We need justice and freedom!

by Abebe kassa
We need justice and freedom was one of the main slogans demonstrators held on June 2 peaceful demonstration in Addis Abeba. Peaceful demonstrations were de facto banned by the regime since the aftermath of 2005 elections. Semayawi party challenged that and organized one on June 2,2013. Depending on the source from tens to hundreds of thousands of demonstrators from broad section of the society took their messages to the streets of Addis abeba. They put forward 4 clear demands: release all political prisoners, stop forced eviction of Ethiopians from their settlements, stop interfering in religion and incarceration of Muslim leaders, and address skyrocketing cost of living and unemployment. They gave the regime 3 months to respond. If the regime does not listen, they promised to hold more demonstrations. The rally was seen as a warm up for what is to come and serves as a yellow card for the regime. Now the ball is on TPLF’s side.

We need justice and freedom was one of the main slogans of Addis Ababa’s demonstration on June 2nd, 2013

The early signs are not promising. The regime does not seem ready to listen. Redwan Hussien the regime mouthpiece said in an interview that ” trying to stop cases which are under trials in the court system through peaceful demonstration and disturbances is unconstitutional”. His reply assumes that there is independent judiciary system in Ethiopia. We know that is a lie. The regime controls all 3 branches of the political system.Three out of four demands by the organizers are mainly results from lack of independent court system in the country. Believing his own regime lie, Redwan judges actions of peaceful demonstrators who asked the regime to stop using the legal means as a weapon to take away Ethiopians rights as unconstitutional. How he think of his regime forcing Muslim leaders to incriminate themselves in a fabricated video called ”Jihadawi Harekat” before the court makes any ruling?
Beyond his interview there is no official response by the regime to gauge their next move following June 2 protest rally. After 2005 election late PM Meles’s trademark response to public or opposition parties voicing against injustice and oppression had been ”to cut their fingers”. His style of leadership was first to frighten Ethiopians not to dare express their protests in public. Those who dared to do it has languished in prison and follow up with threats for those who might think to do it. The question now is what will be the figurehead PM Hailemariam response to the demonstrators demands and follow up demonstrations if demands are not met. More than once he affirmed his job is to follow on what his predecessor started. He continues to live in Meles’s shadow. Till this time there is no visible indication he can free himself and come up with his own doctrine. For some allowing the demonstration stimulate a faint hope that there could be a shift in the regime’s policy. We do not know why the regime allows it. We do not know how they are going to react when more protests are to follow. It is too early to suggest a shift in policy.
Abebe kassa, can be reached at : abkassa@gmail.com

Aide to Egypt's Morsi sorry for on-air Ethiopia gaffe

An aide to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has apologised after she failed to inform politicians holding talks with the president that they were live on air, allowing viewers to watch them cook up plans to sabotage a dam in Ethiopia.

"Due to the importance of the topic it was decided at the last minute to air the meeting live. I forgot to inform the participants about the changes," presidential aide for political affairs Pakinam El-Sharkawi said.
"I apologise for any embarrassment caused to the political leaders," she said on Twitter.
The talks, chaired by Morsi, revolved around a report of a tripartite Egypt-Sudan-Ethiopia commission on Ethiopia's decision to divert the Blue Nile for a massive dam project, sparking fears of a major impact on downstream states Egypt and Sudan.
Seated around a large table, the politicians thinking this was a closed meeting began to suggest ideas for ways to stop the dam project.
Ayman Nour, head of the liberal Ghad Party, suggested spreading rumours that Egypt was buying military planes in order to put "pressure" on Ethiopia, he said.
He also suggested Cairo send political, intelligence and military teams to Addis Ababa because "we need to intervene in their domestic affairs."
He slammed Sudan's stance as "disgusting" for not standing by Egypt in stronger terms.
Yunis Makhyun, who heads the conservative Islamist Nur Party, said the dam constituted a "strategic danger for Egypt", requiring Cairo to support Ethiopian rebels "which would put pressure on the Ethiopian government."
The meeting, a huge embarrassment both for the presidency and the opposition members who attended, caused a storm of ridicule and anger in the media and prompted even those who didn't attend to apologise on behalf of Egyptians.
"Sincere apologies to the people and governments of Ethiopia & Sudan for the irresponsible utterances at the president's "national dialogue"," wrote leading dissident and former UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei on Twitter.
"A scandal in front of the world," read the headline of the independent daily Al-Tahrir.
Popular talk show host Reem Magued, who aired parts of the meeting on her show, said: "It's true that we asked for transparency from the government but not like this, not to the point of scandal."
In Addis Ababa, Minister for Water and Energy, Alemayehu Tegenu, said he had not heard about the incident, but insisted that Ethiopia's relationship with Egypt remained "healthy."
"I believe that our relationship will continue in a very healthy way," Alemayehu told AFP.
"We don't believe in military intervention for such peaceful Ethiopian efforts to overcome poverty."
He insisted that water levels would not be affected by the construction of the dam: "Why diversion is a headache for some groups, I am not clear about. Any layman can understand what river diversion means."
Ethiopia has begun diverting the Blue Nile 500 metres (yards) from its natural course to construct a $4.2 billion (3.2 billion euro) hydroelectric project known as Grand Renaissance Dam.
The first phase of construction is expected to be complete in three years, with a capacity of 700 megawatts. Once complete the dam will have a capacity of 6,000 megawatts.
Egypt believes its "historic rights" to the Nile are guaranteed by two treaties from 1929 and 1959 which allow it 87 percent of the Nile's flow and give it veto power over upstream projects.
But a new deal was signed in 2010 by other Nile Basin countries, including Ethiopia, allowing them to work on river projects without Cairo's prior agreement.
Alemayehu insisted Ethiopia is committed to sharing Nile resources with the region.
"Ethiopia's agenda is development, Ethiopia is a country which is fighting against poverty and Ethiopia is a country that is developing with its resources to benefit its people and wants to live with neighbouring countries peacefully, sharing its resources," he said.