Forum rules... Again!

As usual some EPRDF rogue agents and violent and intolerant opposition elements are over flooding the comment section of my blog with random hate messages.
I have repeatedly tried to use the comment moderator to filter out these worst members of our society. I haven't used it continually though because I have qualms acting as a policeman in the forum and suppress free speech. After all, one of the reasons for my loudest criticism against EPRDF is its closure of all public space.
Yet some posters are using that to completely derail civil debate on seminawork. I will start to use the comment moderator again. This time only registered users can post. Those who are able and willing to engage in civilized discourse shouldn't feel discouraged to post their comments. This is a free market of ideas. The only non-saleable item is poison.
To comment on this forum, first, get a google account here.

The two core rules of this forum:

-Seminawork doesn't tolerate negative ethno-analysis. No Ethnic, religious or cultural group may be defamed, slurred or verbally attacked here.
-Apology for murder, torture and other forms of human rights abuses is prohibited in this forum.

The Meles adminstration plans Information offensive against Amnesty International

The Ethiopian government plans to wage a campaign to discredit Amnesty International after the human rights group published names of tortured prisoners and exposed the country to some international condemnation.

The campaign will include allowing local and international journalists to access prisoners who were mentioned on Amnesty torture alert. The prisoners were moved from Maekelawi prison in the northern part of Addis Ababa to Kirkos district Addis Ababa police prison two weeks ago. Police sources said that the prisoners were warned against talking about their torture when journalists visited them. Yesterday, five prisoners were taken back to Maekelawi and videotaped by Police. Among them was Zenebe Tadesse. His name was mentioned on AI's list. The prisoners were instructed to deny the torture stories on the video. Two of them refused and claimed that they had been severely beaten and tortured for alleged crimes they never committed. Sources confirmed that the video tape was intended to be broadcast on the state TV.

EPRDF officials have been unhappy that stories relating to Ethiopia on major news outlets recently have carried the torture stories. Police sources said that the order to discredit Amnesty came from unnamed top officials. An elaborate plan of information offensive against the rights group has already been completed, according to government sources. This includes waging a smear campaign to show that Amnesty is being used as an instrument by the Ethiopian opposition in Diaspora.

This blogger will publish the complete list of tortured prisoners soon.

Team of lawyers to write decisions for judges in political trials

EPRDF's control of the judiciary has reached new heights. Well-placed sources inside the ministry of justice informed this blogger that a team of lawyers has been formed to write decisions for judges in political trials. According to the sources, this is an audacious attempt to show the international community that the decisions are well reasoned and fair.

The team wrote its first decision for the court that was in charge of the case of Shaleka Aregaw et al. Shaleka Aregaw and three other people were accused of trying to overthrow the government through unconstitutional means. The court reduced the charge of lawyer Brehane Mogesse and set him free on bail while the other three were told to defend the charge presented by the prosecutor.

The sources said that the written decision was passed to the court when it was in session and the judges read it immediately. "They didn't even know what was written before they read it in public," one source said. The decision was well-written and well-reasoned. "The factual and legal analysis was good and I was surprised that it was made by the panel of judges led by Assefa Abreha. The latter was known for his erratic and flimsy analysis," a lawyer who has seen the decision told this blogger.

The team of lawyers includes Million Assefa, a famous apologist for the Meles regime. Million is known for his wonderful legal mind.

The Economist's sword on Meles

The Economist which calls itself a newspaper(even though it looks like a magazine) defends market and social liberalism. Whether one has qualms with its philosophy or not, there is no debate that the paper's unique opinionated features have no match.
The Economist had cautiously supported dictator Meles Zenawi for trying to improve the lot of Ethiopian living in extreme poverty. The rampage on November 1 changed all that. Since then it has published seriously critical articles about the Meles government and its human rights abuses. The Economist was the first reputable international "newspaper" to publish the Yalemzewd Bekele and Alemayehu Fantu story. Its stories about Ethiopia dig deep into forgotten places and talk about forgotten people. Today's issue has another fantastic article on Ethiopia. This is the last paragraph:

• In September, hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians from their vast and far-flung diaspora are expected to visit their homeland to celebrate the coming of the third Christian millennium, according to their ancient church's calendar. Some hope Mr Zenawi, in a gesture of conciliation, will free some of his opponents from jail before then. But do not bet on it. Mr Zenawi has got used to wielding an iron fist.

I can't agree more. Hats off to the greatest "newspaper" in the world.

Staying positive

Girma Kassa, a regular writer on ET websites called on TPLF members to end their silence in the face of gross injustice. I agree with all of Girma's points. We shouldn't stop calling for dialog with EPRDF without putting our eyes off the human rights abuses and injustices it is committing. We should also desist from any push towards armed struggle. Ethiopia can't afford more wars.
I, for one, will continue exposing EPRDF's repression. I ask my readers to do the same without indulging in the worst forms of ethnic slurs which I sometimes see in the forum of this blog.

Dr. Mulualem defects to Sweden... Yeah?

Finally..........yes, Finally.....Dr. Mulualem Tarekegne has understood how joining the parliament undermined the CUD leaders in prison. Well, she didn't even say that in those words.
I don't know whether the defection of Dr. Mulualem to Sweden can be seen as positive or opportunistic. But here is her record.
Prior to May 2005..... Mulualem had appeared on live debate about agricultural policy and wooed the public with her eloquence, passion and beauty. She immediately step out of her husband's shadow and became a rising star in Ethiopian politics. She was elected to parliament with resounding majority.
May 2005-August 2005.....Dr. Mulualem continued her charm politics on the private media, developing her trust and likeability.
August 2005.......After internal intrigues, Dr. Mulualem was handpicked by Lidetu Ayalew to represent UEDP Medhin in CUDP's executive committee.
September 2005......Dr. Mulualem voted not to join parliament unless CUDP's eight points precondition weren't met.
-Dr. Mulualem supported Lidetu Aylew in his fight with the top leaders of CUDP. Her argument was that Lidetu was hurt by the party
October 2005... Lidetu, Mulualem, Mesfin Ayalew, Mushe Semu and Abdurhaman(all from UEDP) start serious disagreement with the leaders of the party. They were boycotting meetings and talking about the dissolution of Kinijit.
-Lidetu was suspended from the party. Mesfin, Mushe and Abdurhaman stuck with him. Mulualem stopped talking, but .
October 2005-February 2006.... Dr. Mulualem continued her relationship with Lidetu. She visited the prisoners a handful of times. She wasn't trusted though.
February 2006....Mulualem joined parliament and the CUD caucus which was formed illegally with the help of EPRDF and the American embassy. She joined parliament despite her vote not to join in September... and despite that vote landing the leaders in jail.
Judge for yourself.

Family Affair

By Seminawork contributor

Detailed information regarding last week's meeting between family members of Kinijit's leaders and Donald Yamamoto, the US Ambassador in Ethiopia, has been obtained by Seminawork.

According to American Embassy sources, members of the families of Brehnau Nega, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, Hailu Shawel and Yacob Woldemariam were asked to appear at the Embassy last Thursday on short notice. At the meeting, the US Ambassador appeared with Ethiopia's greatest Athlete, Haile Gebresillasie and Ambassador Bekele. Both have been mediating talks between the jailed Kinijit leaders and the Meles administration.

After the family members were briefed about the talks by Haile and Ambassador Bekele, they were told that the government wanted the jailed leaders to apologize for conspiring to overthrow it. A letter of apology drafted by the EPRDF was also shown to them. Ambassador Yamomoto assured the family members that if the prisoners signed the lettter, his office would guarantee their release.

Brehnau's father Ato Nega spoke first. He recalled how he taught his son integrity and dignity when he was a kid and refused to take the letter to his son. "My son was taught of dignity and integrity. He fought for his country when he was not more than 15. He then went to your country and learned about democracy. He returned to Ethiopia to help his country. When EPRDF claimed that there would be democracy, he participated in election and was jailed for that. Am I going to tell him to ditch his self-respect and apologize for the wrong he didn't commit?" Ato Nega said with tittering, low voice.

His mother Woizero Abebech was even more forceful. "My son has told me that he wouldn't die twice. If he signed this, he would die twice." Dr. Yacob's sister Almenesh claimed that Ethiopian politics isn't an family affair and the families of the jailed leaders have no right to decide on the fate of the nation.

According to the sources, neither Ambassador Yamomoto nor the two Ethiopian mediators acted on bad-faith. "There was an urge and want to help. Yamomoto did not comment a lot. He listened. Haile and ambassador Bekele also talked about saving the country and reconciliation," one source said.

Ambassador Yamomoto has thrown himself on solving the current political crisis right from the first date of his arrival. American embassy staff said his attitude and approach has been quite contrasting with the former charge d'affaires, Vicki Huddelstone who was acting as Meles's messenger.

EZ will resume blogging tomorrow.

EZ diary: Meles and the docs

Meles's famously imaginative mind has come up with a brilliant new plan, and it is supposed to solve the crisis in our health sector. Our talkative PM was part of the discussion on the shortage of doctors in Ethiopian health institutions. Estimates put that there is one doctor for 30 thousand Ethiopians.

Among the main reasons for the shortage of doctors raised in the discussion was their flight to countries paying better than Ethiopia; Botswana and Malawi being the main destinations. More than 80% of Ethiopian trained doctors are living and working abroad.

Meles was unconcerned with the scarcity of physicians in Ethiopia. He told the participants of the discussion that Ethiopia did not need doctors. Astonished health officials and physicians heard the sophomore dropout from medical school say; "We don't need doctors in Ethiopia. What we need are health officers. We will train five thousand in three years. Let the doctors leave to wherever they want. They should get no special treatment." Whatever we say about Meles, he does not stop surprising us. What next? Dismantling the medical faculties which train doctors?

For readers of this blog in Ethiopia

... You can visit the website without using anonymous proxy servers.
Please use www.inblogs.net/seminawork to visit the blog. It will take you to the site directly and all contents of the page, including the advertisements, are displayed.

Lawyer released by court after a year in detention

Berhane Mogese, the lawyer who was accused of trying to overthrow the government through unconstitutional means, was released by court today after a year of detention. Berhane was arrested in March 2006. (See My first article on this blog entitled State Terrorism As A way Of Life)

The court decided that the evidence presented by the public prosecutor against him did not prove that he committed the crime. The judges reduced the charge to illegal possession of weapons and released the defendant against a bail of five thousand birr. The prosecutor produced "seditious" articles printed from the internet and the case files related to the CUD prisoners in Kaliti. The court

argued that neither the internet articles nor the files indicated his intention to commit the crime as charged by the prosecutor. "The papers found in his possession are his client's, not his," the court said. Berhane Mogesse was the attorney for Hailu Shawel, Kinijit's chairman.

Three other people accused of the same crime were acquitted and thirteen others including Tadios Tantu and Shaleka Argaw, both members of CUD, were told to defend themselves.

.......................

Shimeles Kemal, the prosecutor in charge of the trial of CUD leaders, has left to Ottawa in a government mission. According to sources, he is scheduled to return to Addis Ababa just before the trial of the leaders resume on February 19. He is accompanied by the State Minister of Justice, Dr. Hashim Mohammed. Read Shimeles kemal's role in the witch hunt of democracy activists in Ethiopia here.

.......................

Paul Vallely wrote in the independent what one might only describe as "A-why-was-it-written-article". I was neither a news nor a news analysis. It doesn't have characters of a feature article or a commentary. It seems one of Meles Zenawi's best friends has enough of the media's bashing of the Prime Minister and decided for a call to arms in defense of his friend. Paul Vallely co-wrote the report of the now defunct Commission for Africa with Meles Zenawi. It was a nice, comprehensive report... but among the first breakers of the report's recommendations was Meles himself.
Vallely's friendship with Meles dates back to the 1980s. Yet for a man who has advocated justice for the third world all his life, it is morally repugnant to defend a murderer and torturer whether he is a friend or not. The article was more than a case of bad Samaritanism Mr Vallely...It was advocacy to the devil.

Maekelawi stories CONTINUED...

In December 2006, Shimeles Capitone, 50, went to Germany for a business trip where an Ethiopian family hosted him. When he returned back, the family asked him to deliver 300 Euros to their relative in Addis. Shimeles courteously agreed, never knowing that it would be a pretext for the government to put him in one of the most degrading jails in the world.
Two days before Christmas, Shimeles was on his way to deliver the money to the recipient when he was pulled over and arrested by federal policemen. Alongside him in the car was his mechanic. Shimeles had planned to get his car fixed after delivering the money. The police officers told both men that they were in custody and searched the car where they found CDs of religious songs. Shimeles who works at the Lufthansa is, according to his colleagues, a devoted protestant.

His family had looked for him for days and presumed he might have died. He suffers from serious diabetes. It was only after a friend spotted the car parked outside of Mae'kelawi that they thought he might be alive. The federal police later confirmed that they had him in custody with the mechanic. The mechanic was released two weeks after the arrest.

Subsequent searches of Shimele's house by the police turned no incriminating evidence. Therefore, when they brought him before the ad hoc remand court near the Mexico Square, police accused him of transferring money from Europe to a clandestine cell in Ethiopia. The 300 Euros was presented as proof. Court attendants said that his bulged eye and fractured nose were visible signs that he was abused. This blogger's sources at Mae'kelawi alleged that he was tortured.

Shimeles is part of the group of people who have been accused of attempting to instigate unlawful armed struggle and dissension in the country. Most of them have been tortured. Fasika Tafa is one of them. He was arrested on the same day as Shimeles while he was dropping his daughter at the Gibson Academy. Police presented as evidence the 160,000 birr that was transferred via the Hibret bank in his name. They claimed the money was transferred to him for clandestine activities. At the time of the arrest, he didn't receive the money. His name was found on the money transfer list of the bank, the ad hoc remand court was told by Police. Fasika, however, insisted that he had been receiving money from his family abroad for business purposes for many years and this wasn't an exception.

More arrests and tortures at Mae'kelawi

A man identified by this blogger's police sources as Dr. Lakew Alemu was arrested and taken to Mae'kelawi two days ago. He was returning home from work. According to the sources, the man was arrested in connection to his activism for Kinijit. Preliminary accounts indicate that he works at the Economic Commission for Africa.

Meanwhile, further names of Kinijit prisoners who have been jailed and tortured at Maekelawi has been obtained by this blogger.

The following is the list with their addresses and employment
Temesgen Shemere.......(Awasa, CUD election candidate, Tortured)
Wolde Dana... (Wolayita Sodo... CUD election candidate, Tortured)
Ashebir Gebre....(Awasa, Policeman, Tortured)
Lij Alem Takele... (Dila, Tortured))
Addis Aman... (Sodo Zuriya, private employee, Tortured)
Tilahun Ayalew....(West Gojam, Teacher, Tortured))
Abebe Shumye... (Gonder, works at Dashen Beer, Tortured)
Zekiyos Ashebo. ... (Awasa, Works at Justice Bureau, Tortured)
Shimeles Capitone.... (Addis Ababa, works at Lufthansa, Tortured)
Tsegaye Ayele... (Gonder, X-ray technician, Torture status not known)
Anteneh Getnet Mulatu... (Addis Ababa, Teacher, Tortured)
Binyam Melaku... (Awassa, Student, Tortured)
Belay Kefyalew....(Gonder, Trader, Tortured)

More information to come.... All have been held at the Maekelawi since Mid-December 2006.

AI's report put the government on defensive

The Meles government is having hard time with Amnesty International, the human rights organizations which may consider as the conscience of the world.

AI's report on torture at Maekelawi(which was first reported on this blog) has left the EPRDF machine confused and utterly discombobulated. The federal police flip-flopped twice in four hours over the issue. On the Saturday morning, they told local journalists that they had none of the Prisoners mentioned on the AI report in custody. Four hours letter Federal Police spokesman Cmr. Demesash Hailu admitted to the Associated Press that the persons had been jailed by them.

Bereket Simon, the neurotic Media adviser to the prime Minister was, however, oblivious to the police admission, calling Amnesty's report fictitious.

Meanwhile one of TPLF's staunch supporters, Aigaforum, had kept silent on the issue. It tried to cover up the first reports of the tortures on this blog by alluding the fact that some websites which quoted this blogger's news were using silly fake photos to support the report. The truth, however, had come out streaming and left Aiga speechless. The dirt cleaning was left to one Gemeda Humnasa, a known apologist of the Meles dictatorship. He came up with the tried and failed "Amnesty International is biased" banter to discredit the report on American Chronicle.

....and finally, the federal police has released four of the prisoners who had been in detention in relation to their support to the CUD. Although none of the four were mentioned on the AI report, police sources said that they were released on Sunday after the Amnesty controversy.

We have to thank Amnesty for being the voice of the tortured and the illegally detained.

Three journalists abandon TPLF's mouthpiece

Young journalists have been flocking out of Reporter, TPLF's prominent mouthpiece.

The latest group of reporters and editors who have left the declining media owned by former TPLF fighters, Amare Aregawi, include journalist Berhane Alemu. Berhane worked at Reporter for more than ten years, ascending to senior editorial position. Two senior reporters, Tsion Girma and Firew Abebe also left the organization last week.

According to sources, the owner and editor-in-chief of the paper has stifled freedom of speech at Reporter after hiss paper weighed in the May 2005 election supporting EPRDF. Journalists have been banned from reporting human rights abuses by the Meles government.

Amare allegedly leads a new network of EPRDF sympathizers who pose as independent journalists and scholars to foreign diplomats and journalists. "It is a creative propaganda machine. People like Amare and Costentinos Berhe approach diplomats and journalists and criticize the government. Then they argue that the opposition, including jailed Kinijit leaders, is worse. This is a strategy, which leaves foreigners thinking that despite all its problems, EPRDF is the best Ethiopians can get, without putting the independence of the messengers in doubt, "a TPLF insider told this blogger.

And this systematic approach to propaganda is working. Important visitors like Donald Levin had been deceived by the machine. Amare has also become the Ethiopian representative for some prominent international organizations including Transparency International.
................

Comedian Daniel Fisseha was released from jail on Saturday after this blog reported his arrest. Police sources said that the decision to release was taken when the US embassy enquired about the arrest. Daniel is a US citizen.

Breaking news: Tortured prisoners transferred to another jail

The federal police has moved tortured CUD supporters from Maekelawi to the Addis Ababa police prison after Amnesty International issued a statement about the torture. The new prison is found next to the Maekelawi jail.
After transferring the prisoners to another jail, the federal police told journalists in Addis Ababa that it hadn't detained them.

More on torture at Mae'kelawi

Further details about the Mae'kelawi torture are uncovered by this blogger. Police sources confirmed that the US resident who has been detained and tortured at Mae'kelawi is Daniel Hailemariam. He is accused of liasoning young Kinijit supporters in Ethiopia with diaspora backers. He has denied any knowledge of the diaspora kinijit leaders.
Both Endalkachew Melese and Zenebe Tadesse reside in Saris Kadisco area. Another man who has been suffering from torture at the same prison is Sisaye Bogale, employee of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.
Torture alert:
The following persons have been arrested and tortured at Mae'kelawi:

Endalkachew Melese
Zenebe Tadesse
Hirut Kifle
Fantaye Beyene
Daniel Hailemariam
Saba Mekonen
Menbere Tsegaye
Tigist Tilahun

This must stop right now. Please ask international human rights organizations to pressurise the EPRDF government to stop torturing political dissidents.

Comedy producer arrested

The attack on free speech by the EPRDF continues unabated. Daniel Fisseha, executive producer of "Oppressed Jokes", was arrested on Saturday. "Oppresssed Jokes", the brilliant collection of works of stand-up comedy, had become instant hit in the country last year.

The jokes by up and coming comedians focused on social and political issues, including satires on the personality and rule of Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia's dictator. Art critics considered the collection as the first of its kind in the country in content and form.

Torture at Mae'kelawi

The arrest and torture of young Kinijit supporters in Addis Ababa is intensifying. Endalkachew Melese, 23, a second year IT student at the Softnet College was arrested by Plain-clothed security officers near Adwa Square in Piassa on December 15, 2006.

Tortured and abused at Maekelawi, he had appeared four times before the ad hoc remand court at Mexico Square. The court, which is designated to look into issues relating to political opposition, had remanded him in custody on all occasions. His last appearance was this morning.

Endalkachew was an election observer for Kinijit in Woreda 19, kebele 56. After his arrest, he was held incommunicado for three days before his family tracked him. They were allowed to deliver food but were banned from communicating with him. Police told the court that Endalkachew was suspected of "cooperating with the Patriotic Front to stir up unrest in Addis Ababa". Forty-two supporters of Kinijit are held at Maekelawi, accused of the same crime as Endalkachew.

Zenebe Tadesse, 34, married with three children is one of the detainees. Police officers took him from the premise of Matador Tyre where he worked as a security guard on the day Endalkachew was arrested. Today he appeared before the remand court with his shoulders obscenely swollen from severe torture. He told family and friends that several times, he had been kicked to the ground and different policemen had stood on his neck causing stern pain. "I will die in few days," he was heard saying.

Hirut Kifle and Fantaye Beyene are also suffering from torture at Maekelawi, according to sources. Another individual, whose name sources said was Daniel, has been detained in the same prison, accused of trying to foment dissension in the city. He is registered as a resident of the United States.

Defections continue as political dissent remains a crime in Ethiopia

Ex-journalist Fasil Assefa had joined the growing number of members of the Ethiopian private press living as political refugees in Kenya. Fasil, who was arrested and then released in October in what is now referred to as "The Yalemzewd Incident", left the country two weeks ago after police warned him that his case wasn't dropped. He was accused of conspiring to foment dissensions by distributing the civil disobedience calendar. He was caught at the border town of Moyale.

Fasil was one of the tens of people who ended up in jail for distributing the calendar. Hundreds had been routinely harassed and intimidated. Major Ameneshewa Tahlew, leader of the Ethiopian National Volleyball team, fled to Kenya last month after the constant abuse he got from EPRDF security officers in connection to his involvement in the distribution of the calendar.

Political dissident shot to death

Police shot dead a young political dissident on Wednesday at Rufael, one of the northern suburbs of Addis Ababa.

Four federal police officers dragged Tesfaye Tadesse, 25, from his friend's home at 9:45 pm and shot him thrice on his chest and twice on his back. His family found his bullet-straddled body latter.

Tesfaye a notable kinijit organizer at his neighborhood had been arrested in June and November 2005 when EPRDF embarked upon massive crack down of dissent in the country. His friends said security men had repeatedly harassed him after he was released from detention in November.

Tesfaye's autopsy revealed that he had lost three of his front teeth and one eye due to severe beating. The police officers took him to a dark area in the village and beat him, eyewitnesses claimed. "When people living in the village started surrounding the police officers who were beating him, they shot him and drove away," one witness said.

Tesfaye's friend from whose home the deceased was taken said that he was instructed to stay at the house when he asked the police officers where they were taking his friend.

Tesfaye is the sixth Kinijit organizer killed in Addis Ababa in the past week.

Breaking news: Protestors call for the release of political prisoners

A crowd of young people celebrating the Holy Epiphany denounced EPRDF's rule. The protestors shouted slogans, which called for the release of Kinijit leaders and other political prisoners in front of the palace. A few demonstrators were heard chanting, "Woyane is thief!" as palace guards watch them alertly.

The celebrations were low key this year with thousands of people preferring to stay at home, opposing the political partisanship of the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Somali media under attack

The Ethiopian invasion of Somalia is ending up freedom of speech in Somalia. Irin reports that the Somalia Transitional Government(TG), which many regard as Ethiopia's puppet, has closed three popular Mogadishu radio stations, HornAfrik radio and television, Shabelle Media Network, Radio Voice of Holy Koran and the offices of international news station, Al Jazeera.

Somalia had some of the freest media in Africa. The Islamists who were labeled as enemies of freedom hadn't tried to close the radio stations which are under attack from the TG now.
Horn of Africa media watchers make parallels between the current media attack in Somalia and what has been going on in Ethiopia for the last two years in Ethiopia. "This is Ethiopian style onslaught on freedom of the press. There is Meles Zenawi's finger print all over it, " an Ethiopian journalist said.

See Irin for detailed news

............

Shimeles Kemal replaces Zenebe Bourka
The chief prosecutor in the treason and genocide trials of the popular CUD leaders has been appointed as the head of Lega Research and Study Department at the Ministry of Justice. The post was held by Zenebe Bourka who was demoted to a lower position by EPRDF last month.

Shimeles now hold four government posts. He is the head of Ethiopian Broadcast Agency, Deputy Attorney General, Chief Prosecutor of the treason trials and head of Legal Research and Study Department. The piling responsibility of Shimeles kemal in the country's justice system shows EPRDF's unpopularity among legal professionals.

Breaking news: Talks between Meles and Kinijit leaders break down

The Ethiopian dictator has broken the negotiation he started with Kinijit leaders in Kaliti, EZ learnt. After the Kaliti prisoners meet mediators seven times, the talks fell through as Meles kept on moving the goalpost every time. His last demand was for the CUD leaders to admit their guilt.
Meles first asked the leaders to quit politics. The demand was utterly rejected by the prisoners. Then he demanded them to dissociate themselves from AFD and condemn OLF and ONLF. The mediators were told that CUD's policy was not to condemn Ethiopian political organization but to create a process, which accommodates them.
In the subsequent two meetings, there appeared to be a glimmer of hope that there would be a solution as Meles reduced his demand to "an agreement to work under the constitution". Prison sources confirmed that the negotiations had become hopeless after the Ethiopian army swiftly defeated the UIC in Somalia. In the last three discussions, Meles returned to the two old issues of condemning OLF and ONLF and seeking pardon after admitting guilt. The prisoners had previously rejected both demands.
"It seemed Meles was emboldened by the victory in the Somali war and the international recognition he got as an ally in the war on terror," one prison source said.
In the later stages of the talks, the greatest Ethiopian sportsman, Haile Gebresillasie, joined Professor Ephrem Isaac as mediator.

We are now the "crusaders"

All wire services reported that Ayman al-Zawahri, Al-Qaida's No. 2, has called for the opening up of a new front against Ethiopia.
AP reports him as saying:

• I call upon the Muslim nation in Somalia to remain in the new battlefield that is one of the crusader battlefields that are being launched by America and its allies and the United Nations against Islam and Muslims. Launch ambushes, land mines, raids and suicidal combats until you consume them as the lions and eat their prey

I wonder what people who, without supporting Meles Zenawi, called for a limited intervention in Somalia would say. This war has turned Ethiopia into a "crusader" nation and enemy of Islamists every where in the world. Most importantly, we have become a "legitimate" terror target for Al-Qaida, an organization which has evolved into a state of mind.

Will Meles Zenawi save us from those who have bombed New York, London, Madrid, Islamabad, Cairo, Nairobi, Dareselam and Baghdad? Is Ethiopia's security, which has been deliberately turned into the witch hunter of kinijit supporters, capable of identifying and foiling terror threats? Can our economy sustain "war on terror"?

Meles Zenawi has committed the worst foreign policy disaster in Ethiopian history. The spillovers of his act are now going to have major impact on the lives Ethiopian troops and civilians. It is maddening that Addis Ababans who have suffered the brunt of Meles Zenawi intensive repression will face spate of suicide attacks because of the stupid act of the violater of their rights.

Old habits die hard

It seems that the Ethiopian government which is one of the top persecutors of journalists in the world is taking its bad habit to Somalia. The freest media in the horn of Africa is now under serious attack from the Ethiopian forces and their Somali transitional government allies. The RSF reports:

• ...Abikar, the Voice of the Holy Quran's correspondent for the Lower Shabelle region, was arrested in Baidoa on 1 January by forces loyal to the transitional federal government, who seized his journalistic material. It is not known where he is being held.
  The Reporters Without Borders partner organisation in Somalia, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), said Abikar was reportedly suspected of spying. He was arrested once before in the district of Diinsor and his material was confiscated on that occasion as well. Following his first arrest, he was freed as a result of the intervention of the deputy defence minister. "

And Garow online reports:

• 
  Another Somali journalist who went on the trip to Afgoe with Garowe Online reporter Abditatah Ahmed tried to take pictures of the Ethiopian troops en route to Mogadishu. Ethiopian soldiers immediately surrounded the journalists and used physical force to intimidate the reporters, Abdifatah wrote.
  The Ethiopian soldiers asked the Somali journalists who they were and what they were doing in Afgoe.
  “After we told them we were journalists, they [Ethiopian soldiers] laughed at us and said they don’t recognize the Somali press,” Abdifatah wrote.
  The soldiers then destroyed the camera and ordered the journalists to leave the area immediately.

Old habits die hard. What will the next move be? Accusing Somali journalists of treason and genocide? Shutting down somali blogs? Registering internet cafe users?

University instructors anticipate dismissal

Addis Ababa university's instructors are holding their breathe as reports that "several" will be dismissed circulate throughout the campuses. At least seven will be dismissed from the law faculty, sources told this blogger.
Meles Zenawi has long considered the university as a bastion of opposition to his rule; and recent events have increased his suspicion to the country's biggest and most famous university. Many opposition party leaders are either the university's current members or had been teaching there in the past.
The university's administration, led by Andreas Eshete, has been giving most scholarship opportunities abroad to Meles loyalists in the university in the hope that they will fill the void left by dismissed instructors once they return from their studies.

kinijit activist defects to Switzerland

Former UEDP-Medihn Member, kinijit activist and freelance journalist, Ashenafi Kebede, has arrived at Switzerland safely after the TPLF regime started pursuing him for distributing Brehanu Nega's book and the civil disobedience calendar which landed several kinijit supporters in jail. Ashenafi was one of the first members to leave UEDP-Medihn after he learnt the dictatorial tendencies of the now disgraced politician, Lidetu Ayalew.
Ashenafi went missing after government forces started trailing supporters of kinijit who were involved in distributing the civil disobedience calendar. Police searched his house twice after he left it without telling family and friends.

From paris a blogger speaks...Andrew Heavens denies what the government admits...

In the past year, this blogger had been one of the few foreigners in Addis Ababa who knew what Ethiopians really, really think. Why? Because he tried! He talked to teenagers on the streets, Somalis in Ruanda and worked at Fortune where he met journalists with diverse views.
It is sad that he left Ethiopia two weeks ago. But even from paris, he hasn't relented. He puts people like Andrew Heavens to shame. On his last post, Andrew called the round-up stories unsubstantiated. Last sunday, a top official of Addis Ababa Police, Tesfaye Meresa, admitted to the Amharic Reporter that they had arrested some people as a preventive measure. These days Andrew has turned into such a government apologist that he could even deny what the government admitted.

See an American speaks about Ethiopia from a french city.
http://pariscalling.typepad.com/pariscalling/2006/12/somalia_the_roa.html

EPRDF kills a kid

More than hundred students of Africa Andenet elementary school near Piassa were protesting against the action of the federal police after one of the students was shot dead today. The kids claimed that they couldn't learn when one of their own was killed for no reason. They were chanting "Leba, leba, police leba, bereket Leba, Meles Leba". Tens of students were latter arrested by the federal police. Students of Brehane Ethiopia, which is located at Arat Kilo, joined the protestors. Eye witnesses said the kids who were protesting were between the ages of 9 and 13.
......
Many Internet cafes in Addis Ababa are being told to register users by the federal police. Registration forms have been distributed by the police to some of them. An Intenet cafe owner at the Ayer Tena area told this blogger that even though he received the forms he wouldn't obey the orders and chase his clients away. Although most Ethiopian pro-democracy websites are shut down, people are massively using anonymous proxy servers to access them . The registration of users in internet cafes is intended to deter readers of political websites, observers say.
Tomorrow: What happened to Menbere Tadesse, a kinijit activist?

Police kills a young man escaping round-up

Federal police shot dead a young man who tried to escape from the round up in Addis Ababa. Abebe Hailemariam who was in early twenties was killed when he refused to accept instruction by the federal police to enter the police garage in front of the Sheraton Addis where hundreds of young men who were rounded up from the streets of Addis were held. Abebe lived in the neighborhood of the Filwha area where the round up was the most rampant. The EPRDF government had reptile conducted raids in the Filwha and Arogew Kera area in the last two weeks.
Eye witnesses said Abebe was trying to escape what locals call "affessa" when police opened fire and killed him.
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Fools and lies

I have on different times declared my allegiance to Ethiopian pro-democracy movements particularly Kinijit. I still think that despite the rivalry and problems in Kinijit diaspora, the party is strong and indivisible. I hope the two groups, despite their differences, will stop slinging mud on each other and get on with their job of organizing kinijit supporters.
This leads me to kinijit.org's recent attack on Andargachew Tsgie. The website claimed that Andargachew wasn't a CUD council member. What a lie! In mid August 2005, Kestedemena convened a meeting to elect its 12 people for the the CUD CC. The following were elected:Dr. Brehanu Nega, Wt. Birtukan Mideksa, Dr. Yacob H. Mariam, Dr. Shimelis Tekle Tsadik,Ato Debebe Eshetu, Ato Kidanemariam Hagos, Ato Bedru Adem,Dr. Abdu, Ato Daniel Asseffa, Ato Andargachew Tsige, Dr. Befekadu Degueffe and Ato Dibaba Amensisa. However, it was stated that Andargachew couldn't attend the CUD CC founding meeting as he was in exile. There was also a feeling that some of the elected members might be absent. The Council therefore decided to elect 2 alternate members for the CUD CC. These were Nigist G. Hiwot and Yeneneh Mulatu. All the 40 members of the Rainbow Central Council, including Zebene, were delegated to attend the Founding Conference of the CUDP. Three of elected members CUD CC from Rainbow, including Bedru Adem, Andargachew, and Kidanemariam Hagos didn't attend the founding conference, reducing the number of Rainbow elects for the CUD CC to 11. Zebene was then delegated by rainbow to fill the vacant seat as the twelfth member.This is the true story.
I ask the good men at kinijit.org to remove the post. There were 40 rainbow members who could be witnesses to the truth. Don't make fool of yourselves. Let deception ends at Aigaforum.

Torture chamber closed

The notorious Woreda 8 torture chamber had been dismantled by TPLF after diplomatic pressure. Woreda 8 special task force took control of the investigation of the case of the civil disobedience calendar in September and tortured at least 49 people including the businessman, Alemayehu Fantu. Two were killed when being tortured. According to sources, following the exposition of the chamber by the human rights group Amnesty International, intense diplomatic pressure on the government forced it to close the chamber.

TPLF starts Derg style "Affesa"

Police is rounding up young men from the streets of Addis.
In what some think parallels the Derg's "Affesa era", hundreds had been detained while walking on the streets of the city, standing in their neighborhood or watching European football in little sports bars on Saturday and Monday. Some were released from detention on Monday after they presented ID cards which proved that either they were students or government workers. Those who worked for private employers were told that their status would be further investigated.
"We didn't know what crime we committed. We were returning to out neighborhood after watching the Manchester United game on Sunday. They encircled us and ordered us to jump onto a truck. We were taken to woreda 10 police station," a teenager who was released the next day said. He claims that hundreds still remain there. Some eye witnesses said street kids were being beaten by police men while they were rounded up.
The serious opposition to the impending war from the youth has upset the government. Some young men recounted how they were stopped by the police men and asked about their position on Somalia. Kebele cadres were ordered to start massive awareness campaigns to educate the youth about the dangers of Somalia and the consequences of not supporting the war.
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Professor Al Mariam is a breathe of fresh air in the pro-feedom and democracy movement. I just can't get enough of his articles. See this on the trial.

The talented millenium celebration council

The womanless Ethiopian Millenium celebration council has a unique ability to thrill. Its strategic plan was announced yesterday with a lot of fanfare and live TV coverage. Here are the stats.
300,000.... the number of Ethiopians in diaspora expected to travel back to their country to participate in EPRDF's party
6000.....the number of people coming to Ethiopia from the washington DC area alone for the millenium
200,000.......the amount of birr the millenium celebration committee used to decorate its old office
11...........the number of millenial parks to be constructed throughout Ethiopia
I am mesmerized with EPRDF's number crunching and projection ability. With the smart Mulugeta Asrate Kassa, Seyoum Bereded and oh, that genuis.....Dr. Yohannes Gebre-sillasie at the helm and Mimi Sebahtu and Genenew Assefa operating behind the veil, the millenium committee is even better.
I have real numbers....the number of people who will be in prison because of their political opinions on the first day of the next millenium.....the number of people who would rather mourn their loved ones who were killed because they tried to exercise their natural right to protest ....the number of people who ,due to forced exile, don't see their country when it ventures into the new millenium.....and so and so forth.
What about this for the Millenium? FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY!
IS THIS LOUD ENOUGH MELES?!
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Addis Calling has an interesting story on Somalis in Addis and more.

Assefa Abrha's emotional statement sends court attendants to tears

Assefa Abreha, the former general manager of Privatization Agency presented an eloquent but emotional closing argument on Friday in the farcical corruption trial which includes his brother, former defense minister Siye Abrha. Assefa passionately argued how the prosecution was politically motivated sending some of the court attendants to tears. Like the jailed CUD leaders, Siye Abrha's visitation hours on weekends are limited to an hour a day. He is not allowed to meet other political prisoners.

Andreas Eshete establishes a human rights center to fight Amnesty International

Addis Ababa University's President, Professor Andreas Eshete, is establishing a human rights centre under the auspices of the university. According to sources close to him, he intends to make the centre a research and advocacy institute which counters Amnesty International. Andreas Eshete told some of his aides that AI was biased towards Ethiopia and the world should know that there was a growing respect to human freedom and equality in the country. "It will be the first human rights institute in the world which is created to fight another advocacy institution, " one of the aides told this blogger.
Many colleagues of Andreas Eshete are unhappy with Addis Ababa University's direct involvement in politics. "It is a scandal for this great institution that it is planning to stand against such a conscience of the world as AI. We are writing history which will embarrass our children, " one university professor laments. "what will be the first research work of the 'human rights' centre? A defense of human rights violations in the country?" another quips.
The president whose association with EPRDF is a public knowledge is expected to name the institute's chairman soon.

Aklilu Solomon, attorney in the Kinijit trial, defects

Lawyers don't usually fit the bill of a hero. Yet 2005 gave birth to a handful of heroes from this unlikeliest of professions; their star shining brightly. Birtukan Mideksa, the most famous of all, was jailed by the autocrat for broaching freedom and anti-totalitarianism. Her fate was shared by Anteneh Mulugeta,Yeneneh Mulat, Netsanet Demissie and Daniel Bekele, young lawyers with profound conviction for the same ideals.
On February 18, at 4.00 am, security forces climbed over the barbed-wired wall of Birhane Mogesse's illustrious villa in the prosperous Atlas Hotel neighborhood, sneaked into his bedroom and pointed a gun at him while he was fast asleep. He was, we were told later, arrested for aiding and abetting the acts of terrorism. Since then this top-notch attorney in Addis had to bear the sight of the law books being shredded to pieces in the altars of the law: courts. A Swiss knife was presented in court as evidence to show Birhane's culpability in the alleged act.
Alemayehu Zemedkun, Firehiwot samuel, Woldemichael Meshesha, Teshale Aberra....All are obvious contenders to a lawyer- hero status. Enter a new name. Remember, you read it first here. Aklilu Solomon will hit the news media soon.
Aklilu's story offers inspiration. He came to the scene just after the 2005 election. With the results rigged and a state of emergency declared by executive fiat, Kinijit decided to test the independence of the country's judiciary. Aklilu et al brought a case against Meles Zenawi claiming that he breached a law when he prohibited public gatherings in Addis Ababa. A jittery Woldemichael Meshesha, the judge then, figured out a way of dodging the issue. In his decision he asserted that the issue was constitutional and; therefore, a matter for the Constitutional Inquiry Commission to decide. The commission decided that Meles didn't violate the constitution. Case closed.....But for not Aklilu.
An assiduous wooer of journalists, Aklilu explained the elementary errors of the decision to the public with remarkable thoughtfulness and insight. He later joined the election complaints investigation panel as a kinijit representative. Tireless and dedicated he is, the mockery of justice and law at that panel didn't discourage him. "I have faith with human beings. We make the system. The few bad apples in the system would lose in the end. This can't go on," he told this blogger just before the November crack-down.
That crack-down changed Aklilu's path of life completely. He became a member of the legal team defending political prisoners pro bono. When Birhane Mogesse, member of the team, was arrested, many lawyers feared the worst and left the scene. There was no stopping Aklilu though. He represented Kassahun Kebede, an official of the Ethiopian Teachers Association, who is on trial with kinijit leaders for treason and genocide. He faced constant intimidation and harassment by government agents and was told to quit. For the man with young family and a bright future, the easiest option must be to quit. Aklilu isn't one to take easy ways out. Representing an innocent union leader in the most ludicrous political trial in the country's history is in itself a torture. Going through real intimidation every day from the most brutal EPRDF agents is beyond an average person's limits of tolerance. "I am trying to ride the storm because I still believe in human spirit. I sometimes think even the judges will get it difficult to handle this mockery. It is tough," he wrote to me in one of our e-mail exchanges.
Even for him , the latest episode of EPRDF's action was intolerable. Accused of being involved in distribution of the civil disobedience calendar which landed at least 49 people in jail, the target of intimidation included his young family. It was enough. He followed other brave lawyers to exile. Now in a European country, he asks himself question all Ethiopians in the democracy movement ask: how can a country with such a tremendous potential be ruined by the most incompetent and brutal leaders?

More on Meles's message to CUD leaders

Details of Meles Zenawi's message to the jailed CUD leaders has emerged this weekend. Professor Ephrem Isaac met Hailu Sawel, Birhanu Nega, Birtukan Mideksa, Yacob Hailemariam and Gizachew Shiferaw three times in a week. According to prison sources, in the first two meetings, Professor Ephrem informed the prisoners Meles's demand that they quit politics to be released from prison. After a firm rejection from them, the prime minister sent a fresh message containing a demand from them to denounce the AFD and dissociate themselves from those who raised arms against his government including the OLF and ONLF. The prisoners told the professor that Kinijit's policy was to solve Ethiopia's problems by dialogue and engagement, not by denouncation of the country's political groups.
According to sources, the prisoners seemed to take this round of shuttle diplomacy with cautious optimism. The mediator Ephrem Issac was said to be truly non-partisan unlike the American charge d'affaires Vicki Huddlestone who tried to act as a mediator previously. This was the first time the prisoners met a mediator together.

Siye's sham trial to end soon

The prosecutor in former defense Minister Siye Abrha's corruption trial presented his closing argument yesterday. Observers say that the trial which is at its fifth year is an absolute sham. The defense will present his closing argument next Wednesday. Meles Zenawi put Siye in prison and charged him with corruption after the latter led an internal protest against the prime minister in March 2001. The protestors accused Meles of being soft on Eritrea.

Meles asks jailed CUD leaders to quit politics

Ethiopia's dictator Meles Zenawi would release CUD leaders who had been held at Kaliti prison for the last thirteen months if they agreed to quit politics. According to prison sources, Meles sent the message to the prisoners through Professor Ephrem Isaac. The prominent linguist and historian met the prisoners at least twice this week and heard a firm rejection from some of the top leaders.
On Monday, the Chief prosecutor in the treason trial, Shimeles Kemal, dropped 289 witnesses whom he previously said would testify against the leaders of Ethiopia's biggest political party and asked the court to let him bring up fifteen new ones. Trial observers said that with the current speed, the prosecutor would wrap up the case in a few weeks.
With an all out war with Somalia looming in the horizon and opposition against his leadership from the inside and outside intensifying, there are speculations that Meles will release the leaders in Kaliti although the conditions he set in his message to Kaliti which he sent through Professor Ephrem Isaac are unacceptable to the prisoners.

The Great Protest

A.k. knows more than most people about the appallingly miserable conditions of the EPRDF prison. He had suffered the macabre conditions of the Ziway concentration camp. His body swarmed by all kind of bedbugs, he endured one-bread a day meals with thousands of terrified and cadaverous inmates. A powerful image still haunts him. "Rats skittered throughout our cell with utmost freedom. It seemed that they knew we were too weak and emaciated to respond to them. It was so deflating and bitter that it left most of us breathless. I feel nervous when I see rats after that."
A.K. was 23 when he was rounded up on June 8, 2005 and incarcerated at Ziway for a month. There, he went through a rapid and remarkable period of maturing. "My life's watershed moment," he called it. Yet his agony at the concentration camp was accompanied by an enduring resentment to the EPRDF. "The resentment is liberating in a way. I couldn't have been tough if I hadn't passed through the horror and scare. A life away from the struggle is now no longer sustainable. I will be fighting to make sure that nothing that ghastly happens to other Ethiopians in the future. That purpose has entered my soul as a permanent resident"
On Sunday, A.K took part in the Great Run, his first in four years. He knew there were spontaneous protests against the government in both Great Runs last year. "There was a heightened, almost erotic, sense of anticipation of opposition among the athletes on Sunday. It was godsend for people like me who are muzzled from speaking out," he recounted. The government had predicted the protests equally. This year the media had kept the event as low profile as they could do. Most of the registration of athletes was made in work places. There were reports that it had planned to cancel the event. Only the popularity of the run among diplomats and expatriates saved it.
The protest started with the outburst of few people but rapidly grew to engulf thousands. Tension gave way to courage. Songs of opposition, some silly, some funny and some dreary, were sung; anti-Meles and anti-war chants made and the release of political leaders demanded. With the security forces, not reacting, the Great Run ended up being the first peaceful and spontaneous public protest since the election. For many it was a lesson to the government that people hadn't forgotten. A. K was philosophical about the protest. In a typical Ethiopian melodramatic flourish he declared: "If those who died in 1970s and 805 for the cause of freedom here rise up from their graveyard and see where Ethiopia is now, they will think their sacrifice wasn't worth it. The fallen heroes of this generation should not feel the same,"

Protestors condemn the Somali war

The Great Run protestors are condemning Meles's declaration of war on Somalia. The slogan "Whose war is it? It is not Ethiopia's..but Meles's" is being repeatedly chanted now.



PS: All pro-democracy websites are now blocked in Ethiopia. Blogs which were unblocked for the last three months are blocked again including this blog.

Protestors reach the palace

Two groups of protestors are infront of the national place right now. One group is chanting "Meles is a thief," "Meles, release our leaders".. the other group is saying "Don't disturb him..he is chewing Chat"

Breaking News: The Great Ethiopian Run turns into protest march

Thousands of participants in today's Great Run are chanting slogans such as "Release the Prisoners", "Woyane, Dangerous Vagrant", "The repressed Kinijit is back".... Protest songs are also being sung loudly. Some of the protestors are near ETV headquarter now and are condemning the station for being a propoganda machine for the Meles regime.
(More later)

Hailu Shawel; less rhetoric and more truth

Political pragmatism isn't usually inspired by exotic nature. It grows from an attempt to make sense of the quiddities thrown by human existence. Kinijit's charismatic chairman Hailu Shawel though isn't your normal pragmatic politician. He switches from idealism to the most practical aspects of politics as effortlessly as children absorb their native tongue.
The Greek root of the Latin Natura means "to give birth", to be native...life. The public life of Hailu Shawel was born of nature's inspiration. In 1958, as an adventurous 22 year old Hailu returned to Ethiopia barely weeks after he graduated from Wayne State in Civil engineering. His destination was the world's most marvelous water -the Blue Nile. There, as a chief Hydrologist in Blue Nile Investigation Project, he reviled the bewildering contrast between Ethiopia's great potential and its failure. Where the beautiful Nile snaked around with arrogance and grace, the soil was lost to erosion and wildlife decimated. Nature vanishes when development surges. But Nile's was different. Forests were turning to barren lands; mountains stripped for the coal beneath. Yet the place had nothing to show for its destruction - no factories, no water dams. It seemed nihilism had infected nature itself.
Believe the TPLF, and a mortal threat faces Ethiopia if Kinijit and Hailu Shawel lead the country. They conjure up the vision of an Amhara-dominated Ethiopia which is chained with forced unitarism. Hailu's journey from a Nile inspired romantic young man to an uncompromising, no-tosh party leader tells a different story. After his Nile adventures, Hailu spent a successful spell in different managerial positions at Shell international. An assignment to London beckoned. A middle aged man's dream job, you would say. Hailu though chose to serve his nation. In 1971, he was made the first Ethiopian General Manager of Ethiopian Roads Authority. He is the proud owner of the authority's medal of highest achievement. Ironically, it was after the EPRDF had seized power that Hailu received the medal.
It is often argued even by supporters that Hailu's political liability is his service during the Dergue. Unfortunately, as a man who isn't adept at silver-tongued art of swaying opinions, Hailu didn't adequately respond to this vexing allegation. During the Dergue, Hailu worked first as General Manager of Ethiopian Sugar Corporation and Managing Director of Wonji Sugar Company and Metehara Sugar Company and then Minister for State Farms Development of Ethiopia. Both were not political positions; and he had spent most of his time squabbling with low life cadres of the military junta. In mid 1978, 24 hours away from being killed for helping an EPRP operative escape, he was saved by a top official. Like Colin Powell, his loyalty for the country is very intense...."a loyal and disinterested counsellor who advised a bad government". That is a civic virtue rather than a folly and he should have defended himself without embarrassment.
In 1983 Hailu finally realized that it was pointless to counsel the Dergue and left to form a successful company, Shawel Consult, which is now run by his son, the affable economist Shawel Hailu.
A surprisingly shy man, with a gruff exterior that concealed his incredible inner kindness, and a detest to the double speak; Hailu isn't a politician who electrifies demonstrations and mass gatherings. He is a man who believes there are things grander than rhetoric and lie in politics. A rare breed?

Breaking news: Meles suspends air force chief

Ethiopia's dictator Meles Zenawi has suspended Major General Almeshet Degfe, the top man in the Ethiopian Air force and two other high-ranking military leaders, Brigadier Generals Kumera Assefa and Asamenew Tsgie. Army sources told this blogger that the protest in the army was intensifying and Meles was taking very desperate measures including detaining military officers.
(More on the army protests soon)

Does moral injury cause lung problems? Court witness says yes.

In a packed courtroom, a witness swears on oath. He then recounts the gruesome details of his ordeals. He claims that he allegedly received ethnic slur from a mob and was pelted by a rock. With his face full of gloom, he tells and retells the moral damage he suffered from that the mob's act. You suck your lips. This is morbid. No human being should pass through such torment and suffering.
The judge asks the witness to elaborate what it means to suffer a moral injury. The man clears his throat and says..."I had a lung problem"
You will be excused if you think this is a dark comedy straight out of the Athol Fugard. Wrong! Remember the CUD trial. That is a scene from yesterday's proceeding.

Getachew Jigi sheds crocodile's tears

Getachew Jigi, former member of OPDO and an MP who fled to the US, asked for the opposition to Meles's regime to work in unison. It is a bit rich coming from a person who created so much chaos within his party, the OFDM, and chastised Kinijit on November 4 last year; just three days after hundreds were killed and thousands were put in a concentration camps for supporting the party. Sorry Getachew, you don't have the moral authority to make such a call even from America.

Ethio-EC relationship strained despite invitation to Meles....The farcical court....Crack down on former election observers

Ethiopia's dicator, Meles Zenawi, will dicuss the challenges of being a dictator on Friday November 17 - 9.30 to 12.00 in Brussels with the invitation of the European Commission as the relationship between the commission and Ethiopia is supposed to have deteriorated further.
Meles had a serious of phone meetings with José Manuel Barroso, the commission's President. Topics of discussion included Ethiopia's growing repression and the Sebhatu and Brothers espionage scanda. According to diplomatic sources, Meles blamed the head of EC delegation in Addis Ababa, Tim Clark, for the worsening relationship . Ambassador Clark whose job, according to sources, is under threat was in Brussels last week conferring with Commissioner Barrosso. He was assured that he would remain as head of delegation despite Ethiopia's enormous pressure.
The invitation to Meles came up after the discussions between Barosso and the PM.
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The farcical court
This blogger has obtained the full transcript of Yesterday's Testimony against Daniel Bekele, the Oxford graduate and social justice advocate who is facing charges of Genocide and Treason. I had stopped reporting on the trial because I thought there was no point in it. Yet because the transcript shows,how comical the court is, I have translated and posted it verbatim. See how ridiculous the testimony is....

Prosecutor presented its witness.....

Examination in chief

Name : Wondwosen Seyoum Dadi, age 29 ,
Occupation: unemployed
Address N/L/S/C: Kebele 08 ( yedirow woreday 20 , kebele 42)
Do you know why you are here today ?
To testify , I will testify on Daniel”
Prosecutor: Do you know Daniel?"
Witness pointed at Daniel and said “That is him"
Prosecutor: When and where did you get to know Daniel?
Witness: I first met Daniel in mid June”
Where?
Witness: I had tea in a cafe in front of UEDP/Medihn office with my friend Goshu. While we were leaving the cafe, Daniel came from behind and said 'Boys, what are you doing?' and then encouraged me and promised me to support us. He then gave me his mobile phone number and told me to call him in case I wanted help.
What did you tell him?
I told him that I was a kinijit member and work under the auspices of the Addis Ababa Committee and that I was an organizer.
What was your task within Kinijit?
I was organizing the youth within kinijit regarding the election in Addis Ababa.
When did you meet Daniel again?
I called him on the number he gave me and we talked. Then we met at his office.
Where was the office?
Action aid. We talked about the importance of money to organize the youth and make them protest. And based on our conversation, Daniel gave me 200 birr. I took the money and organized the youth.
What were the details of your discussion?
First, we talked about the need for overthrowing the governing party. But he told me if the government used its guns, we needed to organize people.
Did you meet Daniel afterwards?
I didn't meet Daniel afterwards, After the riots, I went into hiding. But I had seen Daniel having conversation with Tamrat Tarekegn on the street once.
Did you know whether Daniel was the member of CUD?
I did not know that Daniel was a member of the organization. But he told me that to get votes respected we need to rebel against the government. The rebellion continued but it was not fruitful. Therefore, I had to hide.
What did you do after that?
After the hiding, I gave myself up for the government. I did that to Woreda 21 police. Then I was taken to Sositegna police station and then to Maekelawi. Then I gave my testimony to the police and I was told to appear when I would be summoned.

Cross examination

Daniel Q. Where were you organizing people?
I was organizing around Gotera.
Who were the people or youth you were trying to organize ?
I do not remember people whom I was organizing.
You don't even remember a single name?
Yes, I do not know a single person by name.
How?
Because I was organizing people who were passing by. We didn't meet in offices. I didn't have office. I spoke to them on the street.
How do you organize people without knowing them? What if you would meet a policeman?
I organized like I said
Where did you hide?
In a village called Salo
Where is this place ?
Here in Addis
Could you tell me the address of the house you were hiding and the name of the owner of the house?
I didn't know the address and the name of the owner.
So you just went into a house you didn't know and hide there?
Yes
After the hiding, you said that you gave yourself up at Woreda 21. Who was the police you gave yourself up,
I do not remember him
So you just went there voluntarily without being summoned and gave yourself up? No when I returned from hiding, I was told that the police were coming at home and looking for me so I gave myself up.
Then what did you do after you went to the police?
I told them about the matter. The policeman heard me but he wasn't recording it and then he took me to Maekelawi.
Here Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam Araya(lawyer for Daniel) interjected. He asked the court to tell the witness to face the judges not the prosecutors who were showing eye signals to the witness.
Shimeles Kemal: I am working for the respect of justice and law more than the defense attorneys are. The defense is defaming the prosecutor. The court should take action on the defense attorney.
Adil(The presiding judge): If there is any eye signal, we will follow it and you should also follow it.

Witness: Then I testified at Maekelawi and was released.
What account did you give first?
The police first considered me as a suspect.
So were you released on bail?
No I was released without bail.
You were released without bail eventhough you were a suspect
Yes
When were you called back as a witness?
I went back again
So you went there twice, voluntarily?
Yes.
Then Daniel asked for the witness to show his kebele Id to the court. The judges saw it. Daniel asked to see it himself. The prosecutor objected. He argued that only the judge could see it. The judge said he could read the details to Daniel and started reading it. The ID says the witness worked at Luigi.
Daniel: Didn't you say that you have no job?
The one in the ID was where I worked
So why didn't you return the ID?
The prosecutor objected for this line of questioning
Judge Leul warned Daniel to concentrate on the basic issues

The court questions the witness:

How many times did you testify before the police ?
Once
How many times have you met Daniel?
Once at the cafe and then when I phoned him.
So when you met Daniel at the cafe, you were with Goshu. Where was Daniel sitting?
He was a little far from us
What were you talking about?
We were talking about how the government rigged the election and the necessity of revolting against the government.
So was daniel hearing this?
Yes
You said it was a cafe
Yes
Was there a music?
Yes
So if there was a music, wouldn't it have prohibited Daniel from listening to what you were talking about?
No, he was not far
So for how long had Daniel conversed with you?
He heard what we were talking about and followed us when we were leaving the Cafe. He conversed with us for two minutes and gave me his phone number.
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Crack down on former election observers
EPRDF has started fresh crack down on formed CUD election observers in Addis Ababa. Two observers from woreda Nine and another one from Wordeda Two were dragged out of their homes and arrested on the night of November 7 . They haven't yet appeared in court. Well-placed police sources said that the EPRDF was looking for CUD's "underground group" and the detention of people with CUD connections would continue unabated.

Was Teddy Afro framed?

Inside the New York Cafe, one of the trendiest places in Addis, a tall and lean young man with the tiniest of fingers was sitting sipping orange juice with a straw. A woman in blue jeans and thong sandals was besides him. Minutes later, I watched as a person of the same age, well clad, walked through the cafe as if both of his knees hurt and joined the duo. Their warm exchange of greeting was quickly followed by a chat about Jose Mourinho and Chelsea. They then jumped to the city's hottest topic: Teddy Afro.
"I think he did it. Why should we doubt it? Don't we know his life style?" the orange sipping man said.
The woman had none of that. She interjected angrily. "What I know is what they are up to. He was framed. He denied the accusation in court and there is no way I would believe them than him. These bastards!" The grave expression showed her disgust towards the government.
The conversation heated up. The man who was arguing the story's truth was cornered by his friends and ended up warning against sentimentality. He took a deep breath. "We shouldn't confuse our political convictions with reality," he advised.
Wondering all over the city, this exchange was one I had seen in Taxis, cafes, offices and even sports bars. His love and reconciliation preaching songs had elevated Tewodros Kasahun to the status of a national hero unlike any musician before him. And he is a slick operator; acting and speaking in a way that piles up his good will. The EPRDF with their perchance for hating individuals with man-of-the-people image tried to silence and discredit the singer who is affectionately called "Teddy Afro". They tore his posters in the city. They unleashed a smear campaign on his life style. In what is now dubbed as the Sheraton Scandal, the wife of Ethiopian Ambassador to the US, Samuel Assefa, punched the hotel's ticket seller for refunding money to those who returned their New Year party tickets after Teddy cancelled his show. After the popular singer left to the US for a music tour, some former TPLF fighters accused him of defaming them and police issued an arrest warrant.
This blogger was among the many who thought Teddy made a stupid decision when he returned back home two months ago. It was clear that the EPRDF were just bidding their time to go at him...revenge, for EPRDF, is a dish sweet eaten hot or cold.
The hit-and-run story was as suspicious as it could get. Police report runs like this: Teddy hit an 18-year-old street boy near the Sheraton Addis after mid-night with his 2001 BMW M3 and run away. A taxi, which was working nearby, chased the car, flew past it and when it tried to block the road Teddy crashed it and escaped. Then he drove to the CMC area, hit a pole. He was driving under the influence of alcohol. Police came to his home and arrested him four hours after the incident was alleged to have happened.
For those who know cars and the hilly Addis Ababa, it is a surprise to learn that a Lada taxi can chase and outpace a BMW being driven by a drunk driver. That nothing serious happened to the crashed taxi and its driver is a point worth pondering over. Miracles do happen, huh? Journalists at Fortune and Reporter could not even identify the taxi driver. After three accidents, two of them major, one also wonders how Teddy survived without a scratch. There must be revolutionary ferries shielding him from danger.
Teddy, of course, denied the hit-and-run story to a court although one comical newspaper tried to make us believe otherwise. According to his friends, the singer swore to God that he did not commit the alleged crime.
Whether he was framed or not, the moral of the story is clear. Except people like Louis Michel who think there is a democratic process to support in the country, not even children take the Ethiopian justice system seriously.

Note:
-The BBC got Justice Teshale Aberra's story slightly wrong. Justice Teshale was the President of Oromiya Supreme Court.

-There is a new blogger in town - another ferenj adds a voice. See www.lewit.blogspot.com

Talk of the town

Did he? or did he not? Teddy Afro's hit-and-run accusation has turned into a point of controversy in Addis. Ethio-Zagol examines the popular singer's story later.
Also coming up: Fresh crack down on former CUD election observers in Addis Ababa; EC-Ethiopian controversy heating up; Is Teshale Aberra a supreme court president(whatever has happened to Kemal Bedri)?

Message from Kaliti warns against individual tyranny in Kinijit

Jailed Kinijit leaders in kaliti are the latest in the host of groups and people to attempt to solve the crisis in the diaspora Kinijit. A message from Kaliti obtained by this blogger today warns kinijit leaders in diaspora that they should adhere to the rules of procedure within Kinijit International Leadership. The message was communicated to all KIL members through the appropriate channel, this blogger learnt.
The message is clear that Kinijit International is a committee that answers to the collective leadership of Kinijit in Ethiopia. It states that the democratic rules of procedure of Kinijit Ethiopia which gives no veto power to an individual leader should be applicable to the KIL. "All decisions by the committee must be reached through democratically acceptable procedures," the message says.
The most interesting part of the message is the one which denies the existence of a special letter written to Shaleka Yosef from Kaliti. "There are reports that there was a letter written to Shaeka Yosef by Engineer Hailu Shawel. Neither in content nor format was the letter that of the (chairman's)," it states. The message expresses its grave concern as how such a document that is not approved by Kinijit leadership and is not communicated through the normal channel has ended up in the public realm with all sorts of harmful implication to Kinijit as organization and its collective leadership. It promises to look into the whole matter and will announce its finding soon. "If any message send to and received from Kaliti isn't made through the appropriate channel, it isn't acceptable," the message concludes.
PS:
Seminawork doesn't have a partisan interest in the affairs of Kinijit Diaspora. The loyalty of the blog is to the elected leaders of Kinijit who are languishing in jail. Their will is the bond of the blog. This news was written to make the intention of the Kaliti leaders about KIL clear as there are different conflicting rumors and reports about the matter.

EC intervens to save Yalemzewd

After an intevention from some high level EC officials including the president, José Manuel Barroso, Yalemzewd Bekele, the human rights lawyer, is released on police bail at 7;25 pm local time today. She was taken to woreda 8 police station and then told that she was released on police bail.
This is a result of citizen action!

Yalemzewd released

Yalemzewd Bekele is released twenty minutes ago on police bail from woreda 8.
(more latter)

Yalemzewd taken to a torture chamber

Yalemzewd Bekele and Fasil Assefa were taken to the notorious torture chamber at Woreda 8 where the businessman Almemayehu Fantu is detained and tortured. Both are at a high risk of torture. All people detained there in connection to the distribution of the civil disobedience calendar have been tortured.
Call to action:
-Tell the EC to save its employee from torture. The head of delegation in Ethiopia hasn't done enough.
1. Head of Delegation to Ethiopia
Tim Clarke
Tel: +251-11-661 2511
Fax: +251-11-661 2877
timothy.clarke@ec.europa.eu
Main switchboard phone number: +32-2-299 1111

2. Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid
Louis Michel
Tel: +32-2-295 9600 or +32-2-295 2718
Fax: +32-2-292 1485
louis.michel@ec.europa.eu
Main switchboard phone number: +32-2-299 1111
-Inform Amnesty International that there is an imminent risk of torture to Yalemzewd Bekele and Fasil Assefa
Martin Hill
mhill@amnesty.org

Comedy in parliament and court

After judge Woldemichael Meshesha leaked the report of the Inquiry committee set up by parliament and a six hours video which showed when the members of the inquiry debate and cast their votes last Wednesday, the government scrambled to issue a tonned down version of the report to parliament today. Woldemichael's report which was confirmed by the chairperson of the inquiry committee, Frehiwot Samuel, accused government of massacring demonstrators. The tonned down version presented to parliament stated the same number of people dead and injured as the leaked report but blamed the killing on the lack of democratic culture.
Meanwhile in the court, which is hearing the public prosecutor's case against CUD leaders, social justice advocates and journalists, the prosecutor presented eight witnesses. One of them testified that she was a member of AEUP and was present in one meeting when the leaders of the party were inciting people for a struggle against the government. When she was asked to name some members of AEUP by the judge, she started with Dr. Birhanu Nega. The packed court cascaded into laughter. Birhanu Nega was a founder of keste Demena, one of the other three parties that formed a coalition with AEUP to establish the CUD. The same witness also said the abbreviation UEDP stood for Ethiopian Democratic movement.
There was more drama to come. Another witness who claimed to be a businessman testified that he was present when Eng. Gizachew Shiferaw's house was searched by the police. He was asked where he worked and he answered that his shop was infront of the Gizachew's house.
Judge: Are you sure you worked in front of the defendant's house
Wit: Yes
When Engineer Gizachew who was not defending himself joked that the compound in front of his house belonged to Bole Secondary School, the confused witness said he didn't mean that he worked in front of the house but in a small shop a few blocks from the house.

Family denied access to jailed Ethiopian human rights lawyer

Family members of Yalemzewd Bekele were denied access to the human rights lawyer. Yalemzewd who was arrested at the border town of Moyale last week was brought to Addis Ababa today and put at the notorious Mae'kelawi Prison.
This blogger learnt that she hadn't taken food for the last two days and was physically weak when she arrived at Addis Ababa today with the two other individuals who were arrested with her at Moyale. Her family who took food to her late in the afternoon were denied access to her. The EC delegation in Addis Ababa where Yalemzewd worked as a lawyer hasn't yet tried to contact her.

Latest on Yalemzewd Bekele

Yalemzewd Bekele, Fasil Assefa and another unnamed individual will be back to Addis Ababa tomorrow. The Federal police will be in charge of investigating their "crimes". Sources said that they will be at a more risk of torture under the custody of federal police. The EC delegation in Addis Ababa, Yalemzewd's employer, isn't following the case seriously despite Amnesty International's warning that she may face torture and reports in this blog that the Ethiopian Government was spying on the institution before the expulsion of the two diplomats and the arrest of Yalemzewd. This blogger has identified the senior official who asked Yalemzewd to leave the commission's office while she was staying there to avoid arrest. According to EC sources, it was the delegation's chief Timothy Clark. He assured her that he would follow her case with government officals but didn't do anything before her arrest.
Fasil Assefa is identified as a Unity University Management Information Systems student. He was arrested while sleeping at his hotel. The Ethiopian government falsely claimed that Fasil was taken into custody while he was trying to cross the Ethiopian border with Yalemzewd.

See more on EC espionage here and here

Call to action:
Please tell Ambassador Timothy Clark that his institution has a responsiblity to take Yalemzewd's case seriously and protect her from state violence.
-Head of Delegation to Ethiopia
-Tim ClarkeTel: +251-11-661 2511Fax: +251-11-661 2877
-timothy.clarke@ec.europa.eu
-Main switchboard phone number: +32-2-299 1111

More on EC espionage

Yalemzewd Bekele appeared before a local court at Moyale today even though courts in Ethiopia are normally closed on Saturdays. The judge granted the police a five days remand. According to security sources, an investigator named Adane who arrived from Awassa after she was arrested is following her case with Tamrat Genanaw, security personnel. She was taken to a police station after the court apperance where she was told to sleep on a floor without mattress and blanket. It was reported that she was firm and not talking to investigators eventhough they tried to roughen her up. She was held at the immigration office before being taken to the police station.
Meanwhile, more reports about the EC espionage are coming out. The man who was investigating Yalemzewd was carrying a photo of her and her expelled boss eating Pizza the day she was stranded at the delegation's office here in Addis. Another photo of her and other delegation staff was also taken in a farewell party held for an expatriate staff. Both photos were, according to security sources, taken by Sibhatu and Brothers, the firm in charge of the delegation's compound security and handed over to Ethiopian security.
The Meles government will be in serious trouble once the EU investigates the espionage claim.

Alert and Breaking News: Ethiopian Government's biggest conspiracy and espionage exposed

Ethiopian government's espionage against European Commission is exposed. The Ethiopian government claimed on Thursday that it had expelled two EU diplomats who were trying to smuggle two Ethiopian fugitives who committed serious crimes. According to Security sources, the two diplomats weren't arrested at the border town of Moyale but more than 157 miles away from the border while they were traveling back to Addis Ababa. They didn't try to cross the border. The car was stopped near the town of Agre Mariam. Yalemzewd was arrested when she was checking at the Moyale immigration office as a regular traveler to Kenya. She was told to hang on and plain-clothed security guys picked her up and took her to a detention center. Fasil Assefa the man who was arrested with her was taken from Koket Borena hotel while he was sleeping. He wasn't trying to cross the border.
Security sources said that the whole episode was pre-arranged. When police issued an arrest warrant against Yalemzewd on Thursday she stayed the night at the compound of the EC delegation in Addis Ababa where she was working. The delegation's security was contracted out to Sibihatu and Brothers, a company owned by Mimi Sibhatu's Family and managed by her brother. The information that she was staying at the compound was passed by this company to government security. According to our security sources, Yalemzewd's conversation with the two expelled diplomats and Tim Clark, the delegation's head was being tapped by the company and passed to the Ethiopian security. Her subsequent stay at the house of Bjorn Jonsoon, her immediate boss was also reported by Sibhatu and Brothers to the Ethiopian security.
On Wednesday the Ethiopian security had advanced knowledge(from espionage in the EC delegation's office by Sebhatu and Brothers) that the two diplomats were taking Yalemzewd to the border. They thought the diplomats would try to take her to Kenya, crossing the border. Instead the two diplomats dropped her at the town of Moyale where she met Fasil who was seeing her off. She checked out hotel at 9 am. Fasil stayed there. She went to Moyale Immigration Office and showed her passport. She was detained at the checking point.
When the security personel who were waiting for her knew that she was not with the diplomats, they immediately reported it to Addis Ababa where decision was taken to arrest them on the road. "The Ethiopian government has spilled over pieces of evidence that it was spying the EC here and there,"our security sources said, "any serious investigation on the part of the EU would reveal that easily."
Sebhatu and Brothers is also in charge of the security of other key foreign interests in Addis Ababa and international hotels including the Hilton.

Alert for international journalists:
The expelled diplomats will be in Brussels today. They should be asked where they were arrested.

A prominent human rights campaigner arrested

Yalemzewd Bekele, a prominent human rights activist and a lawyer working for the European Commission in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, was arrested on the morning of 19 October by the Ethiopian authorities, while trying to cross the border to Kenya with another Ethiopian. Police issued a warant of arrest against Yalemzewd last week accusing her of distributing a civil disobedience calendar. According to police sources, both of them are held at the Ethio-Kenyan border.
Meanwhile, police claimed that it had arrested two European Commission staffers,Bjorn JONSSON Head of Finance and Contract department of the delegation in Ethiopia and Enrico SBORGI who works at the good governance department, for trying to help Yalemzewd escape.
(more latter)

The report and its relevance

On September 08, 2006, this blog reported the defection of Frehiwot Samuel and Woldemichael Meshesha, the two judges who were members of the inquiry team which was formed to investigate the June and November 2005 election related killings. The team's finding that the government used excessive force to quell election protests was also posted. Now that the world knows the report was more than the fantasy of a partisan blogger, I will explore the relevance and the consequence of the report tomorrow.

Meles rejects observer's report

Ethiopia's dictator, Meles Zenawi, rejected the interim observation report of Michael Elman, European Commission's observer, regarding the trial of CUD leaders, civil society members and journalists. In a meeting with the Ambassadors of the EU Troika and the commission's representative here in Addis, Timothy Clark, Meles lambasted the observation report as biased and unfounded on facts. The observer had criticized the way the court conducted the trial as unfair. Meles who rejected the report of the European Election Observers Mission last year requested to meet Mr. Elman, a renowned British human rights lawyer to make his case against the report.
When the election report by EU's mission went against him, Meles started a personal assault against the head of the mission, Ana Gomes.
Will he again write a letter to the editor of the Ethiopian Herald attacking the human rights lawyer?

Breaking News: Alemayehu tortured... Save Alemayehu!

Prominent businessman Alemayehu Fantu was severly tortured. He appeared before a court yesterday barely able to walk from the torture. Alemayehu was arrested last week. Police said he was suspected of distributing a calendar which contains the pictures of imprisoned CUD leaders and a call for their release. He was arrested after Mimi Sibhatu's Iftin published that he master-minded the printing and distribution of the calendar. A task force comprising eight investigators has been formed to follow up the distribution of Brehanu Nega's book and the calendar. All suspects who were detained by the task force were tortured. At least three were killed.

Police arrest a local businessman

Alemayehu Fantu, owner of the famous Fantu supermarket chains in Addis Ababa and a rising young businessman, was arrested by the Federal Police on Thursday. Police took the action after Mimi Sibhatu's Eftin reported that he was involved in distributing calendars. The former VOA journalist, Mimi, is personally witch- hunting people who she thinks have connections with the opposition.
Alemayehu was taken to a notorious torture chamber near the place called "Enkulal Fabrika". He appeared in court on Friday. The court remanded Alemayehu in custody.

Ginbot 97

We know their dream;enough
To know they dreamed and are dead;
And what if excess of love
Bewildered them till they died?
I write it out in verse-
Wondwossen Gutu and Shibre Dessalegn
Wassihun kebede, Getnet Ayalew and more
Now and in time to be,
wherever the green, yellow and red is worn
All changed, changed utterly:
A horrible beauty is born.

(To the young Martyrs of the Ethiopian struggle to democracy)
Adopted From W.B Yeats' 'Easter 1916'.

Government moves to cover up political murder

Unknown agents ordered the family of the murdered young Kinijit activist, Wondwossen Gutu, by a federal police member on Sunday not to give evidence about the killing to another group or people. After taking Wondwossen's photos and some of his personal belongings from his home yesterday, these agents told family members that giving evidence about the murder would harm them; close friends of the family told this blogger.
Wondwossen Gutu(pic), 16, joined Kinijit as a fresh high school student during the election time; actively distributing the party's manifesto and messages among students. After the imprisonment of the leaders of the party, Wondwossen joined the Tegbar League activists. He was organizing protests and boycott of exams in his school, Medihanealem. In the beginning of September, he was spotted distributing the civil disobedience calendar which called for the release of Kinijit's leaders. Friends said that he had managed to escape from federal police members who were looking for him several times. On Sunday, a policeman shot dead Wondwossen while he was returning to his house after watching a football game in a nearby sports cafe.
Yesterday, TPLF's mouthpiece, The Reporter, tried to cover up the political murder. It claimed that the policeman shot Wondwossen because he was acting as a suspect and had some disagreement with him. Quoting the notorious Kinijit hater and torturer, Commander Girma Kassa, Head of Addis Ababa Police Commission's Criminal Investigation Bureau, the paper reported that the policeman was arrested. One of Wondwossen's friends contacted by this blogger said that the policeman was a federal police member who had failed to capture the young activist in previous attempts; and not the city's police officer as stated by The Reporter

Another EC snub

Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of European Commission, skipped a scheduled signing ceremony with Ethiopia's illegitimate dictator, Meles Zenawi, for the 155 million euro granted by the EU to the road project in Ethiopia. He also cancelled a joint press conference with the prime Minister, diplomatic sources told this blogger. The Commissioner's request to meet the CUD leaders in kaliti was turned down by the Prime Minister who said that the EPRDF Central Committee had decided that the prisoners would not be visited by foreign dignitaries until the trial is over. Diplomatic sources said that Barroso, the former Prime Minister of Portugal, was annoyed with Meles's response. The two had hours of one-on-one talk about the prisoners and democracy in Ethiopia. Barroso was said to be very frank about Ethiopia's lack of democracy to TPLF officials.

Ethiopia's dictator snubbed by EC

European Commission's high level delegation led by the President, Jose Manuel Barroso, declined Meles Zenawi's breakfast invitation. Although the official reason given by the delegation was that it wasn't part of their schedule, sources said that it was a polite rebuke of the dictator's repression in Ethiopia.
The delegation met the Prime minister at the scheduled time latter.
...........
Wondwosen Gutu, a Medhanialem Secondary school student, who was an active Kinijit organizer at the school was killed by a federal police member yesterday. Wondwossen, 16, was involved in distributing the civil disobedience calendar which called for the release of political prisoners. He was shot dead by the policeman while he was returning home after watching an English Premier League game in a nearby sports cafe.
Wondwossen........ your sacrifice won't be in vain.