Crooked Bough News Round-up

— News: OLA calls PM Abiy’s remarks on peace talks “ill-timed and misleading”, yet notes “positive signs” for negotiations

 

at 3/29/23 8:02am

0 Facebook 2 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email OLA is led by Kumsa Diriba a.k.a Jaal Marroo. Picture: Screenshot/AS Addis Abeba The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) has said that prime minister Abiy Ahmed’s claim that more than ten attempts were made to negotiate with the group is “inaccurate and depicted that the attempts were “not sincere efforts to engage with OLA leadership.”  In a statement released subsequent to the premier’s remarks. OLA (referred to as “Shene” by the government) pointed out that “the regime deployed several local mediation committees to persuade individual OLA officers to surrender, which ultimately resulted in failure.” Responding to PM Abiy’s claim that his government faced challenges to negotiate with the rebels accusing them of not being “a united force”, OLA said “the regime should not be attempting to develop a new propaganda narrative suggesting that the OLA is too decentralized to negotiate with” further noting that, “the OLAs leadership is the High Command”. Despite calling the premier’s claims “ill-timed and misleading” the rebel group said “there are positive signs that peace talks, with appropriate neutral international third-party mediation, will take place” and reiterated its commitment to dialogue. PM Abiy also indicated that there is an ongoing effort to resolve the near five-years old militarized conflict in the Oromia regional state, noting that the recent call for peace from the Oromia regional state was decided at a party level with the formation of a committee. The Oromia regional state president called for reconciliation with OLA while addressing the 6th regular meeting of Caffee Oromia, the regional council, on 17 February. OLA reciprocated it as “welcome news“, but cautioned that the call lacks clarity. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Oromia Regional State, News, Oromo Liberation Army, OLA]

— Analysis: Ethiopian rights defenders’ call for independent investigations into war-related crimes deterred, as gov’t pushes for transitional justice

 

at 3/29/23 7:12am

0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email A child in the Tigray region receiving medical treatment for injuries after after an aerial bombardment. Picture DW news portal. By Million Beyene @MillionBeyene Addis Abeba – The Ethiopian government has been relentlessly opposing and working to terminate of the UN’s mission of independent investigation into human rights violations committed during the two years devastating war that started in the Tigray region and spread to Afar and Amhara regions, covering whats now commonly referred to as the northern part of Ethiopia. Despite backing off following international pressure, the Ethiopian government had recently submitted a draft resolution to the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council officially asking to end the mandate of UN’s International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE). The draft resolution would have blocked the publication of outcomes of ongoing probe by the commission. From the onset of the commission’s establishment in December 2021, Ethiopia insisted it was established for political purposes and has had an uneasy relationship with it, once accusing it of having “weaponized human rights for political pressure”. Ethiopia’s latest attempt to discredit the ICHREE however, faced opposition by a group of 63 worldwide human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI) who have appealed to the permanent representatives of member and observer states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to reject any resolution forwarded by Ethiopia on the mandate of the UN’s International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE). Unlike the strong support and push for UN mandated independent investigation into rights violations committed during the war from international human rights groups, there has been systematic pressure to deter local rights defenders operating in Ethiopia from making similar calls.  Out of the 63 rights groups that appealed against Ethiopia’s draft motion only two; the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) and Center for Development of Rights and Democracy (CARD) were based in Ethiopia. Yared H/Mariam, a legal expert and head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center told Addis Standard that local rights groups failed to be vocal for independent investigation fearing its consequences as “the position of the government on the issue is political”.  “I believe they choose to remain silent fearing for their existence,” Yared noted. “If the joint report made by the UN’s rights organization and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is not sufficient, a convincing reason should be presented and made public” Tadele Derseh Yemane Zeray, associate professor and director of Tigray’s “Genocide Commission” however, accused rights groups operating in Ethiopia for abandoning the purpose of their establishment and rather becoming tools for the government. He said the civil societies during a recent visit to Mekelle after the peace deal, were asked and challenged by the people, where they have been for the past two years, and leaving the politics aside, why they failed to be a voice for the affected society.  He asks “how can civil associations and human rights advocates that lack courage to promote peace over war dare to call for independent investigation into crimes committed during the war”? Tadele Derseh, vice president of Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Societies consisting of 364 organizations and director of Vision Ethiopia Congress for Democracy (VECOD), however emphasized that the sovereignty of the country should come first and defended the government’s position against the UN’s commission of experts. Tadele added that he believes anyone who violates the law should be prosecuted in order to ensure accountability, but reiterated the need for an approach that respects the sovereignty of the country. “If the joint report made by the UN’s rights organization and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is not sufficient, a convincing reason should be presented and made public”, he said. In November last year a joint investigation by the UN Human Rights Office and Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) revealed that there is reasonable grounds to believe that a number of violations committed during the war may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes, and that they require further investigations to ensure accountability. Despite the outcomes of the joint investigation the international community had moved on to establish the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) in December 2021 to conduct further investigations. Befikadu Hailu, director of the Center for the Development of Rights and Democracy (CARD), one of the two local rights groups who supported the ICHREE, emphasized that the UN led independent investigation has the capacity to cover inaccessible areas and reveal the real extent of violations committed during the war. He added that independent investigation is important to redress victims and survivors as well as to bring the perpetrators to justice. Ethiopia however, expressing its commitment to investigating all cases of violations of human rights and ensuring that victims receive redress within the framework of the Pretoria peace agreement, said the investigation by the commission of experts undermines the agreement and the ongoing transitional justice initiative. Chief commissioner of the state funded Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Daniel Bekele, during the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council said his commission welcomes the peace agreement and its provision to establish comprehensive transitional justice policy, which according to Daniel is inline with the recommendations of the joint investigation. He further called on the council and the international community to “coordinate efforts towards proper designing and effective implementation of a genuine, human rights compliant, holistic and victim centered transitional justice policy for Ethiopia”. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Analysis, Horn of Africa, News, Tigray regional state, Armed Conflict in Tigray, Humanitarian Crisis in Tigray, Politics, Armed conflict in Amhara and Afar state, Africa, Law & Justice]

— News: UN alarms rising cases of Cholera in Ethiopia as death toll reaches 50, 3.3 million people at high-risk

 

at 3/29/23 6:12am

0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email WHO team in Harena Buluk and Berbere woredas of the Bale zone in Southern Oromia, November, 2022 (Photo: WHO) Addis Abeba The UN OCHA has reported further spread of Cholera outbreak to East Bale, Guji and Borena zones of Oromia and Daawa Zone of Somali regions causing the deaths of 50 people with 2,276 total cholera cases registered as of 23 March. According to the report the total cholera caseload has doubled since the end of January 2023, and close to 3.3 million people are now  at high-risk in those affected areas. In January the Cholera outbreak was reported in 66 kebeles of 8 woredas across Bale, Guji and West Arsi zones of Oromia and 2 woredas of Liban zone of Somali regions with a total number of 1,055 cases reported as of 30 January 2023. Currently, the outbreak has spread to 177 kebeles across 22 woredas (of whom 18 in Oromia). Moyale woreda both from Oromia and Somali sides is the latest to report the outbreak.  According to the UN, between 12 and 18 March, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) reported 363 new cholera cases, the highest numbers reported since the beginning of the outbreak in Harana Buluk woreda of Bale Zone of Oromia on 27 August 2022. The UN indicated that urgent additional funds are required to scale up cholera response and preparedness efforts, including increasing water trucking services, rehabilitation of water systems where possible as well as increasing hygiene promotion activities amongst others. Recently medical experts’ association in Oromia had been urging on the seriousness of the cholera outbreak underlining that unless the government and all involved parties do not take immediate action, the situation will continue to worsen and lead to disastrous consequences. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Health, Oromia Regional State, Somali Regional State, Cholera Outbreak, News, United Nations, Oromia, Somali]

— News: Army kills three civilians, severely injures six following protests in Sitti zone, Somali region: local official

 

at 3/29/23 4:25am

0 Facebook 2 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Addis Abeba A local official said three people were killed and six others were severely injured after members of the defense forces fired on a crowd during a protest held in Ayisha district, Sitti Zone of the Somali regional state on Monday, 27 March 2023. A senior government official from the district who asked to be anonymous told Addis Standard that residents of the district who felt that the national army was implicitly supporting security forces from the Afar region in the ongoing border disputes between the two regions were protesting on Sunday and Monday. The official added that the Ethio-Djibouti highway was closed as a result of the protests and members of the army who arrived in the area on Monday demanded for the highway to be opened. “After some confrontations local government officials managed to convince the protesters to open the highway but members of the army suddenly opened fire killing three and injuring six others,” he said. Ali Samire, former head of Somali region Border Affairs and Conflict Resolution Bureau who said that he has been closely following the incident corroborated the officials account on the circumstances of the killing of the three civilians. Press Statement regarding the Cold-blooded Killing of Innocent Civilians by ENDF in Aysha Town, Somali Region. #StopAyshaMassacre pic.twitter.com/wix1IFg1qD— Congress For Somali Cause (@SomaliCause) March 27, 2023 The Congress for Somali Cause (CSC) in a statement on Tuesday strongly denounced what it described as cowardly killing of innocent civilians in Aysha, Sitti Zone. CSC further said that the victims were “peacefully protesting against the ENDFs tacit support for the Afar militia that has been committing heinous crimes, including killing and displacing Somalis from their homes in Adeytu, Garba Issa, and Undufo over the last 5 years”. It called on the federal government to bring to justice those who committed the crime. Sporadic clashes frequently occur especially over the past years between militias from the two regional states on disputed land. In November last year, at least 18 civilians were killed, several others injured in fresh clashes in areas bordering the two regional states, according to a source from the Somali region who spoke with Addis Standard. Security forces from the two regional states have been engaged in clashes after Somali region unilaterally withdrew from a 2014 agreement that saw the handover of three Kebeles (Gadamaytu/Garba Issa, Undafo/Undhufo and Adaytu/Adayti) to the Afar regional state on May, 2019. The area saw multiple Incidents of violence leading up to a serious war of words between officials of the two regions.  Addis Standard’s attempts to get further comments on the latest incident both from the Somali region officials and the ENDF were not successful. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Somali Regional State, News, Afar regional state]

— News: MSF cautions people cut off from healthcare in Omo valley at high risk after outbreak of kala azar, a fatal tropical disease

 

at 3/28/23 6:26am

0 Facebook 1 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Kalkidan Behailu Adere takes the temperature of a young child. As well as kala azar, the teams are seeing malnutrition, malaria and anaemia. Photo: MSF Addis Abeba Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) team in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) said that in late 2022, its team received an alert about an unusually high number of deaths in the south Omo Valley among an isolated group of people from the Mursi community, living in what is now a national park. The Mursi are a small community numbering approximately 7,000 people who live among more than a dozen isolated indigenous groups in Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley. They are largely pastoralists, hunter gatherers, and flood-retreat cultivators. According the MSF, a visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala azar, is affecting many of the Mursi and other indigenous peoples in the area.  “Patients come with a huge swelling of their spleen and liver, with fever, malnutrition and sometimes even bleeding because their bone marrow is affected,” says Hewot Melak, MSF doctor. “[Kala azar] is also among the neglected tropical diseases that can cause a 95 per cent fatality [rate] if not treated. So, you can understand the urgency of finding these cases and putting them on treatment,” says Melak.  After receiving the alert about the deaths in Omo Valley, our teams have been responding to this acutely neglected disease, actively finding and treating 79 patients with visceral leishmaniasis in less than two months. What our teams found after traveling to the South Omo Valley was shocking: an alarmingly high number of kala azar cases amongst this relatively small population with no access to healthcare. Our assessment team also found a high number of people suffering from severe acute malnutrition caused by kala azar – among both children and adults. “We don’t know where it comes from but it kills a lot of people,” says Bicolshe, a community member in South Omo Valley. Another patient, an elderly man named Samakaoulu Kumuhuli Data, shared that he had lost two wives and five children because of the disease.  Kala azar is not only one of the most neglected tropical diseases but also one of deadliest. It is almost always fatal if untreated. The disease has spread to become endemic in many parts of Ethiopia, after first being documented in 1942. More than 3.2 million people across the country are at risk.  Providing life-saving treatment In response, we started visiting the community to actively find kala azar cases and provide urgently needed healthcare services. For many people it was the first time they had seen a doctor, and most had never been vaccinated. “This is the first time most most people here have visited a clinic,” says Tamirat Bantule, MSF doctor. “We have also found several malaria cases… and a lot of cases with nutritional anaemia. We are going to refer them back to the hospital.” When a patient is identified with kala azar, they are referred to the Jinka hospital about 50 km away. Within a few weeks, the capacity of the hospital to treat kala azar was overwhelmed and our teams, alongside staff from the Ministry of Health, set up tents to provide additional space, eventually running a dedicated kala azar ward within the hospital. Despite the complex and painful diagnosis and treatment of the disease, almost all patients treated so far have recovered.  “I decided to take my son to the mobile clinic. The doctors referred us to the hospital here. He got treated. At first I thought he would die, but he made it,” says the mother of a young kala azar patient who was treated at Jinka hospital. Malnutrition and other infections remain a concern With a severe drought affecting large parts of Ethiopia for several years, kala azar is not the only life-threatening risk faced by the many indigenous groups struggling to survive in the South Omo Valley.    “People who are still alive will die because of hunger,” says Samakaoulu Kumuhuli Data during a mobile clinic visit. “There is nothing to eat except for wild leaves. This is what makes us worried.” As well as kala azar and chronic hunger, our teams are concerned about possible measles and cholera outbreaks among the people who have missed out on routine vaccinations. We have extended case-finding activities and basic healthcare services to various parts of the South Omo Valley, while continuing to increase the capacity to diagnose and treat kala azar at the Jinka hospital. MSF

[Category: Ethiopia, Horn of Africa, Ethiopia Crisis, News, SNNPR, Africa, Social Affairs]

— News: PM Abiy endures tough questions from MPs including on whether he would consider to resign

 

at 3/28/23 2:09am

0 Facebook 1 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Addis Abeba Members of parliament are forwarding tough questions to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who is at the House to present the governments six-month report for the current fiscal year to the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR) at the 11th regular session of the House. Parliamentarians have so far asked critical questions, including, but not limited to, lack of peace and security throughout the country, the rising cost of living, lack of safety and and security of civilians, the countrys sovereignty, lack of good governance and development. Christian Tadelle, an MP representing the opposition National Movement of Amhara (NAMA), has asked the PM on whether he is considering to resign in the face of what the MP said was presiding over a government accused of gross human rights violations. How ready are you to be held accountable for crimes against humanity and identity-based crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing and identity theft? MP Christian said. The MP also blamed the PM that instead of responding to questions asked, he deflects into comments that denigrate the questioners blaming questioners of hating the nation he came from or plotting to state a coup. When I ask you this question, it is not out of hatred for the nation you represent, he said. Furthermore, MP Christian charged the government of being the primary source of insecurity in the country. Other MP have confronted the PM with questions of the gradual erosion of solidarity among nations, proliferation of armed forces and illegal weapons; lack of free movement of civilians in various parts of the country. Earlier at the start of the questions session, MP Abdulsemed Hussein has asked the PM on whether or the government has any plans to resolve the ongoing militarized conflict in Oromia regional state after recent calls to end the conflict through peaceful resolution. In the last three years in the Oromia region; in West and South Oromia, many lives and properties have been and continue to be destroyed in the ongoing conflict with the armed forces. According to the Oromia regional governments call for a peaceful resolution of this conflict, and despite a positive response by the leadership of OLF/Shene of accepting the call, no meaningful peace process has been undertaken or perceived to be undertaken by either side. What kind of strategy is the federal government following to solve the problem that caused the lack of peace and to bring real peace? he asked. Moga Ababulga, another MP, has raised concern on what he said were the proliferation of illegal armed forces and illegal weapons from different parts of the country being organized into Addis Abeba city to make our capital a center of violence and chaos including through campaigning and financing to take power from the government that was built by the sacrifices of the people. MP Moga asked the PM: what is being done by the government to fight these forces of destruction? MP Semegn Sahlu, tackled the growing problem of bringing prosperity between Amhara and Oromia regions and polarizing statements from politicians of the two region. There is a sense of confusion, she said, adding tha in the Oromia region, displacement, persecution and death are still continuing. She also raised the issues of people from the Amhara region being prevented from entering Addis Abeba including patients who were sent to Addis Abeba for treatment bur |died on the way because they were prevented from the city. Additionally, farmers are still not selling their produce to the market, especially to Addis Abeba, she said. Dr. Kefena Ifa, another MP, asked about parties who are vehemently opposed to the prospect of peace between the federal government and the TPLF as well as possibilities of peace between the government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). What do these people lose if there is peace?…What do they lose if there is peace with Shene? he asked and stated the large-scale destruction and damage caused by the war in the Oromia region on the economy, politics, and social life. The people are being abused a lot. Recently, the Oromia National Regional Government has called for peace with the militants operating in the Oromia region, he said and asked where has this call for peace reached so far? and that or people are eagerly waiting for this peace negotiation including with with prayers. Several other tough questions are raised to the PM, who is starting to address them. Editors Note: This story will be update by including additional questions and the PMs responses.

[Category: Ethiopia, News, PM Abiy Ahmed, Politics, Law & Justice]

— News: Severe shortage of humanitarian needs amid surging number of IDPs in Debre Berhan, Amhara region

 

at 3/28/23 12:30am

1 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Internally displaced persons in Amhara Region, Ethiopia, October 2021. Photo: Workers World Addis Abeba Over 30,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the Amhara regional state, Debre Berhan city, who were uprooted from their neighborhoods in West Shewa, East, and West Wollega, etc., are facing severe and chronic food, shelter, and other humanitarian shortages, according to IDPs and local officials. People have been arriving in Debre Berhan after being banished from their villages for the past three years from the particular places, yet, there is a severe lack of resources to meet basic humanitarian requirements, Berhanu Zewdu, director of Disaster pre-warning and response Agency of Amhara region told Addis Standard. IDPs in Debre Berhan are preserved in six camps in government and private factories. China camp, an edible oil factory operated by Chinese businessmen, is among the six camps housing close to 20,000 IDPs from the four Wollega zones: Horo Guduru, Kelem, East Wollega, and West Wollega. Nigussie Wubetu, 38, father of a daughter, is among the IDPs in a China camp, displaced from East Wollega Sibu Sire Woreda Cheri Kebele, a neighborhood where he established his household. Nigussie, who has been displaced for more than a year, used to support his family through farming and commerce. He produces and sells pepper, maize, and teff. He also earned extra income by renting out barbershops to men. Being a victim and survivor of alleged attack against Amhara minorities in the area by the Oromo Liberation Army (Commonly referred to by the government as “OLF/Shene’) that occurred a year ago, Nigussie has seen many abducted, killed, and looted by the army including himself. “I used to produce good, I had a stable house and income. I left all that,” said Nigussie. “We do not get enough support here.” Considering the size of their families, the IDPs at the China Camp receive 15 kilos of wheat a month he noted. IDPs in the camp have been maintained for over two years including the newcomers. Since mid-February, more than 3000 IDPs have come to the camp, especially from West and East Wollega according to Berhanu. “The newly displaced are currently housed in tarpaulin shelters merely to keep them safe from the rain and the cold because there is nowhere to put them,” said Girma Dibab, coordinator for the displaced committee. “We are offered every three to four months,” said Girma. “There are many children, mothers, and disabled at risk.” According to Girma, the support from the government is not timely and sufficient. The aid collected from the community, investors, humanitarian organizations, and individuals living in foreign countries is what is being distributed to the displaced. The standard scale is a minimum of 3 to 4 quintals of wheat every 45 days to provide and sustain adequate food support to the displaced. Echoeing Girma, Berhanu said Zewdu, the number of displaced people in Debre Berhan is increasing and all services including water and health facilities are provided by North Shewa Zone. Due to the huge shortage, they are directing all the support there that comes in. “We are requesting the government and other stakeholders to find a charity and non-governmental partners to support the IDPs” he said. Temporary tarpaulin centers for sheltering purposes are constructed by UNHCR, and Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), a Non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting at times of crisis overseas, according to Simon Tafes, coordinator at the China Camp. “We have been getting better support from the government only in the recent three months,” said Simon. “At least we did not lose anyone yet.” However, food, shelter, and essential non-food assistance such as clothing, health service, water, and protection are urgently required for IDPs in the entire Amhara region. Berhanu stressed that returning the displaced people to their previous life and environment is the permanent solution. The Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC), in January, revised the classification of 104 hotspot woredas in Amhara hosting more than 600,000 IDPs, of which 43 are priority one, 39 are priority two, and 22 are priority three. All woredas of Wag Hamra and North Wello zones and a majority in North Gondar, South Wello (with more than 200,000 returned IDPs) as well as Oromo Special Zone are classified as priority one. Displacement and shortage of food have also led to high malnutrition rates in the region. Despite the high needs, 21 woredas have been identified as lacking nutrition partners’ presence due to funding shortages. According to OCHA, in West Gojam Zone, more than 298,400 IDPs remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, joint Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment reported in February. Some of these IDPs have been displaced since 2018 due to violence in Benishangul Gumuz and western Oromia regions. In mid-last year, the UN humanitarian report stated “a marked increase of new arrivals (more than 20, 500 people)” is reported across Amhara region due to “the current hostilities in Western Oromia.” In December last year, more than 4, 000 civilians from the Amhara community who fled attacks in Kiremu district and trekked to Bahir Dar City, the capital of Amhara regional state, after enduring days of suffering were reported to be in need of urgent aid. The residents say they reached Bahir Dar after three days of travels on foot fleeing attacks perpetrated against them by the rebel group Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which they call “OLF/Shane” and the regional government security forces. In parallel, July last year, more than 150 civilian members of Amhara community are reported to have been killed in what Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said was a “new massacre” in Kellem Wollega environs, in western Oromia regional state. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed blamed the killings on “Shene group”, and vowed to “eliminate” the group he called “a terrorist group.” AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Human Rights, Horn of Africa, Amhara Regional State, News, Food Security, Oromo Liberation Front, Oromo Liberation Army, Politics, Africa, Social Affairs]

— News: Security forces detain journalist Getnet Ashgare

 

at 3/27/23 9:12am

1 Facebook 2 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Journalist Getnet Ashagre Photo: Social Media Addis Abeba – Journalist Getnat Ashagre, editor-in-chief of Amhara Voice Media, has been detained by security forces on Sunday 17 March from his residence in Addis Abeba, Emebet Tadesse, his sister, told Addis Standard. Getenet was picked up by security forces as he was returning home and was told he was needed for an investigation, according to Emebet. All of his work belongings that were at home have also been taken away by the security forces. Emebet visited her brother at the Federal Police Criminal Investigation Office today and was told that he was being investigated. Journalist Gobeze Sisay, his colleague, confirmed to Addis Standard that Getnet was detained by security personnel and that several pieces of media equipment had also been taken along, ostensibly for an investigation. Gobeze claimed that recently, online media organizations equipment, particularly cameras and laptops, were being stolen; “considering this we recommended Getnet to take the equipment home and bring them along on workdays.” He further says that the reason for Getnet’s detention has not been disclosed yet and that he was merely brought into detention because he was needed for an investigation. “There is none that could lead to his detention,” he said. Getnet has been covering attacks against Amhara communities in Wollega, western Oromia, and subsequent displacements as well as the demolition of houses by officials in the newly established Sheger city of the Oromia regional state, on the outskirts of Addis Abeba. Victims accuse the officials of ethnic prejudice during the demolishing campaign. Earlier, two media personalities, Tewodros Asfaw, journalist and political analyst and Deacon Yosef Ketema, a journalist for EOTC Afaan Oromoo broadcast service, have been detained by security forces last month in relation to the schism within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) and the ensuing unrest. They were later released on bail. In this regard, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) urged the Ethiopian authorities to immediately release journalist Yene Wolde, Gurage Media Network, and prevent from detaining any press personnel merely for their work. Voice of Amhara Media is operating after securing licenses from the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority and Getnet used to work at a television station called Yegna. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Human Rights, Horn of Africa, News, Media, Ethiopian Journalists, Security, Politics, Africa, Social Affairs]

— Analysis: EFFORT says four factories completely demolished during war, as industries in Tigray gear up to resume production

 

at 3/27/23 8:13am

0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Moha Soft Drinks Industry S.C, Mekelle branch resumed production in February (Photo: DW) By Mihret G Kristos @MercyG_kirstos Addis Abeba – Industries in the war torn Tigray region are dusting off to return to production while some have already partially resumed operations following the peace deal that culminated the two-year atrocious war between the federal government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) last November. Messebo Cement Factory, one of the largest cement plants in the country is among the industries affected by the war and was forced to close for almost two years. Teame Kebede, deputy managing director of Messebo, told Addis Standard that the factory survived significant damages it encountered due to the war, and resumed operation at half of its capacity. Teame said lack of foreign currency to replace the damaged spare parts is holding the factory from producing at full capacity, adding that “if these issues can be resolved quickly, we will be back at full capacity”. Moha Soft Drinks Industry S.C, Mekelle branch and Raya Brewery which is a subsidiary of BGI Ethiopia among other industries have also announced resumption of operations after cessation the two years of hostilities. But for the most part, factories in the Tigray region have been completely destroyed leaving thousands of their employees in despair. Four subsidiary factories of Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT), a leading conglomerate based in the region, have been completely knocked down while other possessions lie in ruins as a sequel of the war. A senior member of the management for EFFORT who asked not to be named told Addis Standard that Almeda Textile PLC, Saba Stone, Ezana Mining Development PLC, and Sheba Leather Industry PLC, have been fully destroyed, adding that For the factories to be back to operations, complete reconstruction is required. “All the machinery was robbed and buildings burned down. It requires a huge amount of budget to rebuild these factories,” he noted. Almeda Textile Factory sustained heavy damages in the War, Pictures dated December 2021 Established in 1995 with seed money contributed by the TPLF, EFFORT is one of the four endowment companies that are active in the national economy, and each owned by the four former EPRDF coalition parties. Following the outbreak of the war in November 2020, the EFFORT subsidiary companies ceased operations, and there has been outrageous looting and destruction in most of the factories, some fully and others at partial levels.  Almeda Textile PLC, established in February 1996, allocated 86 million Birr for its expansion project seven years ago to increase production capacity by 100 percent with the expansion being focused mainly on replacing machinery with the latest products. “If there would be any chance to come back from this situation and get my job back, I won’t hesitate” Maereg G/egziabher, former employee of Almeda textiles The textile factory, also one of the biggest in the country, was based in Adwa employing over 5000, with women making up 70 percent of the workforce. Maereg G/egziabher, 58, a mother of two, has been working in the factory since its establishment for over two decades until two years ago when war broke out in Tigray. It has now been two years since she received her paycheck.   “Darkness falls, I was in despair not knowing what to do,” said Meareg. “I hardly managed my family.” Maereg is among thousands of the factorys employees who were struggling to make ends meet and were in a devastating state owing to hunger. “If there would be any chance to come back from this situation and get my job back, I won’t hesitate,” said Meareg, who was living off of her old friends.  Aregawi Girmay, operations manager at Almeda textiles, told Addis Standard that thousands of employees’ futures have been put in jeopardy since the re-establishment of the factory will require huge investment. He saw the factory bombed after the second-round war resumed in August 2022. “Machinery and other materials have been robbed and the rest destroyed,” he said, noting that “the whereabouts of some of the employees are also unknown.” Aregawi advises that the federal and regional governments must step in and take action in sustaining the workers lives. Unlike Almeda which saw absolute destruction some companies of EFFORT such as Mesfin Industrial Engineering, Trans Ethiopia, and Maichew Particleboard Manufacturing PLC, which were partially harmed by the war in Mekelle and its surroundings may soon resume production at half of their capacity. Although the factories have lost over 400 million Birr in the last two years owing to the war, the senior member of management at EFFORT expressed hope that their  resumption of businesses will help its employees get back on their feet and assist the region recover economically. The regions economy has experienced a significant disruption since the start of the catastrophic conflict, especially in the investment sectors including infrastructure, manufacturing, and agriculture. Although some factories can be readily rebuilt and put back into operation, most have been completely destroyed, according to Daniel Mekonen, Commissioner of the Tigray Investment and Export Commission. The southern and Southeastern Tigray saw the largest agricultural investment, while in the Eastern region, investors grew sesame and millet covering over 160 hectares, which used to be among Ethiopias primary source of foreign currency and employment. “Factories invested with huge capital were demolished by military forces including the Eritrean army and Fano,” said Daniel. According to him an independent commission called Tigray Genocide Commission has been established to assess the amount of destruction on human and properties, including the macro and micro industries. AS

[Category: Analysis, News, Tigray regional state, Armed Conflict in Tigray, Society & Economy, Tigray]

— News: Heavy flood kills seven in drought ravaged Dawa zone, Somali region, displace IDPs reeling from drought

 

at 3/27/23 5:18am

0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Goats that sustained the drought but killed by the flood, IDP settlements drowned again displacing drought victims in Dawa (Picture – Residents) By Medihane Ekubamichael @Medihane Addis Abeba – Another disaster has claimed the lives of seven people after a long-awaited rain in the drought hit districts of Dawa zone, Somali region caused a devastating flood. A heavy rain between March 20 to 23 in all the four districts of the zone turned into heavy flooding that affected more than 4500 people and forced half of them to be displaced from their settlements, a local official told Addis Standard. Hassan Mohamod, Hudet District Disaster Risk Management (DRM) coordinator from the very scene, told Addis Standard that the death toll has reached 7 so far while thousands are forced to be displaced even from the former drought response IDP camps. According to Hassan four are dead in Booji and one in Hilaal kebeles of Kadaduma district, while one in El Gof kebele of Moyale woreda and another one in Hudet district 03 kebele. The heavy flood that has seriously impacted the communities who have already been reeling by the prolonged drought additionally killed 4215 livestock, destroyed more than 2000 quintals of different food items, 660 houses, toilets, and kebele and zonal administration office have been damaged in different districts, while 33 ponds have been over flooded in Kadaduma district alone. Addis Standard learned that there has been no emergency response to address the incident and food, shelter and water treatment chemicals are needed to reach affected people. The heavy rain that came following the onset of the autumn precipitation started to drop around mid of March causing a rushing and sudden flow of rivers that were completely dried out for a very long time especially over the past four years. Men climbed up on a tree escape flooding until help arrives in Lehey kebele, Moyale woreda (center) – Picture: Hassan Mohamed Aden, a resident in El Gofa kebele confirmed to Addis Standard  that the rain has flooded the IDPs’ plastic shelters pushing the settlers to nearby high ground. Ali Ibrahim, resident in Moyale and concerned citizen who has closely witnessed the drought and the current flooding incidents shared his concern that the zones poor infrastructure development, especially in terms of lack of proper road construction into different kebeles throughout the Dawa zone, could complicate efforts to reach affected people. In the adjacent Borena zone of the Oromia regional state the flooding has also ruined livelihoods causing the death of hundreds of livestock. A resident in Dhaas district of the zone told the BBC’s Afaan Oromoo service that he lost 63 goats to the flooding last week. Local officials are yet to determine the overall damage caused by the flooding in the zone. Meanwhile, last week, the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute had announced that the drought and flood disasters that are occurring in various areas in Ethiopia may continue to worsen in the coming weeks. As attested by the Deputy Director General of the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute, Kenfe Hailemariam, in his opening speech at the 62nd International Meteorology Day celebrated in Ethiopia for the 42nd times; studies conducted by the institute show that drought and flood disasters will continue to intensify in the country. He said that in order to deal with the danger, a strong weather monitoring, forecasting and early warning system should be built and updated. He also indicated the institution’s effort towards working diligently to protect the society from disasters by conducting monitoring and research to reduce the risks of climate disturbances expected to occur in different areas of Ethiopia, such as floods, droughts, etc. He pointed out that climate change is predicted to occur in all continents in the next ten years, adding that intensified heat waves, extended hot spells, and cold spells are predicted. About a week ago, various people, including woreda officials and people settling at IDP camps expressed their fear to Addis Standard indicating that their plastic shelters are very difficult to live in [both during sunny and rainy days], and if the then sign of rain is to hold, the shelters were not going to withstand.  In another related development, by the end of last week, a cholera outbreak was reported where five were dead in Moyale town, and nearby districts sharing the border with Kenya. The town’s health bureau official expressed concern that the outbreak could be exacerbated by the current rainfall. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Ethiopia Drought, Oromia Regional State, Somali Regional State, News, Floods]

— News: Tigray interim president sets out regional territorial integrity, justice, IDPs as priorities as interim administration assume power

 

at 3/25/23 3:45am

0 Facebook 1 Twitter 1 Telegram 0 Email Getchew Reda, incoming interim president of Tigray (Photo: Tigray Television) Addis Abeba – In his first press briefing as president of the Tigray region interim administration, Getachew Reda announced on Friday that the interim administration has officially started its work, noting that the interim administrations primary objective is to protect territorial integrity and existence of Tigray for which the people of Tigray paid ultimate sacrifices.  He said several provinces of Tigray are still under the occupation of the Eritrean and Amhara forces, and emphasized that completing the withdrawal from the region of the Eritrean army and Amhara militants, and stopping the ongoing crimes being committed on civilians in the occupied areas is the responsibility of the federal government.  West Tigray, South Tigray, North-West Tigray should be restored and if there is a question, it should be resolved only through the constitution,  Getachew said, adding that, I would like to entrust the security forces of the Amhara region to understand this and refrain from activities that hinder the peace process that. He noted that “despite its many flaws”, the peace that has been negotiated between the federal government and the Tigrayan authorities “must not be reversed, stopped or hindered”. He also underlined that the IDPs displaced from areas still under the occupation of Eritrean and Amhara forces must return to their homes immediately, and that there is still much work that needs to be done in that regard.  Speaking to regional DW after the presser, about delivering justice to the victims of the two years war Getachew said unless the question of justice is addressed properly, peace and political solution can not be fully and permanently ensured. He noted the incapability of the national justice system to deliver justice to the victims of crimes committed during the Tigray war, citing as an example the impossibility of ensuring accountability through the national justice system for the crimes committed by Eritrean troops. Getachew emphasized the need to have reconciliation and healing through transitional justice at the national level, but reiterated that wouldn’t be sufficient to ensure justice and accountability for the crimes committed in Tigray. On 17 March, Getachew Reda, member of the TPLF’s Executive Committee was elected to lead the interim administration of the regional state, with 18 votes out of the 41 members of the TPLF’s central Committee. On Thursday the Office Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ahmed said PM Abiy has “appointed” Getachew Reda as head of the Interim Regional Administration (IRA) of Tigray regional state. According to the PM’s office, the council of Ministers met on Saturday 18 March and enacted a guideline to establish “Inclusive Interim Regional Administration of Tigray”, adding that PM Abiy’s decision to appoint Getachew to lead Tigray region’s interim administration was based on the provision of the guideline article 3(2). PM Abiy’s announcement today followed yesterday’s decision by the Ethiopian House of Peoples Representatives (HoPR) to de-list the TPLF from its terrorist designation list. The decision was approved by a majority vote, 61 against, and five abstentions. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, News, Tigray regional state, Politics, Tigray, IRA]

— News: Orthodox Synod pushes back against “new illegal regional structure” in Tigray; asks interim admin, religious leaders to play role to keep Church’s “institutional unity”

 

at 3/24/23 10:30am

2 Facebook 1 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Abune Pertos,, Head of the Holy Synod Secretariat, reading the statement this afternoon. Picture: EOTC TV Addis Abeba In a statement released this afternoon, the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church (EOTC) in Addis Abeba has said religious leaders in the Tigray region created a new illegal regional structure called Menber Selama Tigray Archdiocese office in a way that violates the institutional unity and existing structural organization of our church. The Synod also said that religious leaders in Tigray appointed bishops for dioceses abroad against what is clearly stipulated in the churchs constitution, which dictates bishops can be appointed in all dioceses by the decision of the plenary session of the Holy Synod and the signature of His Holiness the Patriarch. While His Holiness the Patriarch is still in office and the Synods unity is strong, the religious leaders in the Tigray region deliberately violated the canonical and administrative procedures of the Church by appointing bishops for dioceses abroad without the Holy Synods decision and without the Holy Patriarchs signature. The Synods complaint came after the news that the See of Selama Kessate Beharan Archdiocese, Tigray Orthodox Tewahdo Church, a newly organized structure in the Tigray region, appointed Archbishops to serve the Tigrayan diaspora in USA, Europe,Canada, Australia and dioceses organized under the Tigray Orthodox Tewahdo Church. In the great Diocese of Tigray, which is the foundation of faith and history, such a structure that endangers our church and saddens all the followers of the faith in the world is a behavior that is not suitable for the historical people and scholars of Tigray, the Synod said. On 09 February, the Tigray Orthodox Church Council of Bishops held a joint meeting in which they have issued a rejection to an earlier call made by the Holy Synod’s Secretariat requesting for talks of reconciliation and normalization of relations between the Synod in Addis Abeba and Tigray Orthodox Church. In a joint statement by members of the the Council of Bishops of Tigray Orthodox Church: Abune Isaias, Archbishop of Tigray’s capital city of Mekelle and Southern Tigray Diocese and newly appointed Chairperson of the See of Selama Kesate Berhan Orthodox Tewahedo Church Assembly of Tigray; Abune Makaryos, Archbishop of Axum Central Tigray Zone Diocese & Member of the Assembly; Abune Merha Christos, Archbishop of the Eastern Zone – Archbishop of Adigrat and Southern Tigray Maychew Diocese & Member of the Congregation; and Abune Petros, Archbishop of the Holy Trinity Northwest Tigray and West Tigray Setit Humera Diocese, Member of the Assembly, acknowledged receipt of the letter from the Holy Synod Office but declined the call stating lists of wrongdoings they accused the Synod of, including, endorsing what they said was a “war of genocide” that was declared on the people of Tigray, and explaining why they find it difficult to mend relations with the Synod in Addis Abeba. It was on 07 May 2021 that the Archbishops in Tigray announced the formation of the new Tigray Orthodox Church, effectively cutting ties with the EOTC Holy Synod in Addis Abeba. The archbishops of Tigray said their decision to severe ties with the Synod was as a result of the its silence while many priests were killed, monasteries and churches in Tigray were destroyed and religious heritages were looted during the war. In its statement today, the Synod denied the accusations, including the withholding of the budget for the Tigray region. It is known that there is no decision by the Holy Synod not to send the budget of the Diocese in the Tigray region, and it is known that the communication was cut off due to the suspension of banking services due to the civil war, the Synod said. It also said that in a letter signed by His Holiness the Patriarch, we expressed the grief and sorrow felt by the Holy Church following the war and the problem caused by not being financially accessible to the Diocese during the crisis, it said. Referring to the recent schism that threatened to breakup up the Church, the Synod said that at a time it is working with great responsibility to resolve the challenge and to strengthen the Synod unity unity of the church such an act from the people of faith and scholars of Tigray, who are the basis of history is not appropriate. We urge for it to be stopped immediately. The Synod said it has called for an emergency meeting to take place next week on 30 March to discuss and decide on the general structural problems in the region and the general problems that have happened to our church, and it called upon the bishops in the Tigray region who are assigned by the Holy Synod to attend the emergency meeting and participate in the discussion to solve the regional problem. While expressing its readiness to solve the challenges, the Synod also pleaded with the newly established Interim Regional Administration (IRA) of Tigray, to play its role in stopping the organizational structure that violates the institutional unity and the canon of the religion to maintain the institutional unity of our church. Finally, the Synod also called on all the believers in the Tigray region to play a part in prayers and vows to stop the canonical violations and illegal organization just as you have been steadfast in prayers and vows, so that the challenge that has happened to our church can be removed and its unity to remain strong. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Horn of Africa, News, Tigray regional state, Religion, EOTC, Politics, Africa]

— News: New cross-border Cholera outbreak kills five in Moyale town, vicinity areas

 

at 3/24/23 8:04am

0 Facebook 1 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Cholera Treatment Center (CTC) at Moyale town (Picture: Boru Huka) By Medihane Ekubamichael @Medihane Addis Abeba – A new cholera outbreak since the last two weeks has so far claimed the lives of five people in Moyale town, in the Ethio-Kenyan border. Borena Zone, Moyale town Health Office Head, Boru Huka confirmed to Addis Standard the death of the five people from the outbreak so far; two of them died in the Cholera Treatment Center (CTC) at Moyale town, while the three others were reported to have died dead before reaching the CTC. According to Boru, the case has been rising with up 15 cases per day. The number of confirmed cases has now reached of 50 and the patients are receiving isolated treatment at the CTC. Boru said that the cholera outbreak occurred through cross border transmission from neighboring Kenya, which earlier reported the outbreak from its side. According to Boru, the Moyale town is prone to such cross border contagious outbreaks due to movement of border crossing laborers.  Boru added that sufficient works were being done by the town’s administration to control the outbreak and works are being coordinated along with the neighboring Somali regional health sectors. However, he indicated that the recent outbreak may be exacerbated by the current rainfall. Moyale town sees the very first rain in autumn after long wait through the drought. Rain drags litter and on the main road connecting the town to Kenya. (Picture: Addis Standard) Abdireshid Ibrahim Aden, Dawa zone disaster risk management coordinator from the Somali region side, however told Addis Standard that they are waiting for the confirmation of the cases from samples sent to Hawassa, and that there was death report yet. The zone shares Moyale town as administrative seat with Oromia regions Borena zone. On the other hand, the DW cited Mesfen Wosen, Public Health Risk Coordinator at the EPHI who disclosed that 44 people have died so far due to cholera outbreak in different zones of Oromia and Somali regions that are affected by the severe drought. The rain that is falling now is seasonal, especially in the areas of our country which are the main and second rainy season of autumn. It will continue to strengthen. Drought occurred in 4 regions of Ethiopia, not only causing serious problems for people and animals, but also causing infectious diseases and epidemics that caused food and water shortages. The death of 44 people due to cholera in Oromia and Somali regions is an example of this, Mesfen said. Meanwhile, according to the latest Situation Report by Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Cholera outbreak in Oromia and Somali regions has continued to expand across neighboring woredas (most recently in Goro Dola, Guji Zone). OCHA in its report, cited the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), where an estimated 1,896 cases have been reported as of 14 March, higher by nearly 60 percent from cases reported in February. Fourteen woredas (11 in Oromia, 3 in Somali) have been affected. The recurring cholera outbreak has been a serious concern due to the areas identified are highly affected by the prolonged drought and the cholera prevalence peaks when the communities try to quench their thirst with the water from the recently dropping rain.   Recently medical experts’ association in Oromia had been urging on the seriousness of the cholera outbreak underlining that unless the government and all involved parties do not take immediate action, the situation will continue to worsen and lead to disastrous consequences. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Health, Oromia Regional State, Somali Regional State, Cholera Outbreak, News, Op/Ed]

— Obituary: Tewelde Berhan Gebre Egzeabher: A scientist larger than life

 

at 3/24/23 4:28am

0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Tewelde Berhan Gebre Egzeabher (PhD) dies at 83 (Photo: Right Livelihood) By Molla Mitiku @MollaAyenew Addis Abeba Beyond his achievements in academia both at Addis Abeba and Asmara Universities as a lecturer, dean and a president respectively, the worldwide renowned biodiversity scientist, Tewelde Berhan Gebre Egzeabher (PhD), was known for his impact in bettering the livelihood and community rights in the African continent and farmers around the world. Family and intimate friends of Tewelde announced his passing away on 20 March. He was 83. His death triggered overwhelming messages of condolences from around the country. It is a loss of a celebrated scientist. Family and schooling Tewolde Berhan was born on 19 February 1940 at Adi-Salam, a small village near Adwa town in the Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia. As his father and mother were devout church goers, they bad special attention about educating their children that enabled Tewolde Berhan to become fluent in Geez, Amharic and his mother tongue, Tigrinya, even before his enrollment in a formal education. He had attended his education at Negeste Saba Elementary School from 1951 to 1955 and General Wingate Secondary School from 1955 to 1959 in Addis Abeba. According to his biography published on the United Nations Environment Protection Website, he won the Chancellors gold medal which was given for best performing university students when he graduated from AAU Faculty of Science. He continued his education abroad and studied for his third degree from 1966 to 1969 and was awarded a PhD at the School of Plant Biology, University of North Wales in the United Kingdom with a doctorate in plant ecology. The late scientist had three children from his late wife Sue Edwards, who passed away five years ago at the age of 76. Born on 14 June 1942 in Dartford, Kent, Sue Edwards was the prominent British-Ethiopian botanist and environmentalist who came to Ethiopia in 1968 and had served at the Institute of Agricultural Research and lecturing at Addis Abeba University for many years. She had made massive contribution to botany where she devoted some 29 years to accomplish the field collection of herbaria and editing the 8 volume, 9000 species rich Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Sue was also an active participant in sustainable agricultural practices and land reclamation in aid of farming communities and won international awards like the National Green Awards (2007), Gothenburg Award and One World Lifetime Achievement Award (2017). The power couple worked for biodiversity and supported peasants in their struggle for a decent livelihood.  Sue was also engaged in the activities of her scientist husband at the national and international level. These two renowned scientists are survived by their three daughters who are also of high caliber. Sarah Tewelde Berhan (PhD), is a lecturer at Mekelle University College of Agriculture, Meron Tewelde Berhan is a novelist, and Lemlem Tewelde Berhan (PhD), is a paediatric doctor residing in London. Ethiopias biodiversity negotiator According to his colleagues, the academic contributions of Tewelde Berhan were so immense that he served as an instructor and dean at Addis Abeba University (AAU) and as a president of Asmara University. He played a key role in launching the Ethiopian Flora Project with the aim of developing a national capacity in plant systematic and a competent national institution for research and services in this field. He had also a success story in negotiating a substantial grant for the development of tertiary science education in the applied fields. He was the first extraordinary botanist in Ethiopia. According to the United Nations Environmental Program, Tewelde Berhan had also shouldered responsibilities outside the academia; between 1972 and 1982 he led International Development Research Center United Nations University (IDRC-UNU) sponsored research project entitled Research and Development in Rural Settings. In 1991, he took up the position of Director for the Ethiopian National Conservation Strategy Secretariat and developed a National Conservation Strategy in a participatory manner. In 1995, he was appointed General Manager for Ethiopias Environmental Protection Authority. Tewelde Berhan was a compassionate academician, innovative researcher and an extraordinary scientist of biodiversity Sebsibe Demissew Tewelde Berhans international career spans from negotiator for Ethiopia and the developing countries on biodiversity and biotechnology, to Chief negotiator of the African Group, and bureau member in the revision of the international undertaking on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture; he was also chief negotiator of the African and Like-Minded Group as well as bureau member in the Biosafety Working Group negotiations on a Biosafety Protocol for the Convention on Biological Diversity. Sebsibe Demissew, a professor of plant systematic and biodiversity at AAU and who was one of his students and then later his colleague, has shared his views about this prolific scientist with Addis Standard. Tewelde Berhan was a compassionate academician, innovative researcher and an extraordinary scientist of biodiversity, Sebsibe said. [Some] 60 unfortunate children who had financial problems were brought up, educated by him until they managed their life independently Zenebe Wolla He was generous in sharing his knowledge too; he had trained tens of thousands of students at the first, second, and third-degree levels in Addis Abeba and Asmara Universities; many of his students are currently serving their country and people in various sectors. He is gone but not forgotten due to his extraordinary and incredible contributions, Sebsibe said. Tewelde Berhan was the most compassionate person who had brought up and educated more than 60 children who otherwise wouldnt have any other support system. There is no one who can capture the story of the late scientist than Journalist and Author Zenebe Wolla. Zenebe has authored and published a book titled Hero of our Earth on the life of Tewelde Berhan. [Some] 60 unfortunate children who had financial problems were brought up, educated by him until they managed their life independently, Zenebe told Addis Standard. Kindeya Gebrehiwot (Prof.), former president of Mekelle University and the spouse of one of Tewelde Berhans daughter, described him as a world-class mind, an extraordinary scientist, charismatic leader, extremely human and innovative environmentalist who contributed a lot to his country, continent and the world, Kindeya told Addis Standard. Kindeya recalled an incident when the late scientist forgave to a person who shot him with a pistol and severely injured him while he was the president of Asmara University. Tewelde Berhan was endowed with a kind heart, even he forgave to his [shooter] and let him free from going to jail; this is one simple indication of the extent of his kindness and humanity, a mourning Kindeya testified. His devotion as an environmentalist and contributions to biodiversity and community rights had benefited more than 1.4 billion farmers if we, for instance, considered each of them with average five family members; we can imagine how many people could be saved by him, Zenebe witnessed. Tewelde Berhan had attended various forums, negotiations including at the UK House of Commons, and given global speeches on environmental protection and ecology. The profoundly saddened Zenebe recalled the efforts the late scientist had made to resolve the problem millions of farmers faced in productivity due to the scarcity of fertilizer. Along with his late wife, Sue Edwards, Tewelde Berhan had devoted his life to find ways of alleviating challenges of the Ethiopian peasantry in maximizing their productivity using natural compost. [Tewelde Berhan] persuaded the international debates that resulted in the endorsement of three basic conventions: the conventions of Biological Diversity and the Food and Agriculture Organization, community rights as well as trade related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights” Teshome Hunduma (PhD) He presented his recommendations based on his analytical research on the production of compost fertilizer not only in a bid to reduce the foreign currency allocated by the country to buy fertilizer every year but also to benefit millions of Ethiopian farmers with the available resource in their hand, which was successfully tested in his birthplace Adwa. However, this was the saddest side of the scientist that due to the passive response from the government of the time, it hadnt been yet carried out. As a result, Ethiopia [continued] importing fertilizer, Zenebe regretted. Teshome Hunduma (PhD), Post-Doctoral Researcher at Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway, is another academic who poke to Addis standard on the lifelong achievements of Tewelde Berehan. He was the chief persuasive negotiator on international forums in the 1990s and early 2000s. His participation were so significant at various biodiversity related fora negotiations, especially the Convention on Biological Diversity, that he managed to build a strong group of African negotiators when Africa came out with united, strong, progressive positions, Teshome said, adding that Tewelde Berhan was “unique, strongly negotiated and persuaded the international debates that resulted in the endorsement of three basic conventions: the conventions of Biological Diversity and the Food and Agriculture Organization, community rights as well as trade related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights”. Many African countries are engaged in developing and implementing community rights, take a mutual position on Intellectual Property Rights, and a clear stance against patents on life due to the persuasive power of the late Tewelde Berhan, Teshome said.  The Right Livelihood website states that  he had guided the drafting of the Organization of African Union (OAU) model legislation for community rights, which is now used as the common basis for all African countries. Tewelde Berhan did not just go home and sleep over the knowledge and experience he got from the negotiations he led at the UN meetings, Teshome said, rather he toured universities and other institutions and eloquently lectured Africans. Fortunately, I was among the young people willfully packed like sardines to listen to his speech at the Science Faculty of AAU. When we realized his explanations later, he was aware of the unfair and inequitable world, especially regarding the use and commercialization of biological resources in the globalized world; that was why he joined voices to advocate for the interests of smallholder farmers, Teshome continued. Tewelde Berhan was thrilled with the outcome of the convention and treaty negotiations related to the biological diversity that always warned the conventions might need reexamining all over again, passing the relay baton to the new generation and today. We lost him, rest in peace, Teshome added. Awards His efforts did not go unrecognized. The prizes the late Tewelde Berhan had won and received are countless but some of them deserve to be mentioned.  The most notable awards include the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) awarded “Champions of the Earth, the Right Livelihood Award, and his recognition as one of the 50 best people in the world. His Right Livelihood Award in 2000 was given to him for his exemplary work to safeguard biodiversity and the traditional rights of farmers and communities to their genetic resources.  In 2006, Tewelde Berhan received the United Nations Champions of the Earth Award, which is given to people who have made a significant contribution to environmental protection. Besides, the AAU had also awarded Tewelde Berhan with an honorary doctorate in 1997. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Horn of Africa, Profile, Africa, Environment]

— #ASDailyScoop: EzEMA, NaMA hold first consultative meeting, agree to take common position on national issues of concern

 

at 3/24/23 2:29am

0 Facebook 1 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email EzEMA and NaMA logos Addis Abeba Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EzEMA) and National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) announced holding the first round of consultative meeting on the current national political affairs on Thursday. In a short statement both issued separately, the parties also said they have agreed to take common positions on national issues of concern and continue to hold similar joint meetings. The leaders of both political parties, Professor Berhanu Nega of EzEMA, and Belete Molla of NaMA, are Minister of Education and Minister of Innovation and Technology, respectively, and are part of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds cabinet; whereas some members of EZeMA are part of the Addis Abeba city administration. NaMA also has members representing the partys constituencies in the national Parliament. The two parties issued separate statements this week strongly opposing the removal of the TPLF from terrorist designation by the parliament. EzEMA said the parliament’s decision was “not timely and will not bring lasting peace and acceptance of TPLF to the entire Ethiopian people.” NaMA in its part said removing the TPLF from the designation was an irresponsible decision and will lead to another round of conflict and war in the foreseeable future. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Horn of Africa, News, TPLF, Oppostion Parties, Prosperity Party, Politics, #DailyScoop, Africa]

— News: TPLF’s removal from terrorist designation “speeds up establishment, performance of interim admin” Debretsion Gebremichael

 

at 3/23/23 7:45am

1 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), chairman for Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF). Addis Abeba Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), chairman of Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), applauded the parliament’s move in delisting TPLF from terrorist designation saying “it will accelerate the formation of the interim administration and carry out works effectively.” Members of the House of Peoples Representatives (HoPR) on Wednesday de-listed TPLF from the terrorist designation by “a majority vote with 61 opposition and five abstentions.” “Everything is in place for the interim administration to begin operations” Debretsion said in a presser following the parliament’s decision yesterday. A week after the TPLF was delisted as a terrorist group, it was stated on the Pretoria agreement signed between the federal government and TPLF in Pretoria, South Africa, that a temporary regional administration was to be put in place. The federal government and regional interim administration, led by Getachew Reda, have begun interactions and discussions regarding the budget releases, filing criminal charges, and other relevant issues in reviving the region after a two-year long deadly war according to Debretsion. He said in addition to members of the Tigray Defense Force (TDF) and Tigrayans scholars, opposition parties TPLF and Baitona are included in the interim administration. He noted that TPLF has been put under immense pressure during the establishment of the interim administration which it withstood giving priorities for the people’s problems. “The people in region are in need of humanitarian assistance, invaders are still in the region, those displaced have not yet returned, criminals have not been brought to justice, residents didn’t comeback to normal routines, and damaged properties have not been reconstructed; our next move will determine the future of Tigray and its people” he said. On the other hand, the decision was met with criticism from the Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA). The party said the parliament’s decision to remove the TPLF from terrorist designation saying “not timely and will not bring lasting peace and acceptance of TPLF to the entire Ethiopian people.” The party criticized TPLF for dominantly establishing the interim administration defying article 6 of the Pretoria agreement which stated “Interim administration of Tigray should be established under the consent of the federal government”. According to EZEMA, the removal of the TPLF off the list of terrorist organizations will have a detrimental effect on the implementation of the peace agreement and will hinder the establishment of lasting peace in the country. The primary role of the government was to ensure that TPLF was also complying while the federal government was carrying out the commitments outlined in the agreement mentioning “TPLF’s refusal to implement full disarmament.” “Delisting TPLF from terrorist group and exemption from accountability is an irreparable crime, the ruling Prosperity Party and federal government will be responsible for the national damage that will be caused by TPLF.” It’s to be recalled that on May 05 2021 members of the HoPR designated the TPLF, along with “Shene”, a term the government uses to refer to the armed group Oromo Liberation Army – OLA), as terrorist groups citing Articles 18 and 19 of Proclamation No. 1176/2020 on the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Crimes. AS

[Category: Politics, Ethiopia, Horn of Africa, News, Tigray regional state, TPLF, EZema, Tigray Interim Administration, House of People's Representatives, Africa, Social Affairs, Law & Justice]

— The Interview: “Gov’t should open its doors for discussion, respond to demands of workers, reduce labor taxes” Kasahun Follo, President of CETU

 

at 3/23/23 6:07am

0 Facebook 1 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Kasahun Follo, president of Confederations of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU): Photo:CETU/Facebook By Molla Mitiku @MollaAyenew Addis Abeba Undeniably Ethiopias industrial landscape has changed over the past three decades. The expansion of several industries and manufacturing enterprises offered an employment opportunity to a significant number of people.  However, ways of handling workers and respecting their rights have remained bumpy that resulted in grievances. The workers in Tigray Regional State have already fallen under the worst situation due to the impact of the devastating war that lasted for two solid years. The employees working in various firms being hired with the help of agencies have also been subjected to labor exploitation; neither do they get fair payments for works they perform. Addis Standard’s Molla Mitiku has spoken with Kasahun Follo, President of the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) regarding these and other related issues.  The Excerpt: Addis Standard: Lets start with your recent visit to Tigray, could you brief us on the composition of the team and the major purpose of the trip? Kassahun: The group consisted of 21 people. Four people, including me, from the office of CETU and the rest from the nine federations, two from unions, from Ethiopian Power Authority and Addis Abeba water and sewage. The purpose of the trip was to know the situation and whereabouts of the employees and companies therefore we have not met our members there for the past two solid years due to the war. Although we  had more than 70,000 members in Tigray, we have no information about them so we went to learn their  whereabouts and to know the problems they have faced and their situation in general. Addis Standard: I guess you knew Tigray before the war, what did you see? And What did you find out about your members? Kassahun: Yes, I knew Mekelle and its environs before the war because we had members there. Now, in fact, I did not see much damage in Mekelle city and there is certain movement in the city, there are three-wheel vehicles and cars moving despite the shortage of fuel. Generally speaking, however, since the region was at war, the damage was extensive and it was severely affected by the war. Of course, we only spent one day there, so we didnt get enough opportunity to go around and see lots of things, but we went to Wukro town near Mekelle and saw two factories: Sheba Leather Industry P.L.C and Semayata Dimension Stone Factory. Sheba Leather Industry P.L.C previously had 1,200 employees. The whereabouts of these workers is currently unknown. The organization was completely destroyed. It has nothing to be repaired. Every system has been bombed and not even a single screw can be fixed and used. It is demolished 100%. The management members we met there said that they have not yet called the workers and they said that they do not know the whereabouts of the workers.  In fact, some workers were victimized by hunger and those we met and saw are also in serious trouble unless they get immediate help. Sheba Leather Industry P.L.C was an institution that was bringing foreign currency to Ethiopia before the war. It was producing quality products both for export and the local market. It was one of the modern factories in Ethiopia. Although it was contributing to the country in earning forex, it was demolished by explosives. If each of the workers had on average five families, 6000 people would be supported by the income from this factory. However, at present all these people fell under hunger. Similarly the Semayata Dimension Stone Factory was completely destroyed. There was not a single screw left to use. Even a part of a crane that goes into the ground and digs a hole has been detonated on purpose. As it will cost a lot of money to get everything out of the hole, it makes it impossible to re-establish the factory in the same place.   Addis Standard: If the conditions of the institutions and the workers look like this, what do you think will be their next fate? Kassahun: It is very difficult to tell what will happen next. In fact, we only saw the two factories. According to the leaders of the branch of the confederation in Tigray, Almeda Textile Factory was also destroyed completely, just 100%. As they explained to us in our meeting the next day to the visit, there are also lots of other factories that have been completely demolished. Up to now, only Messebo Cement Factory and Mesfin Industrial Engineering have partially started their operations. The fate of the workers can be viewed from two perspectives. One is those whose institutions have been completely destroyed and the other is those workers whose institutions have fully or partially resumed operation. The fate of the workers of the completely destroyed factories will be very difficult unless the regional and federal governments seek a solution. Imagine, these workers do not have land to engage in farming, neither do they have place and money to trade. It is very difficult to maintain their own lives and that of their families. These workers and their families need special attention and support from the regional and federal governments. Employees of those federal branch institutions in Tigray that have fully or partially resumed their operation have already begun their jobs.  However, following our visit to the two factories, the members of CETU in the region told us there are lots of factories that have already been completely demolished and the situation of the workers has been worse. Then, we decided to conduct a study to have the right data showing the alive and dead workers and those who are injured. Besides, the factories that can be rehabilitated and those that cannot be repaired.  However, at present we do not have aggregated information. We have heard that the workers in Tigray either died in the war or were hurt by hunger, but in order to have aggregated information, we have decided to have a project to conduct the study in the entire Tigray and we are discussing with aid organizations to get the money that will enable us to deploy the experts we need for the study and the necessary facilities such as fuel and cars. Addis Standard: What does the situation look like in relation to the wage payments of these workers? Kassahun: Workers in Tigray have not received wages for two years due to the war. They neither accessed their money due to lack of banking services nor any supply was there due to the war. Therefore, the damage is so huge. Hence, it is not difficult for anyone to imagine the extent of the harm that due to the war, there are no jobs, no wages, no supplies. “The biggest problem will be how to help the employees whose factories have been completely destroyed” Kassahun Follo, President CETU At present, federal firms such as Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Ethio-Telecom, Ethiopia Power Authority, etc. have already resumed their operation and they have just started paying salaries to their employees and some of them have paid three months back pay for their employees. These workers have hope for the future. However, nothing has not yet been known about the two years back pay of all employees in the region.  In fact, we have a plan to talk to the relevant parties. The biggest problem will be how to help the employees whose factories have been completely destroyed. In this regard, the regional and federal government should find a solution to help these employees. They must quickly create jobs, support the partially destroyed factories by using either banks or other methods that will enable them to start operation quickly. In addition to this, the workers from Humera Hiwot Mechanization Farm and Wolkait Sugar Factory have been displaced and are waiting for help at Mekelle. The workers who spent their whole lives in the factories have no place to stay, so they are in a tent. These workers have been displaced with their families and are sheltering in tents and are in dire straits and need a lot of support. The government should also support them. CETU does not have the capacity to subsidize such establishments, but it is making preparations to help the employees of the institutions who have been able to start working by providing them with various psychological and related trainings. Addis Standard: Even if you cant support them financially, dont you have the responsibility to ensure the rights of workers so that workers get their unpaid salaries? Kassahun: This is our main job, so we will do it. We are working to solve the problem that needs to be solved through discussions with the relevant bodies. But in terms of money, being a union, we cannot do direct funding to them. But as you said, we will continue to strengthen the work of making it happen by monitoring the institutions that are capable of paying.  We will also request firms that resumed operation partially to pay workers the arrears of wages. For the workers who were working in those completely destroyed institutions, we are asking the regional and the federal governments to find ways in supporting the workers. Addis Standard: There are grievances of workers in various organizations, hired with the help of agencies, on unfair remuneration for their work and that they are subjected to labor exploitation and other forms of abuses. How does CETU view this and what is it doing? Kassahun: A directive was issued in 2019 in connection with this matter. In the decree, the 20/80 guideline was drafted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, which directs the allotment of the 20% of the salary for administrative expenses of the agencies and the 80% for the employee. However, the agencies disagreed to enforce this guideline that resulted in an argument in the court.   The dispute went all the way to the Federal Supreme Court and got a decision. Despite the fact that the verdict was made, the problem still persisted. The Ministry of Labor and Skills sent a letter to the Regional Labor and Social Affairs Bureaus, including to Addis Abeba City Administration but still it is not under implementation. Therefore, we still have to talk with the relevant parties for its enactment.   Addis Standard: If you knew that it hasn’t been implemented, what efforts have you done so far? Kassahun: We had a stance to terminate the agency hiring system and insisted on firms to hire themselves but there is a decree that mandated agencies to hire individuals for other firms described as outsourcing. The notion in this case is the fact that organizations can outsource non-core production tasks so that they can focus on their core business. Based on this, agencies have been established and there are independent decrees and guidelines for their work. The problem now is not their taking part in hiring employees but the way they manage. … we have to continue our efforts to enforce the 20/80 directive to terminate labor exploitation Kassahun Follo, President CETU Instead of taking fair commission for their administrative expenses, the agencies have engaged in labor exploitation.  For example, if a company takes 10,000 Birr on behalf of a person, and then it may take 7,000 or 6000 Birr for itself and pays the worker 3,000 or 4000 Birr.  Agencies do this only by handling the administrative work without exerting any effort for production. However, these agencies disagree to implement the 20/80 so that caution is required that they are using most of the money for themselves. For instance, if an agency working in this job earns at least 5,000 Birr from each employee and if it hires 10 people, it will earn 50,000 Birr per month. So, it does not need any other job as it could simply accumulate wealth. Therefore, we have to continue our efforts to enforce the 20/80 directive to stop this labor exploitation. In fact, agencies do some tasks like hiring and managing employees and rent offices for this task so they need some commission.  The 20% of the salary is enough for these administrative expenses, but 80 % of the salary must be paid to the employee. Of course, this practice of agencies is common in developed countries. However, these countries have a system, everything is easy to control, they have strict laws, they have surveillance so there is no problem. In our country, there is no system, no strong monitoring capability, no strict law enforcement, and the controlling body is not strong enough. For this reason, the presence of agencies is inappropriate to our country at this time.  Besides, the developed countries need this for there is a shortage of manpower that they find it difficult to go out to the market and hire someone for it takes up time.  So, they hire an agency to do it for them and they focus on their core tasks.  But in our country, when an advertisement is published to hire 10 people, more than 100 job seekers will be registered. In this regard, outsourcing this task to agencies is unnecessary amidst enough manpower. However, there is a law that allows agencies to do such tasks and it is also in the International Labor Organization (ILO) that we cannot terminate their legal responsibility. Rather, we proceeded to have a guideline that we believed in. As a result, the 20/80 guideline was set but agencies did not agree and the implementation was still crippled. Now the problem is getting worse. Therefore, we will push to the implementation of the 20/80 guideline talking with the relevant parties. Addis Standard: Workers working particularly in industrial parks are also suffering from low wages in addition to other forms of abuse. So what did the federation do in this regard? Kassahun: We started the movement in 2019 for the minimum level of wage to be determined by law so that low salary earners could be beneficiaries. The minimum wage in industrial parks and other institutions is between 800 and 1200 Birr. How can a person live with this salary? Although a decree was issued to have a board that can study the economic status of the country and decide on the minimum wage level in the country, it hasn’t yet been carried out. Despite the discussion on the establishment guideline for the board in 2021, its implementation is retarded due to the occurrence of national election and the war in the country. So far, we have not been able to get an answer to our request for the level of minimum wage to be decided. Therefore, we are still asking the government to pass a decision. The living standard has skyrocketed these days. One cannot live with 800 or 1200 Birr. A person needs at least 1,500 Birr per month to eat “Shiro” once a day, if one meal is to cost 50 Birr. This means forgetting everything behind such expenses for transport, clothes, health and other important basic things. At the time, the entire workforce is in a dire situation even those who are supposed to be earning a good salary. The highest salary in our country’s context is 8,000 to 10,000. At present a quintal of “Teff” costs 8000 and above, so how do wage earners manage to live?  It is hard for the employees to fulfill basic needs with the salary they earn currently. Therefore, we have asked the government to reduce labor taxes. Despite our inquiry for reduction of labor taxes, we heard that the government has rather recently increased Value Added-Tax (VAT) , forget to say reducing taxes for the employees who are suffering. What does this mean? It is difficult so that the government must answer our question because the cost of living has already skyrocketed while salaries are stuck at a fixed amount and the employees are in a position where they cannot eat once a day. We have recently written letters to various concerned parties to pursue the implementation of the 20/80 rule on one hand and the reduction of income taxes on the other hand.  In this regard, we have approached the Prime Ministers Office as the last level that CETU can go to, but we have not yet received any answer. If this issue is not resolved, all the workers are forced to look for humanitarian aid. Hence, the government should give the wage earners a solution by responding to our request of tax reduction affirmatively. Addis Standard: Tell us what your confederation has achieved and the challenges it faces with regard to protecting the rights of the workers? Kasahun: What we consider as one of the achievements in respecting the rights of the employees is the efforts to alleviate the problem imposed by agencies. Firstly, these employees were not managed under the confederation rather they were managed by another decree and they were even not considered as employees.   We were struggling for the amendment of the decree and we have been fighting for them to be included in the Employer and Worker Act.  They were included in the Employer and Worker Act in 2019. Then, we began struggling to ensure the lower-level salary to be fixed.  Since they cannot negotiate with the employer in terms of capacity, it is a matter of human rights, so we struggled for a directive to be issued. Then the 20/80 guideline was issued in 2019 after a long-time effort and a lot of struggle and negotiations. However, when we were about to get into action, the agencies revolted against the decree arguing that they could work on agreement bases with the employees. Despite its delay and rejections from the agencies that still need further efforts, the 20/80 Proclamation is a success. Moreover, the decree that was amended in 2019 was not similar to the current one. The one that we managed to get discarded included articles like “if one is absent for a day regardless of any reason, he/she would be fired and if one has become late for two days a month, he/she will be fired”. Imagine, if one is late for 10 minutes or 30 minutes in a country where there is no transportation access, he/she will be fired from his/her job. Besides, the workers have only seven days of annual leave. There were so many things in that decree but we managed to change and have a revised current decree.  Another significant issue is the efforts exerted to have the minimum wage level which has never been included in Ethiopias employer and employee law. We have been clamoring for the minimum wage level to be included in the law and we have been negotiating for many years.   We presented the issue to the government and we have been waiting for it to get a solution. We wrote letters to the concerned Ministry of Labor and Skills, to the Ministry of Finance and Economy as well as to the Prime Minister Office in a bid to resume discussion to establish a guideline for the board that determines the minimum wage in the country.   So, we are asking the government that we are hungry and can not survive tolerating the skyrocketing of the living standard.  Our question now is twofold: the government to reduce the labor tax and to facilitate the establishment of the board that is mandated to fix the lower labor prices.  However, as our request was ignored, get no response so far, wage earners are suffering from the rising living conditions. The message that I want to convey at this occasion is that it would be good for the government to talk to the workers, to have a meeting with them and listen to their problems. At present, there is no body to take care of the workers in the country. The workers have been experiencing a lot of problems that they could not manage the cost of living. The government should talk to the employee and solve their problem so that it should not discriminate against the employee. We should not be excluded and the door should not be closed to us. The government should rather open its door for discussion and respond to the questions posed by the workers. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, News, The Interview, Economy, Society & Economy, Social Affairs, Workers rights]

— News: PM Abiy “appoints” Getachew Reda head of Tirgay Interim Admin

 

at 3/23/23 4:03am

0 Facebook 1 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Getachew Reda. Photo: Tigray Tv Addis Abeba The Office Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ahmed said PM Abiy has appointed Getachew Reda as head of the Interim Regional Administration (IRA) of Tigray regional state. The office stated that the appointment was based on a decision passed by the House of Federation (HoF) to establish Tigray regional states interim administration, which is in accordance with Article 62 (9) of the Constitution and Proclamation No. 359/1995, Article 14/2/B. Furthermore, Article 10(1) of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in Pretoria between the Federal Government and the TPLF and to end the conflict on November 02 last year called for the establishment of an inclusive Interim Regional Administration. According to the PMs office, the council of Ministers met on Saturday 18 March and enacted a guideline to establish “Inclusive Interim Regional Administration of Tigray”, adding that PM Abiys decision was based on the provision of the guideline article 3(2) has appointed Getachew to lead Tigray regions interim administration. The head of interim administration is responsible for leading and coordinating the executive body of the region by setting up an inclusive administration that ensures the representation of various political forces operating in the region, the office said. The meeting by the Council of Ministers took place a day after the Central Committee of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) elected Getachew, member of the party’s Executive Committee, to lead the incoming interim administration. Getachew received 18 votes out of the 41 members of the central Committee. PM Abiys announcement today followed yesterdays decision by the Ethiopian House of Peoples Representatives (HoPR) to de-list the TPLF from its terrorist designation list. The decision was approved by a majority vote, 61 against, and five abstentions. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, News]

— News: Benishangul Gumuz region releases two rebel groups’ leaders, members following peace accords

 

at 3/23/23 2:36am

1 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Members of the Benishangul People’s Liberation Movement. Photo: Benishangul Gumuz regional government Addis Abeba – Benishangul Gumuzs regional government releases leaders and members of two rebel groups, Gumuz People’s Democratic Movement (GPDM) and Benishangul People’s Liberation Movement (BPLM), following peace accords. GPDM announced the release of over 370 of its leaders and members who were detained during different operations, while 70 leaders and members of BPLM were also released. Harun Umer, Benishangul Gumuz Regional Police Commissioner, said that the leaders and members of the opposition political organizations were released through reconciliation and amnesty. Benshangul Gumuz has been an epicenter for recurring attacks on civilians, displacements, and security crisis in the past four years. Armed groups, mobilizing in the region, have repeatedly attacked civilians, killing hundreds of people and displacing thousands of people from their villages. For the past two years, most of the region has been under the command post of the Benishangul region and the federal governments security forces as a result of brutal attacks by militants. Six months ago, the regional government and GPDM, a rebel group militarily active in the region, signed a peace agreement to resolve their differences “through dialogue.” The peace agreement was signed by the President of Benishangul Gumuz Regional state, Ashadli Hassan, and the Chairman of the GPDM, Giragn Gudetta at program held in Asossa, the region’s capital city. Ashadli said that the agreement reached was based on dialogue that that took into consideration and respect to the constitution. The Chairman of GPDM, Giragn Gudetta, on his part expressed his satisfaction with the agreement reached and said that the rebel group was committed to discharge its part to make a dialogue-based development a reality at the time. He has called on all to cooperate so that the peace agreement can be brought on the ground to bring concrete results for the peace of the region, according to the communication bureau. Despite the agreement, in March last year, an attack by armed militants claimed the lives of at least 20 civilians when a public bus traveling from Metekel to Guba was ambushed; dozens more were also injured. Officials blamed the attack on unnamed “anti-peace forces” infiltrating through Sudan, and had carried out similar attacks on civilians in the past. In recent months following the attack, efforts were being exerted by local community members especially in Metekel, the region’s violence ravaged zone, to bring reconciliations and ebb the escalation of violence since 2020 that had resulted in mass displacements, indiscriminate killings, and property damage. The Benishangul Gumuz region said it has budgeted 2.5 million USD acquired from the World Bank for rehabilitation of internally displaced people and institutions destroyed due to security crisis in the region. In parallel, Benishangul Gumuz regional government signed a peace agreement on 10 December with BPLM, an armed group that was operating in the border area of ​​the regional state, in Khartoum, Sudan. It is the second rebel group to have signed peace agreement with the regional government in the last two months. The regional government had signed a peace accord in October last year in Assosa, the capital city, with another armed group, the Gumuz People’s Democratic Movement (GPDM), to resolve their problems through dialogue. The peace agreement reached between the regional government and BPLM in Khartoum was expected to bring members of the armed group disarmed and rehabilitated to participate in peace building and development activities in the region. However, the regional government did not provide details, such as the role of mediators, including that of Sudan’s for providing the venue, but it said that BPLM members were “warmly welcomed” from the Sudanese border area of Shirkole District, Gemed Kebelle, by the residents of Shirkole, Menge Homosha, Ura, Assosa and Bambasi districts. AS

[Category: Ethiopia, Border dispute, Horn of Africa, Amhara Regional State, News, Banishangul Gumuz Regional state, Internal Displacement, Politics, Africa, Social Affairs]

— News: UN Rights Council says scale of violations in Ethiopia “must not be forgotten”

 

at 3/22/23 8:04am

2 Facebook 2 Twitter 1 Telegram 1 Email Ethiopian refugees who fled Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict arrive by bus at the Um Raquba refugee camp in eastern Sudan. Photo: Human Rights Watch Addis Abeba The UN Human Rights Council during an interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) on Tuesday warned that the gravity and scale of the violations committed in Ethiopia since the outbreak of war, November 2020, must not be forgotten despite all the positive developments and relatively improved security that have seen in Tigray after both parties signed agreement. The Federal Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed AU-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement on November 2, in Pretoria, South Africa after the two-years atrocious war. The International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia presented its first report to the UN Human Rights Council, in September last year, in which it said there were reasonable grounds to believe war crimes, and crimes against humanity were committed. Since then, a significant improvement in the situation in Ethiopia and sustained reduction in conflict. “The previous report found reasonable grounds to believe that all parties to the conflict had committed war crimes and violations and abuses of human rights since fighting erupted,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, chairperson of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia. During the discussion, it was reported that the commission is still looking into wartime human right violations together with abuses that occur after the peace agreement, reads a statement by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), “The conclusion of the peace agreement between the government and the TPLF was a significant step, but it was still necessary to look into alleged violations that may have occurred prior to and after the agreement if a lasting peace with full respect for human rights was to be achieved.” Representatives from Ethiopia also discussed that the government is overseeing full implementation of lasting peace, which is the main focus, through a signed peace agreement, convened by African Union; “Humanitarian aid supply was significantly increased, and services were restored, as the second pillar of peace implementation while disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, as overseen by the African Union, was a third mechanism.” Holding an independent, transparent, and impartial investigations into all allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, and international refugee law was essential step to fight impunity and contribute to holding those responsible to account, said the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. “Accountability and transitional justice must remain at the core of the peace process.” The Ethiopian commission also called for further progress on the implementation of the agreement and declaration, continued and unimpeded humanitarian access, and the further expansion of basic services in conflict-related areas in northern Ethiopia. The Commission had consulted with a wide range of stakeholders to inform its investigation priorities and strategy, investigating alleged violations in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, and Oromia, says the report. It addressed a notably attacks on civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, and denial of humanitarian assistance; also, other violations including arbitrary detention, violation of children’s rights, and hate speech. As required by the mandate, the commission was investigating alleged violations by all parties, including Eritrean forces operating on Ethiopian territory. Meanwhile in a statement released on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Ethiopia should go hand-in-hand with backing for a UN body charged with carrying out an independent investigation. “Statements that suggest shutting down the UN experts group undermine progress toward accountability. While the US and other donor nations are supporting nongovernmental groups to gather information of alleged crimes, this is no substitute for the critical investigative work of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, which has the mandate to establish the facts of alleged violations, identify those responsible, preserve evidence, and provide guidance on accountability and transitional justice,” stated . However, despite repeated requests, the Ethiopian Government had not yet allowed the investigation team access to the country, according to the report. The Commission was conducting much of work remotely. The Government should reconsider its decision not to cooperate with the Commission. AS

[Category: Afar regional state, African Union, United Nations, Ethiopia, Human Rights Commission, Human Rights, Politics, Oromia Regional State, Horn of Africa, Amhara Regional State, News, Tigray regional state, TPLF, Africa, Social Affairs, Law & Justice]

— News: UN Rights Council signals scale of violations committed in Ethiopia by all parties “must not be forgotten”

 

at 3/22/23 8:04am

1 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Telegram 0 Email Ethiopian refugees who fled Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict arrive by bus at the Um Raquba refugee camp in eastern Sudan. Photo: Human Rights Watch Addis Abeba The UN Human Rights Council during an interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) on Tuesday warned that the gravity and scale of the violations committed in Ethiopia since the outbreak of war, November 2020, must not be forgotten despite all the positive developments and relatively improved security that have seen in Tigray after both parties signed agreement. The Federal Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed AU-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement on November 2, in Pretoria, South Africa after the two-years atrocious war. The International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia presented its first report to the UN Human Rights Council, in September last year, implying that since then, a significant improvement in the situation in Ethiopia and sustained reduction in conflict. “The previous report found reasonable grounds to believe that all parties to the conflict had committed war crimes and violations and abuses of human rights since fighting erupted,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, chairperson of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia. During the discussion, it was reported that the commission is still looking into wartime human right violations together with abuses that occur after the peace agreement, reads a statement by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), “The conclusion of the peace agreement between the government and the TPLF was a significant step, but it was still necessary to look into alleged violations that may have occurred prior to and after the agreement if a lasting peace with full respect for human rights was to be achieved.” Representatives from Ethiopia also discussed that the government is overseeing full implementation of lasting peace, which is the main focus, through a signed peace agreement, convened by African Union; “Humanitarian aid supply was significantly increased, and services were restored, as the second pillar of peace implementation while disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, as overseen by the African Union, was a third mechanism.” Holding an independent, transparent, and impartial investigations into all allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, and international refugee law was essential step to fight impunity and contribute to holding those responsible to account, said the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. “Accountability and transitional justice must remain at the core of the peace process.” The Ethiopian commission also called for further progress on the implementation of the agreement and declaration, continued and unimpeded humanitarian access, and the further expansion of basic services in conflict-related areas in northern Ethiopia. The Commission had consulted with a wide range of stakeholders to inform its investigation priorities and strategy, investigating alleged violations in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, and Oromia, says the report. It addressed a notably attacks on civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, and denial of humanitarian assistance; also, other violations including arbitrary detention, violation of children’s rights, and hate speech. As required by the mandate, the commission was investigating alleged violations by all parties, including Eritrean forces operating on Ethiopian territory. Meanwhile in a statement released on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Ethiopia should go hand-in-hand with backing for a UN body charged with carrying out an independent investigation. “Statements that suggest shutting down the UN experts group undermine progress toward accountability. While the US and other donor nations are supporting nongovernmental groups to gather information of alleged crimes, this is no substitute for the critical investigative work of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, which has the mandate to establish the facts of alleged violations, identify those responsible, preserve evidence, and provide guidance on accountability and transitional justice,” stated . However, despite repeated requests, the Ethiopian Government had not yet allowed the investigation team access to the country, according to the report. The Commission was conducting much of work remotely. The Government should reconsider its decision not to cooperate with the Commission. AS

[Category: Afar regional state, African Union, United Nations, Ethiopia, Human Rights Commission, Human Rights, Politics, Oromia Regional State, Horn of Africa, Amhara Regional State, News, Tigray regional state, TPLF, Africa, Social Affairs, Law & Justice]

As of 3/29/23 5:07pm. Last new 3/29/23 8:51am.