Debremarkos University temporarily suspended classes after a graduating student was beaten to death on Sunday.
photo source : Abay Media
borkena May 28, 2019
What looks like a clandestine attack at the University of Debremarkos, in western Ethiopia, left a student dead and three others seriously injured.
The student killed is identified as Seare Abraha and is said to be from Shere Endaselassie, Tigray, in northern Ethiopia, according to a report by Amharic service of BBC. He was a graduating student of economics.
Desalew Getnet, Debremarkos university’s public relation, and communication directorate told Amhara Mass Media Agency (AMMA) on Monday that Seare Abraha was killed on Sunday around 10 a.m. local time.
Body of the victim is sent to his parents in Shere Endaselassie.
The security problem in the campus started on Friday around 5 p.m. during dinner time and there was commotion. Three students were attacked on Friday.
Those who perpetrated the attack reportedly wore masks and fled the area soon after unleashing attacks. It is unknown as to how many individuals, it is still unclear if the attackers are students, were involved in the attack but seven suspects are in police custody and an investigation is underway- according to Desalew Getnet. The motivation of the attack is not known either.
“So far, the cause of the security problem is unidentified,” the University’s PR told AMMA.
On Saturday, the University had two events; a convocation ceremony for medicine students and a panel discussion on investment.
Meanwhile, students were protesting in the campus chanting slogans for the release of arrested students and demanding an end to the “killings of brothers in Dire Dawa,” Desalew told AMMA.
Classes are temporarily suspended following the death of Seare and the University administration had a meeting with Students on Monday. The agenda item was the identities of perpetrators which is not yet determined.
Students have raised security concern during the meeting and mood of sorrow is reining in the campus.
Communications Affair Office of Tigray regional state has issued a brief and sober statement in which is said that it is following the matter seriously and working with relevant authorities to hold those responsible for the killing accountable.
Killings of students in University campuses in different parts of the country has become a recurrent problem and much of it, at least before the incident in Debremarkos, seems to have a lot to do with radical ethnic politics.
Abiy Ahmed attending consultation on national agricultural transformation in Adama. Photo : Office of the Prime Minister
borkena Editorial May 28,2019
More than enough has been said, in the mainstream media or otherwise, about the positive reform measures that Abiy Ahmed’s administration introduced since the ruling coalition picked him as prime minister over a year ago.
Noticeably, most o reform measures were window dressing with little or no relevance for systemic transformation in the long term. The security situation in many parts of the country is a concern to most Ethiopians a year after the alleged “change.”
At this point, more than three million Ethiopians have been internally displaced mainly due to ethnic-based violence, as has been reported by the Financial Times. And the worst of ethnic-based violence does not seem to be over and many Ethiopians tend to think that way.
Ethnic-identity has been over-politicized over the past 28 years to the point that dispute between two individuals on personal matters could easily escalate into outright ethnic-based violence. It has happened in many university campuses. It has happened in regional state cities, as they call them. it has happened in zone towns and districts.
On the other hand, and oddly enough, Prime minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration and supporters who tend to view criticism against Abiy’s government as a form of “betrayal of the change” would want us to believe that the crisis that Ethiopia is going through, in terms of security or otherwise, is unavoidable aspects of the reform process, nothing else. Many opposition figures seem to buy into that thinking. The trend demonstrates the success that Abiy Ahmed achieved in his game of domesticating the opposition quarter in the name creating a peaceful working relationship with opposition parties. Essentially, there is no opposition party in the country at this time with a conviction and resolve to put pressure on prime minister Abiy Ahmed’s government as the predominant view in that quarter is “to support Abiy Ahmed’s government.” On the contrary, there is a militant and armed radical ethnic Oromo opposition (Oromo Liberation Front) that is bulling Abiy Ahmed’s ethnic party and seemingly mastering control over most of the governance structure. This same group has “robbed” 19 banks within a space of two days and the party leaders are still rubbing shoulders with Abiy Ahmed’s party officials.
The task of enforcing the rule of law in the regional states that constitute the Federal government has become difficult for the Federal government due to an ethnic-based administrative arrangement. The Federal government has to get first the permission of regional states before intervening, for example, to stop an ethnic-based massacre in a given regional state, and it has happened before.
The political situation in the country clearly calls for structural and systemic change and bold decision along that line. But the ruling coalition, now under Abiy Ahmed’s chairmanship, is basking in a superficial political ritual in which ethnic-based regional governments organize inter-regional travel for region-based political elites to hold a town hall meeting and they call it “people to people” relation. In fact, they seem to think that that is the direction to resolve inter-ethnic violence in the country which actually sounds unsound. At the same time, regional governments seem to exploit these “people to people” political trips to build a political alliance with ethnic-groups of regions with the plan to activate the alliance in the event of inevitable power struggle, which is expected- in the mind of the ruling coalition politicians-, to be struggle between “contending ethnic-groups.” Oromo regional state, for example, has been doing a lot of “people to people relation” in recent weeks involving Gambella, Afar, Benishangul, Southern nations and nationalities.
Apart from hesitation to transform the system into one that mitigates inter-ethnic conflict, the administration of Abiy Ahmed also seems to be curtailing democratic space including press freedoms. There have been two arrests of journalists this past week alone – one in the capital Addis Ababa and the other one in Oromo region – a region that Abiy Ahmed’s ethnic party (Oromo Democratic Party) is governing. And there is now a growing criticism, rightly, that prime minister Abiy Ahmed’s ethnic support base is developing a sense of entitlement and political privilege one alleged grounds that the “change” is the result of “Oromo struggle.”
The issue of Addis Ababa has become another layer of skepticism towards prime minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration. Thousands of residents in Lege Tafo and koye Feche were reduced to homelessness when Oromo regional administration ordered demolition of houses on grounds of “illegal settlement.” The Mayor of Addis Ababa, who is also from Abiy Ahmed’s ethnic Oromo party, also vowed that thousands of “illegal houses” will be demolished and he framed his policy as an effort to enforce rule of law as was the case in Legaetafo and Koye Feche.
Currently, it is noticeable that a considerable number of people who initially supported Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has lost faith in his administration. Some politicized Ethiopians anticipated from the outset that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration would be weak for his political support base including his ethnic party is influenced by the militant Oromo groups. but there was a belief that his government would ultimately free itself from the influence of radical Oromo politicians within his party and in the region, and become a government for all Ethiopians which does not seem to be happening. Abiy’s stand on the question of Addis Ababa and in light of the Lege Tafo incident demonstrates that radical oromo politics influence over Abiy’s ODP party is not over.
In fact, there is no sign that his administration would introduce fundamental structural reform that would promote peace and mitigate conflicts. One argument from Abiy Ahmed’s government is that there has to be an election first to carry out structural and administrative reform. The point is an election, even if it is possible to organize one under the existing circumstance which many seem to question, organized within same structural and administrative arrangement is likely to produce the same result. That is why his administration needs to act boldly to do things in the order of importance and in the interest of Ethiopians. Peace and security is a priority for the country and Abiy Ahmed’s leadership should not expect Ethiopians to forget that and hail his prestige projects and impressionist events he is organizing one after another.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia has apologized on Monday for a map of Africa that is not showing Somalia. In a press conference, the spokesperson, Nebiyat Getachew, said: “We sincerely regret any confusion and misunderstanding this incident might have caused.”
Nebiyat added that the ministry has already launched an investigation into the matter and an appropriate measure will be taken when the cause of it is established.
The map was published on the ministry’s website on May 24 in connection with the celebration of African Day.
The Map that Ethiopia is investigating how it got published on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Source : Social Media
It showed Somalia as part of Ethiopia while showing Somaliland separately. The mistake is not just in connection with Somalia per se.
It did not also show the map of South Sudan while it showed the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo as one country which is not the case in the real world at this point in time.
The Ministry removed the map immediately as soon as it learned about it, Nebiyat said during the Press Conference. As well, a correction statement was published right away, the spokesperson added.
The situation has angered many Somalis on social media and many have been sharing an image of the map on Twitter.
Although Ethiopia and Somalia fought a bloody war in the late 1970s following the latter’s invasion of Ethiopian territories, they have currently a cordial relation and have been having regional and bilateral cooperation talks.
As well, the government of Abiy Ahmed has been offering to mediate between Somaliland and Federal Government of Somalia
Abiy Ahmed’s interview with VOA Amharic. Among other things, Eskinder Firew raised question regarding sense of entitlement among Oromo Democratic Party officials at different level. Watch what Abiy says about it.
Video credit : VOA Amharic Cover photo : Screenshot from video
The militant faction of Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) led by Dawud Ibsa reportedly agreed on Wednesday to work with Oromo Democratic Party and Oromia regional state.
According to a report published by Fana Broadcasting Corporate, the entities mentioned above agreed to work together so as to ensure the unity and interest of people in the region.
OLF also pledged to support measures the regional state takes in an effort to ensure the rule of law in the region.
In a joint statement attended by Oromo region state president, Shimeles Abdissa, Dawud Ibsa, Bekele Gerba and Jawar Mohammed and Ethiopian Deputy chief of staff, Berhanu Jula, Oromo Liberation Front disclosed that it will no longer have an armed group.
A reconciliation committee composed of elder which was formed earlier to arbitrate OLF and the party administering the region, ODP, has presented a report during the press conference. Among other things, the report highlighted work done to encamp OLF rebel combatants in state-run military training camps for rehabilitation and indoctrination before they integrate to the society.
This is not for the first time for OLF militant faction leader, Dawud Ibsa, to agree to work with the regional government in the interest of rule of law and peace in the region. And the news of the agreement today has created a sense of skepticism if the agreement would take root or not. It is not predictable how the new relationship will evolve.
This week, there was news of a merger between OLF and Oromo Federalist Congress ( OFC) which is led by professor Merera Gudina.
In the past, OLF had been resisting Federal government request to disarm claiming that the government has breached what it called the Asmara agreement. And the government had to engage the group militarily mainly in Wollega region of Ethiopia.
In January this year, the militant group robbed 18 banks in a span of two days in Wollega region of Ethiopia. Abiy Ahmed administration’s patience, some understand it as incapability to take serious measure and/or special treatment for the armed group, was widely criticized by Ethiopians.
Unconfirmed rumor in social media says that armed groups are still operating in some parts of the regional state.
Now, Ethiopians seem to expect the government to step up effort to combat armed groups in the region including in Guji area where nearly one million ethnic Gedeos are displaced as the militant OLF faction caused security problem in the region.
OLF blames ODP for the death of six people in Mugi, Wollega, Western Ethiopia
Google Map West Ethiopia region.
borkena May 29, 2019
Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) and the militant faction of Oromo Liberation Front (OLF-Shane) trade accusations over the death of six people in Amphilo Mugi, Qelem district of Wollega, in Western Ethiopia.
Both parties have their own narratives about the deaths which happened on May 27 in kebele 01, Mugi, according to a report by VOA Amharic on Wednesday.
OLF Shane militant groups spokesperson for the west zone, Gumabas Ebissa, says that there had been fighting between government soldiers and OLF fighters for three days outside of Mugi which government soldiers lost. And the soldiers moved to Mugi and killed six people.
A person who claimed that he lost his brother and who asked VOA to be anonymous says his brother was heading to work when government soldiers opened fire on him. “They shot him on the leg, on the side of his body, and stabbed him in the belly. He died on the scene,” the anonymous person told VOA. He added that his brother was not a member of the armed rebels and did not have any contacts.
Gebre Dinka, another eyewitness, says there has been an exchange of fire between the rebels and government soldiers about 20 minutes from Mugi but the six people were killed in Mugi Kebele 01. The victims are identified as Yenus Abdella, Takele Bulcha, Debella, Adeta Wakena, Debella, Hundessa Abdissa and Ayu, according to VOA Amharic report.
Gumabas Ebissa told VOA that five of the victims are Qeerroos.
Hamza Abdulkadir – ODP Public relation office head of Qelem Wollega, on the other hand, has a different narrative of the story. While admitting that six people were killed, most of the victims are members of the armed group. From what he said, it seems that the action on the part of government soldiers seem to be a retaliatory measure. He said members of OLF Shane Group threw a hand grenade on government soldiers as they were coming from Gambella. And the government has a duty to maintain law and order, he added.
However, he did not mention as to how many government soldiers were killed or wounded.
Dawud Ibsa, leader of OLF, has reached an agreement with Oromo regional state and ODP on Wednesday to cooperate in the effort to enforce rule of law and has officially declared that he does not have armed combatants any more.
The hackers managed to easily scrape a few hundred of INSA agents’ email addresses and passwords, allowing them to potentially log in to INSA’s email server (and personal emails using the same credentials).
INSA notoriously monitors and intercepts all Ethiopian citizens’ communication, in an attempt to ‘safeguard the country’s information and information structures’, according to their website’s mission statement…
Image : courtesy of Safety Detective
Political hacking is nothing new: While the fact that hackers could so easily hack a security agency – and the Ethiopian INSA especially – is alarming, what was even worse was that the passwords we discovered in use by INSA were basic (and hackable) beyond belief. Basically, they weren’t salted and hashed. While big databases usually have their data protected and encrypted (in case someone breaks in), this one didn’t and had common passwords easy to decrypt.
Just take a look for yourself:
Screenshot of 42 of the 300 secure email addresses and passwords of Ethiopian INSA employees. Image courtesy of Safety Detective .
Of the 42 passwords screenshotted above (of 300 overall), 9 of those are ‘p@$$w0rd’ – AKA, one-step above ‘password’ which we also saw 3 uses of in total (of 300). That’s really secure, security agents!
In fact, out of the 300 agent email addresses we scraped, we counted 142 uses of ‘p@$$w0rd’ (that’s almost half), and 62 passwords containing a `123’ sequence, similar to another surprising set of unchanged default passwords that were discovered by our team. It goes without saying that, even had the server not been hacked, the passwords we saw post-scraping were easily hackable.
As the most tech-savvy people in Ethiopia, whose entire careers literally revolve around online and national security, their lack of secure passwords is absolutely shocking, although major security breaches affecting ordinary citizens are nothing new.
That and the fact that, when we tried to verify the hack, we were able to use these leaked login credentials again and again.
Since the data was scraped a while ago, it now seems that these credentials no longer work, meaning INSA has either reset these passwords or changed the internal email server.
But, sensitive INSA data is still available to even the most low-level of hackers: taking the leaked usernames and using a brute-force attack on the new email server would still easily hack agents’ new passwords especially if they are as insecure and hackable as they were previously.
We suggest the agents set new, stronger passwords that are as secure as their employment requires them to be: Safety Detective’s Password Checker will allow INSA agents to strengthen their preferred passwords (other than ‘p@$$w0rd’) to prevent any further hacks.
It is recommended that databases encrypt sensitive info, then if the worst happens, attackers will be left with useless hashes.
Because all matters of national security deserve to be securely ‘p@$$w0rd’ protected. ______
For more information about this report, please check out Safety Detective
Teachers in Amhara region of Ethiopia want government to address their economic, social and professional questions. They also opposed killings and displacement of citizens
Pictures from Teachers’s demonstration. Photo : AMMA
borkena May 31, 2019
Teachers have organized a huge demonstration in numerous cities in the Amhara Region, which is mostly located in central, north-central and North Western parts of Ethiopia.
Bahir Dar, Gonder, Dessie, Woldia, Debremarkos, and Debre Berhan are some of the towns where protest demonstration was organized.
From the way the protesters organized their protest and from key messages in the protest, it seems that they did not want their demand to appear like a demand for a pay increase. Rather they framed it as a question of pay equity and fairness.
They are demanding fair pay and an end to pay differences for similar educational qualification. As well, they opposed that the pay increases they get every two years should not end and that there are no pay adjustments for educational professionals, among other demands. The protesters also demanded that the government address their questions as quickly as possible.
Professional freedoms of teachers and policy implementation of land allocation for constructing houses for teachers were also raised by the protesters. In that regard, they seem to think that they experience intervention in carrying out their profession. They need educational institutions to be free from religious and political intervention.
With regard to the land issue, protesters seem to oppose corrupt practices in the allocation of land for residential home construction for teachers.
Teacher training practice in the region, according to protesters, is also problematic and they asked for uniformity and opposed that no one should be a teacher without completing required training and obtaining the certification for it.
As far as the situation of the country is concerned, protesting teachers loaded their voice against killings and displacement of citizens.
Protesters also chanted slogans calling for the government, seemingly the regional one, to deal with lack of good governance.
Four Ethiopian government bodies have signed an agreement to on ways to deploy sniff dogs at Bole International Airport as additional security measures, Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) reported on Friday.
Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority which is under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Ethiopian Airlines and the Federal Police signed the agreement have signed the agreement in the afternoon, according to the report.
Ethiopia has never used sniff dogs before and it is now needed to combat drug trafficking and to protect endemic wild lives not to leave the country illegally.
FBC report added that as many as 400 sniff dogs will be imported from The Netherlands. Security officers will be given training in how to work with Sniffer dog for up to 3 months.
How feasible is e-governance in a society where majority of the population is not computer literate and in light of the dire power shortage?
borkena May 31 ,2019
Ethiopia is planning to launch e-governance service delivery in the next six months. As many as 150 governments’ services will be offering online services, according to Innovation and Technology Minister, which is cited by Fana Broadcasting Corporate report on Friday.
The ministry added that it is holding talks with relevant bodies on e-government service delivery.
The Decision is informed by the need to provide fast service delivery to citizens and the plan is to apply it in the areas of all government services.
According to FBC, six government departments including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia are already offering electronics service delivery.
Government structures including at Kebele level, which is in the bottom of government administrative structure, will be offering services electronically.
“We are planning to offer consistent and uninterrupted services, and take services to citizens rather than requiring citizens to come to services,” Getahun Mekuria, Minister for Innovation and Technology is cited as saying.
Incomplete infrastructure is cited as a challenge to the plan but the minister said that the government is working on accessibility of better speed internet service in all regions.
How realistic government plan is under the circumstance of a persistent power shortage which completed the government to ration electricity is remains a question. As well, well over 70 percent of Ethiopia’s 105 million populations live in the rural areas practicing small and subsistent farming, and there are still places that are not connected via road transport. On the flip side, it means that the majority of the Ethiopian population is no computer literate.
If the plan was to be successful, it might have a negative impact on the existing workforce in the public service as a structural adjustment might be needed.
ESAT founds itself in internal dispute, the matter has angered many Ethiopians
ESAT Logo
borkena June 2, 2019
Now with several offices outside of Washington DC, Ethiopian Satellite Television ( ESAT) and Radio have been in operation for more nine years now. Most Ethiopians, both in the country and abroad, are in agreement that the broadcaster has made a significant contribution to the struggle for democracy and justice in Ethiopia by way of informing Ethiopians. A considerable, if not the lion’s share, portions of funding for the organization came from Ethiopians in the diaspora who are organized through different chapters in many North American and European cities. As well, there reports that even Ethiopians in Ethiopia used to support ESAT financially clandestinely when it was legally banned.
In recent weeks there have been rumors that the broadcasting organization has been rattled from within due to political differences. This week it came to the open that there is indeed a difference between the board and a number of journalists, mostly those based in Washington DC studio, working for the organization.
Each side came up with their own narratives and they both have issued a statement.
As it became clear in from the latest statement of 10 journalists on June 1, 2019, the journalists who decided to go their own separate ways, and they are ten in numbers including Ermias Legesse, Reyot Alemu and Habtamu Ayalewu who were both prisoners of conscience as well, following the board’s decision to lay off five journalists, they claim that their reports on the displacement of Gedeo and demolition of houses in Legatafo which reduced tens of thousands of residents were stifled. The layoff affected five journalists namely, Menalachew Simachew, Getachew Abdi, Liyu Tsegaye, Eyerusalem Tekletsadik, Habtamu Ayalewu. The Journalists says that the layoff is due to the political differences.
They also allege that the opening of a new studio on Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was not procedural and that many journalists in the DC studio did not know about it.
The board, on the other hand, says that the layoff is due to financial problem that is affecting ESAT and the need to reorganize it for the next phase of the struggle in Ethiopia – something the journalists, who seem to think that the board as ill intent, are rejecting. The statement from the board says that ESAT is not a political organization and journalists could have their own political views.
What is not stated in the statement is an alleged question of ownership by Ginbot 7 – political organization whose existence ceased to exist recently following a recent merger with a group of other political organizations in Ethiopia that formed a new party in mid-May of this year- Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice Party.
In a statement issued on June 1, ten journalists stated that they have decided to make the issue public and intend to have a public consultation and disclose decision about next steps.
There are unconfirmed rumors that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration is in part behind division within ESAT.
Ten ESAT journalists based in the Washington DC studio have recently issued a statement regarding the dispute with the management. They assert that they did not work for a political party and that ESAT need to be transferred to the public.
The Board of ESAT on the other hand has laid off five journalists from the DC office on grounds of budgetary deficit.
On there other hand, there is a claim that the Board’s decision is informed by political motivation. Some even go to the extent that prime minister Abiy Ahmed is involved in engineering the dispute within what was once Ethiopia’s premier source of information at a time when there was crackdown on media in the country. Watch the following report from Andafta media.
This year’s Eid al Fitr celebration is special as Ethiopian Muslims also celebrate their unity and peace.
Record high turn out at Eid al Fitr celebration at Addis Ababa Stadium. Photo credit : Addis Ababa Administration
borkena June 4,2019
Ethiopian Muslims celebrated the 1440th Eid al Fitr holiday across the country. In the capital Addis Ababa, it was celebrated the city’s stadium. Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Council President, Mufti Haji Omar, and Addis Ababa city’s acting Mayor, Takele Uma have attended the ceremony, among other dignitaries.
“This year’s Eid is marked by unity and peace,” Mufti Haji Omar told hundreds of thousands of faithful gathered at the Stadium, as reported by Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC). He cited the role of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in forming peace and unity committee for Ethiopian Muslim and expressed his gratitude.
“It was unprecedented in the history of the country that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed prepared an iftar evening,” he added making a reference to the Iftar evening organized at the Millennium Hall on May 22.
He went on to say as to what makes this year’s Eid prayer a special one; “Christian brothers and sisters” have cleaned prayer places for Eid Salat and he called on for the respect and unity to be nationwide.
Turn out during Eid prayer in the capital Addis Ababa is said to be a record high today and police reported no incident, what so ever.
Ethiopian Muslims launched a civil rights movement some seven years ago to oppose government intervention in the affairs of Ethiopian Muslims. A 17 members committee was organized with a mandate to search for a solution. The government reacted by arresting prominent members of the committee and charged them with alleged terrorism. It even went to the extent of doing a documentary film entitled “jihadi harakat” to incriminate the committee members. They were tortured and forced to confess under duress the charges.
The committee members were released from prison after the ruling party decided to “broaden the democratic space” and release political prisoners. Now, some of the committee members are appointed to the truth and reconciliation, and Identity and Boundary Dispute commission, among other things.
When Prime Mnister Abiy Ahmed appeared the grand iftar evening at the Millenium Hall on May 22, he told the crowd that they are now allowed to have Islamic bank in the country.
As well, he pledged them that he would support construction of a grand mosque in the capital Addis Ababa.
Indeed, this year’s Eid-al-Fatir is special for Ethiopian Muslims.
Addis Ababa – Ethiopia’s religious leaders on Monday urged the government to block a US gay travel company from touring the country’s ancient sites, and one group warned visiting homosexuals could face violence.
The Chicago-based Toto Tours, which describes itself on its website as “the only gay tour company in existence” that has been operating with the same ownership and management for almost three decades, told AFP it has received death threats since announcing a 16-day trip to Ethiopia, which includes numerous historical religious sites.
Their itinerary has sparked ire in Ethiopia, which like many in Africa is deeply homophobic and has strict anti-gay laws, punishing homosexual acts with up to 15 years in prison.
“Tour programmes and dating programmes that try to use our historical sites and heritage should be immediately stopped by the Ethiopian government and we urge Ethiopians supporting these sinful and evil acts to desist from their acts,” Tagay Tadele of the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia told journalists.
The council counts seven Islamic and Christian denominations as members.
An influential Ethiopian Orthodox organisation, the Sileste Mihret United Association, also held a press conference Monday to condemn the tour company.
“Homosexuality is hated as well as being illegal in Ethiopia. Toto Tours are wrong to plan to conduct tours in our religious and historical places,” the organisation’s vice chairman, Dereje Negash, told AFP.
“If Toto Tours comes to Ethiopia where 97 percent of Ethiopians surveyed oppose homosexuality, they will be damaged, they could even die,” he said.
Dan Ware, the president of Toto Tours, said the company had been “terribly misunderstood”, in an email to AFP.
“Our company is not aimed at spreading values contrary to local cultures when we travel around the world. We are simply an organization where like-minded people can travel comfortably together to experience the world’s most precious wonders.
“We come with only the greatest respect and humility.”
He said the tour had been advertised on the company’s social media pages and spotted within Ethiopia, leading to “death threats”, and called for protection for the tour group from both the US State Department and the Ethiopian tourism ministry.
“This is terrible discrimination, and when the word of this spreads internationally, as it is most likely to do, it will have a negative impact on the important tourism industry in Ethiopia.”
He said that by the time the tour takes place in October “the eyes of the entire world will be on the people of Ethiopia to see what happens to us.”
Twenty-eight out of 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have laws penalising same-sex relationships, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Some countries, like Angola, Mozambique and Seychelles, have moved to scrap anti-gay laws.
However Kenya’s high court earlier this month refused to do so, in a major blow to gay activists on the continent.
Addis Ababa – Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, is pleased to announce that its Group CEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam has been re-appointed to the IATA (International Air Transport Association) Board of Governors for a three year-term at the 75th annual general meeting held in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
The IATA Board of Governors comprises of 30 members who are elected from the world’s biggest carriers included in IATA and approved by the Assembly. The Board of Governors acts as the government of IATA and represents 290 airlines in over 120 countries, carrying 82% of the world’s air traffic. The governors are elegible to exercise an oversight and executive role on behalf of the membership as a whole in representing the interests of the association.
Mr. Tewolde, who is a titan of the industry, has received prominent awards from different organizations including “The African CEO of the Year”, “The Best African Business Leader”, “The Airline Strategy Award for Regional Leadership”, “Planet Africa professional Excellence Award”, “The African CEO’s Hall Of Fame”, and “Most Gender Focused CEO Award”.
The re-appointment of the Ethiopian Group CEO to the Board of Governors is in recognition of Ethiopian fastest and sustainable growth in general and his indispensable contribution to the development of African aviation industry in general.
Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam has also served as a member on the High-level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport (HLAG-ST) with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, as an Executive Committee member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), A Board member of the Airlink Advisory Council, A member of Board of Directors of Africa Travel Association (ATA).
IATA was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Montreal. A union of the world’s leading carriers, IАТА coordinates and represents air transport industry interests in areas such as flight safety provision, flight performance, fare policies, maintenance, and aviation security, develops and publishes international standards, provides training and consultancy, among others.
For more information about this report, check out Ethiopian Airlines media
As Sahlework Zewde expresses interest for stronger economic tie with Canada, Justin Trudeau pledged Canada’s continued support to the reform process in Ethiopia
President Sahlework Zewde having conversation with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Photo credit : Office of the President, Ethiopia
borkena June 5, 2019
Ethiopia’s first women president Sahlework Zewde met with Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, on Wednesday in Vancouver, where Women Deliver 2019 Global Conference is underway.
They met on the sidelines of the conference.
The two leaders discussed bilateral ties between Ethiopia and Canada, Office of the President of Ethiopia disclosed on its social media page.
Sahlework reportedly told Justin Trudeau that Canada has been Ethiopia’s strong partner even under difficult circumstances. She added that the two countries can work together in a range of areas and that Ethiopia is determined to strengthen the economic tie with Canada.
Justin Trudeau expressed his appreciation of Ethiopia’s effort to move towards a better path under difficult conditions and reaffirmed that Canada will continue to support the reform process.
On June 3, Sahlework met with President and CEO of Women Deliver, Katja Iversen. She congratulated her for high turnout for the conference and expressed Ethiopia’s keenness to work with Women Deliver to promote the causes of women in Africa and globally, as disclosed by the Presidents’ office.
As well, Sahlework met with Julia Gillard, former Australian President and Chair of Global Institute for Women’s leadership. She is the first Ethiopian leader to be in Vancouver in about half a century, according to information from her office.
In her first day in Vancouver, the Charismatic Ethiopian President met with Ethiopians and Ethiopian- Canadians in Vancouver area. She told Ethiopians to strengthen unity and build Ethiopia.
President Sahlework Zewde posing for picture with some Ethiopians living in Vancouver area. Photo credit : Office of the President, Ethiopia
Women Deliver 2019 conference is concluding tomorrow. It is the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights, and wellbeing of women and girls. Over 6,000 world leaders, activists, parliamentarians, celebrities, journalists and young people attended the conference, according to organizers.
Security concern in Ethiopia seem to pose difficulty to carry out Ethiopian Premier League Championship
borkena June 5, 2019
Ethiopian Football Federation decided to temporarily suspend Ethiopian Premier League Championship tournament, FBC reported on Wednesday.
The decision was passed during an emergency meeting called on Wednesday.
Game scheduled to take place during the 27th week of the championship between Ethiopian Coffee and Mekele 70 Enderta was canceled on grounds of alleged security concerns and the Federation has evaluated its impact during the emergency meeting.
Earlier the Federation decided the game between the two clubs to take place on Friday is now canceled.
Holding discussions with Premier League participating clubs and other stakeholders are now given priority so as to figure out ways to carry out the league’s tournaments.
The Federation was not explicit enough as to why it decided to suspend the tournament but circumstantial evidence seems to suggest that the decision is informed by alleged security concern.
And the decision has offended fans of some clubs including Fasil Kenema.
Ethnic politics in the country is essentially affecting all aspects of activities in the country.
Wondwossen Yohannes was apparently shot to death. Photo : FBC
borkena June 6, 2019
Nekemte city soccer player is reportedly killed on Wednesday around 7 p.m. local time after a grenade attack in Fact Hotel. At least seven other people are injured although it is unknown if the injuries are life-threatening. The victims are currently getting medical treatment in the region.
The soccer play that is killed in the attack is identified as Wondwossen Yohannes. There were gunshots following the grenade attack. However, it is unclear why he was targeted or if he was killed because he was in the wrong place, and in the wrong time.
Nekemte, a town in Wollega zone of Oromo region in Western Ethiopia, town communication officer Almaz Tadele told Deutsche Welle Amharic service that the soccer player died from a gunshot.
Perpetrators of the attack are not identified yet but an unspecified number of suspects are in custody and under investigation, according to Almaz Tadele.
An armed faction of the radical Oromo Liberation Front, under the leadership of Jal Merro, nom de guerre, operates in the area, and it has disclosed that it will not cease its armed struggle although the political wing of the organization has officially declared that it does no longer have any armed group operating in any part of the Oromo region of Ethiopia.
On May 29, six people were killed in a grenade attack in Amphilo Mugi, Qelem district of Wollega region – an incident over which the armed group and government traded accusation. While the government claims that the grenade attack was carried out by Jal Merro’s rebel group, the militant group, on the other hand, claims that the armed group is behind the attack.
Meanwhile, acting president of Oromo regional state of Ethiopia, Shimeles Abdissa, held a discussion on Thursday with leaders from the four zones of Wollega region – one of the most insecure parts of the country.
According to Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) report, security matter in the region is one of the agenda items for the meeting. He reportedly told leaders from the zone that ensuring security and peace in the region is the responsibility of government and leadership at different levels in the region need to be determined to end lack of peace in the region from the source.
Police has not yet determined if was an assassination attempt
borkena June 6,2019
A breaking news coverage by Abbaymedia, which is aired this evening, says that three of former ESAT journalists who left the broadcaster recently following dispute over alleged freedom of expression and matters related ownership of the media, were attacked outside of a temporary studio in Maryland, United States.
Erimas Legesse, Habtamu Ayalew and Bertawit Girmaye were reportedly confronted by a person who is described as black man who drove towards them near their new studio.
Then the man “got out of the car and pointed a gun on Habtamu and Erimias.” Abbay Media added that the man got into a fight with Habtamu who was reportedly brought down which is when, as per the report, that the man fired a shot to the air.
Abbay Media reported the incident as an act robbery and assassination attempt, citing its unnamed sources.
According to Abbay media, Habtamu Ayalew and Bertawit Girmaye sustained minor injuries and they visited Washington Adventist Church hospital, and were discharged same day.
The incident happened on Tuesday around 7 p.m. local time. And police is seemingly investigating the incident.
No other news sources reported about the incident so far. If handled by police as reported by Abbay Media, the case whether it was an assassination attempt will be determined.
Check out the breaking news coverage video by Abbay Media below.
