አንድነት ፓርቲ ደማቅ ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ አደረገ! (ቪዲዮ እና ፎቶዎች ይዘናል)

አንድነት ፓርቲ ደማቅ ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ አደረገ! (ቪዲዮ እና ፎቶዎች ይዘናል)

አንድነት ፓርቲ ደማቅ ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ አደረገ! (ቪዲዮ እና ፎቶዎች ይዘናል)

አንድነት ፓርቲ ደማቅ ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ አደረገ! (ቪዲዮ እና ፎቶዎች ይዘናል)

ኢ.ኤም.ኤፍ) – ዛሬ ሜይ 4 ቀን፣ 2014 ዓ.ም. የተደረገው ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ እጅግ በደመቀ ሁኔታ ተከናውኗል። የሰላማዊው ሰልፍ ጥሪ ለመጀመሪያ ግዜ በሸገር ሬድዮ የተላለፈ ሲሆን፤ በሌላ በኩል ማስታወቂያውን “አላቀርብም” ብሎ የነበረው ኢቲቪ ከሰልፉ በኋላ፤ የተቃውሞውን ምስል ቆራርጦም ቢሆን በዜና እወጃው ላይ አቅርቦታል።

ሰልፉ ከብዙ ውጣ ውረድ በኋላ የተደረገ ነው። ከዚህ ቀደም በሰበብ አስባቡ ሲከለከል የነበረው “የእሪታ ቀን” ዛሬ እውን ሲሆን፤ በብዙ ሺህ የሚቆጠሩ የአዲስ አበባ ነዋሪዎች ሰልፉን ተቀላቅለውታል።

አንድ ሁኔታውን የታዘቡ ግለሰብ እንዲህ ዘግበዋል። “የዛሬውን የአንድነት ፓርቲ ህዝባዊ ተቃውሞን በቦታው ተገኝቼ እንደታዘብኩት” ብለው ነው የጀመሩት… በዛሬው እለት ከጠዋቱ ሶስት ሰዐት ጀምሮ በርካታ የከተማይቱ እና የአካባቢው ነዋሪዎች የተገኙበት ታላቁ የእሪታ ቀን በድምቀት የተካሄደ ሲሆን በሠልፉ ላይ በርካታ መፈክሮች ተሰምተዋል፡፡
በዛሬው የሰላማዊ ሰልፍ ያሬድ አማረ ወኔ የተሞላባቸውን መፈክሮች ሲያሠማ የነበረ ሲሆን ከእርሱ መፈክሮች በተደጋጋሚ ከጓደኞቼ ጋር ፈገግ ሲያደርገን የነበረው “እመነኝ” የሚላት ቃል ናት፡፡
በሰለማዊ ሰልፉ ከኢ/ር ግዛቸው እስከ ወጣቱ ሃብታሙ አያሌው  ድረስ ያሉ ፖለቲከኞች በብዛት ይታዩ ነበር፡፡ ዳዊት ሰለሞን የአንድነት መኪና ውስጥ ሆኖ መረጃዎችን በማህበራዊ ድህረ ገፆች ሲያከፋፍል…. ነበር፡፡

ሰልፉ በአድዋ ድልድይ አድርጎ የመከላከያ ቤተሰቦች መኖሪያ ኢካባቢ በተለምዶ ሲግናል ተብሎ ከሚጠራው የመካላከያዎች ቤት ውስጥ የሚኖሩ የስርዐቱ ደጋፊዎች በተደጋጋሚ በመሀል ጣታቸው ሰልፈኛውን በመሳደብ ስሜታዊ ለማድረግ ሲሞክሩ ነበር፡፡
ሰልፉ በዚህ ሁኔታ ቀጥሎ ወረዳ 8 ፊት ለፊት በሚገኘው ሜዳ ላይ ኢ/ር ግዛቸው ባደረጉት ንግግር ተቋጭቷል፡፡

የአንድነት ፓርቲ የአመራር አባል የሆነው ሃብታሙ አያሌው ሲያደርግ የነበረውን

ይመልከቱ።

የጀርመን ሬድዮ ዘገባን ለማዳመጥ እዚህ ላይ ይጫኑ 

እኛ ስለሰላማዊ ሰልፉ ተጨማሪ ዝርዝር ከምንሰጥበት የበለጠ እነዚህ ፎቶዎች እና መፈክሮች ብዙ ይናገራሉና… የአንድነትን ፓርቲ ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ በፎቶ የተደገፈ እንቅስቃሴ፤ ከዚህ በታች  ይመልከቱ።

 

open latter to honorable secretary of state John Kerry

open latter to honorable secretary of state John Kerry

May 5/2014

 

By Ephrem Madebo (this article reflects the views and feelings of Ephrem Madebo, and Ephrem Madebo alone)

Mr. Secretary, last year when you went to Ethiopia, for the 50th anniversary of the OAU/AU, many Ethiopians including myself expected that your stay in Addis Ababa (other than the jubilee celebration) will include important issues such as human right abuse, torture, freedom, democracy and good governance in Ethiopia. In fact, most of us wanted to see you voice your disagreement with the dreadful human rights record of Ethiopia, or at least rebuke Ethiopia’s dictators whom your department annual report depicts as enemies of liberty, justice and democracy year after year. Mr. Secretary, I remember, in your speech to the AU leaders, you said the following words:

 

“The United States joins with so many other nations – the Secretary General, Russia, many other friends that are here – all to applaud the remarkable accomplishments, to work together and solve peace, security challenges, trade, defense, democracy, good governance, and human rights”

Mr. Secretary, when I read your government’s promise of working together with others to solve peace, democracy, good governance, and human rights challenges in Africa, I was elated and my expectation grew by the day because I know for sure these are the problems that plagued my native country Ethiopia. In May 2013, I was also moved when I saw your picture with Ethiopian blogger Nathaniel Feleke, one of the founders of the renowned Zone –nine bloggers. Mr. Secretary, last week when you went back to Ethiopia, Nathaniel Feleke whom you gave a big hug with chanting smile was being tortured inside the notorious Makelawi prison.

Mr. Secretary, a week ago, a journalist who actually happens to be a friend of Nathaniel Feleke asked you the following very important question:  Is your concern about press freedom real or “just lip service”  Here is how you addressed the question:  “I make clear to Ethiopian officials that they need to create greater opportunities for citizens. To be able to engage with their fellow citizens and with their government by opening up more space for civil society. And we shouldn’t use the anti-terrorism proclamations as mechanisms to be able to curb the free exchange of ideas” Well, Mr. Secretary, if this is not lip service then what?  Besides, what about if the Ethiopian officials are not willing to create greater opportunities for citizens, and instead they keep on arresting and killing innocent citizens like they have been doing since 1991?

Mr. Secretary, a week before your recent visit to Ethiopia started, the Ethiopian regime arrested Blue Party leaders and members. As if this was not enough, just days before your scheduled arrival to Addis, Ethiopia arrested journalists and bloggers, and on April 30 2014 when you were in Addis, the regime killed more than 30 demonstrators and wounded and arrested undetermined number peaceful demonstrators. Mr. Secretary, I still have to hear your public statement on this “In your face” act of the Ethiopian regime that your government has been baby-sitting for more than two decades?

Mr. Secretary, the US government has always been the first to condemn indiscriminate killings by totalitarian regimes around the globe for a long time. In addition to this, the department you lead (the US Department of State), has exposed dictators and human rights violators through its annual human rights reports. But, the US government has abnormally been silent when the TPLF regime has been killing peaceful citizens throughout its twenty two years stay in power.  I wonder how many Ethiopians should die before the US government goes beyond publishing annual reports and starts condemning and holding responsible the killing machine in Addis Ababa!

Mr. Secretary, the most recent killing in Ethiopia that ended the life of more than 30 innocent people took place while you were in Addis having good time with the very people that ordered the killing. Millions of Ethiopians who thought your visit will bring at least a temporary change of heart were staggered by the savage killing. Mr. Secretary, It is not just the killing that took millions of Ethiopians by surprise, it is the calculated timing of the arrest and the killing immediately before and after you set your foot on the soil of Ethiopia. Mr. Secretary, this is a deliberate move by the TPLF leaders who are seeking a divorce from the US and looking for another partner in Asia.

Mr. Secretary, while the people of Ethiopia were mourning their death, we heard that you met with PM Hailemariam Desalegn and Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom to discuss efforts to advance peace and democracy in the Horn of Africa. Mr. Secretary, to me this is like teaming up with Cuba to advance democracy in Latin America. It’s also ironic that the United States Secretary of State meets with vicious killers to discuss efforts to advance peace and democracy in the Horn of Africa, in a country where more than thirty people were killed by government forces. I have never seen and I don’t think I would ever see again or hear such insensitivity for a loss of humans, especially from a country that reacts vigorously when animals are mistreated by humans.

I remember, during the 2009 Iranian protest, President Obama condemned the violence against the protesters and said the following two statements that have been travelling around the globe ever since he said them:  “It would be wrong for me to be silent” – “The protesters in Iran will be ‘on the right side of history’ ”.  Mr. Secretary, does the President’s silence when more than 30 Ethiopians were killed by the Ethiopian regime mean that – it would be right for him to be silent? What about the protesters in Ethiopia? Are they in the wrong side of history?

Dear Mr. Secretary, its geopolitical location, large population size (Christian & Moslem) and diverse ethnicity has made Ethiopia a strategically placed country in the Horn of Africa. If Ethiopia plays its hand wisely, it can be a critical force for good in the region. Unfortunately, ruthless dictatorships that ruled over Ethiopia for the past 23 years have darkened the fate of their own people let alone playing a positive role in democratizing the Horn of Africa.

We believe the relationship between Ethiopia and the United States has to be reconstituted on the basis of shared values of freedom, democracy, and promotion of mutual interests. To realize this, the United, and other democratic countries need a strong democratic partner in the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa is a volatile region characterized by political instability, and it is no secret that the TPLF dictators are one of the architects of instability in the Horn of Africa.

Dear Mr. Secretary, from all of its actions, particularly since 2005, it is clear that the TPLF regime has closed all avenues for a peaceful democratic opposition and is determined to stay in power by force including committing the most heinous crimes against its own people. The extra judicial killings in different parts of the country, the 2005 massacre, and the genocide in Gambella are glaring examples of crimes committed by a regime which once was praised as the “Hope” of Africa.  Today, it is obvious that Ethiopia’s is not and cannot provide a trusted leadership and the democratic credentials to be a credible partner to the United States and the international community at large. The TPLF regime has become an embarrassment to its own people and to the international community. It is high time for the United States and the international community to embrace change in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Brutal Crackdown on Protests

Ethiopia: Brutal Crackdown on Protests

Security Forces Fire On, Beat Students Protesting Plan to Expand Capital Boundaries

MAY 6, 2014

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  © 2012 Human Rights Watch

Ethiopia’s heavy handed reaction to the Oromo protests is the latest example of the government’s ruthless response to any criticism of its policies. UN member countries should tell Ethiopia that responding with excessive force against protesters is unacceptable and needs to stop.”

Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director

(Nairobi) – Ethiopian security forces should cease using excessive force against students peacefully protesting plans to extend the boundaries of the capital, Addis Ababa. The authorities should immediately release students and others arbitrarily arrested during the protests and investigate and hold accountable security officials who are responsible for abuses.

On May 6, 2014, the government will appear before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for the country’s Universal Periodic Review of its human rights record.

“Students have concerns about the fate of farmers and others on land the government wants to move inside Addis Ababa,” said Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director. “Rather than having its security forces attack peaceful protesters, the government should sit down and discuss the students’ grievances.”

Since April 25, students have demonstrated throughout Oromia Regional State to protest the government’s plan to substantially expand the municipal boundaries of Addis Ababa, which the students feel would threaten communities currently under regional jurisdiction. Security forces have responded by shooting at and beating peaceful protesters in Ambo, Nekemte, Jimma, and other towns with unconfirmed reports from witnesses of dozens of casualties.

Protests began at universities in Ambo and other large towns throughout Oromia, and spread to smaller communities throughout the region. Witnesses said security forces fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters in Ambo on April 30. Official government statements put the number of dead in Ambo at eight, but various credible local sources put the death toll much higher. Since the events in Ambo, the security forces have allegedly used excessive force against protesters throughout the region, resulting in further casualties. Ethiopian authorities have said there has been widespread looting and destruction of property during the protests.

The protests erupted over the release in April of the proposed Addis Ababa Integrated Development Master Plan, which outlines plans for Addis Ababa’s municipal expansion. Under the proposed plan, Addis Ababa’s municipal boundary would be expanded substantially to include more than 15 communities in Oromia. This land would fall under the jurisdiction of the Addis Ababa City Administration and would no longer be managed by Oromia Regional State. Demonstrators have expressed concern about the displacement of Oromo farmers and residents on the affected land.|

Ethiopia is experiencing an economic boom and the government has ambitious plans for further economic growth. This boom has resulted in a growing middle class in Addis Ababa and an increased demand for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. There has not been meaningful consultation with impacted communities during the early stages of this expansion into the surrounding countryside, raising concerns about the risk of inadequate compensation and due process protections to displaced farmers and residents.

Oromia is the largest of Ethiopia’s nine regions and is inhabited largely by ethnic Oromos. The Oromos are Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group and have historically felt marginalized and discriminated against by successive Ethiopian governments. The city of Addis Ababa is surrounded on all sides by the Oromia region.

Given very tight restrictions on independent media and human rights monitoring in Ethiopia, it is difficult to corroborate the government crackdown in Oromia. There is little independent media in Oromia to monitor these events, and foreign journalists who have attempted to reach demonstrations have been turned away or detained.

Ethiopia has one of the most repressive media environments in the world. Numerous journalists are in prison, independent media outlets are regularly closed down, and many journalists have fled the country. Underscoring the repressive situation, the government on April 25 and 26 arbitrarily arrestednine bloggers and journalists in Addis Ababa. They remain in detention without charge. In addition, the Charities and Societies Proclamation, enacted in 2009, has severely curtailed the ability of independent human rights organizations to investigate and report on human rights abuses like the recent events in Oromia.

“The government should not be able to escape accountability for abuses in Oromo because it has muzzled the media and human rights groups,” Lefkow said.

Since Ethiopia’s last Universal Periodic Review in 2009 its human rights record has taken a significant downturn, with the authorities showing increasing intolerance of any criticism of the government and further restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and association. The recent crackdown in Oromia highlights the risks protesters face and the inability of the media and human rights groups to report on important events.

Ethiopian authorities should abide by the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which provide that all security forces shall, as far as possible, apply nonviolent means before resorting to force. Whenever the lawful use of force is unavoidable, the authorities must use restraint and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense. Law enforcement officials should not use firearms against people “except in self-defense or defense of others against the imminent threat of death or serious injury.”

“Ethiopia’s heavy handed reaction to the Oromo protests is the latest example of the government’s ruthless response to any criticism of its policies,” Lefkow said. “UN member countries should tell Ethiopia that responding with excessive force against protesters is unacceptable and needs to stop.”