Guns and intervention have failed; let Somalis talk to each other

By GITAU WARIGIPosted Saturday, May 30 2009 at 19:02
Daily Nation, Kenya

Somalia is once again on the spotlight. It could only be a matter of time before Mogadishu and the beleagured “transitional” government fall to the al-Shabaab militia and their Islamist allies.

In the meantime, Kenya is wondering what to do. So are our regional partners in the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (believe me, Igad has always focused on Somalia rather than on development, and for good reason).

It would be a good start to acknowledge that the Western-backed Igad approach has failed. Prodded by the United States, Kenya, and particularly Ethiopia, have all along operated on the premise that a radical, Islamist Somalia is unacceptable. That is fine as it goes. But what has been the alternative? Pure paralysis. .... read more

FACTBOX-Main actors in Somalia's conflict

Reuters - USA
Residents, rebels and aid workers say some Ethiopian troops crossed the border last week. Addis denies this. * Eritrea has battled arch-enemy Ethiopia since ... Aread more

TPLF Regimes Sets Up Special Force to Crash Popular Uprising, Say Defecting Ethiopian Soldiers

According to information obtained by The Indian Ocean Newsletter, the complaints by soldiers and officers based in Harar and Jijiga have reached the ears of their high command. Their accusations concern various forms of discrimination (for example, dismissing some soldiers without compensation, while others are given it, unfairness in promotions, Tigrayan soldiers and officers have separate doctors from other ethnic groups). The Tigrayan General Igziabher Mebrat went on the spot to calm down the tempers. He got carried away during one meeting with soldiers: he displayed an Ethiopian flag and said “we have enough enemies; we must stay united in the interest of Ethiopia”. The Amhara General Abebaw Tadesse also came to speak to the angry soldiers. These two high-ranking officers promised to come back with the answers from the ministry of defence. But meanwhile, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi summoned General Samora Yunis and other Tigrayan generals and asked them to put an end to this fledgling agitation within the army.

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TPLF Regimes Sets Up Special Force to Crash Popular Uprising, Say Defecting Ethiopian Soldiers

15 May 2009 Asmara — Ethiopian soldiers who arrived in Eritrea recently opposing the TPLF regime's policies said that the regime has set up a special force to crash the mounting popular uprising in that country. They pointed out that the setting up of the special force is designed to suppress opposition on the part of the general public and members of the Army. The soldiers further disclosed that the prevailing opposition and chaos inside the Army is the result of the mass arrest and liquidation, as well as the resist policies being pursued by the regime.The defecting soldiers are Osman Abdalla and Weyesa Bekele, both from the Oromo ethnic group.

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The Tigreans domination of the military

Several Ethiopian scholars and political commentators alike have argued in the past that the TPLF regime in Ethiopia has been promoting the domination of a minority ethnic elite, i.e., the Tigreans, in all spheres of the nation’s life — economy, military, intelligence and security services, foreign affairs, etc. Much has been said and many have commented upon the blatant nature of the drive to ensure the domination of Tigrean elites who claim to represent only 6% of close to 80 million Ethiopians.

Below one can find list of the names, positions, and ethnic compositions that exist in the current so-called national military in Ethiopia:

The most senior Command posts of the Defense Ministry

1. Chief of Staff, General, Samora Yunus, Tigre
2. Training Department, Lt. General Tadesse Worede, Tigre
3. Logistics Department, Lt. General Geazi Abera, Tigre
4. Military Intelligence Department, Brg. General Gebredela, Tigre
5. Operations Department, Lt. General Gebre Egziabiher, Tigre
6. Engineering Department, Lt. General Berhane Negash, Tigre
7. Air force, Brg. General Mola Haile Mariam, Tigre

Heads of the four commands

1. Central Command, Lt. General AbebawTadesse, Agew
2. Northern Command, Lt. General Seare Mekonnen, Tigre
3. South Eastern Command, Maj. General Abraha W. Gabriel, Tigre
4. Western Command, Brg. General Siyoum Hagos, Tigre

Division Commands

1. 31st Division Commander, Colonel Tsegaye Marx, Tigre
2. 33rd Division Commander, Colonel Kidane, Tigre
3. 35th Division Commander, Colonel Misganaw Alemu, Agew
4. 24th Division Commander, Colonel Work Aieynu, Tigre
5. 22nd Division Commander, Colonel Dikul, Tigre
6. 14th Division Commander, Colonel Woedi Antieru, Tigre
7. 21st Divison Commander, Colonel Gueshi Gebre, Tigre
8. 11th Division Commander, Colonel Workidu, Tigre
9. 25th Division Commander, Colonel Tesfai Sahel, Tigre
10. 20th Division Commander, Colonel, Teklai Klashin, Tigre
11. 8th Mechanized Division, Colonel Jemal Mohamed, Tigre
12. 4th Mechanized Division, Colonel Hintsaw Giorgis, Tigre
13. 19th Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Guae, Tigre
14. 44th Division Commander, Colonel Zewdu Teferra, Agew
15. 13th Division Commander, Colonel Sherifo, Tigre
16. 12th Division Commander, Colonel Mulugeta Abraha, Tigre
17. 32nd Division Commander, Colonel Abraha Teslim, Tigre
18. 6th Mech. Div. Commander , Colonel Gebre Medhin Fekad, Tigre
19. 23rd Division, Commander, Colonel Wold Beilalom, Tigre
20. 43rd Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Abate, Tigre
21. 26th Division Commander, Colonel Mebratu, Tigre
22. 7th Mech. Div. Commander, Colonel Gebre Gebre Mariam, Tigre

Defense Ministry Departments and other specialized Units

1. Agazi Commando Div., Commander, Brg. General Muhamed Aisha, Tigre
2. Addis Ababa Security Division, Colonel Zenebe Amare, Tigre
3. Palace Security Force, Commander, Colonel Geresenay, Tigre
4. Banks’ Security Force, Commander, Colonel Hawaz Woldu, Tigre
5. Engineering College, Commander, Colonel Halefom Ejigou, Tigre
6. Heath Science College, Commander, Colonel Tesfaye Giday, Tigre
7. Mulugeta Buli Technical College Commander, Colonel Meleya Amare, Tigre
8. Resource Management College Commander, Colonel Letayi Tigre
9. Staff & Command College, Commander, Brg General Tesfaye Giday Tigre
10. Bilate Training Center, Commander, Colonel Salih Berihu, Tigre
11. Hurso Training Center, Commander, Colonel Negash Hiluf, Tigre
12. Awash Arba Training Center, Commander, Colonel Muze, Tigre
13. Bir Shelko Training Center, Commander, Colonel Negasi Shekortet, Tigre
14. Head of Admin., the Ministry of Defense, Brg.Gen. Mehari Zewde, Tigre
15. Dejen Defense Aviation, Head, Brg General Kinfe Dagenew, Tigre
16. Defense Ministry, Head of Research, Brg. Gen. Halfom Chento, Tigre
17. Defense Ministry, Head of Legal Affairs, Colonel Askale, Tigre
18. Head of the Office of the Chief of Staff, Colonel Tsehaye Manjus, Tigre
19. Head of Indoctrinated Centre , Brg. General Akele Asaye, Amhara
20. Head of Communication, Colonel Sibhat, Tigre
21. Head of External Affairs, Colonel Hasene, Tigre
22. Head, Special Forces coordinating Center, Brg. Gen Fiseha Manjus, Tigre
23. Head of operations Department, Colonel Wodi Tewik, Tigre
24. Planning and Program Department Head, Colonel Teklai Ashebir, Tigre
25. Defense Industry Coordinating Head, Colonel Wodi Negash, Tigre
26. Head of Finance in the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Zewdu, Tigre
27. Head of Purchasing in the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Gidey, Tigre
28. Head of Budget Department, Ato Brehane Tigre

Source: ION, allAfrica and EMF

Ethiopia: Amnesty International 2009 Report on Human Rights

May 29, 2009 at 6:30 am

Restrictions on humanitarian assistance to the Somali Region (known as the Ogaden) continued. The government engaged in sporadic armed conflict against the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and both forces perpetrated human rights abuses against civilians. Ethiopian troops fighting insurgents in Somalia in support of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) committed human rights abuses and were reported to have committed war crimes. Security forces arrested members of the Oromo ethnic group in Addis Ababa and in the Oromo Region towards the end of the year. Independent journalists continued to face harassment and arrest. A number of political prisoners were believed to remain in detention and opposition party leader Birtukan Mideksa, who was pardoned in 2007, was rearrested. A draft law restricting the activities of Ethiopian and international organizations working on human rights was expected to be passed by parliament in 2009. Ethiopia remained one of the world’s poorest countries with some 6.4 million people suffering acute food insecurity, including 1.9 million in the Somali Region.

Background

FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA
- Head of state: Girma Wolde-Giorgis
- Head of government: Meles Zenawi
- Death penalty: retentionist
- Population: 85.2 million
- Life expectancy: 51.8 years
- Under-5 mortality (m/f): 151/136 per 1,000
- Adult literacy: 35.9 per cent

The Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission completed its mandate in October, despite Ethiopia failing to implement its ruling, and the UN Security Council withdrew the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) in the wake of Eritrean obstruction of its operations along the Eritrea/Ethiopia border. ..full report

UN Study Confirms the Land Grab in Oromia and Elsewhere Poses Risk to Farmers

Ethiopia: UN Study Confirms the Land Grab in Oromia and Elsewhere Poses Risk to Farmers 05/27/2009

Land acquisitions are on the increase in Africa and other continents, raising the risk, if not made properly, that poor people will be evicted or lose access to land, water, and other resources, according to the first detailed study of the trend.(Read More » » »)

Mootummaan Eertira, mirga baqattoota Oromoo dhiita

Dhiitama mirga dhala namaa mootummaan gabroomfataa Ixoophiyaa irraan gahu jalaa baqatanii Oromooti biyya Eertiraatti kooluu galatummaa gaafatan, biyya itti baqatan keessatti illee, mirga akka baqattaatti qaban sarbamanii dararamaa akka jiran, murnoota baqattoota achi irraa miliqanii bahan irraa gabaasaa nu dhaqabe ni hubachiisa..

Baqattooti Oromoo Eertiraa keessa jiraatan, dhaaba Oromoo Eertiraaf meeshaa ta’e akka deggeraniif kan dirqaman oggaa ta’u, kanneen dirqama kana didan, mirga baqattummaa fi biyya alaa qubachuuf qaban sarbamanii akka hiraaran ta’aa jira.

Dhaaba Shanee balaaleffatanii kanneen keeysaa bahan fi dhaaba Shaneetti seenuu didan, hedduun carraa biyya alaa qubachuu eerga argatanii booda, mootummaan Eertiraa hayyama ittiin biyyaa bahan waan dhorkatuuf, biyya kana keessatti jireenna aarii, soda, abdii kutannaa jiraachaa akka jiran beekameera.

Baqattooti bifa kanaan dhiitammi mirga dhala namaa irra gahaa jiru keessaa gariin haadha manaa fi ijoollee xixiqqaa kan qaban oggaa ta’u, mooraa UNHCR, kan gaazexessitooti daawwachuu hin dandeenne keessatt, rakkina nyaataa, bishaanii fi qorichaatiin rakkachaa akka jiran oduun kun itti dabalee mirkaneesseera.

Baqattooti kun, biyya UNHCR kenniteef qofa irraa osoo hin taane, biyya kamuu deemuu akka hin dandeenne dhowwamanii hojii humnaa adda addaa irratti fedhii isaaniin alatti bobbaafamanii jiru. Baqattooti Oromoo kun hedduun, biyya kana keessaa bahuuf fedhii guddoo kan qaban yoo ta’e illee, mootummaan Eertiraa hayyam waan dhowwateef, jireenna abdii kutannaa fi yaaddoo kan jiraatan qofa osoo hin taane, yoo ummati Oromoo biyya alaa qubatu hin dirmanneef, hedduun Ixoophiyaatti deebi’anii harka kennatuu ykn of-ajjeessuu akka danda’an oduu rifachiisaan kun ni akeekkachiisa..

Kanneen dhiitammi mirga dhala namaa Eertiraa keessatti irra gahaa jiru baqattoonni Oromoo kun, Oromooti biyya alaa jiran, karaa adda addaatiin mootummaa Eertiraa irratti dhiibbaa barbaachisu godhuun rakkina isaaniif furmaata akka barbaadan dhaammatu. Itti dabalees, meeshaaleen quunnamtii biyya Eertiraa keessaa hundi waan hordofamuuf, firoottan fi namoota biyya alaatii beekan dirmaachiifachuu waan hin dandeenneef, rakkinni baqattoota Oromoo Eertiraa keessa qubatanii guddoo gaddisiisaa fi yaaddessaa akka ta’e mirkaneessa.
Maddaa: Maxxansa Karaa Bilisuummaa

Conspiracy of the Eritrean government against Oromo national struggle

Our National struggle is taken hostage!!

The question that every Oromo must ask himself/herself today is whether we as a nation are in control of our national struggle or whether somebody else is in control of it. After OLF leadership made Asmara its centre, OLF launched a number of missions against TPLF. Most/all of these missions were not successful. OLF surprised us only by sacrificing prominent military figures who could have led the organization to better political level and hundreds of brave Oromo children were scarified without any achievements....read more

Somalia:50 civilians killed by Ethiopian troops

Mareeg - London,England,UK
MOGADISHU (Mareeg) – Ogaden liberation front rebels (ONLF) accused Monday Ethiopia of being killing more than 50 Somali civilians in eastern Ethiopia....full report

Oromo Liberation Front rebels have been sighted in Isiolo

Standard - Nairobi,Kenya
By Standard Team Armed Oromo Liberation Front rebels have been sighted in Isiolo, sending panic among rival herdsmen. Village elders reported the presence ... read more

Ethiopia Govt calls Opposition MP Bulcha a "criminal"

Jimma Times ‎

Opposition MP and chairman of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), Bulcha said he does not believe there was any plot by the Ginbot 7 group. ...read more

Ethiopia: The Political Coup That Is Becoming. The Brutal Regime ... Gadaa.com

Potential For Violence Shadows Ethiopia's 2010 Election

Voice of America

Voice of America - USA
By Peter Heinlein Ethiopia's next national election is a year away, but tensions are already increasing. At least two opposition politicians have recently ...for more VOA

Oromo people must unite- part II

Abdulkadir Gumi

May 03, 2009

In a fragmented Oromo political situation at risk of disintegration, one good way to keep the Oromo people and nation united is to draw public attention to the need to stand and fight common enemies. This kind of rallying strategy could be adopted by the Oromo political leadership to promote Oromo Unity and nation toward political stability.

Historically, Oromo people would feel united if they saw common threats or common enemies at their door. They would abandon, for a while, their individual pursuits if their interests were collectively threatened. That was the special significance and value Oromo people had in there culture.

The effectiveness of such a rallying strategy would depend on the extent to which the Oromo political leaders and diplomats could manage public opinion. And, if he or she could get other political actors to look toward the same direction, we could expect a stable Organization or nation in the foreseeable future.

The reverse is also true: If the leader failed to do this properly, the Oromo people´s journey toward full-fledged freedom would be dangerously bumpy, given the fact that public opinion has become an intense battle ground for so many Oromo political and mass organizations....read more