– Ethiopia’s National Election Board make it clear that it will not be able to organize Sidama referendum by the ultimatum date that Sidama Nationalist put forth
– National election board wants to know arrangement about the City of Hawassa before the referendum

borkena
July 16, 2019

Central Committee of Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM) – the party that is currently governing Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region which is one of the four parties that constitute the ruling coalition EPRDF – had been meeting for nearly ten days until Monday of this week and one of the controversial issues in the meeting was ethnic Sidama statehood questions. 

As it turns out, and when the party issued a detailed statement about the just-concluded meeting, it failed to disclose what exactly was discussed in regards to Sidama question for statehood and what the decision party’s decision is on it. 

And ethnic Sidamas who want to see their own ethnic state, through the agency of Ejeto (a radicalized Youth group who are said to have support from radical Oromo ethno-nationalists), gave an ultimatum for the government (both regional and Federal) that they will unilaterally declare statehood on July 18, 2018 should the government fails to organize a referendum by then. 

It is under those circumstances that Ethiopia’s Election Board, which is mandated to organize a referendum, broke its silence and issued a statement on the issue of Sidama statehood. 

The Board said that it has received Sidama Zone, which is under Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, decision in November 2018. 

And then it explained why it was unable to respond to the demand highlighting the reform (structural and others)  that the board has been undertaking which culminated in the appointment of additional board members on June 2019. 

Election Board also said that it had consulted with Zone and region level leaders as it relates to the question of Sidama referendum for statehood. 

The election board is rejecting the ultimatum without indulging in a war of words with the radical groups.  It is actually leaning on the constitution to do so – but the most the board can do is to extend the referendum by about five months and that is what it is doing. The Board cited section 47/3/b of the constitution to highlight that time frame granted for regions in connection with organizing referendum is also applicable to the election board.  

In what it seems to be giving guarantee to Sidama ethno-nationalists, the board also stated that preparations (legal, budgetary, security arrangement, training officials, consultation with stakeholders and whatnot) are underway to carry out a referendum in the next five months. 

Stakeholders that are likely to be involved in the process also need to have their own preparation time, noted the statement from the Board. 

As well, the board went on to make three recommendations as part of the preparation for the referendum: 

• Should the outcome of the referendum favors Sidama Zone decision for statehood, there has to be an arrangement between the regional state and Sidama zone of the issue of the city of Hawassa on matters related to the distribution of wealth, and that the election board should be notified about it.
• Federal, regional and Sidama zone police to prepare detailed cooperation plan to ensure electoral security and work with the election board 
• Council of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region to make a legal and administrative arrangement regarding rights protection of other ethnic groups in Sidama zone after the referendum and notify election board about it. 

As implied in the third recommendation, the election board seems to convinced that ethnic Sidama is poised to be the tenth ethnic-based Federal regional state in Ethiopia.

The problem is, among other things, nine other zones in the region have demanded statehood status just like ethnic Sidama and the election board will have to treat them all in the same way. 

If that happens, most Ethiopians tend to think, it is the beginning of the disintegration process for Ethiopia.

Political analysts, with a skeptical view of radical Oromo nationalists (both those in the government position and in the opposition), say that the latter has interest in the disintegration process in South Ethiopia as they would get political advantage in the short and long terms over those communities and over contenders from elsewhere which remain to be seen. What is clear for now is that radical Oromo ethno-nationalists are aggressively working behind radical Sidama groups and supporting their cause for statehood.

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The post Ethiopia’s election board lean on constitution to brush-off Sidama ultimatum appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena
July 17, 2019

Addis Ababa City administration embarked on building Adwa center today in the heart of the city, reported the state-affiliated Walta Information.

It will be constructed on land that was earlier given out to the Ethiopian born Saudi Billionaire Mohammed Ali Al Amoudi’s company Midroc Construction but was taken back this year by the city administration.

The structure is intended to commemorate the victory of Adwa and patriots. It will reflect the history of the victory in its entirety, according to Walta Information report.

Adwa center building will have a museum, a meeting hall with a capacity of over 2000 people, three smaller auditoriums with a capacity of 400 people, Cinema Theatre, Library, Gym, and Childcare center, among other things.

The Chinese firm, China Jiangsu International Economic and Technical Cooperation, is expected to complete the construction within two years time, Chinese news source Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

Design of the building features the letter “A”, and it is unclear why the Addis Ababa city administration did not want to feature the Ethiopian Geez script letter “አ” instead.

The Battle of Adwa was fought between the invading Italian colonial army and Ethiopia under the leadership of Emperor Menelik II on March 1, 1896, and Ethiopia emerged victoriously crushing Italian army which was better armed than Ethiopian side.   

Adwa Victory is considered as an African victory for it is the first African victory over European colonizers and it has reinforced African countries struggle against their colonial masters.

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Ministry of Information of Eritrea
July 18, 2019

Asmara, 18 July 2019 – Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, arrived in Asmara in mid-morning hours today, 18 July for a two-day working visit.

President Isaias Afwerki accorded warm welcome to Prime Minister Dr. Abiy and his delegation on their arrival at Asmara International Airport. At the welcoming ceremony, Presidential Advisor Mr. Yemane Gebreab and Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Mr. Redwan Hussien were presented.

President Isaias Afwerki and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met at State House in the afternoon hours of today and discussed on the further enhancement of the all-rounded cooperation between the two countries as well as regional and other matters of mutual interest.

Accompanied by President Isaias, Prime Minister Abiy and his entourage visited several development projects and construction work on the Nefasit-Decamhare highway.

The Ethiopian delegation includes Minister of Finance Mr. Ahmed Shide, Director of the Office of the Prime Minister Mr. Shumete Gizaw, and CEO of the Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewelde Gebremariam.

For more information about this report, check out Eritrea’s Ministry of Information page.

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borkena
July 18, 2019

About a year ago, all was well as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited three cities in the United States for the sole purpose of meeting with Ethiopians. His presence was a unifying factor.  Ethiopians with different political convictions came together to meet with Abiy Ahmed as there was a very high regard for him.

Over the course of the year after his visit, opinion about Abiy Ahmed is divided on political grounds. The hope was that he will unite Ethiopia and bring about peace, security and unity. Against the anticipation of Ethiopians, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration proved to be either incapable or unwilling to achieve those ideals. 

Over three million Ethiopians were displaced locally due to ethnic based violence and security problem has become prevalent across Ethiopia, even in the capital Addis Ababa which is known as Africa’s city of diplomats. 

Furthermore, there is now a growing skepticism that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration is serving the causes of radical Oromo nationalists at the expense of the rest of Ethiopians.  In fact, there have been hundreds of arrests in the country mostly targeting ethnic Amhara’s after the June 22 incident in Bahir Dar and Addis Ababa which the Ethiopian government describe as “a coup d’etat.” 

At least two senior security officials are arrested in Amhara region ( colonel Alebel Amare and Brigadier General Tefera Mamo).  Hundreds of members of one of the newest Ethiopian opposition groups, National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) are arrested. Members of the Baladera Council of Addis Ababa who are advocating for the city demanding an elected administration for the city, rather than a political appointee, are arrested. 

The development has highly alarmed most Ethiopians that the government of Abiy Ahmed has a goal along the line of advancing radical oromo nationalism in the arrest.

The opposition in the diaspora could be seen in the above context. Today, those who oppose Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ( some of the figures were ardent supporters about a year ago) protested in Washington against his administration. But there were also those who support his administration (some of them were hoisting radical Oromo nationalist – Oromo Liberation Front – flags). In the ensuing hours, there was a clash between the two groups and police in Washington has made an arrest, as seen in the video below.  We will update readers as more information becomes available.  

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The post Arrest as supporters and opponents of Abiy Ahmed clash in Washington DC appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Sidama Liberation Movement says about 20 people died so far

borkena
July 19, 2019

A relative calm was restored in the City of Hawassa, in Southern Ethiopia, where there was a clash between deployed Ethiopian Defense Force and other security forces on the one hand and ethnic-Sidama Youth group on the other on Thursday of this week, according to a report by DW Amharic.

However, the story is different in the adjacent rural towns outside of Hawassa.  The towns of Yirgalem, Morocho, and Hagereselam, among others, were tense as the clash continued.

Sidama Liberation Movement (SLM), which is a member of Ethiopia’s registered opposition coalition, Secretary, Legesse Lankuamon told Voice of America Amharic service that about twenty people are killed since Thursday of this week. Most of the killings happened in Melga district and its environs, he added.

Casualty on the part of the security forces is unreported yet.

SLM wants the withdrawal of the Defense Force deployed in the region in the interest of “restoring calm and stability in the region.” It means that, according to SLM secretary, the violence in the region could continue.

“We knew this would happen,” said Legesse.

Asked as to what they (the leaders) have done to reverse the situation, he replied that they have been consulting with government bodies.

On the other hand, vulnerable non-Sidama ethnic groups living in the region rather want the government to send reinforcements as they are not feeling safe following an attack by radical Sidama ethno-nationalists including the youth group known as Ejeto.  Name of the victims is undisclosed at this writing.

These community members told VOA Amharic that property has deliberately been damaged and in some cases looted.

BBC Amharic Service has also reported on July 19 that in Yirgalem town, people are attacked and property looted.  Two vehicles belonging to the town’s administration are burned. A flour factory is also burned.

Based on citizen reports from the region and VOA Amharic and DW Amharic, it is clear that the attack was targeting non-ethnic Sidama Ethiopians living in the region.

Referring to what unfolded in Hawassa and other towns in the region, President of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, Million Matheos, who is himself ethnic-Sidama reportedly said that he is saddened by what happened and called on people to restore calm.

What triggered the security crisis in the region, some Sidama politicians seem to believe, is the National Election Board statement on Tuesday, July 16, 2019.

The statement said that the board is working on the referendum for ethnic Sidama to form their own state, distinct from Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, and that it will finalize the referendum within five months. 

What angered Sidama nationalists the statement came in less than 24 hours before Hamele 11/11 (July 18, 2019) which they set as a date to declare Sidama statehood without a referendum and in a unilateral fashion. The board explained why it was not responding to the question until July 16.

The Board also asked Sidama Zone leaders and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region leaders to map out the status of Hawassa city before the referendum in case the outcome of it turns out to be Sidama Statehood. Sidama nationalists understood that as a precondition and that the Election Board has gone overboard.

Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region is an expression of the contradictions of Ethiopia’s administrative arrangement which is believed to be engineered by Tigray People’s Liberation Front under the late Meles Zenawi.

Existing federal regional state in Ethiopia are organized based on ethnicity except in the case of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region which constitutes over 50 ethnic groups.

Following Sidama’s request to break away from the region, nine other ethnic zones in the region are pushing for an ethnic state of their own.  

The regional state does not seem to want to entertain the demand for statehood except for Sidama. What that means is that the problem in the region is far from over even if Sidama was given a status of ethnic-statehood.

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The post 20 dead as Sidama question turns into an ethnic-based attack appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena
July 22, 2019

BBC Amharic reported on Monday that Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Nebiyat Getachew, was contacted to remark about it but he reportedly said that he does not know anything about the incident.

However, the news source confirmed from participants of the ongoing negotiation in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa that leader of Sudan’s Justice and Equality rebel group, Gibril Ibrahim, was isolated from among his colleagues from the scenes of the negotiation and taken to Bole International AirPort, apparently for deport. 

The move to deport one of Sudan’s opposition group leaders happened on Sunday.

The African Union mediators intervened to convince Ethiopian authorities not to deport leaders of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and had to explain about the negative impact the deportation could have in the negotiation process.

The Sudanese news source reported that the Chairperson of African Union, Moussa Faki, himself personally intervened. 

Based on a report by Sudanese News source, Sudan Tribune, opposition groups protested the move to the African Union:  

“Infuriated by the decision, the opposition groups stopped their meetings and protested the move to the African Union and the Ethiopian government, as many said they should go elsewhere to pursue their meetings and others went to the airport to show their solidarity with the deportees.” 

Ethiopian Security Forces reportedly mentioned that the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) is “unwelcome persons in Ethiopia,” when they took him out of the hotel (unspecified) where the negotiation was taking place but it unclear as to why and on what grounds the leader was unwelcome to Ethiopia. 

Ethiopia managed to broker a deal between Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the opposition – Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) sometime last week.

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Ethiopian churches have become the latest targets of radical Sidama etho-nationalist youth, also known as Ejeto.

borkena
July 22, 2019

Sidama Liberation Movement (SLM) says that about 60 people have been killed since July 18, 2019, according to a report by DW Amharic.

On Thursday, July 18, 2018, we reported about clashes between ethnic Sidama Youth – Ejeto – and government security forces. Death toll a day after the clash was only about twenty.

In fact, there seems to be disagreement about the number of casualties.  Sidama Zone police deputy head, Commander Desalegne, confirmed that people have been killed in the clash but the figure is “exaggerated”, as reported by DW.

BBC Amharic cited hospital officials on Monday to report that at least 25 people are killed due to the clash between Ethiopian security forces and what it called “activists in southern Ethiopia.”

However, the BBC report confirmed that other ethnic groups have been killed by “angry mobs” although the number of people killed from other ethnic group is not disclosed.

Government media outlet did not report about the number of casualties so far.  

Ethnic Sidama is said to be in the neighborhood of 3.5 million which is about three percent of Ethiopia’s nearly 105 million populations.

The latest string of violence started on Thursday, July 18, 2019, when Sidama Youth groups (they are known in Sidama language as Ejeto) unilaterally declared Sidama Zone, which is currently part of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Regional State, whose seat of government is Hawassa – a city over which Sidama ethno-nationalists are claiming exclusive ownership in just like what radical Oromo Ethno-nationalists have been demanding over Ethiopia’s capital – Addis Ababa, as a federal-state.

Why the “demand for ethnic-statehood” degenerated to violence that targeted non-Sidama ethnic communities, mainly ethnic-Amhara as some observers say, is unclear.

It is unclear as to who is to be held accountable for it or whether there is a political will on the part of the Federal and regional government to do so.

There are voices in social media that are calling for the arrest of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region’s president, Million Matheos, who is believed to be an ardent Sidama ethno-nationalist himself, to be held accountable for all the lives lost and destruction of properties – mostly of non-ethnic Sidamas.

Some Sidama politicians declare that that has happened saddened them. Dejene Woldeamanuel is one of the pioneers of the Sidama Liberation Movement in the 1970’s and he currently lives in Switzerland.

In a remark during an interview with Voice of America Amharic service, he said: “What happened to those whom they think that they oppose regional statehood question and sometimes those who are from another area [of Ethiopia] who lived for generations is very saddening.”

He confirmed that properties are looted in some places while there has been destruction of hard earned private properties.

Ethiopian churches burnt

Three Ethiopian churches in Sidama, Amaro and Burji diocese are burnt, reported DW Amharic. The source said that it has confirmed the news from the church authorities.

Doya Michael, Gesaba-Gebrekristos and Chiro Amanuel are the churches that got burned in the Sidama Dioceses of Ethiopian Orthodox Church (otherwise known as Ethiopian Church) according to Megabi Haymanot Kesis Netsanet Aklog told DW Amharic.

The attack was specifically launched against Ethiopian church. Some of the members of the church who tried to protect the church are reportedly killed. 

A disturbing image of a murdered priest in the area which was circulating on social media has shocked many Ethiopians.

Several deacons had to run away to adjacent churches in Oromo region of Ethiopia following the attack on the three churches, according to DW Amharic.

Archbishop of the Sidama has ordered a week-long prayer since Sunday and a group from Ethiopian Religious Council is expected to travel to the scene to investigate the attack.

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• South Ethiopia security apparatus is to be under Command Post due to security challenges in Sidama region

• Ethiopian Citizens For Social Justice Party calls sees the constitution as one of the roots causes of the problem in the country, demands an amendment to ital amendment

borkena
July 23, 2019

After five days of violence that took away the lives of over 60 civilians, not to mention the destruction of property worth millions of birr, Ethiopian Federal Security Forces took over security duties in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region – a region that has been rocked by radical Sidama ethno-nationalists who declared an ethnic Sidama Federal state on July 18, 2019 casting aside all the legal and administrative procedures.

It is in effect as of Tuesday and remains in place indefinitely, according to a report by government media outlets.

According to a statement by Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR) media on Tuesday, the security arrangement was asked for by the regional government as violence escalated in the region.

A Command Post, a body which will be overseeing security operations – among other things, is established.

Under the latest arrangement, all zones in the region, not just Sidama zone, that is put under Federal government security forces in addition to Ethiopian Defense Forces.

The statement from SNNPR did not explain why security forces needed to be deployed in the parts of SNNPR which were not affected by Sidama radical nationalists’ attack against non-Sidama ethnic groups.

However, it has stated the new, and temporary, security arrangement is intended to enforce the rule of law and protect the lives and properties of citizens.

Detail of the arrangement is yet to be disclosed to the public.

Ethiopia has gone through at least two similar security challenges in South-Eastern and Western part of the country since Abiy Ahmed took over the office of the prime minister in April 2018.  

Many citizens are questioning if crisis management approach is the right way to address Ethiopia’s problem.

Hopes were high when Prime Minister Abiy took over office that he would fix conflict breading political arrangement and unify the country.  

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice Party, one of the new opposition groups in the country, on Tuesday called for legal measures against those who are behind the latest attack and destruction of properties of citizens in Sidama zone, South Ethiopia. 

The party also called for an amendment of the Ethiopian constitution which divides Ethiopia into nine ethnic-based states.

The party believes that the constitution is one of the root causes of the political problem in the country.

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Result of Study on South Ethiopia regional state administrative arrangement tend to see the formation of new regional states as last preference by people in the region

borkena
July 24, 2019

The leadership of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region and the party governing the region, SEPDM, have been saying that a group of experts are tasked to study problems related to administrative arrangements in the region. 

The result is released in a  press conference organized by the research team on Wednesday.

The study that was underway for the past seven months is released on Wednesday, according to a report by Fana Broadcasting Corporation (FBC). 

Members of the research team, twenty in number,  are drawn from academic areas of anthropology, history, public administration, political science – among others.  

The researchers gathered data from all zones, except one which is not disclosed, and 17 thousand people were involved in the study. 

One of the issues that the researchers looked at, according to FBC report, is if the 1995  federal arrangement that created Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region was arbitrarily created or there was public participation. And the research team determined that the region was not created arbitrarily and there was public participation. 

Intellectuals and elites from the region also agreed for the formation of the regional state, added the statement from the researchers as reported by FBC.  

FBC cited the team as saying that Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region is an exemplary case of diversity and living together.

The team also noted that currently there is extensive demand for regional state formation in the region. 

However, the result of the study suggests the majority of people in the region prefer a continuation of the existing administrative arrangement for the region. 

Breaking the region into two or more administrative units is suggested as the second alternative but it is unclear on what basis the alternative could be implemented if was to be accepted. 

The formation of new regional states in the region is another alternative which needs to be given more time, according to the study. Political expediency aside, it remains a question as to whether it is possible to convince those who are pushing for the ethnic-based state in the region to see to wait further. 

Sidama ethno-nationalists clashed with government forces last week when they unilaterally declared Sidama as a federal state since July 18, 2019. In no time, what appeared like a political movement degenerated to what rather looks like ethnic cleansing as the radicalized youth launched attacks on non-Sidama ethnic groups in the region. 

Over 60 civilians are reportedly killed and dozens wounded, not to mention the destruction of private properties. 

Currently, the region is under a state of emergency. The Ethiopian military took over the task of maintaining security in the region since Monday. 

Towards the end of 2018, Abiy Ahmed’s administration has established the Identity and Boundary Commission, and Truth and Reconciliation Commission to deal with disputes regarding identity and boundary across the country. 

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The post Result of study on South Ethiopia administrative arrangement released appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian opposition groups call for the government to stop the mass arrest and release those who are arrested with the pretext of attempted “coup d’etat”

borkena
July 25, 2019

Ethiopian opposition parties have been sort of supporter of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration, or at least neutral, for most of the time since he took over the office in April 2018.

That relationship is now ending and opposition parties are now acting like an opposition party rather than support group of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration.

Seven opposition parties that are in the process of merging have issued a statement condemning the government for violation of democratic and human rights of citizens.

Oromo Freedom Movement Party, Afar People’s Freedom Party, Afar People Justice, and Democratic Party, Ethiopian Democratic Union, Ethiopian National Unity Party, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party, and All Ethiopian People Unity Party have jointly issued a statement condemning the mass arrest, intimidation, and harassment of individuals, according to a report by DW Amharic on Thursday.

Democratic and human rights violations that are being observed in the country currently testify that the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) is not free from its past illegal practices and that it will never be free from it, said the statement by the parties.

For the parties, the arrest of party officials and members resembles government arrests in the past which was carried out with the pretext of “terrorism.” 

The parties said that mass arrest and intimidation has intensified following the June 22 killings of Amhara regional authorities in Bahir Dar and Senior Ethiopian Defense Force commanders in Addis Ababa.

They also demanded an independent and “unambiguous” investigation into the killings and disclosure of the findings to the Ethiopian people and the rest of the world.

The cases of senior regional government authorities in Amhara region who are behind bars in connection with the June 22 incident, which the government calls “coup d’état”, should be investigated and that they should be released, the parties added.

Recent killings in South Ethiopia with the pretext of demand for statehood, the status of Addis Ababa and the arrest of members and leaders of Baladera Council, a movement that is campaigning for an elected city government for Addis Ababa, are also issues that the statement discussed.

In connection with Sidama referendum-related killings, the opposition parties demanded the Ethiopian government to bring those who are responsible for it to justice.

As to the status of Addis Ababa, the seven opposition parties mentioned above stated that Addis Ababa belongs to all Ethiopians – and this is a response to Oromo Democratic Party – a party that emerged dominant after TPLF lost power in the coalition at the Federal level – which claimed that exclusive ownership of Addis Ababa belongs to ethnic Oromo.

As well, the parties called for the release of arrested members of the Baladera Council.

Meanwhile, another major opposition group in the country, Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), suspended one of its executive members, Negasa Odo Dube, over a scandal related to US$22,000 which was collected from the party’s supporters in the Diaspora. According to a report by local media, Negassa was suspended after he refused to give the funds to the party. OFC’s statement, in Oromo language, that suspended Negassa was signed by Merera Gudina, the party’s chairman. 

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borkena
July 25, 2019

Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM) disclosed on Thursday that it has suspended senior officials of Hawassa City, Sidama zone and Hadya zone.

The executive committee of the party which issued a statement said that it vehemently condemns unconstitutional actions in Sidama zone which resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of properties and psychological wounds to people in the zone.

The executive committee has ordered rehabilitation work to be launched immediately to help those affected by the violence.

While recalling that past evaluations revealed that the security crisis in the region is related to the “leadership system”, the party said that the role of the leadership was significant in the security crisis in the region.

Explaining why the leaders are suspended from the party and government positions, the executive committee of the party said that senior leaders in Hawassa city and Sidama zone had roles in the violence in Hawassa City and rural areas of Sidama Zone.

SEPDM also believed that the security of people in Hadya zone was endangered due to the leadership of the zone.  The executive committee also said in its statement that similar tendencies of violence are being observed in Keffa and Wolaita zone and warned that they will entail accountability.

The party also called upon people in all parts of the region to stand on the side of the government in an effort to prevent illegal activities and actions.

Unconfirmed sources in social media said leaders of Sidama Zone and Hawassa city are already arrested but no other news sources reported about it.

It is to be recalled that the government imposed a state of emergency like situation in Southern Ethiopia, reportedly with the request of the regional authorities, after the regional government was unable to maintain law and order, and protect the safety and security of people following the Sidama Zone incident which led to the death of at least 60 people, according to Sidama opposition groups.

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The post SEPDM suspended Hawassa city, Sidama zone and Hadiya Zone authorities appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Abiy Ahmed says that Ethiopia keen to resume talks on Renaissance Dam with Egypt and Sudan

borkena
July 26, 2019

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on Thursday, Chinese news source Xinhua reported.

Gedu reportedly expressed Ethiopia’s enthusiasm in strengthening bilateral relations with Egypt and the commitment to resume negotiations on Ethiopia’s mega project, the renaissance dam.

One of the state-affiliated media in Ethiopia, Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC), reported that Gedu seized the opportunity of his working visit to Cairo to meet with his staff at the Ethiopian embassy in Cairo but the report did not disclose as to what was the meeting agenda between the embassy staff and Foreign Minister Gedu.

Gedu also delivered a message from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed which is said to have emphasized in the relations between the two countries and also negotiation on GERD.

According to Middle East News Agency news, Abiy Ahmed expressed Ethiopia’s resolve to resume tripartite talks on Renaissance Dam – which is expected to focus on the implementation of the declaration of principles regarding water fills and operation of Ethiopia’s Mega Dam Project.

Abiy also reportedly said, in his message to the president, that Ethiopia places great importance to developing bilateral relations with Egypt in a range of areas.  As well, he encouraged Egyptian investment in Ethiopia.

President Al-Sisi on this part reportedly sent greetings to Abiy Ahmed and expressed “hope for promoting various aspects of bilateral partnership between both sides.”

Egypt has been pushing for the resumption of tripartite talks on Dam for a long time.

In late June, Gedu Andargachew met with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukri, in Addis Ababa on the sidelines of a meeting of regional partners of Sudan.

Egypt has a concern that the dam will affect the flow of the Nile river water to Egypt, over 86 percent of which originates from Ethiopia, while Sudan seems to see a benefit from the Dam.

Ethiopia was unable to continue the negotiation seemingly because of emerging priorities of domestic issues.  Last month, for example, Ethiopia was dealing with what government called “attempted coup d’état” which claimed the lives of over five regional and federal government authorities including Chief of staff of the defense force, Seare Mekonnen. 

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General Tefera Mamo told the court that the incident would have been out of control had he not acted on it

57 suspects linked to June 22 incident in Bahir Dar which claimed the lives of the region’s president, Dr. Ambachew Mekonnen and two other top regional officials, freed following investigations of their cases, Amhara Mass Media Agency (AMMA) reported on Saturday. 

The suspects were charged in court and their cases have filed under Brigadier General Tefera Mamo and Co-defendants.  They were released after a court in Bahir Dar cleared them from the charges.

On the other hand, the court granted ten additional days for investigation on Brigadier General Tefera Mamo, Colonel Alebel Amare, Colonel Bamlaku Abay, and other suspects who are not yet cleared from the charges. 

Initially, 218 suspects were in custody following the incident which the regional government and the Federal government say was an “attempted coup d’etat” but 103 of them were already released a few weeks ago. 

Lawyers of three of the region’s top security officers reportedly said that police is carrying out the investigation properly. 

“Police has did not produce any concrete evidence on Colonel Alebel Amare and Colonel Bamlaku Abay as they both detained during the incident and mysteriously survived,” the lawyer is cited as saying. 

The lawyers asked the court to release them without the need for an additional court hearing. 

With regard to General Tefera Mamo, the investigation so far established that he was working on reversing the attack on the fateful day of June 22.  

“It is me who stopped the problem before it escalated to a more serious and extreme situation,” Tefera told the court. He also told the court that no evidence is produced to support his involvement and that he should be released. 

Colonel Alebel Amare on his part told the court that no evidence that links them to the incident is found and that their situation in prison is hurting their family, and asked the court to release them. 

Police, on the other hand, says that there might be people who are involved in the incident directly or indirectly and that it will continue to investigate the matter using technical evidence. 

However, police seem to assure those who are innocent will in no way be incriminated, and that the investigation itself is in the interest of suspects. 

The suspects will remain in custody until police finalize the investigation in the next 10 days that the court granted. 

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The post General Tefera Mamo,Colonel Alebel to remain in custody as 57 suspects released appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena
July 29, 2019

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been consistently inconsistent when it comes to the question of statehood in what is known as Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region.

When ethnic Sidama asked for statehood soon after Abiy assumed office, he was quick to promise one. It is unclear if PM Abiy’s prompt affirmation was related to radical Oromo ethno-nationalists’s political support for the question.

He did not deliver the promise so much so that radicalized Sidama ethno-nationalists lost patience and declared statehood unilaterally on July 18, 2019, ignoring Abiy’s Ahmed’s warning during his latest appearance.

Apart from humiliating the Federal government, radicalized Sidama youth attacked non-ethnic Sidama communities and at least 60 civilians are killed, not to mention those wounded and destruction of property.

Abiy Ahmed’s government had to opt for imposing a state of emergency in the region so as to protect the safety and security of citizens. 

As part of the arrangement of the state of emergency, a Command Post – a body mostly drawn from military commanders and intelligence, took over the task of maintaining security.

The arrangement is still and will be in effect indefinitely.  The party that is governing the region disclosed last week that it has suspended senior zone level officials of Sidama and from Hawassa City Administration in connection with the violence. In fact, rumors on social media seem to claim that the leaders are arrested.

It is in this situation that Abiy Ahmed traveled to Arba Minch and Welayta Sodo, in Southern Ethiopia, on July 29 – the day his “Green Legacy” initiative, intended to fight climate change, launched.

After Abiy Ahmed’s affirmative response to Sidama statehood question, at least nine other zonal administration took the Sidama path and decided to have statehood. Wolaita is one of them.

According to a report by DW Amharic, Welayta community members, who gave Abiy Ahmed a warm reception upon arrival in their region, had a town hall meeting with him. And the dominant question was statehood.

But Abiy’s response to the statehood question seems to be rather patronizing, unlike the case of the Sidama to which he committed himself.

He wants Wolaita “to get out of emotional feeling and have a consultation if statehood status is in their interest.”

As cited earlier, Welayta Zone council had already discussed the matter before and reached an agreement to lodge an application with relevant Federal institution, the election board, in this case, demanding a referendum for statehood.

A body tasked to study the demand for statehood in the region, and this body was formed by Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM) – a party that governs the region, released its findings last week in which it said that the majority of the people in the region seem to be interested in keeping the existing administrative arrangement and that the existing arrangement was formed after extensive consultation with intellectuals and people in the region.

Abiy Ahmed’s move to patronize Welayta seems to give a clue that perhaps Wolaita’s demand for statehood will not be entertained.  The question is how can the government entertain Sidama’s question while sort of stifling other zones in the region from pursuing statehood status. It remains to be seen.

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The border with Eritrea among the areas identified as areas that need reconsideration of travel decision.

borkena
July 30, 2019

The US embassy issued “level 2” security alert in some parts of Ethiopia. The advisory encouraged US citizens to “Exercise Increased Caution,” when traveling to some parts of Ethiopia. There are also parts of Ethiopia that the embassy advised citizens to avoid traveling to.

The embassy disclosed a possible terror attack, kidnap, and violence in the Somali region in Eastern Ethiopia.  South Ethiopia, west Oromo region and adjacent areas of Benishangul and Oromo areas, among others, are also identified as areas with a security concern.

Regional authorities in Somali Ethiopia region do not seem to be too happy about the travel advisory. 

The statement from the embassy with different category of advisory level is as follows:

Travel Alert: Ethiopia – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution when traveling in Ethiopia due to sporadic civil unrest and communications disruptions.  Some areas have increased risk.  Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Do Not Travel To:

. Somali Regional State due to potential for civil unrest, terrorism, kidnapping, and landmines.

Reconsider Travel To:

• Ethiopia’s Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR) due to civil unrest.

• The East Hararge region and the Guji zone of Oromia State due to armed conflict and civil unrest.

• Benishangul Gumuz and the western part of Oromia State due to armed conflict and civil unrest.

• Border areas with Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Eritrea due to crime, armed conflict, and civil unrest.

Incidents of civil unrest and ethnic violence may occur without warning.

The Government of Ethiopia has restricted or shut down internet, cellular data, and phone services during and after civil unrest.  These restrictions impede the U.S. Embassy’s ability to communicate with, and provide consular services to, U.S. citizens in Ethiopia.

The U.S. Embassy has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside of Addis Ababa.  As a precaution, U.S. government personnel must request permission for any travel outside of Addis Ababa (personal and official), and are required to carry personnel tracking devices and, in some cases, satellite phones.  U.S. government personnel and their families may not travel to the areas listed as Level 3 and Level 4 in this Travel Advisory except for official business and with prior approval from the Embassy.

Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page.

If you decide to travel to Ethiopia:

• Monitor local media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners.
• Carry a copy of your passport and visa and leave originals in your hotel safe.
• Have evacuation plans that do not rely on U.S. government assistance.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
• Review the Crime and Safety Report for Ethiopia.
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.

Somali Region—Level 4:  Do Not Travel

Civilians have been killed and injured in civil unrest along the Oromia-Somali Regional State border and in military operations against armed groups in the Ogaden and Hararge areas.
Terrorists maintain a presence in Somali towns near the Ethiopian border, presenting a risk of cross-border attacks and kidnappings.
Landmines are present in this region.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Ethiopia’s Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR)—Level 3: Reconsider Travel

Civil unrest in the region has resulted in deaths, looting, and the burning of buildings.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

The East Hararge Region and Guji Zone of Oromia State—Level 3:  Reconsider Travel

Civil unrest and armed conflict have resulted in injuries and deaths in parts of Oromia State.  Government security forces have used lethal force in some areas.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Benishangul Gumuz and the western part of Oromia State—Level 3:  Reconsider Travel

Civil unrest and armed conflict have resulted in injuries and deaths around the border between Benishangul Gumuz and the western part of Oromia State.  Government security forces have used lethal force in some areas.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Border Areas with Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Eritrea—Level 3:  Reconsider Travel
Crime, armed conflict, and the potential for ethnic conflict exist near the Ethiopian borders with Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Eritrea.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Last Update:  Reissued with updates to Level 3 areas.

For more information about the advisory, please check out US embassy site :
https://et.usembassy.gov/travel-alert-ethiopia-level-2-073019/

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The post The United States embassy in Addis Ababa issued security alert appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Parliament accepts Election Board’s indirect request to postpone Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, and local elections

borkena
July 31, 2019

The Ethiopian parliament called from recess for an “emergency meeting” on Wednesday approved Ethiopian National Elections Board written request to postpone Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa City elections.

According to a report by state-affiliated broadcaster, Fana Broadcasting Corporation (FBC),  the parliament approved it unanimously.  

The parliament’s emergency meeting was called a day after the Ethiopian government claimed a new world record in tree planting which reportedly involved over 23 million people across the country.

Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa City administration elections were supposed to take place in 2018, and this postponement is for the second time. It was postponed due to the situation in the country at the time – widespread protest across the country against TPLF dominated ruling coalition, EPRDF. 

Ethiopian National Elections Board letter to the parliament stated Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, and local elections were among agenda items during the Board’s meeting on July 8, 2019. 

And the board reached an agreement, says the letter, that it can not recruit and train elections officers (poll workers -deputy returning officers and information officers, poll clerk, registration officers, and supervisors- among others), and implement reforms in a short time.

The letter continued to state that the Board decided to disclose the situation to the parliament (pointing out that it can not administer election for the two cities and at local levels as scheduled) so that the parliament could make a decision on it. And the parliament’s decision is “unanimous postpone it” vote. 

Training poll workers could take up to four days, and the security situation in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, at this time, does not seem to pose a problem if the election board was to conduct the election as scheduled. 

What does the parliament’s decision mean for the administrations in both cities? It means that they will continue to work until the election is arranged – which will happen alongside the national election, which is scheduled for 2020. 

The parliament decision did not come as a surprise to politicized Ethiopians in social media who are increasingly skeptical of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration.

It is official that Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) whose chairman is Abiy Ahmed claims ownership right over Addis Ababa – which more than five million residents of the city and some of the partner in the ruling coalition, for example, ADP, reject. 

Addis Ababa City is currently under appointed Mayor, Takele Uma, whom Abiy Ahmed picked from the ethnic party he leads – ODP. 

Although the appointee has been diligently working a public relations work to portray himself as a man who believes in Addis Ababa as a city for all Ethiopians, his political affiliation and background as a radical Oromo Ethno-nationalist cast doubt if he has some hidden agenda.

Former prisoner of conscience and award-winning journalist, Eskinder Nega, organized a movement calling for an elected Addis Ababa City administration for several months now but the response from Abiy Ahmed’s administration and his ODP party, which is now dominating the ruling coalition, is that of repression. 

Many members of the movement, it calls itself Baladera Council, are arrested – some of them with trumped-up charges of terrorism. Elias Gebru, a journalist and a member of Baladera leadership, for example, is thrown to prison in connection with alleged coup d’etat on June 22 but reports emerging on social media indicated that he is not so far interrogated about the “coup. “

The condition of Dire Dawa city is not better either. The Mayor that was appointed only six months ago has now resigned. Behind the political problems in the administration is a controversy between ethnic Somali and ethnic Oromo, among other issues.

Residents of Dire Dawa from other ethnic system are under-represented in the city administration due to the so-called “quota system” which allocates the larger share the administration to ethnic Oromo and ethnic Somali. 

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The post Ethiopian parliament postponed Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa city elections appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena
July 31, 2019

Ethiopian military veterans who were dissolved as “Derg soldiers” when Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) took power in 1991 under the guise of TPLF, are now recognized as “former Ethiopian Defense forces.”

They say, currently they have more than one million members in and outside of Ethiopia with 53 branches. Watch the interview below with Andafta Media.

Video: embedded from Andafta Media
Cover photo: screenshot from a video

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The post Ethiopian Military veterans say they have formed 53 branches in, outside of the country appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena
August 1, 2019

From Burayu to Legetafo, from Sululta to Buno-Bedele massacres what seems to be clear is that it is the works of radical ethnic Oromo nationalists elites and brainwashed unquestioning followers.

In the video below, which we can not verify the source, an ethic Oromo woman who is married to an ethnic Amhara man speaks about her ordeal due to the deliberate hate campaign and attack on ethnic Amharas.

“I am an Oromo and married to Amhara, and have children from him. Why should I listen to the propagation that I have to hate Amhara?” she said. Watch the video below.

Video: from YouTube channel
Cover photo: screenshot from video

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The post Unverified video: Why am I told to hate Amhara, my husband? The works of ODP appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena
August 1, 2019

Prime Minister Abiy had a press conference with local journalists.

The state of relations among members parties of the ruling coalition, decline of public confidence on prime minister Abiy Ahmed (which he dismissed as incorrect), the June 22 incident which government calls “coup d’etat”, the next general election, the situation in Sidama, and the issue of rule of law in the country were among the questions posed to the PM.

Watch part I and Part II of the interview below.

Part I

part II

Video: embedded from Fana Television YouTube channel
Cover photo: screenshot from video

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The post PM Abiy Ahmed press conference with local journalist – part I and Part II appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

One of the Federal police killed in the incident is a commander

borkena
August 6, 2019

Two federal police officers, including a commander, are reportedly killed in the premise of Central Statistics Agency in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on Monday around noon. 

According to sources in social media, the police officers who were posted in the agency as guards got into an altercation on the unspecified issue and one of the officers opened fire on his colleagues including his commander. 

Dawit Endashaw, a journalist with The Ethiopian Reporter, wrote on his personal Facebook page : 

As per official at the federal police commission and an eye witness, one fed police officer and his commander were shoot [shot]and killed by their fellow policeman in Addis Ababa today, around12pm.The incident happened inside #CentralStatisticsAgency’s premises.The shooter is now under arrest. The shooter who was a guard (member of fed police) at the Agency got into an argument with his commander when he was told that he will be assigned to another place which led to a confrontation and end up in killing his two colleagues.

Aaron Maasho, a journalist who works for Reuters. also wrote about the incident on his personal twitter page. 

He tweeted “Shooting inside Ethiopia Central Statistics Agency compound. Two federal police members guarding tablets for census got into a fight before one shot the other.” 

Ethiopian state media has not reported about the incident at this writing, and it remains unclear as to where the officer, who was involved in the killing, was transferred to and why he resisted it to the extent of exchanging fire with his colleagues killing two of them. 

In June of 2019, Ethiopia has disclosed that the national population and housing census is postponed, which is for a second time.

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The post Two Federal Police officers reportedly killed at statistic agency in Addis Ababa appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.