Sunday, June 9, 2013
Morsy, Qandil join Islamist talks on dam project
President Mohamed Morsy and Prime Minister Hesham Qandil will attend an Islamist-led conference to discuss the consequences of Ethiopia's controversial Grand Renaissance Dam project.
Thirteen Islamist political groups are set to attend talks at the Cairo International Conference Centre on Monday, according to a statement by the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party.
“National groups, political parties, popular and political figures will convene, in the presence of President Mohamed Morsy, to take part in a conference on the preservation of Egypt's rights to Nile water," it said.
Besides the FJP, parties attending will include the Salafi-oriented Nour Party, Wasat Party, the Construction and Development Party, Asala Party, Fadila Party and Islah Party.
Ayman Abdel Ghany, the FJP's youth secretary, claimed the conference represents a cross-party bid to cooperate with the president and his government in attempts to solve the Nile water crisis.
Invitations to join had been extended to all political groups in Egypt, he added.
Safwat Abdel Ghany, a senior leader within Jama’a al-Islamiya, said participants still sought strong relations with African countries, particularly Ethiopia.
However, further action could still be on the table, he said.
“Diplomacy is the best solution for the time being. The military option will be last."
Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam project has created a political stand-off with Egypt, where many fear the initiative could diminish vital shares in River Nile water supplies.
Last month Ethiopia announced plans to divert the course of the Blue Nile before beginning construction on a hydro-electricity dam in the area.
However the move has rattled Egypt and Sudan, while the Ethiopian government has vowed the dam would not damage water supplies to downstream Nile states.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
South Africa: sanctuary at a price
Oromia Support Group Report 49 | June 9, 2013
This report is compiled from information obtained from Oromo and Ogadeni refugees in South Africa in October and November 2012.
The Oromia Support Group is a non-political organisation which attempts to raise awareness of human rights violations in Ethiopia. OSG has now reported 4498 extra-judicial killings and 1010 disappearances of civilians in Ethiopia. Hundreds of thousands have been placed in illegal detention, where torture is routine and rape is commonplace.
Report 49 is published in association with the Oromo Relief Association UK:
c/o Peace News
5 Caledonian Rd
London N1 9DY
ORA Office Coordinator:
Leencaa Aba-Gero
Telephone: 07852 105846
Email: aweytu@yahoo.co.uk
5 Caledonian Rd
London N1 9DY
ORA Office Coordinator:
Leencaa Aba-Gero
Telephone: 07852 105846
Email: aweytu@yahoo.co.uk
South Africa: sanctuary at a price
Summary
Fifty-eight Oromo and two Ogadeni refugees from Ethiopia were interviewed in Johannesburg, Alexandra township and Randfontein, in Guateng province, and in Kinross and Evander, Mpumalanga province, in October and November 2012. They reported serious abuse in Ethiopia and hazardous journeys to South Africa.
The 60 interviewees corroborated previous reports of extraordinarily high rates of torture in places of detention in Ethiopia. 26 (43%) had been tortured – 58% of the men and 26% of the women. Of the 38 who had been detained, 68% reported being tortured. All had been severely beaten. 76% of detained men and 54% of detained women were tortured.
Reported conditions of detention in Ethiopia were atrocious. Torture was routinely practised in military camps, prisons, police stations and unofficial places of detention. Methods included arm-tying (falantis), severe enough to cause nerve damage; flaying of the soles of the feet (bastinado); mock execution; whipping; immersion of the head in water and other forms of asphyxiation; walking and running on gravel, barefoot or on knees; suspension by the wrists or upside-down; stress positions; sleep deprivation by flooding cells; drenching and other exposure to cold; electrocution; suspension of weights from genitalia; and castration.
Previous reports of high mortality rates among detainees in military camps, especially Hamaresa in E. Hararge, were corroborated by former detainees. In addition to the many who were killed or died in detention, the interviewees reported 91 killings of family and friends. These included 21 summary executions, some of which were public. Interviewees reported 18 disappearances.
Only two of 13 women former detainees were raped in custody, considerably fewer than previously reported, but this probably reflects the small size of the sampled population. Another interviewee was raped in her home by a government official and then in Kakuma camp, Kenya, by an Ethiopian government security agent. Three interviewees reported rape of others in Ethiopia, including the multiple gang-rape of a 14 year-old in the Ogaden, who was strangled to death after ten days by the soldiers who raped her.
Travellers to South Africa were at risk of abuse, including rape, by people smugglers. Several deaths were witnessed during dangerous and harsh journeys lasting up to 12 months, during which migrants were often short of food and water. Detention in unsanitary, severely overcrowded conditions, especially in Zambia, Tanzania and Malawi, for up to five months, was experienced by 18 interviewees (21 episodes). Deportation and attempted deportation was reported by four.
Making a living in South Africa, although legal, is difficult and dangerous. The majority of interviewees work or have worked in township tuckshops, which are frequently subject to armed robbery and xenophobic attacks. At least five Oromo died in tuckshop attacks in 2012 alone. On average, tuckshops are robbed every 5-6 months. Several organised racist attacks against tuckshops were reported and xenophobic threats, direct and via distributed leaflets, were recorded.
Violence and robbery on the street is common. One young woman was raped on her way to work one Sunday morning, in central Johannesburg, a few days before interview.
The South African government appears unenthusiastic in tackling xenophobic violence and, at best, ambivalent in honouring its responsibilities to refugees, according to international law and its own constitution. It has failed to address the general high level of violence in the country. Xenophobia is fuelled by local leaders and politicians in order to bolster their popularity and power.
The refugee determination process is thoroughly corrupted and meaningless. Refugee status is virtually sold as a commodity.
Whereas refugees are able to make a living in South Africa better than elsewhere on the continent, this is at a price. The violence which is characteristic of everyday life in the country is particularly likely to impact on the poor and the immigrant.
A vibrant civil society stands in bright contrast to the ANC government and is a hopeful sign that prosperity and tolerance may eventually prevail in South Africa.
–Full Content South Africa June 2013
Muummeen Barnoota Afoola Oromoo (Oromo Folklore) Hundeeffama Waggaa 6ffaa Yuuniversitii Jimmaa Keessatti Kabajate.
Waxabajjii 09,2013 Jimmaa
Muummeen Barnotaa Afoola Oromoo (Oromo Folklore) Kuula Alaabaa ABOn if miidhagsee.Hundeeffaama waggaa 6ffaa Yuuniversitii Jimmaa keessatti sirna ho’aa ta’een kabajate. dungoo diimaa magariisaa diimaa halluu ABO qabsiisuunii fi dungoo qanqee diimaa magariisaa dimaa dhukaasuun qaanqeen halluu alabaa ABO mooraa Jimmaa Yuunivarsiitii keessaa facaasuun guyyaa har’a 8/2013 galgala keessaa sa’atii 12:00 irraa egaluun hanga sa’a 7:30 mooraa Yuunivarsiitii Jimmaa keessaatti kabajate. Muummeen Afoola Oromoo (Oromo Folklore) kan hundeeffame Yuuniversiitii Jimmaatti Hayyuu Oromoo Barsiisaa Darajjee Fufaa Biduu tiin bara 2007kan hundeeffaame yoo ta’uu, Muummeen barnootaa kun: Afoolaa ,Afaan, Seenaa, Sabboonummaa, Aadaa , Safuu fi Duudhaa Uummaataa Oromoo bifa barreeffama fi saayinsiitti jijjiruun barsiisuu irraatti kan xiyyeefatudha.
Mummee barnotaa Afoola Oromoo kana mootummaan Wayyaanee, kun imammata qajeelfama ABO ti jechuun yeroo irraa gara yerootti dura dhaabbachaa kan jiruu fi hanga sadarkaa cufsiisuutti illee irraatti hojetaa kan jirtu wayyaaneen dura dhaabbaannaa barsiisotaa fi baratoota Oromootiin kunoo har’aa waggaan 6ffaan isaa Mooraa Yuunivarsiitii Jimmaa Stedum xiqqichaa keessaatti bakkaa Qeerroon baratootnii fi barasiistotni Oromoo hedduuminaan argamanitti yeroo kabajamuu gammaachuu guddaatu ilmaan Oromootti dhagaahama. Ilmaan Oromoo garbummaa keessaa yoo jiraannee iyyuu bilisummaa keenyaa gonfachuu kan dandeenyu, qabsoo seenaa qabeessaa ilmaan Oromoo dhiigaa isaanii irraatti dhangalasuun nu qaqqabsiisan jabeessinee tikfachaa bilisummaa keenyaa gonfachuuf tokkummaa keenyaa jabeeffaachaa hanga bilisummaan Oromoo mirkanaa’ee mirgi abbaa biyyuummaa keenyaa nuf kabajamutti qabsoo diddaa garbummaa sochii warraqsaa qeerroo bilisummaa FDG biyyaa keessaatti bifa qindaa’een kan itti fufnu ta’a jechuun sagantaa kana irraatti labsii tokkuummaa labsachuun harka walqabachuun walleelee tokkuummaa faarsanii fi qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoof nama onnachiisaan sirbuun Oromummaa isaanii leellifatan.
Sochii warraaqsaa Qeerroo Bilisummaa Oromoo yeroo irraa gara yerootti jabaachaa jiruun sodaa keessaa galuun mootummaan
Wayyaanee humnotaa basaasa humna ol sagaantaa kana irraatti bobbaasuun Sabboontotaa Oromoo hordofsiisuuf yaalu illee sabboontotni Oromoo basaastotaa Wayyaanee tokkuummaan dura dhaabbaachuun of irraa kan deebisan ta’uun gabafame, keessaattuu basastotni lukkeelee Wayyaanee akka Badhaasaa Firraajaa, Caalii Rattaa, Miilkayas, Haptamuu Rattaa Jedhaman kanneen kannee Afaan Oromoo sirriitti dubbaachuu, barreessuu fi dubbisuu danda’an oddeeffaannoo haala sochii dargaggotaa Oromoo hordofuuf kan ergama diinummaa fudhatanii bakka sagantaan kun gaggeeffaamutti bobbaafaman dargaggotaa Oromoon sagaantaa irraa kan arii’ataman ta’uu gabaafamera.
Mummee barnotaa Afoola Oromoo kana mootummaan Wayyaanee, kun imammata qajeelfama ABO ti jechuun yeroo irraa gara yerootti dura dhaabbachaa kan jiruu fi hanga sadarkaa cufsiisuutti illee irraatti hojetaa kan jirtu wayyaaneen dura dhaabbaannaa barsiisotaa fi baratoota Oromootiin kunoo har’aa waggaan 6ffaan isaa Mooraa Yuunivarsiitii Jimmaa Stedum xiqqichaa keessaatti bakkaa Qeerroon baratootnii fi barasiistotni Oromoo hedduuminaan argamanitti yeroo kabajamuu gammaachuu guddaatu ilmaan Oromootti dhagaahama. Ilmaan Oromoo garbummaa keessaa yoo jiraannee iyyuu bilisummaa keenyaa gonfachuu kan dandeenyu, qabsoo seenaa qabeessaa ilmaan Oromoo dhiigaa isaanii irraatti dhangalasuun nu qaqqabsiisan jabeessinee tikfachaa bilisummaa keenyaa gonfachuuf tokkummaa keenyaa jabeeffaachaa hanga bilisummaan Oromoo mirkanaa’ee mirgi abbaa biyyuummaa keenyaa nuf kabajamutti qabsoo diddaa garbummaa sochii warraqsaa qeerroo bilisummaa FDG biyyaa keessaatti bifa qindaa’een kan itti fufnu ta’a jechuun sagantaa kana irraatti labsii tokkuummaa labsachuun harka walqabachuun walleelee tokkuummaa faarsanii fi qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoof nama onnachiisaan sirbuun Oromummaa isaanii leellifatan.
Sochii warraaqsaa Qeerroo Bilisummaa Oromoo yeroo irraa gara yerootti jabaachaa jiruun sodaa keessaa galuun mootummaan
Wayyaanee humnotaa basaasa humna ol sagaantaa kana irraatti bobbaasuun Sabboontotaa Oromoo hordofsiisuuf yaalu illee sabboontotni Oromoo basaastotaa Wayyaanee tokkuummaan dura dhaabbaachuun of irraa kan deebisan ta’uun gabafame, keessaattuu basastotni lukkeelee Wayyaanee akka Badhaasaa Firraajaa, Caalii Rattaa, Miilkayas, Haptamuu Rattaa Jedhaman kanneen kannee Afaan Oromoo sirriitti dubbaachuu, barreessuu fi dubbisuu danda’an oddeeffaannoo haala sochii dargaggotaa Oromoo hordofuuf kan ergama diinummaa fudhatanii bakka sagantaan kun gaggeeffaamutti bobbaafaman dargaggotaa Oromoon sagaantaa irraa kan arii’ataman ta’uu gabaafamera.
Ethiopian refugees protest persecution over dam project
Dozens of Ethiopian refugees from the country's Oromia tribes staged a protest on Sunday, protesting alleged mistreatment by Egyptian citizens in the wake of the Ethiopian government's controversial Grand Renaissance dam initiative.
Demonstrators called for an end to persecution in Egypt outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office in 6th of October, on the outskirts of Cairo.
One protester, Yahia Mohamed, told the state-run al-Ahram newspaper that Ethiopians are encountering hostility because of the Ethiopan government's decision to erect the dam on the Blue Nile.
Ethiopian refugees are unhappy with the divisive project and oppose the government, Mohamed claimed.
Many Egyptians fear the Renaissance dam project threatens Egypt's share of water supplies coming from the River Nile.
Ethiopia announced in late May it planned to divert the course of the Blue Nile, a main tributary of the River Nile, before constructing a hydro-electricity dam in the area.
The announcement has sparked fears in Egypt and Sudan that the project may reduce water shares, while the Ethiopian administration has strenuously denied the move will affect countries downstream.
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