Tensions on the Rise in Horn of Africa (npr.org, 12/31/05) "Weekend Edition - Saturday, December 31, 2005 · The International Crisis Group is warning that war is again likely between Ethiopia and Eritrea, just five years after a conflict between the two African nations killed tens of thousands of people. Matt Bryden, ICG director in the region, tells Linda Wertheimer why the group is concerned." Listen to Bryden Interview.

Arrests Ahead of Ethiopian Poll (bbc.co.uk, 5/14/05) "Election observers have been arrested across Ethiopia on the eve of Sunday's poll, opposition members say. They told a gathering in the capital, Addis Ababa, that more than 100 monitors remained in police custody. One candidate is also being held. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council also rejected assessments that the election was largely peaceful so far."

HIM Haile Selassie I just before he was killed by the Derg in 1975. AP photo

Mamo Haile the Emperor's trust servant . AP photo

The Last of the Ethiopian Emperors (bbc.co.uk, 05/12/05) "Thirty years ago, Haile Selassie, Ethiopia's last emperor died after a rule of 45 years. Daniel Dickinson travels to Addis Ababa to visit the emperor's former palace and meets one of his servants." "...According to his faithful servant, Haile Selassie at first knew nothing of the famine. "The emperor was shocked and deeply saddened. I went with him to Wollo. He had no idea his people were suffering like this," he said." ""I would be more than happy to see him back in his palace," was what he told me."

'Unfair Poll' in Ethiopia Oromia Region (bbc.co.uk, 5/10/05) Says Human Rights Watch

1.2 million support opposition parties chanting "Meles is a thief" Photo by WIC 5/8/05 The CUD puts the number at 3 million

EU Concern Over Ethiopia Election (bbc.co.uk, 5/9/05) "European Union election observers have written to Ethiopia's ruling party, voicing their concerns ahead of next Sunday's general elections. They are worried by the intimidation of opposition officials and a campaign of hate speech, they say. However, they have also praised the relative lack of violence so far."

ETHIOPIA: Halt in Budget Support Will Affect the Poor, Minister Says (irinnews.org, 12/30/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 30 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopia’s finance minister, Sufyan Ahmed, has said that the poor in his country would suffer if aid donors carried out their plan to withhold US $375 million in budget support because of the government's recent crackdown on opposition supporters. Sufyan said on Friday the donors' decision to shift that money to [programmes] in the country would delay implementation of the government's poverty alleviation projects. "We feel this is an unacceptable decision, but it is their prerogative," he added." EDITORIAL NOTE: This Woyane cadre told the BBC yesterday that the cut "would have little effect on the overall budget." Today he wants to change the tune and preach about how the whole world is misunderstanding about the massacre in Ethiopia. No doubt that he and Zenawi will miss the funds that used to be handed to them to spend as they see fit. Donors MUST demand transparency and accountability. (fettan.com, 12/30/05) 

Ethiopia Blasts Donors For Plans to Withhold Aid Following Crackdown (voanews.com 12/30/05) "Western donors are set to withhold aid from Ethiopia over the government's crackdown on the opposition and press, following elections earlier this year. The government says it has acted in accordance with the law. Media reports indicate that the World Bank, the European Union, and the United Kingdom are among donors planning to withhold $375 million in direct budgetary support to the Ethiopian government. Donor officials are quoted as saying the money would instead be allocated to programs run by the United Nations and aid groups to fight poverty." Majtenyi report - Download 280k Listen to Majtenyi report

Donors To Withhold Aid From Ethiopia (today.reuters.co.uk, 12/29/05) "LONDON (Reuters) - Western donors plan to withhold $375 million (218 million pounds) in aid from Ethiopia over the government's recent crackdown on opposition supporters, The Financial Times reported on Thursday. "We are very concerned and have taken principled positions, along with our development partners, on the recent disturbances," Ishac Diwan, the World Bank's country director, was quoted by the FT as saying. The $375 million involved is direct budgetary support. Diwan said until the situation improves the World Bank, the European Union and Britain will look to disburse the funds in other ways to meet Ethiopia's humanitarian needs. "Because of the situation, trust has broken down so we are trying to find other ways of doing it," the FT quoted another western development official as saying." RELATED STORIES: Ethiopia Threatened With Aid Cuts (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/29/05) Donors to Withdraw Aid From Ethiopian Government (cnn.com, 12/29/05)

Languishing in an Addis Embassy (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/28/05) "In the hills to the north-east, the vast, residential compound can be found at the end of a stony track, surrounded by woods filled with eucalyptus trees. It seems almost idyllic, but it is not a place in which to spend 15 years. On the night of 27 May, 1991, four members of the Dergue, the murderous regime of the Marxist dictator Col Mengistu Haile Mariam, slipped into the Italian embassy under the cover of darkness, and sought political asylum."

Kenya Investigating Claims of Kidnapping By Ethiopia Agents (voanews.com, 12/28/05) "Kenyan police are investigating allegations that Ethiopian government agents are kidnapping and harassing Ethiopian refugees of Oromo-origin living in Kenya, a charge the Ethiopian government denies. An official with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Rosella Pagliuchi, tells VOA that the nervousness many Ethiopian refugees living in Kenya feel is a big problem." Listen to Majtenyi report

JEWISH CELEBRATION    Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin watches Rabbi Simcha Zirkind light the candles on a menorah Tuesday while visiting a rabbinic college in Montreal, Quebec. AP Photo (Courtesy cnn.com 12/28/05)

Rabbi Joshua Metzger of the Chabad Lubavitch of Midtown, his wife, Brocha, and their children, Menachem Mendel, 4, and Sarah Perel, 6, stand by a menorah after lighting the candles on the first night of Hanukkah, Sunday, in New York. AP Photo (courtesy cnn.com 12/28/05)

Rabbi Reuven Yasu Photo: Matthew Wagner PMO Orders Equality for Ethiopian Rabbis (jpost.com, 12/27/05) "The Prime Minister's Office ordered religious councils Monday to stop what it called "apparent discrimination" against Ethiopian rabbis and kessim (traditional Ethiopian spiritual leaders)."

Ethiopia Opposition Makes No Plea In Treason Case (reuters.com, 12/28/05) "ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian opposition members charged with treason, inciting violence and planning to commit genocide refused to enter pleas on Wednesday, complaining they had not been allowed to consult their lawyers. "The prison administration has denied us access to our lawyers to discuss the gravity of the charges," Hailu Shawel, chairman of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), told the court. "I have nothing to say." Federal Court Judge Adil Ahmed had repeatedly asked the defendants if they understood the charges against them."

ETHIOPIA: 129 Opposition Activists Remanded In Custody (irinnews.org, 12/28/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 28 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - A Federal High Court judge remanded 129 opposition leaders, journalists, civil society members and a 15-year-old boy into custody on Wednesday, pending a ruling on their bail applications for charges ranging from treason to genocide."

Ethiopian Refugees Protest "Kidnapping" of 25 Oromos in Kenya (sudantribune.com, 12/28/05) "Dec 26, 2005 (NAIROBI) — Close to 1,000 Ethiopian refugees are camped at the offices of UN High Commission for Refugees in Westlands - Nairobi - protesting against the kidnapping of 25 of their members. The refugees, all of Oromo origin, claim that the Ethiopian government has sent spies among their midst and is scheming to repatriate them back to Ethiopia. But Ethiopian Ambassador Murad Musa blames the kidnapping on the Oromo Liberation Front militant group, some of whom are said to be operating in this country."

ON THE BRINK: A man from the hotly disputed border town of Badme poses with his sheep in front of a tank abandoned during the 1998-2000 war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Photo- ED HARRIS/REUTERS Speaking of Predictable Behavior here is what we at fettan.com predicted about  Zenawi's behavior in April 2005 - before the May elections

Africa Wary of New Border War: Eritrea and Ethiopia could face UN sanctions if they don't take steps to avert war (csmonitor.com, 12/27/05) "ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – On the surface, the reasons for rising tensions between the African nation of Ethiopia and its tiny neighbor, Eritrea, may seem trivial. The two are on the verge of restarting the bloodiest interstate war in Africa in recent memory, ostensibly over a border town called Badme - a desert outpost with just 5,000 people. But dig deeper into the precarious internal situation both regimes face, as well as the region's interlaced alliances, and it's clear the dangers of a reignited war are great for the region." EDITORIAL COMMENT: The Harvard University professor and the African experts are echoing the same contorted reasoning that has been continuously churned out by Secretary Rice first through the NSA and now the Department of State. That is, "What the region is looking for - and needs - is a power that guarantees stability through predictable behavior," says Bryden. This stability is what Ethiopia has sought to provide, and is the reason donor countries have been reluctant to press the government too hard."     Read Full Editorial Comment (fettan.com, 12/27/05)

China Scooping Up Deals in Africa As US Firms Hesitate (redorbit.com, 12/27/05) "Dec. 24--LUANDA, Angola -- China's growing demand for energy sources and profitable construction deals is leading the world's most populous country increasingly to swoop into Africa, where it has found abundant raw materials, governments desperate for outside investments, and relatively little competition from American firms. The Chinese, sensing Africa's tremendous potential upside, are making strategic economic inroads into a continent that, outside of oil investments, has long been written off by most Western companies as too risky because of poor governance or threat of conflict. US companies, in particular, have been caught flat-footed by the Chinese financial strikes, according to American and other experts on Africa's economic potential." "....Games, the South African analyst, said that the Chinese interests sometimes conflict with American policy in Africa. One prominent example was an estimated $1 billion in Chinese arms sales to both Ethiopia and Eritrea from 1998 to 2000, which helped fuel deadly border fighting that killed tens of thousands of combatants."

There is a gap between Western perceptions and African realities. Tony Blair blindly embracing African dictators  Getty Images

Uganda Highlights African Dilemmas (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/25/05) "Britain has decided to suspend its aid to Uganda - some £15m ($26m) worth - amid growing concerns about the rule of President Museveni. But has this decision come too late? "...Political leaders in the West, and many in the media, have been so desperate to believe in a new Africa, so desperate they have fallen for every leader who has talked the language of pluralism and respect for human rights. They especially liked these men if they followed World Bank and IMF prescribed solutions to their country's economic problems. They were - from Mugabe in the early 1980s to President Museveni and the prime minister of Ethiopia [Meles Zenawi] now - the kind of people one could do business with.

Photos From "Evicted and Forsaken: Internally Displaced persons in the Aftermath of Operation Murambatsvina" in Zimbabwe (hrw.org, 11/05) "In May 2005, the Zimbabwean government's program of forced evictions and demolitions, known us Operation Murambatsvina ("Clear the filth"), left an estimated 700,000 people homeless, and led to a massive humanitarian crisis." "...The photographs were taken by Human Rights Watch researches during their mission to Zimbabwe in September-October 2005. EDITORIAL NOTE: Here is another (in addition to 'Meles Zenawi's democracy' in Ethiopia) proof positive that a British Commonwealth (Tony Blair) inspired 'socialist democracy' is thriving in Africa.

Ethiopia And Eritrea Fail To Ease Border Tension (guardian.co.uk, 12/24/05) "Ethiopia and Eritrea have failed to comply with a UN security council resolution to ease tensions over their disputed border, Azouz Ennifar, deputy head of the UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, said yesterday. The November 23 resolution gave both countries 30 days within which Ethiopia was supposed to begin work to demarcate its border after a decision by an independent commission; Eritrea was to lift restrictions on the UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea; and both countries were to pull back troops to December 2004 levels."

Ethiopia Troops Leave Tense Border (cnn.com, 12/23/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Reuters) -- Ethiopian troops began moving back from the tense border with Eritrea as a United Nations deadline for both sides to pull soldiers back by midnight on Friday drew near, a U.N. source said. The U.N. Security Council set the deadline in November, when it ordered the Horn of Africa neighbors to reduce troop levels at the frontier, scene of a 1998-2000 border war that killed 70,000, and threatened economic sanctions if they did not obey."

Horn Border Tense Before Deadline (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/23/05) "United Nations peacekeepers say Eritrea and Ethiopia are behind schedule in pulling back troops from their tense border, ahead of a UN deadline. The UN Security Council has set a deadline of Friday night for both countries to withdraw their troops to the positions they occupied a year ago. Tensions over the border have risen in recent months with both countries sending more troops there." RELATED STORIES: ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Border Tense Despite Troop Pullouts, Says UN (irinnews.org, 12/23/05) Eritrea, Ethiopia 'On Verge' Of War (abc.net.au, 12/23/05)

Journalist Watchdog Groups Meets With Ethiopian Ambassador (voanews.com, 12/23/05) "The Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday sent a delegation to Washington, DC, to meet with Ethiopia’s ambassador to the United States. The CPJ says it is outraged at the jailing of at least 16 journalists in Ethiopia and the reported filing of criminal charges against them, as well as against five VOA broadcasters here in Washington, DC.  Julia Crawford, CPJ’s African program coordinator, was a member of the delegation to the Ethiopian Embassy. In Washington, she spoke to English to Africa reporter Joe De Capua about the reasons for the meeting." De Capua interview with CPJ mp3 De Capua interview with CPJ ra

Ethiopians Face Anti-state Charges; VOA Staffers Among Those Named (cpj.org, 12/21/05) "New York, December 21, 2005—Twenty-one Ethiopian journalists and the president of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association were charged today with involvement in an alleged attempt to overthrow the government, according to CPJ sources. Among those charged were five journalists of Ethiopian descent who work in Washington, D.C., for the Voice of America's Amharic-language service, according to a CPJ source present at today's hearing. The five were charged in absentia."

Ethiopia And Eritrea: Preventing War: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS (crisisgroup.org, 12/22/05) "Africa Report N°10, 22 December 2005. The fragile peace maintained by Ethiopia and Eritrea since they signed a comprehensive agreement at Algiers in December 2000 is fraying dangerously. With a costly two-year war now followed by nearly five years of stalemate, patience on both sides of the border has worn thin, and there are worrying signs that the countdown to renewed conflict may have begun. Neither side appears eager for war, but to dismiss the tensions as mere sabre-rattling could mean missing the last chance to preserve peace in the Horn of Africa. The two parties need help urgently from the Algiers Group – the African Union (AU), European Union (EU), UN and U.S. – who witnessed the original accords. Its members need to work together urgently to forge a “3-Ds” parallel process of de-escalation, border demarcation and bilateral dialogue, using both intensive diplomacy and the credible threat (and employment as necessary) of punitive measures."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Commission Rules On Border War Claims (irinnews.org, 12/22/03) "ADDIS ABABA, 22 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Eritrea triggered a two-year war with Ethiopia and violated international law when it invaded its [neighbour] in May 1998, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission (EECC) has ruled. Even though Eritrea has been blamed for starting the conflict, however, both countries are likely to receive compensation for breaches of international law during the fighting, which claimed the lives of 70,000 and cost each country - two of the world's poorest - US $1 million a day." 

This file picture taken in June 1998 shows the arrival of 700 Eritreans repatriated by bus from Ethiopia to Om Hager at the border of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Ethiopia and Eritrea's mutual claims of wrongdoing by the other were shown up when an international panel formed to resolve disputes between them said Eritrea violated international law when it invaded the north of Ethiopia in May 1998.(AFP/File/Amr Nabil) Read the full text on the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague (pca-cpa.org, 12/19/05) EDITORIAL NOTE: Now that one of the mosaic of peoples that Meles helped self-determine came back to steal and plunder Ethiopia, the Marxist Leninists book worm thieves of the MLLT have to figure out how to compensate the Ethiopian people for the loss! The answer is - kleptocracy- Keep on hutching more self-determined thieves to exterminate "reactionaries." Then Adwa and Jijiga will turn into heavens on Earth under the Constitutional Order. Tony Blair will be the Arch Angel!

Eritrea Broke Law In Border War (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/21/05) "Eritrea triggered the border war with Ethiopia when it attacked its [neighbour] in May 1998, an international commission in the Hague has ruled. Since there was no armed attack against Eritrea, its attack on Ethiopia could not be justified as lawful [self-defence] under the United Nations charter. Eritrea is now liable to compensate Ethiopia for damages caused, it said." RELATED STORIES: Eritrea violated international law with 1998 attack on Ethiopia (news.yahoo.com -AFP- 12/21/05)  Ruling: Eritrea Broke international law In Ethiopia Attack (cnn.com -Reuters- 12/21/05) International Body Rules Eritrea Responsible For Starting Border War With Ethiopia (voanews.com, 12/21/05) listen to interview with James Paul of Global Policy Forum

RIGHTS-ETHIOPIA: Europarliamentarians Urge Action (ipsnews.net, 12/20/05) "BRUSSELS, Dec 20 (IPS) - European parliamentarians are calling for ''targeted sanctions" against the Ethiopian government unless the current human rights situation in the country improves significantly. Members of the European Parliament are urging the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union (EU), and the European Council, made up of European heads of government and state, to consider imposing targeted sanctions against members of the Ethiopian government following the recent political violence that has gripped the country. 
In a landmark 15-point resolution passed unanimously in Brussels last week (Dec.16), EU lawmakers called for ''the immediate establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry, under UN responsibility, to investigate the human rights abuses and to identify and bring to justice those responsible"."

UN Establishes New Body To Prevent Countries From Sliding Back Into War (un.org, 12/20/05) "20 December 2005 – In an historic action that brings to fruition a central reform proposed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the 2005 World Summit, the Security Council and the General Assembly today acted in concert to establish a new body that aims to prevent countries emerging from conflict from falling back into chaos."

UK Cuts Uganda Aid In Poll Fears (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/20/05) "Britain is to cut the amount of direct aid it gives to Uganda by £15m because of concerns about the country's slow progress to democracy. The money will be diverted to aid agencies in the conflict zone of north Uganda, International Development Secretary, Hilary Benn said. A further £4m is being held back pending the conduct of presidential elections due in February next year."  EDITORIAL NOTE: The British government is engaging in duplicitous behavior by spanking the Musevini regime before the dictator runs elections, while sparing the rod when it comes to Tony Blair's buddy, Meles Zenawi, after Zenawi stole the election;  killed thousands; and is currently setting up for execution the entire leadership of the opposition (based on concocted facts taken out of Mao's Red Book) and cleansing Ethiopia of citizens who rejected the MLLT/EPRDF brutal regime during the May 2005 polls. (fettan.com, 12/20/05)

Meles Has Not Learned a Lesson: Read his latest Marxist diatribe and get a glimpse into the psyche of a blood thirsty tyrant and ponder the challenges that await the Ethiopian people to win their freedom and establish democracy. (source: waltainfo.com, 12/17/05)  "Whether push might come to shove or not, the incumbent and the EPRDF have to defend, without compromise, the Constitution against die hard reactionaries, their anti-thesis. They have to safeguard the inviolable rights of its mosaic people where the right of self-determination, including secession figure prominently. This unequivocal position of a sovereign country that does not have to look up to others is what some termed as the ‘ugly’ reality in and around the events that surrounded the May-2005 election."

IMF Decides Wednesday Debt Cancellation Fate For Six Countries (voanews.com, 12/20/05) "Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund may decide to drop as many as six countries from the list of those promised debt cancellation by the G8 leaders, head of the world's richest countries. Last July, at the G8 summit in Scotland, it was announced that 18 of the world’s poorest countries would have their debts forgiven. Now there’s word the IMF could eliminate any or all of the following: Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Senegal, Rwanda and Nicaragua. The IMF says it has no comment on the reports." Listen to De Capua interview with Jubilee Network mp3

In The End, A Painful Choice (washingtonpost.com, 12/20/05) "....Long sanguine about Yemen, Burrowes has become so pessimistic about its future because of corruption that instead of describing Yemen as a democracy, as he used to do to the point of being considered an apologist for Saleh, he now calls it a "kleptocracy -- a government of, by and for thieves." As for the kind of leader Saleh has grown into, Burrowes said, "He has become a very good dictator." "...M'Fareh went on about the tribes, and then said of Saleh's government, "They live on divide and rule. When they see us having relations with internationals, it makes them very angry." "...But on the far side of such rhetoric was its reality: a teetering program in a teetering place where the question of democracy's meaning turned out to be a decision about whom to ignore. A president who is vital to the U.S. war on terrorism? Or a sheik who represents a country's most-forgotten people and was now saying so earnestly as to be heartbreaking, "We are citizens. We are Yemenis. The problem is they don't want to reach out to us because we will speak openly about all of the problems. And they don't want that to happen." EDITORIAL NOTE: A must read story about Meles Zenawi's big brother. (fettan.com, 12/20/05)

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: EU Envoy Urges Rethink On UNMEE Restrictions (irinnews.org, 12/19/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 19 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - A European Union envoy has urged the international community to continue to press for the easing of tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea in order to avert a new war in the Horn of Africa. 
David Triesman, the British minister responsible for African affairs, who visited Ethiopia on behalf of the EU presidency on Saturday, told reporters in Addis Ababa it was important to defuse the situation. "The decision to order the removal of some detachments of the UNMEE [United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea] forces, the decision to prevent helicopter flights by UNMEE forces, raises tension," he said at the end of a one-day visit to Ethiopia." RELATED STORY: British Minister Assails Eritrea Over Border (sudantribune.com, 12/18/05)

World Court Rules Against Uganda (newsday.com, 12/19/05) "THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The International Court of Justice on Monday held Uganda responsible for the killing, torture and cruel treatment of civilians in Congo in the late 1990s and ordered reparations. The court, the U.N.'s highest judicial body also known as the world court, dismissed Uganda's claims of self defense and called its actions an "unlawful military intervention" and interference in Congo's internal affairs."

Peace Failure Led To Expulsion, Eritrea Says (int.iol.co.za, 12/19/05) "Asmara - Eritrea expelled Westerners in a United Nations peace force out of frustration that a five-year-old peace accord with Ethiopia had not been implemented, official websites said in the authorities' first public explanation of the move. Last week, roughly 200 mostly Western peacekeepers left the Red Sea state after Eritrea ordered the departure of UN personnel from the United States, Canada, and Europe."

A losing Bet In Ethiopia (latimes.com, 12/18/05) "By Mike Clough, Michael Clough has worked on U.S. Africa policy for nearly three decades. Most recently, he was the Africa advocacy director for Human Rights Watch. ETHIOPIA IS edging toward renewed conflict with Eritrea that could result in tens of thousands of deaths and spark a civil war that would claim many more lives. But the Bush administration, a strong supporter of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, appears to have neither the vision nor the will to avert catastrophe. It would not be the first time Africans died because U.S. policymakers failed to recognize the dangers of backing a ruthless, doomed regime."

UK Concerned At Ethiopia Violence (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/18/05) "Britain says it is concerned by the recent political violence that has gripped Ethiopia. After meeting Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, UK Foreign Office Minister David Triesman said Ethiopia's reputation had suffered. His visit came as 131 detained opposition leaders, reporters and aid workers were charged with crimes ranging from treason to "genocide." The charges relate to last month's protests over disputed May elections."

Treason Charges Filed In Ethiopia (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/17/05) "Prosecutors in Ethiopia have charged 131 jailed opposition leaders, reporters and aid workers with crimes ranging from high treason to genocide. The charges relate to last month's protests over disputed May elections that saw at least 46 people killed. Under Ethiopian law, some of the crimes carry death penalty."

Ethiopian Court Charges 131 With Treason, Genocide (sudantribune.com, 12/16/05) "Dec 16, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Over 100 Ethiopian opposition leaders and other people were charged Friday with treason, genocide and other offenses, a judge said. The court will hear bail applications Wednesday from the 131 opponents of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, including journalists, trade unionists and others, Judge Adil Ahmed added. Some of the accused have been in prison since Nov. 1, when the government began a crackdown on independent media, opposition politicians and human rights activists after May 15 protests over disputed 15 elections that saw at least 46 people killed. In similar protests in June 42 people died. The protests began after the main opposition parties accused authorities of rigging the polls that returned the ruling party to power."

HORN OF AFRICA: UNMEE Monitoring Tense Border Despite Setbacks (irinnews.org, 12/16/05) "ADDIS ABABA/ASMARA, 16 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) is continuing to monitor the tense border between the two countries despite restrictions on operations and the expulsion of some of its staff, a UN official said. "The ban imposed by the Eritrean government on UNMEE helicopters is still in place [and] restrictions are continuing on the movement of UNMEE patrols," Jean-Marie Guéhenno, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told reporters on Thursday."

UN Completes Western Staff Exit From Eritrea (today.reuters.com, 12/16/05) "ASMARA (Reuters) - The United Nations completed the withdrawal of 180 of its Western staff from Eritrea on Friday, the deadline the Red Sea state set for expelling the peacekeepers monitoring its tense border with Ethiopia. "The last two people left on the normal passenger flight this morning," said Gail Bindley-Taylor-Sainte, spokeswoman for the U.N. Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). "We are now shipping out the cargo." The world body has since Thursday been temporarily relocating its American, Canadian and European staff to Ethiopia after Eritrea ordered them out last week."

UK Aid Workers 'Held In Ethiopia' (cnn.com, 12/.16/05) "LONDON, England (Reuters) -- British development charity ActionAid said Friday two of its workers had been arrested without charge in Ethiopia, and demanded their prompt release. The charity, which works in Africa, Asia and Latin America, said Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demessie, were among a number of activists held last month but never charged with any offence."

Europian Parliament Condemns Human Rights In Ethiopia, Tibet and Hong Kong, and Russia : MEPs condemn violence in Ethiopia. (europarl.eu.int, 12/15/05) "MEPs voted in favour of three resolutions on the human rights situation in Tibet and Hong Kong, human rights issue in Russia and the new NGO legislation and the situation in Ethiopia and the new border conflict. In adopting a joint resolution on the situation in Ethiopia with 93 votes in favour,  0 against and 1 abstention, MEPs condemn the violence, the use of disproportionate means of repression by the armed forces and the mass arrests.  The House calls on the Ethiopian Government to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and journalists and fulfill its obligations with respect to human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law."

VOA Amharic Program Debate Between a Tigrean-Ethiopian Democrat and a Mercenary MLLT/TPLF Cadre: Wolde Gebriel Abraha . Listen to this broadcast to get a glimpse into the minds of the paranoid Wolde Gabriel Abrahas and Abreham Yayehs and understand why they support the communist indoctrinations and brutality unleashed by Meles Zenawi.  Like wise hear the reasoned and truly Ethiopian patriotic voice of Dr. Gihdey Assefa. (Audio courtesy, VOA Radio,12/13/05)  

Horn Of Africa 'Crisis', UN Warns (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/15/05) "The head of United Nations peacekeepers has warned of a "crisis" in the Horn of Africa, as UN troops started to leave Eritrea after being ordered out. Almost 90 western troops are leaving Eritrea. Jean-Marie Guehenno said he had never experienced a similar situation in 10 years in the job. He has been in Eritrea since Monday in a bid to solve the problems but was not able to meet President Isaias Afewerki."

Peacekeepers Begin Eritrea Pullout (cnn.com, 12/15/05) "ASMARA, Eritrea (Reuters) -- Western peacekeepers began leaving Eritrea on Thursday after the United Nations agreed to pull out Americans, Canadians and Europeans from its mission set up to prevent war with Ethiopia. The U.N. Security Council said in a statement Wednesday the world body would "temporarily relocate" military and civilian staff from Eritrea to Ethiopia in the interests of safety." RELATED STORY: HORN OF AFRICA: UN Relocates Expelled Staff From Eritrea To Ethiopia (irinnews.org, 12/15/05)

Standoff Between UN And Eritrea (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/14/05) "UN envoy Jean-Marie Guehenno has prolonged his visit to Eritrea in an apparent attempt to meet the government about tensions on the Ethiopian border. Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki has so far refused to meet Mr Guehenno, the head of UN peacekeeping operations. Mr Guehenno is trying to reverse an Eritrean order for 180 Western peacekeepers to leave by Friday." RELATED STORIES: ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Visiting UN Officials Delay Departure From Asmara (irinnews.org, 12/14/05) U.N. To Pull Western Peacekeepers From Eritrea (cnn.com -Reuters- 12/14/05)

China, Cuba, Eritrea and Ethiopia Lead in Jailing Journalists (voanews.com, 12/13/05) "A journalism watchdog group says China currently has more imprisoned journalists than any other country, but the United States is also on the organization's list of abusers. A new report by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says China, Cuba, Eritrea and Ethiopia account for two-thirds of the 125 imprisoned editors, writers and photojournalists around the world as of December first. Fifth on the list was the Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan, followed at number six by the United States, which has moved up on the list due to journalists it is holding in Iraq and at the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Tied for sixth place is Burma."

ETHIOPIA: Media Watchdog Condemns Arrest Of Two More Journalists (irinnews.org, 12/13/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 13 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Two journalists have been jailed in Ethiopia, bringing the total number imprisoned following a post election crackdown by the government to 15, a media watchdog said on Tuesday. Getachew Simie, former editor-in-chief of the defunct Amharic-language weekly Agere, was jailed for three months while Leykun Engeda, former editor-in-chief and publisher of the Amharic-language weekly Dagim Wonchif was jailed for 15 months, said the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Both were jailed for articles published up to seven years ago, the New York-based watchdog said. "It is scandalous that Ethiopian authorities have persisted in using outdated and illegitimate charges to send these journalists to jail," said Ann Cooper, executive director of CPJ. "We call on authorities to release our Ethiopian colleagues immediately, and to work towards removing criminal penalties for press offences."

London demonstration 12/09/05  Photo courtesy andenet.com

REPORT ON GREAT LONDON MARCH (andenet.com, 12/11/05) "Ethiopians started arriving at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead and Luton Airports as well as various metropolitan train stations throughout London on Saturday 8th December 2005. The majority booked their accommodations online and managed their way without interventions of Londoners. Ethiopians pulling luggage were spotted everywhere throughout the city. London resident Ethiopians hosted the few who could not manage to accommodate themselves. The Saturday atmosphere of the city of London felt like Addis on the eve of big festival. Ethiopians flocked to London from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium and even as far as from Australia to participate on the Great London March."

UN Warns Against Complacency Over Ethiopia-Eritrea War Fears (news.yahoo.com -AFP- 12/12/05) "ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - The United Nations said it feared a "miscalculation" by either side could spark a new war between arch-rivals Ethiopia and Eritrea as it welcomed an Ethiopian decision to pull back troops from the increasingly tense border. "We believe that there is always a risk of war by miscalculation," said Jean-Marie Guehenno, the head of UN peacekeeping operations. "Nobody should be complacent in the present situation."

ETHIOPIA: Gov't to Pull Back Troops From Tense Border (irinnews.org, 12/12/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 12 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopia will pull back troops from its tense border with Eritrea to comply with a United Nations order to avert fresh conflict in the Horn of Africa, the Ethiopian foreign minister said. In a letter to the UN Security Council, Seyoum Mesfin said Ethiopia was ready to reduce its troops to December 2004 levels to help ease tension."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Ease Border Tension, Top UN Official Urges (irinnews.org, 12/12/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 12 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopia and Eritrea must take concrete actions to ease tensions along their shared frontier given continuing fears that war could break out afresh between the two countries, a top United Nations official said on Monday. A miscalculation could lead to further bloodshed, the UN Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guehenno, said in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa."

Number of Ethiopian, Eritrean Refugees Entering Sudan Rises (sudantribune.com, 12/11/05) "Dec 11, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The refugee commissioner, Mohamed Ahmad al-Aghbash, has said that the number of Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees streaming into the country had increased. In the last period, the number had increased from five to ten refugees a day to thirty refugees a day, the Sudanese official said." RELATED STORY: Sudanese - Ethiopian Ministerial Committees To Meet 14 December (sudantribune.com, 12/12/05)

Psychiatry Ponders Whether Extreme Bias Can Be An Illness (washingtonpost.com, 12/10/05) "The 48-year-old man turned down a job because he feared that a co-worker would be gay. He was upset that gay culture was becoming mainstream and blamed most of his personal, professional and emotional problems on the gay and lesbian movement. These fixations preoccupied him every day. Articles in magazines about gays made him agitated. He confessed that his fears had left him socially isolated and unemployed for years: A recovering alcoholic, the man even avoided 12-step meetings out of fear he might encounter a gay person." EDITORIAL NOTE: Read this article to learn about the pathological disorders that conflict Shaibia and Woyane ethnic supremacists and what drives them to round up more than 100,000 Ethiopian youth for brainwashing - just like they previously did in Eritrea and Tigray. (fettan.com, 12/10/05) RELATED STORIES:  Fighting Racism And Homophobia: CoR to host debate on protecting minorities, 12 December (europa.eu.int, 12/09/05) Aussie racial violence continues (today.reuters.co.uk, 12/13/05)

The border was the scene of a bloody trench war   AFP Photo

Ethiopia 'To Reduce' Border Force (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/10/05) "Ethiopia will move soldiers away from its border with Eritrea in compliance with a UN order aimed at averting fresh conflict, an Ethiopian official said. Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said the move was "in the interests of peace". Eritrea and Ethiopia have recently been massing troops along the UN-policed border they fought over five years ago." Ethiopian Foreign Minister [Mesfin] said on Saturday his country would redeploy troops away from the border as demanded by a UN resolution. "Though we have seen no encouraging signs from Eritrea... Ethiopia is convinced that its compliance with the [UN Security] Council's instruction is necessary even if doing so might have some risk for Ethiopia's security," he said. RELATED STORY: Ethiopia To Withdraw Troops From Eritrea Border (voanews.com, 12/10/05)

ETHIOPIA: Media Watchdog Condemns Conviction Of Journalist (alertnet.org -IRIN- 12/09/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 9 December (IRIN) - An international media watchdog has condemned the Ethiopian government's "disastrous crackdown" on the country's fledgling independent media after a detained journalist was sentenced to eight months in jail on Tuesday. "We are outraged at the prison sentence given to Wosonseged Gebrekidan, and at the continued imprisonment of at least 12 other journalists," said Ann Cooper, executive director of the New York-based Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ)."

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Senior UN Officials to Assess Border Standoff (irinnews.org, 12/09/05) "NAIROBI, 9 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will send two senior UN officials to Eritrea and Ethiopia to assess the volatile border standoff following a decision by the Eritrean government to expel personnel from the UN peacekeeping mission there. A spokesman for the office of the Secretary-General in New York said on Thursday that Annan had asked the head of the UN peacekeeping department, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, and the UN military advisor, Gen Randir Kumar Mehta, to leave as soon as practicable for the Horn of Africa." RELATED STORY: Kofi Annan Dispatches Two Top Peacekeeping Officials To The Tense Ethio-Eritrean Border (voanews.com, 12/09/05)

Ex-Ethiopian Official Gets Death Sentence for 'Red Terror' Killings (cnn.com, 12/09/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- A leading member of Ethiopia's former military junta has been sentenced to death for his role in killing more than 900 people during Ethiopia's "Red Terror" of the late 1970s, state-owned radio reported Friday. Former governor Maj. Melaku Tefera was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity Thursday by the Federal High Court and sentenced the same day, Radio Ethiopia said." EDITORIAL NOTE: Another Zenawi plot to distract attention from the genocide he is committing NOW in Ethiopia.

ETHIOPIA: Main Opposition Party Calls for Dialogue (irinnews.org, 12/08/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 8 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopia's main opposition party, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), called on Wednesday for dialogue with the government as its detained leaders entered the 10th day of their hunger strike. Dialogue, the CUD said in a statement, was the only option for resolving their bitter dispute with the ruling party. Lawyers who visited the CUD members in prison on Wednesday said the detainees had lost a considerable amount of weight but were in good spirits. The leaders said they were in good health."

Geologists Witness 'Ocean Birth' (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/08/05) "Scientists say they have witnessed the possible birth of a future ocean basin growing in north-eastern Ethiopia. The team watched an 8m rift develop in the ground in just three weeks in the Afar desert region last September. It is one small step in a long-term split that is tearing the east of the country from the rest of Africa and should eventually create a huge sea."

Eritrean Move 'Cripples' UN Role (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/08/05) "Eritrea's decision to expel European and North American peacekeepers from its disputed border with Ethiopia may cripple operations, says the UN. Tuesday's move will affect 180 staff working in areas like supplies, transport, finance and communications, says mission deputy head Joel Adechi. Earlier the UN's Security Council said the order for troops to leave within 10 days was unacceptable. Mr Adechi said the move was unexpected and the consequences being reviewed." RELATED STORIES: U.N.: Eritrea Border Force Endangered (cnn.com, -AP- 12/08/05)  ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Staff Expulsion May Cripple Operations, Warns UNMEE (irinnews.org, 12/08/05) Eritrea Expels U.N. Peacekeepers, Increasing Tension With Ethiopia (nytimes.com, 12/08/05)

Reuters Photo: A Rwandan genocide survivor is seen in this February 2004 file picture looking out of a church full with human skulls and bones.

Nzabonimana, one of the architects of Rwanda genocide. Meles and cohorts will be held responsible for the genocide they committed in Eritrea and the rest of Ethiopia since 1991.

Tony Blair congratulates Meles Zenawi on a job well done in Ethiopia. So does Tim Clarke. Over 3,000 non-Eritrean/Tigrean Ethiopians have been massacred by Agazian troops since the May 15, 2005 defeat of Meles at the polls.

Court Convicts Rwanda Genocide Chief (today. reuters.com, 12/07/05) "DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - A U.N. court trying masterminds of Rwanda's genocide has convicted a former mayor for abetting the 1994 slaughter, but dropped three counts including genocide, the court said on Wednesday. Following a plea bargain, Paul Bisengimana, ex-mayor of Gikoro, will be convicted for murder and extermination as crimes against humanity. Judges in his trial dismissed three other charges including genocide and rape."

UN Demands Halt to Eritrea Order (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/07/05) "The United Nations Security Council has told Eritrea not to expel European and North American peacekeepers from its disputed border with Ethiopia. It said the order for the troops to leave within 10 days was unacceptable and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan added his voice to the condemnation."

Eritrea to Expel UN Peacekeepers (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/07/05) "Eritrea has expelled Canadian, Russian, European and United States peacekeepers from the United Nations mission monitoring the border with Ethiopia. The decision makes UN observation of the tense border almost impossible, says the BBC's Ed Harris in Asmara. In a letter to the UN mission, the Eritrean government gave staff of those nationalities 10 days to leave." RELATED STORIES: Eritrea Orders Western UN Troops Out - Diplomats (today.reuters.co.uk, 12/07/05)   Eritrea Expels Peacekeeping Staff (cnn.com -AP- 12/07/05)  Eritrean Crackdown on Religions (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/07/05)

US Official Says Democracy is Growing In Africa (voa.news.com, 12/06/05) "...On the political situation in Ethiopia, Ambassador Frazer says the United States believes pressure should be exerted on Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to allow for greater freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. “We’re continuing to hold the government accountable for allowing greater democratic space and respect for human rights. That said, I must say also that it’s the responsibility of the opposition as well because when the opposition takes stones and pelts the police forces, they have to respect the rule of law when they’re demonstrating freely.” EDITORIAL NOTE: Here is another example of US government equivocation. The ambassador has ruled that Hailu Shawel was responsible for stopping demonstrators from throwing stones. Having failed to so, the police had rights to shoot unarmed protesters and that Meles Zenawi has the right to charge CUD leaders with treason! Indeed American and British nurtured  democracy is growing in Ethiopia! (fettan.com, 12/06/05)

CUD President Hailu Shawel voting on May 15, 2005. He is incarcerated for daring to do so!

Jailed Besigye Set to Run in Poll (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/06/05) "Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been granted permission to sign his presidential nomination papers from prison by the attorney general. He is accused of treason and terrorism in civil and military courts. The government says it has the evidence to convict Dr Besigye but his lawyers say the trials are designed to prevent him from competing in polls next year."  EDITORIAL NOTE: Makes one wonder if Tony Blair will accomplish the same plot as Museveni. Keep on telling Zenawi to pretend that he has all the evidence (audio, video, testimonials and documents) to convince Hailu Shawel and associates of treason, and threaten them to sign an agreement to partake in the 2010 parliamentary elections and to take the seats that the NEBE claims "they won" in 2005. If Zenawi could pull off such a feat Tim Clarke must present Zenawi to the Queen for recognition as Grand Dragon Slayer of the British Empire- which qualifies Him as first in line to the throne barely edging out William. Sorry Tim, the Addis Marathon ploy turned into an anti-Meles demonstration. Keep on trying Timmy, but rest assured that you will not succeed in keeping the Ethiopian people from gaining their freedom! Democracy for Ethiopia NOW. (fettan.com, 12/06/05)

EU Wants Action Against Election Fraudsters (guardian.co.uk, 12/06/05) "The EU yesterday [criticised] elections in Kazakhstan at the weekend in which 91% of voters prolonged the rule of Nursultan Nazarbayev by seven years. The Foreign Office, speaking on behalf of the EU presidency, noted "with disappointment" the conclusion of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe that the vote did not meet international standards." EDITORIAL NOTE: Here is another confirmation for European duplicity. The EU high commissioner and British representative in Ethiopia, Tim Clarke is busy running an athletic event in Addis Abeba trying to to distract popular attention from Meles the fraudster. He says not economic or any action is planed against the Eritrean tyrant and UK mercenary. 

Museveni is Good, Kenya Can Do No Right - Hey, That's Economics (nationmedia.com, 12/05/05) "The Netherlands has announced that it is withholding about a quarter of its aid to Uganda, citing concerns about governance and economic mismanagement Observers saw it as the first action by a donor to express displeasure at what critics say is President Museveni's metamorphosis "into a Robert Mugabe". "...A close study of donor action in Africa reveals a paradox: The more dependent a country is on donor money, the less it responds to their pressure. Take aid-bloated Ethiopia, where recently the government killed nearly 40 people and rounded up hundreds following protests over election rigging."

ETHIOPIA: Lack of Rain in the Eastern Somali Region (irinnews.org, 12/05/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 5 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Critical rains have failed in eastern Ethiopia, raising fears for vulnerable pastoral communities already living under precarious circumstances, aid organisations warned on Friday. The livestock-dependent eastern Somali region, which has suffered successive droughts as well as economic hardship, should have seen rains at the beginning of October, according to the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net)."

Herman Cohen's and Tony Blair's (a.k.a. Tim Clarke) Emissary in Ethiopia: Meles Zenawi Fascistic Brutality Unmasked by Channel4.com, (12/04/05) A must see video>>Watch the report 1. Ethiopia's Agony (channel4.com/ top-clips video) "An exclusive report on the supposedly model African state, where human rights abuses have continued to grow since May's controversial elections."

Melese Zenawi's Special police terrorizing unarmed civilians in Addis Abeba in June 2005.  EDITORIAL NOTE: In 1936 two  Ethiopian patriots Abraham Debotch and Zeraay Deresse threw grenades at fascist Italian generals watching a parade and wounded General Graziani- the commandant. In retaliation Graziani killed 30,000 Addis residents that same night. The MLLT/TPLF Commissar, Meles Zenawi. has so far massacred more that 3,000 without any provocations.

Meles Zenawi's special police, Agazian Forces and EPRDF Federal Police, fully armed, massacred peaceful demonstrators in Addis Abeba on June 8, 2005. In November & December 2005, more than 50,000 people rounded up and dumped at Dedessa, Zeway, and other concentration camps. Hundreds are dying. The entire leadership of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy and civic leaders were rounded up and jailed following peaceful demonstrations.

US, China Wage Diplomatic Battle on 'Playing Field' of Africa: Report (yahoo.news.com -AFP- 12/05/05) "WASHINGTON (AFP) - China is challenging US interests and values in Africa, shielding "rogue states," trampling the environment and thwarting anti-corruption drives, according to a new independent survey of US policy on the continent. Beijing and the United States are on opposite sides in a new struggle for influence and resources in the new "playing field" of Africa, the study by a non partisan task force sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations found."

Democratic Dawn in Ethiopia Fades as Abuses Come to Light: Post-election protests have resulted in a wave of arrests (observer.guardian.co.uk, 12/04/05) "Ethiopia is in danger of losing millions of pounds of foreign aid as disturbing new evidence of violence and mass detentions emerges from the country that until recently was being hailed as the great democratic hope of Africa. International donors are deeply concerned about the political chaos in a country whose prime minister, Meles Zenawi, was supposed to be setting an example of good governance. Five months after Ethiopia descended into political chaos following a dispute over the country's first democratic elections, details are emerging that give a disturbing glimpse into the scale of human rights abuses taking place."

Ethiopia, Sudan Agree to Cooperate in Security Along Border (sudantribune. com, 12/03/05) "Dec 1, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia and Sudan have agreed to cooperate in the keeping of peace and security along their common border for mutual development gains of the two countries. The agreement signed on 28 November in the Ethiopian town of Gonder provides for the military commands of the two countries along the common border to cooperate in the areas of maintaining the peace and security of the areas, the Ministry of Defence told the official news agency ENA."

Eritrea and Sudan to Discuss Border Re-opening (today.reuters.com, 12/02/05) "ASMARA (Reuters) - Eritrea and Sudan will start talks next week on opening their common border, closed in 2002 when Khartoum accused Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups, a senior Sudanese official said on Friday. Relations between Eritrea and Sudan have warmed since the September formation of a new Sudanese government that includes former southern rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).Al-Samani Al-Wasleea, one of two state ministers at Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said discussions in the Eritrean capital Asmara headed by Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol could re-open the frontier."

Bush Cites Commitments When Called For Jury Duty (guardian.co.uk, 12/02/05) "George Bush had to explain that he was a little busy running the US when he was called for jury duty. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said yesterday Mr Bush never received the summons to appear at a court in Texas for jury duty on Monday and the White House learned about it through media reports. "We have since called the court to inform them that the president has other commitments on Monday, and that he would like to reschedule his jury duty," he said."

Court Orders 23 Ethiopian Opposition Held Again (alertnet -Reuters- 12/01/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Dec 1 (Reuters) - An Ethiopian court on Thursday ordered 23 opposition politicians held for 15 more days on suspicion of inciting post-election violence and ordered prosecutors to file formal charges within that period. The opposition members, arrested in a sweep that saw thousands jailed after the latest round of bloody demonstrations over the results of Ethiopia's May 15 parliamentary poll, appeared in court looking weakened by a four-day hunger strike." RELATED STORY: ETHIOPIA: Opposition Leaders Denied Bail (irinnews.org, 12/02/05)

Ethiopia's security forces cracked down on protesters in the capital of Addis Ababa.      AFP Photo

Ethiopian Turmoil Six Months After General Election (voanews.com, 12/01/05) "Six months after Ethiopia’s general election, the state continues to punish those who question the results, which returned Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to power. Clashes in June and November between Ethiopian authorities and protesters have killed more than 85 people. The crackdown began amid clashes between security forces and opposition supporters who accused the Prime Minister of rigging the polls in May.  Authorities have closed most private newspapers, jailed local journalists, and detained family members of journalists in hiding."

POLITICAL ANALYSIS The Rise of an Eritrean Clique From the Womb of TPLF by Abiy Araia July 2001(ethiomedia.com, archives)  EDITORIAL NOTE: Let the truth be told. We reminded you so many times in our editorials that Meles Zenawi and Isaias Afeworki are fraternal comrades in arms in the cause of Eritrea. Isaias and Meles were about to launch a suicidal attack on Ethiopia last week.  But finally, they both feel comfortable that Meles is safe and Meles is telling the UN that he is pulling his forces back from the border. RELATED STORY: A Woyane General Tells BBC Radio Reporter the Tigray-Eritrea Border is Impenetrable - That is, there will never be a war between the two now that Tigrean patriots have been eliminated and "Neftegna and Derg riffraff" silenced. The next ploy  to distract global attention from the Ethnic cleansing in Ethiopia will likely be an insurrection against Isaias or a concocted 'invasion by the Republic of Somalia or the Sudan'.  Stay focused. Meles must go! (fettan.com, 12/01/05)

Ethiopia Troops Defect to Eritrea (news.bbc.co.uk, 12/01/05) "At least seven Ethiopian soldiers have defected to Eritrea while on a private training course in Israel, the Israeli foreign ministry has confirmed. The Eritrean ambassador in Israel said the soldiers - reported to be of Eritrean descent - arrived at his house and asked for political asylum. They were then flown to Eritrea on a private plane."

ETHIOPIA: Possible Pullback of Troops From Border - UNMEE (irinnews.org, 12/01/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 1 December (IRIN) - Ethiopia may be willing to pull back thousands of troops recently moved close to its tense border with Eritrea, the UN military commander in the region said on Thursday. Maj-Gen Rajender Singh, commander of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) peacekeeping force, said Ethiopia had indicated that they would comply with a recent UN Security Council resolution calling for a return of both Ethiopian and Eritrean troops to their 16 December positions." RELATED STORY: UN Hopeful Ethiopia Will Withdraw Troops From Tense Border (voanews.com, 12/01/05)

Bush Renews Nation's Commitment to Fight AIDS (voanews.com, 12/01/05) "President Bush says the United States has a challenge and a responsibility to battle AIDS at home and abroad. On World AIDS Day Mr. Bush reaffirmed America's commitment to fight the disease. The president says the United States is making a big difference in the global fight against AIDS, and will continue to stand with those in need." RELATED STORY: Europeans Reject Abstinence Message in Split With US on Aids (guardian.co.uk, 12/01/05)

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Top US Envoy Meets Government Officials (irinnews.org, 11/30/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 30 November (IRIN) - A top US diplomat for African affairs has arrived in Ethiopia on a three-day mission to help breathe new life into a stalled peace process with Eritrea, the US embassy said on Tuesday. Donald Yamamoto, the deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs, met Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Monday. He will also discuss post-election disturbances in Ethiopia with members of his administration, an official said. He will also meet some leaders of opposition parties, according to Beyene Petros, chairman of the opposition United Ethiopian Democratic Forces."

Eritreans Flee Amid War Fears (news24.com -AFP- 11/29/05) "Asmara - Eritreans are fleeing their country in growing numbers amid fears of a new war with Ethiopia and economic hardships blamed on authoritarian government policies, according to diplomats and UN figures. In the first eight months of 2005, more Eritreans have risked death to leave the impoverished Horn of Africa nation than in all of 2004, according to UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) statistics."

AFP/File Photo: Senior US diplomat Donald Yamamoto, pictured here in 2004, is in Ethiopia this week

Senior US Envoy in Ethiopia to Cool Border, Post-Election Tension (news.yahoo.com -AFP- 11/29/05) "ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - A senior US diplomat is in Ethiopia this week seeking to cool its soaring border tensions with Eritrea and ease a domestic political crisis over disputed elections, the US embassy said. Donald Yamamoto, the deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs, arrived in the capital on Monday for "discussions on the border and political developments in Ethiopia," an embassy spokesman said. The envoy is expected to meet with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Wednesday as well as Ethiopian opposition officials during his visit, other details of which were not immediately available." RELATED STORY: Senator Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD) Letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Regarding the Meles Zenawi Regime Sponsored Violence in Ethiopia (English pdf)

Lench Batti, Public Relations Officer of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) Interview by Netsanet Le Ethiopia Radio -Washington, DC (Amharic audio, 11/27/05)

Ethiopian Government Arrests Two More Journalists (voanews.com, 11/29/05) "Ethiopian authorities have reportedly arrested two more journalists in an ongoing government crackdown on the press.  The Committee to Protect Journalists says the latest arrests bring the number of journalists detained since political unrest erupted four weeks ago to at least 12.  Sources in Addis Ababa tell the CPJ the two arrested are Serkalem Fassil, publisher of the Amharic-language weeklies Menelik, Asqual and Satanaw -- and her husband, Iskinder Nega, also a journalist.  They are reportedly being held at an undisclosed location." listen to interview with Alexis Arief

Four Ethiopian Soldiers Die in Landmine Blast-U.N. (alertnet.org -Reuters - 11/29/05) "ASMARA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Four Ethiopian soldiers were killed and three were wounded when their vehicle hit a newly laid landmine last week near the tense border with Eritrea, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The United Nations does not know who laid the mine, less than 15 km (9 miles) from the border, but about 50 mines have been laid in both countries within the last four years. Most incidents have been in or near the U.N.-patrolled temporary security zone (TSZ) that separates the two armies."  RELATED STORY: ETHIOPIA: Four Soldiers Killed in Landmine Blast (irinnews.org, 11/29/05)

Tree Locusts Invade Eastern Ethiopia (angolapress.angop.ao, 11/29/05) "Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,11/29 - The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Monday reported a tree locust invasion in the Afar Region of eastern Ethiopia. Locusts have been observed in Awash Arba town, Gelsa, some "kebeles" (districts) of Awash Fentale namely Boloita, Kebena and Fursi. A FAO collected sample and sent to the Desert Locust Control Organisation (DLCO) in Addis Ababa has confirmed that the pests were tree locusts."

Increasing Restrictions on Eritrean-Ethiopian Border Hampering UN Peace Mission (un.org, 11/29/05) "29 November – Increasing restrictions on the freedom of movement of United Nations peacekeepers following an Eritrean ban on helicopter flights has made it harder to warn the international community of any new outbreak of hostilities on the tense frontier with Ethiopia, where the two countries fought a two-year border war."

Ethiopia Sets Up Body to Probe Post-Poll Violence (alertnet.org -Reuters- 11/29/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Ethiopia's parliament is setting up a commission to look into charges that police and soldiers used excessive force to quell post-election protests that led to at least 82 deaths, the legislature said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, whose ruling party won the polls, had promised to set up an independent commission to investigate two separate bouts of unrest that erupted over the results of the May 15 parliamentary poll."

Imprisoned CUD leaders on hunger strike as of 11/28/05   AP Photo

Ethiopia Prisoners' Hunger Strike (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/28/05) "Three opposition leaders and a human rights activist in Ethiopia say they will go on hunger strike from Monday in protest against their detention. The four were arrested at the beginning of this month during violent protests over May's disputed election results. They have not been formally charged but Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says they could be tried for treason. CUD leader Hailu Shawel and two top party officials say their detention is politically-motivated. "We have decided to go on hunger strike indefinitely beginning Monday, 28 November 2005 - we will take only liquids," said top CUD (Coalition for Unity and Democracy) official and mayor-elect of Addis Ababa, Berhanu Nega, speaking to journalists at Ethiopia's central investigation centre." RELATED STORY: ETHIOPIA: Jailed Opposition Leaders to Go on Hunger Strike (irinnews.org, 11/28/05)

Know Thy Enemies: Part II -  British Hypocrisy, European Union Duplicity and American Equivocation. (pdf) (editorial, fettan.com, 11/26/05) "In this interview with Capital, Ambassador Tim Clarke pretends to admit to the following facts about Ethiopia , but he proceeds to use the carefully crafted deceptive language of a British disinformant to justify Meles Zenawi 's brutality. Please read the interview before you review our interpretation and you be the judge. (1) Ethiopia, sub-Sahara's second most populous country after Nigeria, is ranked the seventh poorest in the world. (2) It has some of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection and unemployment in the world. (3) Meles, who accuses the CUD of plotting a rebellion against his government, has repeatedly blamed unemployment for the violence in the capital where he says 300,000 youths are idle. Nevertheless, this darling of the West has to be protected by any means: Below are our excerpts from Tim Clarke's interview with Capital, supplemented by our interpretation of the Ambassador's diplomatic language. The text highlighted in red is taken out of the document published by Capital.com on the internet. The text in black is our interpretation of the hidden message not conveyed to the public." PDF Format of Interview With Emphasis added by fettan.com

Good Governance Gone Bad (iht.com, -The New york times -11/27/05) "Somebody needs to remind Meles Zenawi that he is supposed to be setting the example for how democracy should work in Africa. As things stand, the only example Meles, the Ethiopian prime minister, is setting is one of autocratic repression. Meles has often been lauded as an exemplar of good government by the likes of the Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain, who picked him to help draft his Commission for Africa report on how to reduce poverty and promote democracy on the continent. But it turns out that Meles is in favor of democracy only when people are voting for him."

At UN-chaired meeting, Ethiopia and Eritrea trade blame for rising tensions (un.org, 11/26/05) "26 November 2005 – At a United Nations-chaired meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, representatives of Ethiopia and Eritrea traded blame for the rising tensions along their shared border but pledged not to escalate them further, the UN Mission in the two Horn of Africa countries (UNMEE) announced today. Setting the tone for Friday's discussions, the meeting's chair, UNMEE Force Commander Major-General Rajender Singh, observed that the overall military situation inside the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and the adjacent areas had become tense and potentially volatile."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Troops Sighted in Demilitarized Zone (irinnews.org, 11/25/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 25 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopian troops illegally entered a demilitarised zone inside Eritrea amidst heightened tensions between the two countries over their disputed common border, the UN said on Thursday. Despite the UN Security Council’s threat to impose sanctions on the two countries unless they resolved their standoff, a small number of troops had occupied the territory for six days, according to the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). "Any violation of the Temporary Security Zone is of concern to us - it doesn't matter how tiny it may be," UN spokeswoman Gail Bindley-Taylor-Sainte told reporters in Asmara and Addis Ababa at a video-linked news conference."

ERITREA: Government Criticizes Security Council Resolution (irinnews.org,11/25/05) "ASMARA, 25 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - The Eritrean government has sharply criticised the latest UN Security Council resolution on the border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia, describing it as "deplorable" and "lopsided". "The Security Council has adopted another deplorable resolution on the border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia," said a statement issued on Thursday by the Eritrean Foreign Ministry in the capital, Asmara."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Security Council Threatens Sanctions Over Border Dispute (irinnews.org, 11/24/05) "NAIROBI, 24 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - The UN Security Council on Wednesday threatened to take action, which could include sanctions, against Ethiopia and Eritrea if the two Horn of Africa neighbours continued to engage in activities that aggravated their ongoing border dispute. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the Council deplored Eritrea's restrictions on the freedom of movement of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) and demanded that Asmara immediately reverse its 5 October decision to ban UNMEE helicopter flights."

Ethiopia 'Breached UN Peace Zone' (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/24/05) "Ethiopian soldiers have breached a demilitarised buffer zone on the border with Eritrea, the United Nations mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea says. The Ethiopian troops withdrew on Wednesday - after five days in the zone set up after the end of a border war. The incursion had come amid growing border tensions and violated the 2000 peace deal, an Unmee spokeswoman said."

Bush Widens Sanctions Against Zimbabwe (cnn.com, 11/24/05) "CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- President Bush is targeting the U.S. accounts of leading government officials in Zimbabwe, saying those who work with President Robert Mugabe must restore democracy or face sanctions. The White House announced Wednesday that Bush had signed an executive order Tuesday blocking all property and financial holdings in the United States owned by 128 people and 33 institutions in Zimbabwe. It also bars U.S. citizens from having financial dealings with them. "This action is not aimed at the people of Zimbabwe, but rather at those most responsible for their plight," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino." EDITORIAL NOTE: We urge President Bush to take a similar bold action against the Ethiopian dictator and neo-fascist Meles Zenawi. Zenawi, the Marxist League of Tigray politburo and cronies have created private corporations that have been amassing wealth and property while the Ethiopian poor are starving and the country drops to the bottom 7th on the national development scale. (fettan.com, 11/24/05)

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki. Photograph: Tony Karmuba/AFP

Snubbed Leader Sacks Entire Kenyan Cabinet (GUADIAN.CO.UK, 11/24/05) "East Africa's most stable democracy was plunged into political crisis last night when Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki sacked his entire cabinet after suffering a defeat in a referendum on a new constitution. He said in a televised address: "I have sacked all ministers and assistant ministers with immediate effect. I will announce a new government before the end of two weeks."

UN Moves Towards Horn Sanctions (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/23/05) "The United Nations Security Council is to consider imposing sanctions on Ethiopia and Eritrea if they use force to settle their ongoing border dispute. Diplomats at the UN told reporters that a draft resolution, drawn up by Greece, could be voted on as soon as Wednesday. The draft calls for Ethiopia to accept a boundary commission decision that awarded a disputed town to Eritrea."

Crackdown In Ethiopia (washingtonpost.com, 11/23/05) "A government crackdown in Ethiopia, following a wave of political unrest, has left opposition politicians, journalists, intellectuals and aid officials behind bars, even though the government of President Meles Zenawi has released some detainees under international pressure. Ato Daniel Bekele , the policy manager for ActionAid International in Ethiopia, was detained in his home in Addis Ababa, the capital, on Nov. 1. He remains in custody, although no charges have been filed against him, according to Sandy Krawitz , a spokeswoman for the group's U.S. branch, based in Washington."

ETHIOPIA: Opposition Leaders and Activists Denied Bail (irinnews.org, 11/22/05)) "ADDIS ABABA, 22 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Leaders of Ethiopia's main opposition party who face potential treason charges were denied bail on Monday after a court ruled that they should remain in police custody. In their second court appearance since being detained early this month, 19 top officials from the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), three journalists and a trade unionist were remanded for a further 10 days."

UN Families Told to Leave Eritrea (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/22/05) "The United Nations has ordered the families of its personnel in Eritrea to leave the country, as part of an increased security assessment. The security zone along the Ethiopian border has been made off-limits to all UN staff except peacekeeping troops. Elsewhere in the country, staff have been told remain in town, and keep in touch with their headquarters. This comes amid fears of new hostility along the border, where the neighbours went to war from 1998 to 2000." RELATED STORY: Eritrean-Ethiopian border becomes danger zone (eitb24.com, 11/22/05)

Masai women wait to vote in a village west of  Nairobi. The charter campaign was marked by violence that left nine people dead. (By Radu Sigheti -- Reuters)

Kenyans Calmly Vote on New Charter (washingtonpost.com, 11/22/05) "NAIROBI, Nov. 21 -- With the streets of this capital eerily quiet, Kenyans voted peacefully Monday on a new draft constitution after a turbulent month of campaigning divided East Africa's largest nation and split political leaders along tribal lines Tens of thousands of Kenyans, some with babies on their backs, stood in long but orderly lines at voting stations. There were few reports of violence, after a stormy campaign in which nine people were killed during rallies by opponents of the constitutional changes."

Eritrea Says Ethiopia Stokes Border Fears As Ploy (alertnet.org -Reuters- 11/21/05) "NAIROBI, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Eritrea's president has accused Ethiopia of raising the spectre of renewed conflict between the two neighbours over their disputed border as a ploy to distract attention from Ethiopia's domestic troubles. Military manoeuvres on both sides of an unmarked 1,000 km (620 mile) frontier between the feuding Horn of Africa neighbours have raised international concern about a possible."

ETHIOPIA: Gov't Says Oromiya Unrest Quelled (irinnews,org, 11/21/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 21 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - The Ethiopian government maintained that unrest in Oromiya has been quelled, despite claims by two rebel groups that dozens of people had been killed in renewed post-election violence. The information ministry criticised the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and accused the separatist group of trying to foment unrest in Oromiya, home to the Oromo community, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group. The OLF announced in a statement on Friday that 10 people had been killed after protests broke out last week in a "popular uprising" that elicited a severe crackdown from the government." RELATED STORY: Ethiopia probes Report of Massacre in Remote East (today.reuters.co.uk, 11/17/05)

U.N.: 40m Now Have AIDS Virus: Prevention starting to pay off in some countries, report says (cnn.com, 11/21/05) "LONDON, England (AP) -- The global HIV epidemic continues to expand, with more than 40 million people now estimated to have the AIDS virus, but in some countries prevention efforts are finally starting to pay off, the United Nations says. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in history. An estimated 3.1 million people died from the virus last year and another 4.9 million people became infected, according to a U.N. update published Monday."

Ethiopians listening to speaker at CUD fundraiser in Washington DC 11/20/05 Photo Andrea Bruce -- The Washington Post)

Violence in Ethiopia Inspires Regional Rally: Community Holds Protests, Raises Funds to Spotlight Unrest After Elections Abroad (washingtonpost.com, 11/21/05) "Kassa Tadesse does not affiliate with political parties. He is no activist and never has been, he says. But in the past six months, that has changed. Tadesse drove yesterday from his home in Silver Spring to Northwest Washington, where more than a thousand members of the Ethiopian community gathered to raise money for relatives of people killed or detained during election-related violence in their homeland this month." "..."The facts on the ground are very convincing," said Abebe, who drove from Richmond to attend the fundraiser. "We're not even talking democracy now. It's just basic human rights," he said. "

Clashes Mar African Political Gains: Tensions Boil Over in East as Trust in Elected Leaders and Democracy Fades (washingtonpost.com, 11/18/05) "NYALA, Sudan -- In Ethiopia, 46 demonstrators protesting reports of election rigging died in a series of clashes with security forces. In Uganda, a senior opposition leader was arrested, touching off riots in one of the continent's most tranquil capitals. In Tanzania, nine people died when security forces fired into protesting crowds during elections on the island of Zanzibar. This has been a turbulent season across East Africa, a region that has been struggling for well over a decade to consolidate emerging democratic systems against a backdrop of persistent poverty, simmering civil conflict and past dictatorial leadership."

ETHIOPIA: Interview With World Bank Representative (irinnews.org, 11/18/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 18 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Ishac Diwan is the World Bank representative in Ethiopia. The bank is the country's largest donor, providing some US $450 million of the $1.2 billion in development assistance Ethiopia receives each year. Diwan spoke with IRIN on Wednesday about the institution's concern over political unrest and the impact of deteriorating governance on development. Below are excerpts from the interview:"

Ethiopia Downplays Massacre, Uprising Reports (today.reuters.com, 11/18/05) "ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia said on Friday that unrest in its restive regions was under control after allegations by rebel groups this week of a massacre in the east and an uprising in the south-west. The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a group of ethnic Somalis fighting for the independence of their large eastern region, said government troops shot dead at least 30 prisoners and civilians in Qabri-daharre town on Tuesday. And the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), fighting for independence in their south-western region, said a wave of demonstrations by students and others had broken out in a "popular uprising" that brought a severe crackdown."

Ethiopia, Eritrea To Ease Tension (news24.com, 11/18/05) "Addis Ababa - Senior military commanders from Ethiopia and Eritrea are to meet next week for talks. The United Nations hope the talks can ease tensions along their border, where large-scale movement of troops and military hardware continue. The officers will gather in neighbouring Kenya for one day on November 25. According to Gail Bindley-Taylor Sainte, spokesperson for the UN mission to the two countries, this is the first meeting since the UN described the situation near the border as "tense and potentially volatile"." RELATED STORY: UN Council Works To Avert Eritrea-Ethiopia War (alertnet.org -Reuters- 11/17/05)

Senator Joe Biden        VOA Photo

U.S. Lawmakers Ask Bush to Take Lead in Horn of Africa (voanews.com, 11/17/05) "Two senior members of the U.S. Congress are urging President Bush to play a direct role in American policy toward Ethiopia’s political unrest and border tensions with Eritrea. U.S. Representative Chris Smith, chairman of the House subcommittee on Africa, and Senator Joseph Biden, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, say in a letter to Mr. Bush that U.S. policy in the Horn is “ambiguous” and the president’s personal leadership is needed to diffuse both situations." "...The letter says the United States needs to make clear that Ethiopia’s leaders need to “respect human rights and the rule of law” and to accept an international panel’s demarcation of the Ethio-Eritrean border."

'Treason' Rises In Africa (csmonitor.com, 11/17/05) "JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA AND KAMPALA, UGANDA – In Africa, 'tis the season, apparently, for treason. In recent days and weeks a number of high-profile politicians across the continent have been accused of great acts of disloyalty. But critics say the charges often have less to do with national betrayal than stifling dissent, and observers say the practice is exposing how a winner-take-all political paradigm still prevails across Africa, even in countries that have made significant democratic strides."

Ethiopia Probes Report Of Massacre In Remote East (today.reuters.co.uk, 11/17/05)" ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia said on Thursday it was investigating a report by separatist rebels that government troops shot dead at least 30 people and injured hundreds during unrest earlier this week. The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a group of ethnic Somalis fighting for independence for their eastern region, said Ethiopian soldiers opened fire on Tuesday against prisoners demanding better treatment in Qabri-daharre town. "Then the Ethiopian army came to the centre of the town and started shooting indiscriminately at the civilian people," it added in a statement. "More than 30 people are reported dead from the civilians and the prisoners. ... Hundreds are reported wounded." Ethiopian Information Minister Berhan Hailu told Reuters the government was unsure what had happened. "The incident is under investigation," he said, without elaborating." RELATED STORY: Ogaden National Liberation Front Foreign Relations Bureau:  Press Release (onlf.org, 11/16/05)

World Bank Considers Reducing Aid To Ethiopia (voanews.com, 11/16/05) " The World Bank is considering reducing aid to Ethiopia in the wake of current political unrest. In an interview with Voice of America, the Bank's country director in Ethiopia, Ishac Diwan, said if governance improves, aid will likely rise. If it deteriorates, he said assistance will be scaled back over a period of time. The World Bank currently gives $400 million to $500 million a year, making the lending institution Ethiopia's largest donor." RELATED STORIES: World Bank Considers Cutting Aid To Ethiopia (voanews.com, 11/16/05) listen to interview with Ishac Diwan Aid Should Be Suspended Until Human Rights Offences Stop (greens.efa.org, 11/16/05)

Twenty Die In Ethiopian Jailbreak (news.bbc.uk, 11/16/05) "Twenty people are reported to have been killed when prisoners broke out of a military prison in the eastern Ethiopian town of Kebri Dehar. At least 34 prisoners are said to have escaped after subduing prison guards and seizing their rifles."

Eritrea Denies Fanning Violence In Ethiopia (mg.co.za, 11/16/05) "Eritrea on Wednesday denied a charge that it fuelled street violence that rocked Ethiopia early this month, claiming at least 48 lives, by supporting rebels who want to overthrow the Addis Ababa government. "We deny this accusation," Eritrea's Information Minister Ali Abdu said. "This statement approved by a so-called Parliament emanates from a schizophrenic state of mind." Ethiopian federal police chief Workneh Gebeyhu on Monday told Parliament that Asmara backed the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), based in southern Ethiopia, to foment the deadly skirmishes."

Photo Courtesy Solidartytigrai.org

More Than 20,000 Participate In Washington Rally Against The Meles Zenawi Regime (silidaritytigrai.org, 11/15/05) "WASHINGTON) — Several thousand Ethiopian immigrants staged a demonstration in Washington to demand the end of US support for Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi after bloodshed in the African nation. Organizers said there were 20,000 people from across the United States and Canada at the rally, the latest in a series against Meles, who has been in power since toppling a Soviet-backed dictatorship in 1991. Demonstrators heard speeches in front of the US Capitol building before marching to the State Department, singing songs and carrying banners with slogans such as "Bush, Stop Supporting Zenawi’s Dictatorship."

UNMEE Says Ethiopia/Eritrea Border In Tense Situation (angolapres-angop.ao, 11/15/05) "Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 11/15 - The military situation in the temporary security zone (TSZ) and adjacent areas between Ethiopia and Eritrea was tense and potentially volatile, the UN peacekeeping mission there said Thursday. Troop movements continued to be reported on both Ethiopian and Eritrean sides over the past week, said Colonel Mohammed Iqbal, Chief of Staff of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)."

More Journalists Arrested In Ethiopia (voanews.com, 11/15/05) "The Committee to Protect Journalists says Ethiopian authorities have arrested two more editors. It says that brings the number of journalists arrested over the past two weeks to eight. Alexis Arief is a spokeswoman for the CPJ.  From New York, she spoke to English to Africa reporter Joe De Capua about the latest arrests. The journalists are identified as Andualem Ayle of the Amharic-language weekly Ethiop and Nardos Meaza of the Amharic-language weekly, Satanaw.  Both are privately owned newspapers." De Capua interview with CPJ
De Capua interview with CPJ ra

Statement By The Development Assistance Group (DAG):By U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia (communitydispatch.com, 11/14/05) "The Development Assistance Group (DAG) expresses its deep sadness at the deaths and injuries in the recent civil unrest in Addis Ababa and elsewhere in Ethiopia, in line with the EU and US Ambassadors statement of November 6, 2005. The DAG is concerned about these political disturbances and the effects that these may have on sustainable development for the country."

Ethiopia's Capital, Once Promising, Finds Itself In Crisis (nytimes.com, 11/14/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - This city fancies itself the capital of Africa, the crossroads of the continent, a refined refuge where African leaders gather to address the crises in unruly places like Sudan, Ivory Coast and Congo. The city's most powerful resident, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, has been deemed one of Africa's new generation of leaders, a rebel turned democrat and darling of the international donors. But after a months-long political standoff that has turned increasingly bloody, Ethiopia's capital has joined Africa's more ignominious places, becoming the latest continental crisis point to attract the attention of the African Union, which has its headquarters here. Mr. Meles now finds himself criticized as a dictator, not a democrat."

ETHIOPIA: Donors Concerned Over Political Unrest (irinnews.org, 11/14/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 14 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopia's key donors have expressed concern over violent unrest following the May elections and said they were reviewing development cooperation modalities to ensure aid is distributed in a "non-partisan manner". Political turmoil erupted after opposition groups alleged widespread vote rigging by the ruling bloc in the 15 May polls. Earlier this month, the opposition parties announced a boycott of the parliament."

Africa Elections Give Reasons For Hope (news.yahoo.com -AP- 11/13/05) "...For all of Africa's strides toward democracy after decades of living under dictatorships, violence and fraud have been a feature of many of its elections this year. Ivory Coast, once a model of African statehood, is so torn by civil war that its Oct. 30 election was canceled." "...Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who overthrew a brutal Marxist junta in 1991, has been touted in the West as a democratic-spirited leader, but at home he is seen as increasingly autocratic. In May, parliamentary elections in Ethiopia were marred by what  European Union monitors described as widespread human rights abuses. Opposition supporters took to the streets, and scores were killed in clashes with police."

Ethiopia Boosts Border Defences (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/13/05) "Ethiopia has been strengthening its military defences along the border with Eritrea, amid fears of a new conflict with its neighbour. A BBC correspondent at the border says the Ethiopian army has been digging long lines of trenches and bunkers. The United Nations has warned the situation is potentially volatile." RELATED STORY: Ethiopian-Eritrean Border Remains Tense, Potentially Volatile, UN Mission Reports (un.org, 11/11/05)

Ethiopia Answers Western Critics (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/13/05) "Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi has defended his handling of opposition protests last week, in which demonstrators were shot by police and leaders arrested. Mr Meles told the BBC the UK was wrong to join European and US pressure for the release of the opposition MPs. He said the international community should wait for the outcome of trials of those accused of treason and fomenting violent insurrection."

Eritrea Slams Ethiopia For Protesters' Deaths (alertnet.org -Reuters- 11/12/05) "NAIROBI, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Eritrea has condemned neighbouring Ethiopia for "bloody suppression and atrocities" during a recent crackdown on unrest which left more than 40 dead and stirred fears of instability in the region's dominant power. A statement from Eritrea's Information Ministry also lambasted Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for "farcical" recent elections where he won another five-year term.  Both ruled by ex-rebel movements, the Horn of Africa nations have long had tense relations which burst into open antagonism during a 1998-2000 border war during which 70,000 people died. Recent military manoeuvres on both sides of the unmarked 1,000-km (620-mile) frontier have raised fears of a repeat."

ETHIOPIA: Recent Arrests Of Opposition Leaders And Police Killings Of 46 Demonstrators (amnestyusa.org, 11/11/05) "On 7 November 2005 police brought to court 24 opposition leaders and others who were arrested in Addis Ababa on 1 November following street demonstrations which erupted into four days of violence when police started shooting. At least 46 protesters were killed in Addis Ababa and other towns, and at least 4,000 were arrested. The 24 detainees include Hailu Shawel, aged 70, president of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party; Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, 75, former chair of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO); Dr Yacob Hailemariam, a former UN Special Envoy and former prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; Ms Birtukan Mideksa, CUD vice-president and a former judge; and Dr Berhanu Negga, the recently elected Mayor of Addis Ababa and university professor of economics."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Peacekeepers Facing More Restrictions, Says UNMEE (irinnews.org, 11/11/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 11 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Restrictions on United Nations peacekeepers patrolling the "tense and potentially volatile" Ethiopia-Eritrea frontier have increased considerably, the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) said on Thursday. Troop movements from both armies also continued along the 1,000-km border, where the nations fought a bloody war from 1998 to 2000. "The restrictions have increased almost daily," UNMEE spokeswoman Gail Bindley-Taylor Sainte said. "Before, the restrictions were more sporadic. Now, we have almost daily restrictions.'

Know Thy Enemies: A Reminder And Warning To Ethiopian Patriots: Meles Dismisses Western Doners' Plea As "Unacceptable Meddling".  Here is fettan.com's interpretation of Meles Zenawi's transparent display of a hidden agenda (as reflected in this propaganda piece) - the strategic plan of feudalist Marxist revolutionary governance - for the opposition party chiefs' and gullible world leaders' consumption.  Zenawi obviously is fantasizing about Tigrai-Tigrign supremacist state that surveys over Tribal Fiefdoms of the central and southern ethnic republics headed by subservient ethno-aristocrats bought for the highest bid. According to his vivid imagination, having signed these accords, the EPRDF has supposedly super insulated itself from the wrath of the Ethiopian people and the world community. (fettan.com, 11/10/05)

ETHIOPIA: CUD Leaders, Editors To Face Treason Charges (irinnews.org, 11/10/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 10 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Detained opposition leaders and editors seized after bloody clashes in Addis Ababa last week will face treason charges, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Wednesday. 
The prime minister declared that the worst of the violence was over, but his government had no intention of bowing to calls from the international community for the release of opposition leaders."

Former Top American Official Criticizes Ethiopian Government (voanews.com, 11/10/05) "The ongoing political unrest in Ethiopia is putting increased focus on Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his government's handling of opponents. Herman Cohen -- former Assistant Secratary of State for Africa -- says he is disappointed by actions taken against the opposition by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government -- actions he says go far beyond what are necessary.  He says the "high-handed" measures demonstrate the true nature of the government -- which he describes as authoritarian and totalitarian." listen to the interview with Ambassador Herman Cohen

CPJ Protests Ethiopian Government's Wanted List Of Journalists (ifex.org, 11/09/05) "His Excellency Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, C/O The Embassy of Ethiopia, 3506 International Drive, NW, Washington, DC 20008 Via facsimile: 202-587-0199 Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to protest your government's targeting of the private press following clashes last week between protesters and security forces, in which at least 40 people were killed, according to international news reports. For the past two days state-owned media have published a list of people whom your government plans to prosecute for attempting to "violently undermine the constitutional order in the country." RELATED STORY: Save The Children Condemns Violence Against Children In Ethiopia (reliefweb.org, 11/09/05)

Protesters in Washington Tuesday demand the U.S. stop supporting the Ethiopian government.   AP Photo

Ethiopian Opposition, Editors Face Treason Charges (cnn.com, 11/09/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said Wednesday that opposition leaders and newspaper editors under detention will face treason charges, which carry the death penalty in Ethiopia, for their alleged roles in protests last week in which at least 46 people were killed. Clashes last week between police and opposition supporters drew international condemnation and raised questions about Meles's commitment to democracy. The politicians and journalists "will not be released and they are accused of engaging in insurrection. That is an act of treason under Ethiopian law, they will be charged and will have their day in court," Meles told a group of journalists working for foreign news organizations. RELATED STORY: Hundreds Of Ethiopians Urge US Help To Curb Post-Election Violence (news.yahoo.com,-AFP- 11/08/05)

More than 40 protesters died in a week of violence         BBC Photo

Ethiopia Opposition Treason Move (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/09/05) "Detained Ethiopian opposition leaders and editors will face treason charges for their part in last week's protests, the prime minister has said. "They will not be released and they are accused of engaging in insurrection... they will have their day in court," Meles Zenawi told journalists.  But the prime minister said personally he did not support the death penalty.  "It is for the prosecution and courts to decide, but if I have any say on it I would prefer prison sentences rather than death sentences," Mr Meles said.

In Africa, Are 'Donor Darlings' Stifling Democracy? (csmonitor.com, 11/07/05) "Clashes between opposition protesters and security forces in Ethiopia killed more than 46 people in the past week. ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – In Africa's decade-plus experiment with multiparty democracy, there appears to be significant backsliding, ironically, among some heads of state once heralded as the next generation of great leaders on the continent. And the slippage, observers say, is sometimes being abetted by the US and other rich-nation donors - in part because of the war on terror."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: UN Envoy Urges Restraint Over Border Situation (irinnews.org, 11/07/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 8 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - The United Nations Security Council envoy Kenzo Oshima urged restraint on Monday amid reports of rising tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea over their disputed border.Speaking in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, at the start of a two-day tour of the two nations, Oshima said "delicacy, skills and good judgment" were needed to try to resolve the situation."

EU/US Urges End To Ethiopia Violence (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/07/05) "The text of a statement read by the British ambassador in Addis Ababa, Bob Dewar, on behalf of the European Union and the US. As long-term constructive partners of Ethiopia and its people, the US government and the European Union, working closely with the wider international community, helped to create a political dialogue, aiming to build trust between the opposition and the government, with a view to helping resolve the post-election crisis."

Protest Strike At Ethiopia Deaths (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/07/05) "The Ethiopian capital is calm at the start of a week-long opposition strike to protest at the deaths of at least 46 people in demonstrations last week. Many shops are closed and most taxis not operating, but buses are running and a large numbers of pedestrians. A BBC correspondent in Addis Ababa says both soldiers and police on patrol - braced for more violence."

Ethiopian Demonstrators Throw Tomatoes In Bonn (expatica.com, 11/07/05) "BONN, GERMANY - A two-day conference on Africa's future began behind closed doors in the German city of Bonn Saturday. Hosted by Germany's President Horst Koehler, the gathering of African leaders, academics and other experts was to discuss new forms of development aid." "...An estimated 400 Ethiopians demonstrated as guests arrived Saturday for a reception in Bonn before the conference began. The protesters  hurled tomatoes at the steps of Bonn's ornate town hall. They said they were protesting at the use of police force in Ethiopia, where nearly 50 people have been killed in the last few days in anti-government demonstrations."

Ethiopia PM Regrets Protest Dead (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/07/05) "Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said he regrets the deaths of at least 46 people killed in last week's anti-government protests. But he said it was understandable that police had panicked when facing protesters with hand grenades and guns. Speaking in Germany, Mr Zenawi accused the opposition of provoking unrest."

U.S., EU urge Ethiopia To Free Opponents (mercurynews.com -AP- 11/06/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The United States and the European Union urged Ethiopia on Sunday to end its crackdown on independent journalists and release opposition leaders detained during a week of bloody clashes between demonstrators and police. The United States and the EU were discussing suspending aid to the country, top Western diplomats said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks. Together, the United States and the 25-nation EU give Ethiopia $1.3 billion in aid. The violence has undermined efforts to build democracy and "damaged Ethiopia's international reputation," the United States and the European Union said in a statement read by British Ambassador Bob Dewar. The nations made 10 demands, including freeing all political detainees, giving families and Red Cross workers access to people in police custody and releasing the names of detainees."

West Urges Ethiopia Talks, Gov't Says Stop Meddling (alernet.org -Reuters- 11/06/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Major Western donors issued a fresh appeal on Sunday to impoverished Ethiopia's government and opposition to end the worst political unrest in months. The government dismissed the plea as unacceptable meddling. "We urgently call upon all political parties to desist from further violence and to abide by the rule of law," the United States and European Union said in a joint statement on five days of unrest in which at least 46 people have been killed. "These distressing events have further deepened mistrust, as well as political and social divisions...The EU and the U.S. urge the opening of political dialogue to foster peace."

Violence in Ethiopia Spreads (news.scotsman.com, 11/06/05) "SPECIAL forces patrolled the streets of Ethiopia's capital yesterday after a week of bloody clashes between demonstrators and police left at least 44 people dead and thousands in police custody. In a town outside Addis Ababa, sporadic gunfire broke out yesterday, a human rights group said. Late on Friday, diplomats said shooting erupted in one neighbourhood in the capital, where the violence started after protests last Monday over the disputed May 15 elections."

Ethiopians Demonstrate Against Meles In Germany (sudantribune.com, 11/06/05) "Nov 5, 2005 (BONN) — Delegates to an international conference on Africa were pelted with tomatoes Saturday as some 400 people protested against political violence in Ethiopia and the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Meles was due to attend the conference which was opened in this west German city on Saturday evening by German President Horst Kohler, but he was not present at the time of the protests. Some demonstrators threw tomatoes at participants as they arrived at the town hall to be received by the Mayor of Bonn, Barbel Dieckmann."

Violence Reported In Northern Ethiopia On 5th Day Of Protests (voanews.com, 11/05/05) "Violence has erupted in northern Ethiopia on the fifth day of anti-government unrest that has left at least 46 people dead and more than 150 wounded. Witnesses say police and opposition supporters clashed Saturday in the northern town of Debre Birhan. There were no official reports of casualties." RELATED STORIES: Political violence continues in northern Ethiopia (asis.news.yahoo.com, 11/05/05) 

Ethiopia Bids To Quell Violence (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/05/05) "Sporadic violence was reported in Ethiopia on Saturday as police and troops tried to quell unrest blamed for at least 46 deaths this week. Clashes continued on Saturday in the town of Debre Berhan, 150km (93 miles) north of the capital Addis Ababa, according to a human rights group. Violence erupted on Tuesday after opposition parties accused the government of rigging elections. Many shops in Addis Ababa are shut and there are no taxis on the streets."

Ethiopia's Violent Clashes Spread (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/04/05) "Violent clashes that have killed more than 40 people this week in Ethiopia have spread from the capital to towns north of Addis Ababa. In the capital, one woman was killed in a fourth day of riots between opposition supporters and police. The BBC's Mohammed Adow says arrests continued overnight with truckloads of opposition supporters being taken out of Addis Ababa."

Police Blamed After Protests In Ethiopia Leave 42 Dead (news.independent.co.uk, 11/04/05) "The death toll from political unrest in Ethiopia rose to 42 when three people were shot dead as police broke up anti-government protests in the capital, Addis Ababa. The demonstrations, which have prompted the British Government to advise against all but essential travel to Ethiopia, entered their third day yesterday. Children were among a dozen people wounded. The violence broke out on Tuesday, after a day of peaceful protests, when riot police clashed with opposition supporters who claim that the elections held in May last year were rigged."

ETHIOPIA: Death Toll At 33 On Third Day Of Violence In Capital (irinnews.org, 11/03/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 3 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Two more people were killed and eight others injured in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Thursday, bringing the death toll in three days of violence to 33, with more than 150 injured, doctors said. Although most of the city was tentatively calm, renewed fighting broke out sporadically in areas close to several foreign embassies." RELATED STORY: Ethiopia: At Least 36 Dead In Three Days Of Political Violence (voanews.com, 11/03/05)

Ethiopia, Eritrea "Crisis" Needs Urgent Action -UN (alertnet.org -Reuters- 11/03/05) "ASMARA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Military moves by Ethiopia and Eritrea near their border have produced a crisis that needs urgent attention or the former foes could resume their 1998-2000 war, U.N. peacekeepers said on Thursday. The leaders of the world body's Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) told reporters they were concerned that moves in the past 10 to 15 days involving tanks, air defence missiles and troops could make the situation "more dangerous." RELATED STORY: Peacekeepers Urge Security Council To Avert Eritrea-Ethiopia War (news.yahoo.com -AFP- 11/03/05)

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Public Statement (web.amnesty.org, 11/02/05) "Ethiopia: Over 30 reported dead and several hundred detained in fierce crackdown. In the past two days riot police reportedly shot dead over 30 protestors in the capital Addis Ababa and began systematic arrests of leaders and members of the main opposition party, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), as well as several journalists of the private press. The riot police used live ammunition to target protestors in the central Mercato and other districts. The demonstrations reportedly started peacefully but turned into stone-throwing, building of barricades and burning of vehicles when police started shooting. At least 150 people are also reported to have been wounded in the shootings. Police said two police officers had been killed by the protestors."

Eyewitness: 'I Couldn't Help Them' (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/02/05) "Abnetget (not his real name), 35, an Ethiopian office worker told the BBC News website how he was caught up in the second day of violence that has erupted between police and protestors in the capital city Addis Ababa." "...Just on my right side a women was gunned down. She was an elderly well-dressed woman. Then there were other girls behind me. It was my first time seeing people die. I couldn't help them, I just had to keep rushing to save my life.

East Africa Army Build-up Alarms UN (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/02/05) "UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he is very concerned about reports that Ethiopia and Eritrea have moved troops closer to their common border. Mr Annan called on both sides to exercise maximum restraint. Last month, Eritrea banned UN peacekeeping helicopters from its air space and restricted troop movements." RELATED STORIES: Source: Ethiopia, Eritrea Reinforce Border Positions (news.cnn.com, 11/2/05) UN Mission In Ethiopia And Eritrea Reports Situation As Tense (un.org, 11/01/05)

Woman reacts outside Addis Ababa hospital on second day of clashes between youths and police. AP Photo

23 Killed In Ethiopia Clashes (cnn.com -Reuters- 11/02/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Reuters) -- Twenty-three people including several women were killed in the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday, hospital sources said, when police opened fire at stone-throwing youths in the worst anti-government protests in months." "...Special forces backed by four armored personnel carriers deployed in the volatile Mercato area, where violence erupted on Tuesday, and sealed it off from the rest of the city. The sources, contacted at five hospitals across Addis Ababa, said the dead included women and young people. The violence, the second straight day of unrest in the capital, brings to 31 the number killed in the past two days. A Reuters reporter saw police round up dozens of people and bundle them into two pickup trucks."

Violence Across Ethiopian Capital (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/02/05) "At least 23 people have been shot dead in a second day of violence in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Hundreds of heavily armed police and troops deployed across the city as the sounds of heavy machine guns and loud explosions reverberated. Doctors told reporters of more than 100 people coming to hospital wounded in clashes between stone-throwing opposition supporters and police. The opposition renewed protests this week at May polls they say were rigged." RELATED STORY: ETHIOPIA: At least 14 Dead As Violence Continues In Addis Ababa (irinnews.org, 11/02/05)

LISTEN TO VAO RADIO REPORT EPRDF POLICE FIRING SHOTS AND KILLING PROTESTERS (VAO Radio Broadcast, 11/01/05)  The report includes audio footage of gunfire and popular patriotic protest chants.; interviews with Seleshi Andargie, CUDP and with the wife of Eng. Gizachew Shiferaw (PR Officer) following his arrest. RELATED STORY: According to Walta Information Center;  "The statement issued by the Ministry said that among the main actors detained were Engineer Hailu Shawel, Dr. Berhanu Nega, Dr. Hailu Araya, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, Major Getachew Mengistie and Colonel Tamiru Gulilat. Some leaders of those organizations which were playing key role in implementing the plan for violence, viz., "the former Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) and Ethiopian Free Journalist Association (EFJA) will also be brought to justice."  (fettan.com, 11/01/05)

HEAR GUN SHOTS IN ADDIS ABEBA: NOVEMBER 1, 2005 (Audio)  The Marxist Leninist League of Tigray (MLLT) under the leadership of its Secretary-General, Meles Zenawi has launched its ethnic genocide campaign through a second round of open and defiant mass arrest and killing of unarmed protesters. The objective is to assure the ethnic cleansing of non-Tigrean nationals in central and southern Ethiopia and perpetuate Tigrean-Tigrign tribal supremacy in East Africa. Despite UN warnings, the Eritrean People's Liberation Front's Chairman Isaias Afeworki is posed to mount a supportive strike from the north and east while the MLLT politburo stages mass atrocities.  Our continuous pleas and warnings to powerful nations and international organizations have been ignored. Their silence will not absolve them of benign neglect and complicity in these heinous acts against humanity. The Ethiopian people whose earlier leaders co-founded the League of Nations, the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (AU) deserve better treatment from the international community - in their struggle against neo-fascists - than what they are being subjected to at present! (fettan.com, 11/01/05)

The BBC's reporter confirmed 20 wounded       BBC Photo

Ethiopian Police Shoot Protesters (news.bbc.co.uk, 11/01/05) "Riot police have shot dead five people and wounded at least 20 others in clashes with opposition supporters in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Some 250 riot police went to disperse stone-throwing protesters who had set up roadblocks with burning tyres in the central Mercato area of the city. These are the first disturbances in the capital since June's post-election protests when some 36 people died."

Lidetu Ayalew Emphatically Denies All Accusations Labeled Against Him By CUDP Leaders (VOA Radio Interview broadcast 10/31/05). Mr Ayalew says his opposition to the overall Coalition For Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP) strategies and tactics against the EPRDF are based not only on his personal principles but on the decisions and directives of the former EDUP-Medhin Executive Council. He failed to answer questions like how many of the 23 current members of his party who serve on the CUDP leadership support his position and what specific issues lead to his fall-out with the CUDP leadership after he accepted election to the VP post. (fettan.com, 10/31/05)

ቅንጅት በመላ ኢትዮጵያ የሰባት ቀን አድማ ጠራ (ከአባይ፣ ጥቅምት ፲፱ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም. ) "ቅንጅት ከፊታችን ሰኞ ጀምሮ ተግባራዊ የሚሆኑ ተከታታይ አድማዎችን በትናንትናው ዕለት ጠርቷል። በዚህም መሠረት ከሰኞ ጥቅምት ፳፩ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ጀምሮ ሕዝቡ ከኢሕአዴግ የንግድ ድርጅቶች ጋር እንዳይገበያይ ጥሪ ያቀረበ ሲሆን፤ በተመሳሳይ ከሰኞ ጥቅምት ፳፩ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ጀምሮ የመንግሥት ሬዲዮ፣ ቴሌቪዥን፣ ሬዲዮ ፋናንና ኢፍቲን ጋዜጣን ባለመስማት፣ ባለማየትና ባለማንበብ ተቃውሞውን እንዲገልፅ ጥሪ አቅርቧል።" The Coalition For Unity And Democracy Party (CUDP) Calls For Nationwide Boycott Of EPRDF Enterprises (Abay, 10/29/05) " The party announced that beginning on Monday 10/31/05, it is calling for a series of peaceful actions to protest the EPRDF regime's illegal seizure of parliament and anti-democratic suppression. To be boycotted are regime controlled media;  party owned and affiliated businesses; social events sponsored by the members and families of the regime's informants and security agents. Motorists are asked to blow their horns every morning between 8:00 and 8:30 AM until November 15th, 2005." (Abbreviated translation by fettan.com, 10/31/05 Amharic pdf)   

ERITREA: Gov't Says UN Has Failed To Maintain Peace In Horn Of Africa (irinnews.org, 10/31/05) "ASMARA, 31 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The Eritrean government has accused the UN Security Council of failing to maintain peace in the Horn of Africa, where a stalemate over border demarcation and the recent grounding of UN helicopters has increased tension between Eritrea and Ethiopia."

Thousands of people have fled Gambella since the December 2003 massacre.     BBC Photo

Police Die In Ethiopia Jail Raid (news.bbc.co.uk, 10/31/05) "Gunmen in south-western Ethiopia killed four police officers and prison warders, government officials say. The killings took place during an overnight raid on a prison in Gambella, 450km from Addis Ababa. The attacks were blamed on rebels from the semi-nomadic minority Anuak community who have been fighting against the security forces. Diplomats in Addis Ababa told the AFP news agency they believed the death toll had been much higher."  RELATED STORY: UPDATE - Rebels kill Some 30 People In Southwestern Ethiopia (sudantribune.com, 10/31/05)

Press Release: Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2005 "Corruption still rampant in 70 countries, says Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2005 London / Berlin, 18 October 2005" EDITORIAL NOTE:The EPRDF regime is one of 70 corrupt administrations in the world. CPI Score relates to perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts and ranges between 10 (highly clean) and 0 (highly corrupt). EPRDF scores 2.2 and ranks 23 from the bottom worst, making it one of the most corrupt. The Ethiopian people know this fact and are determined to get rid of this bankrupt regime. If you want to know where the stolen money is deposited read on - CORRUPTION: The 'Clean' Should Look Within Too  By Sanjay Suri, Inter Press Service (IPS) (fettan.com10/31/05)

When Ballots Bring On Bullets (iht,com, 10/28/05) "NEW YORK Nine months after President George W. Bush's call to spread democracy abroad, the results of this year's spate of elections throughout the Middle East are in. They are dismaying. Most of the winning candidates ran on platforms endorsing Islamic sectarianism, narrow ethnic interests, warlord power, nuclear proliferation, terrorism (in the case of Hamas), or a continuation of authoritarian business as usual. In Iraq, the voting deepened the political stalemate."

VOA Radio Report On CUDP Press Release Regarding Application For Recognition (VOA Radio Amharic Program Broadcast 10/28/05) "Ledetu Ayalew and Mushie Semu suspended from leadership responsibly until full investigations on their actions are conducted.  The party has placed the seals of all four coalition members and submitted its application for recognition to the NEBE. Meanwhile, the EPRDF regime's security forces have continued their terror against CUDP leadership. The Secretary-General of CUDP, Mr. Muluneh Eyuel was severely beaten and sustained injuries. (Abbreviated translation by fettan.com, 10/28/05) RELATED STORY: Ethiopian Security Forces Arrest Opposition MPs (alertnet.org -Reuters- 10/28/05)

UN 'Failing' Eritrea Over Border (news.bbc.co.uk, 10/28/05) "Eritrea has written two letters to the United Nations this week, accusing it of failing in its duty to resolve the border dispute with Ethiopia. Ethiopia has not withdrawn its troops from land awarded to Eritrea by an international demarcation commission. The demarcation followed a border war in which 70,000 people died."

Backing The Favourite (economist.com, 10/27/05) "Ethiopia defies an international ruling and its western allies do nothing.  WHAT better way to settle an ugly third-world border dispute than through arbitration? What better example of conflict resolution to press upon two rancorous rivals, Ethiopia and Eritrea, who in 1998-2000 fought a bitter border war that cost 70,000 lives?" "...It is a reasonable question: if Eritrea and Ethiopia are intent on fighting and the UN cannot stop them, the blue helmets might as well leave. Yet to blame the UN for the crisis is to miss the point. The peacekeepers were never intended to enforce peace. Rather, they were charged with deterring cross-border scuffles and reporting them when they occurred—and this they have admirably done."

Harsh UN Words For Ethiopia, Eritrea (mg.co.za, 10/27/05) "In response to warnings of a dangerous crisis brewing between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a draft United Nations Security Council resolution demands that they immediately agree to an international commission's decision ruling on their border, which Ethiopia has rejected. It also demands that Eritrea immediately lift restrictions on helicopter flights and the movement of UN peacekeepers in a border buffer zone and declares the council's "readiness to consider further action" if Eritrea refuses to comply." RELATED STORY: UN Urges India, Jordan To Stay In Ethiopia-Eritrea Force (mg.co.za, 10/27/05)

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Border Stable Despite Restrictions On Peacekeepers, Says UN (irinnews.org, 10/27/05) "ASMARA, 27 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The situation along the common border between Ethiopia and Eritrea is militarily stable but restrictions on United Nations peacekeepers remain, a spokeswoman for the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), said on Thursday. Earlier this month, Eritrea banned all UN helicopters from flying in Eritrean airspace, initially prompting fears that the Red Sea state was trying to hide troop movements as preparation for another war."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: No End In Sight For Border Standoff (irinnews.org, 10/26/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 26 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - When the United Nations first deployed peacekeepers in Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2000 to monitor the cessation of hostilities between the two nations, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he hoped the job could be done within a year."

About 2,500 native Eritreans and Ethiopian coming from all over Europe demonstrate for peace between their countries Monday Oct. 24, 2005 in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg eastern France. (AP Photo/Cedric Joubert)

Annan: Eritrea-Ethiopia A Dangerous Crisis (news.yahoo.com, 10/25/05) " UNITED NATIONS - Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that U.N. peacekeepers face an "alarming situation" in the tense Ethiopia-Eritrean border area following Eritrean restrictions on their movements and urged the Security Council to take action to prevent another war. The council was scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss the dispute between the Horn of Africa neighbors, which fought a 2 1/2-year border war that ended in a December 2000 peace agreement. Greece's U.N. Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis said he plans to circulate a draft resolution calling for Eritrea to lift its ban on helicopter flights and vehicle movements and both countries to start discussions on their disputed border."

«ቅንጅት ጠላት ነው፤ መምታት አለባችሁ ተባልን» የመከላከያ ሠራዊቱ አባል (ከአዲስ  ዜና፣  ጥቅምት ፲፭ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም.) «ሰሞኑን ከቡሬ ግንባር ተባረው ወደ አዲስ አበባ ከመጡ የመከላከያ ሠራዊቱ አባላት መካከል ያገኘነው አንድ የሠራዊቱ አባል «ቅንጅት የደርግ ርዝራዥና ነፍጠኛ ስለሆነ ጠላት ነው! መምታት አለባችሁ ሲሉ የክፍለ ጦር አመራሮች ይነግሩን ነበር» ሲል ገለፁ።» Kinijit Is Our Enemy And Must Be Destroyed: Member Of The EPRDF Defense Forces (Addis Zena 10/25/05) "A member of the EPRDF defenses forces who recently returned from the Bure war front disclosed to us that military commanders constantly tried to instill in us the notion that the Coalition For Unity and Democracy (Kinijit) is an enemy political organization infested with Derg and national chauvinist riffraff;  and must be destroyed. He indicated that within his 19th Division, those who were reluctant to readily accept such a notion were incarcerated (68) or dismissed (11) while some who tried to a-wall (22) were captured and incarcerated." (Abbreviated translation by fettan.com, 10/25/05 Amharic pdf).

ETHIOPIA: Nearly Half Of The Children Orphaned By HIV/AIDS (irinnews.org, 10/25/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 25 Oct 2005 (IRIN/PLUSNEWS) - Ethiopia has one of the largest populations of orphans in the world with nearly half of the children having lost at least one of their parents. A government official said on Tuesday that HIV/AIDS, disease, hunger and poverty threatened to drive the number of orphaned children from 11 percent to 43 percent of the 45 million children in Ethiopia by 2010."

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: More Restrictions Imposed On UN Peacekeepers (irinnews.org, 10/25/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 25 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - United Nations peacekeepers patrolling the tense border separating Ethiopia and Eritrea are facing more restrictions on their movements, an official has said. Peacekeepers in some areas have been ordered to confine vehicle movements to the main roads in a 25 km-wide [demilitarised] buffer zone and surrounding areas, UN spokeswoman Gail Bindley-Taylor Sainte said on Monday."

United States Aids Earthquake And Volcano Victims In Ethiopia's Afar Region (allamericanpatriots.com, 10/24/05) "Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (U.S. Embassy) – On October 13, Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, issued a disaster declaration following damage caused by recent earthquakes and volcanic activity in the Afar Region. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), though its Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, responded by providing $50,000 (over 430,000 birr) to support immediate emergency health services and nutritional support for the affected population. The funds will be administered by the U.S. Embassy in partnership with UNICEF."

Eritrea, Ethiopia: UN Backs Off (news24.com, 10/24/05) "Asmara - The United Nations said on Monday it was pulling some of its foreign staff away from the increasingly tense border between Ethiopia and Eritrea after Eritrea slapped new restrictions on UN troops monitoring a buffer zone there. A senior UN official said five aid workers living in the western Eritrean region of Gash Barka region would be moved to the capital for security reasons after Asmara imposed a ban on helicopter flights and restricted ground patrols by the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)." RELATED STORY: U.N.: Eritrea Restricting Peacekeepers (cnn.com -AP- 10/24/05)

ETHIOPIA: Opposition Calls For Demonstrations To Protest Killings, Arrests Irinnews.org, 10/24/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 24 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopia's largest opposition party, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), threatened on Friday to call peaceful strikes and demonstrations, accusing the government of arresting and killing its members. The CUD alleged that over the past two months, the government had killed at least six of its supporters, arrested 837 others and ransacked party offices. 
Speaking to reporters, party Chairman Hailu Shawel accused the ruling party of "transgressing the constitution with impunity" and maintained that the CUD would continue its boycott of parliament."

USAID Announces New Office Of Military Affairs (usinfo.state.gov, 10/24/05) "Washington - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is building a partnership with the U.S. military to improve coordination in humanitarian relief efforts. Speaking October 19 at a public hearing of the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid, Michael Hess, assistant administrator for USAID's Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, announced the formation of a new USAID office to coordinate humanitarian efforts, planning and doctrine with the U.S. Department of Defense and the State Department."

US Firm To Undertake Oil Exploration In Ethiopia (sudantribune.com, 10/23/05) "Oct 22, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — An American company, Afar Exploration, is to venture into petroleum exploration project in the Afar Regional State, in eastern Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Reporter said. Afar Exploration asked the Ethiopian Ministry of Mines and Energy for an oil exploration license that would enable it to prospect for crude oil in the sedimentary basin in the Afar Regional State. The company asked the Ministry to be given an exploration area covering 18,000 sq.km. in north Afar."

India Takes UNSC To Task Over Eritrea Peacekeeping (indianexpress.com, 10/22/05) "UNITED NATIONS, OCTOBER 21: India has warned the UN Security Council that its failure to stop Eritrea from putting hurdles in the way of the peacekeeping mission overseeing the ceasefire agreement with Ethiopia would compromise the integrity of the mission and jeopardise personnel safety. At a closed door meeting between troop contributing countries and the Council yesterday, Indian UN ambassador Nirupam Sen reminded members that India had the largest contingent of over 1,500 military personnel in Eritrea, and said it was unacceptable to make a highly professional and disciplined army fight with both hands tied behind its back and then blame it when things go wrong."

Annan Urges Eritrea To lift Flight Ban, Eritrea Rejects It (sudantribune.com, 10/22/05) "Oct 21, 2005 (UNITED NATIONS) — U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a letter urging Eritrea to lift its ban on peacekeeping flights, saying the move jeopardized troop safety along a buffer zone between the Eritrean and Ethiopian armies, a spokesman said Friday. In a blunt response, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki rejected Annan’s appeal, telling him that he lacks the "humanitarian high ground on matters of law, the rule of law and humanitarian issues."  Annan expressed his concern about a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Eritrea, where 2.3 million people are in need because of poor nutrition and lack of food, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said."

Eritrea Slashes Food Relief Distribution -Aid Workers (alertnet.org -Reuters- 10/21/05) "ASMARA, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Eritrea, one of the world's most aid-dependent countries, has sharply cut distribution of food relief in an apparent attempt to ease reliance on foreign humanitarian assistance, aid officials and diplomats say. In September the Red Sea state's government [authorised] food distribution to 72,000 people, a 94 percent reduction from 1.3 million in August, signalling an intention to shift to an aid system based on provision of food in return for [labour], the relief officials said. "General food distribution to drought affected victims has temporarily stopped for both U.N. and NGOs," said one diplomat."

Eritrea, Ethiopia Tensions Soar (news24.com, 10/21/05) "Asmara - Eritrea on Thursday accused arch-foe Ethiopia of "duplicity" for complaining about alleged Eritrean violations of a 2000 peace deal as tensions over their common border soared amid fears of new conflict. Yemane Gebremeskel, director of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki's office, dismissed Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's assertion that Asmara had violated the Algiers pact by banning helicopter flights by United Nations peacekeepers."

Canada To Prosecute Rwandan Genocide Suspect (voanews.com, 10/21/05) "Canada has made its first arrest under its five-year-old Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act. It will prosecute Desire’ Munyaneza for his alleged role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Voice of America’s Mr. Munyaneza, who lived in Toronto, is charged with two counts of genocide, two counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes. His arrest follows a five-year investigation and stems from events in Butare."             De Capua report on Rwandan genocide mp3
De Capua report on Rwandan genocide ra

©  UN Photo   Up to 20,000 children, some 10 years old, are trafficked by unscrupulous brokers each year to work in cities..

ETHIOPIA: Campaign Launched Against Child Trafficking (irinnews.org, 10/20/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 20 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopian children are being sold for as little as US $1.20 to work as domestic workers or prostitutes, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday. Up to 20,000 children, some 10 years old, are sold each year by their parents and trafficked by unscrupulous brokers to work in cities across Ethiopia, the IOM added. The figures were announced as the Ethiopian government, the UN and the IOM launched a campaign to highlight the suffering endured by vulnerable children in this Horn of Africa nation.." EDITORIAL NOTE: What else is left for Meles Zenawi to destroy? When will the carnage end? Meles and company will be held accountable in due time!

Bush And Bono Lunch At The White House (cnn.com -AP- 10/20/05) "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Before getting on stage before his fans in a Wednesday night concert, U2 front man Bono bent President Bush's ear about the world's poor. The rock star and the president had lunch in the private dining room off the Oval Office, ordering from the menu at the same mess hall where White House staffers get their lunch. "..."I'm representing the poorest and the most vulnerable people. On a spiritual level, I have that with me. I'm throwing a punch, and the fist belongs to people who can't be in the room, whose rage, whose anger, whose hurt I represent."

UN Council Action Demanded On Eritrea Flight Ban (today.reuters.co.uk, 10/20/05) "UNITED NATIONS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Nations participating in a U.N. peacekeeping mission on the Eritrean-Ethiopian border told Security Council members on Wednesday to pressure Eritrea to reverse its ban on U.N. helicopter flights, with some hinting they might withdraw from the mission. Eritrea on Oct. 5 prevented U.N. helicopters from flying in its airspace, reducing the capacity of the 3,300-strong U.N. Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea to monitor military movements, resupply troops and conduct emergency medical evacuations." "..."We will now wait to see the response of the secretariat and of the Security Council. The ball is in their court," she said. India is the largest contributor, with some 1,500 military personnel, followed by Jordan with more than 900."

Eritrea-Ethiopia Standoff Continues (news.yahoo.com -AP- 10/19/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Isolated, authoritarian Eritrea often gets blamed for tensions along its border with Ethiopia, with whom it fought a war devastating to both desperately poor countries. But Ethiopia could do more to avert a new war — and to live up to its reputation as a reform-minded nation poised to break the African mold of strife, dictatorship and poverty. The deadlock grew out of Ethiopia's refusal to accept an international ruling on the location of its border made in 2002, two years after the end of a 2 1/2-year war that killed 70,000 people and cost each country an estimated $1 million a day."

Bird Flu Set To Hit Africa Soon (news.bbc.co.uk, 10/19/05) "East Africa needs urgent help to combat the bird flu virus which could soon spread there, the United Nation's food agency, the FAO is warning. Confirmation that the potentially deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has already arrived in Turkey and Romania suggests it is being carried by migrating birds. These known routes end in East Africa's Rift Valley where farming patterns closely resemble those in Asia. Veterinary services there would struggle to cope, the FAO says."

International Parliamentary Body Criticizes Treatment Of Opposition in Ethiopia (voanews.com, 10/19/05) "....Mr. Johnsson told Voice of America reporter William Eagle that he’s surprised by the Ethiopian government’s decision to lift immunity from opposition members.  He says the move restricts the ability of legislators to debate and formulate national policy on behalf of the electorate. Without the “human right” of parliamentarians to dissent or enjoy freedom of assembly, Mr. Johnsson says, it’s unlikely there will be human rights for average person.  He adds that a member of parliament should only be taken to court if a crime has been committed. As for the opposition boycott of parliament, the IPU secretary general says it’s not unusual – nor should it be considered illegal – for parliamentarians to use boycotts as a form of protest." listen to interview with Anders Johnsson 

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: UN Mission To Continue Work Despite Flight Restrictions (irinnews.org, 10/18/05) "ASMARA, 18 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The United Nations said on Tuesday it would not withdraw its peacekeepers from Eritrea and Ethiopia despite their ability to monitor the two countries' tense border being seriously hampered by a recent ban imposed by Eritrea on UN helicopter flights."

Ethiopia Concerned At Losing UN 'Trip Wire' (mg.co.za -AP- 10/18/05) "Ethiopia is concerned at the United Nations pull-out from some bases along the tense border with Eritrea, saying on Tuesday that the peacekeepers help ensure war does not break out again. After saying its work had been hampered by new restrictions imposed by Eritrea, the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea said on Monday it was pulling peacekeepers from 18 of 40 posts in the buffer zone and strengthening operations at other positions."

Pope Meets Bishops From Ethiopia, Eritrea At Seminary Inside Vatican (totalcatholic.com, 10/18/05) "Pope Benedict XVI met with the bishops of Ethiopia and Eritrea at the Ethiopian College, marking the 75th anniversary of the inauguration of the seminary inside the Vatican walls. Ethiopian candidates for the priesthood moved into the Vatican in 1919 at the invitation of Pope Benedict XV. The current building, with its Eastern-rite chapel and iconostasis, opened in 1930 under Pope Pius XI."

Annan Warns Eritrea Of Possible U.N. Pullout (cnn.com, 10/17/05) "UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned Eritrea on Monday that if it continues to impede U.N. peacekeeping operations the United Nations may pull its troops out of a buffer zone separating the Eritrean and Ethiopian armies.Eritrea informed the United Nations that it was banning helicopter flights by U.N. peacekeepers in its airspace in the zone starting October 5. It then banned U.N. patrol vehicles from operating at night on its side of the 620-mile (1,000-kilometer) Temporary Security Zone.

ETHIOPIA: Interview with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi (irinnews.org, 10/17/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 17 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was re-elected on 10 October for a third five-year term. He spoke to foreign media, including IRIN, on Saturday in an interview that sets out his views on the Ethiopian opposition and the deadlock over the border dispute with Eritrea. Below are excerpts:"

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: UN Vacates More Monitoring Posts On Tense Border (irinnews.org, 10/17/05) "ASMARA, 17 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The recent ban on United Nations helicopter flights by the Eritrean government has forced international peacekeepers to abandon a number of monitoring posts on the tense Ethiopian-Eritrean border region, the UN said in a statement on Monday." RELATED STORY: UN Closes Posts Along Contested Eritrean-Ethiopian Border (voanews.com, 10/17/05)

Ethiopia’s Electoral Body Contests CUD Recent Merger (sudantribune.com, 10/19/05) "Oct 15, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Days after the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) decided to boycott parliament unless the ruling EPRDF accedes to the 8 preconditions it set, the National Electoral Board (NEB) disclosed that it does not recognize the recent merger that took place in the Coalition. Reacting to the board’s statement, CUD said the NEB was trying to serve the interest at the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) which “for long wanted to destroy CUD.”

Ethiopia’s PM Accuses Opposition Leader Of Treason (sudantribune.com, 10/16/05) "Oct 15, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s prime minister on Saturday accused the country’s main opposition leader of treason for leading his party in a boycott of parliament and urging protests against the results of disputed May elections."

ETHIOPIA: EU lawmakers Call For Resolution Of Political Standoff (irinnews.org, 10/14/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 14 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - European Union (EU) parliamentarians have urged Ethiopia's ruling party to stop "persecuting and intimidating" opposition members, warning that this could affect aid to the impoverished country. The legislators also urged all parties to resume talks immediately. In a resolution adopted in Strasbourg, Austria, on Thursday, the lawmakers blamed the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) for the breakdown in talks with opposition leaders aimed at ending a tense political standoff, which has lasted since the country's 15 May general elections."

MEPs Urge An End To Persecution Of Ethiopian Opposition (europarl.eu.int, 10/13/05) "The European Parliament is seriously concerned that the political dialogue between the Ethiopian government and the opposition has broken down due to the ruling party's stance. It urges all parties to resume the talks immediately and work towards a functioning democracy with the rights of the opposition fully respected."

©  IRIN    UNMEE spokeswoman Gail Bindley Taylor Sainte

ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Asmara Imposes More Restrictions On Peacekeepers (irinnews.org, 10/13/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 13 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The Eritrean government has imposed more restrictions on the movement of United Nations peacekeepers in the country, days after grounding UN helicopter flights, a spokesperson said. The spokesperson for the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), Gail Bindley Taylor-Sainte, said the new restrictions limited night vehicle patrols. Given the new restrictions, the UN could not rule out the possibility of a renewed military build-up along the tense Ethiopia-Eritrea border, she added."

ETHIOPIA: Fresh Cabinet Faces As Meles Starts New Term (irinnews.org, 10/13/05) "ADDIS ABABA, 13 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi announced a sweeping cabinet reshuffle this week, pledging to overcome weaknesses in government and implement policies to end poverty. The new team is expected to cement Meles’s 14-year legacy of power by pushing through reforms and improving governance. Critics, however, say many of the new ministers will not be accountable to parliament because they were not elected by the people and do not reflect the ethnic diversity of the country."

Election Dispute Deepens In Ethiopian Parliament (nytimes.com, 10/12/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Oct. 11 (Reuters) - The Parliament stripped opposition legislators on Tuesday of their immunity from prosecution, a day after the legislators boycotted the opening session of the new assembly. The motion was passed after Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told Parliament that the largest opposition group, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, could use its immunity to topple the government, an accusation he has repeatedly made."

ከመስከረም ፯ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም. ጀምሮ በመላ አገሪቱ በሥራ ላይ እንዲውል የተደረገ አዲስ የስልክ ቁጥር ለውጥ (የኢትዮጵያ ቴሌኮሙኒኬሽን ኮርፖሬሽን ጥቅምት ፩ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም.)  New Ethiopian Telephone Numbering Plan Change To Be Effected As Of September 17, 2005 Across The Nation English pdf (Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation, 10/110/05)

UN Forced To Leave Two Eritrean Border Posts (sudantribune.com, 10/12/05) "Oct 12, 2005 (ASMARA) — U.N. peacekeepers were forced to withdraw from two posts in the buffer zone between Ethiopia and Eritrea and more withdrawals are possible after U.N. helicopters were grounded last week, a U.N. commander said on Wednesday. Eritrea imposed the ban last week on U.N. reconnaissance flights over a 15-mile (25-km) wide buffer zone along the 1,000-km (620-mile) unmarked border, fuelling fears Asmara was trying to hide a possible troop mobilisation for a new war. "We have to vacate these (posts) because they were isolated posts," Major-General Rajender Singh, commander of the U.N. mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) told Reuters."

A Day Of Reckoning For Meles! Meles Zenawi's parliament (kangaroo court) completed its second day session without opposition party representative participation. More that 100 Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party members boycotted, and about 40 MPs of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces walked out after Meles labeled the CUDP MPs as enemies of the state. Bulcha Demeksa of the opposition Oromo Federalist Democracy Party delivered an eloquent speech warning the EPRDF MPs not to use their ill gained power to destabilize the country. The walk out was shown on national TV and sparked praise and adulation throughout Addis Abeba for the opposition MPS. Merera Gudina of the Oromo National congress told VOA that he joined the parliament to mount a two pronged struggle -inside and outside parliament- and to foil Meles Zenawi's plot to take over his party by providing legitimacy to a pro-Meles faction that was incubated and hatched overnight and set to join the parliament. (fettan.com, 10/11/05)

በአዲስ አበባ የፖለቲካ ሹመኞች የመንግሥት ሠራተኞች እንዲሆኑ ተወሰነ (ከሪፖርተር፣ መስከረም ፳፱ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም. ) "በአዲስ አበባ ጊዜያዊ አስተዳደር ስር የነበሩ የክፍለ ከተሞችና የቀበሌ የፖለቲካ ሹመኞች በየደረጃቸው ወደ ተለያዩ መሥስሪያ ቤቶች እንዲዛወሩ ለማድረግ የሚያስችል ዝግጅት እየተደረገ መሆኑ ተገለፀ። ከአስተዳደሩ የሥራ ኃላፊዎች ያገኘነው መረጃ እንደሚያመለክተው በጊዜያዊ አስተዳደሩ ሥር ሲያገለግሉ የቆዩ የፖለቲካ ሹመኞች ባላቸው የትምህርት ደረጃን ልምድ ወደተለያዩ መንግሥታዊ መስሪያ ቤቶች እንዲመደቡ ይደረጋል።"

UN Security Council Refuses Briefing On Darfur Atrocities (voanews.com, 10/11/05) "The U.N. Security Council has refused to hear a briefing on Darfur from the world body's top expert on genocide. The United States angered some Council members by joining a move to block the briefing. The 15-member Security Council Monday heard a presentation on Darfur from Assistant Secretary General for Peacekeeping Hedi Annabi. But in a closed session, ambassadors declined to hear a separate briefing by Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special adviser on prevention of genocide, Juan Mendez. Mr. Mendez visited Darfur late last month."

Read About The Type Of Revolutionary Democracy -Chinese Style- (guardian .co.uk, 10/11/05) Meles Zenawi, Secretary General of the Marxist Leninist League of Tigray (MLLT) is trying to import into Ethiopia: a Chinese form of governance by extending an open invitation to China to exploit Ethiopia's resources.  Activist Found Alive After Beating By Mob The bankrupt theory of the peoples' right to self determination including secession is in fact a barbaric monolithic attempt and a throw back to the late nineteenth century to divide citizens to their lowest form of organization in order to make it easy for tyrants to exploit human and national resources. Read the following story and witness the hypocrisy of the MLLT that fought for Eritrean secession but backs the Chinese communist party's anti-Taiwan Secession law. Ethiopia's Parliament Backs China's Anti-Secession Law.

UN Orders Staff Families Out Of Eritrea, Ethiopia (sudantribune.com, 10/11/05) "Oct 10, 2005 (ASMARA) — The United Nations mission monitoring the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea has ordered family and friends of peacekeepers to leave. The instruction came days after Eritrea banned U.N. helicopters from flying in its airspace, but a U.N. spokeswoman said the two events were unconnected. The helicopter move had prompted some fears the tiny Red Sea state was moving military personnel and equipment in preparation for renewed conflict with Ethiopia after a 1998-2000 border war that killed an estimated 70,000 people."

ERITREA: De-mining Activities Halted Following Helicopter Flight Ban (alertnet.org, 10/10/05) "NAIROBI, 10 October (IRIN) - The UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) said on Friday that it had suspended its mine clearance activities in Eritrea after the government imposed a ban on the mission's helicopter flights. "According to the agreement that we have signed [with Eritrea] we cannot carry out demining activities without a helicopter on standby because if there is an accident we would have no way of taking that person out," Gail Bindley-Taylor-Sainté, UNMEE spokeswoman, told the UN News Service."

Ethiopia Opposition Renews Threat Of Parliamentary Boycott (sudantribune.com -AFP- 10/9/05) "Oct 9, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s opposition renewed its threat to boycott the opening of the new parliament Monday unless the government agrees to a number of conditions including the release of opposition members and the reopening of its offices. "The CUD (Coalition for Unity and Democracy) has set conditions for the entry into parliament, conditions that assure democracy of the parliament," CUD president Hailu Shawel told AFP on Sunday. "We are going to submit these conditions to the Prime Minister if these conditions are accepted we will change our mind, otherwise we will not attend parliament"."

BREAKING NEWS: Our sources in Addis Abeba have confirmed that the negotiations between the EPRDF and the two opposition parties CUDP and UEDF have collapsed. In a joint statement released on October 7, 2005, the opposition parties indicated that the EPRDF's inflexible stance and its attempts to prescribe the items to be placed on the discussion agenda have lead to the abandonment of the talks. They pointed out that the EPRDF had previously committed itself to talk about substantive issues without any preconditions. We will publish the full text as soon as it is released. (fettan.com, 10/7/05) 

ERITREA: Flight Restrictions To Affect Border Monitoring (irinnews.org, 10/7/05) "ASMARA, 7 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The decision by the Eritrean government to restrict United Nations helicopter flights will significantly reduce the organisation's ability to monitor the situation on the border with neighbouring Ethiopia, the top UN military commander in the region said. "Our surveillance and monitoring of the border - of the Temporary Security Zone - was dependent to a very large degree on aerial surveillance," Maj-Gen Rajender Singh, commander of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) peacekeeping force, said."

AP Photo: Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei

U.N. Nuke Watchdog Wins Nobel Peace Prize (news.yahoo.com  -AP- 10/7/05) "OSLO, Norway - Mohamed ElBaradei and theInternational Atomic Energy Agency won the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their drive to curb the spread of atomic weapons by using diplomacy to resolve standoffs withran andNorth Korea over their nuclear programs. The Nobel Committee's decision lent support to negotiations and inspections, not military action, as the best way to handle volatile nations.  It also was seen as a message to the Bush administration, which invaded Iraq after claiming U.N. efforts to eradicate Saddam Hussein's nuclear ambitions had failed and which opposed ElBaradei's appointment to another term."

Ex-Chad Dictator Indicted In Belgium: Hissène Habré to Face Extradition to Belgium for Human Rights Atrocities (hrw.org, 9/29/05) "(Brussels, September 29, 2005)—A Belgian judge has issued an international arrest warrant charging Chad’s former dictator Hissène Habré with atrocities during his 1982-90 rule. Habré, known as an “African Pinochet,” lives in exile in Senegal, where he was indicted five years ago before courts ruled that he could not be tried there. Belgium is now formally seeking Habré’s extradition from Senegal to stand trial."

This is a great day for Habré’s thousands of victims and a milestone in the fight to hold the perpetrators of atrocities accountable for their crimes. Reed Brody, special counsel for prosecutions EDITORIAL NOTE: A lesson for Ethiopian patriots: Keep Up The Fight For Freedom! Never Give Up! Justice Will Be Done!

Anuak/Ethiopia – Negotiations to End Ethnic Cleansing "PILPG is advising the Anuak of Ethiopia during their negotiations with the Ethiopian government to prevent further crimes against humanity and to structure mechanisms of local self government to which governing powers may be devolved. PILPG is also working with the Anuak to file a provisional complaint with the International Criminal Court."

UN Blasts Eritrea Helicopter Ban (news.bbc.co.uk, 10/5/05) "The United Nations Security Council has called on Eritrea immediately to reverse its decision to ban all helicopter flights by UN peacekeepers. Eritrea announced on Tuesday that it was banning the flights, which are used to supply peacekeepers, to move troops and to carry out monitoring." New York, 5 October 2005 - Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Ethiopia/Eritrea

ERITREA: Gov't Urged To Reverse Restrictions On UNMEE Flights (irinnews.org, 10/5/05) "NAIROBI, 5 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The United Nations Security Council has called upon the Eritrean government to reverse a decision to restrict within its airspace helicopter flights used by the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea [UNMEE]. "The Security Council calls upon the government of Eritrea to immediately reverse its decision and provide UNMEE with the access, assistance, support and protection required for the performance of its duties," Mihnea Ioan Motoc, the current president of the Council, said in a statement on Tuesday."

Ethiopia, Eritrea Warned On Reigniting War (news.yahoo.com -AP- 10/5/05) "UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council late Tuesday warned Ethiopia and Eritrea against reigniting their border war and urged Eritrea to immediately reverse its ban on all helicopter flights by U.N. peacekeepers. In a tough statement approved by all 15 council members and read at a formal meeting, the council called on both countries "to show maximum restraint and to refrain from any threat of use of force against each other."

Ethiopian Opposition Says Dialogue Initiated By Mediators Not PM (sudantrinube.com, 10/5/05) "Oct 4, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) says it retracts its statement made on October 3, 2005 which makes it seem that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi initiated the dialogue. In a press statement issued today the CUD says, "we wish to clearly state our commitment to our Saturday, 1 October 2005 statement and retract the statement made on 3 October 2005 that the prime minister initiated the dialogue, rather it was initiated by the international community."

San Francisco Crowd Protests Cruelty In Ethiopia: Demonstrators from around Bay Area condemn killing, detention of innocents (insidebayarea.com, 10/4/05) "SAN FRANCISCO — A quiet protest outside the San Francisco federal building against the Ethiopian government for the way it treats civilians turned loud by the lunch hour Monday. As many as 150 residents from the Bay Area — including Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco — took off from work, school and other obligations to show up with flags and banners to condemn the killing and detention of civilians in the African country. The protest started with a prayer by Orthodox Church Archbishop Abune Melke Tsedik to remember 44 civilians who were killed and the thousands detained in Ethiopia following an election in May."

©  Jamal Abdi/IRIN  Somaliland voters lining up to cast their ballots during the recent polls.

SOMALIA: US commends Somaliland On Polls (irinnews.org, 10/4/05) "NAIROBI, 4 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - The United States has welcomed the recent legislative elections in the self-declared republic of Somaliland as an example to the rest of Somalia, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Monday. "We congratulate the people of Somaliland on holding peaceful elections with significant voter turnout," McCormack said in a statement. "The United States calls on all political parties to work together peacefully during the post-election period to strengthen the democratic transition in Somaliland and serve as an example for greater Somalia." EDITORIAL NOTE: Once again African women affirm that they are the brightest shining light in the fight for democracy and freedom in spite of all obstacles thrown in their path by tyrants. (fettan.com, 10/4/05)

US Circulating UN Resolution To Have UN Troops Arrest Charles Taylor (voanews.com, 10/4/05) "-- The United States reportedly is circulating a resolution that calls on UN peacekeepers in Liberia to arrest former president Charles Taylor should he return home. Mr. Taylor has been living in exile in Nigeria since august 2003 but has been indicted on war crimes charges by the UN-backed special court in Sierra Leone. The Associated Press reports the resolution calls on the peacekeepers to then turn Mr. Taylor over to the special court." De Capua interview on Charles Taylor mp3 De Capua interview on Charles Taylor ra

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Meles Zenawi, Bereket Simion, Sebhat Nega, Seyoum Mesfin, Abay Tsehaye and cohorts must eventually be brought to court, regardless of the disinformation campaign being waged by Abraham Yayeh, the Shaibia agent and turncoat Woyane propagandist. These gangsters are currently engaged in a futile effort to derail the democratization process undertaken by the Ethiopian people. They have taken the law into their own hands and denied the population the right to peaceful assembly, free expression of opinion and freedom to elect lawful representatives. These acts are committed on top of their heinous crimes recorded first in Tigray and later in the rest of Ethiopia during the last 40 years. We urge the UN Special Courts to pay attention to this urgent matter. (fettan.com, 10/4/05)

Lunar eclipse by gallery.hd.org Shadow & Substance: A website to display popular astronomy both visually and entertainingly (shadowandsubstance.com) Lunar eclipse: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (en.wikipedia.org) Mr Eclipse: The Ultimate Resource For Eclipse Photography (mreclipse.com)

Eclipse Is Super Or Superstitious: Some were thrilled and some chilled as the sky darkened over Iberia and Africa in a rare event (newsday.com -AP- 10/4/05) "NAIROBI, Kenya -- From northern Portugal to the heart of Africa, crowds gathered Monday on roofs, hills and in city squares for a rare chance to see a solar eclipse. In this African capital, people prayed when the moon masked the sun like a black plate, leaving a bright rim. In Madrid, cheers went up at Spain's first sight of an annular eclipse in more than two centuries."

Press Release Issued By The United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF): Political negotiations undertaken behind the people's back will lead to eventual submission to the adversary (Amharic pdf, 10/2/05)

VOA Report On Discussions Between the Coalition For Democracy (CUD) And The Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Forces (EPRDF) Regime: Interview with Bertukan Demeqssa, CUD First Vice President (curtsey  VOA Radio 10/3/05) CUD Statement  released by CUD (Amharic pdf)

VOA Report On Worldwide Demonstration in support of the Ethiopian people and the political opposition parties. (curtsey  VOA Radio 10/3/05)

Ethiopia's Government Meets Opposition After Strike Cancelled (news.yahoo.com -AFP- 10/2/05) "ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - After a tense week of antagonism and threats, Ethiopia's government and opposition leaders held their first face-to-face talks in months in an internationally-mediated bid to defuse a volatile political fracas. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi agreed to meet the Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) after the two parties undertook to abide by the constitution and withdrew their appeal for a three-day strike to start Monday in protest against a ban on a demonstration scheduled for Sunday."

Ethiopian Opposition Cancels Strike, Set To Begin Talks With Zenawi (sudantribune.com, 10/2/05) "Oct 2, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s two main opposition groups on Sunday called off a three-day general strike they had planned to protest the parliamentary election results and arrests of opposition members and to press for the formation of a national unity government. The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Force (UEDF) made the announcement after a late-night meeting with six diplomats, including European Commission delegation head Tim Clarke and U.S. embassy Charge D’Affaires Vicky Huddleston, during which they agreed to hold talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi Sunday."

Do You Really Know Who Meles Zenawi Is? Listen to Ethiopian National United Front's  Ethiopian People's Voice Radio (10/2/05 Amharic broadcast) for an answer. The radio program is broadcast to Ethiopia twice a week - Fridays and Sundays,  8:00 pm  - 9:00 pm Ethiopian local time. Tune to shortwave 48 Meter Band, channel frequency 12120 kHz. The broadcast is powered by 250 kw and heard in Europe, the Middle East, Africa -down to Madagascar, and Australia. Visit ENUF web site www.enufforethiopia.org to listen to previous broadcasts.

Ethiopian Opposition Cancels Protest Rally (voanews.com, 9/30/05) "Ethiopia's opposition parties are mulling their options following the cancellation of Sunday's rally to protest election results. Sunday's demonstration, organized by the Coalition for Unity and Democracy and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, was to have pushed for the formation of a transitional, unity government to oversee new polls." Majtenyi report - Download 376k
Listen to Majtenyi report

ETHIOPIA: Main Opposition Coalition Merges To Form Party (irinnews.org, 9/29/05) "NAIROBI, 29 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - The four parties that make up Ethiopia's largest opposition alliance, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) have merged to form one party, an official of the coalition said on Thursday. The All Ethiopia Unity Party, the Union of Ethiopia Democracy Party, Rainbow Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Democratic League announced their unification on Saturday. It elected Hailu Shawel to continue as chairperson of the new party and Birtukan Mideksa to serve as vice-chair. "This merger means a strengthening of the opposition, added force to the opposition," Hailu Araya, CUD spokesman, told IRIN."

VOA Radio Report On Meles Zenawi Regime's CUD And UEDF Members Arrest. The opposition leaders denied that these individuals committed any crimes but were arrested on "fictitious" grounds in an effort to thwart the scheduled October 2, 2005 demonstrations.  Most of the arrests took place  in the northern and southern parts of the country. RELATED STORY: VOA Radio Interview With Taye Wolde Semait  Wolde Semait  indicated that the Forum that he heads, Ethiopian Civic Organizations Joint Forum, given the serious disagreements on the results of the May 15, 2005 polls, has called on the EPRDF and opposition parties to participate in discussions to peacefully come to an amicable agreement that upholds the electoral decisions of the population. He expresses his grave concern about the extremely tense political atmosphere that may lead to Rwanda type ethnic conflict. He pleads with the international community to pay serious attention to this potentially explosive situation. (Abbreviated translation by fettan.com, 9/28/05)

ETHIOPIA: Opposition Members Arrested Ahead Of Planned Demo (irinnews.org, 9/28/09) "NAIROBI, 28 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - An unknown number of opposition party supporters have been arrested in Ethiopia ahead of a planned demonstration scheduled for Sunday in the capital, Addis Ababa, to protest the results of the 15 May general election. "I can't give you a precise figure, but the number of those arrested in several regions runs into hundreds," Merera Gudina, first vice-chairman of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), said. "Several opposition offices have also been closed." RELATED STORY: Ethiopian Police Raids Thwart Resistance (int.iol.co.za, 9/28/05) "Addis Ababa - Police in Ethiopia's south-central Oromia region have arrested 84 people on weapons charges following raids near the Ethiopian capital before a planned opposition rally, the local press reported on Wednesday,"

80 Arrested In Ethiopia’s Oromia Regions After Coup Plot Allegations (sudantribune.com -AFP- 9/28/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Sept 27 (AFP) — Ethiopian police have arrested more than 80 people and seized weapons amid government allegations that opposition groups are plotting a coup d’etat, the state-run news agency said Monday. Just one day after reporting that 43 opposition members had been detained for alleged subversion in northern Tigray state, the official Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) said 80 people had been arrested on similar charges in southern Oromia state and another three south of the capital. In a brief item that offered few specifics, the agency quoted Oromia police as saying they had arrested 80 people believed to be opposition supporters had seized 160 illegal weapons in raids in the towns of North and East Shoa." RELATED STORY: Ethiopian Police Says Detained 32  Perpetrators Of Addis Ababa Violence (sudantribune.com, 9/27/05)

Ethiopian Opposition Denies Government Allegations Of Fomenting Violence (voanews.com, 9/27/05) "Over the past few days, the Ethiopian government has arrested scores of opposition supporters, accusing them of planning a coup. But the opposition denies the charge and is planning to hold nationwide demonstrations next Sunday to protest what it says were fraudulent parliamentary elections last May.  Those polls gave the ruling party and its allies a majority in the 547-seat legislature.  The opposition wants talks with the government to correct what it regards as election irregularities.  As an alternative, it proposes a transitional government of national unity that would usher in new elections." Listen to interview with opposition politician Berhanu Nega

The controversial former leader of Ghana Jerry Rawlings   BBC Photo "I am sorry I killed but I had to do it for the sake of my people."

Democracy In Africa (news.bb.co.uk - HARDtalk-  9/22/05) "During twenty years in power Jerry Rawlings went from being military head of state, to benevolent dictator and finally for the last decade a democratically elected president. As part of the "Who Runs Your World?" series, HARDtalk speaks to Jerry Rawlings, one of Africa's most [colourful] and charismatic leaders. Zeinab Badawi asks him about his time as Ghana's leader, democracy and human rights abuses in Africa." EDITORIAL NOTE: EXCUSES! EXCUSES! EXCUSES! Brutal dictators the likes of Jerry Rawlings,  Mengistu H. Mariam, Isayas Afeworki, and Meles Zenawi, having washed their hands with blood, think they have mastered the art of portraying themselves as guardian angels of justice and democracy. Pay attention to the self-righteous anger. Ethiopians must not let Meles get away with it! Fourteen years of terror and butchery is more than enough! (fettan.com, 9/26/05) Click here to watch video

VOA Radio Reporters (9/26/05) in Addis Abeba describes the tense political environment in Ethiopia following Meles Zenawi's threats against the opposition parties and their supporters. More than 40 CUD leaders in the "Amhara ethnic regions" have been rounded up and jailed "for plotting to incite rebellion."  A second report surrounding the annual "Meskel"  Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church celebration today describes how the event was spontaneously turned into an anti-EPRDF and anti-pro-Woyane Patriarch Paulos demonstration. The crowd shouted 'thief" (for stealing the election) when Paulos and President Girma wolde Geiogis attempted to speak and, the protest was disrupted when police forcefully dispersed the celebrants. In a related interview, Merera Gudina, Chairman of UEDF describes the situation as a futile attempt by the EPRDF to arrest the democratization process. (Abbreviated translation by fettan.com, 9/26/05) RELATED STORY: Ethiopian Authorities Arrest Opposition Members (voanews.com, 9/26/05) "Ethiopian authorities have arrested 43 opposition members, accusing them of planning to overthrow the government. Minister of Information Bereket Simon tells VOA, the opposition members arrested in the Amhara region Sunday were gearing up for an attack against his government."

ኢህአዴግ የመስከረም ወር ዕቅድ በሚል በምስጢር ወረቀት በተነ (ከአባይ፣ መስከረም ፲፬ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም.) በጠ/ሚ/ር መለስ ዜናዊ የሚመራው የኢህአደግ ቡድን የተቃዋሚ ኃይላት መስከረም ፳፪ ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም. የጠሩትን ሰልፍ በማስመልከት አባላቱን «የመስከረም ወር እቅድ» ያለውን ባለ አስራ አራት ገጽ መመሪያ ሰሞኑን በትኗል፤ ጳጉሜን ፬ ፲፱፻፺፯ የተፃፈው ይህ አስራ አራት ገፅ ፅሁፍ በሶስት ግቦችና በዝርዝር ተግባራት የተሞላ ነው፤ በዚህም «አድማና አመፅ የሚቀሰቅሱ ቀንደኛ ግለሰቦችንና የቡድን መሪዎችን በመኖሪያ አካባቢያቸውና በስራ ቦታዎች መለየት፣ ተቃዋሚዎች በተናጠልና በቡድን የሚያደርጉትን እንቅስቃሴ የሚከፋፍልና የሚያዳክም ኃይል በየአካባቢው መፍጠር፣ ኢንፎርሜሽን የሚያቀርቡ ቡድኖችን መፍጠርና የመረጃ መረብ መዘርጋት፣ በድርጅት ልሳናት ፣ በአዲስ ዘመን እና በሌሎች ተመሳሳይ ምንጮች የሚወጡ ተቃዋሚ ፅሁፎችን እየመረጡ በሚገባ ማንበብ» የሚሉና ሌሎች ነጥቦችን አካቷል። Code Named 'September Plan' EPRDF Project Designed To Sabotague Opposition Protests On October 2, 2005 (Abay, 9/24/05) "A fourteen page directive dated 9/9/05, and addressed to EPRDF cadres was distributed to selected party members, security and police forces instructing them to target opponents by: a) identifying them at work and residence; b) creating strike groups to cut them down; c) developing data bases and information networks; and d) carefully reviewing disinformation/propaganda articles to be published in the EPRDF daily media ( like Addis Zemen etc.). This information was obtained through police officers who are currently undergoing intense training to assault the demonstrators. Most of these trainees are members of the military forces brought in from other regions, and camouflaged in police uniforms." (Abbreviated translation by fettan.com, 9/26/05 Amharic pdf)

Ethiopia Opposition Members Held (news.bbc.co.uk, 9/26/05) "Ethiopian police have reportedly arrested 43 opposition members, for allegedly plotting against the government. The official Ethiopian news agency reported the arrests took place in the central Amhara region. The main opposition movement, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, confirmed that a number of its branch offices had been raided. The opposition is planning a large demonstration on Sunday."

Eritrean Armed Opposition Unites (news.bbc.co.uk, 9/26/05) "Eritrean opposition organisations say they will unite their military wings to form a single armed unit. At a meeting in Khartoum, the 16 political parties in the Eritrean Democratic Alliance endorsed all forms of opposition to the government. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and operates as a single party state. President Isaias Afewerki has been [criticised] for failing to implement democratic reforms."

«የአማራና የኦሮሞን ሕዝብ በማጣላት ስልጣን ማራዘም አይቻልም» ኦነግ (ከነፃነት  መስከረም ፲፪ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም.) "ከደርግ አገዛዝ ውድቀት በኋላ በኢትዮጵያ የተቋቋመውን የሽግግር መንግሥት ከመሰረቱት የፖለቲካ ፓርቲዎች መካከል ዋነኛ የሆነው የኦሮሞ ነፃነት ግንባር (ኦነግ) ከጠ/ሚኒስትር መለስ የቀረበለትን የእንደራደር ጥሪ ውድቅ አድርጓል። የኦሮሞ ነፃነት ግንባር ከጠ/ሚኒስትር መለስ ዜናዊ ለቀረበለት ያለ አንዳችም ቅድመ ሁኔታ የእንደራደር ጥሪ ምላሽ በሰጠበት ወቅት ኢሕአዴግ በኦሮሞ ሕዝብ ዘንድ መጠላቱን በማውሳት ገዥው ፓርቲ ስልጣኑን ለማራዘም የኦሮሞን ሕዝብ ከአማራው ጋር ለማጋጨት የጥላቻ ዘመቻ መክፈቱን አውግዟል።" "Impossible To Hang On To Power By Setting Amharas And Oromos Against Each Other -OLF" (Netsanet, 9/22/05) "The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has categorically rejected Meles Zenawi's offer for unconditional negotiations. The OLF branded the ploy as a Woyane ethnic supremacist plot to denigrate Oromo people who have been victimized by the Meles regime and denounced it as small minded attempt to remain in power by turning Oromos and Amharas against each other. The OLF suggested that negotiations have to involve all political, civic and others concerned about the future of the country." (abbreviated translation by fettan.com.) Amharic pdf) RELATED STORY: Pitting Innocent People Against Each Other Is Crime Against Humanity (oromliberationfront.org, 7/15/05)

EDITORIAL NOTE: Congratulations to the OLF leadership for not biting the poison pill offered by Meles Zenawi and Abraham Yayeh. We shall in due time return to an article being circulated by Abraham designed to achieve the same objective. Narrow minded, vindictive  Tigray-Tigrign inferiority complex  paraded as invincibility and bravado. Abraham's goal is to turn Amharas and Tigres on each other, and his core message to the opposition is bow your head, take your seats in parliament or else you will face the mighty TPLF and Tigrean people's forces (who defeated a superior fire breathing enemy with bare hands  p.15) and their allies on the ready! We shall see! (fettan.com, 9/25/05) Hailu Shawel Of CUD Responds To The Bravado (tensae Radio Interview)

ሕዝባችን፣ የሰላማዊ ትግል ጥሪያችንን ነቅተህ ጠብቅ! (ከኅዳር መስከረም ፲፪ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም) "ቅንጅት ለአንድነትና ለዲሞክራሲ እንዲሁም የኢትዮጵያ ዴሞክራሲያዊ ኃይሎች ሕብረት በሰጡት ጋዜጣዊ መግለጫ መንግሥት የሕዝቡ ትግል እየተጠናከረ በመምጣቱና ሊገድቡት ባለመቻላቸው ትግሉን እየመሩ ያሉት ድርጅቶች ለማፍረስና ጥገኞችን አደራጅቶ የስልጣን ዕድሜ ለማራዘም ከፍተኛ ውንብድና እየተሰራ መሆኑን ገልፀዋል።The Coalition For Democracy (CUD) And The United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) Call for Vigilance (Hidar, 9/22/05) "The two opposition political organizations have issued a joint statement urging the population to remain vigilant in the face of the Meles Zenawi regime's resort to violence in futile attempts to divide and conquer the opposition by creating surrogate splinter groups out of thin air. The Oromo National Congress and the All Ethiopia Unity Organization have so far been the main targets." (Abbreviated translation by fettan.com Amharic pdf)

Third Day of Popular Bloody Uprising in Ethiopia: 

Ethiopian Opposition Leader Lidetu Ayalew Detained in His Office, Building Surrounded by EPRDF Police and Security Agents :  An Eye Witness Pleas for Justice   June 8, 2005

WOYANE SPECIAL FORCES, POLICE AND TROOPS Used their military and intelligence apparatus to cut down Ethiopian young unarmed demonstrators in Addis Abeba and other cities: June 8, 2005 will live in infamy. Three Photos below curtsey tensae.com

A young Ethiopian is beaten and taken away by police.       AFP Photo, 6/8/05)

At Least 22 Killed in Ethiopian Election Protests (afp.com, 6/8/05) "ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in Addis Ababa as Ethiopian police battled demonstrators protesting alleged fraud in last month's disputed elections, hospital sources told AFP. Doctors at three hospitals in central Addis Ababa said 22 people had either been brought to their facilities dead or died shortly after arriving following clashes in the downtown area between security forces and protestors. A human rights official, Abebe Terfe, executive secretary of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), meanwhile, said at least 20 people had been killed but this figure could not be confirmed by AFP."

Demonstrator shot, Reuters Photo 6/8/05)  24 Killed in Political Unrest in Ethiopia (washingtonpost.com, 6/8/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- Security forces opened fire on stone-throwing demonstrators Wednesday in Ethiopia, leaving at least 24 people dead in a third day of protests over election results, hospital officials said. Dozens of people _ mostly young men _ were wounded by gunfire." 24 Killed in Political Unrest in Ethiopia (news.yahoo.com -AP-, 6/8/05) Ethiopia Death Toll Rises to 18-Hospital Sources (alertnet.org -Reuters-, 6/8/05) "ADDIS ABABA, June 8 (Reuters) - At least 18 Ethiopians have died and more are feared dead from clashes with security forces on Wednesday, the worst violence to hit the capital Addis Ababa in four years, hospital sources said." "...Sources at the Black Lion hospital told Reuters that 11 people had died from gunshot wounds, while sources at St. Paul's hospital said they had seven dead bodies with bullet wounds. The sources and Ethiopian families at the hospitals said they fear many more had been killed and were at other clinics." "...There are reports that tension is also spreading to other towns in Ethiopia. You should be prudent and listen to news reports. Remain vigilant in public places and avoid public demonstrations and crowds," the Foreign Office said in a statement." Listen to VOA Radio Report, 6/8/05) by Cathie Majtenyi

AP Photo: A man pushes a wounded protester into the emergency room at the Black Lion Hospital,... Ethiopia Political Unrest Leaves 22 Dead (news.yahoo.com -AP- 6/8/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Ethiopian security forces opened fire Wednesday on protesters angered by election results, leaving at least 22 people dead in the capital, while European observers said some opposition politicians were placed under house arrest." Ethiopians Killed in Election Protests (abc.net.au -AFP-, 6/8/05) "At least nine people were killed in Addis Ababa and more than 100 were wounded, as Ethiopian police battled demonstrators protesting against alleged fraud in last month's disputed elections. Hospital sources say the bodies of eight people were taken to the Black Lion Hospital in the centre of the capital after the clashes were reported. One doctor says a ninth person suffering from a gun shot wound to the head has since died on an operating table." Eight Shot Dead, Many Injured in Ethiopia Violence (reuters.co.za, 6/8/05) "ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - At least eight Ethiopians were shot dead and scores more injured on Wednesday during clashes with security forces on a third day of unrest over last month's disputed elections." "...We have sent an appeal to the public to stay calm and the strike was not our call. The people said 'enough is enough' and they told us they have their own mind that guides them to their freedom," CUD spokesman [D]ebebe Eshetu said."

Second Day of Violence in Ethiopia Poll Protest (news.yahoo.com, -reuters-, 6/7/05) "ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian security forces beat rock-throwing students protesting against the result of the May 15 parliamentary election they say was rigged, opposition parties and students said on Tuesday. A second day of demonstrations turned violent after protests on Monday at Addis Ababa University left on person dead and saw more than 500 arrested." "...Ethiopia's state television said the ministry of information had on Tuesday revoked the licenses of five Ethiopian journalists working for the Voice of America and Deutsche Welle for writing "unsubstantiated and unbalanced" stories about the election."

RELATED STORIES: Ethiopia's Police Clash With Students, Workers on Second Day of Protests (uastoday.com, -AP- 6/7/05)   Violence on Second Day of Ethiopia Poll Protests (sabcnews.com, 6/7/05) Second Day of Violence in Ethiopia Poll Protest (abcnews.go.com, 6/7/05) Ethiopia's Police Clash With Students, Workers on 2nd Day of Protests (680news.com -AP-, 6/7/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - Students throwing stones and police swinging clubs clashed for a second day in Ethiopia's capital on Tuesday as authorities struggled to keep a lid on anger over what the opposition says was widespread rigging during last month's elections. At a technical college - the epicentre of Tuesday's violence - police dragged bloody students from buildings, prompting construction workers and passersby to join the melee. At least one student was shot and hospitalized in critical condition with a stomach wound."

Ethiopian policemen look at students demonstrating at a campus of the Addis Ababa university, Ethiopia AFP photo, 6/7/05)

Joint Press Release Issued Regarding Student Demonstrations in Ethiopia by the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) (6/6/05) Amharic Version pdf English Versition pdf

Fraudulent and Violent Voting Processes Must Be Legally Resolved: Statements Recently  by the United the UEDF (5/30/05) Amharic pdf.

Ethiopia's Police Arrest Hundreds Election Results Protesters (gazettetimes.com, 6/7/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Clashes between police and student demonstrators left one girl dead and hundreds arrested in protests Monday against disputed Ethiopian election results, police said. Students at Addis Ababa University campuses had defied a government ban against demonstrations. Police charged into crowds to grab protesters and beat some with batons during the first public protest against the May 15 legislative elections in which the ruling party retained power." 

Ethiopian Students and Police Clash Over Disputed Election Results (nytimes.com, -AP-, 6/7/05) " ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, June 6 (AP) - Student demonstrators clashed with the police on Monday over disputed Ethiopian election results, a police statement said. The violence killed one person, injured seven and led to hundreds of arrests. Students at Addis Ababa University campuses had defied a government ban against demonstrations, holding the first public protest against how legislative elections on May 15 were conducted. The police charged into crowds to grab protesters, beating some with riot sticks."

Relatives of detained students cry out after being turned away from the Addis Ababa University campus on Monday. Hundreds of students have been taken away- bbc.co.uk photo

Arrests For Ethiopia Poll Protest (bbc.co.uk, -AP- 6/6/05) "Hundreds of Ethiopian students have been arrested in the capital, Addis Ababa, after staging protests over last month's elections. Baton-wielding police stormed the two university campuses which the students had occupied. They had accused the ruling EPRDF party of fraud.  Ethiopian Police Arrest Election Protesters (reuters.co.uk, 6/6/05)

Police Surround Ethiopian Campuses As Students Defy Post-election Demo Ban (reliefweb.int, -AFP-6/6/05) Students Protest Poll Results (news24.com, 6/6/05)   An Ethiopian police officer hits a university student with the butt of his assault rifle in Addis Ababa - VOA photo

Eritrea: Special Report - Coping With Economic Hardships (IRINNews.org, 5/19/05) "ASMARA, 19 May 2005 (IRIN) - Meaza, a mother of two young children, works as a cleaner in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, and spends half her monthly salary of 400 Nacfa (US $26.60) on rent for her single room in Abashawl, a poor neighborhood in the downtown area of the city. "My husband is in the military. He used to pay the rent, but now this has stopped as we are divorced," she told IRIN. "Usually we eat twice a day, mostly shiro [beans]. Sometimes when we are hungry we visit our relatives who are a bit better off."'

Junk from the independence war piled up in Asmara. IRIN photo

An Eritrean mother with a malnourished child in Goluj, Gash Barka province. IRIN photo

IDP camp in Senafe, Debub province. IRIN photo

Trucking scarce water in Omhajer town, southwestern Gash Barka, near the Ethiopian border. IRIN photo

Asmara Skyline Eritrea Daily photo

Big Gains for Ethiopia Opposition (news.bbc.co.uk, 5/19/05) "Ethiopia's ruling party and opposition are both claiming victory in Sunday's parliamentary election.   The ruling party has acknowledged the two main opposition groups have won about one-third of the 547 seats. "

The EPRDF 'Bee' (party symbol) Milked Almost 6 Trillion Birr out of Ethiopian Treasury for personal Enrichment by the Woyane Leadership and Extended Family members (table by fettan.com - below). Also see the details in the 'alsemen_sima_belew' pdf file: click here.  (Document released by Coalition for Unity and Democracy, 5/18/05))

Ethiopian Gov't Claims Election Victory (phillyburbs.com (AP) 5/16/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The government of Ethiopia said late Monday it had won a majority of seats in parliament, while acknowledging that the opposition had won in the capital, Addis Ababa." "...In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that, if substantiated, the opposition claims of election harassment and intimidation "would raise question about the government's commitment to real democratic reforms and the development of true democratic institutions. "We are concerned about a decision by the government of Ethiopia to ban post-election demonstrations, and our embassy is monitoring that situation closely," Boucher said."

Members of the National Election Board of Ethiopia

VOA Repor AFP Photo: Ethiopian students check the results of the general elections, in Addis Ababa

Ex-US President Carter Defends Ethiopian Demo Ban, Lauds Election (sudsntribune.com, 5/16/05) "ADDIS ABABA, May 16 (AFP) -- Former US president Jimmy Carter said Monday that a month-long ban on all post-election demonstrations in the Ethiopian capital was "not excessive" and lauded the conduct of the weekend vote. Carter, here at the head of a 50-strong team of election monitors, said his mission had not found any evidence of opposition claims of widespread fraud and that the few irregularities uncovered would not tarnish Sunday's polls.

The ex-US leader said he had been satisfied by Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's personal explanation of his decision to ban public demonstrations in Addis Ababa for the next 30 days, a move questioned and criticized by many."

Ethiopia's Opposition Claims Major Gains (washingtonpost.com, 5/16/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- Ethiopia's opposition claimed major gains Monday in an unprecedentedly open parliamentary election that drew a turnout of 90 percent, reflecting voter optimism their nation was heading toward greater democracy." "...A Western diplomat told The Associated Press that initial results from rural areas showed that the opposition was doing better than expected there. An electoral board official confirmed the diplomat's impression, adding that the opposition was making significant gains countrywide."

Ethiopian Opposition Leader Rejects Vote (story.news.yahoo.com, 5/15/05) "ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The leader of Ethiopia's main opposition party called for his coalition to reject the results of Sunday's election before balloting was even over, saying there were massive irregularities that made it impossible for the vote to be free and fair. Hailu Shawel, the leader of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy, said the four political parties that make up the group will meet later Sunday to make a final decision." Ethiopia Vote 'May be Rejected' (bbc.co.uk, 5.15.05) "...Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has rejected this and ordered a month-long ban on demonstrations in the capital."  

100s of Opposition Members Arrested in Ethiopia (jpost.com, 5/14/05) "Opposition parties said Saturday that hundreds of their candidates and observers were arrested 12 hours before Ethiopians go to the polls. Opposition leaders demanded their release." "...Ana Gomes, the top European Union election observer, said that she has dispatched observers to investigate the opposition complaints."

Ethiopians have flocked in numbers to cast their ballots in an election which is being regarded as a crucial test of the country's fledgling democracy. (AP Photo) Ethiopian Orthodox priest left lines up with others to vote at polling station in Addis Ababa 15may05 (AP Photo)   A shopkeeper shows a badge of the main Ethiopian opposition party CUD (Coalition for Unity and Democracy) 14 May 2005 in the old Mercato (market) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (AFP).

VOA  Report (Ryu) - Download 465k Deutsche Welle Radio    Dejen Radio (in Amharic and Tigrigna)        Ethiopian opposition leader for the Coalition of Unity and Democracy (CUD) Hailu Shawel, casts his vote at a polling station in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa May 15, 2005. (Reuters photo). Mr. Shawel said there were massive irregularities   An Ethiopian woman casts her vote at a polling station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, May 15, 2005 during the third democratic elections in Ethiopia's 3,000-year history. (AP Photo). Members of the National Election Board of Ethiopia

Ethiopian Opposition Renews Threat to Reject Election Results (sudantribune.com, 5/15/05) "ADDIS ABABA, May 15 (AFP) -- Ethiopia's two main opposition groups renewed threats to reject the results of Sunday's election, insisting widespread fraud and intimidation was rampant despite doubts from international observers." Ethiopian PM Says Will Accept Defeat if Rejected by Voters (sudantribune.com, 5/15/05)

Ethiopians Vote Heavily  in Test for Democracy (reuters.co.uk. 5/15/05) "DUKEM, Ethiopia (Reuters) -- Ethiopians turned out in their millions on Sunday to vote in elections seen as a test of democracy in sub-Saharan Africa's second most populous nation. The parliamentary poll, only the second real multi-party contest in Africa's top coffee producer, is expected to hand a third term to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who toppled dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991 ending 17 years of Marxist rule."

Ethiopians Vote in Key Election (bbc.co.uk, 5/15/05) "Ethiopians are going to the polls on Sunday for an election which is being regarded as a crucial test of the country's fledgling democracy. "...Gizachew Shiferaw, spokesman for the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), went further. "The harassment and the abduction, extra-judicial killing, massive arrest is going on currently all over Ethiopia," he said."

Former U,S, President Jimmy Carter with Mr. Kemal Bedri, Chairman of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia AP Photo 5/14/05

Ethiopian Human Rights Group Criticizes International Assessment of Electoral Process (voanews.com, 5/14/05) "Less than a day before Ethiopia holds its third parliamentary elections in 14 years, a domestic human rights group says it strongly disagrees with reports by European Union and American observers that say the electoral process has been mostly fair and transparent."    "... Mr. Carter said that, based on preliminary evidence, he found the National Election Board to be honest and fair. On Saturday, Ethiopian Human Rights Council chairman, Andargatchew Tesfaye, angrily challenged the former president's views. "He has been here how many hours? It is not just Mr. Carter, but others also. [They] arrive in the morning. They see officials in the afternoon and they claim that everything is okay. But it has not been okay. I wish they would leave it to us or go around and investigate the situation thoroughly," he said."

Ethiopian Opposition Threatens Not to Accept Poll Results (sudantribune.com, 5/14/05) "ADDIS ABABA, May 14 (AFP) -- On the eve of general elections, Ethiopia's two main opposition groups on Saturday accused the government of arresting hundreds of their poll monitors and threatened not to accept the results unless they were freed." 

Ethiopia's Election at a Glance: A Look at the Main Political Alliances Competing in Ethiopia's Election (wvgazete.com (AP), 5/14/05) "The ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front coalition is led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and holds 519 seats in the 547-seat parliament. The coalition toppled the former military regime in 1991 and has held power ever since. They promote ethnic federalism, whereby power is divided along ethnic lines at the national level. The country is already divided into nine states along ethnic and linguistic lines, each with a measure of autonomy."

Ethiopia Set for Key Test of Democracy (news.yahoo.com (AP), 5/14/05) "For the first time, international observers will monitor the balloting, which marks the end of a race that has tested the tolerance of a sometimes authoritarian regime that has ruled the nation since 1991. Almost everyone in the country considers Sunday's election a test of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's pledge to introduce greater democracy in the country of 70 million."

BBC Photo

Terror talks CIA Agents In Sudan To help East Africa Fight Terrorism (news.bbc.co.uk, 9/22/05) "There can be few more surprising places in the world to see CIA officials openly discussing terrorism than here in Sudan, but the new geopolitical framework since 9/11 has made strange bedfellows. Osama bin Laden was based in Khartoum for several years in the 1990s, and in 1998 the United States launched a cruise missile strike on what the US said was a chemical weapons facility, but which Sudan has always claimed was a pharmaceutical plant.

ዶክተር መረራ ለኦሮሞ ሕዝብ ጥሪ አቀረቡ (ከኢትኦጵ፣ መስከረም ፲፩ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም.) "ከተመሰረተ ፲ ዓመታት ባስቆጠረው እና በዶ/ር መረራ ጉዲና በሚመራው ኦብኮ ላይ ኢህአዴግ የከፈተውን ዘመቻ ቀጥሏል። በስነ-ምግባር ብልሹነት የተባረሩ ጥቂት ግለሰቦችን በማስቀደም፣ በወጣቶች ማህበራት የተደራጁ ልጆችን በማካተት፣ በኢህአዴግ የገንዘብ ድጋፍ ፀረ-ኦብኮ ግለሰቦች፣ በኦብኮ ስም የተጠሩት ስብሰባ በትናንትናው ዕለት በአዲስ አበባ ኢዲዮ ሆቴል (እንጦጦ መዝናኛ) ተካሂዷል። ይህንን የኢህአዴግ መንግሥት ርምጃ ታዛቢዎች የኢህአዴግ የከተማ ሽፍትነት በማለት የገለፁት ሲሆን፣ የኦብኮ ሊቀመንበር ዶ/ር መረራ ጉዲናም ጥሪ አቅርበዋል።" Professor Merera Gudina, Chairman of the Oromo National Congress (ONC) appeals to the Oromo people to support his organization in the face of EPRDF inspired urban  banditry carried out by former members dismissed by the organization. (Ethiop, 9/21/05 Amharic pdf)

የዓለም ባንክ በኢትዮጵያ ድህነት አለመቀነሱን በጥናት አረጋገጠ (ከሪፖርተር መስከረም ፲፩ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም.) "በኢትዮጵያ ከ፲፱፻፺፫ ዓ.ም ወዲህ ድህነት አለመቀነሱን፣ እንዲያውም በከተሞች አካባቢ መጨመሩን የዓለም ባንክ አስታወቀ። የባንኩ ከፍተኛ ኢኮኖሚስት ዶ/ር ሉክ ክፊስቲ ያንሰን ትላንት በሸራተን ሆቴል ባቀረቡት ጥናታዊ ፅሑፍ በርካታ ኢትዮጵያውያን ከሚሸጡት የበለጠ እህል እንደሚገዙ፣ በገጠር ከሚኖሩ ቤተሰቦች መካከል ከአምስቱ ውስጥ አንዱ ያለው የመሬት ይዞታ ከ0.0፰ ሄክታር በታች መሆኑን፣ ይኽ መሬት ደግሞ ለአንድ ሰው በቀን ከሚያስፈልገው መጠን ማስገኘት ጨርሶ የማይችል መሆኑን በመግለፅ የድህነቱን አስከፊነት ደረጃ አመላክተዋል። በከተሞች አካባቢ ከጊዜ ወደ ጊዜ ድህነት እየጨመረ መጥቷል ያሉት ዶ/ር ሉክ በገጠርም ቢሆን የድህነት መጠኑ የቀነሰ ከሁለት በመቶ እንደማይበልጥ ጠቅሰዋል። A World Bank Study Confirms that there has not been any reduction in the poverty rate in Ethiopia since 1998 and, in fact there has been an increase in poverty in urban areas. (The Reporter, 9/21/05 Amharic pdf)  Click Here To Review The WB Poverty Monitoring Systems

Seven Gold Miners Killed In Northwest Ethiopia (sudantribune.com, 9/23/05) "Sept 23, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) Seven traditional gold miners were killed in northwest Ethiopia after a pit which they were working in collapsed and buried them alive, a district spokesman said Friday. The seven were among eight people who were excavating for gold in Tigray Shire district, some 1,150 [kilometres] (715 miles) northwest of the capital on Thursday, spokesman Hirut Abreha told reporters. The eighth miner was rescued from the pit by colleagues, Hirut added."

Ethiopian Opposition Political Party Leaders And Political Experts Debate Current Affairs In Ethiopia :VOA Radio Amharic Program moderator facilitates the discussion (VOA Radio anchor indicated that this Part II discussion was recorded the week of September 12, 2005 (Broadcast 9/22/05) 

ETHIOPIA: Six Million At Risk Of Malaria Epidemic (irinnews.org, 9/22/05) "NAIROBI, 22 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - Some six million Ethiopians, most of them children, are threatened by a potential malaria epidemic, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) cautioned. In its latest update on Ethiopia, the agency said it needed close to US $22 million to prevent tens of thousands of additional deaths. "UNICEF urgently needs $21.9 million to fight Ethiopia's looming malaria epidemic, fund a nationwide polio immunization drive and reach 963,855 people in critical need of water," it said. "While polio is continuing to spread, a UNICEF-supported nationwide vaccination campaign planned for October and November is badly [underfunded]."

Eritrea Warns Of Renewed Conflict (news.bbc.co.uk, 9/22/05) "Eritrea has warned it might re-start its war with Ethiopia if the United Nations fails to resolve a border dispute between the two [neighbours]. Ethiopia is occupying the town of Badme, which an independent commission awarded to Eritrea under the terms of a peace accord in December 2000. Both countries had agreed to accept the commission's findings on where their border should lie." EDITORIAL NOTE: The Meles Zenawi, Isayas Afeworki and Bereket Simion cheap plots and childish tantrums are so elementary, that they are so predictable and demonstrative of a throwback to the Ethiopian feudalist princes era: nearly a century ago. Read our urgent appeal predicting these types of behaviors posted on September 17, 2005 and how the apostles of terrorism (Sudan, Eritro-Ethiopia and Somalia ethnocentric supremacists) camouflage themselves as anti-terrorists (fettan.com, 9/22/05)

VOA Interview With Hailu Shawel On Coalition for Unity And Democracy Position On Coalition government (VOA Radio Amharic Program Interview, 9/21/05)  RELATED STORY:  VOA Report On CUD And UEDF Joint Statement On Current Events And October 2, 2005 Demonstration in Addis Abeba (VOA Radio Amharic Program Report, 9/21/05)

Professor Donald Levine and EPRDF Ambassador Kassahun Ayele Interview on Chicago Public Radio Jerome McDonell moderates the debate between the two. Ayele denounces the EU-EOM, fabricates facts, lies through his teeth, and accuses Professor Levine of bias. He even goes on to pretend that EPRDF invented democracy in Ethiopia.  But Levine disagrees by citing Ethiopian democratic traditions and goes as far as saying that "I wish that the US Congress operates as democratically as the Oromo Gommo Gayoo System." (fettan.com 9/20/05)

New Unity Government For Sudanese (news.bbc.co.uk, 9/21/05) "Sudan's President Omar Bashir has announced the formation of a unity government as part of a peace deal signed with former southern rebels. It was delayed by a row over who runs the energy portfolio - with control of the vital oil industry - but it remains in the hands of the president's party."

አቶ በረከት ተቃዋሚዎችን ሠልፍ እንዳያስቡ አስጠነቀቁ (ከሪፖርተር መስከረም ፱ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም.) "ተቃዋሚዎች መስከረም ፳፪ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፰ ዓ.ም ለመጥራት ያሰቡት ሠላማዊ ሰልፍ ሕገመንግሥታዊ ሥርዓቱን በኃይል ለመናድ ያለመ በመሆኑ ኢሕአዴግ በቸልታ አይመለከተውም ሲሉ አቶ በረከት ስምኦን አስጠነቀቁ። የኢትዮጵያ ዴሞክራሲያዊ ኃይሎች ኅብረት እና ቅንጅት ማስጠንቀቂያውን አልተቀበሉትም። Bereket Simion, EPRDF Minister of Information and Propaganda Chief says the public demonstration planned for October 2, 2005 by the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) will not be allowed (The Reporter, 9/19/05) In an interview he gave to Radio Fana, Mr. Simion indicated that the purpose of the demonstration is to demolish the constitutional order through violence. The EPRDF will not under any circumstance overlook this plot." Asked about the demonstration, Dr. Hailu Araya, Public Relations Office for the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) said, his organization will play a role in the demonstration. (Abbreviated summary by fettan.com, 9/19/05)

Voice of America Reports That a Renegade Faction Has Claimed Take Over of ONC (VOA radio Amharic Program report broadcast 9/20/05) "A VOA reporter out of Addis Abeba indicated that the EPRDF radio in its mid-day broadcast announced that an Oromo National Congress (ONC) general assembly has elected new leadership after denouncing the old leadership as "made up of 'Neftegna'" subservients serving the interest of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and not that of the Oromo people.  An individual who claims to represent the new leadership was interviewed by VOA. Dr. Merera Gudena was asked about the coupe de'tat in his absence, and he affirmed that it was an illegal work of the EPRDF leadership and security forces designed to derail the democratization process. He vowed that his organization will continue to engage in a peaceful struggle along with the other oppositions parties to uphold the will of the Ethiopian people as expressed in the May 15th, 2005 polls. (Abreviated transcription and translation by fettan.com, 9/20/05)

Hailu Shawel casting ballot on May 15, 2005 in Addis Abeba. (Reuters Photo)

Rwanda Ex-ministers On Trial For Genocide (cnn.com -AP- 9/19/05) "ARUSHA, Tanzania (AP) -- Three former Rwandan Cabinet ministers went on trial Monday for their alleged roles in their country's 1994 genocide, and a fourth convicted earlier heard his appeal had been rejected. In addition to being Cabinet ministers, the three who went on trial Monday were leaders of the former ruling party that presided over the 100-day slaughter in 1994 at least half a million members of the Tutsi ethnic minority and political moderates from the Hutu majority."  EDITORIAL COMMENT: A lesson for Ethiopian patriots. Meles Zenawi and company also will not get away with the crimes they committed in Ethiopia. According to our sources who attended a meeting in Washington DC called by Hailu Shawel, President of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), on September 18, 2005, Mr. Shawel told the gathering of CUD supporters that the CUD parliament-elects will not participate in the illegal EPRDF parliament. Instead, the organization will support the national call for the resignation of the illegitimate Meles Zenawi regime. We applaud the decision of the CUD and support  the Ethiopian people's determination to assert their freedom and quest for justice. Those who committed crimes against Ethiopians during the 2005 elections campaign and the last thirty-one years must be brought to justice and persecuted in a court of law. (fettan.com 9/19/05) VOA Conforms That CUD Will Not Take Seats In EPRDF Parliament. Hailu Shawel, President of Coalition for Unity and Democracy told the VOA that given the reports of international election observers and respectful of the EU and US government encouragements to do otherwise, the CUD has decided not to partake in the new parliament. Mr. Shawel  will speak at the National Press Club in Washington DC on 9/20/05. (voa radio news, 9/19/05)

ERITREA: Rights Body Asks Gov't To Account For Detained Journalists (irinnews.org, 9/19/05) "NAIROBI, 19 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - A media-rights watchdog has asked the Eritrean government to account for 15 journalists the [organisation] said have been held - some in secret prisons - since authorities banned the private media and independent reporting more than four years ago. "Holding these journalists incommunicado without due process is a gross violation of human rights," said Ann Cooper, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in a statement on Friday."

Ethiopian Opposition CUD Finalizes Merger Process (sudantribune.com, -The Reporter- 9/18/05) "Sept 17, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) finalized the merger process of its constituent parties that started a few months earlier. The four parties have now become one party following a pre-merger phase that took around three months. The merged party will be officially declared on September 24 following a meeting of 400 council members. The council is supposed to designate the Upper Council and the Executive Committee of the merged party."

US Urges Ethiopia To Avoid Violence (int.iol.co.za -AFP- 9/17/05) "Washington - Five months after Ethiopia's contested parliamentary elections that prompted bloody protests, the United States on Friday hailed the polls as a "milestone" for the impoverished African state. The State Department delivered its judgment a day after former president Jimmy Carter, who led a team of observers at the May 15 polls, said they essentially represented the will of Ethiopians. "These elections stand out as a milestone in creating a new, more competitive multi-party political system in one of Africa's largest and most important countries," said spokesman Sean McCormack."

Ethiopia Seeks Somalia Disintegration - Minister (sudantribune.com, 9/18/05) "Sept 17, 2005 (MOGADISHU) — The minister of trade of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, Muse Sudi Yalahow, has said that Ethiopian was opposed to restoration of peace in Somalia. According to the Somali independent Shabeelle, He further said that the Ethiopian government was making efforts on how the Somali Federal Government could be disintegrated, since it was opposed to peace in Somalia."

United States Ambassador Aurelia E. Brazeal joined Oromia Regional State President Ato Juneidi Sado 8/18/05  US Embassy Photo

Latest Headlines From the US Embassy in Addis Abeba (addisababa.usembassy.gov, 9/15/05) "....United States Ambassador Aurelia E. Brazeal joined Oromia Regional State President Ato Juneidi Sado on Thursday, August 18, to sign a grant that will make possible the conservation and consolidation of the historic Sheikh Nur Hussein Shrine in Anajinia, Bale Zone.  The grant, in the amount of $25,600, was provided through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, an annual competitive program of the U.S. Department of State. (more)" Donors Urge Ethiopian Opposition To Drop Boycott Threat (mg.co.za, 9/15/05) "Western donors on Thursday urged the Ethiopian opposition parties to drop their threat of boycotting Parliament as a protest for alleged widespread fraud and irregularities in the May elections. "We urge all parties to take their seats in the national assembly with goodwill and mutual respect to express the interests and views of all Ethiopians in a vibrant multi-party Parliament," said a statement signed by 24 missions in Ethiopia." Ambassadors’ Donor Group Statement (addisababa.usembassy.gov, 9/12/05) EDITORIAL NOTE: The message to the Ethiopian people and opposition parties is loud and clear!

REPORT OF THE AFRICAN UNION OBSERVER TEAM ON THE ETHIOPIAN NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMPLAINTS INVESTIGATION PANELS JUNE 29-JULY 20, 2005 (afric-union.org, 9/14/05) "... 13. Furthermore, the check list sought to assess whether or not the spirit of trust and conciliation demonstrated so far in the process, would transcend the current crisis. The team realized that particular cases under review may not be adjudicated to the satisfaction of all; in fact, even as the process began, [inbuilt] shortcomings were experienced. It is evident that pitting a well resourced and established ruling party against newly established and basically struggling opposition parties in legal matters would clearly stretch the resources of the latter to the limits, both human and financial. Consequently, it is more likely to end up with one party gaining the upper hand evidently for no other reason than that it had adequate resources to support and win the complaints lodged against the Party." EDITORIAL NOTE: Regardless of the above caveat, the African Ambassadors failed to "uphold the trust the stakeholders placed in them" and gave a ringing endorsement to the manner in which their brothering in power conducted the 2005 elections. As an Ethiopian idiomatic illustration suggests, this fallacious endorsement is tantamount to "the mole providing testimony on behalf of the rat." The is no democracy in Ethiopia today and as the EU-EOM stated, the election process did not meet accepted international standards.

Eritrea Arrests Two US Embassy Staff For Alleged Human Trafficking (voanews.com, 9/15/05) "Eritrean authorities say they have arrested two locally-hired employees of the U.S. Embassy in the Eritrean capital of Asmara on charges of human trafficking. Eritrea's Information Ministry said Thursday the two employees, Eritreans hired by the U.S. Embassy, would be held accountable for illegal activities related to human trafficking."

HAPPY ETHIOPIAN NEW YEAR

Click Here To Listen To Thewodros Kasahun's Song 'Yasteseryal' that is driving Meles Zenawi and Bereket Simion up the wall. No one can hide the truth! The Eritrean tyrants issued orders preventing Teddy from appearing at a new year's eve celebration at Sheraton Addis on September 10, 2005 because he insisted on singing his signature song 'Yasteseryal'. (fettan.com, 9/12/05)

Eritrea Slams ’Pathetic’ UN Resolution On Border (sudantribune.com, 9/15/05) "Sept 14, 2005 (ASMARA) — Eritrea on Wednesday denounced as "toothless, meaningless (and) pathetic" the latest UN Security Council resolution on its festering border tensions with neighboring Ethiopia. "This resolution is toothless, meaningless, pathetic and extremely disappointing," said Yemane Gebremeskel, the director of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s office. "We will continue to appeal to the international community to push for the enforcement of the Algiers agreement," he told AFP, referring to the pact signed by Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2000 to end a bloody two-year border war."

Sweden's Jan Eliasson, President of the sixtieth session, right, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan preside over the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2005 AP Photo

Stage Set For UN Anniversary Summit (voanews.org, 9/14/05) "It may be the largest gathering of kings, presidents and prime ministers in history. Heads of state and government from roughly 150 countries will be in the General Assembly hall Wednesday when the three-day U.N. anniversary observance begins." "The host of the gathering, Secretary General Kofi Annan had hoped to have the gathering endorse a far-reaching series of U.N. reforms as well as measure to alleviate world poverty." "But after weeks of often-bitter debate, the final document being presented to the summit is lacking much of Mr. Annan's ambitious agenda."

Mission In Ethiopia, Eritrea Extended By Security Council Until Next March (un.org, 9/13/05) "13 September 2005 – The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations mission monitoring the Temporary Security Zone between Ethiopia and Eritrea until mid-March, but it expressed concern about the high concentration nearby of troops from the two countries, which waged a two-year border war. In a unanimous vote on the five-year-old UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), the 15-member Council also increased by 10 the military observer force, numbering 214 as of the end of July, and called on both Governments to implement without delay and completely the 2002 border decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission and to create the conditions for expeditious demarcation."

Eritrean girls selling cactus fruit that grows in the wild. Isayas Afeworki and Meles Zenawi -Eritrean liberators- have finally achieved what they envisioned 45 years ago.   BBC Photo

Photo journal: The daily life of an Eritrean girl who picks wild cactus fruit (news.bbc.co.uk, 9/13/05) "In the latest in our series on people's daily lives, Marta Deriba, 15, from Eritrea (back, right) explains how she picks and sells cactus fruit. I live with my family in the village of Arbe Rebo on the steep mountain road that goes from the capital, Asmara, down to the sea. My mother's name is Letegebrial, and I have five brothers and sisters - Selam, Tesfankiel, Haftamu, Merhawi, and Hewan, who is holding Sirak the cat in this picture." BBC Photoes by Ed Harris. It grows all over the place, even on the top of walls. For about four months every year, the cactus gives an enormous amount of fruit, the prickly pear. We call it "beles". It’s like a gift from heaven."  RELATED STORIES: Situation Worsens In Eritrea (totalcatholic.com, 9/9/05) Eritreans Fleeing ’Repression’ Continue Entering Ethiopia (sudantribune.com, 9/14/05) EDITORIAL NOTE: Isayas Afeworki's legacy of deceit, treachery, thievery, barbaric brutality and abject poverty!

Ethiopia PM Reaches Out To Oromos (news.bbc.co.uk, 9/13/05) "Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says he is willing to open talks with the main guerrilla movement fighting his government, the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). In an interview with the BBC, he indicated that initial contacts had been made. This is a reversal of the government's previous position which was to refuse to deal with the OLF until it laid down its arms."

USA: VOA Launches Expanded Programming, Time Changes For The Horn Of Africa (rednova.com -VOA- 9/12/05) "The Voice of America (VOA) has doubled its Amharic language broadcast and moved the time and frequencies for Afan Oromo and Tigrigna language broadcasts in response to audience requests. Beginning today, VOA's Amharic language broadcast expanded to a full hour every day from 1800-1900 gmt (9.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. locally / 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. EDT [Eastern Daylight Time]). The half-hour expansion will allow VOA to provide new programmes, including a Saturday audience request music show and other features designed especially for young listeners"

ቴዲ አፍሮ በሸራተን አይዘፍንም (ከአባይ፣ ጳጉሜን ፭ ቀን ፲፱፻፺፯ ዓ.ም.) በቴዲ አፍሮና በሸራተን መካከል በአስታራቂነት በገቡ ወገኖች በተደረገው ጥረት ድምፃዊው ለአውደ ዓመት ዋዜማ በሚደረገው የሙዚቃ ኮንሰርት ላይ ለመዝፈን ተስማምቶ ባለፈው ሳምንት በሆቴሉ ልምምድ ሲያደርግ ከቆየ በኋላ ከትላንት በስቲያ ስምምነቱ እንደገና መፍረሱ የታወቀ ሲሆን በነገው እለት በዱባይ ለመዝፈን ወዲያው