Tuesday, July 31, 2007

U.N. elections consultant testifies for Daniel and Netsanet, says they "acted within law"

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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Press Release - PLEASE STOP! the PHONE/FAX CAMPAIGN

The Coalition for H.R. 2003 has just learned that H.R. 2003 will be up for consideration during the September session of the House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting.(More...)
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A U.N. elections consultant told an Ethiopian treason trial on Tuesday two anti-poverty activists charged with trying to overthrow the government had been acting within the law.

(Picture - Daniel Bekele(L)Netsanet Demissie(R))

Daniel Bekele, 40, and Netsanet Demissie, 29, are the last defendants out of 131 originally charged in the proceedings that followed post-election violence in 2005 which a parliamentary inquiry said killed 199 civilians and police, and resulted in 30,000 arrests.

The defendants were involved in deploying observers at polling stations in and around the capital Addis Ababa. Most of those originally charged were freed on July 20 after the government published a letter it said opposition leaders had signed admitting their guilt and repenting.

Defence lawyers say Bekele and Netsanet, who work for ActionAid Ethiopia and the Organisation for Social Justice in Ethiopia respectively, refused to sign and want to be acquitted.(More...)

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Daniel and Netsanet deny association with CUDP
-Hailu Shawl testifies in court for Daniel and Netsanet, says they were not members
-Addis Fortune's GOSSIP
-Nearly 12 000 Ethiopians left homeless by floods
-Obscure Dealings: the Ogaden
-Ethiopia: Food Security Situation in Oromiya Worrying - UN
-Ethiopian base attacked in Somalia
-United nations extends mandate in Ethiopia and Eritrea
-Chinese company to construct $500 million industrial park in Ethiopia
-Rastafarians don't give up the fight to live in Ethiopia

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-U.N. resolution on Darfur troops nears vote
-US Lawmakers to Step Up Economic Pressure on Sudan
-Mass purge of Nigerian generals
-A New Mideast Military Alliance?
-Iraqi Leader Faces Revolt Within Party
-Afghan Police Find Body of 2nd South Korean
-"Life in Hell" for South Korean hostages' families
-Japan PM says to explain sex slave stance to U.S.
-Cell phones light up operating room during blackout


Picture of the Day

(Siye Abraha, celebrating his release from prison with his family)

"Ethnic politics is primitive; it doesn’t require intellect, understanding, education or wisdom. It is very elementary, very cheap and dangerous.....I am an Ethiopian, former TPLF official born in Tigray....As a Tigrayan, I would like to say, don’t give up on all Tigrayns just because of what has happened in the past few years. Anyone who is familiar with Ethiopia’s long history Should Know Better. If one Ethiopian starts losing the trust he has for the other, then we will all be in great peril." (loosely translated to English from Siye’s Deutsche Welle interview part 2)

-[AUDIO] Siye's Deutsche Welle interview part 1
-[AUDIO] Siye's Deutsche Welle interview part 2
-Siye: Ethiopians should never give up hope (Amharic)
-Siye Abraha interview with VOA Tigrinya(translated to Amharic)





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Monday, July 30, 2007

Update from The Coalition for H.R. 2003

Congratulations to supporters of H.R.2003 for a successful first day campaign. The Coalition has been advised the fax and telephone of the House Speaker's office have been jammed all day today. The campaign will continue until the Honorable House Speaker Pelosi decides to speak out on why she decided to interfere with a human rights bill.

When calling House Speaker Pelosi's office: Please communicate your displeasure in her interference with the MarkUp of H.R.2003. Please ask the Speaker's office,

"I would like an explanation on why Speaker Pelosi does not want H.R.2003 to be calendared for MarkUP at the Foreign Affairs Committee tomorrow, July 31, 2007":

Please use the following information to contact House Speaker Pelosi at her Washington, DC office:

Telephone # 202-225-4965
Fax# 202-225-8259

District office for House Speaker Pelosi

Tel# 415-556-4862
Fax# 415-861-1670

Saturday, July 28, 2007

The Week in review plus weekend updates

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Also:
- Weekend News and Updates

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Urgent!!! The Coalition for H.R. 2003 is asking Ethiopians to Send Fax letters to Speaker Nancy Pelosi IMMEDIATELY
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The Week in review

TOP STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK

Weekend News and Updates

KIL exits gracefully

Yesterday, July 27, 2007, in a press conference, the leadership of KIL announced the disbandment of the organization. The need that called for the existence of such an organization has been fulfilled with the release of kinijit's leaders, they said, it was now time to confer with the leadership in Addis on how to restructure dispora groups.

Kinijit via press release from its chairman Hailu Shawel has announced the end of Diaspora political leadership organizations. On its website, the other diaspora political entity (council), is also telling readers that it is ending its political leadership responsibilities. Aside from that however, all indications are the group wishes to continue functioning as is. This, many believe, could hinder diaspora reconciliation efforts in addition to being a potential source of constant headache for Kinijit’s leaders in Ethiopia.

Many Kinijit supporters in the diaspora are hoping for a fresh start. They are looking forward to closing that part of their history, which they admit they are not too proud of, and moving on to bigger and better things.

Press releases
-Kinijt dissolves Diaspora political leadership organizations
-Final press release from KIL
-Waiting on KIC’s final press release....

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[AUDIO] -- Addis dimts: Ephrem Issac and Al Mariam discuss H.R. 2003 (Via EMF)
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Press release from the coalition for H.R. 2003

Congressman Lantos directed not to mark up H.R. 2003

Meles buys Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer
Ephrem Isaac lobbied hard against H.R. 2003

The Coalition for HR 2003 has learned that Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Tom Lantos was directed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (San Francisco) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Maryland) not to mark-up H.R. 2003 on July 31, 2007. The reasons for the directive are not clear.

Preliminary investigations suggest that neither Chairman Tom Lantos nor Chairman Donald Payne were consulted prior to issuance of the directive.

The Coalition is informed and believes that over the past few days, Meles Zenawi’s lobbyists from DLA Piper, State Department officials and others were engaged in intense lobbying of Pelosi and Hoyer.

Recent reports in national newspapers and magazines in the United States have documented the involvement of DLA Piper lobbyists to defeat H.R. 2003.

The Coalition has further learned that Prof. Ephrem Isaac, who has recently been masquerading as a “shimagle”, has been engaged in intense lobbying efforts against H.R. 2003 in Congress. He was observed visiting various congressional offices today chaperoned and accompanied by Congressman Gary Ackerman of New York. The Coalition is investigating information that Ephrem Isaac is mobilizing powerful Jewish leaders and groups in the United States against H.R. 2003.

The Coalition respectfully notifies Ethiopian Americans in California and Maryland, particularly in the congressional districts of Pelosi and Hoyer, to prepare for vigorous and intense advocacy in the coming days.

The Coalition will provide further statement on these developments shortly. The Coalition will prepare an advocacy action plan in the near future.

http://www.hr2003.org
E-mail: passhr2003@hr2003.org
Tel: 323-988-5688 Fax: 323-924-5563
URGENT! For Immediate Release
July 27, 2007


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Friday, July 27, 2007

Ethiopia's CUD sees bright future

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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Addis Ababa - Ethiopia's main opposition party on Thursday said it was committed to political reconciliation but vowed to keep struggling for democracy in the troubled African nation.

Nearly a week after the pardon of 38 opposition figures sentenced to heavy jail terms in connection with deadly incidents that erupted in the aftermath of disputed 2005 polls, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) issued its first statement.

The opposition alliance voiced its objections about the "propaganda" that surrounded the collective pardon, which the regime said it granted after the 38 signed a document admitting mistakes.

"We have chosen to overlook the government propaganda and not to respond in kind because it would serve no purpose other than poisoning the spirit of reconciliation that we, the elders, and the Ethiopian people in general would like to see prevailing," they said. (More...)
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SPECIAL ALERT FROM THE COALITION FOR HR 2003

ETP’s Reaction to the release of the Prisoners of conscience and Remark on Diaspora Kinijit
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Today's Top HEADLINES

-Hearing Today for Final Two in Ethiopia Treason Trial
-Ethiopia turns its critics into untouchables
-Former Bucknell professor, Berhanu Nega, freed
-Dr. Yacob vows to finish what he started
-Press Release from the Red Cross on expulsion from ogaden
-U.N.: Eritrea giving arms to Somalis tied to al Qaeda
-Exiled Somali MPs reject call to peace talks
-5 die in explosions in Somali capital, witnesses say
-Is Somalia a Proxy War Between Ethiopia and Eritrea?
-US, Ethiopia accused over Somalia

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[AUDIO] Birtukan Mideksa (VP of Kinijit) Interview with DW
[AUDIO] Dr Hailu Araya (Spokesperson for Kinijit) Interview with VOA
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-French-Libyan Nuke Deal Criticized
-Abbas's Fatah vows reform, purge after Gaza rout
-Radical Students Retake Islamabad Mosque
-Australia Frees Doctor In U.K. Plot Case
-French ex-PM faces formal inquiry
-Shocking revelations of drinking, sabotage shake NASA
-Raul Castro fills role for Fidel again
-Plant halts bleeding, speeds healing


Picture of the day

(Prince Alemayehu, Son of Emperor Tewodros)

Prince Alemayehu, born in 1861, was the son of the Empress Tiruwork and Emperor Tewodros, in a royal lineage that claims to go back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. When British forces conquered the imperial fortress of Magdala in 1868, the emperor committed suicide rather than turn himself in.

The British, who carried back numerous treasures and war trophies, decided to bring the prince and his mother to England reportedly as hostages, but the empress died during the trip due to reasons that remain unclear. The young prince became a student at Sandhurst, the prestigious military academy, but "his was no happy life, full of difficulties of every kind, and he was so sensitive, thinking that people stared at him because of his colour, that I fear he would never have been happy," the queen is quoted as writing in her diary.(More...)





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Remind Me Again: In Whose Interest Does the Government Govern?

Tiny Town Demands Justice in Dioxin Poisoning
A U.S. health agency has made research subjects of people in tiny Mossville, Louisiana by repeatedly monitoring dangerously high levels of dioxin in their blood while doing nothing to get the community out of harm's way, residents say.

Further, the agency failed to release important test results for five years, and made it difficult for the community to obtain the actual data, say residents and their lawyers.

"The air is staggering," said resident Haki Vincent. "Come stay at my place and you will see firsthand that the air and water is repulsive."

Mossville is closed in by 14 chemical factories, including Petroleum giant Conaco Phillips and Georgia Gulf, a vinyl products manufacturer that had revenues of 2.4 billion dollars in 2006, according to the company.

Dioxin compounds are a byproduct of petroleum processing and vinyl manufacturing and residents in Mossville say the factories are releasing amounts into the air that are making them sick.

Studies show the community suffers from high rates of cancer, upper respiratory problems and reproductive issues, and residents say dioxin pollution is the cause.
[...]
The historically black community founded in the late 1700s is unincorporated and has had no voting rights in the state and no power to control what businesses operate within its borders. Some factories moved to within 50 feet of people's homes.

Yet again, disenfranchised and marginalized people bear the effects of corporations' harmful practices. And the governmental agencies do nothing.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

The Costs of the Iraq War - Who is picking up the tab?

So about a trillion dollars is spent by American taxpayers to kill Iraqis.Aside from the direct cost to American taxpayers, there are additional costs incurred by the war in Iraq.

For instance the cost of dealing with 2 million refugees - primarily in Syria and Jordan - is astronomical. How about the cost to the UN and NGOs - humanitarian support, food aid, and helping refugees? Canada and other NATO countries are paying to hold the bully's coat (by picking up the slack in Afghanistan).

This doesn't even include what it has cost the Iraqi people themselves.

So the Iraq occupation costs everyone money - well, almost everyone. Ah, I see. Transferring more money from those who have little to those who already have a lot. Killing hundreds of thousands of people in the process. Good policy, GWB.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Underpaid women: Stupid Letters to the Editor


You know, I have no one to blame but myself. I know how the National Post makes my head spin, and yet some macabre force compells me to read it.

Anyways, today I found this little gem of a letter to the editor:
Underpaid women
Re: Why Men Earn More, editorial, July 23.

The bottom line is that if women want to earn as much as men, they have to behave like men in the employment marketplace. That usually means: work longer hours at intellectually challenging, personally unrewarding careers that offer a poor workplace environment, physical hazards, pay linked to performance, an imposition on nonworking lifestyle choices or some combination of the above.

Furthermore, women would have to take on more responsibilities, make family sacrifices and be more productive in the jobs they have. That's how men do it. Women can do it too, if they so choose.

Now I could politely tell the author to climb back into the cave from whence he came, and let us women go back to eating bonbons while our menfolk hunt for our dinner, but I think I'll take the high road today. Some facts might be a better response.

First, we need to get to the heart of his argument, which appears to be that women, compared to men:

  1. work shorter hours in more rewarding and challenging careers
  2. experience better workplace environments, and fewer physical hazards
  3. are payed based on something other than performance
  4. make poor lifestyle choices
  5. take less responsibilities and make fewer family sacrifices
  6. are less productive in their jobs than men.

Are any of these true?

  1. Do women work shorter hours in more rewarding and challenging careers? When all women are compared with all men in paid employment, women's earnings in 2003 averaged only 63.6% of men's. This is indeed due in part to womens' shorter average paid working hours. (Of course, when unpaid work is added, women and men both work nearly 9 hours a day). Often paid working hours are not a matter of choice; women are overrepresented in part-time, contract and temporary work, and women are less likely to be paid for overtime hours. When adjusting for the difference in working hours, the gap decreases to 70.5% - that is, women make 70.5% of the average earnings of men working full-time for a full year. Lastly, more women than men head single parent households, which significantly impacts the quantity of paid hours worked. (Most data from here, here, and here) As to whether women work more rewarding jobs, that is probably fairly subjective, but we do know that women are overrepresented in the lowest paying jobs like cashiers, food service, and child care jobs and underrepresented in the highest paying occupations like senior managment, law, and dentistry. I suppose a case could be make that scanning bar codes all day is more rewarding than looking at nasty teeth, but otherwise I think most people would prefer the higher paying jobs - for the pay, the challenge, and the status.
  2. Men do represent about 3/4 of those injured in the workplace - however, we do have labour laws for a reason. Willingness to be injured is fortunately not a requirement for a decent wage. This means we should continue trying to reduce workplace injuries overall, not demand women experience a greater share. There are other risks women face more than men: including sexism on the job, sexual harrassment, repetitive stress injuries, toxic chemicals. Do women have better working environments? Hard to say, but probably men and women both have equally shitty workplaces.
  3. Are women paid for something other than performance, more often than men? This appears to be true, but it is not exactly a good thing. Pay-for-performance tends to result in higher pay not lower pay. So, yes please, we'd like some more of that, thank you. I expect it isn't likely to happen any time soon since the kinds of jobs that reward performance aren't typically nursing, teaching, and clerical.
  4. Women make poor lifestyle choices. Where to even begin with this one. Most likely the letter writer is referring to having children, since I can't imagine what other lifestyle choices affect employment so differently for men and women. One thing: it takes both a man and a woman to make a baby, so why should a woman be poorer just because it is her body in which the fetus must grow? But, the fact is, we do, which is part of the reason reproductive choice is so important.
  5. Women take less responsibility and make fewer family sacrifices. This is sort of funny. I suppose if you were to remove child care, and husband care, and elder care from the picture, then it could be true. Also, one of the things women know when they start a family is that they are making a big sacrifice - their job opportunities and pay almost certainly decrease - unlike men, who experience the opposite. That could be one of the reasons women are delaying marriage and children longer and longer.
  6. Women are less productive than men. This I couldn't find any data on, either way. We know two things definitely improve productivity - one is technology, since improved technology allows fewer labour hours to accomplish more. The second is training and education. Neither of those are related to gender.

It is true than when women behave like men (mostly meaning not having any children), they tend to make similar wages.
The thing is, women, in some people's eyes, don't do the same work as men. They stay home having babies and knitting dirndls while the men are out hunting bear and fending off the Visigoths, so naturally they get paid less... It's easy to caricature this view (dirndls versus Visigoths, etc), but there may be some truth in it. Some research suggests that when women behave as men do--not having babies, mainly--the income gap largely disappears. If so (I won't claim the matter has been definitively settled), the question facing women is a stark one: What do you want, kids or cash?<Straight Dope>
Not very family friendly, is it?

ETP: Reaction and Remark

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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First Press Release from CUDP leadership since freedom



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ETP's Reaction to the release of the prisoners of conscience

A big “thank you and congratulations!” -- to the released prisoners. On May 2005 they opened a new chapter in Ethiopia’s history; they ignited our passion and inspired us to hope and work for a better Ethiopia.

A big “we really appreciate it!” -- to MEP Ana Gomes, Congressman Chris Smith, Congressman Donald Payne and the many more, in the U.S and EU, who supported the cause of democracy in Ethiopia. You were instrumental in freeing Ethiopia’s elected; we are deeply appreciative.

A big “what would we have done without you?” -- to EthioZagol, Addis ferengi, Lewit and the rest - who were and still are blogging from the motherland - and served as flashlights in the brutal darkness that is EPRDF’s post 2005 Ethiopia. Keep up the good work.

And finally, "a nod of recognition" -- to Ethiopia’s ruling party. It is a bit difficult giving credit to the government for releasing prisoners that it shouldn’t have jailed in the first place. It is even more difficult because of what the govt. did in the days prior to their release (the reprehensible campaign to discredit the CUDP leadership); we also can’t rule out the possibility that the ruling party may on a whim try to incarcerate them once more; Nevertheless, in the spirit of reconciliation and the positive politics that Kinijit is trying to bring to Ethiopia; we concur that releasing the prisoners of conscience was a step in the right direction - we hope many more steps will soon follow.

Also see:
-Reactions from the Diaspora on the release of the CUDP leadership

ETP's remark on Diaspora Kinijit

When the CUDP leadership was incarcerated in Ethiopia, a leadership vacuum was created. The Diaspora had to fill this void and did so by establishing management committees to facilitate the struggle. Ethiopians should be very grateful and appreciative of individuals who dedicated their time, energy and finances involved in these organizations.

However, now that the CUDP leadership in Addis Abeba is back in business, it is time, as all sides have promised, to bring to an end the Dispora organizations (leadership and council) and restructure diaspora Kinijit in a manner that reflects developments in Ethiopia. Otherwise, there is a real possibility that the infighting and bickering of the Diaspora can negatively affect the struggle for democracy in Ethiopia, where the newly freed leaders are already facing many challenges.

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Bipartisan Duo of Ex-Congressional Heavyweights trying to Block H.R. 2003
-CPJ: Ethiopian government pardons four journalists, revives genocide charges against others
-Ethiopian diaspora keeps pressure on U.S. Congress
-European Union on the release of the members of opposition in Ethiopia
-Ethiopia evicts Red Cross from volatile region
-Has the U.S.-Ethiopian invasion of Somalia achieved any of its goals?

-Commentary on Ethiopian Socio-Cultural Rules (Maru Gubena)
-Ethiopia: Ewan McGregor takes the ‘Long Way Down’ to support landmine education

INTERNATIONAL NEW

-Zimbabwe targets women protesters
-Sarkozy to boost EU-Libya links
-U.S., Iran envoys meet, clash
-Arab League Delegation Visits Israel
-UK flood victims line up for water
-India gets first woman president
-Black Holes Devour Matter Like Piranhas
-Oprah tops list of highest paid TV stars


(If you have suggestions on whom we should feature on ETP’s ‘Picture of the day’ segment, send your emails to ethiopianpolitics AT yahoo DOT com)

Picture of the day

(Ras Alula Aba Nega of Tigray, Ethiopia)

Some historians have characterized Ras Alula of Tigray as the most brilliant general in the records of the anti-colonial struggle. He has successfully planned and carried out military operations, protecting Ethiopia’s interests and territorial integrity, against the Ottoman Egypt at Gundet on 1875, Gura 1876, Aylet 1887, Sannhit 1880; and against the Mahdists invaders at Kufit on 1885, at Gallabat (Metemma) 1889; and against colonial Italy at Dogali 1887, Ambalage 1889, Makale 1896 culminating at Adowa on 1-2 March, 1896.(Professor Kinfe Abraham)

If Ras Alula was still alive, who do you think he would vote for, Kinijit Or EPRDF?

To answer this question, read his biography Ras Alula Abba Nega: An Ethiopian and African Hero




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Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Whiner Files: Backpack Edition


Oh no! Not the backpacks! Grownups with backpacks - why that's nearly as bad as women who wear sneakers for their commutes. Selfish sneaker wearing women - caring about their own comfort more than they care about how their legs look to the menz.

Dude - let me 'splain. We don't have enough SPACE for everyone to drive. Some people can't even afford a car, or are too young to drive. Hence the subway. When you can't store your whole day's worth of stuff in your car, you have to carry it somehow. The backpack is the most body-friendly way to do that. If you don't like backpacks, you can carry a plastic grocery bag. And leave the rest of the backpack-toting world alone.

I find people are actually pretty careful with their backpacks and even when they aren't, if you ask them nicely to move, they cheerfully oblige. Let's practice together, in our non-bitchy voices: "Can you please move your backpack so I can sit down? Thanks."

What do people carry in their backpacks? Well, those lazy entitled students (though personally I find those whose parents drive them to school are a wee bit lazier and more entitled than those who take mass transit) usually have enough books and homework to keep them busy for 9.2 hours a day.

Now, I have shocking news. In this new age of peak oil and a warmed globe, you better get used to backpacks. Here's what I recommend: an umbrella for sudden weather changes, sweater (for the over-airconditioned buildings), wide-brimmed hat and big bottle of SPF2000 for melanoma protection. Maybe you should place the blame for the backpack scourge where it is deserved: on the shoulders of big oil.

Is there really nothing better to complain about? Like say, people starving or something? Or your favourite shampoo was discontinued? Come on.

You know what really gets me? People who say "napsack". WTF is a nap sack? Something to hold my supplies for the dream world? In conclusion, if you're going to whine about sacks or packs or backs or naps, please do not waste space in the NEWSpaper doing so. Get a blog like the rest of us.

NPR Report : Ethiopia Releases Prisoners

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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[AUDIO] NPR Report : Ethiopia Releases Prisoners

On Friday, Ethiopia began releasing prisoners it had jailed two years ago in a crackdown on political opponents. Some human rights advocates on Capitol Hill are taking credit, saying it pays to put pressure on repressive regimes. The U.S. is now giving closer scrutiny to Ethiopia's human rights record at home.[Listen...]

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Congressional Ethiopian American Caucus Celebrates the Ethiopian Millennium upon release of Political Prisoners
-Chairman Donald M. Payne Welcomes Release of Prisoners in Ethiopia
-Reactions from the Diaspora on the release of the CUDP leadership
-SOCEPP: Release Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie
-We’ve just won the Battle but not the Victory
-The moral hazards of dealing with Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi (Washington Post)

Refugees in Sudan
-AMNESTY: Forcible return/Fear of torture/Arbitrary detention - Ethiopian and Eritrean nationals
-SOCEPP-CAN: Ethiopian Refugees facing an involuntary repatriation from Sudan

The Ogaden
-Ethiopia rebels warn catastrophe looming in Ogaden
-Ethiopia tells Red Cross to leave the Ogaden region within Seven days
-WFP says no Ethiopia aid blockade, but has concerns

Eritrea, Somalia
-Eritrea asks China to help break Ethiopia border deadlock
-More civilians fleeing Mogadishu violence

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-HIV medics freed after Libya-EU deal
-Mugabe vows to save sick economy
-Obama, Clinton clash in YouTube debate
-Iranian support for Iraq militias up despite talks: US envoy
-Blair on His First Trip As Peace Envoy
-Earthquake damage at nuclear plant raises questions in Japan


Picture of the day

Emperor Haile Selassie was born 115 years ago yesterday, 23 July, 1892, in Enjersa Goro, just outside the city of Harrar.

The ultimate African diplomat

(Haile Selassie Mediating between southern Sudanese insurgents (the Anya Nya) and the Sudan government in Addis Ababa, 72; His mediation efforts were responsible for 11 years of relative peace in the Sudan. This scene was later replicated by reggae singer Bob Marley on his “One Love Peace Concert” in April of 78, when he asked rival political leaders of 'the Jamaican Labor Party' and 'the People's National Party' on stage and managed to get them to shake hands. )


Haile Selassie, a gifted diplomat, was a player in the international seen. "He became a leader in the Pan-African movement, stressing African unity to deal with common problems and concerns. He supported independence for former European colonies, condemned South Africa's foreign and internal policy of racial segregation (apartheid), and sought to limit French nuclear tests in the Sahara. He also took a leading role in the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Having the organization establish its permanent headquarters in Addis Ababa further enhanced his international prestige. He successfully mediated the border dispute between Morocco and Algeria in 1963 and then intervened on the side of Nigeria during its bloody civil war, which began in the late 1960s when Christians in the South broke away and formed a separate nation called Biafra." (James J. Podesta)

-Learn more about the life of Emperor Haile Selassie I


...


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Monday, July 23, 2007

The Challenge of Progressive Solidarity: Hamas, Palestine, plus a Fishy Analogy

From MADRE:
The question is: how do we support the people of Palestine without endorsing the Hamas leadership? Let's be clear: Hamas' long-term social vision is repressive. Hamas is a movement driven by militarism and nationalism. It aims to institutionalize reactionary ideas about gender and sexuality, and it uses religion as a smokescreen to pursue its agenda.

And there is another, equally important question: how do we put forward this critique of Hamas without reinforcing the Bush Administration's anti-Arab, anti-Islamic rhetoric? We do that by taking a stand for a sane and humane US policy in the Middle East. When we demand an end to both Israeli occupation and US attempts to control the resources and governments of the region, we refuse to be conscripted into Bush's "war on terror."

Some people worry that criticizing Hamas means casting doubt on the legitimacy of its leadership. It doesn't. MADRE recognizes that Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council through a fair election and that Hamas must be part of any future negotiations. And MADRE acknowledges that Hamas has enabled many Palestinians to survive the ravages of Israeli occupation by providing healthcare, education, and other critical social services to families in need. We don't contest the legitimacy of Hamas' rule, but that doesn't mean that we are required to support them—any more than we are bound to support the new administration of Nicolas Sarkozy in France or any other elected government.
This article is relevant for more than this specific situation. It speaks to a very important question: how do we make a difference in this world while being neither insular nor reflexive nor by reinforcing the colonial order of things?

We have to walk a fine line. On the one hand, we need to acknowlege and respect the specificity of experiences in other cultures that differ from our own - this to avoid imposing our Western values upon others. And yet we need to not give up on the values that make us progressive. I believe a big part of that is rather than trying to dictate the terms of our support, we need to listen to the voices of the disenfranchised, whenever possible taking our cue from them. The organizations who are fighting for justice, equity, and human rights within their own countries don't need us to tell them what to do. Indeed, we can often learn from them. And those organizations we disagree with, do not need our unconditional support.

We do not have to make a choice between Fatah and Hamas. We can understand and support the right of the Palestinians to elect Hamas, while disagreeing vehemently with the platform and tactics of Hamas. Sort of like how we do not have to offer one of Obama or Hillary our unconditional support.

Our greatest responsibility to the people of the two-thirds world is probably at home - meaning, preventing our own governments and corporations from following policies that are often the root cause of so much violence, misery, and suffering. To paraphrase/mangle something I read the other day, that saying about not just giving someone fish, but teaching that person how to fish, needs to be updated. You best belive a people located in a coastal region knows how to fish. They don't need our charity, nor our patronizing fishing lessons. They need us to stop polluting the water. Or to stop arresting and killing them when they fish.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

One of These Countries is Not Like the Others

Let's play a game.

What do these countries all have in common:

Chile
Philippines
Sri Lanka
India
Bangladesh
Pakistan
Israel
Mozambique
Liberia
UK
Germany
Canada

... something not shared by that beacon of women's rights, the United States of America.

Yep, these nations, and many others, have been run by women.

In America there has been no woman president. Only 16% of congress are women. Well, someday perhaps the USA will catch up. Maybe the Philippines or India can come and liberate American women.

In Canada, we aren't exactly doing so well, either. No women lead any of the four major parties. We have never had more than 21% women in parliament, with few of these coming from aboriginal, immigrant or other minority women.

Granted, attaining gender parity in politics may not be the most urgent and pressing matter facing women, but it is one visible marker that helps us guage our progress.

Inspired by India electing its first woman president, Pratibha Patil.

Friday, July 20, 2007

LEADERS OF THE POPULAR DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT IN ETHIOPIA OUT OF JAIL!

NAIROBI, July 20 -- The Ethiopian government on Friday pardoned 38 of the country's top political opposition leaders, released them from prison and drove them in three minibuses to homes they had not seen in nearly two years.

Across the sprawling capital of Addis Ababa, a stronghold of the opposition party, singing and exuberant celebrations carried on into the evening, though a sense of uncertainty lingered.

"The only thing I can tell you is that we are happy," said the brother of the city's elected mayor, Berhanu Nega, who was among those released. "We do not know what the future is going to be like, but I can tell you there is happiness all over the city."(More...)




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Thursday, July 19, 2007

Ethiopia's silent emergency

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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A series of severe droughts have scarred Ethiopia. Millions of people now face critical water shortages and are unable to grow enough food to feed their families. As a result, more than 45% of the population are undernourished.

Malnutrition is the state in which the body is so deprived of nutrients that a person cannot continue growing, learning, doing physical work or fighting disease. Children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and the elderly are the most vulnerable to malnutrition.(More...)

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Letter to the U.S. Senate (Obang Metho)
-The Politics of Deception (Girma Kassa)
-Leaders reaffirm commitment to the eight principles (ethiozagol)
-Wall Street Journal: Democracy on Trial in Ethiopia
-Brain drain still hurting countries like Ethiopia
-6 children killed in Somalia
-African Democracy Asks: "Where Is US?"
-Liya Kebede #11 on Forbes’ list of world’s richest models

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-Sierra Leone court slaps lengthy terms on rebel chiefs
-Oprah takes out big guns for Obama
-Pearl widow sues Pakistani bank over husband's murder
-Chirac faces Paris scandal judge
-New peace envoy Tony Blair to Make His First Appearance
-Russia Matches U.K. Diplomat Expulsions
-We smoked pot, British ministers admit
-'The Sopranos' Nominated For 15 Emmy Awards


Picture of the day


(H.E. Dr Merera Gudina, founder of the Oromo National Congress ONC. Picture by Andrew Heavens)

Dr. Berhanu Nega on his book ‘yenetsanet goh siked’ expresses the fondness and respect he has for Dr. Merera Gudina. To understand why Dr. Berhanu feels this way, just listen to Dr. Merera’s VOA interview from Yesterday. This interview clearly demonstrates the man’s integrity and courage.

-[AUDIO] – Dr. Merera Gudina on VOA

P.S – As an added bonus, Dr. Merera's interview is driving EPRDF apologists everywhere Crazy!

Also read transcript of Dr. Merera's interview with CNN on September of 2005 about the election



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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Wall Street Journal: Democracy on Trial in Ethiopia

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Update: Unanimous vote sends H.R. 2003 successfully out of the Subcommittee on Africa

[VIDEO]--Mark-up of H.R. 2003
[AUDIO]-- US Legislation on Ethiopia Democracy Moves Forward
Press release from the coalition for H.R. 2003
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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day



(The Wall Street Journal)

Let's play name-that-state. After the EU declared its 2005 elections flawed, this country's troops killed 193 protestors and arrested 20,000 more. Last week, 42 of the accused were convicted of inciting violence to overthrow the state (down from an original charge of genocide and treason). Thirty-five were condemned to life in prison and forbidden to vote on Monday. Some of the accused were journalists, so their publishing houses were fined and closed.

Did you guess Ethiopia? Probably not, since this African state has often been held up as a pillar of good governance on a troubled continent. In just over a decade, Ethiopia went from military rule to a parliamentary system. But this democracy is on paper only.

The convictions are not an isolated incident, nor are the 42 defendants just any opposition figures. They include the elected mayor of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, a former Harvard scholar and a former U.N. envoy. They've been condemned to the same fate, life in prison, as ousted military strongman Mengistu Hailee Mariam, who is held responsible for the murder of 150,000 academics and university students in two decades in power.(More...)

Today's Top HEADLINES

-[AUDIO] CSIS Analyst Stephen Morrison on developments concerning CUD leaders
-US Seeks Clemency for Ethiopian Opposition Leaders
-Congress,Bush exasperated by Ethiopia's backsliding democracy
-Congresswoman Drakes' statement on Sentencing of Dr. Yacob
-UN opens new Somali refugee camp in Ethiopia
-Deadly Mogadishu blasts overshadow peace talks


INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-MANDELA TURNS 89, LAUNCHES 'A ROBUST FORCE FOR GOOD'
-Water find 'MAY END Darfur war'
-US: Top al-Qaida in Iraq figure captured
-Almost 200 Feared Dead in Plane Crash in Brazil
-Berezovsky tells of 'hitman plot'
-Quake forces Toyota to halt production
-Dave Chappelle OK after brief hospitalization
-Football match for Mandela's 89th birthday


Picture of the day

(TIME Magazine Cover: Soviet physicist and legendary human rights activist Andrei Sakharov - May 14, 1990)

"Andrei Sakharov, by courageously speaking truth to power, he became the conscience of the cold war and inspired the movement that toppled Soviet communism" - Time

Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam, founder of the Ethiopian human rights council, was nominated for the “Sakharov” prize in 2006. The European Union, who gives out this award annually, nominates individuals for their efforts in promoting human rights and courageously resisting oppression. There are many striking similarities between Andrei Sakharov and Mesfin wolde Maiam; for instance, both started out academics in a scientific field but later turned activist due to the oppressive political climate they found themselves in.

Find out what other similarities there are between these two renowned human rights advocates;

-Biography of Andrei Sakharov (Time)
-Mesfin Wolde-Mariam, the Conscience of a Nation (Biography)

P.S – Professor Mesfin Wolde-Mariam is currently jailed by the dictatorial regime in Ethiopia; human rights organizations from all over the world are appealing for his release. To see what you can do to help, click here.


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In return for your feedback, there's a little something for you in this post

I know I haven't posted much lately, and nothing of substance for quite a while. This last push with work and school and 14 hour days has been wiping me out. As of Friday my schedule will be clearing up significantly and then I promise we will return to our regularly scheduled blog postings (probably more, actually).

Perhaps even a blog redesign. I'm tired of this template. So, here's me asking for your feedback. What kind of features would you like to see? Is my blog currently too cluttered, too plain? What kind of posts? More funny stuff, more commentary, more news, more photos, more videos? Or less of any of these? Any particular topics you'd like me to focus on? Let me know - I'm always interested in what you have to say!

In the meantime, here is your little something, as promised, courtesy of Deleted Images:
"The Junkyard of Art," resurrects digital photos that would have been erased from the hard drive of history. The photographers were shaky, or clicked the button accidentally, or were overzealous in an attempt to capture motion or night shots. But for some reason, the error-as-art conceit sort of works. Via <Neatorama>





Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Human Rights in Ethiopia: Casualty of the "War on Terror"? (Huffington post)

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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(The Huffington post)

An Ethiopian court sentenced 35 opposition politicians and activists to life in prison on Monday, AP reports. The prosecution had asked for the death penalty against the defendants, who included Ethiopia's top opposition leaders.

Those sentenced to life imprisonment include the leader of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, Hailu Shawel; Berhanu Nega, who was elected mayor of Addis Ababa; former Harvard scholar Mesfin Woldemariam; and former U.N. special envoy and former Norfolk State University professor, Yacob Hailemariam.

Human rights groups condemned the trial as an attempt to silence government critics, and opposition leaders have claimed it was politically motivated.

Where is the U.S. State Department in all of this? Absent without leave. It seems that since Ethiopia is doing the State Department's bidding in Somalia, the U.S. is turning a blind eye to the Ethiopian government's crackdown on dissent.(More...)

Today's Top HEADLINES

-BREAK DOWN OF SENTENCES PASSED BY THE KANGAROO COURT
-Ana Gomes appalled by the court’s sentences
-Washington Post: Opposition Figures Get Life Terms in Widely Faulted Case
-Ethiopia mulls opposition pardon bid
-[Audio] B.S. (Bereket Simon) on VOA
-CPJ: High Court sentences six journalists to prison, four to life
-SOCEPP Canada on the tragedy in ogaden
-Inde Hewan - Letter to Reuters

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-Opposition to Darfur resolution
-Mugabe critic sued for adultery
-Israel, Palestinians Welcome Bush Plan
-Iraq's Sadr Ends Boycott of Parliament
-Syria's President Sworn in for 2nd Term
-UK declares 'diplomatic war'
-Steve Jobs tops list of online music "Powergeeks"


Picture of the day

(Democracy icon and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi)

It is not that there is a lack of heroes of freedom and democracy in Ethiopia that we chose to feature Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese human rights icon, on today’s picture of the day. It is rather to point out to those who refuse to take note (particularly to our friends in the U.S and E.U) the similarity of the political climate between the two countries. So as to make the point that travesty committed by the authorities in Ethiopia is no less inhumane or unjust than that of the Burmese government; to plead with the west to give democracy activists in the former the fervent support their counterparts in the later are accustomed to.

Learn more about Aung San Suu Kyi and her courageous fight for democracy:Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Also see ‘Letter from Kaliti Jail’ by Bertukan Mideksa, Ethiopia’s “San Suu Kyi


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Monday, July 16, 2007

Kangaroo court hands down life sentences to CUD leaders

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- The spin factor
- Excerpt from today’s U.S. state department briefing
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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The court has also barred the CUD leaders from voting or standing for election in the future

An Ethiopian court has handed down life sentences to all of the main opposition leaders convicted of links to violent election protests in a major trial. Eight of the 38 opposition figures in court were given shorter prison terms. The prosecution had demanded the death penalty for them all.

They refused to recognise the court, saying the trial was political.Their relatives say the detainees have signed a document which could pave the way for their release. High court judge Adil Ahmed also barred the 30 Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) leaders from voting or standing for election.(More...)

The spin factor

ETP - The dubious reporting of Reuters’s Tsegaye Tadesse should no longer be left unchallenged. Ethiopians in the past have been shocked and disappointed repeatedly over the apparent lack of fairness in his reports. We all remember how when government security forces were massacring civilians on the streets of Addis, he chose to act as a government apologist by implicitly blaming the unarmed civilians and the opposition, while the rest of the foreign press (AP, AFP, BBC) based their reports on facts.

And today, when the democratically elected parliamentarians - considered prisoners of conscience by all human rights organizations - were sentenced to life imprisonment; he attempted to put a positive spin on it by unashamedly declaring “Ethiopian opposition leaders escape death sentence”.

Here is what other media outlets had to say:

-Ethiopia slaps life sentences on opposition figures(AFP)
-Life in jail for Ethiopia leaders (BBC)
-Ethiopian Court Sentences 35 to Life (AP)

Click here to make a complaint (won't take more than three minutes; briefly explain what you think about Mr. Tsegaye Tadesse’s reporting and leave your email address)
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Note: On its main website, Reuters has changed the title of the article from what it said this morning “Ethiopian opposition leaders escape death sentencetoEthiopian opposition leaders get life sentence”. The article has also been altered significantly. Click here for the previous and here for the updated.

(This is probably directly related to the actions of concerned Ethiopians. Give yourselves a pat on the back!)
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Excerpt from today’s U.S. state department briefing

Ethiopia
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2007/jul/88467.htm

QUESTION: Sean, most of the opposition figures in Ethiopia who have been on trial in connection with this 2005 election violence were sentenced to life imprisonment today. I wonder, have you been following that --

MR. MCCORMACK: Yes, we are following it very closely, Dave, and the only thing I can say is, I understand the Prime Minister either has or is soon going to address the Ethiopian people concerning this case. And while I can't tell you exactly what powers of clemency he himself may possess, we would urge him as well as the Ethiopian Government to exercise powers of clemency in this regard. I understand that these people were sentenced to life imprisonment. As a matter of trying to bring together the Ethiopian people and bring an end to this particular chapter of political turmoil, we would urge the Ethiopian authorities to consider -- strongly consider clemency for these individuals.

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Ex-NSU professor, 34 others sentenced to life in Ethiopian court
-Life In Prison: Lewit
-Siye Abraha interview
(translated from Tigrinya)
-Ethiopians in Transformation: Becoming People of Action! (Obang Metho)
-UN warns it cannot afford to feed the world
-Beyonce to perform at Ethiopian millennium
-Ethiopia's high speed hospitals
-No-shows delay Somali reconciliation conference
-Four killed in fresh Somalia violence
-Ethiopia challenges Nigeria for sprint medals

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-UN Agency Confirms North Korea Has Shut Down Reactor
-Britain expels Russian diplomats over Litvinenko
-3 killed, 400 hurt in Japan quake
-NATO "very concerned" at Russia treaty pullout
-Beckham experiment begins
-New hope over 'extinct' echidna


Picture of the day

(Professor Asrat Woldeyes receiving medical treatment in the UK)

Professor Asrat Woldeyes was the first professionally trained Ethiopian surgeon responsible for saving countless lives. After entering the political arena, he was arrested for criticizing the Ethiopian government, falsely accused of planning violent attacks.

Amnesty and other human rights organizations who considered the professor to be a prisoner of conscience appealed on his behalf to no avail. His health deteriorated significantly while in prison and was later released by the authorities only after it was certain he had months to live. Professor Asrat Woldeyes died on May of 1999.

Deja vu: The Ethiopian government via its Kangaroo court has today sentenced – professors, lawyers, and human rights activists – to life imprisonment; a blatant attempt to silence all opposition. We should not forget the lessons from Asrat Woldeyes’s story and must not allow history to repeat itself.

Learn more about the life of Professor Asrat: ASRAT WOLDEYES: AN EXTRAORDARY LIFE




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Breaking News: Kangaroo court hands down life sentences to CUD leaders

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

The court has also barred the CUD leaders from voting or standing for election in the future
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An Ethiopian court has handed down life sentences to all of the main opposition leaders convicted of links to violent election protests in a major trial. Eight of the 38 opposition figures in court were given shorter prison terms. The prosecution had demanded the death penalty for them all.

They refused to recognise the court, saying the trial was political.Their relatives say the detainees have signed a document which could pave the way for their release. High court judge Adil Ahmed also barred the 30 Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) leaders from voting or standing for election.(More...)

The spin factor

The dubious reporting of Reuters’s Tsegaye Tadesse should no longer be left unchallenged. Ethiopians in the past have been shocked and disappointed repeatedly over the apparent lack of fairness in his reports. We all remember how when government security forces were massacring civilians on the streets of Addis, he chose to act as a government apologist by implicitly blaming the unarmed civilians and the opposition, while the rest of the foreign press (AP, AFP, BBC) based their reports on facts.

And today, when the democratically elected parliamentarians - considered prisoners of conscience by all human rights organizations - were sentenced to life imprisonment; he attempted to put a positive spin on it by unashamedly declaring “Ethiopian opposition leaders escape death sentence”.

Here is what other media outlets had to say:

-Ethiopia slaps life sentences on more than 30 opposition figures(AFP)
-Life in jail for Ethiopia leaders (BBC)
-Ethiopian Court Sentences 35 to Life (AP)


Click here to make a complaint (won't take more than three minutes; briefly explain what you think about Mr. Tsegaye Tadesse’s reporting and leave your email address)

Sunday, July 15, 2007

The Week in review

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:

- Weekend News and Updates

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The Week in review

TOP STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK

Weekend News and Updates

75 HOUSE CO-SPONSORS AND STILL COUNTING...

We owe Congressman Payne a great debt of gratitude for introducing and sustaining this bill; and without his personal support and attention, his unflagging commitment to freedom, democracy, human rights and accountability in Ethiopia, our efforts would NOT have generated the excitement and anticipation that has now surrounded H.R. 2003 in the U.S. Congress.(More...)

-It should be ‘Good –Feel Time’ for Ethiopia: Not the time to threaten the death Penalty! (Professor Mammo Muchie)
-Siye Abraha: Hopes and expectations (ethiomedia)
-Somali peace conference postponed (BBC)
-Ethiopians in Transformation: Becoming People of Action! (AJC)
-Antethesis of Justice (Lewit)

New Segment on ETP - Judging by the amount of e-mail we received this week regarding our new ‘picture of the day’ segment, it is safe to assume that it has become quite a hit with readers. Thank you for the encouragements and suggestions.

On Thursday, we featured Kibur Ato Kebede Mikael on ‘picture of the day’; this prompted poet Tewodros Abebe to send us this tribute poem he wrote in November of 98’ to this Ethiopian legend. Click here to read.

On a different note, the Kangaroo court is scheduled to give verdict tomorrow on the CUD case; let’s hope that once this stage show (theater) is over that the EPRDF will have the sense to begin the reconciliation process minus the mischief and trickery it is well known for.




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Friday, July 13, 2007

PAYNE SCHEDULES H.R. 2003 FOR MARK-UP

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- What say the ethio-blogosphere
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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(Press release, The coalition for h.r. 2003)

Congressman Donald Payne (seen here with Nelson Mandela) has re-scheduled mark-up of H.R. 2003 for July 18, 2007, at 10:15 a.m. We thank Don Payne for his commitment to freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia.

...Don’t Stop Calling! Don’t Stop Writing! Let’s Get One-Half of the Members of the House to Co-sponsor! There Has Been a Dramatic Increase in the Number of Co-sponsors This Week!

...To Those Who Have Not Joined the Struggle for Human Rights in Ethiopia If you are sitting on the fence thinking that your participation or contribution will not make a difference, or feel success in this legislation is unattainable, take heart in what President Abraham Lincoln said: “The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.”(More...)

What say the ethio-blogosphere

-End the Silence (redeemethiopia)
-Flea (Ersasu)
-On the CUD trial, prosecutor's recommendation (Dagmawi)
-"Abusing the people doesn't make sense"(Enset)

Today's Top HEADLINES

-FIDH: African Commission on Human Rights must make a public declaration before sentences are pronounced on CUD case
-RSF: urges court to disregard prosecutor’s request
-Somali peace hopes elusive as talks kick off
-Opponents of Somalia's Transitional Government to Hold Conference
-Islamists vow to attack Somalia peace meeting
-A Roadside Bomb Blast Targets an Ethiopian Water Truck in Mogadishu
-Ethiopia takes historical Steeplechase title in Ostrava
-Eritrea's last Jew nostalgic for past community

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-SUDAN BOMBING CIVILIAN TARGETS IN DARFUR: ENVOY
-India pushes people power in Africa
-House passes bill to bring U.S. troops home in '08
-The scandal threatening to engulf Chirac
-Report: No Evidence on Indian Doctor
-Thousands protest over Pakistani mosque assault
-He's Here: Beckham Lands In U.S.
-Canadians can now mention bombs, guns at airports


Picture of the day


Click to enlarge
(Traditional court in the oromia region where the Oldest Man Serves as Judge. Ethiopia. L Herbert 1966)

Ethiopia, long considered the cradle of mankind, is also credited by scholars as having developed one of the first egalitarian systems in Africa, thanks to the rich culture of the Oromo.

Professor Donald N. Levine writes;

"The institutions of the gadaa system promoted an ethos of egalitarianism in many ways.....Gadaa structures political relations in an anti-authoritarian direction. It does so through the regular circulation of elites, such that no ruling class is in power for more than eight years....In the gadaa system, hereditary and elected leaders serve complementary but separate roles. Leaders are elected for a single term of finite length, with the expectation that they will turn over the reigns of governance smoothly to a properly appointed successor cohort.

-Learn more about the Gadaa system




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Thursday, July 12, 2007

The Economist: Will the political dissidents be spared?

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- H.R. 2003 campaign (urgent action needed)
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day

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The Economist

...It was a real shock this week when the state prosecutor called for all 38 (Ethiopian opposition leaders) to be put to death. Those facing the firing squad include Hailu Shawel, the elderly head of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), the main opposition party, and Berhanu Nega, the elected mayor of the capital, Addis Ababa.

Surely not, say queasy diplomats, aid types and even many in the Ethiopian government. The prime minister, Meles Zenawi, has made some progress in building infrastructure, tackling poverty and attracting foreign investment. He has even managed to turn himself into a close ally of America by invading Somalia last December to vanquish the Islamist regime in Mogadishu, suspected of harbouring al-Qaeda people. The last thing Mr Zenawi needs now is the terrible publicity, especially in America, that such executions would bring.

..But Ethiopians are stubborn. Most of the 38 dissidents have refused even to recognise the court's legitimacy or to offer a defence. They may be unwilling to sign an apology. Then there is the government's instinct for brutality. In spasms, it has muzzled, beaten and jailed the opposition since the elections of 2005. Thousands of young Ethiopians were sent to prison camps. The press has been stamped on. (More...)

CAMPAIGN TO MARK-UP H.R. 2003 (Urgent Action Needed)

- Who to contact: [List of Foreign affairs committee members]
- Contacting Foreign affairs committee Members by Phone
- Contacting Foreign affairs committee Members by Fax

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Crushing dissent in Ethiopia: von Meijenfeldt
-Threatened Execution of Ethiopian Opposition Should be Opposed: Freedom House
-Siye, The Healer (ethiozagol)
-Transcript of Siye Abraha’s Interview
-Floods hit 7,000 in Ethiopia
-ETHIOPIA: 'Community conversations' opening up the AIDS discussion
-Somali presidential palace targeted as fresh violence kills four
-Bombs, Bandits Hinder Aid to Somalia
-Nigeria female football team faces Ethiopia in must-win match

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-Learning under trees in South Sudan
-Al-Qaida has regained strength, US warns
-Fierce fighting erupts at Lebanon camp
-Russia dismisses new Kosovo resolution
-China to Begin Olympic Food Checks
-BBC apologizes to queen over photo tiff
-George Weah returns to classroom



Picture of the day

Kebede Michael (also spelled Mikael), seen here, was a giant in the field of education and literature in Ethiopia. He wrote a total of 26 books including a wide range of translations from various languages - "Romeo and Juliet" and "Macbeth" of William Shakespeare to name a few. Some of his most famous books include; "Japan Endet Seletenech?", "Teretna Missale", "Ye-Hilina Berhan", "ye-tinbit Qetero" and "Hannibal".

He worked as Director General for the Ministry of Education, as Deputy Director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1942), as Director of the National Library (1944), and as a Cabinet Minster in the Imperial Palace. He received prizes for Literature from Emperor Haileselassie as well as from the governments of France, Germany, Italy, USSR and Mexico. Aleka Dr. Kebede Michael died on 12 November 1998 at the age of 82.

Poems by Kebede Michael




(Sources: mediaethiopia.com, ethiopianmillennium.com, zegabi.blogspot.com)





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