" Ethnic right issue has never been a problem in Eritrea, it is exaggerated by some but to tell you the truth all 9 ethnics in Eritrea have equal rights and all have offered their lives to the armed struggle [for independence], I can not see that Tigrigna speakers have more rights than the others. "
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Interview with an Eritrean opposition Yonathan Sebhatu
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Special Edition | Post-Meles Zenawi 2012
Special edition| Post-Meles 2012 Collection of exclusive interviews, opinion pieces and news digests covering the four moths after Meles. ************************** *PM Hailemariam’s first 100 days ************************** "In this digest, a summary of outstanding developments of economic interest since late August is presented…" *Post-Meles: Economic Digest (Guesh) ************************** "Meles Zenawi, …
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Mek’ele vessel’s name corrected after public backlash
Ethiopian Shipping & Logistics Services Enterprise corrected the Geez inscription on the controversial Mek’ele vessel body, after weeks of lobbying. Historian Gebrekidan Desta urge there is more to be done. Mek’ele vessel – named after the capital of Tigrai state, was delivered by the Chinese ship builder firm six weeks …
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Eskinder Nega's newspaper justifying the Holocaust
We, Habesha people, didn’t learn from the Germans. We couldn’t even preserve the history of our fathers. We are humiliated. Indeed, very humiliated. We should have acted with determination to eliminate racists and traitors from the face of Ethiopia. If we lacked the courage to do that, we should have …
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Eskinder Nega’s paper preaching genocide
[This the third piece of the series on Eskinder Nega. (Please read the first here (link) and the second here (link)] The mindless repeated praise of Eskinder Nega’s newspapers is not necessarily a conspiracy against Ethiopia or the Jewish. A number of short-sighted considerations as well as mediocrity partly explain …
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When Binary Politics Assaults the Ethiopian Identity
Right from the outset, I would like to remind readers, who may care to know, that my humble attempt to indulge into such subject of complex nature emanates from a serious personal concern over the recently unleashed assault by some sections of the cyber community on the Ethiopian identity in …
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Special report| Ethiopian Sugar Corporation’s “May Day Dam”
[HornAffairs staff Fetsum Berhane visited the project sites of Ethiopian Sugar Corporation this month. This is the first of his series of reports on the mega projects] The construction of the May Day dam, a massive dam being built for irrigation of the Welkait sugar plantation, in Tigrai region, is now 30% complete. A visit to the site by HornAffairs confirmed the completion of “the coffer dam”, which is part of the main dam that serves as a barrier between the main dam and the river. May Day irrigation dam is being built on Zarema River, which joins Mereb River, a tributary of Blue Nile River. Zarema River is one of the four rivers that border the “Waldeba monastery’’ which is considered a holy land and believed to be a land designated not “to be tilled” by God. The dam was named May Day to commemorate the area that served as a cadre and military training ground for TPLF, one of the member parties of the ruling coalition, exactly 23 years ago. Wolkait Sugar Project, May Day Dam (under construction) The construction of the dam on the river met a strong opposition from one of the two main Monks’ associations [...]
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Ethiopia : A country in the grip of a threefold transition
(René Lefort) * It may be that, in Ethiopia, history is so powerful that the past permeates the present, and it repeats itself. In this case, what we see today is simply another interregnum between two powerful men. “Can you tell me who is in charge in the government?”, asks Tamrat Gebregiorgis, publisher of the reference weekly Addis Fortune, at the latest of the regular press conferences held by Prime Minister Hailmariam Dessalegn. He replies by first underlining the efforts being made to remedy a few small defects like corruption, then rounds off with a joke: the answer is probably in your “gossip columns”. The effrontery of the question was staggering. It would have been inconceivable during the reign of previous Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died in August 2012. It would also have been groundless: he held sole sway at the summit of the Party/State pyramid. On the tier below, the key figures of the TPLF (Tigrean People’s Liberation Front) were in command, including the immense public and semi-public sector of the “modern” economy. The other three components of the de facto single party, the EPRDF (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front), were largely satellites of the Front. Finally, with [...]
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‘TPLF-firms’ recovering from debts, losses: CEO Azeb Mesfin
Chief Executive Officer of EFFORT Group, Azeb Mesfin, claimed that the conglomerate is recovering from losses and Bank debts accumulated for more than a decade. EFFORT (Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigrai) was established in 1995 – with the primary objective of “contributing to the sustainable development efforts” in the war-torn northern state – with funds donated by the Tigrai People Liberation Front (TPLF – a member of the ruling party EPRDF) acquired during the armed struggle. EFFORT’s firms are often described as parastatals, due to the overlap between the management and TPLF leadership, even though the conglomerate was established as Endowment, i.e., the initial donor will have no claim to the capital nor to the profits. CEO Azeb Mesfin, who is a member of the 9-person TPLF executive committee and and widow of the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, highlighted the state of the company in an interview aired last month. Several of the key EFFORT’s subsidiaries have been either swamped in loss or bank debt or suffering from lack of strategic leadership, Azeb Mesfin told speaking to Demtsi-Weyane Radio – a broadcaster based in Tigrai state and owned by EFFORT. In the two and half years, since [...]
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UN report: Eritrea-backed rebel TPDM has tens of thousands fighters
United Nations’ report indicated that Eritrea continued propping up Tigrai People’s Democratic Movement (TPDM) in violation of Security Council resolution 1907 (2009). The latest report of the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, released last week, depicts TPDM (a.k.a. “Demhit”) as the strongest among Eritrea-based Ethiopian rebel groups with around 20,000 fighters. The UN monitors learnt from multiple sources that “weapons in the logistics department of Eritrea Defence Forces (EDF) are being systematically transferred to TPDM. The report added: “A reliable former senior Eritrean military source told the Group that he was informed by his former colleagues that the following weapons had been transferred from EDF to the TPDM in autumn 2013, most likely during the month of September: sniper rifles, Walther PP semi-automatic pistols, Doshkas, Tokarev T pistols, and binoculars”. TPDM (a.k.a. “Demhit”) was founded in 2001, immediately after the end of the Ethio-Eritrea border war, when Asmara’s decided to continue the war by proxy. Its members are drawn from the northern region, Tigrai. While Ethiopian officials often claim TPDM is mostly consisted of fugitives and mercenaries, the report describes them as “dissidents from Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)” – the regional wing of the Ethiopian ruling part. [...]
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Tigray: 30 years after hell on earth…
(Greg Dorey – UK’s Ambassador to Ethiopia) The latest Band Aid song focuses on Ebola. Rightly so, whether or not you agree with all the lyrics. During the festive season 30 years ago, when the original track was cut, the focus was on Ethiopia – specifically the northern region of Tigray. Everyone old enough will recall the news reports and the images accompanying that 1984 song. Starving and lifeless children. Desperate parents. Dry, baked earth. Flies. Tigray was understandably described as “hell on earth”. The 1984 famine was “biblical”. Eight million people were directly affected. Up to a million died. Warfare and severe drought were the main causes. Bob Geldof launched Band Aid and the public response was immense. When we visited Tigray last week the Regional President told us: “help from the people of the UK is something we still remember until now”. The 7-minute BBC report which drew attention to the famine has been called the most influential TV footage of all time. And the famine images still affect the perceptions of many people when they hear about Ethiopia. But 30 years later, the reality couldn’t be more different. Today’s Tigray must represent one of the most impressive [...]
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Mekele becomes the first Ethiopian city to ban tobacco smoking
Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, has become the first Ethiopian city to ban tobacco smoking in public places, according to a story in The Sudan Tribune. A bill banning smoking was passed unanimously last year by Ethiopian lawmakers and Mekelle has become the first city to implement the bill’s regulations. The new law restricts smoking in enclosed public places, such as bars and restaurants, but also in open spaces, including sports venues, schools, hospitals, health centres, and other areas where cultural and religious events take place. The law requires all public and private bodies to post ‘No Smoking’ signs on their premises and forbids the media from advertising or promoting tobacco products. According to sources in Mekelle, individuals caught violating the regulations will be fined $50, while bar owners who fail to enforce the new laws will face a $150 fine. ******** Source: Tobacco Reporter – January 13, 2015 More from Horn Affairs EnglishMek’ele vessel’s name corrected after public backlashTigray: 30 years after hell on earth…Africa50 | Ethiopia, Sudan to hold commemorative football matchHealth heroes: Ethiopian Women taking the lead[Press release]: Ethiopia needs $329.8 mln to feed 4.6 mlnShipping line denies misnaming Mek’ele vessel
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8 facts you may not know about Yohannes IV
This list is an extract of a study by the renowned Ethiopian scholar Richard Pankhurst titled “Innovation and Misoneism during the Reign of Emperor Yohannes IV (1872.1889)”, you are invited to read the study in it’s entirety. 1. Urban Development Dabra Tabor – The Emperor, on assuming the throne, travelled to Dabra Tabor,Tewodros’s former capital in Bagemder, and established a new palace and other buildings at nearby Samara. He also ordered the construction nearby of the modern-style church of Hiruy Giyorgis, which was erected with the help of an Italian craftsman Giacomo Naretti. Desse – Yohannes had one other notable urban achievement to his credit: the founding of the town of Desse, soon to emerge as the capital of Wallo. The settlement was established in 1882, and commemorated that year’s Great Comet. 2. Medicine Physician – The second field of traditional innovation in which Yohannes played a prominent role was medicine. He accepted the presence at his court in 1885.86 of a Greek physician, Dr. Nicholas Parisis, lent by King George I of the Hellenes. Yohannes was thus the first Ethiopian ruler to have his personal physician. Vaccination – Parisis was, however, more than a mere court physician. He introduced [...]
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Ethiopia: Oppositions report fourth post-election death
Semayawi and Arena-Tigrai parties reported two deaths putting the total post-election death claims at four, coupled with those from Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). Semayawi party’s founding member and parliamentary candidate for Debre Markos electoral district was attacked by two men last Monday around 8pm. Samuel Awoke, 29, a practicing lawyer and secretary of the party for east Gojam zone, was heading home, after spending the evening with friends. He passed away soon after being ushered to hospital, according to the party. Samuel’s June 3 facebook status update, that asserted “they can arrest me physically but not my conscience – in case they kill me, carry on my struggle” have went viral after his death. On that post, he accused ANDM/EPRDF, the ruling party’s Amhara state wing, for orchestrating his April 29 severe beating. A statement from Semayawi party said, “We won’t beg for the prosecution of the criminals as they are part of the government.” Amhara state government, however, denied the charges. The State’s spokesperson, Nigussu Tilahun, told HornAffairs that the cause of death was non-political. According to Nigussu, the deceased was attacked by disgruntled clients who were unhappy by his handling of their court cases and that one of [...]
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Mekele Univ. honors Bob Geldof, Kiros Alemayehu, the Robisons
Mek’ele University today awarded honorary doctorates to four distinguished individuals on its 23 graduation ceremony. The awardees are Tigrigna music icon Kiros Alemayehu, rock star and Irish humanitarian Sir Bob Geldof and Max and Kathryn Robinson, founders of Nicholas Robinson School in Mek’ele city. Kiros Alemayehu, was a songwriter, singer and influential artist that is dubbed as the king of Tigrigna music by many. He popularized Tigrigna songs through his albums to the non-Tigrigna speaking Ethiopians. A memorial library is under construction in Wukro near his birthplace. Kiros’s wife and sons received the award on behalf of him. Sir Bob Geldof, an Irish singer-songwriter, author and international activist, is widely recognized for responding to a BBC news report from Michael Buerk about the famine in Ethiopia by mobilizing the world to do something through his organization, Band Aid. Geldof wasn’t present to receive the award but made an acceptance speech read for him in which he said he is proud that his name is associated with Ethiopia. His award was given to him through two Ethiopian representatives that are survivors of the famine for which his role was honored. Max and Kathryn Robinson are being honored for the school they [...]
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Ethiopia: Mekelle’s smoking ban is actually working
(Karim Lebhour) The bars and cafes are full and lively in the northern Ethiopian town of Mekelle — but they are no longer smoke-filled, with the strict implementation of a smoking ban in public places. “It’s a good thing,” said Hiriti, the owner of a small bar in a busy street. “Of course, some customers are not happy, but it also depends on the way you tell them not to smoke. “I tell them it is not only about the law. It is also about your health,” he said. “They react better if you tell them that way.” The town of Mekelle is bucking the trend in Africa where tobacco use is increasing driven by companies that see a growing market on the continent amid a tightening of smoking laws elsewhere. Tobacco consumption in Africa — excluding South Africa — increased by almost 70 percent between 1990 and 2010, according to a study by the American Cancer Society. The number of African smokers could grow by 40 percent by 2030, the study predicted. Ethiopia is not the first country to impose a ban, but is one of the few to act on the law. Kenya’s capital Nairobi has designated smoking [...]
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Ethiopia| TPLF: 11 Points to Address During its Upcoming Congress
(Shishay Amare Gebremeskel) Since the beginning of the armed struggle of the people of Tigrai lead by the rebel organization Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), several and historical General Assembly (GA) meetings have been held. As outcomes of the meetings, history tells us majority of key decisions lead to success of the struggle have been made as per the ideas being raised from the wide GA members. This history revealed us top decisions to be made exclusively by individual interests of high rank leaders are usually less productive or sometimes caustic. The members are ideally assumed to represent the wide people and are expected to speak real public interests. All concerns of the politics should ultimately focus on: How the people could better be benefited? What kind of leadership team best apt the people to lead the overall transformation? It is by answering these questions that TPLF can reclaim the full-spirit support of its backbone (the people of Tigrai), which had been almost 100% up to the bad time (2001 riven). The upcoming congress may be great opportunity for TPLF to address the burning public interests by really homogenizing the leadership and the people thereby fixing basic development hindrances. “ገ [...]
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AfDB approves loan for Adama, Adwa, Bichena and Gode water projects
(AfDB) The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 approved a loan of US $76.11 million from the AfDB financing window to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for the implementation of the Four Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Program. The four program beneficiary towns are Adama in Oromiya Regional State, Adwa in Tigray Regional State, Bichena in Amhara Regional State and Gode in Somali Regional State. The program aims to improve the health and socio-economic development of the residents of the four towns through increased access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services and improvement in service delivery. The aggregate average water supply and sanitation access in the four beneficiary towns is estimated at 53% for water supply and 76% for sanitation and the program plans to increase both to 100% by 2020, benefiting 635,000 residents of the towns and approximately 227,000 people in other nearby villages, towns and rural population indirectly. The project aims at increasing the water production capacities, improvement in distribution systems, provision of public latrines, improvement in collection and disposal of faecal sludge and capacity development of the regional water bureaus and utilities. The program’s outcomes [...]
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Exclusive| Abay Tsehaye: Oromos know who robbed, maltreated them
Ethnic baiting targeting TPLF and Tigrayans in connection with the protests in Oromia is a diversionary tactic, said Minister Abay Tsehaye Director of the Policy Study and Research Center. Abay Tsehaye, who doubles as special adviser to the Prime Minister, made the remark in an exclusive interview with Horn Affairs. The remark was prompted after the US based media OMN released an alleged leaked audio of Abay Tsehaye regarding the integrated development plan for Addis Ababa and surrounding Oromia areas, a.k.a master plan, and the protests against it. The master plan was the rallying cause of the April 2014 protests that rocked Oromia for almost two months since mid-November 2015. OMN released an audio claiming it was recorded during a meeting in Gondar city on December 31 and that Abay Tsehaye was rebuking senior officials of Oromia region who were present in the meeting. The media had released another audio in February 2015 alleging that Abay Tsehaye declared the master plan would be implemented regardless oppositions. Abay Tsehaye, however, denied the allegations. He said that he didn’t attend a meeting in Gondar, be it this year, last or the year before. He further argued some the statements attributed to him [...]
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VOA Spending American Tax Dollars in Fomenting Unrest in Ethiopia
The past two months were high time for Anti-Ethiopian groups. The El Nino drought and the unrest in Oromia state were a rare opportunity for diaspora based groups that always wished and tried to violent overthrow of the constitutional order. However, they were denied of options except holding photo-ops in Eritrea. This year was different, it was like a dream come true, for them off course. The El Nino drought affected nearly 20% of the population, an economic slowdown that creates fertile ground for discontent. The drought and its handling didn’t generate enough trouble for them to utilize as was seen from the level of their activities. But then comes the unrest in Oromia. The unrest, which was the result of an exceptional bad governance in the state, ended up in the people airing their grievances. The diaspora based far right groups were reluctant at first on whether to back the protests, after all the protesters are the antithesis to everything they stand for. As months went by the attempted to co-opt and even hijack the Oromia protests, only to end in failure. It was then that they came up with a new unrest plan that will give them a [...]
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