The Ethiopian army is crucial for change in Ethiopia

by Tedla Asfaw

I just finished reading Dr. Aklog Birara’s recent piece posted here. It is also posted on many websites worth reading it.

I agree with his opinion of the “opposition” in being fragmented and thus hurt the cause of the struggle for freedom and justice.

I would like also to add considering the army as “Woyane Army” and categorizing it as the enemy hurt the struggle for freedom and justice too.

The generals in the army almost Tigreans are filthy rich while the rank and file multi ethnic is not better than the majority of Ethiopians. However, the propaganda emanating from the opposition medias help the regime by alienating the poor soldiers and officers from the masses.

Mass revolt like the one we witnessed this month in Burkina Fasso can happen in Ethiopia any time without any warning. The opposition medias should better correct their flaws by bringing the rank and file of the Ethiopian army with the masses, inform them no reason to defend those in power who enrich themselves at the expense of the masses including themselves. Ethiopian army are defenders of the masses and Ethiopia. That should be the propaganda line coming out of the diaspora medias.

United opposition with the dissatisfied Ethiopian army can bring hope for our country. Without the army participation in our struggle whatever revolt is coming certainly will not bring a regime change in Ethiopia. USA and UK trained officers of the Ethiopian army who see the suffering of their people should play a transitional role for future change in Ethiopia. The 1974 Ethiopian “Abyot” is our recent history to look back and learn from it.

Human rights campaigner says African Union should move headquarters out of Ethiopia

by: CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA , Associated Pres

JOHANNESBURG — The African Union should move its headquarters out of Ethiopia because of concerns about freedom of expression there, an Angolan journalist and human rights campaigner said.

Journalist Rafael Marques de Morais, who has been jailed and faces numerous legal challenges for his investigative work in Angola, said in Johannesburg on Tuesday night that the African Union is hypocritical for keeping its base in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The union represents 53 countries on the continent and says it is committed to transparency and human rights.

Marques cited the ongoing Ethiopian trial on terrorism-related charges of bloggers from Zone 9, a collective that publishes critical news and commentary. He also mentioned the three-year prison sentence handed last week to Temesgen Desalegn, the former editor of the now-defunct newspaper Feteh who was convicted of charges including incitement.

“The situation has worsened, and it indeed shows the hypocrisy of the African Union as an organization representing all Africans,” Marques said at an African journalism conference held at the University of the Witwatersrand.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says there are at least 17 journalists in jail in Ethiopia. The only African country with more journalists in prison is Eritrea, it said.

African journalists and human rights campaigners should be “embarrassed for doing so little to support our peers in Ethiopia,” Marques said. One option, he said, is to campaign to get the African Union to move its headquarters to a country with a good human rights record.

The Angolan journalist gave a lecture held annually in honor of Carlos Cardoso, a Mozambican journalist who was fatally shot in 2000 in Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, while investigating a multi-million dollar fraud case.

Marques described Cardoso as “the great friend I never had the chance to meet personally,” saying the Mozambican campaigned for his release when Angolan authorities jailed him in 1999 for criticizing President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

Dos Santos, who took office in 1979, is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

Family of Upper Holloway man tell David Cameron: ‘Do more to free kidnapped Andy

’

by ANDREW JOHNSON

Andargachew ‘Andy’ Tsege with Yemi and children

(Islington Tribune) THE partner of a British man kidnapped by the Ethiopian government in June and facing execution has accused Prime Minister David Cameron of not doing enough to free him because of the African nation’s central role in the fight against terrorism.

Andargachew “Andy” Tsege, 59, a father of a 15-year-old daughter and ­seven-year-old twins who lives in Upper Holloway, was “rendered” by the Ethiopians while travelling through Yemen on his way to Eritrea in the summer.

He has not been seen since, except in a brief appearance on Ethiopian television in July in which he confessed to crimes. According to human rights organisation Reprieve, screaming can be heard in the background of the video.

Mr Tsege, a naturalised British citizen who has lived in London since 1979, is a respected and outspoken critic of the Ethiopian regime and a member of the exiled opposition group Ginbot 7. He has spoken about Ethiopia’s poor human rights record in front of the US Congress and the EU’s Committee on Human Rights.

The jazz fan was on his way to an opposition conference in Eritrea.

The UK Foreign Office has established that, after being taken in Yemen, he has since been removed to a prison in Ethiopia, but his exact location is unknown. The Ethiopians have so far denied any consular access to Mr Tsege, except for one visit.

His partner, Yemi Hailemariam, told the Tribune that she believes the UK government is not putting enough pressure on Ethiopia, a key ally in the war of terror.

“He came here in 1979 as a political refugee from the military dictatorship,” she said. “In 1991 the government changed, so he went back and was working with them for a couple of years. Then he realised they were no better so he returned to the UK.

“He was going to Eritrea transiting through Yemen on June  23 when he was kidnapped at Saana airport and rendered to Ethiopia. We are very, very worried about him.”

She added: “The UK has bilateral agreements with Ethiopia, which receives more UK aid than any ­other country. The UK doesn’t want to upset Ethiopia as it is the only ‘friendly’ nation in that area. The Ethiopians passed the death penalty in absentia in 2009, and in 2012 sentenced him to life in prison. There is no clemency, there is nothing at all.

“Ethiopia is an elected dictatorship, a repressive regime, but a staunch ally in the UK and US war on terror. It’s next to Yemen, next to Somalia. The UK is not applying the right kind of pressure. They are not outraged. They are just politely asking for consular access.”

A spokeswoman for the Ethiopian embassy said that Mr Tsege had been charged with terrorist offences for trying to overthrow the government. But Reprieve countered that Ginbot 7 is a “peaceful political opposition organisation dedicated to the promotion of democracy”.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We remain deeply concerned about Andargachew Tsege’s welfare and our lack of consular access to him since August 11. We continue to seek consular access, and are raising this at the highest levels.”

አቶ መለስ የሕይወታቸው ፍፃሜ የሆነባት የቤልጅየም ዋና ከተማ ብራስልስ ከመላው አውሮፓ በመጡ ኢትዮጵያውያን የተቃውሞ ሰልፍ ተናጠች (ቪድዮ)

አቶ መለስ የሕይወታቸው ፍፃሜ የሆነባት የቤልጅየም ዋና ከተማ ብራስልስ ከመላው አውሮፓ በመጡ ኢትዮጵያውያን የተቃውሞ ሰልፍ ተናጠች