In recent years, investigations and reports carried out by independent organizations have described the steadily worsening human rights picture in Ethiopia. A 2007 report from the UN committee that monitors the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) was “alarmed” to find that security forces have been “systematically targeting” certain ethnic groups. It cited evidence of “summary executions, rape of women and girls, arbitrary detention, torture, humiliations, and destruction of property and crops of members of those communities.”

Human Rights Watch’s 2005 report, “Targeting the Anuak: Human Rights Violations and Crimes against Humanity in Ethiopia’s Gambella Region,” outlines numerous human rights violations against the Anuak, particularly in 2003 when Ethiopian security forces were responsible for the deaths of 424 Anuak in Gambella. Many more were imprisoned, tortured, beaten, and 8,000 to 10,000 fled to neighboring Sudan. These incidents are part of a lengthy and ongoing history of persecution against the Anuak that stems, in part, from the strategic location of the Anuak’s traditional lands.

Since the 2005 elections in Ethiopia, open dissent towards the government and its policies is increasingly not tolerated. In November 2010, the UN’s Committee Against Torture expressed serious concerns about “numerous, ongoing and consistent allegations concerning the routine use of torture by the police, prison officers and other members of the security forces, as well as the military, in particular against political dissidents and opposition party members, students, alleged terrorist suspects and alleged supporters of insurgent groups…” There are many reports of harassment, thousands of detentions and imprisonment of those who oppose the government.

Much of this repression goes unchecked due to the Ethiopian government’s 2008 Charities and Societies Proclamation (Proclamation 621/2009), which criminalizes independent human rights work by barring foreign NGOs that work on human rights issues as well as domestic human rights groups that receive more than 10% of their funds from foreign sources. It also prohibits NGOs from providing legal aid and other assistance or rehabilitation to victims of torture and abuse.

It restricts participation in activities that promote the advancement of human and democratic rights, such as the promotion of equality of gender, religion and nations, nationalities and peoples; the promotion of the rights of disabled and children’s rights; and the promotion of conflict resolution or reconciliation. Domestic NGOs who are in non-compliance with the proclamation have been suspended, including the Ethiopian Human Rights Council and the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association.

The combination of the deteriorating human rights situation, the targeting of indigenous groups, alleged war crimes, the lack of tolerance on dissent, the absence of a free media, restrictions on NGOs, and the increasing concentration of power has created a precarious context for leasing large tracts of land to foreign and domestic investors.

The new January 2012 Human Rights Watch (HRW) report about Gambella confirms what the Oakland Institute (OI) and its partner organization, Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE), uncovered in several recent reports on Ethiopia, where indigenous people and local communities are being coerced and forcibly moved from their lands to make room for large-scale agricultural plantations. The report criticizes the Ethiopian government policy of forced villagization–the resettling of indigenous people from land that is being leased for commercial agriculture. Many of the estimated 70,000 people being relocated are Anuak pastoralists.

The government’s response has been a complete denial of these accusations, and it asserts that relocations took place after consulting with and receiving the consent of local people. It appears obvious that the violent repression of ethnic minorities and political opposition to the government has silenced dissent. It is hard to foresee any change in the short term unless there is outside pressure to protect human rights, especially for minorities and indigenous groups.

At the same time, Ethiopia is a key ally of Western countries, especially the US, which considers it an “important regional security partner” and a key ally in the global war on terror. According to Wikileaks cables, the US pressured Ethiopia’s president Meles Zenawi to invade Somalia in 2006. This is consistent with the fact that the US has been providing military aid and training to Ethiopian troops for a number of years. Ethiopia is also one of the largest recipients of US aid (over $1 billion a year since 2007) and has been also among the top recipients of US food aid in the past two decades.

The US government has chosen to turn a blind eye to human rights violations in Ethiopia, including those accompanying land grabs, which turn communal land into large-scale plantations. US support to the Ethiopian regime allows the massive destruction of livelihoods and will ultimately bring hunger to millions of Ethiopians, exacerbating the dire food security conditions that the country already faces.

We have a choice: do we simply send more US food aid when hunger again rears its head or do we take responsibility and stand up for the rights of the impacted communities?

——

Jeff Furman is a board member of the Oakland Institute. He is currently the Chair of the Ben & Jerry’s corporate board and a trustee of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. He is also on the steering committee of the Funders Network on Transforming the Global Economy. Mr. Furman resides in Ithaca, New York with his family. Locally, he is the president of Social Ventures, a 501(c)3 organization as well as the founder of a community dispute resolution center and a community micro-finance program. He has also served on the local school board, working to eliminate socio-economic status as a predictor of student success, and is an advisor to the Dorothy Cotton Institute.

Source: Care 2

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/02/u-s-ally-ethiopia-is-one-of-the-worst-human-rights-abusers/feed/ 0 http://addisvoice.com/2012/02/we-have-met-the-enemy/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/02/we-have-met-the-enemy/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:50:22 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=15846 We’ve met the enemy and he is us. By Yilma Bekele

‘…. he was feared far beyond his might and respected far beyond his support, both which in the end proved meager. … would play one official off of another, promoting sons above their fathers, pitting the members of too-powerful families or clans or unions against one another for resources, splitting so many allies and creating so many feuds and petty rivalries that it was nearly impossible that any two ……. could come together to ask one another if there might be another way.’

Max Fisher, associate editor-The Atlantic.

^[i]

Mr. Fisher’s description fits most successful dictators. Admit it you thought he was talking about ours, didn’t’ you? It is all right, no need to worry; he was actually talking about the late Colonel Gaddafi. The Leader got away with just doing that for over forty years. Libya lost a generation. That is what failed leaders do to a country. After they are gone they leave a mess behind.

The drawing above is by cartoonist Ali Ferzat of Syria. Mr. Assad and his associates did not look kindly at his work. According to Mr. Fisher “On August 25, the 60-year-old Syrian political cartoonist Ali Ferzat was driving home from his office in Damascus when a car with tinted windows blocked the road. Men dragged Ferzat from his car, stuffed him in a van, beat him severely and broke both his hands in what they called “a warning” and dumped him on the side of the road.”  Mr. Assad and his goons would like to kill Mr. Ferzat, thereby digging their grave. That is the logic of dictators.

Mr. Ferzat drew the above cartoon after his hands healed. What is going on in Syria is insanity, and that is putting it mildly. President Assad has witnessed the demise of Ben Ali, Mubarak, Gaddafi and Saleh but he is following the path that leads to the same dead end street. Why do you think? He is not stupid, and I doubt he is insane. May be a little insane ok? He probably thinks things are different in Syria. May be he believes he is more cunning and smarter than those buffoons. No matter what, he cannot stop this runaway train. He has no choice. It is a do or die situation. He is a prisoner of his own doing and the Syrian people are prisoners of their tolerance of evil for so long.

We Ethiopians are familiar with that state of affairs. We have been prisoners for a long time. It is true we have not been lucky with the leaders we seem to attract. Misfits and delusional describes them better. It is a good enough explanation for the debacle in our homeland. My question is how come the same dysfunctional behavior is replicated away from home?

It is fair to ask if we are running our affairs any better where ever we have settled. If our claim is that we have been cursed with bad leaders can we show any evidence that we are capable of building a harmonious society with out the interference of those we hold responsible for our failure? I believe it is a legitimate question that begs for answers from each one of us. I am interested in an answer not an excuse. Excuse is for losers. My interest is in looking for an explanation so we can search for a solution to fix the problem not to go on a fishing expedition to avoid responsibility or share the blame.

Look around you. We are in the hundreds of thousands that have left their home to construct a new reality. There is no denying that we are good at survival no matter how dire the circumstances. From the Jungles of Uganda all the way to Southern Africa, from Beirut to the Gulf, From Tuscany Coast to the frigid waters of Scandinavia and the mighty Continent of North America we Ethiopians are thriving in our new environment. Any mother would be proud of us! Please don’t get a big head now there is more.

That speaks about our individual achievements. My profound question to you my Diaspora cousin is how come we shine as individuals but fail as a community? Can you answer that for me? If you don’t mind I said answer not make up an excuse that will remove ‘you’ from the equation and dump the sins onto others. That is not good enough. That is what is called avoidance. It is a little difficult to imagine how each one of you is a perfect saint while all those ‘others’ are the ones causing the problem. It does not work like that. Believe me it is not that way.

If we are going to share the glory I believe we should be willing to share the blame too. The problem with our country is that there are so many that take credit for the past while screwing the present. I don’t mean to belittle the many achievements of the few. I am looking at the bigger picture. Voltaire wrote ‘No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.’ You see what I mean. There wouldn’t be an avalanche without the individual snowflake.

Our anti social behavior is manifested in most aspects of our interactions. Be it Political, religious or simple Eder the slash and burn formula is our choice of resolving simple misunderstandings. Just check out your community if you are lucky or unlucky enough to live in a large size abesha population. There is a high possibility that the effort of individuals is spent in conflict and drama instead of cooperation and harmony. We are becoming very good in this use and discard philosophy. It used to be like that in the West before they became aware of the limitations of resources. Everything was manufactured to be used and thrown away.

You know how good we are at copying. Unfortunately we are not discriminating. Thus we picked up that concept and applied it to our country. Circumstances forced us to leave. Returning was not a safe option. That fact made the act of leaving something you love behind a normal situation. Now we have enhanced that to include organizations and associations. If we disagree we just create a small faction and leave. After spending so much time and resources in building a beautiful organization, Church etc. we have no qualms in leaving it behind hoping it would disintegrate and disappear. I have seen situations where the wreckers have no plans with what to replace it with. All available force goes into making sure nothing survives.

Why do you think that is so? I am not imaging this. I am sure we all love our country. We love each other. I know that because we seem to spend inordinate amount of time worrying about each other and our homeland. We have our own Churches and Mosques; we have our own restaurants, quick stores, coffee shops, our own on line community etc. For people that can’t live without each other we definitely exhibit a strange way to show our love and concern.

This formidable force commonly called the Diaspora is a paper tiger. The Diaspora is all bark no bite. In fact the Diaspora is such a negative and destructive force it needs to be overhauled. Such talk might offend you. You might be forced to get your guards up. That is the snowflake talking. It is like saying I see all this dysfunction around me but I am not responsible. Who me? I am the picture of love and tolerance. It is all those others that are the cause of all evil. Stop that now.

That is what Gaddafi said. Look what it got him. Denial is not a winning strategy. Self-reflection is what the situation demands. Admitting there is a problem is show of maturity. Holding oneself responsible and willing to change is one giant step forward. This total dysfunction is the sum total of the little things we do in our everyday interaction.

I believe we can start with respect for each other. Respect based not because of education, wealth or gosa but respect because we are each other’s keepers. There is no need to demonize others, no value in demeaning fellow country people, not a good idea searching for motive in every utterance and no winner in war. If we take care of the little things, the big things will fall into place.

This habit of screaming bloody murderer about the hapless Woyane is not taking us anywhere. The crimes of our tyrannical leaders will be the cause of their downfall. The Ethiopian people will take care of that. They are working on it everyday. It is us I worry about. If we are not capable of forming a harmonious society out here where we really do not have conflicting interest what makes you think we could succeed over there? Shouldn’t out here be the place where we learn this new concept of respect, tolerance, kindness and all other winning behavior?

That is the advantage of living in a free society. It gives individuals a choice. No one compels us to do this or that. We are free to choose. Thus when we split our Church, when we disrespect our leaders be it Community or Party we are making a choice. When we speak ill of each other and when we hurt each other with venomous language it is a choice we each make. When we invest in Woyane land, buy stolen property, turn our faces away when we see our people being abused we are making a choice. No need to look at your neighbor. You ladies and gentlemen have to answer for your own actions. What would it be soaring high like the eagle or scavenging like the vulture. The choice is yours but you must take full responsibility for it!

The writing is mainly in response to Ethiomedia Editor’s question: “Will Eritrea and Ethiopia go back to war over the ‘volcano attack’? If yes, what do we have to do to stop the return to the 1998-2000 carnage?” posted on 26/01/12.

Internecine war of 1998 -2000

The root cause of the ugly internecine war of 1998 – 2000 between Ethiopia and Eritrea that claimed 100, 000 lives, numerous injuries, dislocation of innocent citizens and colossal damage to the economy should be revisited in order to predict whether more of the same would repeat. The fact that Zenawi  publicly complained that he was “stabbed in the back” by his mentor Isaias Afeworqui may provide a clue but may not reveal the truth regarding their differences causing havoc to national and regional peace and stability. Any incident may ignite war between Ethiopia and Eritrea – not necessarily the ‘volcano attack. This writer would like to draw lessons from world history of warfare to make his best guess of the reason for the split of the duo that led to the war and then predict whether a second one may breakout.

Wars fought since the dawn of written history

Hundreds of wars big and small have been fought on our planet since the dawn of written history. For the purpose of this article, a snapshot of the two major wars of the 20^th century is mentioned. World War I (1914 – 1918) involving the Triple Entente against the Central powers resulted in the loss of nine million lives and 21 million injuries. It ended in redrawing of boundaries and Germany was made to pay reparations as an aggressor.  World War II (1939 -1945) broke out two decades later with the rise of Adolf Hitler; it ended with an estimated loss of lives ranging from 50 – 70 million; other statistical sources estimate 62 – 78 million lives lost. Ethiopia was an innocent victim of this devastating war although Italian Fascist invaders occupied the country in 1936. The expansionist Fascist Italian Dictator, Mussolini, had one and only one reason to invade Ethiopia and commit atrocious criminal acts on her citizens; it was rivalry with European colonial masters to spread his hold over as many countries as possible in Africa using the human and economic resources of Ethiopia as well as the fighting acumen of Ethiopian patriots of which he knew very well by the humiliating defeat of Italian aggressors in the famous Battle of Adwa.

Incidentally, the mostly peasant multi-ethnic Ethiopian patriotic forces, under the Northern Command of Ras Kassa Hailu, dealt  a shaming defeat to  Marshal Badoglio’s  modern army supported by air power. He reconfirmed the bravery of Ethiopian patriots in Tigray in 1936 almost in tears over his loss. Leaflets dropped over villages in Tigray singled out the Amharas and Oromos¹ in particular for hindering the ‘civilizing’ mission of Italy; the leaflets carried strict warning intimidating villagers not to cooperate with the Ethiopian army in any way. But fighter-bomber airplanes and containers filled with poison gas dropped from the air made the difference culminating in the occupation of Ethiopia for 5 years. All along Ethiopians treated Italian captives humanely and thought the savage a lesson in compassion.

1 Source:  Habešská Odyssea (YeHabesha Jebdu) የሃበሻ ጀብዱ by Adolf Parlesak Translated by Techane Jobre Mekonnen – page 214 ·  It is an excellent book by the Advisor  to Ras Kassa during the Italian Fascist invasion.

The quest for sphere of influence continues to this date supported by sophisticated gunboat diplomacy and/or military intervention by proxy or directly in the era of neocolonialism.

Loss due to internal conflicts in Ethiopia since 1974

The carnage to human lives and hemorrhage to the economies on both the national and regional scale since the breakout of the Ethiopian revolution in 1974 is despicably staggering. The parties in the upheavals include: protagonists of White Terror and Red Terror; separatists like ELF, Shabia, TPLF et al staunchly supported by the Arab world; the Greater Somalia ambition of Ziade Barre ignoring the OAU Charter to which Somalia was a signatory party – a typical example of hegemony still displayed by the five stars on national flag of Somalia.   Add to this the invasion of Ethiopia by the Barre’s army equipped to the brim by the defunct USSR while Ethiopia was denied arms by the Carter Administration even though those arms were paid for from the miniscule treasury of in 1977.

Pretexts for starting wars could on the surface be ideological, sectarian, or racial hatred; but in the end hegemony and economic domination are the real underlying goal of political leaders.

Rivals in the pursuit of hegemony

The former inherited similar characteristics from his foster father Isaias Afeworqui. Child and father are both up to their necks in committing heinous crimes including genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, engaging in proxy war, gross economic mismanagement, and destabilizing the region of the Horn of Africa, ad infinitum.

It is obvious that Meles Zenwi and Isaias Afeworqui are the main rivals for regional supremacy in the Horn of Africa. Ironically both worked hand in glove to obliterate Ethiopia and share the spoils. TPLF took Addis Ababa in 1991 and Isaias’ Shabia took Asmara and declared independence in a referendum, a whopping 99.83% supporting secession from Ethiopia responding to a sole questionnaire asking to choose between slavery and freedom. The much vaunted wild  ‘vision’ of making Eritrea the Singapore of Africa was shattered for the assumption of making Ethiopia as Eritrea’s market for its industrial products became untenable.

The duo split for economic reasons without which political power cannot be sustained. The two dictators are now miserably desperate misruling impoverished countries and for that reason it is highly improbable that they have the stamina to wage war. If they do against so many odds one should expect refugees and army deserters flowing in both directions.  The final solution may then be reversion to the Federation ante, which was dismantled by the Imperial regime.

Factors to consider

Following factors should be considered in the prediction of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea:

1. Degree to which the two arrogant and belligerent tyrants asses their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis, comprehensively and objectively, will be a determinant factor one way or another. If done properly, the outcome of the SWOT analysis should tell the duo that it is suicidal for both to engage in a major military clash. But experience shows that both are driven by petty pride;
2. Independence, strength, agility and dedication of civil societies: Independent civil societies do not exist in both countries to organize and hold public demonstrations to oppose hostilities. But Ethiopians and Eritreans in the Diaspora can collaboratively mount opposition to war between the peoples ruled under duress and suffering abject poverty;
3. Influence by foreign interests: The two dictators are surrogates of foreign powers that drive them on a collision course. Delinking Isaias from Al Shabab through concerted persuasion of the international community will make Zenawi irrelevant to the West, especially to the USA and U.K, and thus weakening his rationale and appetite for waging war.
4. Intervention by the AU and UN: These two international bodies can play diplomatic role to avert war; Ethiopians and Eritreans should collaborate to engage both of them to act positively;
5. Unemployed youth: The rampant unemployment of the youth in the region provide a convenient pool of available manpower suitable for conscripting the young into the military for short training and then deploy them  as fighters. Parents and civil societies on both sides should influence their children not to fall prey to the propaganda of their dictatorial rulers and engage in an unjust senseless war once again between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Readers may consider the above and add more of their own to predict whether or not war may breakout between Ethiopia and Eritrea. As for me the danger for war does exist given the saber rattling stance between Meles Zenawi and Isaias Afeworqi and their rivalry for regional hegemony.

Lastly, I am reminded of a distinguished Professor who told me about Murphy’s Law and the next day, almost in tears, complained that he lost his document while giving it the last touch on his laptop for presentation to his employers.” What can happen, will happen” according to Murphy’s Law; let us all work hard and pray in earnest so that war between Ethiopia and Eritrea won’t happen ever again.

Release Andualem Aragie, Eskinder Nega and all political prisoners in Ethiopia immediately and unconditionally!

——-

LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA!!!

robele_ababya@yahoo.com

Habešská Odyssea (YeHabesha Jebdu) የሃበሻ ጀብዱ by Adolf Parlesak Translated by Techane Jobre Mekonnen ·

(United Nations) A group of independent United Nations human rights experts today spoke out against the ongoing use of anti-terrorism laws to curb freedom of expression in Ethiopia, where several journalists were recently given prison sentences under such legislation.

“Journalists play a crucial role in promoting accountability of public officials by investigating and informing the public about human rights violations,” said Frank La Rue, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression. “They should not face criminal proceedings for carrying out their legitimate work, let alone be severely punished.”

A week ago, three journalists and two opposition politicians were given prison sentences ranging from 14 years to life imprisonment under Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism laws. This followed the sentencing of two Swedish journalists to 11 years in prison in December, a news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated.

Another 24 defendants are scheduled to appear in court next month, for various charges under the anti-terrorism law, several of whom may face the death sentence if convicted.

Ben Emmerson, the Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, said that “the anti-terrorism provisions should not be abused and need to be clearly defined in Ethiopian criminal law to ensure that they do not go counter to internationally guaranteed human rights.”

The Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, emphasized that “journalists, bloggers and others advocating for increased respect for human rights should not be subject to pressure for the mere fact that their views are not in alignment with those of the Government.”

She voiced concern at the case of Eskinder Nega, a blogger and human rights defender who may face the death penalty if convicted. Mr. Nega has been advocating for reform on the issue of the right to assemble peacefully in public.

Similarly, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, cautioned against the ongoing campaign of harassment against associations expressing dissenting views, while Gabriela Knaul, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, deplored the reported failure to ensure the defendants’ right to a fair trial.

The experts called on the Ethiopian Government to respect the concerned individuals’ fundamental rights, especially their right to a fair trial, and reiterated the need to apply anti-terrorism legislation cautiously and in accordance with the country’s international human rights obligations.

The leaders in the EPRP organization who authorized the scanning and posting of the book published by Tsehai Publishers on debteraw.com committed an act that was illegal, unethical, and imprudent. To my mind, that marks it as “un-Ethiopian.”

As I have come to know Ethiopians in many traditions and walks of life, at first hand and through the reports of numerous scholars, I find them essentially law-respecting, ethical, and prudent human beings. Whether it is in observing the laws enacted by an Oromo gumi gayo assembly, a Sidamo town meeting, or Tigrayan court of justice, Ethiopians traditionally express a strong sense of devotion to validly formulated laws and judicial pronouncements. (This trait captured me memorably when, after the new Constitution of 1955 was published, janitors could be seen in the Department of Justice leaning on their brooms and studying it closely!)

Again, whatever religious belief system they follow–Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or the worship of Waak–Ethiopians exhibit a keen sense of respect for moral standards. What is more, I have found Ethiopians of many classes and ethnic groups to be mature in cautioning against impulsive and socially destructive behaviors. Indeed, what I have glossed as the culture of Wax and Gold reflects a wish to avoid saying things that will illicit negative reactions from those with whom they associate.

The brazen act of the debteraw.com website in scanning and posting the text of Tiglatchn by Mengistu Haile Mariam is patently illegal and so repeats the very behavior that they condemn. On this point, a number of attorneys have assured me that such action stands in clear violation of international and national copyright laws. Although the responsible party claims justification by virtue of a “Son of Sam Law” which prohibits criminals from profiting from their crimes by selling their stories, Colonel Mengistu, however, has not been paid for this book. The publisher not only gave him no money for the manuscript but stands to incur a loss in producing this publication.

It is, moreover, unethical, since it violates commonly shared ethical standards by virtue of responding to a displeasing act with an effort to destroy the perpetrator.

Finally, it is doubly imprudent. On the one hand, illegally posting this manuscript in digital form only serves to increase exponentially the distribution of what this website has condemned as a “book of lies.” Indeed, the point should be emphasized that such a wide distribution will likely strengthen the credibility and endurance of Mengistu’s claims rather than their condemnation. What is more, it aborts the opportunity that publication provides for serious critical scrutiny of a book that patently contains a great number of unsustainable claims. This action might also discourage the Press from publishing a memoir of the EPRP.

On the other hand, the attack on Tsehai Publishers reinforces a tendency among Ethiopians to vilify and defame one another when they disagree. As I have argued for decades, this tendency stands to impede the formation of productive public discourse and to reinforce cycles of violent conflict.
The victim of this triply unscrupulous revenge, Tsehai publisher Elias Wondimu, is a truly heroic Ethiopian, who has invested a huge amount of his life in producing a harvest of publications that can help Ethiopians understand themselves and appreciate their rich traditions and complex society. I can think of no more appropriate response by all Ethiopians, including enlightened EPRP members, than to proceed forthwith to tsehaipublishers.com and order three books. It would be no less appropriate to send a contribution to the Press for the legal defense fund, which they will need to resolve the legal aspect of this unfortunate affair.
—
About the Author:
Donald N. Levine served as the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago. His research and teaching interests focus on classical social theory, modernization theory, Ethiopian studies, conflict theory and aikido, and philosophies of liberal education.

Source: Tadias