EPRDF regime's self image of ethnically Balkanized Ethiopia, established by late Dictator Melese Zenawie. Freedom of Press is Dead in ethnocracy based irridentism. Fertile land is grabbed by foreign speculators, over 5 million are starving. 500'000 kids are on the streets. Millions are displaced by force. The regime is arming proxy warriors. Dams are built wantonly risking the existence of millions of indigenous people. Eritreans Moles are Ruling even after seceding in 1991.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
The New Ehtiopian Premier Speech at the UN -28/092012
28 September 2012 – In his maiden speech to the United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemarim Desalegn, today said that his country will keep contributing to regional integration efforts, but its success in this regard will depend on conditions being met in two areas: peace and stability and the challenge of extremism, and issues related to its capacity to ensure sustainable development.
“We foresee huge possibilities for bringing the countries of the greater Horn of Africa together,” Prime Minister Desalegn told the 67th Assembly’s General Debate, taking place at UN Headquarters in New York, not long after assuming office in the wake of the death of his predecessor, long-serving Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, in August.
Prime Minister Desalegn noted that the Ethiopia has already made progress in regional integration, playing a “catalytic role” in laying the infrastructural basis for consolidating economic ties with the countries of the East Africa region.
“The electric power interconnections and the road networks that we have built, and are in the process of building with Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya and South Sudan, are emblematic of our resolve to play our part in regional integration. We are confident that Somalia and others, without exception, will follow suit,” he said. “But our success in all this hinges on a number of conditions being met, all of which are not exactly amenable to our unilateral initiative.”
In relation to peace and stability and the challenge of extremism in the region, he pointed to his country’s neighbours Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan.
Somalia has been undergoing a peace and national reconciliation process, with a series of landmark steps over recent months helping bring an end to the country’s eight-year political transition period. These steps included the adoption of a provisional constitution, the establishment of a new parliament and the selection of a new president.
However, despite the recent advances in its peace and national reconciliation process, Somalia – with the support of the UN-backed African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) – is still dealing with the impact of the Al-Shabaab militant group, which has been pushed out of Mogadishu but still controls some areas, primarily in south-central regions of the country.
“Somalia is gradually coming out of the woods,” Prime Minister Desalegn said. “But much and much more needs to be done in Somalia to ensure that the new Government stands on its own feet.”
He added, “We would be naive, however, if we believed that the enemies of peace of Somalia and the region are completely defeated. That is why it is so critical that the momentum is not lost in Somalia and Somalia's ownership of the process of national reconciliation is strengthened.”
On relations between Sudan and South, the Prime Minister said his country was pleased about the major progress in the peace process between the two, and is confident the two will maintain the momentum towards “durable” peace.
South Sudan became independent from Sudan in July last year, six years after the signing of the peace agreement that ended decades of warfare between the north and the south. However, the peace between the two countries came under threat in recent months over armed clashes along their common border and outstanding post-independence issues that have yet to be resolved.
Earlier this week, at talks held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, under the auspices of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, the two countries’ Governments signed agreements on security, the common border and economic relations.
“What has been achieved by the two parties over the last few days which culminated in the signing of the much anticipated agreements on vital matters is a significant breakthrough which needs to be consolidated and is used as a basis for resolving the still remaining outstanding issues,” the Ethiopian leader said. “We are confident the two parties appreciate how much their joint effort for a win-win outcome is so vital, not only for their peoples, but also for us all.”
In relation to Ethiopia’s capacity to ensure sustainable development, Prime Minister Desalegn stated that there is a huge deficit in international cooperation for the development of low income countries and those that are the least developed.
“At the end of the day, without ignoring other impediments to development, the major bottleneck for countries such as Ethiopia for ensuring sustainable development and successfully achieving the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) is related to shortfalls in development finance,” he said, referring to the eight MDGs, agreed on by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000, which set specific targets on poverty alleviation, education and environmental stability, in addition to other areas.
He added that the current global economic situation should never be allowed to detract attention from the critical need for development finance in low income countries, noting that Ethiopia’s challenge in this regard is compounded and made even worse by climate change and it seeks “effective cooperation” in this endeavour.
“This should rest on full commitment to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities,” he said. “It might be boring to repeat something that is universally acknowledged – while not having contributed to climate change, countries such as Ethiopia nonetheless happen to be the most affected.”
Prime Minister Desalegn is one of scores of world leaders and other high-level officials presenting their views and comments on issues of individual national and international relevance at the Assembly’s General Debate, which ends on 1 October.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Ethiopia's new leader takes oath of office
ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia's new Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn took the oath of office Friday, vowing to maintain the legacy of long-time ruler Meles Zenawi who died last month.
"I, Hailemariam Desalegn, in front of the parliament, accept to be the prime minister of Ethiopia," he said, as lawmakers banged on their desks in support.
Hailemariam, 47, was elected last week as the chairman of the ruling coalition Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which holds an overwhelming majority in parliament.
"With the decision of the EPRDF and the parliament, I am very happy to take the responsibility of being prime minister," he said, speaking after taking the oath with his hand on the bible.
A close ally of Meles as deputy prime minister and foreign minister since 2010, Hailemariam vowed to continue in the footsteps of the late ruler.
"We brought peace, democracy and development to the country," he said.
"Meles considered himself as a son of the people," he added, promising to continue "Meles's legacy without any change."
Some analysts have argued that Hailemariam will be handicapped by his relatively young age, lack of experience and the fact he was not part of the still powerful core of former rebels who seized power in 1991.
Education minister Demeke Mekonnen, elected last week as deputy chair of the EPRDF, was elected deputy prime minister, taking over the post from Hailemariam.
"I will serve the country and faithfully serve the prime minister," Demeke said as he took the oath.
He vouched his support for Hailemariam, praising his "leadership with the late prime minister" and his "significant role in the EPRDF regarding democracy, and the development of the country."
Hailemariam, a Protestant, comes from the minority Wolayta people, from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, where he was president for five years.
Demeke, from the Amhara people of Ethiopia's central highlands -- who make up around a quarter of the country's 84 million people -- is a Muslim.
"What is very surprising is that you now have in power a Protestant Wolayta and a Muslim Amhara," a Western diplomat told AFP, noting that for the first time neither of the top two leaders were members of Ethiopia's Orthodox church.
Meles, who died after a long illness aged 57, was hailed as an African hero and was a key Western ally in a region home to Al-Qaeda-linked groups, but was also criticised by rights groups for a crackdown on basic freedoms.
But in his acceptance speech Hailemariam appeared to address concerns by human rights groups, who have said the new leadership offers an opportunity for change.
"We will reinforce democracy and human rights in the country. If there are problems, we will fix it," Hailemariam said.
"We will work with human rights organisations, the national elections board and some opposition parties," he added.
Some analysts say Hailemariam's ethnic origins in the south of the country will play against him as many key figures, like Meles, hail from the Tigray region in the north of the country.
Others argue that on the contrary his position outside the Tigray power base will work in his favour.
"His ethnicity is considered an advantage, because it is a minority in a multi-ethnic region and, most importantly, not from the numerically dominant Oromo or Amhara," International Crisis Group said in a recent report.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Ethiopia to choose Meles successor - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za
Addis Ababa - Ethiopia's ruling coalition will hold a two-day governing council meeting from Friday to choose a leader to succeed former prime minister Meles Zenawi, who died last month, it said.
“The council assigns the chairperson of the organisation that replaces our great leader, who departed from us suddenly,” said an online statement Thursday by the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
During his 21 years in power, Meles was both EPRDF chairman and prime minister.
Government spokesman Bereket Simon told AFP that “automatically the chairperson will be the prime minister.”
However while this was the case under Meles, there is nothing to say that it will remain the same following his death, said a western diplomatic source in Addis Ababa.
After Meles's death, deputy prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn was quickly named interim prime minister and presented by the government as the natural successor to the long-time ruler, who had groomed Hailemariam as his heir.
Parliament, however, has not yet reconvened to confirm Hailemariam as the country's new leader.
An extraordinary session of parliament set for the end of August was cancelled and government spokesman Bereket told AFP that there was “no hurry” to reconvene the legislative body.
“There is no reason it will do it (reopen) before the last Monday of September,” Bereket said.
Hailemariam, 47, is considered an outsider compared to other core members of the ruling coalition, despite having held several high-ranking positions, including the post of foreign minister, according to analysts.
He did not participate in the guerilla war that ousted dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam from power in 1991 and does not come from the same northern Tigray region as Meles.
Hailemariam also belongs to Ethiopia's minority protestant faith rather than the country's dominant Christian Orthodox church. - Sapa-AFP
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Ethiopia’s ruling party prepares to elect new chairman - Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan
September 8, 2012 (ADDIS ABABA) - Ethiopia’s ruling coalition, the Ethiopia Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) is expected to hold a meeting on 16 September to elect the party’s new chairperson who also will most likely be the successor of the late prime minister, Meles Zenawi.
Following the death of Zenawi on 20 August, the deputy prime minister and foreign affairs Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn has been the acting prime minister of Ethiopia.
Desalegn was supposed to be officially sworn in on Thursday however the ruling party delayed the appointment raising concerns from opposition groups and uncertainty from the public on the viability of the post-Zenawi new leadership.
Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), one of the country’s biggest opposition groups on Wednesday said the fact that the country still remains to be led by an acting prime minister indicates the country is not in a full functional state and could create a power vacuum.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune some opposition groups have speculated that the delay on the appointment of country’s new leader might be due to internal conflict among the heavy weights within the EPRDF leadership.
The Ethiopian government has dismissed concerns from the public that the death of the late premier could create power vacuum in the horn of Africa’s nation.
According to government officials, the newly elected chairman of the ruling EPRDF party will most likely take on the government until next elections in 2015.
“We are expecting the council meeting to be on the 16th,” Seikoture Getachew, the foreign relations head at the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front’s secretariat, told Bloomberg.
“There will be the assignment of chairperson and deputy chairperson.” He added.
Ethiopia, on 2 September, held a state funeral of the country’s long-time leader.
Tens of thousands of people including dozens of African leaders and hundreds of foreign dignitaries’ attended the funeral.
All leaders of Ethiopia neighbour’s attended the funeral ceremony with the exception of Eritrea.
However the Red Sea nation which remains at loggerheads with Ethiopia over the unresolved border dispute has gave its respects over Zenawi’s death via Binyam Berhe, Eritrea’s envoy to the Africa Union.
Berhe signed at the condolences book and has also shook the hand of Azeb Mesfin, the wife of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a 1998-2000 border war over their disputed boundary that killed an estimated 70,000 people.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Is Ethiopia at dangerous crossroads?-PressTV
Is Ethiopia at dangerous crossroads?
Ethnic rivalries could be a source of instability. Meles Zenawi Asres was a Tigrayan, a group that accounts for 6% of the population but that came to dominate the political establishment under him.
The Amhara ethnic group traditionally ruled the country and is likely to lobby for one of their ruling party members to take over.
The death of the strongman raises questions about Ethiopia's influence over other neighbors. Adekeye Adebajo, executive director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution in South Africa, said:
"If a new government decides it has to focus internally, that could affect what happens in the region. If there is a weaker, less confident leader, it may mean Ethiopia is not so confident in playing that foreign policy role. That could have a direct impact on security in the Horn of Africa."
Domestic instability was "absolutely" possible, Adebajo said. "Meles's deputy is seen as quite competent and substantial but nobody has the same clout to keep the complicated coalition together.
Meles has always been seen as one of the most thoughtful leaders we produced as a continent. There will be a vacuum. They're in uncharted waters and it will take a while before we see what emerges."
Meles built one of the strongest armies on the continent, and it saw action in Somalia and Sudan with mixed results. In 1998 he went to war against neighboring Eritrea, costing tens of thousands of lives, and his demise creates fresh uncertainty among the sworn enemies.
When the Ethiopian military wanted to march all the way to the Eritrean capital, it was Meles who stopped them, Dowden said. "There was a crucial moment when Meles sacked hundreds of officers because they didn't like the settlement with Eritrea. I wonder now whether that might bubble up again, because it's never been settled."
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
ኢሕአዴግና የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትሩ ቦታ ጉዳይ
ኢሕአዴግና የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትሩ ቦታ ጉዳይ
የኢትዮጵያ ህዝቦች አብዮታዊ ዴሞክራሲ ግንባር /ኢህአዴግ/ ሥራ አስፈጻሚ ኮሚቴ መደበኛ ስብሰባ የተለያዩ ውሣኔዎችን አሣልፎ ማክሰኞ፤ ነሐሴ 29 ቀን 2004 ዓ.ም ማምሻውን ተጠናቅቋል።
ስብሰባው በተለይ ከጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር መለስ ዜናዊ ሕልፈት በኋላ ባሁኑ ወቅት «ሀገሪቱን እየመራ ያለው ማነው?» ለሚለው እጅግ አንገብጋቢ ጥያቄ በቂ ምላሽ ይሰጣል ተብሎ ተጠብቆ ነበር።
ትላንት ማታ ባሣለፋቸው ውሣኔዎች ላይ ግን ይህን አስመልክቶ በግልፅ እና በማያሻማ ቋንቋ የተገለፀ ነገር የለም።
የተባለው፥ “… የግንባሩን ሊቀ መንበርና ምክትል ሊቀ መንበር የመሰየም ጉዳይ የግንባሩ ምክር ቤት ሥልጣን በመሆኑ በመስከረም 2005 የመጀመሪያ ሣምንት በሚካሄደው የምክር ቤቱ ስብሰባ እንዲፈፀም የሥራ አስፈፃሚ ኮሚቴው ወስኗል …” ነው።
«ዲሞክራሲ በተግባር ፕሮግራም» ይህንኑ መነሻ ያደረገ ዝግጅት አለው። ሰሎሞን ክፍሌ የሕገ መንግሥት ባለሙያ ጋብዞ አወያይቷል።
ዝግጅቱን ያዳምጡ፡፡
ትላንት ማታ ባሣለፋቸው ውሣኔዎች ላይ ግን ይህን አስመልክቶ በግልፅ እና በማያሻማ ቋንቋ የተገለፀ ነገር የለም።
የተባለው፥ “… የግንባሩን ሊቀ መንበርና ምክትል ሊቀ መንበር የመሰየም ጉዳይ የግንባሩ ምክር ቤት ሥልጣን በመሆኑ በመስከረም 2005 የመጀመሪያ ሣምንት በሚካሄደው የምክር ቤቱ ስብሰባ እንዲፈፀም የሥራ አስፈፃሚ ኮሚቴው ወስኗል …” ነው።
«ዲሞክራሲ በተግባር ፕሮግራም» ይህንኑ መነሻ ያደረገ ዝግጅት አለው። ሰሎሞን ክፍሌ የሕገ መንግሥት ባለሙያ ጋብዞ አወያይቷል።
ዝግጅቱን ያዳምጡ፡፡
Ethiopia-power-transfer-getachew-metaferia
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Challenges for Ethiopia’s new leader - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za
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REUTERS
New Ethiopian leader Hailemariam Desalegn.
New Ethiopian leader Hailemariam Desalegn, relatively little-known and long overshadowed by his late mentor Meles Zenawi, faces tough challenges at home and in the volatile Horn of Africa.
In a rare peaceful handover of power for Ethiopia, former water engineer Hailemariam, 47, takes over as interim leader from Meles, who had ruled with an iron fist since toppling dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.
In a country long dominated by its major ethnic groups - most recently the Tigray people, like Meles - Hailemariam notably comes from the minority Wolayta people, from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, where he was president for five years.
A close ally of Meles as deputy prime minister and foreign minister since 2010, Hailemariam was elected deputy chair of the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), after the party's fourth win, a landslide victory in 2010.
But within the EPRDF, some of the most influential figures hail from the northern Tigray region, members of Meles's ex-rebel group turned political party, the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Analysts have suggested that several others are still jostling for power behind closed doors in the often secretive ruling coalition, even if in the open they are not taking part in the running for the top job of prime minister.
Hailemariam, while a protege of Meles, is therefore seen as an outsider by some, although many expect an outwardly smooth transition with little change in policy.
“Many see (Hailemariam) as a figurehead, part of a gesture by Meles and the ethnic Tigrayans to give more prominence to other ethnic groups,” said Jason Mosley of Britain's Chatham House think-tank.
Government spokesman Bereket Simon has said Hailemariam will remain in the post until national elections in 2015, although formally he must be selected by the ruling party, which holds all but one of the parliament's 547 seats.
But the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank suggests Hailemariam's appointment may be “window dressing, designed to placate potential critics, while the Tigrayan TPLF elite keep real power.”
Hailemariam - in Ethiopian tradition, known by his first name, meaning “the power of Saint Mary” - is also a Protestant, the first to lead Ethiopia, and unlike the majority of Ethiopia's Christians, who follow Orthodox traditions.
But others say Hailemariam's position outside the Tigray power base could in fact prove a strength.
“His ethnicity is considered an advantage, because it is a minority in a multi-ethnic region and, most importantly, not from the numerically dominant Oromo or Amhara,” the ICG added in a recent report.
Critics also point to his relatively young age, lack of experience and the fact he was not part of the rebel movement which toppled Mengistu, unlike many in the ruling elite.
Instead, Hailemariam, who studied civil engineering in Addis Ababa, was completing his master's degree at Finland's Tampere University when Mengistu fell.
“He is a political novice, he has not been part of the old guard, he has not been in the bushes fighting with the rebels when they fought against Mengistu,” exiled opposition leader and former mayor of Addis Ababa Berhanu Nega told the BBC.
“He is a Medvedev for a group of Putins in the ruling party with their own internal squabbles,” he added, drawing parallels with Russian political dynamics.
Rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have appealed for an end to what they criticised as a crackdown on opposition groups and journalists under Meles, but there is little beyond rhetoric to judge how Hailemariam will act.
At Meles's funeral, Hailemariam vowed that “all his initiatives will keep going forward”, and the interim prime minister has spoken enthusiastically about ensuring democracy and accountable rule for the country.
“Our path to a future of realistic development, peace and stability lies in acceptance and implementation of democratic norms, good governance and sustainable development,” Hailemariam said in at an international labour conference last year.
“We are well aware that development, evenly applied, decreases the probability of political exclusion, social disruption and misery. No one should be ignored. All must be part of the country's democratic decision-making process.”
Like Meles, Hailemariam has praised Ethiopia's close ties to both the West - most notably Washington - and to China, a key trade partner.
Speaking at the opening of the US embassy in Addis Ababa in 2011 he praised the “long-standing and time-tested relationship” with Washington, while he told Beijing's state broadcaster CCTV in July that Ethiopia's “cooperation with China is a win-win approach.” - AFP
Monday, September 3, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Ethiopia prepares first North Korean type state funeral after 80 years
The regime of the deadly dead Melse Zenawie is preparing a north Korean type funeral for Mlese Zenawie by forcing to hold candle light and public weeping all over the country.
Ethiopia has had a long line of leaders dying in secret, hidden behind closed doors, but not a long history of funerals.
Ethiopia has had a long line of leaders dying in secret, hidden behind closed doors, but not a long history of funerals.
In 1913, one of Ethiopia's most renowned emperors, Menelik II, died. His death remained a secret until 1916 when officials finally announced that he had succumbed to a stroke years earlier.
Haile Selassie, Ethiopia's last emperor, officially died of natural causes in 1975, but is widely believed to have been murdered by the brutal regime of Mengistu Hailemariam, suffocated and buried under a toilet.
Last month, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi died of an unknown illness after a mysterious, two month-long disappearance from public view, and will be buried on Sunday in the first state funeral for a leader in over 80 years.
The cloud of secrecy and gossip that has surrounded the deaths of several Ethiopian leaders stems from a desire to ensure a stable succession, according to analysts.
"If the death is announced there is the fear that it can provoke a lot of trouble because different people can ask for the throne," said Estelle Sohier from the University of Geneva, author of a book on Menelik.
"To hide a death of a leader is a way to spare time, to save time, to settle the succession," added Sohier.
Though Meles' death was announced hours after he died in a Brussels hospital, the secrecy surrounding his illness led some to question whether the government was getting its house in order to ensure a smooth transition.
Days after Meles died, the government confirmed that deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn will take over power until national elections in 2015.
Author Michela Wrong said this pattern of secrecy is common following the sudden deaths of leaders throughout Africa, not only in Ethiopia.
"The ruling elite is motivated by the desire to maintain the status quo, from which it benefits. It wants stability," she said.
Sohier draws parallels between the death of Menelik whose successor was disputed among the royal family, and the death of Meles, whose clear successor was not known until the government confirmed Hailemariam's takeover.
Ethiopia's constitution states the deputy will take over in the absence of the prime minister, but does not specify what happens in the case of the leader's death. Article 75 rest flow
Meles will be given a state funeral on Sunday, the first offered to a reigning head of state since the death of Empress Zawditu in 1930.
"This is the first time for 82 years that Ethiopians have had an opportunity to show what they think about their ruler," said Patrick Gilkes, an Ethiopia-based historian and author of "The Dying Lion," which examines feudalism in Ethiopia.
The gesture solidifies his memory in national history, pointing also to the fact that Ethiopians have not had a chance to mourn the loss of a leader in nearly a century following a series of rocky regime changes, observers say.
No public mourning was staged after Haile Selassie's death while Mengistu, who was deposed by Meles in 1991, is still alive in exile in Zimbabwe.
Immediately after Haile Selassie died, many people in Addis were "very sad" said Ethiopian journalist Tsegaye Tadesse, 78, who was in Addis Ababa at the time, but Mengistu's regime did not permit a public funeral.
"There was an outpouring of grief, yes, but it was limited," he said.
Haile Selassie's remains were exhumed in 1992 and a public funeral was held though the government did not hold a state funeral for the late emperor, who was buried in Addis Ababa's Trinity Cathedral, where Meles too will be buried.
The decision to bury the former Marxist leader in the same cathedral as Haile Selassie, deceased patriarchs of Ethiopia's Orthodox Church and war martyrs, suggests that authorities want Meles remembered as a national hero.
"Eulogising late leaders, while glossing over their very obvious faults, is something you see across the world," Wrong added. "The leaders who were being vilified up until a moment ago suddenly take on a new, golden aura."
Meles, while credited with widespread economic growth was also chided by critics for his human rights record.
But Tsegaye said Meles deserves a place in history among Ethiopia's finest for the development he brought to Ethiopia.
"We have got top leaders like Menelik II, Haile Selassie, but Meles, he is in my opinion even better than the others," he said.
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