Friday, August 17, 2007
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN OGADEN- ETHIOPIAN CIVIC AND MEDIA GROUPS SPEAKING OUT
To all Concerned Citizens and those in the International Community:
For Immediate Release: August 17, 2007.
We, the undersigned, as members of Ethiopian human rights organizations, Ethiopian civic organizations and in the Ethiopian religious community, call for immediate action to stop the outrageous human rights abuses going on in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia that is causing related wide scale humanitarian disaster to the civilian population due to the fighting between the Ethiopian government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the Ogaden National Liberation Forces (ONLF).
We appeal to Prime Minister Meles and the ONLF to call an immediate ceasefire on this conflict so as to allow all humanitarian organizations, including the International Red Cross, the Ogaden Human Rights organizations and other such groups to gain access to the area in order to help the people who are suffering due to displacement, lack of food, lack of clean water, lack of shelter, lack of medical care and lack of any semblance of normal life necessary to their survival and well being. This crisis is worsening by the moment and will result in many more lives being lost, especially the lives of the most vulnerable—the young and the elders.
We call on those in the international community—the United Nations, the African Union, the United States as a key ally to Ethiopia, the European Union and other concerned entities and citizens to take a stand for the innocent who are dying as a result of this crisis. We call you and all media to not be silent on this appalling human catastrophe before it worsens. Inaction and apathy will only bring about another example of shame to the international community if the Ogaden becomes another Darfur as good people fail to act with moral conviction, urgency and effectiveness!
To the Ethiopian government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and to the ONLF, we recommend the following actions by the EPRDF and the ONLF:
(1) agree to comply with an immediate ceasefire, something that requires the total cooperation of both parties if it is going to be effective
(2) provide for safe and unrestricted access into the region by all humanitarian groups in order to meet the needs of the civilian population
(3) organize a dialogue between the EPRDF government and the ONLF and Ogaden community, including the Ogaden Human Rights Committee, with the goal of finding a peaceful resolution to this crisis and one that respects the universal human rights of all civilians and compliance with the Ethiopian Constitution and International Law.
Right now, we who are calling for this action have information from the ground on what is going on, but the Ethiopian government appears to be diverting the attention of both other Ethiopians and of those in the international community away from the tragedy going on in the Ogaden. PM Meles has called the ONLF, a terrorist group, even while the EPRDF are reportedly perpetrating crimes against humanity against the civilian population in the Ogaden and in other regions of the country such as Oromia, Gambella and Afar. The prime minister may believe that classifying the ONLF as terrorists would open up a means to legitimize the killing of Ogadeni civilians who are caught between. However, according to representatives from the ONLF, they believe they must defend the Ogadeni people and call on the EPRDF to cease committing human rights atrocities against their people.
This past week, PM Meles was on Ethiopian television warning Ethiopians to not speak up for the ONLF as they are terrorists and that his government intends to “crack down” on these terrorists. He went on to say that those who supported the ONLF would be supporting a terrorist group. Some would say that any support of the EPRDF who is responsible for crimes against humanity should be considered a terrorist.
Additionally PM Meles seemed to want to refocus the attention of the international community and Ethiopians inside and outside of the country on the upcoming Ethiopian Millennium celebration as well as to infer that the majority of Ethiopians should be happy that he had released the CUD leaders and that their minds should be on these things instead of what was going on in the Ogaden.
Instead, Ethiopians should say a loud “NO” and speak out for Ethiopian Ogadenis like we spoke out in protest of the student protesters in Addis Ababa in June and November of 2005 and for the Opposition leaders who were just released.
We should shout with one voice for our brothers and sisters of the Ogaden as well as for those left in the prisons throughout our country and use the same volume we did for these groups until we all are free! We must continue to rally, protest and advocate for all Ethiopians until the killing, torture, rape, detention and manmade humanitarian crises, causing untold suffering to our people, stop.
We call on the international community and all peace-loving people to stand up, in real life and in practical action, for the principles you have established based on universal values of humanity and justice.
For additional information, please contact: Mr. Girma Kassa
E-mail: girmakassa@sbcglobal.net
Abugida Info
Addis voice
Anuak Justice Council
Ethiopian Media Forum (EMF)
Ethiopian American Association of Portland
Ethiopian Review
Kaliti Peace Advocacy Group
Network of Ethiopian Scholars Scandinavian Chapter
Ogaden Human Rights Committee
Ogaden Voice for Peace
Ogaden Empowerment Initiatives
Ogaden Youth Network
Peacewithkinijit Blog
Tegbar League
For Immediate Release: August 17, 2007.
We, the undersigned, as members of Ethiopian human rights organizations, Ethiopian civic organizations and in the Ethiopian religious community, call for immediate action to stop the outrageous human rights abuses going on in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia that is causing related wide scale humanitarian disaster to the civilian population due to the fighting between the Ethiopian government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the Ogaden National Liberation Forces (ONLF).
We appeal to Prime Minister Meles and the ONLF to call an immediate ceasefire on this conflict so as to allow all humanitarian organizations, including the International Red Cross, the Ogaden Human Rights organizations and other such groups to gain access to the area in order to help the people who are suffering due to displacement, lack of food, lack of clean water, lack of shelter, lack of medical care and lack of any semblance of normal life necessary to their survival and well being. This crisis is worsening by the moment and will result in many more lives being lost, especially the lives of the most vulnerable—the young and the elders.
We call on those in the international community—the United Nations, the African Union, the United States as a key ally to Ethiopia, the European Union and other concerned entities and citizens to take a stand for the innocent who are dying as a result of this crisis. We call you and all media to not be silent on this appalling human catastrophe before it worsens. Inaction and apathy will only bring about another example of shame to the international community if the Ogaden becomes another Darfur as good people fail to act with moral conviction, urgency and effectiveness!
To the Ethiopian government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and to the ONLF, we recommend the following actions by the EPRDF and the ONLF:
(1) agree to comply with an immediate ceasefire, something that requires the total cooperation of both parties if it is going to be effective
(2) provide for safe and unrestricted access into the region by all humanitarian groups in order to meet the needs of the civilian population
(3) organize a dialogue between the EPRDF government and the ONLF and Ogaden community, including the Ogaden Human Rights Committee, with the goal of finding a peaceful resolution to this crisis and one that respects the universal human rights of all civilians and compliance with the Ethiopian Constitution and International Law.
Right now, we who are calling for this action have information from the ground on what is going on, but the Ethiopian government appears to be diverting the attention of both other Ethiopians and of those in the international community away from the tragedy going on in the Ogaden. PM Meles has called the ONLF, a terrorist group, even while the EPRDF are reportedly perpetrating crimes against humanity against the civilian population in the Ogaden and in other regions of the country such as Oromia, Gambella and Afar. The prime minister may believe that classifying the ONLF as terrorists would open up a means to legitimize the killing of Ogadeni civilians who are caught between. However, according to representatives from the ONLF, they believe they must defend the Ogadeni people and call on the EPRDF to cease committing human rights atrocities against their people.
This past week, PM Meles was on Ethiopian television warning Ethiopians to not speak up for the ONLF as they are terrorists and that his government intends to “crack down” on these terrorists. He went on to say that those who supported the ONLF would be supporting a terrorist group. Some would say that any support of the EPRDF who is responsible for crimes against humanity should be considered a terrorist.
Additionally PM Meles seemed to want to refocus the attention of the international community and Ethiopians inside and outside of the country on the upcoming Ethiopian Millennium celebration as well as to infer that the majority of Ethiopians should be happy that he had released the CUD leaders and that their minds should be on these things instead of what was going on in the Ogaden.
Instead, Ethiopians should say a loud “NO” and speak out for Ethiopian Ogadenis like we spoke out in protest of the student protesters in Addis Ababa in June and November of 2005 and for the Opposition leaders who were just released.
We should shout with one voice for our brothers and sisters of the Ogaden as well as for those left in the prisons throughout our country and use the same volume we did for these groups until we all are free! We must continue to rally, protest and advocate for all Ethiopians until the killing, torture, rape, detention and manmade humanitarian crises, causing untold suffering to our people, stop.
We call on the international community and all peace-loving people to stand up, in real life and in practical action, for the principles you have established based on universal values of humanity and justice.
For additional information, please contact: Mr. Girma Kassa
E-mail: girmakassa@sbcglobal.net
Abugida Info
Addis voice
Anuak Justice Council
Ethiopian Media Forum (EMF)
Ethiopian American Association of Portland
Ethiopian Review
Kaliti Peace Advocacy Group
Network of Ethiopian Scholars Scandinavian Chapter
Ogaden Human Rights Committee
Ogaden Voice for Peace
Ogaden Empowerment Initiatives
Ogaden Youth Network
Peacewithkinijit Blog
Tegbar League
Friday, August 03, 2007
THE WAY FORWARD - 7 RECOMMENDATIONS
Girma Kassa /Chicago
Muziky68@yahoo.com
August 3, 2007
Muziky68@yahoo.com
August 3, 2007
Two weeks ago cudp leaders, popular human right activists, reporters... were released from the notorious Kaliti prison. Why did the regime release them? Why now? What were the terms and the conditions of their release? I will prefer to defer these questions for some other time while I focus mainly on the important question that many Ethiopians are asking today. What next?
The release of some prisoners was a first step in the right direction. However, it is not the end by itself. One must not forget that prisoners landed in kaliti prison in the first place for a reason and for a noble cause to build an Ethiopia that is prosperous, democratic and united where its citizens are not living in fear and tyranny anymore, regardless of their age, gender, religion and ethnic affiliation.
Unfortunately, what we observe lately from Addis Ababa is not encouraging. There are still thousands of political prisoners (from Kinijit, ONC, OLC, ONLF, civic groups ...) who are still languishing in prison all over the country.
Contrary to what they agreed, the EPRDF officials are trying to deny the released prisoners the right to continue their political activity under the name “KINIJIT”. They are using the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) as their tool to systematically block CUD leaders their constitutional right of self-association. (The NEBE is an institution that is 100% controlled by the regime).
The public media (ETV, Radio Fana ...) failed to report to the public the recently released two statements of CUD when the VOA, DW and other international media outlets are widely reporting them. We have listened the Prime Minister Meles, Ato Bereket, Ato Lidetu, Ato Temesguen on Ethiopian Television. However, there were no interviews of Eng Hailu Shawel, Judge Birtukan Mideksa, Ato Siye Abraham or any released prisoner. This show the determination of the ruling party to directly or indirectly stifle CUDP leaders and its serious challengers like Ato Siye from having access to the public. (So much for democratic culture)
For their own sake, Prime Minister Meles and his friends must come to terms with the truth and the reality. They need to listen the advice of their former comrade, Ato Siye Abraham, who emphatically said that there will be no peace where there the law is not ruling. They need to open up their heart for a genuine reconciliation.
The solution for our country is only dialog. As long as there is honesty and understanding from all sides, it is very easy to tackle any problems together. As Dr Yacob Hailemaiam once wrote from Kaliti prison, the difference between EPRDF and CUDP is minor as long as there is a positive attitude (Kenenet) from all sides.
It is therefore with good intention and respect for all parties that I respectfully lay down seven recommendations that could help us move forward. I call for:
1. the ruling party to unconditionally release the remaining political prisoners that are still languishing in various jails all over the country.
2. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to resign. I think the nation is grateful for his 16 years public service. As his friend Tony Blair did, it is time for him to step aside. Individuals like the former popular mayor of Addis Ababa, Ato Arkebe Ekoubay or the former military strategist and the then chief of staff, General Tsadkan Gebre Egziabeher may constitutionally replace Ato Meles and take the premiership on a provisional basis.
3. The CUD leadership to assume the administration of Addis Ababa and join the current Ethiopian parliament.
4. The formation of an independent commission that implements ways to improve and establish democratic institutions. The media, the national board of election, the judiciary, the Police, the armed forces must all be free from a one party control.
5. The various armed groups (OLF, ONLF …) to renounce violence and join the peaceful political process. Violence and the resort to armed struggle will never bring solution to our country. The culture to solve difference with a barrel of the gun must be put to an end once and for all.
6. The ruling party to allow exiled political parties (EPRP, MEISON ..) legally function within Ethiopia.
7. A speedy peaceful resolution with Eritrea and the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Somalia.
It is my hope and prayer that all parties will heed my call and join together to work for freedom, peace, equality and good governance so that we can, together, focus our energy to combat our common enemies: poverty, disease and illiteracy.
Though, it seems impossible or difficult to achieve the above 7 recommendations, with the Almighty God on our side anything is possible.
May God Bless Ethiopia!
