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

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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Press Release - PLEASE STOP! the PHONE/FAX CAMPAIGN

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

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

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

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

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the Day

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

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





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Update from The Coalition for H.R. 2003

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

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

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

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

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

District office for House Speaker Pelosi

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

The Week in review plus weekend updates

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Also:
- Weekend News and Updates
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Urgent!!! The Coalition for H.R. 2003 is asking Ethiopians to Send Fax letters to Speaker Nancy Pelosi IMMEDIATELY
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The Week in review

TOP STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK

• Reactions from the Diaspora on the release of the CUDP leadership
• First Press Release from CUDP leadership since freedom (pdf)
• Bipartisan Duo of Ex-Congressional Heavyweights Blocking Action Against Ethiopia
• Ethiopia turns its critics into untouchables
• AMNESTY: Forcible return/Fear of torture - Ethiopians in Sudan (pdf)
• SOCEPP: Ethiopians facing an involuntary repatriation from Sudan (pdf)
• Ethiopia tells Red Cross to leave the Ogaden region within Seven days
• Press Release from the Red Cross on expulsion from ogaden
• More civilians fleeing Mogadishu violence
• Exiled Somali MPs reject call to peace talks
• Eritrea asks China to help break Ethiopia border deadlock

Weekend News and Updates

KIL exits gracefully

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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Ethiopia's CUD sees bright future

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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Addis Ababa - Ethiopia's main opposition party on Thursday said it was committed to political reconciliation but vowed to keep struggling for democracy in the troubled African nation.

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

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

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

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

-Hearing Today for Final Two in Ethiopia Treason Trial
-Ethiopia turns its critics into untouchables
-Former Bucknell professor, Berhanu Nega, freed
-Dr. Yacob vows to finish what he started
-Press Release from the Red Cross on expulsion from ogaden
-U.N.: Eritrea giving arms to Somalis tied to al Qaeda
-Exiled Somali MPs reject call to peace talks
-5 die in explosions in Somali capital, witnesses say
-Is Somalia a Proxy War Between Ethiopia and Eritrea?
-US, Ethiopia accused over Somalia
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[AUDIO] Birtukan Mideksa (VP of Kinijit) Interview with DW
[AUDIO] Dr Hailu Araya (Spokesperson for Kinijit) Interview with VOA
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the day

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

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





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ETP: Reaction and Remark

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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First Press Release from CUDP leadership since freedom

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

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

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

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

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

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

ETP's remark on Diaspora Kinijit

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

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Bipartisan Duo of Ex-Congressional Heavyweights trying to Block H.R. 2003
-CPJ: Ethiopian government pardons four journalists, revives genocide charges against others
-Ethiopian diaspora keeps pressure on U.S. Congress
-European Union on the release of the members of opposition in Ethiopia
-Ethiopia evicts Red Cross from volatile region
-Has the U.S.-Ethiopian invasion of Somalia achieved any of its goals?
-Commentary on Ethiopian Socio-Cultural Rules (Maru Gubena)
-Ethiopia: Ewan McGregor takes the ‘Long Way Down’ to support landmine education

INTERNATIONAL NEW

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

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

Picture of the day

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

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

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




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NPR Report : Ethiopia Releases Prisoners

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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[AUDIO] NPR Report : Ethiopia Releases Prisoners

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

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

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

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the day

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

The ultimate African diplomat

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

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

-Learn more about the life of Emperor Haile Selassie I


...

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

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

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

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




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Ethiopia's silent emergency

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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A series of severe droughts have scarred Ethiopia. Millions of people now face critical water shortages and are unable to grow enough food to feed their families. As a result, more than 45% of the population are undernourished.

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the day


(H.E. Dr Merera Gudina, founder of the Oromo National Congress ONC. Picture by Andrew Heavens)
Dr. Berhanu Nega on his book ‘yenetsanet goh siked’ expresses the fondness and respect he has for Dr. Merera Gudina. To understand why Dr. Berhanu feels this way, just listen to Dr. Merera’s VOA interview from Yesterday. This interview clearly demonstrates the man’s integrity and courage.

-[AUDIO] – Dr. Merera Gudina on VOA

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

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



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Wall Street Journal: Democracy on Trial in Ethiopia

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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

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


(The Wall Street Journal)

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

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

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the day

(TIME Magazine Cover: Soviet physicist and legendary human rights activist Andrei Sakharov - May 14, 1990)
"Andrei Sakharov, by courageously speaking truth to power, he became the conscience of the cold war and inspired the movement that toppled Soviet communism" - Time

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

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

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

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


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

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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(The Huffington post)

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

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

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

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the day

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

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

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


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Kangaroo court hands down life sentences to CUD leaders

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- The spin factor
- Excerpt from today’s U.S. state department briefing
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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The court has also barred the CUD leaders from voting or standing for election in the future

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

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

The spin factor

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

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

Here is what other media outlets had to say:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the day

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

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

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

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




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

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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

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

The spin factor

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

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

Here is what other media outlets had to say:

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

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

The Week in review

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:

- Weekend News and Updates
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The Week in review

TOP STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK

• Siye Abraha Out from Jail
• CUD Court Update, the Puppet prosecutor and his Ridiculous Recommendation
• PAYNE SCHEDULES H.R. 2003 FOR MARK-UP
• CRG:Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and the "Politics of Naming"
  
• Thousands need rescuing after Ethiopia flood
• The Economist: Will the political dissidents be spared?

Weekend News and Updates

75 HOUSE CO-SPONSORS AND STILL COUNTING...

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

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

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

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

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




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PAYNE SCHEDULES H.R. 2003 FOR MARK-UP

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- What say the ethio-blogosphere
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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(Press release, The coalition for h.r. 2003)

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

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

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

What say the ethio-blogosphere

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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

Picture of the day


Click to enlarge
(Traditional court in the oromia region where the Oldest Man Serves as Judge. Ethiopia. L Herbert 1966)
Ethiopia, long considered the cradle of mankind, is also credited by scholars as having developed one of the first egalitarian systems in Africa, thanks to the rich culture of the Oromo.

Professor Donald N. Levine writes;

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

-Learn more about the Gadaa system




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The Economist: Will the political dissidents be spared?

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

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

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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


Picture of the day

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

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

Poems by Kebede Michael




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





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Breaking News: Siye Abraha Out from Jail

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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(Must Listen!)
[AUDIO] CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SIYE ABRAHA’S VOA INTERVIEW
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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- H.R. 2003 campaign (urgent action needed)
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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"I am pleased to join my family and see them happy......I should not have spent a day in jail, let alone six years" - Siye

Siye also paid tribute to former judge Birtukan Mideksa, who had granted his release on bail six years ago and is now behind bars.

Siye Abraha, former strongman of the TPLF, made his way out of jail on Wednesday, June 11, after spending six years there, accused of involvement in grand corruption. He was released a day after the Federal Supreme Court sentenced him for five years imprisonment and 500 Br fine.

"I am pleased to join my family and see them happy," Siye told Fortune on Wednesday late afternoon, in a telephone interview he gave from his home. He was not the only one to have received sentences on Tuesday, June 10, 2007.

This is a case that has been long fought following the top party leadership rupture in the Tigray Peoples' Liberation Front (TPLF) in early 2000. Coming out after a bloody conflict with Eritrea, some members held the view that a threat in the leadership was to surrender the party to foreign 'imperialist' interests.

This group included Siye, while others who still hold power today, including Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, argued that the ruling party was sinking into decadence, describing it at the time as transformation into Bonapartism. They accused some members of the party leadership of involvement in grand corruption.(More...)

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

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

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Yalemzewd Bekele free on bail
-IFJ: Court Must Reject Death Penalty for Journalists
-Somali opposition to hold peace conference in Eritrea
-Hundreds of Ethiopians and Somalis died off Yemen coast
-Irish agency urges Irish PM to save Ethiopian opposition leaders
-SOCEPP-CAN Calls for release of political prisoners in Ethiopia
-U.S. to Build Largest Embassy Structure in Addis Abeba
-Researchers say good governance not limited to the wealthy
-'Lucy's' Houston visit turns political
-Eritrea arrests head of British Council
-Eight killed as blasts rock Mogadishu market again

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-Libya upholds death sentences in HIV case
-Public smoking ban hits Nairobi
-Suicide bomb kills eight in Algeria
-Battle at Pakistani Mosque Ends
-Qaeda's Zawahri threatens more attacks in UK: tape
-Chinese applaud ex-official's execution
-'Most expensive' US home on sale
-Nation bans karaoke bars, Internet cafes?

Picture of the day

Picture released by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History shows a jaw bone of a fossil unearthed in the Afar desert at Woranso-Mille, 140 miles (225 km) outside Addis Ababa.


Ethiopian scientists said on Tuesday they have discovered hominid fossil fragments dating from between 3.5 million and 3.8 million years ago in what could fill a crucial gap in the understanding of human evolution. REUTERS.

Also see: Ethiopia unveils new find of ancient fossils



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CRG: Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and the "Politics of Naming"

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- Campaign, Articles, Reactions
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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The Centre for Research on Globalisation (CRG)

Stephen Gowans - Ethiopia receives little coverage from the Western media, and even less attention from people who routinely denounce the Sudanese and Zimbabwean governments from the left.

That’s odd, for the Ethiopian government has all the flaws the Zimbabwean government is said to have that arouse so much moral indignation. Ethiopia jails it citizens without reason or trial, tortures many of them, and habitually violates its own laws.

The government was … severely criticized for a 2005 crackdown in which tens of thousands of opposition members were jailed and nearly 200 people killed after elections in which the opposition made major gains. Ethiopian officials … have expelled many foreign journalists and representatives of human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.



Meles Zenawi, Robert Mugabe

Disputed elections, crackdowns on the opposition, expulsion of journalists: this resembles the charge sheet against Mugabe. So why isn’t Melawi as thoroughly excoriated as Mugabe is? A July 9th Reuters’ report says, “Ethiopian prosecutors demanded the death penalty for 38 opposition officials convicted of trying to overthrow the government, treason and inciting violence.

I read the Reuters’ article to a friend, but replaced Ethiopia with Zimbabwe and Zenawi with Mugabe. There seemed nothing out of the ordinary to her. And indeed, it’s likely that most people in the West would not have detected the deception. It meshes with the Western narrative on Zimbabwe.

If you’ve been reading Western press accounts, you would expect Mugabe to round up the opposition (whose leaders have long threatened the violent overthrow of the government), charge them with treason, and seek their execution. But he hasn’t. Had he, a storm of indignation would have swept the Western world.

Yet Zenawi does the same, and no politician works himself up into high moral dudgeon, no calls are made for sanctions or Western military intervention, and no emergency meeting of the UN Security Council is convoked. Just a solitary Reuters’ dispatch. Why?(More...)

Campaign, Articles, Reactions

-State department briefing on the CUD trial (July 9, 2007)
-Ethiopia: An unbelievable sentence (Andrew Heavens)
-AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL shocked, calls for the court to reject the prosecutor's demand
-TIME IS UP! CALL TO DEMAND IMMEDIATE MARK-UP ACTION(Sample letter to be Faxed and HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEMBERS Contact info included)
-Anuak Justice Council: Ethiopians in the Ogaden Need Our Help

Today's Top HEADLINES

-Siye Abraha to be released?
-Ethiopia death call surprises US
-[AUDIO]Human rights attorney Michael Clough on the CUD trial
-Thousands need rescuing after Ethiopia flood
-High Court Rejects Negasso Gidada’s Appeal
-CPJ: Troops raid prominent Somali broadcaster four times
-Somali mosque raided after blast
-Blasts rock Mogadishu market
-My search for the Ark of the Covenant

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-European Union Picks New IMF Chief
-China executes ex-drug chief for graft
-U.K. condemns Russian decision on spy murder suspect
-Hamas Denies al-Qaida Infiltration
-UN to test Iran's nuke transparency
-Musharraf faced with stark choice after mosque siege
-Police seize magic trick from preacher

Picture of the day

Ethiopian-born musician Kenna performs during the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, July 7, 2007. Al Gore and global partners staged the Live Earth concerts held on seven continents simultaneously to raise awareness of environmental issues. REUTERS

Kenna Zemedkun, 29, was born in Addis Ababa. His family migrated to Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he first fell deep in love with American music, specifically U2’s Joshua Tree, an album that would forever shape his sonic aesthetic. For many years he struggled to find himself, working odd jobs and attending college.(More...)




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