democracy further linking it to tolerance and stability in a country that has been rocked by anti-government protests since late last year.

“We cannot build democracy without vibrant media, without public participation, without tolerance and stability,” but he admits the challenges ahead and expresses a commitment to free media.

“There are challenges and I like the challenges because I want to see a better media landscape… I’m not taking this office for a luxury,” the BBC quotes him to have said.

Dr Negeri was appointed early this week in a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn. He replaced Getachew Reda who served as official government spokesperson.

He previously served as a journalism professor in Addis Ababa University before his appointment as a Communication Affairs Office Minister.

Ethiopia is currently under a 6-month state of emergency imposed on October 9 to help quell anti-government protests in the Oromo and Amhara regions of the country.

As part of the curfew rules, the government has mounted a Command Post that has in the past arrested thousands of people and seized arms supposedly used by anti-government elements. They reported the release of thousands this week.

Under the state of emergency, access to social media, especially Facebook and Twitter are restricted. Any attempt to communicate with “terrorist organisations and anti-peace groups designated as terrorist” is banned.

Most of the anti government protests since last year are believed to have been instigated through social media.

There are also restrictions on which TV channels a person can watch. Esat and OMN are banned, they are both based outside the country. The government has described them as “belonging to terrorist organisations”.

The Ethiopian regime is also known to have arrested and detained bloggers and journalists in the country on charges of inciting violence.

The United Nations Commission for Human Rights in a recent release whiles calling for an independent probe into the protests also asked the government to free up the media landscape.

‘‘Instead of cutting off access to mobile data services in parts of the country, including in Addis Ababa, we urge the Government to take concrete measures to address the increasing tensions,’‘ the UN statement said.

The UN also expressed concern over the issue of the arrested bloggers, Seyoum Teshoume and Natnael Feleke, the two are said to have been detained for loudly discussing the complicity of the government in the deadly stampede of last Sunday.

‘‘There have also been worrying reports of mass arrests in the Oromia and Amhara regions. We urge the Government to release those detained for exercising their rights to free expression and opinion. Silencing criticism will only deepen tensions,’‘ the UN concluded.

Dr. Freak exposed

Humiliation in its finest. Dr. Freak Ato Tewodrose Adnahom was slammed by cross-examiners at the world health organization’s cross-examining table in the full view of history. However since mine is worse than his,I am not here to mock his ability to articulate the English language.

Rather I am here to doubt his doctorate degree. And now I believe that he too is as baloney doctor as his colleagues at TPLF’s headquarters.

Video: Tedros Adhanom’s interview for WHO Job the embarrassing moments

Desperate to win the top job at the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom of Ethiopia has hired a U.S. based public affairs firm to help him with his bid. So far, he is the only candidate who does such.

By Natalie Huet | for Politico,

Three new candidates entered the race to lead the World Health Organization on Friday, responsible for tackling crises from Zika to the spread of superbugs, bringing the total in the running to six.

The Geneva-based public health agency with 194-member countries announced Italian WHO official Flavia Bustreo, former Hungarian Health Minister Miklós Szócska and British U.N. adviser David Nabarro had entered the contest for the $260,000-a-year job.

They join earlier candidates to succeed Margaret Chan, whose mandate as director general ends next June, are Pakistan’s former Health Minister Sania Nishtar, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom, and France’s former health and foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy.

Chan ran unopposed for a second term in 2011. In 2006, before she was ultimately chosen, there were 13 candidates.

New rules for the election aim to bring more transparency and fairness to the process — but much still happens outside of public scrutiny, in private meetings with country representatives.

One candidate so far has hired a public affairs firm to make his case. And that is Tedros Adhanom of Ethiopia. He has hired the US-based Mercury Public Affairs to help him win the $260,000-a-year job.

The money

While a separate new code of conduct encourages candidates to be transparent about their campaign activities and funding, its recommendations aren’t binding.

Tedros’ campaign says East African countries including Kenya and Rwanda are pooling resources to support him, but they didn’t say how many countries or how much money.

And the Ethiopian candidate has hired U.S.-based Mercury Public Affairs to help him with his bid. The company would not disclose how much that contract is worth.

“His candidacy has support from many countries outside of Africa, … in every region of the world,” said Molly Toomey, a vice president with the firm.

Neither of the other two officially in the running has hired an outside firm, they said.

Douste-Blazy said his travel expenses during his campaign are paid by the French government and said his per diem is about €100. He also said he has paid for many hotels out of his pocket.

“I’ll disclose all my spending and urge everyone to do the same,” he said.

Pakistan’s Nishtar said she was going by the book and taking advantage of WHO regional committee meetings for her campaign.

“Regarding the campaign budget, I am being sponsored by the government of Pakistan and no one else,” she said. “I am pledging in my manifesto that I will voluntarily make my own electoral campaign financing a matter of public record for scrutiny,” she said.

Whose turn

At the same time, like many international institutions, the question of “whose turn” it is to run the agency is in play.

Leaders in the agency’s 68-year history have come from Brazil, Canada, Denmark, South Korea, Norway and Japan. One acting director general was from Sweden.

The African Union has thrown its support behind Tedros’ candidacy and argues it’s time for the continent to have more high-profile international roles.

“It seems that people are looking at whose turn it is, what region of the world. That’s a shame — we should be looking at who’s the best candidate we can find in the world,” said Merson, of the Duke Global Health Institute.

In October, member countries will get to interact with the candidates on a password-protected forum hosted on the agency’s website.

On November 1, a live forum will kick off, where all candidates will get to make their pitch to country officials in no more than 30 minutes and then answer questions, with the whole interview lasting no longer than an hour. All will be out of reach of the media.

In January 2017, WHO’s executive board will secretly vote on a short list of up to five candidates. The board’s 34 members will then interview those candidates and whittle the list to three names to submit to the World Health Assembly in May.

The candidates will be allowed to address the Assembly for up to 15 minutes before the final secret electronic vote. If none gets the two-thirds majority required to win in the first round of voting, a simple majority will do.

The new director general will then take office July 1, 2017.

I am writing as a constituent in your district to urge you to support H.R.861 “Supporting respect for human rights and encouraging inclusive governance in Ethiopia.” introduced by Rep. Christopher Smith  (R-NJ) and co-sponsored by Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Al Green (D-TX) and Mike Coffman (R-CO)

H.R. 861 condemns the killing of peaceful protesters and excessive use of force by Ethiopian security forces; the arrest and detention of journalists, students, activists, and political leaders who exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression through peaceful protests; and abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation to stifle political and civil dissent and journalistic freedoms;

Calls on the Government of Ethiopia to end the use of excessive force by security forces; conduct a full, credible, and transparent investigation into the killings in the Oromia and Amhara regions and hold security forces accountable for wrongdoing  respect the right to freedom of peace1ful assembly and guarantee the freedom of the press and mass media, in keeping with Articles 30 and 29 of the Ethiopian constitution;; allow a rapporteur appointed by the United Nations to conduct an independent examination of the state of human rights in Ethiopia; repeal proclamations that—can be used as a political tool to harass or prohibit funding for civil society organizations and investigate the circumstances surrounding the September 3, 2016, shootings and fire at Qilinto Prison and publically release the report in an expedient manner;

Calls on the Secretary of State to conduct a review of security assistance to Ethiopia in light of recent developments and to improve transparency with respect to the purposes of such assistance to the people of Ethiopia; calls on the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to immediately lead efforts to develop a comprehensive strategy to support improved democracy and governance in Ethiopia;

Calls on the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, to improve oversight and accountability of United States assistance to Ethiopia, pursuant to the expectations established in the United States Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa.

We urge you to contact your U.S. representative and ask him or her to co-sponsor H.Res.861

• If you do not seeyour U.S. representative as a co-sponsor above, please contact his/her office today.
• Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Foreign Affairs Legislative Assistant.
• Advise them you are a constituent, calling from [city or town] and that you’d like the representative’s support by co-sponsoring R.861
• Advise the Congressional staff person to contact Congressman/woman xxxs office to sign on as a co-sponsor.
• If you do seeyour legislator as a co-sponsor, please contact him or her to offer your thanks.

Atrocities of the TPLF Minority Regime on the Ethiopian People

A young girl in Gondar (Amhara Region) tortured and killed because she gave water and refreshments to people marching against government atrocities.

Peaceful demonstrators and a young girl going to school who were shot and killed point blank by government troops, by the notorious “Agazi” and “Leyu police”

Peaceful Protestors put in Remote Concentration Camps

Ethiopian youth who were participating in peaceful demonstrations protesting the regimes plan to annex their land, were picked up from all over the Amhara Region their heads shaved off and have been sent to the far west into the jungle of western Ethiopia, Beni Shangul where no human beings live and are forced to break rocks all day. They have little food and water. They are getting sick and in danger of starving to death and disease. They work until they pass out.

Even if they try to break loose or are set free, the jungle is surrounded by tall grass which is inhabited by lions and poisons snakes. Their situation is very critical at this time. The number is estimated to be between 1,500-2,400.

Crimes Against Children in Oromya.
Hanna Doja, seven years of age and a first grade student. She was attacked by in Kombolcha town, Horroo Gudurru, in Oromia region, Ethiopia by TPLF forces (Agazi) on December  31^st 2015.

TPLF’s barbarism against the Surma (the Suri, the Mursi and the Mekan) people of Lower Omo basin in Southern Ethiopia. TPLF’s Agazi forces are conducting mass eviction against the indigenous minority Surmas to clear their ancestral land for sugar plantations, owned by Tigreans.

A U.S. citizen who believes his computer was hacked by the Ethiopian government is appealing for the right to have his case against a foreign government heard in a higher U.S. court.

In 2014, a district court found that “Kidane,” a man living in Maryland who has worked with members of the Ethiopian diaspora and was critical of the government, could not sue Ethiopia for using software to monitor his activity. The 2014 decision determined that U.S. courts do not have jurisdiction because the alleged malware attack was initiated outside of U.S. borders. Kidane is using a pseudonym, his lawyers say, for his protection.

In an appeal filed last month in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Kidane’s attorneys argued that the old standard is outdated in the age of digital surveillance. They believe this case could set a precedent for dissidents around the world who are being tracked or harassed electronically by foreign governments.

“We think that the place where the software recorded his communications is on his own computer in Maryland and that means Ethiopia can be sued in the United States,” said Cindy Cohn, the executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), an organization that fights for civil rights in the digital sphere. EFF is representing Kidane in the case.

FinSpy malware

Kidane believes the Ethiopian government used a malware program called FinSpy to record his Skype calls, monitor his web searches and scan his email. EFF argues this is no different than traditional spying, but says it is time for the laws to catch up.

Skype offices in Palo Alto, California, May 2011.

“Everyone agrees that had Ethiopia sent an actual spy into Maryland and had that spy in Maryland listening into Mr. Kidane’s conversations, that they could be held liable for that,” Cohn said. “And we don’t think that the fact that they used a computer program to do the same thing should mean that they are free from the law.”

In response to The Washington Post in 2014, an Ethiopian government official said that the government “did not use and has no reason at all to use any spyware.” However, according to leaked documents published by the magazine Wired, Ethiopia hired a Milan-based group called “The Hacking Team” for foreign surveillance work. The group issued Ethiopia an invoice for $1 million and had other government customers including Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The group is also alleged to have done work for U.S. security agencies.

Difficult to detect

Tewodros Workneh, an assistant professor at Kent State University’s School of Communication Studies, researches government surveillance. Workneh said that this type of surveillance can be very precisely targeted and is not easily noticeable aside from slowing down the victim’s computer.

“What this particular malware does is create a dummy folder in your computer so that the daily communication that you have — every activity in that computer — is going to be stored in that folder, which means it is going to eat up a lot of memory,” he said. “So, it’s going to slow down significantly, and that’s when he decided to — he took his computer to get looked at, and he was told that there was a surveillance [software] installed in his computer.”

Workneh said those who are in fear of surveillance should be wary of unknown email attachments, regularly update their antivirus software and, if they are particularly fearful, visit a computer security professional every three months. “It all comes down to our personal behavior,” he said. “We really cannot control what others are going to do, but we can control our own behavior.”

FILE – Hands type on a computer keyboard in Los Angeles, Feb. 27, 2013.

In this civil case, Kidane is seeking compensation for damages as well as attorney fees, but Cohn said that is all secondary to setting a precedent. “We [hope to] get a declaration from the U.S. courts that says wiretapping Americans in America violates U.S. laws, and foreign governments will be held accountable for illegal behavior just as private citizens would be held accountable for that behavior,” said Cohn. “That would be an important step not just for Ethiopia but for all of the countries in the world.”

• Salem Solomon

  Salem Solomon is a journalist and web producer at Voice of America’s Africa Division, where she reports in English, Amharic and Tigrigna. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Poynter.org, Reuters and The Tampa Bay Times. Salem researches trends in analytics and digital journalism, and her data-driven work has been featured in VOA’s special projectscollection.

African Union Commission head Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has called for intense dialogue over the recent protests in Ethiopia, saying that it was imperative to find lasting solutions in the country.

In a statement, Dlamini-Zuma said that the Ethiopian government should ensure that fundamental human rights and freedoms were respected as the guidelines on state of emergency were implemented.

She also urged the government to ensure that the internet which had been restricted due to the protests was restored.

“The AUC chairperson calls for calm and peace during the period when the state of emergency is in effect, and further urges the government to consider ensuring that citizens’ rights to access to information and communication technologies, including internet services and social media are restored,” the statement said.

Dlamini-Zuma’s remarks came just less than a week after Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announced a cabinet reshuffle that has seen opposition leaders receiving senior roles in government.

The prime minister gave key government positions to two leaders from the Oromo people who spearheaded deadly anti-government protests over the last year, reducing the dominance of the minority Tigrayans.

Reports indicated that protesters from the majority Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups had claimed that they were being marginalised by the minority Tigrayan-led government which they accused of monopolising power and controlling the economy.

Last month dozens of people were crushed to death in a stampede after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an anti-government protest that grew out of a massive religious festival last month.

At least 52 people died during the stampede.

The government last responded by imposing a state of emergence that would last at least for six months in order to get the country back to normal.

Following a the imposing of the state of emergence and a visit by Germany Chancellor Angela Markel, Desalegn said that his government was planning to reform the country’s electoral electoral system which had excluded the opposition.

The FBI says it has found no evidence of criminality in a new batch of Hillary Clinton emails, boosting her campaign two days before the election.

FBI Director James Comey told Congress his agency’s review had found nothing to alter its original conclusion.

In July, he said Mrs Clinton had been careless but not criminal in handling sensitive material on her private email server while secretary of state.

The issue flared up again with the discovery of new “pertinent” emails.

They were reportedly found on the laptop of Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of one of the Democratic presidential candidate’s closest advisers.

Mr Comey’s original letter late last month to lawmakers, revealing the bureau’s inquiry into Mrs Clinton’s emails had been revived, shook up the White House race and reinvigorated the campaign of Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Analysis – Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington

It was much ado about nothing, but it certainly amounted to something. While FBI Director James Comey, in effect, said “never mind” with regards to Hillary Clinton’s emails, for the past two weeks the story has dominated the political conversation, and Democrats have paid a price.

While Mrs Clinton’s presidential hopes have stabilised, talk of a possible rout – and sweeping down-ballot victories in congressional races – are a distant memory.

Mrs Clinton will now try to focus on her closing campaign message. Donald Trump almost certainly will continue to accuse his opponent of corruption and, perhaps, again allege the FBI is covering for her.

With only two days until voting, the dust kicked up by this story won’t have fully settled by the time Americans head to the polls.

Once this election is over, there should be serious soul-searching within the FBI and the media about how this saga played out. The nation’s top law-enforcement agency was a source of constant leaks, as internal disputes spilled into public view.

If Mr Trump wins, many on the left will blame Mr Comey for the result. If Mrs Clinton prevails, she likely will bear a lasting grudge over this political near-miss.

The FBI director had announced that the agency would investigate if the newly discovered messages contained classified information.

But in Sunday’s follow-up, Mr Comey wrote: “Since my letter, the FBI investigative team has been working around the clock to process and review a large volume of emails from a device obtained in connection with an unrelated criminal investigation.

“During that process, we reviewed all of the communications that were to or from Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State.

Image copyrightREUTERS

“Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton.”

On board the candidate’s campaign airplane, her team said they were always confident of the outcome.

Communications director Jennifer Palmieri told media: “We’re glad this matter has been resolved.”

But the Trump team cried foul.

Newt Gingrich, an adviser to the Republican nominee, tweeted: “Comey must be under enormous political pressure to cave like this and announce something he cant [sic] possibly know.”

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tweeted: “If FBI conclusions remain unchanged, that means she still was reckless & careless, still lied about classified info, lied re: # of devices.”

Campaigning in Minnesota on Sunday, Mr Trump made no mention of Mr Comey’s findings.

But he did say Mrs Clinton “will be under investigation for a long, long time, likely concluding in a criminal trial”.

He also renewed his claims that the Democrat was being “protected by a rigged system”.

The FBI has already established Mrs Clinton had classified information on a private email server that was run out of her upstate New York home.

Image copyrightAFP

Mr Comey said in July that her handling of sensitive material during her 2009-13 tenure as secretary of state was “extremely careless”, but cleared her of criminal wrongdoing.

The revelation that she handled sensitive information while breaking federal rules by running her own email server has dogged her campaign since last year.

A new NBC/Wall St Journal opinion poll on Sunday before news broke of the FBI letter suggested a four-point lead for Mrs Clinton.

The latest Washington Post/ABC tracking poll put her lead at five points.

Sunday’s campaign stops take her to Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.

Also on Mr Trump’s itinerary were Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Jill Craig/VOA

NAIROBI — Twenty-five-year-old Shukri Shafe Guled comes from the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia, but has been living in Australia since 2010. In June 2016, he and other protesters gathered in Melbourne to demonstrate against the visit of an Ethiopian delegation that included the Somali Regional State president, Abdi Mohamoud Omar, known as Abdi Iley, who is accused of human rights abuses back home.

Guled explains pro-government supporters took his photograph and told him that “within 15 minutes,” they would “punish” his relatives living in Ethiopia. He says his three brothers were detained that day, and have not been heard from since.

Guled says his sister and his elderly mother were detained for about a month.

Human Rights Watch Horn of Africa senior researcher Felix Horne says the Ethiopian government arrested and detained dozens of relatives of the people who protested that day in Australia and is still holding many of them four months later.

It’s a practice that’s been occurring in the Somali Regional State for a number of years, he says.

“So this is something that’s been happening a lot, where there’s this collective punishment, of the whole society, those individuals who do not support the government and are not connected to the ONLF [Ogaden National Liberation Front] in any way are being targeted and we’re now seeing that happening in Australia and other places as well,” said Horne. “It’s a major problem.”

“I think, how would someone feel, that an over 70-year-old woman, just living in her country, in her home, and someone comes to take her away for an action she has no control [over] at all. And she doesn’t even know what is going on, with the protests and these protests had been happening in tens of thousands of kilometers beyond the oceans,” Guled said.

Pro-government supporters told protesters in Melbourne they should make a video pledging support for Abdi and the government in order to secure the release of their relatives. Guled has refused, saying he prefers to use his voice to help others.

“I believe that if I get the courage to come out and speak about it, then many people will follow me. In that way, I can save so many people,” said Guled.

The Ethiopia government spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Horne says HRW previously documented human rights abuses by the Ethiopian army when Abdi was the head of security in the Somali Regional State, and says Australia needs to improve its vetting procedures. The Australian government responded that Abdi’s visa application did not raise an alert.

WATCH: HRW video

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, head of the African Union Commission (AUC) has called for intense dialogue over the recent political protests in Ethiopia, according to her it was imperative to find lasting solutions in the country.

In a statement, Dlamini-Zuma tasked the Ethiopian government to ensure that fundamental human rights and freedoms were respected as guidelines for the October 9 state of emergency were implemented.

She also expressed concerns over the continued restriction placed on the internet, stating that the government should take steps to restore access.

… urges the government to consider ensuring that citizens’ rights to access to information and communication technologies, including internet services and social media are restored.

“The AUC chairperson calls for calm and peace during the period when the state of emergency is in effect, and further urges the government to consider ensuring that citizens’ rights to access to information and communication technologies, including internet services and social media are restored,” the statement said.

READ MORE AU finally issues statement on Ethiopia protests, calls for restraint

The AUC chair’s remarks come about a week after Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announced a cabinet reshuffle that handed top cabinet positions to opposition politicians.

The Prime Minister gave key government positions to two leaders from the Oromo tribe who have been at the heart of deadly anti-government protests over the last year.

Reports indicated that protesters from the majority Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups had claimed that they were being marginalised by the minority Tigrayan-led government which they accused of monopolizing power and controlling the economy.

READ MORE The boundary crisis behind Ethiopia’s protest

The recent protest in early October was ignited by a stampede at a festival in the town of Bishoftu, where a stampede occured after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse anti-government protesters who were part of the festival.

The government reports that at least 52 people died during the stampede, but denies that the security agencies were responsible. The government insists that the stampede and drowning resulted in the unfortunate deaths.

The state of emergency that would last for at least six months is meant to quell the protests and to get the country back to normal.

Dlamini-Zuma’s views are same as that of German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who on a visit to Ethiopia asked the PM to accommodate protesters and for security to be measured in their response.

Desalegn said that his government was planning  to reform the country’s electoral system which had excluded the opposition until the recent appointments.

ESAT DC Daily News Mon 07 Nov 2016

When members of the Ethiopian community found out high ranking officials were visiting Australia they staged a demonstration. Now Human Rights Watch say some of their relatives back home have been arrested.