Fire aboard an Ethiopian Boeing 787 Dreamliner renews concerns

By Michael Martinez and Thom Patterson, CNN

July 12, 2013 -- Updated 1928 GMT (0328 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: News of the fire shakes Wall Street; an ex-DOT official says it could lead to FAA action
• The NTSB says it's sending an expert to help; the FAA says it's in contact with Boeing
• A fire breaks out on an empty Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 at Heathrow airport
• Boeing says it has fixed a battery problem that was blamed for two previous fires

(CNN) -- A fire aboard an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner Friday briefly shut runways at London's Heathrow airport and renewed concerns about the troubled aircraft.

No one was hurt in the fire, officials said, and details were unclear about the fire's cause or location aboard the plane.

The Dreamliner, which has been flying since 2011, has been closely watched since last January, when all 50 of the world's 787s were grounded due to overheating problems in its new light-weight lithium-ion battery system. The planes were allowed to return to service in April after Boeing engineered a solution that satisfied U.S. aviation authorities.

Heathrow reopened Friday evening after it had stopped all departures and arrivals for about an hour, the airport said. Boeing officials were at the airport to analyze the problem, the company said.

Ethiopian Airlines: Bringing the Dreamliner to Africa

It's unknown if the battery system was associated with Friday's incident, but a statement released by Ethiopian Airlines said the jet had been "parked at the airport for more than eight hours" before the fire.

Friday's fire has triggered renewed doubt about the 787 among the aviation community, including former U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Mary Schiavo.

"If today's Boeing 787 problems are battery related," she tweeted, "the FAA may reconsider its decision to allow them to fly before NTSB identified" what caused the battery troubles.

The NTSB -- or National Transportation Safety Board, the United States' top aviation agency -- tweeted that it was sending an "accredited representative" to the airport to help the investigation. A statement from the Federal Aviation Administration said it was "aware of the situation" and was in contact with Boeing as officials "assess the incident."

The news sent Boeing's stock on Wall Street dropping more than 3%, sending a 0.1% shudder through other companies listed among the Dow Jones Industrials. Hundreds of millions of dollars are riding on the success of the Dreamliner, which represents a new generation of lighter, more efficient money-making airliners.

Dreamliner's lithium-ion batteries were blamed for two overheating instances this year in Boston and Japan. No one was hurt in either incident.

In March, the FAA approved a Boeing certification plan to fix the 787s' problematic lithium-ion battery system and prove the new design is safe. A team made up of experts from Boeing and from outside the company redesigned parts of the battery system in what they called a "robust" fix that included separating the battery cells, integrating a new charging system, and setting the batteries in a containment box that would vent outside the aircraft any smoke from overheating batteries.

The Dreamliner boasts high fuel efficiency because of the lightweight carbon composite materials used in its wings and fuselage.

Currently, United Airlines is the only domestic operator of the Dreamliner in the United States. In an apparent show of confidence in the new aircraft, United announced last month that it was ordering 20 additional Dreamliners, specifically the 787-10 model, a longer version of the plane.

CNN's Richard Quest, Scott Hamilton, Jason Hanna and Richard Greene contributed to this report.

>cnn

Over the Water of the Nile

by SASHA ROSS

July 12, 2013 (Counter Punch) — Last week, Africa took another step towards what could become a terribly bloody war. The government of Ethiopia announced its plans to increase defense spending by 15 percent, claiming that the increase matches economic growth. The militarization, however, comes at a time of rising tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia over the water of the Nile.

The origin of the Blue Nile lies in Lake Tana, which sits among the mountains of the Ethiopian Highlands—the so-called Roof of Africa. The Blue Nile descends through the Misraq Gojjam and into the embattled grasslands of southern Sudan, before meeting the White Nile at Khartoum and flowing through the Nubian Desert, Lake Nasser, and Lower Egypt into the Mediterranean Sea. Beyond the crocodiles and impalas, millions of people have, throughout history, lived off the bountiful flood plains of the Nile. However, the river simply cannot sustain development in East Africa.

Due to shocks of famine caused by climate change-induced drought along with land speculation, the entire region has seen widespread revolt. In spite of the revolt, the government of Ethiopia seeking capital investment over popular consent is driving people from house and home throughout the countryside to make room for vast infrastructure projects to become Africa’s number one energy producer. One of these projects is called the Renaissance Dam, which would divert the flow of the Nile in order to provide hydroelectric power and the irrigation necessary to enhance agricultural development in Ethiopia.

The Renaissance Dam would serve the GDP, but not the people of Ethiopia. The dam would provide electricity to Ethiopians while also enabling Ethiopia to sell excess electricity to Egypt and Sudan (a promise that rings tinny in the ears of Egyptians who have always relied on the steady flow of the Nile). At the same time, Ethiopia’s agricultural development calls for greater irrigation as part and parcel to the New Alliance forged between the US, multinational corporations such as Monsanto and Yarra, and several other African countries. The plan may wind up sourcing water for monocrop plantations dedicated strictly to food commodities for export, while also generating a huge amount of electricity.

Still, the government of Ethiopia has held fast against threats from downstream Egypt, which worries that it may lose valuable water to the Renaissance Dam. Relying on accords from the colonial era and beyond (1929, 1959), 90 percent of the Nile’s water is siphoned off for use in Sudan and Egypt. The latter country receives over 90 percent of its water from the Nile. In 2011, however, upstream Nile countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan and Kenya signed a Cooperative Framework Agreement to enfranchise a Nile Commission that will divvy up the water more democratically. Egypt not only refused to sign on to the agreement, but has even threatened war should a drop of water be taken without its consent.

In 2010, a diplomatic cable uncovered by Wikileaks suggested that Egypt intends to put a military base in Darfur, Sudan, so that it can strike Ethiopian dams at will, if need be. Egypt vehemently denied the report, but major Egyptian politicians were caught on tape shortly thereafter discussing the possibility of air strikes and even proxy war using Ethiopian rebels as saboteurs.

Morsi would admit in early June that Egypt did not want war, but “would keep all options open.” He warned, “Our blood will replace any decrease of the flow of the river waters, even a single drop.” Within three weeks, it was Morsi himself who would be replaced. That the Egyptian military remains in power does not necessarily bode well, however.

As minister of water and irrigation Mohamed Nasr El Din Allam explained “The dam would lead to political, economic, and social instability. Millions of people would go hungry. There would be water shortages everywhere. It’s huge.” The major concern is not only that the dam would “regulate” the flow of the Nile, but that the water withheld from the natural stream would evaporate rapidly due to climate change (and may also be utilized for irrigation purposes if Ethiopia’s government so desires).

It was Mubarak’s military that in 2010 had already raised the ire of Ethiopia. Although Sudan has come out in favor of the Renaissance Dam, since it will inhibit siltation from compromising its own dams, Egypt’s bellicosity will likely not subside with Morsi’s decline.

The Nile is a large part of Egyptian nationalism. In 1979, the putatively peaceable Anwar Sadat exclaimed, “We depend upon the Nile 100 percent in our life, so if anyone, at any moment, thinks of depriving us of our life we shall never hesitate to go to war.” Even Boutros Boutros Gahali, as the Egyptian Foreign State Minister, prophesized that “the next war in our region will be over the water of the Nile, not politics.”

The Deputy Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Khalid Bin Sultan, joined in the fray in March, declaring that “There are fingers messing with water resources of Sudan and Egypt which are rooted in the mind and body of Ethiopia. They do not forsake an opportunity to harm Arabs without taking advantage of it.” While it is not clear exactly whose fingers the Prince sees messing around with Ethiopia’s water (even the World Bank refuses to finance the dam), the Saudi ambassador to Ethiopia disavowed the Prince’s words, opening up a kind of empty rhetorical space of international hegemony.

On June 12, 2013, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, tried to even out the situation: “Both countries need to use the Nile and I think it is important to just have discussions that are open… not in the context of colonial power, but in context of pan-Africanism and African renaissance.” Yet the notion of sharing the Nile may completely alter the Egyptian water plans, requiring vast bureaucratic adjustments that will prove all but impossible in the interim years between revolution and the brass ring of stability.

According to a Cairo University study written by the Group of Nile Basin, Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam project “in the eyes of the majority of Egyptians amounts to a flagrant assault on all the basic fundamental laws and the international norms.”

Given popular animus against the Renaissance Dam, as well as Ethiopia’s steadfast pursuit of the project, there is worry that the current military government of Egypt will see a fight as a chance to rally a politically tumultuous climate. It is in fact very possible that Eastern Africa is on the brink of war over the same resource that brought life to the first humans—the water of the Nile.

Sasha Ross is a moderator of the Earth First! Newswire, the coordinator of the Earth First! Journal—Cascadia Field Office, and an activist with Bark. His recent writings can be found in continent., The Singapore Review of Books, and Life During Wartime (AK Press 2013). He is also the editor of the forthcoming anthology, Grabbing Back: Resistance Against the Global Land Grab (AK Press 2014). This article is also being published at newswire.earthfirstjournal.org.

–CounterPunch

>ayyaantuu

Ethiopia as One ‘Killil’ in the Federation of Nation States

Baran Bahan | July 11, 2013

Ethiopia, a name of now a country in East Africa, is a Greek word which means ‘burnt face’. The word originally referred to all black or dark colored people who lived south of the Sahara. A close look, however, indicates that the word is charged with negative connotations. One, for instance, might  ask a question, ‘why Greece chose ‘burnt face’ to refer to people with black or dark color, although for sure they had a more neutral and even a better word that can describe the people who lived south of the Sahara?  The funny thing is that, except the Habeshas, no people or country in the region used the word or made it part of their lexicon. For Habeshas, however, ‘burnt face’ is not only the name of their country, but also their religion and identity.

Not only Habeshas adopted this taboo word happily and unconditionally, they also boast for being ‘burnt face’. They believed in it as a religion although this ‘religion’ does not have followers among other nations. Unlike other world main religions this ‘burnet face’ religion, does not have a dogma, or any common sense that can guide the ‘believers’. The fanatic and core believers of this ‘religion’ have tried to impose it on other people such as Oromos, Somali, Sidamas, Afar, etc. They tried hard to baptize them in schools, churches and other institutions, although they did not manage to get many converts despite their century long attempts. Who on earth can join a ‘religion’ without any dogma or common sense and which was named after a Greek derogatory word?

I have no any objection if anyone can take up anything and make it the name of their religion, country, or identity and so, I do respect Habeshas right to pick ‘burnt face’ to tattoo it all over their bodies if they want. I also understand the arbitrariness of languages. What I can not comprehend, however, is why they keep trying to impose it on others while they know very well that people of other nations resisted and have continued to resist it. Why do they make a bray noise when people of other nations rightly tell what their identities are.  We all know the rising dust among the Habeshacrowds following the recent statement by Jawar Mohammed on Aljazeera in which he said, “I am Oromo first” and eloquently explained why he and Oromos identify themselves as such. They are working hard on different websites and social media to create the impression that Jawar has a ‘hidden OLF agenda of disintegrating Ethiopian unity’. Which unity?  What else they think Jawar should have said?  Ethiopia—the burnt face?  Really! That is a dead hat!

It sometimes makes me think that these people (habeshas) must live in a different planet. They apparently do not know that what Jawar said was not new, but just what all Oromos are saying. What makes Jawar different is that he exposed the truth on international media. Otherwise, people like Ali Birra, Kemer Yesouf and many others reached millions through their well resonated songs. Our elders advised; teachers taught; religious people preached; and scholars wrote about it over and over and over again. So, it is no wonder, today, that even Oromo kids in elementary school proudly tell that they are Oromo first, and Ethiopia is imposed on them.

Rejection of Ethiopia as identity, of course, also holds true for other nations such as Somali, Afar, Sidama, etc. Obviously, this puts the Habeshas in the minority camp. The question many people ask, however, is this: Can different nation states come together and build a common country?  I think it can be still tried through give-and-take, or win-win situations. My suggestion is that let every nation state keeps its own identity and Ethiopia be the identity of those who want to keep it, Amhara ‘Killil,’for instance. Hence, Oromia, Ogadenia, Afar, Ethiopia, Tigray, Sidama, etc. can negotiate on how to build a country of federation of nation states. Of course, the success of this depends on the agreement between these nations states. If this does not work, of course, the only option will be: Ethiopia go your way, and we will go our way to hoist our flags at the AU and the Hague.

>ayyaantuu

Ethiopian Refugees Protest in Cairo, Egypt (Video)

– El-Balad

>ayyaantuu

Korri Gamtaa Miseensota ABO Kutaalee Amerikaa fi Kanaadaa Adoolessa 04-05, 2013 ti Magaalaalee Lakkuu Minisootaatti Keessatti Geggeefamaa ture Milkiii fi Injifannoon Xumurame

Adoolessa 10, 2013

Nuti miseensotni ABO kutaa Kanaadaa fi Amerikaa walitti dhufnee kora gamtaa bakka tokkotti geggeeffanne kora kana irratti ibsa hoggana ABO irraa haala yeroo dhimmoota QBO, haala jaarmiyaa fi siyaasaa ,haala sochii WBO, haala sochii Qeerroo biyya keessaa fi haala yeroo ammaa QBO keessa jiru akkasumas dhimmoota hawaasa keenya biyya keessatti diinaan iraarfamaa jiru irratti ibsi bala`aa fi ifaa ta`e hogganoota keenyarraa nuuf kenname irratti hundoofnee gaaffii fi deebii erga geggeeffanneen duuba haalaa fi akkaataa gara fuula duraatti Qabsoo hidhannoo jabeessinee itti fufuu qabnuu fi WBO jabeessuuf I cimsuu, Dhaaba keenya ABO fi jaarmiyaa keenya biyya keessaa fi alaan jabeessuu fi ijaaruu irratti marii bal`aa geggeeffachuun Korri gamtaa ibsa ejjennoo armaan gadii baafachuun milkii fi injifannoon xumuranne:

1. Sirna bittaa mootummaa Itoophiyaa/wayyaanee ofirraa kaasuuf filmaanni tokkichaan jiru Qabsoo hidhannoo cimsinee itti fufuu ta`uu korri kun sagalee tokkoon murteeffanne.
2. WBO bifaa fi sadarkaan ijaarree cimiisuun murteessaa fi fardii ta`uu isaa korri kun erga mariyateen booda waan barbaachisu hundaan bira dhaabbachuun hanga QBO ABO durfamtu bilisummaan fiixa baatutti waan dandeenyu maraan bira ni dhaabbanna.
3. Jaarmiyaa keenya jabeessuu fi cimsuuf sadarkaa QBO amma irra jiru irraa gara fuula duraatti tarkaanfachiisuuf murannoo fi kutannoon hojjechuun qabsoo fiixaan baasuuf murteeffanneerra.
4. Sochii qeerroon Oromoo biyya keessatti geggeessaa jiru dinqisiifataa barattootni, Barsiisotni, Qotee bulaan, Daldalaan, hojjetaan Oromoo , Hayyootnii fi beektotni, Shammaranii fi Dargaggoon Oromoo Sirna gabroofataa Mootumma wayyaanee ofirraa fonqolchitee Biyya keerratti abbaa biyyummaa keetii mirkaneeffachuuf gamtaa fi gurmuun kaatee QBO tti akka dirmattuu fi Sochii Qeeroo waliin akka hiriirtu waamchi lammummaa isiniif dhaamna.
5. Ilmaan Oromoo kanneen Mootummaa Gabroofataa waliin hojjetaa jjrtan, Humna Poolisaa, Humna waraanaa fi hojii addaa addaa keessa hojjetaa jirtan, Haalli yeroo ammaa mootummaan Itiyoophiyaa/Wayyaanee unmmata Oromoorratti hidhaa fi ajjeechaa daangaa hin qabne geggeessaa jiru kan saba keenya Hundeen dhabamsiisuuf saganteeffatee hoijjetaa jiru ta`uu hubattanii QBOtti makamuun ga`ee keessan akka baatan dhaamsa lammummaa fi Oromummaa isiniif dabarisna.
6. Shira Mootummaan wayyaanee ummata Oromoo fi saboota qubsumaan ollaa Oromiyaa jiran walitti buusuun tasgabbiin akka hin uumamne godhaa jirtu itti dammaqxani wal dhabbii fedhe kamiyyuu akkuma aadaatti sirna ilaa fi ilaameen akka hiikamuu fi ollummaa gaarii fi nagaan akka waliin jiraattan jabeessinee isiniif dhaamna.
7. Dhumaatii Ilmaan Oromoo Godina baha Oromiyaa naannoolee adda addaa qubatani jiran irratti duula shanyii duguuggii humna addaa mootummaan Wayyaanee bobbaaseen raawwatamaa jiru jabeesinee balaaleffanna. Llubbuu ummata keenya galaafatamee fi qabeenyaa saamame maraaf kan itti gaafatamuu fi yakkamu mootummaa Itoophiyaa/wayyaanee ta`uu isaa jabeesinee hubachiisna.
8. Tattaafin mooraa Qbsoo Bilisummaa Oromoo jabeesu fi tokkoomsuf jaarmootaa fi murnoota adda addaa waliin jalqabame akka itti fufu jachaa, tilmaamni tokkoomsu moraa Qabsaawotaa Oromoo akkuma duraan lafa kaayameti akka bakka gayu dhaammanna.
9. 9. Maqaa Investment fi gurgurtaa lafaa/dachiitiin Qotee bulaa Oromoo qa’ee isaarraa buqqisuun akka hatattamaan dhaabbatu Jabeessinee gaafanna.
10. Ilmaan Oromoo kanneen gidiraa mootummaa Wayyaanee dheessuun biyyoota adda addaatti baqatanii jiran irratti roorroo raawwatamaa jiru ni balaaleffanna. Mootummoon itti baqataniis akka mirga baqattummaa isaanii kabajan gaafanna.
11. Gochaa diinummaa Mootummaan Itiiyoophiyaa/wayyaanee ummata Oromoo irratti gaggeessaa jirtu sadarkaa duguuggii shanyiitti kan tilmaamamu jannee waan amannuuf Mootummootaa fi hawaasni addunyaa falmaa ummatni keenya mirga isaatiif geggeessaa jiran bira akka dhaabbattan sagalee tokkoon waamicha goona.
12. Biyyootni fi sabootni ollaa Oromiyaa martinu Sabni Oromoo saba nagaa barbaadu fi mirga namuu kan hin tuxyne tahuu hubatanii, akka qabsoo/sochii mootummaa nama nyaataa kana irratti gochaa jiru bira dhaabbatan waamicha goona.

Gadaan Gadaa Bilisummaati!
Injifannoo Ummata Oromoof!
Kora Gamtaa Miseensota ABO Kutaa Kanaadaa fi Amerikaa.
Adoolessa 2013.

>ayyaantuu

Ethiopia, an Identity not only imposed but also enforced upon others

By Adugna Dinka

The expansion of Abyssinia at the second half of the 19^th century was the main reason for the creation of less than 130 years old Ethiopian empire.  Around the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th century, with the help of some European powers and the alliance they get from some northern Oromo federation, the Abyssinians managed to control and colonize  Oromia, part of Somalia (Ogadenia), the sothern people (Sidama, Gedeo, Walaita, Hamar, konso, Burji …ETC), Afar, Gambela and other nations and nationalities.

The Abyssinian took a very old term ‘Ethiopia’ that Greece used to call the people from the then southern Egypt (now Sudan) to down to today’s Tanzania and apply it to their new empire. They register their empire as a member of the League of Nations during the formation of this organization. It was all after this that, they threw away their Abyssinian ‘Kaabba’ and replace it with that of Ethiopia, though they still want to be called Abyssinians. They even managed to propagate the idea of Abyssinia being the old Name of Ethiopia.

They didn’t stop there. They start fabricating 3000 years history for the empire they created. Of course Abyssinia may have a more than 3000 year’s history alone, but the colonized people in the Ethiopian empire don’t share the Abyssinian history. On the contrary, every nation and nationality has its own separate history. The common history with Abyssinians is not more than 130 years. Almost all the 3000 years history they teach and advocate is Abyssinian history. They either ignore or hide the history of other nations and nationalities in the empire.

When foreign historian or anthropologists come to the country they misguide and provide them with their version of history. They just try to show the ‘glorious history’ of the Abyssinians by hiding the culture and history of others. If some historians manage to write a book about Oromo or other southern people they hide it from the public or ignore it in the empires educational system.

In Schools, colleges and universities, the curriculums were designed in such a way that they can advocate and propagate the culture, language and history of the Abyssinians. The culture of other nations and nationalities were considered back ward or uncivilized cultures (Goji bahils as they call it) and they teach that it has to be replaced by ‘modern’ Abyssinian culture.

In elementary schools, a teacher used to have a full right to change pupils name if he is not happy with it. That means an Oromo name given to a student by his parents can be changed to Amharic name at school by a teacher. A young boy or girl was used to be forced to adapt himself/herself to a new Identity.

Nations and nationalities were demoralized with their Identity through giving them derogatory names to the entire population. For example, they gave a derogatory name ‘gaallaa’ to an Oromo nation, ‘Walaamoo’ to Wolaita, ‘deraasa’ to Gedeo, or ‘Baria = slave’ to nations and nationalities with darker skin. To escape the application of these derogatory terms to them, individuals were forced to have Amharic names and identify themselves as Amhara.

Having non Amharic name causes discrimination. Having Amharic name and identifying oneself as an Amhara used to give one more chance to get job, more respect and more appearance in front of a public, which of course was a show of who is smart and a genuine leader. Later on this was actually replaced by identifying oneself as Ethiopian.

It is not clear when the Abyssinians started using a ‘green – yellow – red’ flag. What was clear was the flag gets the green-yellow-red configuration during King Minilik time. When the Abyssinians controlled the southern people and Oromia, they banned everything that helps identify the nations and the nationalities. They replaced the flag of nations with the ‘green – yellow – red ‘flag of Abyssinians. For example the ‘ Black – Red – White ‘ flag/ color/ of Oromos or the ‘ Faajjii Walaabuu or Faajjii Abbaa Gadaa’  was effectively banned from public appearance starting from the time of Minilik . The Abyssinian flag was the one that was imposed all over the empire.

Imposing one’s flag upon others by disbanding theirs is a complete imposition of one’s Identity upon others. Because, flag is a symbol of Identity and Nationality. Abyssinians, specifically the Amharas had managed to impose the Ethiopian Identity upon nations and nationalities during the last 130 years. The TPLF dominated government of Ethiopia just took over from where Amhara stopped, but this time the method is a little different.

It is also worth mentioning that imposing Ethiopia upon nations and nationalities at the expense of their identities carried out through legal enforcement too. One good example is, as I mentioned above, the ‘green – yellow – red ‘flag was not only imposed upon people but it is also legally enforced. This flag is Legally the flag of the empire and breaking the law of the flag is punishable which in some cases can cause torture until one agree to obey the law or end in death.

The other legally enforced Ethiopian imposition is the language. Amharic, though it was the language of one ethnic (Amhara), was and still is a defacto official language of the empire. It was the working and teaching language of the pre- TPLF weyane governments and the working language of the pseudo federal government of today’s Ethiopia. As it is legally the official language of the empire, it is a must know language, which makes it legally imposed and the enforcement is through making it the only official language and a must learn language, which otherwise one is punished through the system by being unfit. Before the TPLF government one has to know Amharic to get job throughout the country and now all the pseudo federal government jobs are reserved for those who speak the language. But if the country has a multiple official languages people from most part of the country can have job at all levels (regional or federal).

Ever since Aljazeera stream aired a TV clip about Oromo, there is a saga between Oromo nationals on one side and Abyssinian elites on the other side. Aljazeera TV and the well-known Oromo political analyst and nationalist Jawar Mohammed with journalist Mohammed Ademo promoted Oromo cause on Aljazeera stream. These two Oromo nationals clearly showed the world who Oromos are and how Abyssinians imposed the Ethiopian identity on Oromos. They also showed the world how Oromos identify themselves and how they distance themselves from Ethiopian identity. In addition to these, Oromo liberation front’s Fido Ebba clearly showed how oppressive the successive Ethiopian governments are including the present one.

The Abyssinians who saw the exposure of their system and what they did to nations and nationalities across the empire during the last 130 years started to criminalize the Oromo nationals. What they didn’t know is that, these Oromo nationals spoke the feeling and view of every Oromo. Abyssinians must get it right that Oromos identify themselves as Oromos and Ethiopia is an imposed and enforced Identity.

They have to get it right that Jawar Mohammed is not only Oromo intellectual, but also a hero who brought Oromo cause to international arena. He took Oromo struggle a great leap forward. He has a personality whom every Oromo admire and the enemies envy.

Aljazeera took a great initiative by airing Oromo cause to a global audience. They played a great role in exposing the behavior of the successive Ethiopian governments and how oppressive they were to the Oromos. They also exposed how Oromos are prosecuted and imprisoned under today’s Ethiopian government. They showed the world that a voiceless in an empire can be heard too.

I wish other international media outlets follow Aljazeera’s example in exposing the oppressive nature of Ethiopian government and how Oromos are still suffering under the colonial Ethiopia. Oromo nationals must follow Jawar Mohammed’s example and try to bring Oromo issues to global Audience.

Adugna Dinka (re_appear1@yahoo.co.uk)

Ethiopia Intelligence, Security Services Powers Extended

July 4, 2013

By African Defence Admin

The Ethiopian government has announced plans to transform the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) into an autonomous federal government office.
This is expected to strengthen its ability to act on national security issues and ensure it can respond to issues today and in the future.
The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) was established in 1994/95 as the Security, Immigration and Nationality Affairs Authority. Its name was changed to the NISS in 2006/07.
On Tuesday, the plan to re-establish the NISS was presented to the House of People’s Representatives.
Three reasons were given: To strengthen the NISS to allow it to protect and defend the sovereignty of the country, the constitution and constitutional order; to determine the power, duties and accountability of the NISS to promote peace, development, democracy and good governance; and build a modern and strong NISS, loyal and resilient to the constitution and constitutional order of Ethiopia and conscious of national and international interests 
The aim of the NISS is to protect national security by providing quality intelligence and reliable security services. Under the plans presented, it is accountable to the Prime Minister.
The proclamation preventing the establishment of other intelligence and security institutions has given other powers to the NISS.
The agency has a wide permit to lead intelligence and security work both inside and outside Ethiopia, formulate national security and intelligence policies and establish and run intelligence and security training institutions.
Under the new plans, the NISS will also work with foreign intelligence and security organisations to share intelligence and conduct joint operations.
It will also investigate domestic or foreign threats to the constitution and constitutional order, threats to economic growth or governance within Ethiopia and collect intelligence.
It will also lead on national counter-terrorism co-operation and co-ordination and represent the country in international and continental counter-terrorism relations and co-operation.
The service will follow up and investigate terrorism and extremism and collect information. 
Its security role includes providing and controlling immigration and nationality services to Ethiopian and foreigners, studying and submitting to the government service charge rates and implement same upon approval; providing the necessary service for refugees based on the Refugee Proclamation and in co-operation with other appropriate organs; leading aviation security activities, providing aviation security services and coordinating other aviation security stake holders in accordance with the Ethiopian Aviation Security Proclamation; providing security protection to the president and prime minister of the country as well as to heads of states and governments of foreign countries in collaboration with other relevant organs. 
Girma Seifu, the only opposition MP, said that NISS employees should be separate from the civil service, in the interests of professionalism.
He said they should also have different ID cards to distinguish them from support staff. “Other support staff might use the ID to harass people as they might not have the ethics,” he said.
He cautioned that the new NISS should provide security to society and should not intimidate people

>african-defence