Rahmatou Keita speaks passionately about Amharic language. And she is campaigning to make it one of the official languages of African Union.

borkena,Ethiopian News
October 27,2017

(photo credit –Roots Magazine) Rahmatou Keita is a movie star, writer and director from Niger. She has been campaigning to make Amharic language one of the working languages for the African Union. She discusses the matter with people in the industry whenever she attends film festivals. She also met the late prime minister Meles Zenawi but he was apparently not as interested as her, to say the least.

But she is not discouraged and vows that she will not back down from campaigning to make Amharic a working language for African Union, an offspring of Organization of African Union which was founded in Ethiopia with the relentless efforts of Emperor Haileselassie and distinguished African leaders of his time like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Milton Obote of Uganda just to name a few.

She believes in promoting African languages. In the film she entitled “Znaria” (in Hausa language), three African languages are used.

Rahmatou Keita is also doing the best she can to put the Amharic language in the limelight. In 2016, one of her seminal work , “The Wedding Ring ” movie was released and she used Amharic writing post credit (closing credits) in the movie. Six African counties ( Niger,Congo,Algeria,Rwanda,Uganda and Morocco) and Pan African Culture Festival institute supported production of the movie and they were in acknowledged in the closing credits. “The Wedding Ring Movie” is shown in big international film festival events like Toronto International Film Festival and Amsterdam Film Festival.

She told DW Amharic journalist ” I preferred to write closing credit in Amharic because Amharic is one of the ancient written language. There are only few languages like that in the world. This language with a beautiful script is spoken in Ethiopia and to some extent in Eritrea too…”

The actor thinks that the Amharic language did not get the attention it deserves and is not spoken in Africa as much as it should. Amharic is an ancient language with its own script that should rather be considered an African heritage. Unique about the script is that the letters need not need combination to represent a certain sound.

Amharic language has a lot to do with Geez another ancient Ethiopian language which is currently limited to the Ethiopian church. This year, the pop star Abel Tesfaye , he is popularly known as The Weeknd , with the name of his album, donated 50,000 dollars to support the launch of Geez language as a course at the University of Toronto.

DW report on Rahmatou Keita ‘ s effort to make Amharic language one of the official languages in available here in Amharic language.
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The protest in Oromo region of Ethiopia was started first in Ginchi some two years ago.

borkena,Ethiopian News
October 27,2017

A social media update by Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) says two members are Agazi are killed and two others wounded in Ginchi, Oromo region of Ethiopia.

They were apparently attacked in a gas station. The news is not yet reported by other Ethiopian news sources.

Responsible party for the attack is not yet known but there are speculations that it could be retaliation for the killings in Ambo yesterday.

Agazi forces were deployed to Ambo town yesterday and they have killed over ten protesters and wounded twenty others.

It is a special contingent within the army mostly recruited from Tigay region and is loyal to the ruling TPLF elites. The regime resorts to deploying these forces whenever a popular protest erupts in Ethiopia.

The use of Agazi forces by TPLF general to quell down peaceful protests is reportedly causing friction within the ruling coalition, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).

Reports from sources close to the ruling party indicate that the party is living unprecedented in-fights and there are speculations that the coalition might break up as defiance to the domination of the minority Tigray People’s Liberation Front is mounting.

So far two top government officials, Bereket Simon and Abadula Gemeda, submitted resignation letter but only the former is given the go ahead to resign while the party is discussing the resignation of Abadula, speaker of the Federal Parliament, who publicly complained about “disrespect” to “his people” and his party.

Meanwhile the protest in Oromo region of Ethiopia continued and the regime is only adding more fuel to it by deploying Agazi forces to fire at protesters.
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The post Two Agazi soldiers reportedly killed and two others wounded in Ginchi, Ethiopia appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Is it time for Tedros Adhanom to lose his WHO Directorate General position before he loses himself

borkena, Ethiopian News
October 27,2017

Tedros Adhanom’s win as Director General of World Health Organization did not come easy. It took state-funded mobilization to rally African leaders in support of his candidacy, not to mention a shockwave from Ethiopian activists in social media. An active social media campaign was going on for a long time; some made points about his incompetence and others about his active role in human rights violation in Ethiopia which was in a collision course with United Nations values. If it was entirely about competence, he was up against formidable candidates compared to his experience which was, in fact, a reward of political affiliations and service to an ethnic-based party. He would not have been a minister in the first place if merit was given due credit in Ethiopia. Many were thinking of him as an embarrassment to represent Ethiopia in a position like that on grounds of his incompetence.

Now a director of an important United Nations agency, his competence is tested in the post-election. For many activists and politicians, including Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his sense of justice is rather sounded unsound after he picked Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe as World Health Organization’s goodwill ambassador for Communicable disease in Africa.

Frida Ghitis, a columnist for World Politics Review and a regular CNN.com opinion contributor, captured the opinion of politicians in an Op/EP piece on The Washington Post :

…Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he first thought it was a “bad April Fool’s joke.” Ireland’s health minister called the decision “offensive and bizarre.” And an alliance of health organizations, whose members were in the hall in Montevideo when Tedros (as he is known) made the announcement, issued a joint statement saying they were “shocked and deeply concerned.” Even top WHO staff took to Twitter to complain. “Senior WHO staff dumbfounded,” noted one, adding that his colleagues were “greatly concerned” about the impact on WHO’s credibility and funding….

Frida, thinks “…the stain it [his appointment of Robert Mugabe as WHO goodwill Ambassador] has left on the WHO will not be easily cleansed…” and that his act merits investigation. If it is related to corruption in any way, Tewodros “must leave”, wrote Frida.

Campaigns are already started on change.org calling for his resignation. That came as good news for Ethiopians who campaigned against his candidacy for WHO Directorate position owing to his contribution to a regime in Ethiopia that has been committing egregious human rights violations with impunity. On the contrary, his supporters, these are mainly from his ethnic political base within the ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front and patrons, are expecting something they would consider as humiliating. And it seems that Tewodros will not escape scrutiny even if he survives the issue that came up in relation to his choice for WHO goodwill ambassador.
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Ethiopian Airlines is the first airline in Africa to operate the 787-9

Dreamliner carries much-needed medical equipment and supplies to Ethiopia

borkena, Ethiopian News
October 27,2017

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 27, 2017 –Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing [NYSE: BA] celebrated the delivery of the carrier’s first Boeing 787-9. Ethiopian is leasing the Dreamliner through an agreement with AerCap.

Ethiopian’s newest 787 touched down in Addis Ababa following a non-stop 8,354 mile (13,444 km) delivery flight from Boeing’s Everett, Wash., facility. Ethiopian becomes the first carrier in Africa to operate the 787-9 and extends a tradition of setting aviation milestones. Ethiopian became Africa’s first carrier to fly the 787-8 in 2012, and similarly introduced the 777-200LR (Longer Range), 777-300ER (Extended Range) and 777 Freighter.

“We are proud to celebrate yet another first with the introduction of the cutting-edge 787-9 into our young and fast growing fleet,” said Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “Today, the 787 is the core of our fleet with 20 aircraft in service. Our investment in the latest technology airplanes is part of our Vision 2025 strategy and our commitment to our esteemed customers to offer complete on-board comfort. We will continue to invest in the most advanced aircraft to give our customers the best possible travel experience.”

The 787 Dreamliner is the most innovative and efficient airplane family flying today. Since 2011, more than 600 Dreamliners have entered commercial services, flying almost 200 million people on more than 560 unique routes around the world, saving an estimated 19 billion pounds of fuel.

“AerCap is very proud to deliver to Ethiopian Airlines their first 787-9 aircraft, as the airline continues to lead the way in African aviation,” said AerCap President and Chief Commercial Officer Philip Scruggs. “The 787-9 will complement Ethiopian’s existing fleet of 787-8 aircraft, bringing further operational efficiencies and scope to enhance their existing network. We thank our friends and partners at Ethiopian Airlines for their continued confidence in AerCap and wish them every success as they continue to optimize their fleet.”

“We are pleased to see the 787-9 enter into Ethiopian’s growing Boeing fleet,” said Marty Bentrott, senior vice president sales for Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Russia & Central Asia Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 787-9 will further enhance the Ethiopian network with its incredible range and capacity.”

Ethiopian Airlines conducted its 32nd Humanitarian Delivery Flight as part of the 787-9 delivery. In conjunction with the non-profit Seattle Alliance Outreach, Ethiopian transported goods donated by medical organizations in the U.S. to Black Lion Hospital and St. Paul Hospital in Ethiopia.

“We are very happy to continue our longstanding partnership with Boeing to deliver medical equipment and supplies to public hospitals in Ethiopia, which benefit the society at-large,” said GebreMariam. “This is our 32nd humanitarian flight over the course of the last few years. No airline has provided such sustained support to the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the African continent. It is a testament to our commitment to serve the community as a responsible corporate organization.”

Ethiopian Airlines operates a Boeing fleet of 737, 767, 777, and 787 airplanes in passenger service and six 777 and two 757-200 airplanes in cargo operations.

Source : Ethiopian Airlines

For more information: check out https://www.ethiopianairlines.com/corporate/media/media-relations/press-release/detail/896

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Manufactured ethnic tension escalating and causing serious crisis in Ethiopia

borkena,Ethiopian News
October 28,2017

At least 50 people are brutally massacred and scores wounded in Kamash zone of Benshangual regional state, in Western Ethiopia. 200 homes are burned to the ground. The number of deaths could be far more than the above figure but the security situation in the zone made it difficult for people who wanted to search for bodies and those who are wounded. The news is confirmed by opposition figures in Ethiopia who claimed to have got in touch with eye witnesses in the region. More than one thousand Amharas were in the district’s administrative office

Amhara Tegadlo (Amhara resistance) activists, based in the diaspora, in their part reported about the attack yesterday and they have more or less similar number of causality.

On the other hand, TPLF government affiliated media like, Fana Broadcasting, are painting the ethnic cleansing attacks on the Amhara in the region as “personal conflict.” Similarly, Amhara Mass Media Agency, which is Amara regional state media, reported ,citing Benshangul regional state communication office, that three people were killed after a fight between individuals.

However, the number of deaths is confirmed to be more than 50 and more than 200 houses are burned.

Many in the opposition do not have doubts that the attack is orchestrated by the ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front. There is precedent in the country where the ruling TPLF government instigated ethnic conflict against Amhara.

Less than a week ago , a violent attack was perpetrated on Amharas in Buno Bedelle Zone , Illubabor, in South Western Ethiopia.

Yilkal Getnet is an opposition figure (he led Semayawi party for years). In his social media update, he wrote ” Base on information from people who were looking for bodies of those killed and thrown in the forest, until 5 pm local time in Ethiopia twenty bodies have been counted. They were killed with machete, arrows and knives. Some are burned to death. Three and four years old children are stabbed and in the clinic. May have fled their homes and took refugee in Urael church”

The figure is what is discovered so far but could be higher than what is indicated.

Radical ethno-nationalists agents of Oromo Liberation Front and TPLF henchmen are orchestrating the attack against innocent Ethiopians who have been living,as Ethiopians, in different regions of the country for many many decades. Now Ethiopians of Amhara origin are being attacked simply because their ethnic background.

It is not secret that the ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front has territorial expansion agenda and has a plan to incorporate the region to Tigray should the resistance to their supremacy continues and leads to their downfall and the disintegration of Ethiopia.

The regime already signed military cooperation with omar hassan al-bashir’ government and they have formed joint border patrol forces soon after the popular protest in North West Ethiopia.

As far as Oromo Liberation Front is concerned, there are rumors that it is getting funds from Arab countries including Egypt. But this is not conclusively confirmed so far except that the TPLF regime itself was indicting Egypt for destabilizing Ethiopia through Oromo Liberation Front.

Whatever the case it, what is clear is that now ethnic violence is getting worse and the targets are mainly Ethiopians of Amhara origin – whom radical ethno-nationalist ideology paint as “enemy” and a champion of Ethiopia.
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borkena,Ethiopian News
October 28,2017

Last week, borkena reported that Ethiopian Orthodox Church Patriarch, Abune Mathias , told his aides that he is resigning as patriarch. The expectation from informed sources within the church was that he would present his request to the Holy Synod meeting this week.

Apparently, Abune Mathias changed his mind as he did not present his request to the holy synod during this week’s conference. It is not clear why he changed his mind but it was reported last week that government officials wanted him to carry on in consideration of the situation Ethiopia is in.

At the Holy Synod meeting this week, the Patriarch rather focused on what he thinks are the most important challenges, indicates a social media report by Hara Ze Tewahdo, a blog that focuses on news about Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church.

Abune Mathias reportedly told members of the Holy Synod and other participants of the conference that Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church leadership is hinged on HollySynod based priesthood and that the guardian is the Holy Spirit, not based on Western-Lutheran based council and philosophy. He was apparently making a reference to challenges he faces from the younger generation of members who do not seem to be happy with the way Abune Mathias is leading the church. In fact, they think that he is making mistakes and not living up to the prelates of Ethiopian church.

On this part, Abune Mathias criticize the young generation as “selfish”, “obedient” with tendency to insult fathers.

He has difference with Mahibere Kidusan, association that was established nearly 27 years ago, as he sees them as threat to the Ethiopian church. On the contrary that is not how many members of the church see the association.

The Association has hundreds of thousands of memberships and carried out many projects relevant to the church in rural Ethiopian and towns across Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian church is dealing with unprecedented challenges related to administrative issues and at times religious as well. Like the ruling party, the church has now issues related to corruption. Ethnic politics crept to the church as well.

Abune Mathias called for loyalty to the church and transparency
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The post Abune Mathias not resigning ; changed his mind appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Can OPDO break apart TPLF shackle ?

borkena, Ethiopian News
October 28,2017

Central Committee of Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO) is having its regular meeting in Adama (Nazret). Structural changes and the crisis like situation in the region are among the agenda.

Unconfirmed report by BBN indicate that the meeting passed a resolution regarding Oromo speaking university students who are assigned at Jijiga University. If the report is true, it is likely related to what transpired in the region following ethnic conflict between Somali and Oromo.

Once the central committee meeting is completed, OPDO organizational conference will kick off, after tomorrow.

Tension between the organization and Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) is apparent. Growing resentment towards Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) within OPDO is expected to push the organization along a path that would would never make things the same again for TPLF. And if that happen, it is likely to have repercussion event in the way power is exercised at the federal level.

Speaker of the Federal parliament, Abadula Gemeda, who was once chairman of OPDO and president of Oromo region submitted resignation letter from his speaker position.

OPDO is a creation of TPLF and lived political subservience essentially all its life for which it was despised by politicized Ethiopians from Oromo region. Recently, the organization started to be taken seriously after Lemma Megersa administration replaced Muktar kedir’s administration. The organization has plans to embark on “economic revolution” in the region; Lemma Megersa spoke passionately about it with strong ethno-nationalist sentiment in February of this year. Recently,however, Lemma seem to have a tone of reconciliation and an agenda for Ethiopia and many have taken him for his words.

But there is no question that Lemma has got a considerable support base in the region despite some reservations in view of his background in the regime’s intelligence unit.
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Starting Monday, November 6, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church will have 14 days of prayer for peace in Ethiopia

borkena,Ethiopian News
October 31,2017

What Ethnic politics politicians introduced as means to address perceived historical grievances is rathercausing havoc to Ethiopia. Unfortunately, the victims are innocent citizens who benefit much from living in peace and unity and who are relentlessly toiling in the countryside as subsistence farmers or those in cities who try hard to win bread for families and relatives. Often times those Ethiopians who lived for generations in regions like what is now called Oromia, Benshangul and Somali region are facing threat as they are seen as aliens and invaders who are exploiting the resources. In the last two weeks alone, more than fifty Ethiopians have lost their lives due to conflict which manifested omens of ethnic cleanings.

Yet, intransigence about ethnic politics, the champions of it endear it as the best form of “self government”, as ” the only solutions for Ethiopia” still runs high among the disciples of the late Meles Zenawi, an architect of ethnic politics in Ethiopia and in the quarter of Oromo Liberation Front organization ideological slaves.

The Ethiopian church has itself been a victim of ethnic politics. Observing that the situation of Ethiopia has become unprecedentedly fragile, the Holy Synod Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo church decided two weeks of prayers and sermons to be held across monasteries and churches for peace in Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Church is also to donate six million Ethiopian birr, through Ethiopian Orthodox Church structures, for those who are affected by recent ethnic violence in South West and South Eastern parts of the country. The Holly Synod issued a seventeen point statement on matters related to the Church and Ethiopia

The decision was past at the conclusion of Holy Synod meeting this week.

No other initiates yet from Catholic and Protestant churches in the country.

Faith leaders in the country have been criticized for not adding voice against repression and violence in the ensuing disaster following an ethnic conflict as it is feared that the worst is yet to come if something that could reverse the situation is done.
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borkena, Ethiopian News
October 31.2017

In a letter sent to Ethiopian Broadcast Authority, which is a federal government agency, Tigray region Public and Government Relation Bureau requested that Oromia Broadcasting Network (OBN) officially ask apologies for the way they covered stories.

What the Tigray regional state considers to be a problem is that OBN disclosed the names and ethnic identities of suspects in its news report. Indeed, Oromia Media Network disclosed identities of suspects in connection with recent violence in South West Ethiopia. As well, the letter seems to be making reference, implicitly, to news about the seizure of smuggled coffee in Bedelle this week and the confiscation of forign currency which was reported as having been in circulation illegal in the border towns in the south. Another incident when names of suspects was disclosed was in connection with arrest that the police in Oromo region of Ethiopia made in Illubabor.

The letter says that the purpose of disclosing the identities of the suspects is “clear” but did not point it out. Coincidentally, names disclosed by OBN inconnection in the coverage were of Tigray origin, at least they sound that way. And the region of Tigray must have understood it as an ethnic profiling.

The letter is cc’ed to OBN branch in Mekelle, Federal Communications Affairs Office and Oromia Broadcasting Network.

Last week, Federal Government Communications Minister, Dr. Negeri Lencho, was blackmailed by head of Ethiopian Broadcast Authority for his remarks regarding Buno Bedelle Zone conflict coverage by Ethiopian News Network (ENN) and Zami radio. He said, during a press conference on the situation of Ethiopia, that he watched the coverage by ENN in relation to Buno Bedele conflict and thought that it was covered in a way that aggravates and misrepresent the conflict. Even though Dr. Negeri spoke in his ministerial capacity as Communication Affairs Minister, head of Ethiopia Broadcasting Authority (an agency) dismissed Dr Negeri Lencho’s official statement as a “personal opinion”

Eleven innocent civilians are killed during conflict last week and thousands were displaced.
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borkena,Ethiopian News
November 1,2017

Ethiopian supreme court Cessation bench suspended bail right granted to Bekele Gerba, secretary of Oromo Federalist Congress opposition party.

Supreme Court’s decision which was meant to take effect was stalled first when prison authorities resisted to release Bekele Gerba on grounds of “error in file number” the day court ruled to grant him bail.

The thirty thousand dollar bail bond was fielded on Monday, according to social media update from Addis Standard-a local media that was covering the case for a long time now.

Pundits tend to think that decision of Cessation bench is a possible indication of TPLF intervention against earlier Supreme court ruling

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borkena,Ethiopian News
November 1,2017

Melaku Bireda is a popular guraghigna singer. He is known for his anti-oppression stand and opposed the ruling party in power – the very reason that he had to leave his country Ethiopia.

Unfortunatly, all did not go well for him. Based on information from friends who are close to him, he is in hospital and needs the support of Ethiopians. His location is not disclosed -apparently for his safety.

Mesay Mekonned is a journalist who works for Ethiopian Satellite Television, US based Ethiopian community broadcaster. In an update, he said Melaku is not in good shape in hospital and needs the support of Ethiopians.

A fundraiser on GoFundMe is already underway. If you would like to support, checkout the GoFundMe page
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Ginbot 7 and Eritrea blamed for “foiled bomb attack ” in Bahir Dar ,Ethiopia

borkena, Ethiopian News
November 1,2017

Ethiopian government says that it foiled plot to bomb two recreation centers in Bahir Dar. Ethiopian National Intelligence and Security Service and Federal Police anti-terrorism task force sent statement to pro TPLF-Government broadcasters and government media yesterday stating that they captured what they called Eritrean sponsored members of Ginbot 7 while planning to bomb Amsal Mitke cultural dance club and Baruk restaurant in Bahir Dar.

The suspects, says the report, are two but it did not disclose their identities.

The reported further claimed that the suspects were caught with four hand grenades and were in a mission to throw hand grenade in the above mentioned hotels to kill those who were in the hotels for entertainment.

Government implicated Eritrea in spreading the protest in Oromia region to Amara region of Ethiopia – which seems to imply that Eritrea is behind the protest in Oromia regions of Ethiopia -something that would rather sound ludicrous for many who are leading the protest in Oromo region.

As is always the case, government’s (many refer to it rather as woyane – another name for TPLF) claim met with a great deal of skepticism, if not total dismissals as pure lie, as politicized Ethiopians are rather seeing the story as a plot to set up youth in Bahir Dar and the region for another round of repression by the ruling party.

Generally, there is opposition to government policy to nurture a culture of hedonism as a strategy to make the youth politically docile and dumb ,and it seems that the region has become a focus in that regard.

Bahir Dar witnessed the massacre of hundreds of civilians in 2016 during a popular peaceful protest against the regime in power and there were subsequent bob attacks on properties that are believed to be owned by people who are serving the regime in power.
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Feyisa Lilesa misses the life he had in Ethiopia and will be happy to run for his country anytime if he is asked to

November 2,2017
borkena,Ethiopian News

Rio Olympic Marathon medalist, Feyisa Lilesa, seeks to run for Ethiopia again if gets a chance to, he told BBC Amharic service in a report published today.

But what made Feyisa Lilesa famous around the world more than the Olympic medal is the protest sign he showed as he was crossing the finish line. He crossed his arm above his head to show the world the level of repression in Ethiopia.

He is quoted as saying, “I grew up witnessing how bad the regime is. I did not even start school when I saw people being beaten. My father also opposed the regime. All those experiences since childhood suppressed in me which gave me strength to explode it”

He continued to show protest sign whenever he has a race. And he says he feels very elated when he shows the protest sign: “I feel anger,sadness,happiness and strength at the same time when I show the protest sign”

Of course he decided not to return to Ethiopia after he protested and he knew that his decision was not going to be an easy one.

He reunited with his wife and two children in February 2017 after leading a lonely life in the United States for six months. But he did not waste it all as he was busy making appearances to numerous public events in the diaspora to add voice against violations of human rights in his country Ethiopia.

Currently settled in Phoenix, Arizona, he says he miss his life back in Ethiopia but “I knew this [exile life ] would happen and that is why I am taking it easy.”

Addressing the question “what country you will run for,” which is lingering in the minds of Ethiopians, he said ” I am not running for any country right now and I am ready to run for my country Ethiopia anytime I am asked to do so. And I will be very happy to run for my country”

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Solomon Deressa died in the United States

borkena, Ethiopian News
November 2,2017

Solomon Deressa – a prominent Ethiopian poet – passed away today at the age of 80, sources close to the family disclosed. He is survived by one daughter.

Ethiopians are shocked as the news quickly spread on social media.

He lived in the United States since the 1980’s and died in Minnesota. He has put his own marks in Ethiopian literature, especially in poetry.

His works were featured in Wole Soyinka’s, Nigeria’s prominent writer, collection. Lijent, Zebet ilfitu and Walotat are some of his best-published poetry works.

Solomon Deressa was born in Wellega to a family of an Oromo nobility. His brother Yilma Deressa served as finance minister and foreign affairs minister during the imperial government of Haileselassie.

In the 1960’s, Solomon Deressa wrote extensive articles on Ethiopian magazine. His thoughts are solid and tend to readers into the realm of philosophy.

The concent “Hyphenated-Ethiopian” is very much linked to him – he employed it to capture the challenges of living in two different cultures.

Solomon studied philosophy in the United States and earned a degree. If we are to call an Oromo who is very doubtful, if not disgusted by it, ethnic politics, Solomon Deressa is on the top of the list. “What do I know as to who passed my grandma for me to claim that I am an Oromo” is his famous remark that resonates very well among Ethiopians of this generation, who are -ironically – victims of ethnic politics.

He always considered himself as a proud Ethiopian.

This webpage would like to express sincere condolences to his family

*PS: if you are interested in writing tribute to the late Solomon Deressa, please send e-mail to : editor@borkena.com
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Confidence and Trust building in Somali Oromo conflict to go hand in hand with returning those displaced due to the conflict, according to government authorities

borkena, Ethiopian News
November 3,2017

Oromo speaking Ethiopians, who are displaced from Somali-region following a deadly conflict along the Somali and oromia regional state “borders”, are to be returned to their places in the Somali region. It seems that the decision came from the Federal government.

Chinese news source, Xinhua, cited Mitiku Kassa (Commissioner of Ethiopia National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRC)) to report that the repatriation process is going to be concomitant to “peace conference” which is considered by the government as “Trust and confidence-building measure.”

The administration in Oromo region issued a statement in the last two weeks for Oromo speaking Ethiopian studnets in Jijiga University, which is in Somali region, to standby as there is a prospect for the students to pursue their study in other universities in the country due to what the statement described as “a concern” for the safety of “Oromo students.”

Dr Negeri Lencho, Minister of Ethiopia Government Communication Affairs Office (GCAO), on his part said that Ethiopia’s defense forces and police will be deployed in the conflict areas which stretches 1500 kilometers between the two regions.

In unprecedentedly large scale ethnic-conflict in the history of Ethiopia, at least fifty Oromo speaking Ethiopians were killed and hundreds wounded due to the conflict between the two regions.

Opposition politicians see a TPLF archestrated plot in the conflict. Yet, there are also politicized Ethiopians in social media who tend to think, while not dismissing the view that TPLF might have a hand in the conflict, that ethnic-radicalism has reached to a point where it can cause deadly conflict and are not surprised by the somali-oromo conflict.
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The post Somali Oromo conflict : Displaced Oromos to return to Somali region appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Why the Oromo Nationalist Lemma Megersa and his party need to the taken with a grain of salt

borkena, Ethiopian News
Editorial
November 3,2017

In spite of its appeal to its patrons who espouse it as “identity politics”, Ethnic politics is a hub of hate and idiocy – not to mention that it is a recipe for devastating conflict as seen in the very recent history of Rwanda. When the Bale forest was blazing sometime in the year 2000, Oromo students at Addis Ababa University had held a meeting to plan an expedition to the scene to fight the fire. What was bad about it was that they didn’t let AAU students who do not speak Oromo language to be part of the expedition. A fourth-year Political Science student, Daniel, was outraged during a meeting at Ledet cafe in Siddist Kilo main campus and told Oromo student organizers “You do not put the fire off in oromigna language. If the expedition is about fighting the fire, we[non-oromo students] have to be a part of it.” Apparently, OPDO (Oromo People’s Democratic Organization) and “caffee oromiyaa” funded the expedition and they had a hand in excluding non-Oromo speaking students from helping fight a fire in Bale forests.

Now OPDO, which is essentially as ethno nationalist as Oromo Liberation Front when it comes to “Oromo cause” except that it is fighting from within, seem to have a different political tone. Last month, about 200 Oromo youth were sent to Bahir Dar city to help fight water weed over lake Tana in what many Ethiopians considered as a positive political gesture and there was some euphoria about it. Today, about 250 Aba Geda elders and prominent individuals including singers (like Ali Bira, Kemer Yusuf and Tadele Gamachu) are in Bahir Dar in what is said to be a visit to promote “unity and and brotherhood” between Amhara and Oromo. The visit came in the wake of brutal ethnic-based violence in Buno Bedelle Zone and Nekemte that caused the death of innocent civilians and many of whom were killed for being an “alien who do not belong to the region” – in the very region of Ethiopia that they lived for two or more generations as Ethiopians. The Bahir Dar visit is said to be Lemma Megeresa’s project.

“Transformation of OPDO” in terms of relation to TPLF and to Ethiopians is being attributed to Lemma Megeresa and his team (specifically Vice president Dr. Abiy Ahmed and Communication head, Addisu Arega) On the surface, the relation with TPLF has become sour while OPDO is demonstrating interest in working “for the good of Ethiopians” as a whole. These are the first politicians whose words are positively quoted by Ethiopians for the first time in the history of TPLF government.

The question is can they be taken for their words? And from the point of view of pragmatism, is it possible for an ethno-nationalist party to travel along the path that would benefit all Ethiopians and transform relations between Ethiopians to a positive one? Even if we assume that the current administration has good intentions, without forgetting divergent skeptical views about it, is it realistic to expect that they would be able to do it given what radical Oromo ethno-nationalism has done in the Oromo region at the grassroots in terms of radicalizing the youth?

There needs to be clarity about the fact that Lemma Megersa is an ethno-nationalist, there is no other way to it. As a product of ethno-centric and ethno-nationalist political system, his political world view is impacted by it. Even based on what many are considering to be a progressive speech from Lemma Megersa’s recent appearances, it is not clearly seen that he has liberated himself from ethno-nationalism – and that is the very reason that he should not be mistaken for a kind of Che Guvera with brilliant political vision and commitment for all Ethiopians. As things stand now, in terms of political consciousness, he is not even Mengistu Hailemariam – an Oromo and a patriotic Ethiopian- or even many of Mengistu’s Oromo colleagues in his government like Debela Dinsa or what have you.

He is still a captive and a champion of ethnic politics – there is no second guessing about it. In February 2017, he made a speech about Oromo unity and Oromo economic revolution and there was no substance about Ethiopia as a whole except that he mentioned to avoid blaming “others for Oromo failure “and the failure was, for him, “Oromos did not unite.”

The only thing about Lemma is that he might rather be a cunning politician with interest in playing ethnic politics a little differently in a way to appeal to other Ethiopians. The tension with the Somali region, no matter who orchestrated it,might have alarmed his administration that ethno-nationalism might not land his party and “his people” in a political paradise if the skepticism and antagonism to ethnic politics from other Ethiopians is not neutralized. Like all ethno-nationalists , he employs ambiguous concepts and words when talking about Ethiopia and of course it could mean that the OPDO party has do different stance.

However, it does not constitute a political wisdom for Ethiopia and Ethiopians to dismiss him and the “transformed OPDO” entirely as the initiatives could be usable in the effort to transform the crippling ethnic ideology to one that truly transforms Ethiopia to be free,democratic and fair to all Ethiopians.
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The post The substance of Lemma Megeresa and Oromo People’s Democratic Organization’s rhetoric appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Bereket Simon and his wife under investigation

borkena, Ethoipian News
November 3,2017

Not long after he resigned as a policy advisor to the prime minister and minister of policy research institute, Bereket Simon is facing an investigation in connection with corruption.

A four-star hotel in Addis Ababa’s affluent neighborhood, Bole, close to Ethiopia’s number one International Airport is the center of the investigation. The hotel is said to be still under construction. borkena also learned that Bereket is under investigation for ownership of other properties that are said to be registered under the names of other individuals.

In regards to the hotel investigation, ESAT, the news source, wrote the following :

The Doubletree Hotel, managed by the Hilton, is registered under the name of Teka Asfaw a former prosecutor, who is now legal advisor to Mohammed Al Amoudi, the Ethiopian born Saudi business tycoon. The wife of Asfaw, Fikremariam Belay, owns 30% of the ownership of the 106 room hotel, that costs 12 million dollars. The hotel is scheduled to begin operation in June.

Bereket Simon’s wife, Asefu Fente, who allegedly owns a printing press and other properties are also under investigation for suspicious financial sources.

ESAT cited internal sources to report that Bereket’s resignation is triggered by a powerful faction within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. As well, Bereket’s investigation for corruption is ordered by the same powerful faction within the TPLF – according to ESAT’s report.

The alleged fight against corruption within the ruling party rather brought about the unintended consequence of political division than unifying the party. At the core of the problem, from what is often times discussed on social media, is that officials connected to real power within the dominant party, TPLF, are getting away with colossal corruption scandals.

Bereket Simon’s investigation is so far not reported by government and affiliated media outlets in Ethiopia.

He was one of the few influential officials within the ruling circle and wielded power for decades even if he was rather fielded as minister of information and government communication minister after the rebel group took power following the fall of the military government.
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Academics says promoting social and cultural relations, teaching Oromo language in Amhara and Amharic langauge in Oromo region important

borkena,Ethiopian News
November 4,2017

A delegation from Oromo regional state under the leadership of Lemma Megersa is in Bahir Dar since yesterday. The news has become sensational among politicized Ethiopians in social media; of course there is divergence in opinion. As much as there are skeptics to OPDO’s move, there are also those who see it in a positive light and as something relevant to undo damages done to the relationship between the two blood related people (it is the case for the rest of Ethiopians of course but the level of intermingling between them is stronger. Millions of Ethiopians are born from both language group families)

Presentation from academics was part of the schedule during the conference between elders and politicians from both regions.

Based on reports by Addisu Kitessa Arega, Oromo Region Communication Bureau head, two academics had a presentation and made recommendations which they think will help promote Amhara-Oromo Unity.

Just to give a brief background to this story for readers who are not familiar to the current Ethiopian situation, since the coming to power of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in 1991, a politically motivated hate was manufactured to develop a sense of enmity between Amhara and Oromo. In fact, it caused sufferings and loss of hundreds of innocent lives -especially of Amharas who lived in Oromo region of Ethiopia for many generations.

Associate professor Birhanu Lemeso (historian) presented on “Role of Amhara and Oromo interconnectedness for building Ethiopia” and he made the following points and recommendations. Key points translates to the following :

-Oromo was wrongly identified with the idea of secession but what defines Oromo is unity and togetherness. Mogassa and Gudifecha are good examples for that. Amhara people love Unity. Therefore, Amhara and Oromo have similar psychology.

-The unity of the two people will open a special new chapter for the renaissance of Ethiopia

Recommendation :

Organizing festival to foster cultural and social relation, connecting elites from both people, infrastructure development

Associate Professor Abebaw Ayalew (historian) presented on “Amhara-Oromo historical gaps and future directions”. Key points :

-19th and 20th centuries Amara and Oromo history were misrepresented and misinterpreted which created a gap in understanding history.

-Amhara people were confused with Amhara ruling elites.

-The unity of the two people is damaged by elite politics that is not based on the interaction of the two people.
-The notion of ethnic based oppression a misconceptions.

In terms of future direction, he recommended:

-Regular cultural exchanges, committing air time in the regional media for programs that will help foster unity
-Language teachings in both regions,teaching Amharic in Oromia and teaching oromigna in Amhara region
-The notions of chauvinist and narrow nationalist are wrongly pined to people while they should have been seen as individual behaviors
-Widening the political space; political elites to play a role in terms of promoting unity
-Economic Unity and infrastructure development to promote the unity

Source : Addisu Arega Kitesa
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The post Academics at the Amhara-Oromo conference in Bahir Dar recommended Oromo language to be taught in Amhara and vise-versa appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Saudi-Ethiopian born billionaire Al Amoudi detained in Saudi Arabia

borkena, Ethiopian News
November 5,2017

Billionaire Mohamed Al Amoudi is reportedly arrested in Saudi Arabia. His arrest has something to do with Saudi Government campaign against corruption, according to a report by Moroccan Newspaper LesEco which in turn cited Sabq, Arabic news and Reuters.

Although not mentioning Al Amoudi, Reuters reported that royals, ministers, and investors including Alaweed bin Talal are arrested as part of an anti-corruption purge.

The arrests came after King Salman made a decree about the creation of an anti-corruption committee with the chairmanship of his 32-year-old son, Crown Prince Mohammed, added the report by Reuters.

The arrests are made public and the decree says that it is a response to “exploitation by some of the weak souls who have put their own interests above the public interest, in order to, illicitly, accrue money” as cited by Reuters.

As thing stand now, some of the detainees are not in prison. They are held at Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh according to sources close to the Saudi government.

The Casablanca based newspaper, LesEco, seem to relate Mohammed Al Amoudi with Samir Group in Saudi Arabia, a company that markets a range of technological products.

Information in Wikipedia hints that he won a contract to build Saudi Arabia’s Oil Storage complex, estimated to be $30 billion, in 1988. His company MIDROC (Mohammed International Development Research and Organization Companies) acquired Yanbu Steel in Saudi Arabia in 2000.

In Ethiopia, he has invested in the hotel(he owns Sheraton Addis the biggest five-star hotel in the heart of Addis Ababa), construction, agriculture, mining, and banking sectors, among others. He also has investment in Sweden.

In 2016, Forbes estimated his net worth to be $10.9 billion.

News of his arrest in Saudi Arabia is not yet reported by local media in Ethiopia.
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The post Al Amoudi arrested in Saudi Arabia in connection with alleged corruption appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Al Amoudi among detainees whose bank account in Saudi is frozen

Ethiopian News
borkena
November 6,2017

Days after Saudi authorities mounted what is said to be unprecedented crackdown on corruption which led to the detainment of princes and businessmen including Ethiopian born billionaire Al Amoudi, Saudi Arabia’s attorney general reportedly said that banks are freezing accounts of detained business people.

The attorney general is quoted by Bloomberg as saying “…It was necessary to complete the first phase discreetly, in order to preserve the integrity of the legal proceedings and ensure there was no flight from justice…”

The trials are expected to start in a “timely and open manner” and the suspects are allowed to have “full access” to legal resources according to a statement which Bloomberg cited.

Two bankers who are said to have knowledge of developments in the central bank disclosed confidential information anonymously and that suspects back account have been already frozen.

Should the suspects are proved guilty “sums of money that appear to be linked to corruption cases will be reimbursed to the Saudi state’s General Treasury…” reported Saudi Gazette citing The Saudi Centre for International Communication.

It is not clear if the Saudi Government has plans to order asset and account freezes outside of the kingdom.

Alwaleed bin Talal,who is one of the richest persons in the world with net worth of over 17 Billion in 2017, is among the arrested princes.

A total of eleven princes and four ministers and other business people were arrested in the crackdown at the end of last week. Regarding the charges, Saudi Gazzete wrote ” Bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and abuse of power are among the charges against dozens of princes, officials and businessmen detained in an anti-corruption probe,…”

Another Saudi prince, Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, and seven senior officials were killed in a helicopter crash near Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen, according to BBC report which in turn cited Saudi news sources.

On the other hand, King Salman already swore in new minister of National Guard,Prince Khalid Bin Ayyaf Al-Muqrin, and a Economy and Planning minister, Mohammad Al-Tuwaijri, according to Saudi news sources.

So far state broadcasters in Ethiopia did not report about it and there is no clue if the Ethiopian government is talking with Saudi Officials.
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