It claimed that it has caught four F1 grenades and over 200 bullets from what it called “two members forces of destruction”, as reported by state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting cities a statement sent to it from intelligence department as a source. National Defense Force members deployed in the region,the region’s security forces and members of the community living in the region have coordinated their efforts to foil the plan, the source added.
Names of the individuals or groups who allegedly planned the attack is unspecified. However, Ethiopia’s national intelligence said that it will disclose the identities of groups who deployed the attackers but again date for doing so is unspecified.
The attackers were meant to be rewarded residential homes in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and a huge sum of money, according to NISS.
Timkat celebration in Gondar attracts millions of people every year. This year up to two million people are expected to attend and the celebration is also one of the major tourist attraction religious and cultural events.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Gedu Andargachew and Seleshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy say Ethiopia has not signed an agreement that will compromise its interest and will never do that in the future
Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States Fitusm Arega (left), Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew (middle) and Water, Irrigation and Energy Minister, Seleshi Bekele (right) during a press conference at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington . Photo Credit : Ethiopian Embassy in Washington
borkena By Staff Writer January 17, 2020
The terms of agreement between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan following a two days of negotiation in Washington DC between January 13 and January 15 2020, has triggered mounting criticism from Ethiopians from all walks of life.
The U.S. government Department of Treasury and the World Bank attended it as “observers.”
A day before the agreement, President Donald Trump, who expressed his admiration for Egyptian president and to whom he pledged support in the Ethiopian Dam talk, met with Foreign Ministers from the three Countries.
For many, the agreement, which is not yet final, does compromise Ethiopia’s right to use its share of the Nile water more than 80 percent of which originates from Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Gedu Andargachew, along with Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, had a press conference at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC just a day after the agreement between the three countries was announced.
Apparently, the press conference was organized in response to outrage in social media about the contents of the agreement. Unlike in the past, Egyptian media outlets covered the story with caution – seemingly not to trigger resistance from Ethiopians. VOA news, on its part, reported it as if there was a deadlock while it is clear from the joint statement of the negotiating parties that an agreement has been reached although it is to be spelled out further by a team of legal and other experts.
Gedu Andargachew and Seleshi Bekele said during the press conference that Ethiopia not compromise its national interest in the points of consensus and will never do that in the future too. This stand, they said, will remain Ethiopia’s standing principle.
The negotiation is needed from the point of view of cooperating with lower riparian countries for Nile is an international river and will in no way compromise Ethiopia’s national interest, the two ministers said during the press conference.
They have also said that filling the dam will start this year, and it may take anywhere between 4 and 7 years to complete filling of the dam, according to Gedu Andargachew and Seleshi Bekele. In the agreed upon consensus text, the dam will only fill in the months between July and August (exact dates of the duration unspecified).
District level administrative arrangement in Tigray, north Ethiopia ,is triggering protest in the region.
Google Map of Tigray region
borkena By Staff Writer January 17, 2020
Residents of Hintalo in Tigray region, northern Ethiopia, reportedly protested over what they call government unwillingness to address their demands.
Youth groups from the area reportedly closed road between Mekelle and Samre for about three days now. And they are vowing that they will not open it until the region’s acting president and chairman of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Debretsion Gebremichael meets them to address their demands.
Residents claim that Hintalo are meets all the qualifications to be organized as a district but authorities do not seem to be willing to make that happen.
Voice of America Amharic Service reporter in the region Mulugeta Asbaha said he tried to reach out to regional authorities to get their side of the story but there appeared to be disinterest to respond.
There was also another reported protest and road closure along Shire-Endaselassie-Shiraro road.
According to DW Amharic Service, the regional government has been working on reform measures with the intention to introduce changes to the way districts are organized. Intellectuals were delegated to conduct a study, and there seems to interest to organize districts based on resource and administrative convenience.
It is to be recalled that opposition parties operating in Tigray region have been accusing TPLF led regional government of making peaceful political struggle impossible due to excessive repression.
Prime minister Abiy hailed service excellence of military officers while sending out message to political parties to respect the constitution
Photo credit : Office of the prime minister
borkena By Staff Writer January 19, 2020
Ethiopia promoted on Saturday 65 military officers; five of them are women. Forty of them were promoted to the rank of Brigadier General, Nineteen to Major General and Six were promoted to Lieutenant General.
President Sahlework Zewde pinned the insignia to the promoted military officers. In addition to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Defense Minister Lemma Megersa, former president Mulatu Teshome, former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegne as well as former Speaker of the House speaker Aba Dula Gemeda have attended the ceremony.
“The reform within the Defense Force is bringing about an in-depth and extensive change,” Lemma Megersa said in his remark during insignia pinning ceremony.
Commander-in-Chief of the Ethiopian Armed Forces, Abiy Ahmed, the military promotions were granted based on performance the promoted officers.
The loyalty of the Defense Force is to the principles in the constitution and need to serve all independently, the prime minister is cited as saying.
He also had a message for political parties in his remark. “Nothing is comparable to the sovereignty of Ethiopia and political forces must respect the constitution,” he added.
Dam negotiation with lower riparian countries, namely Egypt and Sudan, concluded in a way that observes the dignity and interest of Ethiopia, negotiators briefed Ethiopian Prime Minister
Photo credit : Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia
borkena By Staff Writer January 19, 2020
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his cabinet members are reportedly briefed on Sunday about the latest negotiation on the filling and operation of Ethiopian Dam which took place in Washington DC between January 13 to 15 of this year.
According to state media, Ethiopian Press Agency, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Seleshi Bekele who has been the chief negotiator on the Ethiopian side told the Prime Minister and his cabinet that the negotiation in Washington concluded in a way that defended the interests and dignity of Ethiopia.
Seleshi Bekele is also cited as saying an agreement has been reached, with Egypt and Sudan, to complete the initial stage of filling the dam in as little as three years.
During the filling stage of the dam, the flow of the water will not reduce over 10 percent.
It is also indicated that US officials had the impression that lower riparian countries will not get water from the Nile river until the filling of the dam is completed, which is not the case. Explanation from experts has helped US authorities understand the Ethiopia’s position.
Ethiopia, from which 80 percent of the Nile water originates from, has been advancing an equitable and mutually beneficial use of the Nile water position throughout the negotiation. In the course of the negotiation, Ethiopia assured lower riparian countries that the Grand Renaissance Dam will not affect Egypt’s share of the water.
Egypt, on the other hand, has been asserting “historical right” position which is entrenched in the colonial document to which Ethiopia was not a signatory.
Currently, Ethiopia’s $5 billion dollar dam is said to be 70 percent completed and could start filling as early as this year.
The consensus reached between the three countries caused outrage in social media among Ethiopians for the agreement was seen as one that has compromised the interest of Ethiopia – from which over 80 percent of the Nile water originates from.
A day after completion of the negotiation, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew and Seleshi Bekele had a press conference at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington to clear skepticism among Ethiopians regarding the contents of the latest negotiation.
The three parties will meet in Washington again later this month to sign the final document. The World Bank and the US Department of Treasury will attend it as “observers.”
What exactly caused the collapse of wooden structure is to be determined yet but is believed to be overload
Part of the collapsed wooden structure. Photo credit : EBC
borkena January 20, 2020
At least five people are said to be in a life threatening condition after the collapse of wooden structure prepared as a stand for Timket celebration in Gondar on Monday.
Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported as many as 100 people serious and light injuries.
Some of those who sustained light injury are said to be foreigners but their citizenship is undisclosed.
The report cited Gondar city peace and security department head, Tesfa Mekonen, who confirmed that the accident has claimed lives but number of deaths are unspecified.
BBC News claims at least three people have been killed during the accident.
The wooden structure was prepared to carry between 700 and 1000 invited guests who were eager to watch the Epiphany celebration.
The regional authorities said there was no security incident other than the accident.
This year’s Timkat (Epiphany) celebration in Gondar reportedly attracted as many as two million people. And the number of tourists who traveled to the city for the celebration is 15,000 according to regional authorities.
Timkat is inscribed in UNESCO intangible world cultural heritage in 2019.
Timkat Celebration was halted by Qeerroos in Harar, South Eastern Ethiopia. Merera Gudina claims Branch of his party’s office in the city was attacked
Ketera celebration in Gondar. Source : AMMA
borkena January 20, 2020
Followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church have colorfully celebrated Timkat, Epiphany across Ethiopia. Based on citizen reports emerging in social media and from video footage circulating, it appears this year appears as if it was one of the best celebrations.
But it was not without a problem. In Gondar, a city with a reputation for best Timket celebration that attracts tens of thousands of tourists, an accident in the middle of the celebration claimed about 12 lives and over a hundred people have sustained an injury. It happened when a wooden stand prepared for the festival collapsed carrying hundreds of people.
The other reported problem was in Harar, in southeastern Ethiopia. The problem there appears to be politically motivated and lasted for two days now.
Radicalized Oromo nationalist’s youth apparently wanted to dictate the terms of celebration for Christians to the point of banning the Ethiopian flag that did not happen to be their choice.
And in the ensuing clash, Ethiopian Orthodox Church Epiphany celebration procession was halted in Harar as youth group who call themselves as qeerroo blocked road to disrupt the ceremony.
A picture circulating on facebook shows a young man posing with an axe which was meant to be used to attack youth groups who want to carry Ethiopian flag during the celebration. It is very common to see worshipers carrying Ethiopian flag during Ethiopian Church festivals.
Unverified photo of A young man is posing with his axe as group of youth block roads to disrupt Timkat celebration . Photo : Social Media
According to a report by Adebabay media which cited a source from social media, Priests carrying the Ark from the Holy Savior Church and St. George church was blocked in the middle of the ritual procession to return the Arks to their altars in their respective churches on Monday.
Police reportedly fired tear gas on the laity instead of responding to those who took the law in their own hands to stop the celebration of what is now UNESCO inscribed world intangible cultural heritage, Timkat.
At least two are said to be wounded after police attacks.
DW Amharic service has a different narrative as to what happened in Harar. An eye witness said that the clash was between those who wanted to wanted to hoist the Ethiopian flag during the Timkat celebration and qeerroo, radical ethnic Oromo youth, who do not want the Ethiopian flag.
The incident happened in the Arategna locality of the city. Eyewitnesses told DW Amharic that business belonging to Christians was attacked.
Oromo Federalist Congress chairman, who is said to be in a radicalizing path, claims that his office in Harara was attacked, and he blamed the government for not acting to defend the office.
He said that he received information that the defense force was in the area when the attack happened. Merara also claimed that the attackers are youth group who were returning from the Timkat celebration.
DW Amharic said that the city’s Government Communication Office and the City’s Security office was contacted but declined to respond.
Justin Trudeau’s visit to Ethiopia was among agenda item during the discussion between Ethiopian President Sahlework Zewde and Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Justin Trudeau (Left) and Abiy Ahmed (right) Photo credit : Social Media
borkena January 21, 2020
Ethiopian President Sahlework Zewde received on Tuesday at the National Palace in the capital Addis Ababa Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Oliphant.
The office of the president said in an update shared on social media that bilateral matters on trade, development, peace, and security were discussed. As well, the presidents’ office disclosed that “gender issue” is one of the areas where there will be cooperation but it is unclear what exactly about gender.
According to Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), President SahleWork Zewde and Robert Oliphan have discussed Prime Minister’s Justin Trudeau’s visit to Ethiopia this year.
Justin Trudeau expressed his intention to visit Ethiopia in 2018 when he had a phone conversation with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed soon after the latter introduced gender balance cabinet.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries was established in 1965. Canada has a range of development programs in Ethiopia.
The two countries have trade relations although the volume of trade is does not seem to be not as much as the two countries want to it be, and there is a desire to enhance it on both sides.
Based on information from the Embassy of Canada to Ethiopia website, the volume of trade between the two countries seems to be growing. In 2018, a total of over $170 million worth of merchandise was traded. While Ethiopia’s import during the year was $130 million, export to Canada was $40 million.
14 Dire Dawa police members are also reportedly attacked. Police says Identities of the groups who caused attack during Timkat celebration is yet to be established. Similar attack has happened in Harar on the same day.
Dire Dawa Police on During during ketera celebration. Photo credit : Dire Dawa Police
borkena January 21, 2020
One person was killed and seven others injured in Dire Dawa on Monday during the Timkat (Epiphany) celebration.
A statement from Dire Dawa Police said the person who died, name undisclosed, was hit by rocks. He was killed following a clash as the Ark from Abune Gorgorios church was in a procession.
The cause of the clash is unspecified but police said that it is under investigation. The statement also did not disclose as to what groups were involved in the clash.
Police also established that the seven people sustained wounds from a gunshot. But again, the identity of the group or groups behind the attack is undisclosed.
But the statement said that a detailed report on the incident will be released in the days to come.
Apart from human casualty, properties were damaged. Two vehicles entirely burned, two vandalized, one residential home blazed and three privately owned stores were plundered, among other damages to property, according to police report.
Dire Dawa, one of Ethiopia’s multicultural cities in the eastern part of the country, is about 52 kilometers from Hara city which also saw clashes between those want to disrupt the celebration of Ethiopian Epiphany and those who were defending the exercising of their religious rights which is constitutional.
In Harar, Priests carrying Ark from the Holy Savior Church and from St. George church were blocked in the middle of the procession.
According to social media sources, those who clashed in Harar, another multicultural city in the country, radicalized ethnic Oromo nationalists who call themselves as qeerroo and other youth groups who were putting up Ethiopian flag which radical Oromo nationalists accept.
Flags raised for the ceremony were removed by this same group.
Oromo Federalist Congress, on the other hand, claimed that its office in the city was attacked by a group of youth who were returning from the Timkat celebration waiving the Ethiopian flag.
Two days before Timkat celebration, the party was campaigning in the city, in fact in violation of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia’s legislation regarding election campaign. Some related the clash in the city with the radicalizing message of the party.
In Arsi, central Ethiopia, there were places where the Timkat celebration was entirely banned.
With the spread of anarchy and security problems, especially in the Oromo region of Ethiopia, people are increasingly showing frustrations towards Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration.
Certificate is good only for three months and can only be renewed one more time, according to Ethiopia’s Election Board
Baladera’s certificate of temporary registration. Credit : Election board
borkena January 22, 2020
National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced on Wednesday that it had issued a temporary registration certificate to Baladera and three other parties.
Amhara Ghioanwi Movement, One Ethiopia Democratic Party, and Enat Party are the other three parties that got a temporary registration certificate.
The board has clarified what the temporary certificate means and what the requirements are to obtain it.
According to the board, the certificate is good for three months is issued in light of legislation 1162, article 66, and sub-sections 3-5. It could be renewed for another three months.
In terms of eligibility, a written application, and 100 signature on the minutes of the party congress in the case of regional party and 200 names for national parties are the requirements.
Unlike Baladera Party, which has got a registration certificate for regional party status, the three other parties mentioned above are designated as national parties.
Baladera Party for Genuine Democracy has confirmed on its Facebook page that it has received a temporary party registration certificate.
The party said that it is struggling for Addis Ababa’s regional government status and ownership question. It has also announced that it will be working with relevant parties to address “Addis Ababa’s fundamental question.”
The founding congress of the party was held earlier this month in the open air after government authorities reportedly pressured Intercontinental Hotel to deny Baladera Council access to a meeting room. The party reserved the meeting room at the cost of 90,000 Ethiopian birr ahead of its meeting.
Leader of the party, Eskinder Nega, toured North America and Europe to mobilize support from Diaspora Ethiopians before he called for a founding congress of the party.
Last year, some of Baladera Council leaders were incarcerated for months on trumped-up charges of, as supporters describe it, terrorism.
Prosperity Party of Ethiopia denies allegations of discrimination targeting TPLF members in appointment at the Federal level of government
borkena January 23, 2020
Prosperity Party, Ethiopia’s ruling party, responded to Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) accusation regarding recent ministerial appointments for Federal government positions. But the party did not mention TPLF by name.
On Wednesday this week, TPLF accused Abiy Ahmed’s government of taking “deliberate and coarse” measures against TPLF members in Federal and Addis Ababa City levels of government.
TPLF’s Central Committee Statement, which condemned Abiy Ahmed’s government, came the same day that the latter announced the appointments of three ministers, including for Trade and Industry department from which Abiy removed prominent TPLF leader and vice-chairperson of the organization, Fetlework Gebreegziabhier.
“The office of the Prime Minister has recently made cabinet adjustments and made new ministerial appointments. As usual, the intention is to ensure speedy and better execution [of departmental portfolios],” said Prosperity Party’s brief explanation, which is available on the party’s social media page on Facebook.
It said, “the purpose of the changes is to fill efficiency gaps and replace those who have issues in executing with others.”
For Prosperity party, the intentions of those who are making the changes appear as if they are targeting and marginalizing a specific ethnic group are to confuse people, added the statement.
TPLF had criticized the way the former ruling coalition, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), ceased its existence to merge and establish a single united party, Prosperity Party. For TPLF, the decision is wrong on political and legal grounds.
The ethnic Tigray nationalist party, which was the founder and master of the coalition until 2018, argued the coalition was not mandated to form a new party. Also, it argued that the new party does not have a legal right to govern until the next national election because it was EPRDF that was “elected” in the last election.
In November 2019, three major ethnic-based parties that constitute former TPLF and five other ethnic-based parties, which were considered to be allies, merged together to form the Prosperity Party.
Ethiopian cabinet ministers approved Artificial Intelligence Legislation. The country will have AI excellence center
Cabinet Ministers meeting. File/ credit Office of PM
borkena January 23, 2020
The 78th session of the Ethiopian government council of the Minister discussed and ratified numerous legislation on Thursday. Some of them need approval from the parliament. Others, like Artificial Intelligence, do not.
Among the legislation that got approval is one that establishes the Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Center in the country, state-run media Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported.
According to EBC, it aims to create excellence centers for research, development, and application of artificial intelligence with capabilities to ensure the national interest by way of providing solutions and products.
The legislation will create a conducive environment for those, especially starters, engaged in the sector, and it will “soon” be in Negarit Gazeta, Ethiopia’s official federal government law Gazette for the Federal government. It does not seem to need approval from the parliament.
In November 2019, Ethiopia and China signed an agreement to establish a National Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure in the country. And the purpose, as reported by state media Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) at the time, is to facilitate services in education and health care, among other things.
The 78th session of the Ministerial Council has also discussed several other draft legislations.
Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council’s legal status issue is one of them. The council has unanimously voted in favor of it. The next step is for the House of People’s Representative for approval said EBC’s report.
In addition, the council of ministers discussed Civil Aviation Draft Amendment. It aims to look into administrative areas not covered by existing legislation for ensuring aviation safety. The need for constant change as far as human resources are concerned, and for the inclusion of recommendations from the international aviation authority are some of the reasons cited as factors that necessitated the amendment. To that end, the council recommended some additions and the draft will be tabled in the House of people’s representatives for approval.
The council has also discussed amendments in the areas of crime prevention and defense engineering corporations, among others.
Police in Ejaji town in West Shoa opened fire and shot two brothers in the Oromo region of Ethiopia
Google Map of Ejaji region
borkena By Staff Writer January 24, 2020
Four policemen and two youth, all unidentified at this writing, are wounded in West Shoa, in the Oromo region of Ethiopia.
According to a report by Voice of America Amharic Service, it happened following a clash between police and youth groups in Ejaji town.
An eye witness who identified himself as Motuma Negassa said, “Youth Group who were returning from Kanazegelila celebration on January 21 clashed with police.
They reportedly attacked a fenced area leased for future gas station construction. They did so to manifest protest that the government should not allow construction of a gas station near a place where Meskel celebration, one of the biggest Ethiopian Orthodox Church open-air religious celebrations, takes place.
Police arrived on the scene following the incident. And police shot a young man who was said to be trying to calm the confrontation between the police and youth.
The brother of the young man, who spoke to VOA Amharic on condition of anonymity, arrived at the scene to take care of his wounded brother, but he too is shot in the leg.
Police authorities in the town allege that three priests were instigating violence. The priests are in custody.
Police have also arrested 50 youths, apparently among those protesting
VOA Amharic cited members of the Ethiopian Orthodox church’s diocese in the region as saying that they are aware of the situation. They believe that the issue could be resolved peacefully.
There was a clash in Harar and Dire Dawa during this year’s Epiphany celebration.
Addis Ababa City Council has approved appointments for nineteen senior level administrative positions
Swearing in ceremony after Addis Ababa city council approved the appointment. Photo credit : Addis Ababa City Administration
borkena By Staff Writer January 24, 2020
Addis Ababa City Council approved 19 appointments on Friday for senior-level positions in the administration. Seventy-nine members of the council voted in favor of it. There were four “Nay” and seven abstaining votes, state-run Ethiopian News Agency reported.
The lists of people who were approved for different positions are as follows:
Endawork Abte – coordinator for gov’t service delivery institutions in the city
Senait Damtew – Housing Development office head
Nejiba Akmel – Finance office head
Shisema Gebreselassie – Revenu office head
Abdulkadir Mohammed – Attorney general for the city
Ephrah Ali – Culture and Tourism Bureau head
Hailu Lule- Public Service office head
Zelalem Muleta – Education Bureau office
Demelash Kebede – Construction office head
Sitotaw Takele – Transport Office head
Negash Bacha – Land Development and Management office head
Yimer Kebede – Job creation and enterprise office head
Mekonnen Tefera – Labour and Social Affairs Bureau
Abdulfetah Yusuf – Trade office head
Adugna Debela – Peace and Security office head
Abraham Tadesse – Youth volunteer Coordination office
Waquma Abebe – Commissioner for Plan Commission
Tamrat Dilla – Commissioner for Investment Commission
Tazer Gebreegziabher – Industry Office head
Takele Uma, the acting mayor who proposed appointments to the council, is not an elected member of it. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed him to the position in July 2018, months after what was then the ruling coalition, EPRDF, picked the former to replace Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegne in the wake of widespread protests in the country.
In a related development, the City administration passed a decision on Friday to establish an Agency for Students’ feeding. When set, it leads students’ feeding programs in public schools in the capital Addis Ababa and ladies sanitary pads.
While the agency is accountable to the acting mayor, Takele Uma, it will have a board drawn from different sections of residents in the city.
Tamagne Beyene is speaking out on the issue of abducted Demi Dollo University students.
It has been more than 50 days since they were abducted. Two weeks ago, government claimed that that 21 abducted female students are rescued and negotiation is under way to secure the release of six others.
At this writing, the parents of these abducted girls are living agony as they have not heard from them and they do not know about the conditions of their abducted children.
PM Abiy Ahmed is silent about it. Tamagne Beyene asks “WHY?” Take listen.
Video : From Tamage Beyene Facebook page Cover photo : screenshot from the video
Somali Regional State Information Bureau (SRSIB) announced on Tuesday that the region’s special force had seized illegal firearms.
It was in a surprise search near Megalo Qeren checkpoint, close to Jijiga city that the forces captured about 39 handguns.
According to SRSIB, the illegal arms were smuggled via Togowuchale border checkpoint in the eastern part of the country.
A picture of seized handguns indicates that they are similar with those recently captured ( Turkey made) in north western parts of Ethiopia.
The region’s security authorities detained three suspects in connection with the illegal handguns. However, their identities are unknown.
A vehicle they allegedly used for the crime is reportedly sized too. However, it is unclear whether it has an Ethiopian license plate number , or it is has one from one of the neighboring countries in the region: Somalia, or Djibouti.
Ethiopian House of Peoples Representative recently approved legislation to control illicit trade in and circulation of firearms – a problem that the country has been struggling with mainly since Abiy Ahmed took over the office of the Prime Minister.
Ethiopians in Washington staged demonstration to condemn government silence on abducted girls
Photo credit : VOA Amharic
borkena January 28, 2020
When Abiy Ahmed met Ethiopians in three cities in the United States in July 2018, he got a hero’s welcome. Back then, people have an image of a man “who contributed immensely to end TPLF’s ruthless administration” and a leader with the potential to bring about peace and unity in Ethiopia.
That deferential attitude towards Ethiopia’s prime minister is no longer there. Instead, many Ethiopians in the diaspora are venting anger and frustration over Abiy Ahmed’s administration incompetence to enforce the rule of law and protect Ethiopians citizens.
The latest example is the abduction of 21 students of Dembi Dollo University, mostly girls, as they were returning to their parents following the closure of the university in light of security problems that targeted mainly ethnic Amhara students. They were taken from a bus somewhere along the way between Dembi Dollo and Gambella. The Federal police said on Tuesday this week that it has formed an investigative team to “determine the identity of the armed group that abducted the students and why and how it did so.” And this measure came nearly two months now.
Ethiopians in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia area took to the streets condemning Abiy Ahmed’s government over silence in connection with the abduction, which happened in the Oromo region of Ethiopia.
“We condemn the abduction of university students” and “Justice to those who are attacked by extremists” are few of the placards that protestors were carrying.
Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States, Fitsum Arega, received a letter written to prime minister Abiy Ahmed. Abebe Belew, the coordinator of the protest, personally handed over the message to the Ambassador.
“We are confident that the Ambassador will hand over the letter to the prime minister,” Abebe Belew is cited as saying in the DW Amharic report.
Ambassador Fitsum discussed with protestors, and he said that he would present the message to the Ethiopian government and follow up with it.
“Why is government silent about the abduction?” and “where are the students” are the crucial questions that Ethiopians are asking.
On the same day, millions in several cities in the Amhara region of Ethiopia took to the street demanding an answer about the whereabouts of abducted students.
Ethiopian government says it is not right to see the abduction as ethnically motivated one. Three abducted students’ parents will meet with Nigussu Tilahun on Thursday.
Police commissioner Endashaw Tassew (left), Press Secretariat in the office of PM Nigussu Tilahun (center) and State minister in the ministry of science and higer education – Samuel Kifle(right) . Photo credit : EPRDF (Biltsigna) official page
The Ethiopian government is reportedly meeting with abducted students’ parents.
About five parents received an invitation to a meeting from the office of the Prime Minister via district authorities where they live in Amhara regional state of Ethiopia, Sheger FM radio reported on Tuesday.
Two of the parents say they are not clear as to what the purpose of the meeting is.
Sheger FM also reported that some of the invited are already in Addis Ababa while others are on their way to Addis. They will meet with Nigussu Tilahun, press secretariat in the office of the Prime Minister, on Thursday.
The abduction and government’s position
It has been nearly two months since 21 students, mostly girls, were abducted on their way to their parents’ place after the university announced the closure of it due to security concerns that could affect students, mostly from the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
They were abducted in early December from a bus they were traveling in near Anfillo District in Kelem Wollega Zone in a locality called Suddi, according to information from the office of the prime minister of Ethiopia.
Politicians, activists, and politicized Ethiopians on social media blamed the Ethiopian government or providing misleading and dishonest information. On January 11, Nigussu Tilahun claimed that the government has managed to rescue 21 students. However, two weeks later, parents have not heard about their children, which is what led to massive demonstrations across several cities in Amhara region of Ethiopia on January 28, 2020.
Senior government officials, including Nigussu Tilahun, held a press statement on Wednesday, and he stood by his statement. The information regarding the release of 21 students is correct, and it came from an official government communication network, he said. From what he said during the presser on Wednesday, military patrol operations in the area rescued them. It is, however, unclear where precisely these rescued students are and if they are in touch with their parents.
According to Nigussu, those abducted currently are 19, and 14 of them are students of Dembi Dollo University. Names of the rest of the abducted could not be verified with the university, he added.
Abiy Ahmed’s administration is also criticized for being silent and for inaction to rescue the students. Nigusu’s response to that is, “The government is working diligently on it and doing so with a great sense of responsibility.”
Endashaw Tassew, Federal Police Commissioner, said there is information regarding the location of students and that the government is following it up. However, he said that there is no information if they are hurt. Rumors have been circulating on social media that the abducted students are executed. The government sees that as “false propaganda” intended to create gaps between the government and the people.
He also disclosed that three investigative teams are established and working on it. Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonen is also leading a team that is working on the same issue.
Asked if the ethnic-based attack motivated the abduction, government representatives said that there had been abductions in the past against business people and government officials who live in the area.
Last week, Fetlework Gebregziabhier, who is the deputy chairperson of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), was removed from her Federal government position as minister of Trade and Industry.
The decision turned out to be controversial. For Tigray regional state, which is under the leadership of TPLF, it was an action targeted against “TPLF member and Tigreans.”
The Federal government refuted TPLF’s allegation saying that Fetlework was removed for competence reasons and sabotage to obstruct work in her ministry.
VOA Amharic service aired an interview on Tuesday. It is an interview that it had with Fetlework Gebreegziabhier. She, too, framed her removal from her ministerial position as a politically motivated decision. It has something to do with TPLF’s refusal to join the Prosperity Party, she argued.
Solomon Kidane, another TPLF Member and a senior official at Addis Ababa City Administration with the rank of deputy mayor, is also dismissed from his position.
The office of the prime minister announced on Tuesday this week that Sadik Abraha, used to be a central committee member of TPLF before he announced his resignation sometime last year, is appointed as the coordinator of the Democratic Building Center in the Federal government. Maybe the intention behind the appointment is to demonstrate that the Federal government has no issues with Tigrean identity.
When three core political organizations that constituted EPRDF, the coalition that ruled Ethiopia for nearly 28 years, decided in November 2019 to merge as one, TPLF declined it arguing that the move is not right on constitutional and political grounds.
Despite TPLF resistance, the three parties mobilized five other region-based support parties. They merged to form the Prosperity Party – which the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) recognized in a matter of weeks.
TPLF chairman, Debretison Gebremichael, said a few days ago that the difference between Tigray regional state and the Federal government is widening – and some think it might lead to war.
It is against the backdrop of the above political development in the country that the Tigray regional government made two appointments on Wednesday this week.
Two of them are those who were removed from the Federal and Addis Ababa City Administration positions.
In Tigray, Fetlework Gebreegziabhier is appointed as Head of Justice and Good Governance Cluster with a rank of Deputy head of Tigray regional state.
And Dr. Solomon Kidane is appointed as head of a department in the region’s Urban Development Office. The region’s council made the decisions formally.
