Urgent Help for Independent Journalists

EMF, Ethio Media Forum, calls all concerned Ethiopians, friends of Ethiopia and supporters of the free press to help Ethiopian independent journalists who were fighting for a better peaceful future, human rights and genuine democracy in Ethiopia, and had been targeted by the brutal Ethiopian government because of their journalism profession for the last 15 years.

According to EMF web site, some are very sick and need medical assistance and others are compelled to beg on the streets to survive.

Hard snow blowing

Difficult and harsh snow blowing in the State of Michigan has continued for the second day. Moving here and there for daily necessities getting hard. Residents, especially ; in Grand Rapids and Kentwood area confined in their apartment or house for safety. Officials from law enforcement department advised peoples to stay at home , and several churches and schools are closed weekend schedule. Some employers allowed their staff to go home.

An Ethiopian man holding snow brush in his right hand, heading to clean his vehicle before driving to job.This picture was taken and forwarded to choreber blogger by Worku who lives in Wingate apartment complex which located closer to Gerald Ford International Airport.

Worku, thank you.

Picture by fahrenheit45(Atlanta skyline)

Kifle Mulat's speech in Atlanta

EMF, January 11, 2007

A human rights symposium in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birth day has started on Thursday , January 11,2007 in Atlanta-Georgia-USA.

One of guests invited by the Martin Luther King Jr. Africa/African American Renaissance March Committee, Kifle Mulat, exiled president of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association took an opportunity to address the audience about the plight of Ethiopian Free Press Journalists and current conditions of Freedom of the Press in Ethiopia.

" Thanks to CPJ and diplomatic pressures, charges filed against Voice of America journalists are already dropped ; but journalists in diaspora still charged in treason and asked to be extradited to Ethiopia.Other sixteen (16) of the journalists charged are in custody. Many members of our association ,EFJA , have gone in to hiding,fearing arrest.More than ninety (90) journalists are forced to flee the country to save their neck " said Kifle Mulat at his speech to the symposium participants. (To read full text click here)

Picture by guuleed, April 26.2006

Meles Zenawi,Dollar thirsty-in a new style of begging under the name of Somali people

By Hellen Kasu Mitto
January 06,2007

Armed war lords and clan leaders,who became unelected King of the Somali people,by the help of killer weapons under the name of Union of Islamic Courts(UIC),who knows about tomorrow,temporarily driven out of the capital and other cities and has gone far to the jungle with in two weeks of conventional war. Those,the so-called leaders of the UIC,were able to run the Somali people under the shadow of new governing method or principle (no movie,no foot ball/soccer,no mirra/chat) for about six months. That principle and technically mounted heavy machine gun pick up trucks has destroyed by invader Ethiopian army and Transitional Federal Government of Somali forces. All human beings brain doesn't working in the same way or direction,and we heard "thanks" words from supporters of the TFG,and different attitude from others who opposes invasion of neighboring countries. I do not worry about that. Because both sides has their own reason.

Backed by heavily armed and well-trained Ethiopian army,the TFG, controlled all the country,except Somaliland and Puntland,and has started functioning or acting as a government in the middle of its own people and land. What's next for the TFG is,unfortunately, accepting Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi as Somali's saver and giving green light for his unsuccessful ruling strategy that has been rejected and failed on his country,Ethiopia,for the last fifteen years. That would be a big mistake in Somalia's government history if it continue on Meles's track. Because democratic process based on Somali's people culture and way of life is better than any foreign ideology that could create national disaster and identity crisis. Specially,as a concerned blogger,I would like to advise that,not allow and copy Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's well-poisoned and full of hate political picture for Somali's democratization foundation. Meles Zenawi is a moderate fascist in a modern or new era in Africa.

On Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's side,already he got an opportunity of begging dollars under the name of Somalia peace and stability in a new style of begging. Everyone as remembered,after Kismayu(Somalia)on his press conference and Parliament meeting he mentioned openly with out any diplomatic words the words " We are poor",and " We need money",several times. In my understanding that is shame. Invading ,someone's country for a dollar is shame. No body has the right to trespass a private property,not country, if there is human beings law that could protect or treat all man kinds equally,and before getting inside Somalia cities or interfering in someone's national issue please get fix your political problems in your country. Go ahead Kaliti,Dedessa,Tolay, Ziway,Maekelawi and other concentration camps. These camps are closer to your palace than Mogadishu or Kismayu,and watch your country 's pocket than begging foreign currency in the name of an innocent poor Somali's soul.

Conclusion: Please,don't use Somali's problem to extend your ugliest ruling age as tablet.Give Ethiopians politics for the new democrat generation and get your prison time,exile or retirement session.Ethiopia's tired about you.15 years as King of Kings dictator leader, oh my God ! ..... more than 25 years as political party leader , and on killing chair.....wow !!

IMG_9305.JPG
Originally uploaded by mdziedzic.

EPRDF,a danger to Ethiopian's national interest

(CUDP/Kinijit - PRESS RELEASE)
January 4th , 2007

The primary mission of Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP/Kinijit) , has been and will always be the protection of Ethiopia's national interest. After defiantly rejecting for 14 years the sinister ethnic and religious divide and rule policies of EPRDF , the Ethiopian people voted overwhelmingly for CUDP/Kinijit in the historic May 2005 election because they believed in its sacred mission of........ ( To read full text click here)

(Picture by mdziedzic on Dec.2005)

Picture by Andrew Heavens , May 16 , 2005

Special debate on pal talk

A panel discussion organized by the Ethiopian Current Affairs Discussion Forum will be held on Friday , December 29 , 2006 . Unfortunately , for the the panel organizers , room access allow only 500 interested participants based on first come first serve principle. So, don't miss this program.
Guest Speakers: Dr.Negede Gobeze (UEDF) , Lt. Ayalsew Dessie (UEDF) ,Dr.Meqdes Mesfin (Qality Qalkidan) , Ato kifle Mulat (EFJA) , Dr.Taye Weldesemiyat (ETA) , Dr.Tsehai H. Selassie (EHG) , Ato Andargachew Tsege (CUD) , Ato Berhane Mewa (CUD) , Ato Obang Metho (AJC) , Ato Yared Tibebu and Dr Mekonnen Wondimu .
Interviewers: Including journalists from EMF , VOE-Sweden Radio , Radio Mebt-Australia , Addis Dimts Radio- Washington DC , Getachew Abdi , Abebe Gelaw , Artist & Human Rights Activist Tamagne Beyene , and Writer Abera Lema .

Source : EMF

calendar
Originally uploaded by Mr-kaabi.

Somalia government troops enter Mogadishu , KFMB , Dec. 28,2006

Somalia government troops rolled in to Mogadishu unopposed Thursday , the Prime Minister said , hours after an Islamic movement that tried to establish a government based on the Quran abandoned the capital.

The Islamic militia promised a last stand in southern Somalia. " We are in Mogadishu ," Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi said after meeting with local clan leaders to discuss the hand over of the city . We are coordinating our forces to take control of Mogadishu."( To read more click here ) , picture originaley uploaded by Mr. Kaabi, Dec.17, 2006.

Somali government calls on Islamic forces to surrender
Sudan tribune , December 26 , 2006
Ethiopian planes attack retreating Islamic courts militia
News.com , December 26 , 2006
Islamic courts vacate Bur Hakaba
Somali net , December 26 , 2006
Islamic courts retreat in Somalia
CNN , December 26 , 2006
Ethiopia action in Somalia backed by AU
BBC , December 26 ,2006
( MiG 29k , picture taken from migavia)

Ethiopian fighter jets bomb Mogadishu International Airport

MiG -29 , Picture taken from MiGavia.

Wake up Somali people
By Hellen Kassu Mitto

Bad image of the War between Somalia Union of Islamic Courts , SUIC, militia and pro-Transitional Somali Federal Government , TSFG , forces has started. Few countries are trying to play life and death game on Somalis land as " rental space" on the expense of Somali citizens life . Somalis has the right to kick out all forces , not only Ethiopian army but also Eritrean army and others instead of watching this war as a landlord who granted his own private property for long term lease .

Wake up Somali people !! Ethiopia and Eritrea has their own an unfinished business on their common borders . The border dispute is still fresh . As you know , because of the UN peace keepers who able to monitor their military build up movement they couldn't get an opportunity to replay their war game for the second time . Further more , leaders of both countries has big internal unsolved problems . That's why they are using your land as a rental open space .

Wake up Somali people !! Dialogue is a choice less way for peace for all parties who are involving in this fighting .Peace is better than war .
Click here to see dead body of one of an Islamic courts fighter.
2nd picture

" In theory , "Freedom of Expression" does exist on paper in North-Easter African state of Ethiopia. How ever, it does not exist in practice. The term does not meet that act. In the past 13 years, 13 journalists were killed, 85 imprisoned and suffered brutal physical beatings. 93 journalists have had enough of the imprisonment and brutal torture and fled the country to live in exile in all parts of the World....." ( Girma Endrias , a journalist working for one of the Norwegian newspaper in Oslo , and member of Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association)

Announcemen for public teleconference from EFJA
On December 24 , 2006 (Sunday) , Ethiopian Free Press Journalists (EFJA) will hold open teleconference. EFJA president , Ato Kifle Mulat and other exiled journalists are going to make statement on behalf of Ethiopian Free Press Journalists. This teleconference will be the first public meeting after 20 months.
To participate on the teleconference you should get teleconference number and code from http://www.ethioforum.org/ web site.

Ethiopian Free Press Journalists released the 2007 calendar.

In recent interview , Meles , a former Marxist guerrilla who shed his fatigues for tailored suites when he took power in a 1991 coup , ........
Washington Post , December 20 , 2006
Meles Zenawi the African Saddam Hussein
The Conservative Voice , December 20 , 2006
Massive Layoffs at Foreign Ministry
Ethiomedia
Prof.Ephrem Issac as Zenawi's Envoy ?
(Indian Ocean Newsletter)
Source:Ethiomedia

Ethiopian's No. One Enemy Is Meles Zenawi
Ethiomedia , December 4 , 2006

ለኢትዮጵያውያን ስደተኞች እንጩህላቸው !!
choreber (ጮሬበር)Blogger

በሱዳንና በእንግሊዝ ሃገር የፖለቲካ ጥገኝነት የሚጠይቁ ኢትዮጵያውያን ስደተኞች እየተያዙ ለአምባገነኑ የመለስ ዜናዊ አገዛዝ ሊሰጡ መሆኑን ከኢንተርኔት ላይ እያነበብን ነው ። ሁላችንም እንደምናውቀው ዛሬ ፤ ኢትዮጵያ ፤ የፖለቲካ ፕሮግራማቸውን በሰላማዊ መንገድ ብቻ ሲያራምዱ የቆዩ ኢትዮጵያውያን ፤ መሳሪያ ያልታጠቁና በብዕር ብቻ ነፃ አመለካከታቸውን በነፃ ጋዜጦች ሲገልፁና ለህዝቡም ነፃ አንደበት የሁኑለት ነፃ ጋዜጠኞች ፤ የህዝቡን ሰብዓዊ መብቶች ለማስከበር በሚያደርጉት ትግል የታወቁ ግለሰቦች ፤ የመምህራን ማህበር አመራር አባሎችና መምህራን ፤ ከአንደኛ ደረጃ ት/ቤት እስከ ዩኒቨርሲቲ ተማሪዎች ፤ ነጋዴዎችና አምባገነን ሥርዓትን የሚቃወሙ ኢትዮጵያውያን በሙሉ ፤ ዘር ፤ ፃታና ህይማኖት ሳይለይ የተገደሉባት ፤ የታሰሩባትና እየተዋከቡ የሚኖሩባት ሃገር ናት ።

ኢትዮጵያ ወደ መግደያ ቻምበር እና እስር ቤት ከተለወጠች ቆየች ። መሪዎቿም የአፍሪካ የዘመኑ ናዚዎች ሆነዋል ። ከሰብዓዊ ፍጡርነት ወደ አውሬነት ራሳቸውን ከለወጡ ብዙ ጊዜያቸው ነው ። ለዚህ ሥርዓት አልባ መንግሥት ለሚመስል መንግሥት ነው ኢትዮ ጵያውያን ከየተገኙበት እየታነቁ የሚሰጡት ። ሁላችንም ራሳችን ላይ እንዲደርስ በማንፈልገው ሁኔታ ውስጥ ነው ያሉት ። እናም እንድረስላቸው !! አንብበን ዝም አንበል ። ሰምተን ዝም አንበል ። ምራቅ መምጠጥ ብቻ አይበቃም ። ብናምንም ባናምንም ለኛ ለኢትዮጵያውያን ከራሳችን ውጭ ማንም የለንም ። ማንም አይረዳንም ። ብዙ ጊዜ ብዙ ቦታ አይተናል ። የሚፈልገን እንጂ የሚረዳን የለም ። የሚፈልጉን ደግሞ ለጦርነት ብቻ ነው ። ስንሞት ደስ ይላቸዋል ። ለረሃብ ብቻ ነው የሚፈልጉን ። በረሃብ ስንቆላ ደስ ይላቸዋል ። የኛ ረሃብ ለነሱ ገንዘብ ለኛ ግን ሞት ነው ። በሞታችን ይደንሳሉ ። በሞታችን ብዙ ገንዘብ ይዝቃሉ ። የኢትዮጵያውያን ሞት ለብዙዎቹ አትራፊ ኮርፕሬሽን ነው ። ስለዚህም ለወገኖቻችን እንጩህላቸው ። ለስደተኛው ህብረተሰብ እንጩህ !! በስደት አለም እየተሰቃዩ እንዳይኖሩ እንጩህ ። የኢትዮጵያዊ ነፍስ ምኑም ላልሆነው መለስ ዜናዊ እንዳይሰጡ እንጩህ ።

Dr. Taye and Ato Kifle Urge Renewed Moves
Ehiomedia , November 22 , 2006
Ethiopian Demonstration In Brussels
Eri-TV
At least Nine Eritrean Journalists Arrested In New Round-Up
rsf.org , November 22 , 2006
Three Eritrean Journalists Died In Prison Camp
rsf.org report on November 14 ,2006
ETHIOPIA BORDER IMPASSE UNSUSTAINABLE, SAYS ERITREA
By AFP , Middle East Times , November 22 , 2006

Eritrea Wednesday warned that the current stalemate over its tense border with Ethiopia was "not sustainable" and refused to rule out a new war against its arch-foe Horn of Africa neighbor. At the same time, Asmara repeated denials that Somalia had become a proxy battleground for it and Addis Ababa amid reports that the two countries are backing rival factions there to settle scores from their bloody 1998-2000 conflict.

Two days after Eritrea and Ethiopia both rejected plans by a UN-appointed border panel to demarcate their contentious frontier on paper, further raising tensions, a senior Eritrean official said that all options were on the table.

"Eritrea is a sovereign country and we cannot accept the reality of our territory being occupied by a foreign power indefinitely," said Yemane Gebremeskel, director of Eritrean President Issaias Afewerki's office.

"I don't want to speculate on what can happen, but I can only tell you this situation is not sustainable, it cannot be acceptable legally and there is no reason why it should stay this way," he told reporters in an interview in Asmara.

On Monday, the two nations boycotted a meeting of the Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission in The Hague designed to gather comment about a proposal to delineate the border on maps without marking it on the ground.

Eritrea accepts the panel's ruling, which awarded it the flashpoint town of Badme, but wants it be physically laid out on the ground, while Ethiopia, which rejects the boundary, said that the commission was acting outside its mandate.

The commission's proposal appeared aimed at easing growing tension between the two countries that many fear could lead to a renewal of their war and spill over into Somalia, threatening a wider regional conflict.

The stalemate has left the status of the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) border unclear six years after a peace deal and raised tensions, heightened by UN reports that both nations are militarily active in Somalia.

Yemane refused to say whether Eritrea, which has repeatedly denounced the international community for failing to press Ethiopia to accept the commission's binding ruling, would fight to take the territory in question.

But he repeatedly stressed that "all options" were open.

"As far as what our options are, I think these are options we can exercise at any point in time," Yemane said, declining to elaborate.

Yemane also denied charges by UN experts and diplomats that Eritrea is trying to exploit the situation in Somalia by arming a powerful Islamist movement that is girding for war with a weak government supported by Ethiopia.

"All these attempts to portray Somalia as a proxy battlefield between Ethiopia and Eritrea are misguided," he said. "There is no reason why we should go to Somalia to settle scores with Ethiopia."

Copyright (c) 2006 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Exiled Ethiopian journalists appeal for safe exit from Kenya
Ethiomedia,November 20,2006

NAIROBI , Kenya - Ethiopian journalists living as refugees in Kenya appealed to UNHCR and the international community on Monday that they were living under the constant fear of being attacked by Ethiopian government agents and their lives be spared by being transfered to any other third country. Following is the press release issued by the exiled journalists : ( click here to read full text)

ለሄኖክ ነጋሽ እና መላ ቤተሰቡ

የእናታችሁን ከዚህ አለም በሞት መለየት የሰማነው በከፍተኛ ድንጋጤ ነው ። ከልብም አዝነናል። እግዚአብሄር ነፍሳቸውን ይማር ከማለት ውጭ ምንም ለማድረግ እንዳልቻልን ስንገልፅላችው ፀፀት ይሰማናል። እናንተንም ፤ ባህር አቋርጠው የመጡና በቅርብም ከእናንተው አካባቢ ያሉትን የሃዘን ተካፋይ ዘመዶቻችሁን ሁሉ እግዚአብሄር ጽናቱንና ብርታቱን ይስጣችው እንላለን።

choreber (ጮሬበር) Blogger.

Ethiopian in Europe held demonstration
EMF, November 18,2006
Ethiopians in Brussels demand Zenawi be brought to justice

Ethiomedia reporter, November 17,2006

Ethiopia: US Congress holds human rights brifing

Addis Voice

European Parliament demands unconditional release of political prisoners

Addis Voice

Altered reports illegal, judje says

Addis Voice

Kifle Mulat & Dr. Taye Woldesemayat to speak in Washington, D.C.
EMF , November 15 , 2006

Kifle Mulat and Dr.Taye Woldesemayat to speak in Washington , D.C. on the coming Sunday , November 19 , 2006. Ethiopians are invited to attend a town hall meeting to receive and discuss eye witness report on the deteriorating human rights situation in Ethiopia .

The event is sponcered and organized by the famous Addis Dimts,which is based in Washington , D.C. Artist Abebe Belew , manager of Addis Dimts told EMF , it is great opportunity to meet and discuss with Ao Kifle Mulat and Dr.Taye Woldesemayat on the current situationof our country .

Dr.Taye Woldesemayat , president of Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) and Kifle Mulat , veteran journalist and president of Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association (EFJA) will discuss the current human rights situation and possible courses of action to achieve a better future.

The meeting will be at Unification Church , 16th street and columbia road , NW , Washington , D.C.

2pm-6pm.

-----------------------------------------------------------
ERITREAN PRESIDENT ASSAILS US FOR STOKING CONFLICTS
By Emmanuel Goujon
AFP

Eritrean President Issaias Afewerki Wednesday slammed the United States for fanning conflicts in the Horn of Africa region, particularly in Somalia, where an imminent war threatens to engulf the volatile region. From Eritrea's independence struggle to its simmering border row with archrival Ethiopia and the unrest in the war-devastated Somalia, Afewerki blamed Washington for stoking the conflicts for its interests.

Tracing its role to the end of World War II, he said that Washington had favored the existence of Ethiopia over Eritrea that put up decades of armed struggle for independence from Ethiopia, of which it was formerly a province.

"Our conflict is historically [tied] with the United States," he said in an interview. "Eritrea could have enjoyed its right to self-determination after the Second World War, but the United States ... came with a global strategy deciding the fate of Eritrea to be somehow linked with Ethiopia because Ethiopia was considered to be a major proxy in the region," said Issaias, whose nation got independence in 1993.

He also blamed the United States for their unresolved border row with Ethiopia despite insisting that the matter had been resolved by the decision of an independent border commission in 2002.

"Why was it [ruling] not implemented? Because the United States doesn't want to implement the decision. They like to live on conflict. They create conflicts and exploit conflict. That's it," he said.

In addition, the Eritrean leader, himself chided for a raft of human rights violations in his tiny Red Sea state, said that Washington was using Addis Ababa as its "tools and puppets" to navigate and destabilize the region.

"We have no problem with Ethiopia ... As far as the border is concerned, it is resolved ... now, history is repeating itself and the United States is coming and complicating the situation," he added.

The Eritrean leader charged the world's superpower with fomenting fighting in lawless Somalia, where a powerful Islamic movement and a weak government are on the edge of an all-out war.

The Somali Islamists have accused Ethiopia of sending thousands of troops to Somalia to protect the government, but Addis Ababa maintains that it sent only a few hundred military advisers.

Tension soared after the Somali peace talks collapsed November 1, heightening fears of a conflict that diplomats and analysts fear could draw in Eritrea and Ethiopia on rival sides after their own unresolved 1998-2000 border war.

Eritrea has been accused of supplying weapons and sending some 2,000 soldiers to back the Islamists, with Issaias saying: "This is a crazy statement, not only false but insane."

And instead, Issaias said that Washington had accused the Somali Islamic leaders of links to terrorism groups, including Al Qaeda in order to intervene.

"We don't want the United States to be involved under the umbrella of fighting terrorism, because it will be a complication," he added.

The Islamists have rejected the planned deployment of peacekeepers, a position that Eritrea and Djibouti support.

"We support the choice of the Somali people. We don't accept, agree or condone any external intervention under any pretext," Issaias said. "Allow Somalis to find a solution to this problem, don't intervene. They might not find a solution instantly, but give them a chance to reconcile with themselves and reconstitute Somalia," he added.

Somalia has been without a functioning central authority since the 1991 ousting of strongman Mohamed Siad Barre, and the two-year-old transitional government has been unable to assert control.

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