Emperor Haileselassie never accepted demarcation with Sudan: Scholar

SILVER SPRING, Maryland (Ethiomedia) - The statement made by the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi that Emperor Haileselassie's government had agreed with the Sudan to accept the demarcation by Major Gwynn in 1903 and 1909 is false, a prominent Ethiopia told a border meeting on May 18 here in Silver Spring.
Alemante G. Selassie, a law professor, told the Ethiopian Border Affairs Committee (EBAC) meeting on May 18-19, 2013 that the Ethiopian government had awlays rejected the unilateral demarcation made by Major Gwynn on behalf of Britain."The 1972 Exchange of Notes between Ethiopia and Sudan didn't accept Gwynn's demarcation. On the contrary, the Notes clearly provide and call for the re-demarcation of the boundary starting from Mount Daglish to the Setit River," Prof. Alemante said.The distinguished Ethiopian scholar said the Notes also call for what it refers to as "minor rectifications" of the boundary south of Mount Daglish."It's quite clear that no Ethiopian administration has in the past accepted Gwynn's line. It is the EPRDF government that for the first time declared its acceptance of the Gwynn line. This position is not only a treasonous and shameful act, but also a radical departure from the attitude and patriotism of previous Ethiopian rulers," Prof. Alemante said.SILVER SPRING, MD - Ethiopian Border Affairs Committee (EBAC) members met on May 18-19, 2013 at Courtyard by Marriott in Silver Spring, MD, and reviewed performances and achievements. EBAC specially focused on the huge stretch of land ceded to Sudan by Ethiopia's late dictator Meles Zenawi. Natives of the Ethiopia-Sudan border as well as scholars who did research on the issue shared their views and understandings with fellow members.
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Demonstration in Gonder (video)

 

North west of Ethiopia, Gonder people (kebele 6 and 7 youths and elders) have raised their concern on the electric, water, costly living conditions and good governance problems with a huge demonstration. The demonstration was prepared for days without known by the local and regional administrations officials. The demonstration was finished peacefully without any problems, and it was marched from Abo sefer to the administration office to demand the problems to be solved. Now it looks the beginning of the end to break the silence of the people in Ethiopia. (Fikrie Zelekew/Facebook)

Amnesty International 2013 Report: Ethiopia

 

Freedom of expression Human rights defenders Torture and other ill-treatment Arbitrary arrests and detentions Excessive use of force Conflict in the Somali region Forced evictions

The state stifled freedom of expression, severely restricting the activities of the independent media, political opposition parties and human rights organizations. Dissent was not tolerated in any sphere. The authorities imprisoned actual and perceived opponents of the government. Peaceful protests were suppressed. Arbitrary arrests and detention were common, and torture and other ill-treatment in detention centres were rife. Forced evictions were reported on a vast scale around the country.
Background
In August, the authorities announced the death of Prime Minister Zenawi, who had ruled Ethiopia for 21 years. Hailemariam Desalegn was appointed as his successor, and three deputy prime ministers were appointed to include representation of all ethnic-based parties in the ruling coalition.
The government continued to offer large tracts of land for lease to foreign investors. Often this coincided with the “villagization” programme of resettling hundreds of thousands of people. Both actions were frequently accompanied by numerous allegations of large-scale forced evictions.
Skirmishes continued to take place between the Ethiopian army and armed rebel groups in several parts of the country – including the Somali, Oromia and Afar regions.
Ethiopian forces continued to conduct military operations in Somalia. There were reports of extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detention, and torture and other ill-treatment carried out by Ethiopian troops and militias allied to the Somali government.
In March, Ethiopian forces made two incursions into Eritrea, later reporting that they had attacked camps where they claimed Ethiopian rebel groups trained (see Eritrea entry). Ethiopia blamed Eritrea for backing a rebel group that attacked European tourists in the Afar region in January.
Freedom of expression
A number of journalists and political opposition members were sentenced to lengthy prison terms on terrorism charges for calling for reform, criticizing the government, or for links with peaceful protest movements. Much of the evidence used against these individuals consisted of examples of them exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association.
The trials were marred by serious irregularities, including a failure to investigate allegations of torture; denial of, or restrictions on, access to legal counsel; and use of confessions extracted under coercion as admissible evidence.

• In January, journalists Reyot Alemu, Woubshet Taye and Elias Kifle, opposition party leader Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher, and former opposition supporter Hirut Kifle, were convicted of terrorism offences.

• In June, journalist Eskinder Nega, opposition leader Andualem Arage, and other dissidents, were given prison sentences ranging from eight years to life in prison on terrorism charges.

• In December, opposition leaders Bekele Gerba and Olbana Lelisa were sentenced to eight and 13 years’ imprisonment respectively, for “provocation of crimes against the state”.

Between July and November, hundreds of Muslims were arrested during a series of protests against alleged government restrictions on freedom of religion, across the country. While many of those arrested were subsequently released, large numbers remained in detention at the end of the year, including key figures of the protest movement. The government made significant efforts to quash the movement and stifle reporting on the protests.

• In October, 29 leading figures of the protest movement, including members of a committee appointed by the community to represent their grievances to the government, and at least one journalist, were charged under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation.

• In both May and October, Voice of America correspondents were temporarily detained and interrogated over interviews they had conducted with protesters.

The few remaining vestiges of the independent media were subjected to even further restrictions.

• In April, Temesgen Desalegn, the editor of Feteh, one of the last remaining independent publications, was fined for contempt of court for “biased coverage” of the trial of Eskinder Nega and others. Feteh had published statements from some of the defendants. In August, he was charged with criminal offences for articles he had written or published that were deemed critical of the government, or that called for peaceful protests against government repression. He was released after a few days’ detention and the charges were dropped.

In May, the authorities issued a directive requiring printing houses to remove any content which could be defined as “illegal” by the government from any publications they printed. The unduly broad provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation meant that much legitimate content could be deemed illegal.

• In July, an edition of Feteh was impounded after state authorities objected to one cover story on the Muslim protests and another speculating about the Prime Minister’s health. Subsequently, state-run printer Berhanena Selam refused to print Feteh or Finote Netsanet, the publication of the largest opposition party, Unity for Democracy and Justice. In November, the party announced that the government had imposed a total ban on Finote Netsanet.

A large number of news, politics and human rights websites were blocked.
In July, Parliament passed the Telecom Fraud Offences Proclamation, which obstructs the provision and use of various internet and telecommunications technologies.
Human rights defenders
The Charities and Societies Proclamation, along with related directives, continued to significantly restrict the work of human rights defenders, particularly by denying them access to essential funding.

• In October, the Supreme Court upheld a decision to freeze around US$1 million in assets of the country’s two leading human rights organizations: the Human Rights Council and the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association. The accounts had been frozen in 2009 after the law was passed.

• In August, the Human Rights Council, the country’s oldest human rights NGO, was denied permission for proposed national fundraising activities by the government’s Charities and Societies Agency.

It was reported that the Agency began enforcing a provision in the law requiring NGO work to be overseen by a relevant government body, severely compromising the independence of NGOs.
Torture and other ill-treatment
Torture and other ill-treatment of prisoners were widespread, particularly during interrogation in pre-trial police detention. Typically, prisoners might be punched, slapped, beaten with sticks and other objects, handcuffed and suspended from the wall or ceiling, denied sleep and left in solitary confinement for long periods. Electrocution, mock-drowning and hanging weights from genitalia were reported in some cases. Many prisoners were forced to sign confessions. Prisoners were used to mete out physical punishment against other prisoners.
Allegations of torture made by detainees, including in court, were not investigated.
Prison conditions were harsh. Food and water were scarce and sanitation was very poor. Medical treatment was inadequate, and was sometimes withheld from prisoners. Deaths in detention were reported.

• In February, jailed opposition leader, Andualem Arage, was severely beaten by a fellow prisoner who had been moved into his cell a few days earlier. Later in the year, another opposition leader, Olbana Lelisa was reportedly subjected to the same treatment.

• In September, two Swedish journalists, sentenced in 2011 to 11 years’ imprisonment on terrorism charges, were pardoned. After their release, the two men reported that they were forced to incriminate themselves and had been subjected to mock execution before they were allowed access to their embassy or a lawyer.

ESAT Special: Ethiopians protest at US State Department

 

ESAT (Ethiopian Satellite Television) Special program “Ethiopians protest in front of the US State Department”.