News: Congress for #Somali Cause firmly urges PM Abiy Ahmed to recant his statement on “Karamara Victory”

The Congress for Somali Cause (CSC) has urged Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to recant his statement in which he mentioned “Karamara Victory” during the launching ceremony of his third book ‘Generation Medemer’ on March 18, 2023.

The statement by the congress claims that Karamara is not a place of victory over Somalis or a site of celebration, instead, it is remembered as the “tragic execution” of Somali notables in #Jigjiga, including Sultan Dheeg Heebaan, Sultan Ali Hussein, Sultan Odowaa, Ugaas Rooble Doodi, Mohmed Yusuf Qiiq, and 80 others.

The Congress has fiercely censured the statement and insisted that PM Abiy should apologize for any offense he may have caused labeling his statement as offending and insensitive as it ignores the “tragic history” of Karamara and attempts to further denigrate and humiliate Somalis in Ethiopia.

https://addisstandard.com/news-congress-for-somali-cause-firmly-urge-pm-abiy-ahmed-to-recant-his-statement-on-karamara-victory/

News: #Tigray asks federal govt to enforce withdrawal of #Amhara forces after rally in occupied Southern Tigray

Authorities in Tigray have asked the federal government of Ethiopia to work on and enforce the withdrawal of the Amhara armed forces from the Tigray Regional State territories, after a pro-Amhara ownership demonstration was held on Sunday 18 March in Alamata town, in Southern Tigray, which is under the occupation of Amhara forces.

In a statement released through its communication bureau the regional government asked for Amhara forces to withdraw as soon as possible, and called on the African Union (AU) and the international community to take meaningful action against atrocities committed in those areas on civilians.

“Yesterday 19 March 2023, an unacceptable demonstration was held in Alamata town by transporting a large number of people from various parts of Amhara Region, especially from Guba-Lafto, Woldiya and Raya Kobo districts,” the statement underlined. https://addisstandard.com/news-tigray-asks-federal-govt-to-enforce-withdrawal-of-amhara-forces-after-rally-in-occupied-southern-tigray/

News: #konso Zone in need of urgent assistance as drought devastates thousands

Urgent attention to the people of Konso who are exposed to severe damage due to drought, requested Solomon Soka, member of the House of Representatives for Konso Nation and director general of Information Network Security Administration (INSA).

Residents in the area are subjected to severe and devastating drought and displacement caused by a natural disaster, resulting in a lack of rain, which challenged their hard work and livelihood, according to Konso Zone government communication directorate.

The area has not received sufficient precipitation for over four consecutive years.

The lack of food and fodder is killing people and animals on daily basis. The issue continues to be concerning despite the assistance being provided by the zonal safety-net development program and other partners. A month ago, regional authorities in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s (#SNNP) regional state warned that the persistent drought in the Konso zone has threatened the lives of many.

https://addisstandard.com/news-konso-zone-in-need-of-urgent-drought-assistance-as-residents-reach-devastating-condition/

News: Lawmakers from #Oromia urge #AU to “intervene and negotiate” to end conflict in Oromia, repeat call for warring parties

Ethiopian members of the national parliament who are elected from Oromia regional state, sent a letter to the African Union suggesting the continental body to “intervene and negotiate to reach an agreement” to resolve the war in Oromia that has been going on for almost five years between the Oromo Liberation Army and the Ethiopian government.

In a letter addressed to the AU, a copy of which is seen by #AddisStandard, the MPs said they would like to see a peaceful resolution between the warring parties.

Expressing their happiness over the AU brokered cessation of hostilities between the federal government and the TPLF, the lawmakers said they are “deeply saddened that [the] African Union underestimated the fighting that has claimed many lives in Oromia region of Ethiopia for more than four years.”

In a similar call addressed to the office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) and the Ruling Prosperity Party, the lawmakers made the call for peace end of the conflict.

https://addisstandard.com/news-lawmakers-from-oromia-urge-au-to-intervene-and-negotiate-to-end-conflict-in-oromia-repeat-call-for-warring-parties/

#NewsAlert: US determines #Ethiopian, #Eritrean and #Amhara forces committed crimes against humanity in Tigray; war crimes committed by all sides

Announcing the release of the 2022 Human Rights Report, the U.S. said it has determined that members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Eritrean Forces and Amhara forces have committed “crimes against community” in the Tigray region, whereas all sides have committed “war crimes” Ethiopia’s two years war that started in Tigray and spread to Amhara and Afar regions.

“Many of these crimes were not random, or a mere byproduct of war, they were calculated and deliberate,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said while announcing the report.

“After the department’s careful review of the law and the facts, I have determined that members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Eritrean Defense Forces, Tigray People’s Liberation Front forces, and Amhara forces committed war crimes during the conflict in northern Ethiopia,” Blinken said explaining that all sides have committed war crimes.

“members of the Amhara forces also committed the crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer and committed ethnic cleansing in western Tigray.”

https://addisstandard.com/newsalert-us-determines-ethiopian-eritrean-and-amhara-forces-committed-crimes-against-humanity-in-tigray-war-crimes-committed-by-all-sides/

News: #Ethiopia dismisses #US atrocities determination as “untimely”, “selective”, and “inflammatory”; says it “unfairly apportions blame”

The Ethiopian government has dismissed a report by the US State Department determining atrocities committed in Ethiopia’s two years war that started in the #Tigray region and spread to #Amhara and #Afar regions as “untimely”, “selective”, and “inflammatory”; it also rejected it saying the report “unfairly apportions blame”.

In a statement released through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia has rejected the determination as “untimely”, “selective”, and “inflammatory” and said “it unfairly apportions blame among different parties in the conflict,” and said that it “does not accept blanket condemnation.”

“For no apparent reason, the statement appears to exonerate one party from certain allegations of human rights violations such as rape and other forms of sexual violence despite the clear and overwhelming evidence about its culpability,” the Ministry further said.

It also said that the determination was “untimely” as it came “shortly after the launching of national consultations on options for a transitional justice policy. One of the pillars of transitional justice policy is accountability.”

https://addisstandard.com/news-ethiopia-dismisses-us-atrocities-determination-as-untimely-selective-and-inflammatory-says-it-unfairly-apportions-blame/

#Analysis: Amid soaring price and chronic shortage, #Ethiopia’s staple grain becomes latest political boiling point

By Natnael Fite

Ethiopia’s capital city Addis Abeba is hit by unprecedented price hike coupled with chronic shortage of Teff, Ethiopia’s staple grain. But for political actors and activists supporting and opposing the ruling Prosperity Party (PP), the issue is not a mere supply-demand market malfunction. Critiques of the ruling Oromo Prosperity Party have overcrowded several media outlets crying foul about Amhara Teff farmers and traders being “systematically sidelined” from the market system in Addis Abeba, whereas officials of the ruling party itself blame “economic sabotage” for the crisis.

In the midst of the heated debate is the undeniably soaring price of Teff that has seen significant rise over the past few weeks alone. A quintal of Teff, which was sold between 5,000 to 5,500 birr two weeks ago is now traded between 8,000 to 10,000 birr in the capital Addis Abeba, sending residents in frantic search for the grain which is mainly used make Injera, the pancake like flatbread staple food among majority of Ethiopians.

A must read analysis

https://addisstandard.com/analysis-amid-soaring-price-and-chronic-shortage-ethiopias-staple-grain-became-latest-political-boiling-point/

Report: 43,000 died in 2022 #Somalia droughts

Droughts in Somalia may have killed an estimated 43,000 people last year, a new report by the Somali government and United Nations said.

The report released Monday said half of the drought-related deaths may have occurred among children under the age of 5.

The highest death rates were estimated to have occurred in south central Somalia, including the Bay, Bakool and Banadir regions — the current epicenter of the drought according to the report — which presents retrospective estimates of mortality across Somalia from January to December 2022.

https://www.voanews.com/a/report-43-000-died-in-2022-somalia-droughts-/7013766.html

#Somaliland- #Ethiopia: president receives diplomatic credentials from new Ethiopian Ambassador

Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi, yesterday at the Presidential Complex, received the credentials of the new Ambassador of the Federal Government of Ethiopia to the Republic of Somaliland, Amb. Delil Kedir Bushra.

Prior to the start, President Bihi gave a warm welcome to the Ethiopian Ambassador, as it is his first time in the Republic of Somaliland. During the meeting, they also discussed strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and cooperating on security issues in the Horn of Africa.

https://www.horndiplomat.com/2023/03/21/somaliland-president-receives-diplomatic-credentials-from-new-ethiopian-ambassador/

News: Senior Karrayyu Gadaa leader and survivor of 2021 massacre gunned down in latest clashes, residents suffering persistent violence, drought

Hawas Mato Borra, a senior member of the Karrayyu Michile Gadaa leaders in the #Fantaalle district of East Shoa zone, in #Oromia regional state, has been gunned down in the latest clashes last week, residents told Addis Standard.

Abba Gadaa Hawas was the last remaining survivor of the massacre of 14 Gadaa leaders, who were executed by members of the Oromia regional state police in December 2021.

A resident who asked to be anonymous for safety reasons told Addis Standard Hawas Mato Borra, in his early fifties, was shot by armed groups he described as #Amhara militants on 12 March and died of his injuries two days later.

According to the resident, Hawas was herding cattle at a place called Kaarra, the same place from where the deceased Abba Gadaas were captured, when gunmen from the neighboring Amhara region launched an attack. https://addisstandard.com/news-senior-karrayyu-gadaa-leader-survivor-of-2021-massacre-gunned-down-in-latest-clashes-residents-suffering-persistent-violence-drought/

#NewsAlert: Ethiopian Parliament de-lists #TPLF from terrorist designation

Members of the Ethiopian House of Peoples Representatives (#HoPR) today de-listed the terrorist designation. The Parliament approved the decision “by majority vote.”

On May 05 2021 that members of the HoPR designated the TPLF, along with and “Shene” (a term the government uses to refer to the armed group Oromo Liberation Army – OLA), as terrorist groups citing Articles 18 and 19 of Proclamation No. 1176/2020 on the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Crimes. The Parliament’s decision followed an earlier decision on May 01 by the Council of Ministers that approved the resolution to designate the groups as terrorist organizations.

But the de-listing became one of the key points included in the AU brokered agreement for Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed between the federal government and representatives of the TPLF on November 02 last year. The agreement stipulates that as part of the implementation of the CoHA the federal government should “facilitate the lifting of the terrorist designation of the TPLF by the House of People’s Representatives.”

Today’s decision to lift the designation came just days after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken paid an official visit to Ethiopia to push for the full implementation of the agreement. https://addisstandard.com/newsalert-ethiopian-parliament-de-lists-tplf-from-terrorist-designation/

The April 2023 Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable: Time for meaningful debt restructuring

By David Malpass, President of the World Bank Group

"#Ethiopia’s implementation of the peace agreement creates an opportunity for the international community to support much-needed economic reforms. Another important step is a prompt agreement with the IMF. This could help to unlock an agreement under the Common Framework which will put the country back on a path of debt sustainability."

https://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/april-2023-global-sovereign-debt-roundtable-time-meaningful-debt-restructuring?cid=SHR_BlogSiteShare_EN_EXT

News: As hundreds of thousands flee #Somalia to #Ethiopia, #UN, partners appeal for $116 m urgent funding

Since hostilities erupted last month in the city of #Laascaanood, in the #Sool region, Somalia, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced within Somalia and close to 100,000 are estimated to have crossed the border into Ethiopia to escape violence.

Most of the new arrivals in Ethiopia are women, children, older people and people with specific needs, who arrive with nothing, scared and hungry. Among them are a high number of unaccompanied and separated children, which heightens protection concerns.

The humanitarian situation on the ground is dire, with moderate acute malnutrition observed in many children under five and in pregnant and nursing mothers. There is a high risk of disease outbreaks with worrying reports of measles cases in the area.

“The #Ethiopian Government and local communities have generously welcomed the refugees, extending any help they can, but with the continuing arrivals, resources are already severely overstretched,” said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UNHCR’s Regional Director https://addisstandard.com/news-as-hundreds-of-thousands-flee-somalia-to-ethiopia-un-partners-appeal-for-116-m-urgent-funding/

News: #UN Rights Council signals scale of violations committed in #Ethiopia by all parties “must not be forgotten”

The gravity and scale of the violations committed in Ethiopia since the outbreak of war, November 2020, must not be forgotten despite all the positive developments and relatively improved security that have been seen in #Tigray after both parties signed agreements, warned UN Human Rights Council during an interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE).

During the discussion, it was reported that the commission is still looking into wartime human right violations together with abuses that occur after the peace agreement, reads a statement by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The Commission had consulted with a wide range of stakeholders to inform its investigation priorities and strategy, investigating alleged violations in Tigray, #Afar, #Amhara, and #Oromia, says the report. It addressed a notably attacks on civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, and denial of humanitarian assistance; also, other violations including arbitrary detention, violation of children’s rights, and hate speech.

As required by the mandate, the commission was investigating alleged violations by all parties, including #Eritrean forces operating on Ethiopian territory.

However, despite repeated requests, the Ethiopian Government had not yet allowed the investigation team access to the country, according to the report. The Commission was conducting much of work remotely. The Government should reconsider its decision not to cooperate with the Commission.

https://addisstandard.com/news-un-rights-council-signals-scale-of-violations-committed-in-ethiopia-by-all-parties-must-not-be-forgotten/

#Ethiopian authorities detain #Gurage Media Network founder Beyene Wolde

Ethiopian authorities should immediately release journalist Beyene Wolde and ensure that members of the press are not imprisoned for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

On the afternoon of March 2, police arrested Beyene from his office in the capital city of Addis Ababa, according to [#AddisStandard] and two people familiar with the case who spoke to CPJ.

Police did not give any reason for his arrest at the time, and in two subsequent court appearances authorities accused Beyene, founder and editor of the Gurage Media Network news website, of terrorism and incitement, according to his lawyer, Andamlak Shinber, who spoke to CPJ by phone. He has not been formally charged with a crime, and police have been granted permission to keep him in custody until March 28.

“Ethiopian authorities have an entrenched habit of incarcerating journalists on vague allegations, which has steadily eroded the space for critical reporting and commentary in the country,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal, in New York. “Beyene Wolde and all other journalists detained for their work should be released immediately and unconditionally.”

https://cpj.org/?p=271158

News: #BenishangulGumuz region releases two rebel groups’ leaders, members following peace accords

Benishangul Gumuz's regional government releases leaders and members of two rebel groups, Gumuz People’s Democratic Movement (GPDM) and Benishangul People’s Liberation Movement (BPLM), following peace accords.

GPDM announced the release of over 370 of its leaders and members who were detained during different operations, while 70 leaders and members of BPLM were also released.

Harun Umer, Benishangul Gumuz Regional Police Commissioner, said that the leaders and members of the opposition political organizations were released through reconciliation and amnesty.

Benshangul Gumuz has been an epicenter for recurring attacks on civilians, displacements, and security crisis in the past four years. Armed groups, mobilizing in the region, have repeatedly attacked civilians, killing hundreds of people and displacing thousands from their villages.

Six months ago, the regional government and GPDM, a rebel group militarily active in the region, signed a peace agreement to resolve their differences “through dialogue.”

In parallel, the regional government signed a peace agreement on December 10 with BPLM, an armed group that was operating in the border area of the regional state, in #Khartoum, #Sudan.

https://addisstandard.com/news-benishangul-gumuz-region-releases-two-rebel-groups-leaders-members-following-peace-accords/

News: PM Abiy “appoints” Getachew Reda head of #Tirgay Interim Admin

The PM's office stated that the appointment was based on a decision passed by the House of Federation (#HoF) to establish Tigray regional state’s interim administration, which is in accordance with Article 62 (9) of the Constitution and Proclamation No. 359/1995, Article 14/2/B.

Furthermore, Article 10(1) of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in Pretoria between the Federal Government and the TPLF and to end the conflict on November 02 last year called for the establishment of an inclusive Interim Regional Administration.

According to the PM’s office, the council of Ministers met on Saturday 18 March and enacted a guideline to establish “Inclusive Interim Regional Administration of Tigray”, adding that PM Abiy’s decision was based on the provision of the guideline article 3(2) has appointed Getachew to lead Tigray region’s interim administration.

https://addisstandard.com/news-pm-abiy-appoints-getachew-reda-head-of-tirgay-interim-admin/

The Interview: “Gov’t should open its doors for discussion, respond to demands of workers, reduce labor taxes” Kasahun Follo, President of #CETU

#Workers in #Ethiopia are facing unrepresented suffering. From stagnant pay in the era of runaway #inflation, to labor exploitation, war ravaged factories, & closures, just to mention a few.

Undeniably Ethiopia’s industrial landscape has changed over the past three decades. The expansion of several industries and manufacturing enterprises offered an employment opportunity to a significant number of people. However, ways of handling workers and respecting their rights have remained bumpy that resulted in grievances. The workers in #Tigray Regional State have already fallen under the worst situation due to the impact of the devastating war that lasted for two solid years. The employees working in various firms being hired with the help of agencies have also been subjected to labor exploitation; neither do they get fair payments for works they perform.

Kasahun Follo, President of the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) spoke to #AddisStandard's #MollaMitiku on this and other issues.

https://addisstandard.com/the-interview-govt-should-open-its-doors-for-discussion-respond-to-demands-of-workers-reduce-labor-taxes-kasahun-follo-president-of-cetu/

News: #TPLF’s removal from terrorist designation “speeds up establishment, performance of interim admin” Debretsion Gebremichael

Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), chairman for Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), applauded the parliament’s move in delisting TPLF from terrorist designation saying “it will accelerate the formation of the interim administration and carry out works effectively.”

Members of the House of Peoples Representatives (#HoPR) on Wednesday de-listed TPLF from the terrorist designation by “a majority vote with 61 oppositions and five abstentions.”

“Everything is in place for the interim administration to begin operations,” Debretsion said in a presser following the parliament’s decision yesterday.

The federal government and regional interim administration, led by Getachew Reda, have begun interactions and discussions regarding the budget releases, filing criminal charges, and other relevant issues in reviving the region after a two-year long deadly war according to Debretsion.

On the other hand, the decision was met with criticism from the Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA). The party said the parliament’s decision to remove the TPLF from terrorist designation saying “not timely and will not bring lasting peace and acceptance of TPLF to the entire Ethiopian people.”

The party criticized TPLF for dominantly establishing the interim administration defying article 6 of the Pretoria agreement which stated “Interim administration of #Tigray should be established under the consent of the federal government”.

https://addisstandard.com/news-tplfs-delist-from-terrorist-designation-speeds-up-establishment-performance-of-interim-administration-debretsion-gebremichael/