Ethiopia: ONLF burns An Ethiopian Army Vehicle , Commander Abdullahi Yassin Says

Over the last two weeks , fighters from Ogaden National Liberation Army wages tremendous offensives against Ethiopian Army and its allied militia of Liyu Police according to independent sources and Officials of ONLF.

The Ogaden National Liberation Army's commander told Qorahay Media that his army burned an Ethiopian military truck ,which soldiers were on board in an ambush between Denod and Qorille on Thursday.

Abdullahi Yassin said that the fighting between the Ethiopian soldiers,and the Ogaden Army occurs every time, everywhere in the Ogaden region, and that the number of Liyu Police was reduced in the fight,and now work as guides and interpreters as they know the terrain and the Somali language as well as pointing fingers to individuals that suspected of their family members in the military service of the ONLA.
The Commander accused of Ethiopian soldiers that they have burned civilians in life ,and others suffocated to death after they were placed plastic bags with peppers on their heads by the Ethiopian Army.
"We are not armed to kill Ethiopian civilians, but Ethiopian army is armed to kill our civilians,and that is an evidence of being a state-sponsored terrorism," added Danab Commander.
Ethiopian soldiers and its allied Liyu Police, have started to cut hundreds of trees that surrounded the streets in order to reduce the ambushes of the Ogaden National liberation Army,(ONLA) , according a source.
According well-informed Ogadeni journalist and the Chief-Editor of Ogadentoday Press ,Mohammed Farah, reported July 10,2014, that ONLA stepped up attacks on Ethiopian troops stationed in Ogaden.
Ogadentoday Press further reported " that almost 150 pro-Ethiopian paramilitary militia under the command of the regional administration has been killed in the attacks", citing a source close to the regional administration.
Hussein Mohamed Nur, head of ONLF information told reports of Waagacusub media that ONLF has carried out military operations.
"We have killed more than 100 Ethiopian soldiers ,and its allied militia of Liyu Police (Hawarin) at Kebri Dahar and Godey," Hussein Nour said.
The Independent media have banned Ogaden region to verify the ONLF's recent military victory over Ethiopia,but Ethiopia always dismisses any ONLF military gains and calls ONLA a defeated force.

The Ogaden National Liberation Army has been fighting against Ethiopian soldiers since 1994, and believes that it will accomplish its oil-and-gas rich ogaden independence via a military solution.

Peace-talk between ONLF and Ethiopia stalled in Oct 17, 2012, after the ONLF refused to accept Ethiopian Constitution, which it says the Ethiopian constitution does not concern the Somalis in Ogaden.The kidnappings of two members of ONLF negation team,Sulub Abdi Ahmed and Ali Ahmed Hussein have further complicated diplomatic negotiations between the ONLF and Ethiopia.

=>sunatimes

Pre 2015 Election and The Fate of The Opposition In Ethiopia

By Firehiwot Guluma Tezera | July 12, 2014

Firehiwot Guluma

When we talk about election in Ethiopia, the 2005 national election has become foremost as previous elections under both Derg and EPRDF were fake. The national election of 2005 has shown a hint of democracy until election date in Addis Ababa but in regions it was until one month before the voting date. The ruling party has been harassing the opposition and has killed strong opposition candidates. In Addis Ababa the hint of democracy disappeared after the ruling party diverted the election results.

Having no other option than forcefully suppressing the anger of the people caused by its altering of election results, the ruling party intensified the harassment and killing. So the outcome for the opposition was either to go to prison or follow the path given by EPRDF.  Election 2005 ended in this manner.

The plan of the ruling party to give a quarter of the 540 parliamentary seats to the opposition and to minimize outside pressure and to restart the flow of foreign aid was unsuccessful. The election has made the party to assess itself. Even though it was widely accepted that EPRDF had altered the outcome of the 2005 election and had not anticipated the outcome, many have expected that the party will correct its mistakes. But the party says it has learnt from its mistakes but it made the following strategies:

Measures taken post 2005 election

1. To harass print medias and to formulate and implement harassing press legislatures
2. The government is the main American ally in east Africa in the anti-terrorist campaign. Through this it gets significant military and financial aid. Using this as a pretext the government formulated and implemented anti-terror laws and used it to harass and imprison parties that struggle peacefully. And through this to weaken peacefull struggle.
3. Labeling jobless youth as dangerous and discriminating against the educated was identified as mistake during the election. To correct it they tried to share benefits by replacement and to appoint to political positions and making them members
4. Letting jobless youth to organize and allowing them to get loans but making party membership a precondition and to stop youth joining the opposition by means of benefit
5. To organize the rest of the people in groups of five and to disperse security personnel among the people and make difficult for the opposition to work with the people
6. To change the roads built by aid organizations by cobble stone by employing unemployed youth. Employing the youth was good but they request exaggerated amount from the people. By doing this they are hitting two birds with one stone, to make its members beneficiaries and increase their numbers.

EPRDF used the above strategies for the preparation of 2010 elections. By implementing the strategies it has succeeded in increasing its members but they were not genuine supporters but they supported for benefits. When such kind of members increase, it becomes difficult to fulfill their benefits and at the end they become corruptionists. And they will become the ultimate enemies of the party.

The strategies mentioned above have enabled the party to claim to be winning 99% of the votes. The next day the then prime minister said” the people have given us 5 years contract believing that we have learnt from our past mistakes. This is a big warning for us. If we don’t live to their expectation they will take away their votes.” This was his scorning speech. But both the people and they know how they won and the 2010 election was declared error free.

=>ayyaantuu

Ethiopia PM Hailemariam defends Andargachew Tsege arrest

Ethiopia PM Hailemariam defends Andargachew Tsege arrest

Ethiopian leader Hailemariam Desalegn: “If you have any connection with terrorists don’t think that the Ethiopian government will let you [go] free”

Ethiopia had a moral obligation to arrest the opposition leader who was controversially extradited from Yemen last month, Ethiopian leader Hailemariam Desalegn has told the BBC.

“Andargachew Tsege is a Trojan horse for the Eritrean government to destabilise this country,” he said.

He was sentenced to death in 2009 while in exile for plotting a coup.

Foreign governments could express their concern, but the man would be dealt with according to the law, the PM said.

Andargachew Tsege, a UK national, leads the banned Ginbot 7 movement

Andargachew, a UK national, is secretary-general of Ethiopia’s banned Ginbot 7 movement.

The group says Andargachew was on his way from the United Arab Emirates to Eritrea when he was detained at Sanaa airport on 24 June.

Ethiopia and Eritrea are long-time rivals and the neighbours fought a bitter border war between 1998 -2000, which left some 100,000 people dead.

‘Caught red-handed’

Earlier this week, the British Foreign Office said it had raised its “deep concerns” with both Ethiopia and Yemen over Andargachew’s extradition and had requested reassurances that the death penalty, imposed in absentia, would not be carried out.

Prime Minister Hailemariam rejected concerns about Andargachew’s treatment.

If you have any connection with terrorists don’t think that the Ethiopian government will let you [go] free”

Hailemariam DesalegnEthiopia’s prime minister

He said his trial and that of several other Ginbot 7 leaders in 2009 – who were charged with planning to assassinate government officials – was “fair”.

“His stooges were there, who were sent to destabilise and bomb this country – they were captured red-handed with their bombs and their detonating elements,” he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme.

Asked if the death penalty would be carried out now that Andargachew was in custody, the prime minister replied: “I cannot say this now.”

Mr Hailemariam said Ethiopia was a young democracy and opposition parties were allowed to operate, but terrorism would not be tolerated.

“If you ask me to tolerate in the name of democracy those who are engaging [in] destabilising the country and acting as a terrorist and using guns to change government, then you are wrong,” he said.

The prime minister also denied that Ethiopia was heavy handed in applying anti-terror laws.

The country has faced criticism from donors for jailing its critics – and most recently some of the country’s leading bloggers.

Mr Hailemariam, who became prime minister in September 2012 following the death of long-time leader Meles Zenawi, said no matter people’s professions, those found to be linked to “terrorist groups” would be dealt with.

“If you have any connection with terrorists don’t think that the Ethiopian government will let you [go] free,” he said.

Ginbot 7 (15 May) was named after the date of the 2005 elections, which were marred by protests over alleged fraud that led to the deaths of about 200 people.

=>ogadentoday

What does democracy mean for TPLF/EPRDF?

Alemu Hurissa | July 12, 2014

Alemu Hurissa

Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) minority led regime has ruled Ethiopia for 23 years. During the years TPLF has been in power, they have used various methods to control everything in the country. One of these methods was false accusations against individuals or groups of sympathizing with the Oromo Liberation Front although the question of these individuals or groups has been based on the constitution of the country.

At the beginning when they came to power after overthrowing the Derg regime they promised to democratize the country, however they didn’t take time before they started targeting those who didn’t support their ideas as dissenters were subjected to torture and terrible sufferings in mass detention centres across the country. Over the last 23 years they have been in power, they have carried out unimaginable destruction against human life and natural resources in the country particularly in Oromia region. For instance destruction of Oromia forests and other natural resources as well as the killing of Oromo students, farmers and Oromo intellectuals in all parts of the region.

In December 2003 the government security forces massacred more than 400 Anuak Civilians in Gambella region as reported on January 8, 2004 by Genocide Watch, a US based Human Rights group. Police violence in Tepi and Awassa in the Southern Nations-Nationalities, and Peoples (SNNP) regional state, resulted in the death of more than one hundred civilians and the arrest of hundreds. The Human Rights Watch report 14 January 2003 termed it as Collective Punishment.

War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity in the Ogaden area of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, June 2008 and 19 October 2006, the Ethiopian police massacred 193 protesters in violence following last year’s disputed elections, an independent report says. These are very few among many such incidents that I have elected to mention as an example of TPLF security forces’ atrocious acts against innocent people in different parts of the country. The victim of these brutal acts range from very young children to the elderly people by age categories. For example, there was a report that an eight years old child was killed by federal police in Gudar in May 2014.

If any individual does not agree and support their agenda, automatically that person is a member of OLF, according to Woyane regime’s definition. For example, Bekele Gerba, who was a lecturer at Addis Ababa University was arrested in 2010 by the TPLF-led regime simply because he clearly depicted the true evil nature and behavior of TPLF and its members. He said the land inOromia is a private property of the ruling party members. If they want they will sell it or they will give it to the people who support them and these are people who got rich in a way that cannot be reasonably explained. Many Oromo prisoners testified about Oromo people suffering in jail after they have been released or escaped from prison. To name some of them, Ashenafi Adugna and Morkaa Hamdee are among the victims who suffered at the hands of Woyane security forces while they were in prison. Many innocent Oromo people sentenced to life term and death without any evidence that shows their involvement in any criminal act. What happened in the Oromia region against Oromo University and high school students by federal police as reported by the BBC and other mass media is evident to mention as an example.

In general, the brutal acts against Oromo people by TPLF security forces have never been witnessed anywhere in the world. This clearly depicts what the TPLF government and its party members stand for and lack of their perception about personal worth, and the contempt they have for a human being. One can be quite sure that oppression cannot continue forever, and the dark time for Oromo people shall be replaced with justice and freedom.

In a democratic country, the people have right to express themselves freely in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the country; but in Oromia, there is no freedom of speech. No one in Oromia can freely express him/herself. In oromia, the will of the people has been replaced by the will of the TPLF regime. What has been unfolding for the last 23 years in Oromia region is that the TPLF regime is busy fabricating false documents that are used by the brutal regime’s security forces to incriminate, intimidate, persecute, harass, arrest, torture and kill the innocent Oromo people. So for Woyane democracy means not to allow people their freedom of expression, intimidating, persecution, harassment, arresting, torture and killing innocents in cold blood.

Generally, woyane is a tyrant regime which uses power oppressively and unjustly in a harsh and cruel manner against Oromo people to keep itself in power as long as they could, but I strongly believe that the crimes woyane carried out against Oromo people as a part of its lust for wealth and power will not keep them in power rather it shall hasten the time the Oromo people will achieve freedom. It would be wrong to say woyane will stay in power while using excessive force of power and committing crimes against innocent Oromo people in horrible and oppressive character. What the government is doing now by the name of development is meaningless and inhuman; how one can bring development while exposing people to suffering and death is beyond anyone’s imagination.

Playing game with human life to gain wealth and acquire luxurious life in modern time by robbing and plundering the Oromo people’s wealth is simply unacceptable. The TPLF regime should have been grateful to the Oromo people instead of making Oromo people live a horrible life; because the better life enjoyed by the TPLF politicians came as a result of Oromia’s natural resources. Instead of displacing Oromo farmers, dismissing, arresting and killing Oromo students and dismissing Oromo workers from their job, would have given more respect and value for all Oromos. The problem is that the TPLF regime and itsSatellites parties like OPDO never understand the importance of Oromo people and Oromia region in Ethiopia. Oromia is bleeding since woyane has come to power, because woyane governed Oromia by using excessive force and violence.

All countries that have diplomatic relationships with Ethiopia have also played a major role in keeping woyane in power, because woyane has received too much money from these developed countries under the name of humanitarian assistance which woyane uses to buy weapons to brutally crackdown Oromo students, farmers and scholars. Under woyane’s political system there is no legal and moral right, in general, no rule of laws and justice.

On May 2, 2014, BBC reported that the security forces of the regime in Ethiopia had massacred at least 47 University and high school students in the town of Ambo in Oromia region. Human rights watch and other Non- governmental organizations also reported how the Ethiopian government abuses its own citizens for the benefit of the ruling party members.

The inhuman acts of TPLF regime against the Oromo students shows that it does not only kill students but also TPLF wants to kill the whole young generation psychologically which is their evil strategy and tactics in fact became in vain as Oromo students have continued their struggle for justice in Oromia region. We, Oromo should stand together to bring the perpetrators of massacre in Ambo town and other Universities to justice. It is true that as long as Woyane keep getting money and other facilities from developed countries; as developed countries also give priority for strategic interest than human right, it will be like climbing the top of a mountain; however, we should not let them to continue their inhuman action. What we have to know is that those students who have been massacred by woyane security forces could have been mine, our relatives or children. These students are hope of their family, Oromo society and the Oromia region in general.

TPLF-led regime in Ethiopia never understand the value of human being, what democracy and freedom of speech means because since they came to power, they have never learned from their mistakes rather than its political system goes from bad to the worst. Atrocities against our people have to continue because of just addressing the human right issue and the question of justice and freedom. So, to change the woyane’s oppressive and horrible political system in Oromia, all people who believe in justice and who know the value of human being should stand with the Oromo people and say no to the fascist and terrorist government of Ethiopia. Killing Oromo University and high school students in April and May 2014, beating and arresting students and local people, when the students and local people protested peacefully against the expansion of Finfinne and the eviction of Oromo farmers from their indigenous land is a proof that the regime in Ethiopia is being the fascist and terrorist regime. Woyane is always looking for a scapegoat for their evil actions and behaviors, but it is only woyane and its members who are responsible and will be held accountable for the crimes they committed against innocent Oromo people.

Fake leadership in Ethiopia have destroyed the Oromo people, and the constitution and the law of the country is always in favour of the TPLF regime, not the Oromo people. The TPLF regime is simply the worst government I have ever seen in the modern era.

At the end of my piece of writing, I challenge all Oromos to unite, as unity is strength and to contribute whatever we can to bring down woyane and its members from power and to bring justice and freedom to Oromia and I challenge and hope developed countries also will stop financial and technical support to terrorist regime in Ethiopia.

Justice and freedom for Oromo people!!!

=>ayyaantuu