UDJP always salutes Ethiopia’s prisoners of consciousness

                                                                                            The Horn Times Newsletter 11 March 2013 Despite the ongoing assault on political parties, religious institutions, journalists and perceived or real members of any

     opposition group by Ethiopia’s ruling minority junta security apparatus, one of the main opposition parties, UDJP, Unity for Democracy and Justices, is still commemorating prisoners of consciousness by organizing a splendid candle light gathering on the third day of every month in Ethiopia to show the incarcerated brave souls utmost consideration and courtesy.

Since its establishment on 20 June 2008, UDJP has produced great revolutionaries who are currently languishing in jail or banished in to exile, people like the famous young patriot Andualem Arage, a man of great courage and noble spirit.
Speaking to the March issue of Finotenetsanet newspaper, the party’s chief public relations officer Ato Daniel Tefera (pictured) said the struggle to free Ethiopia from dictatorial rule by peaceful means is advancing well and his party expects a positive result.
“Arresting citizens for demanding religious freedom or other rights had been common in the past 50 years in this country. We are working to end this flagrant violation once and for all. We are steadfast in our demand for the immediate release of those jailed in relation with the freedom of worship. UDJP believes they are also prisoners of consciousness.” Daniel Tefera added.
Lamenting the extremely difficult working condition due to tight control and heavy restrictions, the articulate Daniel Tefera said the party is using its head quarters in Addis Ababa as community hall to interact with the population, encouraging them to conquer fear and stand firm on their various demands.
Asked by Finotenetsanet to comment on the current state of the nation the public relations chief of UDJP replied…
“It is very difficult to explain because citizens are labeled terrorists for demanding certain rights. For example, our Muslim brothers who were arrested and charged for simply demanding freedom of worship have been tried and convicted by the government media. Journalists are being charged with terrorism and sent to jail for writing issues close to the heart of the people. Some have already left the country…and they are still leaving…”

Global Protests in 30 Cities Against Fascist War Crimes In Ethiopia and the Graziani Mausoleum

International public protests in the form of peaceful demonstrations, meetings, and/or prayers took place in over 30

Ethiopian Patriots hanged by the Fascists

major cities during February 17-19, 2013 in remembrance of the 3-day Fascist massacre of 30,000 Ethiopians in Addis Ababa in February 1937, as well as all of the Italian Fascist war crimes that were perpetrated in Ethiopia, with the support of the Vatican, during 1935-41.
The cities where the event took place include Addis Ababa, Washington, DC, New York, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Aurora, Chicago, Boston, Tampa, Las Vegas, Miami, Cologne, Munich, Stockholm, Rome, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, The Hague, The Caribbean region, Sidney, Vancouver, London, and Dubai.
In the Lazio Region of Italy where the Graziani monument was opened, a new governor, Nicola Zingaretti, was elected who has vowed to close the despicable park and mausoleum. In fact, unlike the Prime Minister and President of Italy, Mr. Zingaretti voiced his opposition to the Graziani monument in Affile early and unequivocally in public. For this act of courage and truth, he received over 53% of the vote in a three way election. The Prime Minister on the other hand who, to this day, has not released a public statement denouncing it, only received 9% of the vote and was resoundingly defeated.
In Italy, many organizations and political movements have come to the side of Ethiopians to call for the Graziani

Italian Fascists posing after beheading an Ethiopian patriot

Monument to be closed. These include the Democratic Party of Italy, the Ecology and Liberty Party of the Left, The Jewish Community of Rome, The Italian Women’s Jewish Committee, The Ethiopian Community in Italy as well as The National Association of Partisans of World War II. On February 19, 2013 for the first time, Italians of Jewish and Ethiopian origins as well as Ethiopians gathered in Rome to remember the victims of the Graziani Massacre in Addis Ababa and called on the Italian government to shut down the Graziani monument in Affile.
The Global Alliance for Justice – The Ethiopian Cause hereby expresses its deepest appreciation and thanks to all those who joined in the protest throughout the world as well as those organizations such as the Ethiopian Patriots Association in Addis Ababa; the Italian organizations mentioned in the above paragraph; Ethiopian community associations in Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, the Netherlands, Israel, etc; “Little Ethiopia”; various churches, etc. and media institutions including ESAT (Ethiopian Satellite), VOA, Deutsche Welle (DW), and radio stations in several cities, which supported the Ethiopian cause.
FASCIST WAR CRIMES IN ETHIOPIA
The Italian Fascist war crimes that were committed in Ethiopia resulted in the massacre of one million Ethiopians, the destruction of 2,000 churches and 525,000 homes as well as the perpetration of an environmental pollution including the killing of 14 million animals.
As if to add insult to injury, the Italian Government has inaugurated a mausoleum and a park for the Fascist war criminal, Rodolfo Graziani, at Affile, south of Rome on August 11, 2012 in the presence of a Vatican representative.
VATICAN SUPPORT FOR THE FASCISTS

A Vatican clergy blessing the Fascist army

Despite the availability of an abundant historical evidence as to the Vatican’s Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII’s full complicity with the Fascist war crime in Ethiopia, no apology has been expressed yet to the Ethiopian people. 3,940 people residing in over 30 countries including Italy have signed an international petition on www.globalallianceforethiopia.org calling for a Vatican apology to the Ethiopian people.
JUSTICE FOR ETHIOPIA
The justice demanded on behalf of the Ethiopian people for all the war crimes committed by the Fascists, with the complicit support of the Vatican, is:

1. That the Vatican express its apology to the Ethiopian people;
2. That the Italian Government pay adequate reparations to the Ethiopian people;
3. That the United Nations recognize the Fascist war crimes committed in Ethiopia;
4. That the Italian and Vatican Governments return the properties looted from Ethiopia; and
5. That the Italian Government dismantle the Graziani monument inaugurated at Affile, south of Rome, in the presence of a Vatican representative.

Global Alliance for Justice – The Ethiopian Cause: 4002 Blacksmith Drive, Garland, TX 75044, USA: Tel: (214)703 9022 Email:info@globalallianceforethiopia.com;
www.globalallianceforethiopia.org

Do not encourage Ethiopia-phobia

by Mahmoud Ahmad
Saudi Gazette

The recent phenomenon of Ethiopia bashing in our country’s media is turning a wee bit malicious. I was surprised at the recent media campaign against Ethiopian nationals, who have been singularly targeted by the media for all the ails afflicting the country.
According to many media reports the Ethiopian nationals are the main source of all problems. They are the ones breaking into homes, manufacturing and distributing liquor, selling weapons, involved in assault and rape cases and many other things that cause discomfort to citizens and residents alike.
The campaign, which virtually alleges that most Ethiopians are in the Kingdom illegally, is in many ways just vilifying one particular section of humankind. The campaign, as if the problem of sneaking these illegals through the border happened only two weeks ago, is also unjustified.
First of all I would like to clear one thing. Any person sneaking through the border illegally should be arrested and deported; it is within the country’s right to do so and I want to make it clear that no one is questioning the action of the government if these illegals are arrested.
But ironically the border, which is manned vigilantly by our security forces, is made porous by greedy citizens or residents, out to make a quick buck for themselves. If these people had the moral courage to battle this scourge, then the security forces job would become much easier.
All nationalities living in the Kingdom legally are positive contributors to society. Ethiopians, like any other nationality living in the Kingdom legally, too are contributing positively to our society even in a small level. They hold jobs in the private sector and contribute to the country’s development and are thanked for that.
Associating the legal Ethiopian expatriates with the infiltrators is wrong, (… and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another) Az-Zumar Chapter, Verse (7).
Be it any nationality, the moment they take the step to illegally enter the Kingdom they have already done wrong. From then on they are ready to take any steps that would rake in the money. Ironically, every nationality is involved in wrongdoing, so why single out the Ethiopians!
Social media and the media in general have portrayed Ethiopians as a major problem that needs to be gotten rid of. This is wrong. To tar all of a nationality with the same brush for the actions of few is wrong. And media should be careful when dealing with such issues.
I remember some time back it was the Bangladeshis who were under heavy media attack and before that the Chadians. All were under the scrutiny because a select few went about their way in making money any which way. I hope the media would target the problem itself without highlighting on the nationality because the problem will remain a big problem even if one nationality is driven out and other nationalities let in.
The problem of infiltrators crossing the borders every day has been a problem since the establishment of this country. It is extremely difficult to monitor the entire border of the country. The border along the south is long and there are difficult mountains and valleys. It is here the citizens and residents could help by not assisting the infiltrators. The border guards are doing their best to monitor the border with Yemen and our sea border to prevent illegals from sneaking in.
Every now and then the media office of the border guards releases statistics about their latest busts in which they seize large number of weapons, ammunition, drugs and liquor and not to mention the arrest of the smugglers themselves. Despite these successes, the illegals device new ways to break through the borders of our country.
The campaign targeted the Ethiopians, but did not raise the problem of illegal residents in the south. The numbers are reportedly astounding.