Fisseha Atlaw is passionate about sharing tech news, among others, to Ethiopians on his Facebook page. Little we knew about Amharic google translation, he brought to the attention of Ethiopian community in social media the news that Google Chrome can now translate any English website to Amharic and the other way?
He wrote “You can now get instant translation of any English Website to Amharic – This is because of the Ethiopic UNICODE work that was started some 30 years Ago … Just take less than 5 seconds to convert any website into Amharic…. I will post an instruction or a tutorial soon.”
Sounds awesome?
He also shared a tutorial video :
Here are the steps :
1- Open the website you want to translate in Google Chrome (must be Google Chrome)
2- Right click on any part of the page
3- Select “Translate to English”
4- You look towards the top and read “This page has been translated “From English to English”
5- Change it “from English to Amharic “
6- You are DONE ,,,, Your page is now in Amharic
7- I have attached a small tutorial…. watch the Big arrow as I hover it on the page
Enjoy (Fesseha A)
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Girma Birru – “Ethiopia’s” Ambassador to the United States Source : The Habesha
The Ethiopian government has been calling some Ambassadors to home in recent weeks. Girma Birru, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the United States is the latest to be called to return to Addis Ababa.
The former Economic Development and Cooperation minister was appointed to the Ambassadorial position in the United States in 2010.
The government’s motive is not clear but there are speculations that it could be linked to “anti-corruption campaign.”
To date, it is known that about 60 government technocrats including one parliamentarian are in custody in relation to corruption. However, no senior government officials with links to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, who are alleged to be indulged in grand corruption scandals, are arrested.
Ethiopian Satellite Television, US based Ethiopian News broadcaster, cited anonymous sources to report that Ambassador Girma Biru might not return home due to the uncertain situation at home related to corruption crack down.
ESAT report added, “sources who allege that the ambassador has a stake in a number of dubious businesses including factories and real estate buildings.” And some of the businesses are under investigations for corruption.
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Newly appointed Ambassadors swearing ceremony. Source : Fana / File
Ethiopian government disclosed appointment of twelve new ambassadors to posts in Africa, Middle East, Europe,Asia and North America.
Former Election board chairma, Merga Bekana, and Addis Ababa University president, Professor Admassu Tsegaye are included in the appointment.
One of TPLF key figures, Kassa Tekle Birhan is to take over from Girma Birru at the Ethiopian Embassy in the United States.
Another key TPLF man Berhane Gebrekristos, used to be Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States, is heading to Beijing positioned as Ethiopian Ambassador to China.
In Africa, Shiferaw Teklemariam is posted at Pretoria(South Africa), Lulit Zewdie to Kigali (Rwanda), and Mulugeta Zewde is posted in Khartoum (Sudan).
In Europe, Ali Suleiman is appointed as Ethipoian Ambassador to France, Merga Bekana to Sweden and Ewunetu Blata to Belgium.
In the Middle East, Tebeje Berhe is posted in United Arab Emirates while Metasebia Tadesse is at Qatar, Doha.
Aster Mamo who was demoted from her ministerial position and senior position within Oromo Peoples Democratic Organization – a clique of the ruling TPLF party – is heading to Ottawa, Canada, as Ambassador of Ethiopia.
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Not all officials seem to be subject to the travel restriction but no list is available as yet
borkena,Ethiopian News
August 16,2017
As speculations, amid what is supposedly meant to be a rattling crackdown against corruption, if the apparent breakdown and infighting within the ruling party is repairable or not, reports emerged that ruling party officials and their immediate family members will not be able to travel due to imposed travel restriction.
Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) cited what it called “a well placed ESAT source” to report that “…suspected officials were verbally told not to leave the country. Some were told on their phones to make a u turn while on their way to the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. A number of family members and accomplices of the officials were removed from boarded flights as they try to leave the country…”
The number of people arrested in connection with corruption has reached 56 and some of them are business people in the hotel and construction industries. Among others, the assets of Aser Construction, Gemshu Beyene Construction, DMC Construction and Yemane Girmay Construction are reportedly frozen.
Yet, many Ethiopians seem to be rather indifferent towards arrested government employees and business people. The indifference has got a lot to do with the fact that high-level government officials, for example like Abay Tsehaye, who are believed to be indulged in grand scale corruption scandal worth millions of dollars, the reasoning goes, are rather spearheading the campaign on corruption as if they are clean themselves.
ESAT’s report indicated that the verbal restrictions did not came from high level executives within the ruling party. No courts were involved either by way of issuing court warrant. The instruction rather came from executives in the security and intelligence apparatus :
“There is no court warrant against the suspects but the security and intelligence body that is carrying out the arrests on corruption suspects has just given verbal instructions to the officials telling them that they are not allowed to leave the country. There are also officials under surveillance while property and assets of a number of business linked to the suspected officials have been frozen.”
ESAT didn’t disclose the lists of government officials that are affected by the travel ban and it is not immediately clear if it has a timeline to the travel restriction.
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Would Kimant card be a game changer in Gonder for the regime in power?
borkena,Ethiopian News
August 17,2017
Gonder has been a challenging place for the regime in power. At the core of resistance against the regime in power is the status of Wolqaite – a district that used to be part of Gonder for many centuries before it was incorpoated as part of Tigray region when Tigray People’s Liberation Front took government power in Ethiopia in 1991.
Wolqaite is purely an identity question. Hundreds have been killed by government security forces since last year alone but the question is not going away. The region is still tense even after deployment defense force in the region.
Now government intends to break up Gonder region by spliting it to three more regions, perhaps a different attempt to get away with Wolqaite region.
Today, governmet affiliated media reported that Election board is organizing plebsite in 12 local administrative zones, Kebele, where Amhara and Kimant people live.
Timeline for the plebscite is already fixed but not disclosed, perhaps deliberate move to avoid an even more intesne protest in the region. From the report from Fana Broadcasting, upto twenty five thousand people will take part in the plebsite.
The vote is supposedly to determine whether Kimant will remain part and parcel of Amara or it will divide and have its own administration.
Erstwhile, no significant distinction existed between Amara and Kimant.
In a remark Gedu Andargachew,president of Amara Regional State, made sometime last year, “spliting Amara and Kimant people is as difficult as dividing a single person into two and expect the person to continue to have life.” He even added that “attempt to divide Kimant and Amara is devilish.”
The Federal government,however,make it sound as if the decision came after Amara regional state cabine members decided to do so. But critics question who imposed the agenda to divide Amara and kimant.
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Oromo Region of Ethiopia soon to have a coordinated strike
borkena,Ethiopian News
August 22,2017
Saturday’s rally was the first rally to be held in Addis Ababa after a series of Oromo and Amhara protests elsewhere [Reuters] via Aljazeera / File
After nearly a year under state of emergency, protest against Tigray People’s Liberation Front government is resurging across the country.
Oromo Federalist Congress, one of the legally registered opposition parties in the country, disclosed that a five days of stay at home strike has been called across the oromo region of Ethiopia.
The purpose of the strike is to remember civilians killed during the popular protest in Oromia region in 2016 and to demand the release of political prisoners.
When Merera Gudina, chairman of Oromo Federalist Congress, was seen handcuffed after what the regime calls court ahearing sometime last month, his followers and members of Oromo Federalist Congress were shocked and understood it to be humiliating for the oromo people of Ethiopia.
As well, organizers seem to intend to use the strike as a strategy to unite the scattered and uncoordinated resistance against the regime in power. The strike is called by Youth groups in the Oromo region of Ethiopia ; they are referred to as “Qero” in the Oromo language.
Similar strikes took place in Bahir Dar and other towns in the region to commemorate civilians killed by government security forces in July and August of 2016.
Political pundits and opinion leaders seem to see a prospect for full fledged resurging popular protest across Ethiopia in the months to come. Meanwhile, there are credible reports suggesting that the fight within the ruling party is getting tense as the so called “the fight against corruption” is underway.
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Photo : Tigray farmers on training Source : Agriculture for Impact / USAID
ROME, Aug 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A major project to restore land in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region to boost millions of people’s ability to grow food won gold on Tuesday in a U.N.-backed award for the world’s best policies to combat desertification and improve fertility of drylands.
Tigray’s drylands, home to more than 4.3 million people, are being restored on a massive scale, said the World Future Council, a foundation which organised the award together with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
The Tigray government has mobilised villagers to volunteer 20 days a year to build terraces, irrigation projects, build stone walls on mountains and hillsides, and other projects.
As a result, groundwater levels have risen, soil erosion has reduced, and people’s ability to grow food and gain an income has improved, the council said.
“Ethiopia’s Tigray region shows that restoration of degraded land can be a reality … The model provides hope for other African countries to follow suit,” Alexandra Wandel, director of the World Future Council, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Drylands, which cover nearly 40 percent of the Earth’s land, are particularly vulnerable to losing fertility through changes in climate and poor land use such as deforestation or overgrazing, the UNCCD said.
“Hundreds of millions of people are directly threatened by land degradation, and climate change is only going to intensify the problem,” Monique Barbut, under-secretary-general of the United Nations and UNCCD executive secretary said in a statement.
“So far, this underestimated environmental disaster has received far too little attention.”
Ethiopia’s Tigray region has, however, since 1991 managed to improve soil and water conservation, and closed off 1.2 million hectares of land to allow plants to regrow.
“The Tigray region of Ethiopia is now greener than it has ever been during the last 145 years,” said Chris Reij, desertification expert at the World Resources Institute.
“This is not due to an increase in rainfall, but due to human investment in restoring degraded land to productivity.”
Over about 15 years, men, women and children moved at least 90 million tonnes of soil and rock by hand to restore their landscapes on about 1 million hectares, Reij said.
“In the process many communities have overcome the impacts of climate change,” he said.
Each year the Future Policy Award focuses on one world threat that will impact future generations. Past awards have been for policies covering children’s rights, ending violence against women and girls, disarmament, and protecting oceans.
This year’s silver award went to Brazil’s programme to build 1.2 million cisterns, helping millions of the country’s poorest people get water for drinking and for crops and livestock.
China’s 2002 law to prevent and control desertification – the world’s first such law – also won silver. (Reporting by Alex Whiting @Alexwhi, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women’s rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit news.trust.org/climate)
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For more information about the report, please check out Reuters
Twenty-seven Ethiopians are reportedly arrested on Friday in Saudi Arabia over what Arab News described as “labor, residency violations.”
Fourteen of the arrests are women while the rest are men according to the news source which cited Saudi security forces in Wadi, Al-Dawasir region.
Based on the report, Saudi security personnel under Colonel Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al-Salhi conducted a raid in the province.
However, the news source did not identify as to what “labor and residency violations” were.
It is to be recalled that Saudi government passed decree demanding migrant workers with no permits to leave the kingdom during the three months amnesty period that it announced which was extended this month.
An estimated 500,000 Ethiopian migrants live in Saudi Arabia.
Teddy Afro released a statement to advise audience that his event at Hilton Hotel, Addis Ababa, is canceled.
borkena, Ethiopian News
September 3,2017
As news of the cancellation of Teddy Afro’s new album inauguration party, which was meant to take place this evening at Addis Ababa Hilton hotel, broke, Ethiopians are grabbling with the level of brutality that the regime in power is inflicting on Ethiopia’s most popular musician.
Teddy Afro’s new album “Ethiopia” was released last April and became a hit.
From the statement released by Teddy Afro in Amharic language, it is shared on social media, Hilton hotel administration in Addis Ababa does not seem to be the party that canceled the event. It is rather the government authorities who banned the event on grounds that the singer “is not authorized to have a party” at the Hilton Hotel in Addis.
Men in security uniform were sent to the hotel as the event organizers were planning to unload their staff at the Hilton Hotel and demanded them to present “government permit” for the party as if it is a political rally which is someone understandable under prevailing circumstances and from the behaviors of the ruling party officials.
As indicated in Teddy’s statement, there is no constitutional duty or legal requirement for citizens to get authorization from the government whenever they want to organize a celebration party in a hotel.
Teddy has been a victim of repeated government harassment. Sometime in the past, he was even sent to jail for trumped up charges of hit and run.
The inauguration party was apparently planned in a way to coincide with Ethiopian New Year festivities, Enkutatash. The holiday is on the 11t of septempber. Teddy Afro wished a year of peace and love for Ethiopians.
The following is image of Teddy Afro’s statement in Amharic.
Statement released by Teddy Afro
Translation of the above statement is also released on social media and reads as follows:-
“Dearly beloved:-
We are deeply saddened to bring to your attention that the album launch party that was due to be held at the Hilton Addis on September 3, 2017 has unlawfully been prohibited from taking place as the government body claiming to have the mandate to ‘authorize’ public events demanded that a permit be presented to hold the event, contrary to a standing law.
Musical instruments and essential materials for the event have been banned from entering the hotel.
To our esteemed guests and to all our fans, we deeply regret the inconvenience created.
May the new year be that of peace, love and above all a year where equality prevails to all Ethiopians!
Twenty-seven Ethiopians are reportedly arrested on Friday in Saudi Arabia over what Arab News described as “labor, residency violations.”
Fourteen of the arrests are women while the rest are men according to the news source which cited Saudi security forces in Wadi, Al-Dawasir region.
Based on the report, Saudi security personnel under Colonel Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al-Salhi conducted a raid in the province.
However, the news source did not identify as to what “labor and residency violations” were.
It is to be recalled that Saudi government passed decree demanding migrant workers with no permits to leave the kingdom during the three months amnesty period that it announced which was extended this month.
An estimated 500,000 Ethiopian migrants live in Saudi Arabia.
Teddy Afro released a statement to advise audience that his event at Hilton Hotel, Addis Ababa, is canceled.
borkena, Ethiopian News
September 3,2017
As news of the cancellation of Teddy Afro’s new album inauguration party, which was meant to take place this evening at Addis Ababa Hilton hotel, broke, Ethiopians are grabbling with the level of brutality that the regime in power is inflicting on Ethiopia’s most popular musician.
Teddy Afro’s new album “Ethiopia” was released last April and became a hit.
From the statement released by Teddy Afro in Amharic language, it is shared on social media, Hilton hotel administration in Addis Ababa does not seem to be the party that canceled the event. It is rather the government authorities who banned the event on grounds that the singer “is not authorized to have a party” at the Hilton Hotel in Addis.
Men in security uniform were sent to the hotel as the event organizers were planning to unload their staff at the Hilton Hotel and demanded them to present “government permit” for the party as if it is a political rally which is someone understandable under prevailing circumstances and from the behaviors of the ruling party officials.
As indicated in Teddy’s statement, there is no constitutional duty or legal requirement for citizens to get authorization from the government whenever they want to organize a celebration party in a hotel.
Teddy has been a victim of repeated government harassment. Sometime in the past, he was even sent to jail for trumped up charges of hit and run.
The inauguration party was apparently planned in a way to coincide with Ethiopian New Year festivities, Enkutatash. The holiday is on the 11t of septempber. Teddy Afro wished a year of peace and love for Ethiopians.
The following is image of Teddy Afro’s statement in Amharic.
Statement released by Teddy Afro
Translation of the above statement is also released on social media and reads as follows:-
“Dearly beloved:-
We are deeply saddened to bring to your attention that the album launch party that was due to be held at the Hilton Addis on September 3, 2017 has unlawfully been prohibited from taking place as the government body claiming to have the mandate to ‘authorize’ public events demanded that a permit be presented to hold the event, contrary to a standing law.
Musical instruments and essential materials for the event have been banned from entering the hotel.
To our esteemed guests and to all our fans, we deeply regret the inconvenience created.
May the new year be that of peace, love and above all a year where equality prevails to all Ethiopians!
Sidama speaking people have become a victim of ethnic based violence in Bale, Oromo region of Ethiopia.
borkena, Ethiopian News
September 13,2017
A sporadic internecine ethnic conflict between Oromo and Somali speaking Ethiopians is raging South Eastern Ethiopia, according to reports coming out of Ethiopia.
This week, special police forces in Somali region of Ethiopia, reportedly, attacked Oromo speaking Ethiopians in Jijiga, Somali region of Ethiopia. There appeared to be a house to house search to identify Oromo’s in Somali region according to a report by Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT).
Hundreds and thousands are affected by the ethnic conflict but no figure on the extent of causality.
The conflict between Somali and Oromo is caused by “border” controversy between the two regions.
In related news, a report published by ESAT this week indicates an estimated 50000 Ethiopians of Sidama language speaking groups are evicted from Bale zone, part of Oromia region of Ethiopia, on grounds that they do not belong to Oromia region.The lives of many more thousand is in danger added ESAT citing a witness from the region.
Those displaced from Bale are settled in Sidama Zone, southern Ethiopia.
According to many observers, Ethiopia has become a recipe for a potentially unending intra-ethnic conflict. Not only is the Federal structure ethnic based but also the regime in power employ divisive rhetoric that rather sounds from an archaic “divide and rule” colonial Africa era.
The BBC World Service has launched three websites for Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea as part of its biggest expansion since the 1940s.
The sites would be a “source of truth” in a region with limited independent media, said BBC editor Will Ross.
The Amharic, Afaan Oromo and Tigrinya sites’ launch will be followed in a few months by the launch of radio programmes in the three languages.
The UK government announced a funding boost for the World Service in 2015.
It paved the way for the expansion drive in Africa and Asia.
“We know that there is a great deal of hunger for audiences in Ethiopia and Eritrea to access a broad range of high quality content in Amharic, Afaan Oromo and Tigrinya,” said Ross, head of the new services.
Afaan Oromoo
Amharic
Tigrinya
Eritrea won independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a 30-year war.
Tensions with Ethiopia remain high across a closed and heavily fortified border.
An estimated 80,000 people died during a 1998-2000 border war between the two states.
Ross said he believed that the potential audience in the two countries – which have a combined population of more than 100 million – was huge, and social media would play a key role in helping to target a younger audience.
“There is also a significant diaspora, which retains strong links with ‘home’. The political situation in both countries has triggered the development of a large vocal, activist presence in the diaspora,” he said.
“The current news choice for many in Ethiopia is either a pro-government platform at home or a vehemently anti-government offer from the diaspora.”
(KHARTOUM) – The joint Sudanese-Ethiopian military commission has agreed to develop a five-year plan including all aspects of cooperation contained in the 2009 military protocol signed between the two countries.
In 2009, Sudan and Ethiopia signed a military protocol for a period of three years dealing with the development of the armed forces and ways to secure the common border between the two countries.
Last October, Sudan and Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding providing to enhance joint security and military cooperation between the two neighbouring countries to fight terrorism.
Also, in March 2016 during the 14th meeting of the joint Sudanese-Ethiopian technical committee in Khartoum, Sudan proposed to deploy joint border units on the border between the two countries.
On Tuesday, the joint Sudanese-Ethiopian military commission concluded its 16th meeting in Khartoum. At the closing session, the chiefs of staff of the two armies signed agreements reached.
In press statements following the meeting, Sudan’s Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Emad al-Din Mustafa Adawi said the outcome of the meeting would constitute the “main pillar for the development of military cooperation between the two countries”.
He pointed out to the border protection and the joint work to combat cross-border crimes and the negative movements, saying the meeting agreed to develop a five-year plan including all aspects of the 2009 protocol signed between the two countries.
Adawi thanked his Ethiopian counterpart Samora Mohamed Yunis and his accompanying delegation, stressing the two sides seek to promote the distinguished relations to maintain security, peace and stability for the two peoples.
For his part, Yunis renewed his country’s full commitment to what has been agreed, expressing readiness for joint work to secure the border and fight against illegal activities that seek to compromise the security of both nations.
He said the meeting would contribute to transfer relations to a higher level of cooperation in the security and defence fields, stressing the need to exert more efforts to achieve all objectives.
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For more information about the report, check out Sudan Tribune
USAID new program aims to “change” the lives in rural Ethiopia
US embassy in Addis Ababa Photo credit : US embassy
borkena,Ethiopian News
September 24,2017
The US embassy in Ethiopia announced that the USAID launched a new program in Ethiopia: “Livelihoods for Resilience. Please share your thoughts in the comment section. It sounds a partnership program with CARE Ethiopia and Catholic Relief Services. The following news update is from the US embassy; highlights the focus areas and the purpose of the new program.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners CARE Ethiopia and Catholic Relief Services, along with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, marked the launch of a new program that will assist poor households in the rural highlands areas of Ethiopia to diversify their livelihoods and graduate from the Ethiopian Productive Safety Net. USAID’s new “Livelihoods for Resilience” program will operate in 36 woredas in Oromia, Amhara, SNNP and Tigray Regions and is anticipated to be a $60 million investment over five years.
The national level launch in Addis Ababa was opened by State Minister for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ato Damene Darota and USAID/Ethiopia Mission Director Leslie Reed. Speaking at the event Ms. Reed noted that, “We believe that building resilience to shocks and introducing individuals and communities to new ideas, skills and opportunities can transform lives. We have seen how this transformation has empowered households and enabled them to take the necessary steps to grow their assets, increase their income, and eventually graduate from the government safety net. This is what we call a sustainable pathway out of poverty.” Ms. Reed recalled USAID Administrator Green’s recent visit to Ethiopia where he announced that Ethiopia will be one of 12 focus countries under the new US Global Food Security Strategy.
“Livelihoods for Resilience” works in support of the livelihoods component of the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP 4) and collaborates closely with Ethiopian government counterparts at all levels. The program will reach close to 130,000 households in 36 woredas across the Ethiopian highlands. The program will support households currently enrolled in PSNP 4 to build resilient livelihoods and improve food and nutrition security, even in the face of shocks and stresses. The program will provide business skills and financial literacy training to targeted households and ensures access to micro-finance, high quality agricultural supplies, and technologies that enable small-holders and micro-enterprises to successfully link to markets.
USAID’s program is implemented by two consortiums of local NGOs and partners led by CARE and CRS, longstanding partners of the Agency.
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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia has banned weapons at the upcoming Irrecha religious festival in order to avoid the violence that killed several dozen people last year. The statement from the restive Oromia region comes ahead of the October 1 thanksgiving gathering.
“The security situation in the region has improved immensely compared to last year so armed personnel will not be allowed to be at the center of the festival,” Lomi Beo, head of the Oromia Culture and Tourism Office, told the Associated Press on Sunday. “Armed police will be confined to the outskirts of the festival site as per the request of the religious leaders. We don’t expect last year’s tragedy to happen again.”
Up to 1.5 million people are expected to participate in this year’s celebration in the town of Bishoftu, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa, she said.
Last year security forces at the Irrecha gathering dispersed anti-government protesters with tear gas and gunfire, triggering a deadly stampede that officials said killed at least 50 people. Activists said the death toll was much higher.
Subsequent large-scale anti-government demonstrations across the Oromia region claimed more lives, caused the destruction of several local and foreign-owned companies and led to the declaration of a statement of emergency that lasted for 10 months.
“We are already witnessing signs of tensions as the day of the celebration draws closer,” said Nimona Nigash, a resident of Bishoftu town. “People are told to avoid displaying anti-government signs and wearing black clothes during the event.”
Human Rights Watch has urged the Ethiopian government to allow an international inquiry into the deaths at the 2016 event and has called for restraint to prevent casualties at this year’s festival.
“The security forces disastrous and disproportionate use of force should not be repeated this year,” said Felix Horne, a senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “With longstanding grievances still unanswered, this year’s Irrecha could be fraught with tensions.”
Ethiopia has refused to allow outside independent investigations into last year’s deaths despite repeated calls by the United Nations and rights groups.
The Irrecha festival is an annual thanksgiving event celebrated by ethnic Oromos to mark the end of the rainy season and the start of spring.
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For more information about this report, check out The Associated Press
Ethiopians of Oromo speaking origin celebrated Irreecha festival in Bishoftu (DebreZeit) earlier today. Images and videos shared on social media indicate that the traditional Oromo religious festival is attended by millions of people from the surrounding regions.
More than 100 civilians were killed during the 2016 Irreecha festival when government security forces triggered what seemed like a stampede. The massacre was followed by widespread protests in across Ethiopia which led to a state of emergency that lasted for nearly a year.
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There was a reported protest during this year’s Irreecha festival as well. And anti-government slogans were shouted.
Two years ago, the protest was triggered by Addis Ababa City Masterplan. But radical Oromo activists seem to demand more and are pushing for radical agenda exploiting government structure which is ethnic based.
Video published by DW service shows people who gathered for the celebration chanting anti-government slogans. But no reports of casualty or arrest so far. Government media outlets reported that Irrecha was celebrated “peacefully.”
Earlier, the government announced that no security forces would be deployed to the area where the Irreecha celebration takes place. However, there are credible reports that the government deployed the military to the towns outside of Bishoftu (Debrezeit) town and security checks were installed in the outskirts of Bishoftu.
Irreecha, according to Oromo traditions, is a Thanksgiving holiday which commemorates the end of the rainy season. However, it is neither a Christian nor Islamic traditions. Ethiopians celebrate New Year at the end of the rainy season which is followed by Meskel festival – the commemoration of the finding of the true cross according to the Christian tradition in Ethiopia.
Although Irreecha has been celebrated for centuries, the holiday is appearing more like a political creation rather than a purely traditional cultural festival.
Baye Tadesse Teferi, Protocol Head in the office of prime minister Hailemariam Desalegne, ditched the prime minister and his entourage during the recent working trip to the United States of America, indicate a report by the Amharic Service of the Voice of America.
Hailemariam Desalegne was in the New York to attend the 72nd United Nations General Assembly.
In an interview with VOA Amharic service, Baye said that he was receiving threats from the ruling party officials, connoted TPLF officials, for refusing to give access to the prime minister’s office where there was, he said, confidential information.
The news broke out yesterday and it is confirmed that he is seeking political asylum in the United States of America.
He worked in the office of the prime minister, apparently in the capacity he held, for more than two decades.
State media has not yet reported on the issue. However, media personalities that are close to the ruling party are claiming that he was never a protocol officer but a gardener. The question that they forgot to answer, according to critics, is as to why the prime minister would include a gardener in his trip to United Nations meeting.
There is anticipation that Baye Tadesse will share some information regarding the squabble within the ruling elites that wield more power than Prime Minister Hailemariam Desaggne.
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