SRINE

Blogger, journalists convicted of terrorism

2012-01-22T20:28:00.000-08:00

"The Ethiopian government has a long-standing practice of using umbrella charges of terrorism to silence critical voices," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "These acts are part of a pattern to punish the Ethiopian press for their journalistic work."

Alemu and Taye were arrested in June and held for weeks on government accusations of plotting to sabotage telephone and electricity lines. In September, they were charged under the country's far-reaching anti-terrorism law without their lawyers present, CPJ research shows. Six other Ethiopian bloggers and online journalists were charged with terrorism in November, according to CPJ research, with only Eskinder Nega currently in custody.

Last month, two jailed Swedish journalists were sentenced to 11 years in prison on terrorism charges. More...Blogger, journalists convicted of terrorism

After all, this is a reporter whose wife, journalist Serkalem Fasil, gave birth while they were both in jail following the 2005 elections. When they were released in 2007, Serkalem and Eskinder were banned from reopening their newspapers. To survive, they rented their house in central Addis Ababa to a team of Chinese telecom workers and moved to a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of the city.

Like many good journalists, Eskinder is stubborn to a fault. Standing for free speech in Ethiopia can seem a Sisyphean task, but if Eskinder is principled enough to risk more years in jail - and possibly the death sentence - it's our obligation to stand with him.
More...Standing with Ethiopia's tenacious blogger, Eskinder Nega

AI Report 2011

2011-12-24T09:44:00.000-08:00

CRACKDOWN ON FREE SPEECH

REPORT ON GROWING REPRESSION

Yenesew Gebre

2011-12-20T19:42:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqptHokcbw4

Last dictator standing

2011-12-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

Free all Prisoners of Conscience!

2011-11-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

Free all Prisoners of Conscience!

Remembering November

2011-11-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

Remembering the November massacre

Africa Land Grab

2011-10-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

The Lady

2011-10-16T18:11:00.000-07:00

The Lady (film about Aung San Suu Kyi) is a story of a woman at the center of Burma's democracy movement.

Watch the trailer below.

Round up the usual suspects

2011-10-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

የተለመዱትን ተጠርጣሪዎች እሰሩ!
Round up the usual suspects

Candlelight Vigil

2011-10-08T19:11:00.000-07:00

For more information, visit: www.march4freedom.org

March 4 Freedom
The Movement Against Genocide & Dictatorship

Journalists detained

2011-09-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

"In the past four months, authorities have used sweeping terrorism laws to detain six independent journalists in an attempt to wipe out the few critical voices left in the country," said CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes. "If the authorities have credible evidence against any of these journalists, let them present it publicly. Otherwise, they must release them."

Sources:

qal kidan enegba - making promises

2011-09-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Sign Petition!

2011-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Petition asking the Committee Against Torture to demand that Ethiopia stop torturing political prisoners and to adhere to international human rights treaties and standards on the treatment of prisoners.

Sign Petition!

www.ethiopianhumanrights.org

COMMEMORATING November 2005

2010-10-29T18:42:00.001-07:00

Remembering the 2005 massacre

The November '05 Massacre

Remember the Slaughter of November (2005)!

birtukan mideksa - power of words

2010-10-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Free Birtukan!

2010-08-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

Jamming VOA

2010-04-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

Censorship In Ethiopia

FREE BIRTUKAN MIDEKSA!

2010-01-19T19:44:00.001-08:00

Please join the Free Birtukan and all Political Prisoners Task Force!

Prisoners of Conscience Month

2009-12-19T21:04:00.001-08:00

Marking one year in Prison

2009-12-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

journalists flee abroad

2009-12-06T20:25:00.000-08:00

An Amharic-language weekly known for being outspoken and critical of the government, Addis Neger announced today that its latest issue (28 November) would be last one until further notice. The management said it had been forced to take this decision because of the government’s intention – confirmed by various sources – to prosecute the newspaper and its staff under an anti-terrorism law that was adopted last summer.

Source:

Marking one year in Prison

2009-11-29T20:35:00.000-08:00

FREE BIRTUKAN MIDEKSA!

Marking one year in Prison
(join the free Birtukan Mideksa campaign)

Birtukan Mideksa, an opposition party leader, is serving a life sentence in Kaliti Prison in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is a prisoner of conscience. Birtukan Mideksa was arrested in November 2005 after the Coalition for Unity and Democracy party, of which she was a leader, contested disputed local and parliamentary elections. Subsequent demonstrations turned violent, resulting in the deaths of almost 200 people. She was charged with treason in one of several trials, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Local elders negotiated a pardon with the Ethiopian authorities, and Birtukan Mideksa and others were released in June 2007 after serving more than 18 months in prison. The terms of the pardon remain unclear. In November 2008 she spoke about her pardon at a public meeting in Sweden. When she returned to Ethiopia, the authorities asked her to retract her statement; she refused and was rearrested in December 2008. The Ministry of Justice revoked her pardon and re-imposed her life sentence.

Source: Amnesty International

prisoner’s account of the abyss

2009-11-29T20:29:00.000-08:00

Omot feared for his life every moment in prison.

‘“You will die like a dog now there is no one to defend you,”’ Omot recalls his jailers in Dimma taunting him. “They said, ‘In America, black people are treated like slaves and there are no white people who will come from America to save your life.’ I told them, ‘Did you see that in America we now have a black president?’ They said ‘Shut up!’”

“One night a group of soldiers came to me and said ‘We are going to teach you something,’” Omot recalls. “They blindfolded me and shoved me into a pickup truck. When they took off my blindfold they pushed me to the ground and I was surrounded by dead bodies. They were mostly skeletons but with pieces of clothing still stuck on.

‘The soldiers told me, ‘Unless you confess you will look like those bodies. You will die just like they did. We will kill you right now.’”

Source: Daily Planet

appeal for food aid

2009-10-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

Now 25 years after [the tragic Ethiopian famine] the tribal junta has managed to institute ethnic apartheid policies to discriminate against the Oromos, Amharas and other Ethiopians. In so doing it shifted the famine from Northern Ethiopia to Central, Southern, Eastern and Western Ethiopia—making Ethiopa yet again the closest thing to hell on Earth.
The Western Countries and International Financial Institutions must stop providing financial, political and above all military aid to the minority ethnic regime of Meles Zenawi in order to end famine and continuing humanitarian catastrophe in Ethiopia.

emergency appeal for food aid

Sign this petition, PLEASE!

2009-10-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Amnesty International launches’ campaign for Birtukan

The Dutch chapter of Amnesty International has launched a campaign for the release of Birtukan Mideksa. Members of Amnesty Netherlands are campaigning to get as many petitions as possible before the dead line (1 December 2009).
Birtukan Mideksa, the charismatic leader of UDJ, is being held in solitary confinement serving a life sentence. Please sign a petition to Mr. Louis Michel European Union Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid to use all diplomatic means for the freedom of Birtukan Mideksa.

Download a sample letter here and send it to Louis.Michel@ec.europa.eu
Source: EMF

our AUNG SAN SUU KUI!

2009-08-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

Free Birtukan Mideksa (our AUNG SAN SUU KUI)!

Birtukan Mideksa, Ethiopia’s pro-democracy leader, symbolizes peaceful struggle for more democracy, the respect for human rights and the rule of law in Ethiopia.

She is the leader of the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party as formerly known as Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), which achieved a decisive victory in the last Ethiopian national election, held in 2005. The tyrant TPLF regime has refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of that vote.
More: Nothing but the truth

more of the same

2009-07-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

The 2005 Ethiopian election is remembered by all Ethiopians because it was the year that the people rejected the tyrant regime with Ballots. On the Election Day all Ethiopians said NO to tyranny and dictatorial rule by voting to oppositions. But, the will of the people administered by the result of the Ballots were refuted by the tyrant regime`s Bullets.
Five years after this election, in 2010, Ethiopians will go to the polls again. The tyrant regime has and is closing all avenues for a peaceful democratic change and it’s already predicted that the outcome will be ‘more of the same” as it was in the last election, in 2005.

Here is how the election will be run:
It will be run by the regime “only” to self claim that it has won; to try to impress the International community’s mainly lying to them with what is already known and by wasting their money.

Here is what really will happen in 2010 Election:
- Harassment, imprisonments, closure of offices throughout the country
- No opposition (political) party, no civil society organizations, no free press, no justice
- Arrests, disappearances, mass killings of citizen without due process of law
- Self-serving polices
- Misusing poverty
- Vote repression/Voter intimidation
- Barring of foreign monitors from polls
- Voter suppression and corruption, etc…

More of the same:
It will be more of the same as it was in the last election - stealing the election as the tyrant regime did in 2005 election. The donor countries, both East and West governments will keep continue recognizing and cooperating with the tyrant regime. What is left for Ethiopian people is to continue to live with the increasing repression.

FREE BIRTUKAN MIDEKSA!

2009-07-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

PLEASE JOIN THE CAMPAIGN

FREEBIRTUKAN

Nothing but the truth

May 15th 2005 Election - the day

2009-05-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

Remembering May 15th 2005 Election

This was the day 26 million Ethiopians cast ballots at 35,000 polling stations across the country.

This was the day Ethiopians showed their faith in democracy.

This was the day the election was greatly rigged followed by a state of emergency and human right abuse which was impossible to comprehend.

This was the day the hopes of the people had been dashed by the regime in power.

Until now, the tyrannical regime is still committing murder and human right abuses all over the country. Ethiopians know what stands between their aspiration and its realization – the tyrannical regime which is gratified and flattered by the donor countries.

Arrests ahead of Ethiopian poll

Can’t handle the truth? We can!

2009-05-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

“Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS.”
- Mahatma Gandhi

click to enlarge

Opposition says anti-govt. plot invented
Opposition Demands Probe of Anti-Government Plots
Government must reveal fate of political prisoners

Nothing but the truth

2009-05-01T09:30:00.001-07:00

Repression and poverty have demoralized Ethiopians and made them subjects to dictators. The people seem to accept the brutality of the TPLF/EPRDF (the ruling party - a regime which is terrorizing the people). The current regime is preparing to rule the country for life. 18 years have passed since the regime came to power and it has become more and more dominant. The TPLF/EPRDF still rules today with its divisive politics and wants to victimize the Ethiopian people.

The TPLF/EPRDF jails its citizens simply because they have different political views or because they criticize the regime. Ms. Bertukan, a peaceful opposition leader was jailed for not saying sorry for a statement she made about the controversial pardon that was facilitated by the local elders.

All prisoners of conscience including Ms. Bertukan Mideksa could have bowed to the demands of the TPLF/EPRDF. She could have abandoned her party and supporters and joined the regime. She could have simply gone home to her mother and her daughter Hale but chose to stand up for her rights.

To give in would be exactly what the regime wants which is to continue to humiliate any opposition to its rule by forcing others to join their repressive group, the TPLF/EPRDF.

By imprisoning Ms. Bertukan and others like her, it shows that the regime uses force on its citizens instead of cherishing and protecting them.

Free Bertukan and all prisoners of conscience! NOW!

Tilahun Gessesse - 'The Voice'

2009-04-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

Ethiopian singing legend mourned

Bertukan Mideksa

2009-04-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

A former judge who was charged with treason and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2005, is just one of many people jailed for exercising their fundamental rights, in this case the freedom of speech.

Why No-One Speaks Out: Politics and Human Rights in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has no independent judiciary, no free press, no civil society, and individual liberties have been severely curtailed, so why isn’t Meles Zenawi a persona non grata in the international community, asks human rights activist Mitmita. Birtukan Mideksa, a former judge who was charged with treason and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2005, is just one of many people jailed for exercising their fundamental rights, in this case the freedom of speech, says Mitmita.

Mideksa is in solitary confinement in Kaliti Prison for allegedly violating the terms of a government pardon granted to her in 2007. The accusations are based on her failure to retract statements made in a speech that she was released from prison through a politically negotiated settlement rather than a formal legal pardon. Western failure to condemn abuses by Zenawi’s government for the sake of their own strategic interests, says Mitmita, comes at the expense of the rights of ordinary Ethiopians.

http://www.mitmitaye.com/

New Law Ratchets up Repression

2009-01-08T22:32:00.000-08:00

Government Outlaws Most Human Rights Work, Imprisons Opposition Leaders
January 8, 2009

In the space of just eight days, the Ethiopian government has outlawed independent human rights work and jailed one of the country's most prominent opposition leaders for life.

New Law Ratchets up Repression

Police Re-Arrest Opposition Leader

2008-12-29T21:47:00.000-08:00

Police Re-Arrest Opposition Leader Mideksa

FREE TEDDY AFRO - SIGN PETITION

2008-12-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

http://www.petitiononline.com/TedyAfro/petition.html

Free Teddy Afro!

2008-11-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Millennium! If Everyone Care

2007-08-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

On September 11, 2007 the 2nd Millennium, year 2000, will be celebrated by Ethiopians in Ethiopia and through out the world. *1

Amidst all the problems facing the country, the government is advertising and preparing the festival as an event that should be celebrated and shouldn't be missed by anyone.

"The Millennium party is not to be missed!"; "Are you kidding me…of course I will be there". I hear this and that from people who are coming to the party. Well, good for them and I wished them all 'Happy New Year!' already.

These people saying this are the ones who are out in touch with the reality. May you come or go and celebrate the Millennium in the land of where there is oppression, poverty and social injustice!

Having said that what should be the reasons we really celebrate the Millennium?

I myself think the Millennium should be celebrated because it's a once in a life time thing, so why not. However, it should not be celebrated for the same reason as how the regime wants us to celebrate. Besides, the Millennium is not only about its celebration and festivities. It's beyond its meaning, the beginnings of all beginnings where we start setting new goals and how we achieve them in the future. By seizing this moment, the Millennium, I ask you my sisters and brothers, to set goals for the sake of our nation and its people. Our country needs us as never before.

By adapting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG)*2 which embody the aspiration of the human betterment we can make commitment to ourselves in helping to achieve the goals. The MDG set these goals because we own the problems and by direct or indirect involvement we can take actions to achieve these goals. To do this we have all the help we need and the United Nations Africa Millennium Development Goals has already declared to assist us in our struggle for lasting peace, poverty eradication and sustainable development. What we need is a strong government leadership and good polices.

We owe a lot to our people and country. We need to start to care for each other and spread the message of hope to every one we know. Let us hope that the Millennium will be a moment where we unite once and for all. It shall be a Millennium of hope, of dignity, of human rights, of freedom and democracy. Let us realize the dream. I know we can make it.

We should be thankful to all our friends who have stood by us and in good and bad times and hope their caring and loving for our country continue beyond the Millennium. History will always remember them!

*1 The Ethiopian calendar, consists of 12 months of 30 days and a 13th month of 5 or 6 days every leap year (every 4 years).

*2 The Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015 E.C.)
• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development

Source: The Millennium Development Goals in Africa

Professor Mesfin W/M

2007-08-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

For me, a life will have meaning only if you are involved. A life without involvement is really no life at all. We become human beings when we become aware of those who are below us.
Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam
Human rights activists and founder of the first ever Ethiopian human rights organization

Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam is an internationally renowned academic and human rights defender, advocate for social justice and a champion of his people, demanding a responsible and accountable system of governance for Ethiopia.
He is one of the 37 prisoners of conscience who have been freed on July 20, 2007. He still faces a possible prison term for an incitement charge that dates back to 2001.

Source: http://www.mesfinwoldemariam.org/

H.R. 2003

2007-08-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

What is H.R. 2003 Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007?
H.R. 2003 is a bill that deals with Freedom Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia.

What is the aim of the Bill?
The aim of H.R. 2003 in Ethiopia is to:

1. facilitate the unconditional release of ALL political prisoners of conscience.
2. institute democratic reforms and accountability.
3. help restore the democratic rights of the people.
4. strengthen human rights and civic society organizations.
5. establish permanent human rights monitoring and reporting processes.
6. increase the independence of the judiciary.
7. create and support a judicial monitoring process, with special focus on unwarranted government intervention in strictly judicial matters.
8. prosecute human rights abusers, torturers and murderers, and bring to justice the killers of 193 innocent men, women and children and those who wounded 763 others in the post-2005 election period.
9. improve election procedures and insuring fraud free elections.
10. remove press censorship and ensure full freedom of the press.
11. repeal specific restrictive press laws.
12. establish a program to strengthen private media in Ethiopia.
13. offer training programs for democratic participation.
14. limit the use of U.S. security assistance to peacekeeping and counter-terrorism and NOT against the civilian population.
15. foster economic development.
16. help establish a program to provide legal support for political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.
17. provide assistance to strengthen local, regional, and national parliaments and governments, political parties, and civil society groups.
18. strengthen training for political parties in the areas of organization building and campaign management;
19. provide training for civil society groups in election monitoring.
20. promote dispute resolution by means of dialogue, negotiations and compromise, and
21. professionalize the National Election Board to help it address certain issues, e.g. issues delimitation of constituencies, voter and candidate registration, political party registration, voting irregularities and challenges, etc.,

"The one central fact about H.R. 2003 that needs to be underscored and understood by everyone is that the only time the law will apply to suspend U.S. aid to Ethiopia is if the regime fails to meet specific human rights provisions, or does not make adequate general progress in their pursuit and achievement (e.g. release of all political prisoners, establishment and operation of an independent judiciary, prosecution of human rights abusers, operation of media without censorship, establishment of an independent national elections board, free operation of human rights organizations, etc.,). The law is very lenient and accommodating. If the regime fails to comply, the President of the United States could waive application of the law completely, regardless of the human rights situation in the country, if he deems it appropriate in the national interest of the United States. In other words, the bill has built-in grace period for compliance with its provisions."

Prof. Almariam

Sources: Lies, promised joy, shimagiles, pardons and bananas

STOP the abuse!

2007-08-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Various news media and human rights group reporting human rights abuses in Ogaden and asking the Ethiopian government and the rebels to respect international law and take all possible steps to avoid civilian casualties.

Rights Group Accuses Ethiopia of Abuses in Ogaden

Ogaden Crackdown Carries High Human Cost

We have all heard government abuses done to our brothers and sisters of Awassa, Afar, Sidamo, Gambella, etc… and we didn't do anything.

It's about time we stand against human right abuses and do something before it is too late. Maybe we don't exactly see where or how to move. Whatever is done to our brothers and sisters every abuse is worse than all the previous abuses and what is reported.
We can't and shouldn't allow for the next to happen. We need to act! We are not alone! Human rights abuse anywhere is human rights abuse everywhere.

Ex-leader apologized

2007-08-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Ethiopian ex-leader Gidada said he is prepared to accept personal and collective accountability for human rights violations.
"How many have died … are crippled … in prison and how many have run away to other countries because of the brutality of the government, I do not know exactly," he said. "What I can only say at the moment is I am very sorry."

Questions shower Ethiopian ex-leader

Is an apology enough to forgive?
The first step to forgiveness starts with an apology and I think the ex-leader did just that apologizing for all wrong doings during his reign. Hope others also come to their senses and follow the ex-leader and learn from it. No one is tied to being right all the time and accepting mistakes is important in learning.
This might be unusual for us, Ethiopians, to hear this kind of statements from high officials but recognizing past mistakes and making amends for them is a big step in the right directions.
Human rights are still violated in Ethiopia and this has to stop now! All actions committed not only the government but all who are part of the regime are responsible and will be held accountable for it. Until all come to their senses the the past will continue to haunt them forever.

Urgent Action Appeal

2007-07-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

Dear colleagues,

Education International again calls on your solidarity to ensure the immediate release of three members of the Ethiopian Teachers' Association (ETA), detained in the context of their legal trade union activities.
Currently, two ETA officers and a member of the ETA are in detention in the Addis Ababa Kality central prison. A fourth one is reported missing since May 28. The facts are all the more worrying that the two ETA officers in detention and the one missing are precisely the three colleagues who had previously been arrested, detained and tortured in December 2006 until their sudden release on 23 March 2007.
The four teachers are again accused of being members of an illegal organisation called “Ethiopian Patriotic Front”. They appeared at the Federal High Court second criminal bench on 18 June. The presiding judge adjourned their case until 2 July 2007 because various formalities had not been completed by the registration office and documents had not been delivered. Until July 2, they will be detained in the Addis Ababa Kality central prison.
EI fears that these teachers may again be submitted to ill treatment to make them confess membership to an illegal organisation.

Arrests of Ethiopian Teachers’ Association activists resumed

CONGRATULATIONS!

2007-07-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

SRINE welcome the release of the political prisoners and call for all political prisoners to be released.