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Saturday, 17 July 2021 14:40

ጉዕዞና በበይንኻ ዝኽየድ ኣይኮነን

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ኤርትራውያን፡ ኤርትራ ሃገርና ኣብዚ ሎሚ ዘላቶ ንክትበጽሕ ነዊሕን ኩርኳሕን መንገዲ ተጓዒዝና ኢና። እንተኾነ እቲ ጉዕዞ ሎሚ እውን መልክዑ ቀይሩ ቀጻሊ እምበር ኣብቲ ክበጽሖ ዝግበኦ ብራኸ ኣይበጽሐን። እቲ ቅድሚ ሕጂ ብፍላይ ክሳብ ግዜ ናጽነትና ዝመጻእናዮ ጉዕዞ ዕዉት እዩ ነይሩ። ዕዉት ጥራይ ዘይኮነ፡ ኤርትራውያን ዘይከኣል ዝመስል ናይ ዝኸኣለ ጽኑዕ ህዝቢ ኣብነት  ኮይና ዝተነኣጽናሉ’ውን ነይሩ። ናብዚ ናይ ምብቃዕና ምስጢር ከኣ ከምቲ ኩሉ ግዜ እንገልጾ ምስ ኩሉ ካብ ፖለቲካዊ  ኣተሓሳስባ ጀሚርካ፡ ዝነበረና ፍልልያትን ሓጐጽጐጽን፡ ነቲ ዓቢይ ጉዳይ ሃገር ቀዳምነት ሂብና ስለ ዝተቓለስና ኢና።

ጉዕዞና ኣብዚ ናይ ድሕሪ ናጽነት ምእንቲ ዲሞክራሲ፡ ሰላምን ልምዓት ሒዝናዮ ዘለና፡ ጸረ ዘቤታዊ ወጽዓ ቃልሲ ግና ምስቲ ቀዳማይ ምዕራፍ ክወዳደር እንከሎ፡ ካብቲ ክኾኖ ዝግበኦ ንላዕሊ ዘገምታዊ እዩ። ዘገምታዊ ጥራይ ዘይኮነ ብብዙሓት ባዕልና እንፈጥሮም ደውታታት ዝተመልአ እውን እዩ። ካብዚ ሓሊፉ  ቃልስና ተበግሶ ወሲዱ ኣብ ክንዲ ዘጥቅዕ፡  ደድሕሪ እቲ ኣንጻሩ ንቃለስ ዘለና ወጻዒ ጉጅለ ኢሳያስ ዝፈጥሮ ተረኽቦታት ናይ ምስዓብ ኩነታት ዝረኣዮ ኮይኑ ጸኒሑ። ናይዚ ነካይዶ ዘላና ቃልሲ ባህሪ፡ ብብዙሕ ኩርነዓት ክረአ እንከሎ፡ ካብቲ ኣንጻር መግዛእቲ ዘካየድናዮ ዝፍለን ዝረቐቐን ምዃኑ ንተኣማመነሉ እዩ። ኩሉ ገዲፍና ኣብ ሕድሕድ ኤርትራውያን ዝካየድ ናይ ኣተሓሳስባ ቃልሲ  ምዃኑ ጥራይ ዝተሓላለኸን ዝያዳ ጥንቃቐን ኣተኩሮን ዝሓትትን ይገብሮ።

ነዚ ኣብ ቅድሜና ዘሎ ጉዕዞ ናብ መሰረታዊ ለውጢ፡ በበይንና ተጓዒዝና ክንበጽሖ ከምዘይንኽእል ብክለሰ-ሓሳብ ዘይኮነ ብተግባር ንሓልፎ  ዘለና እዩ። ኣብ ሓደ መድረኽ ውድባት ወይ ናይ ውድባት ልፍንቲ ሰንጢቖም ክሓልፉ ዝፈተንሉ ነይሩ እዩ። እንተኾነ ኣይከኣሉን። ምኽንያቱ ሓደ ኣካል ካባኻ ዝሓሸ ኩነታት ፈጢሩ ክሓልፍ ንዝፍትን፡ ዋላኳ ውጽኢቱ ንረብሓ ህዝብን ሃገርን እንተኾነ፡ ኣብ ክንዲ ምትብባዑን ንኣካይዳኡ ከም ኣብነት ምውሳድን “ምዕንቃፉ” ዝብል ሕማቕ ባህሊ ሳዕሪሩ ስለ ዝጸንሐ እዩ። ኣብ ከምዚ  ኩነታት ከም ምርጫ ዝተወስደ እምበር፡  ንኹልኻ ኣብ ዘማእክል ኣብ ውሱን ዛዕባታት ዘትከለ ሰፊሕ ናይ ቃልሲ ሰረጋላ ምስፋር እዩ። እቲ ውሱን ዛዕባታት “ዘይህዝባዊ ምምሕዳር ጉጅለ ህግደፍን ናይ ጭቆና ትካላቱን ምውጋድን ህዝቢ ይኾነኒ ብዝበሎ ዲሞክራስያዊ ስርዓት ምትካእን”  ዝብል ክኸውን ይኽእል። እንተኾነ ነዚ እውን ስለ ዘይበቓዕናዮ፡ እቲ ብሓባር እምበር በበይንኻ ዘይክየድ ጉዕዞ  ቃልሲ ኣብ ቅድሜና ተገቲሩ እንከሎ ጌና ንጠማመት ኣለና።

እቲ ኣዝዩ ዘገርም ከኣ እቲ ጸገምና እንታይ ምዃኑ እንዳፈለጥናዮ፡ ካብኡ ክንወጽእ ዋጋ ክንከፍል ዘይምብቃዕና እዩ። ካብቲ ብዙሕ ጸገማትና፡ ኣብ ክንዲ ነቲ ዘሰማመዓና ዝያዳ ከነህጥር እንጽዕር ነቲ ዝፈላልየና ከነተዓባብን ምርሕሓቕ ከነስፍሕን ህርድግ ንብል ምዃና እዩ። ከምቲ ግቡእ ኣይኮነንዶ ገዚፍ ዘሰማምዕ እንዳሃለወና ነቲ ዘፈላልየና ከነራጉድ ንጽዕር፡ እቲ ዘሰማመዓና ኣዝዩ ንኡስ እንተዝነብር’ውን ንዓኡ ከነጉልህ ክንጽዕር መተገበኣና። ዝያዳ ንምብራህ፡ ህዝብና ኣብ ኣዝዩ ኣሸጋሪ ኩነታ ከም ዘሎ፡ ናይ ሽግሩ ጠንቂ ጉጅለ ህግደፍ ምዃኑን እቲ መዋጸኦ ከኣ ነዚ ጉጅለ ምውጋድ ምዃኑን ኣይኮነንዶ ንዓና ንሕብረተሰብ ዓለም እውን በሪሁ ዘሎ እዩ። “እቲ ኩነታት ከምዚ ካብ ኮነ ሓቢርና ህግደፍ ኣሊና ራህዋ ዘይነምጽእ?” ኢልካ ምስ ሓተትካ ኣብቲ መልሲ ዕንይንይ ይመጽእ። “ነዚ ክኸውን እንደልዮ ክንገብር ዘኽእል ዓቕሚኸ ኣለናዶ የብልናን?” ዝብል ሓሳብ’ውን ይኽተል። ናይዚ መልሲ ድማ “ዓቕምና ክንመዝን ክንበቅዕስ መዓስ’ሞ ነቲ ዝርካቡ ብግቡእ ተጠቒምናሉ” ዝብል እዩ ዝኸውን።

ሓቂ እዩ ኣይኮነንዶ ሰልፍታት፡ ውድባት፡ ማሕበራትን ህዝባዊ ምልዕዓላትን ኮይና፡ ውልቀሰብ እውን ኣብ ቃልሲ ካብ ሃለወ መጻኢ ዘማዕዱ ፖለቲካዊ ሕሳብ ክህልዎ ግድን እዩ። ከምኡ እንተዘይኮኑ’ሞ “ዘይሓስብ ኣይንገድ” ክኸውን’ዩ። ስለዚ ንሕናውን ነናትና ሕሳባት ኣለና። ኣብ መጻኢ እዚ ሕሳባትና ክዕወተልና ምድላይና ድማ ሓጥያት ኣይኮነን። እንተኾነ ኤርትራን ህዝባን ኣብ ጽኑዕ ባይታ ኣጣጢሖም ክሳብ ዘይረገጹ፡ ናይ ኩልና ሕሳባት “ኣብ ሰማይ ዘሎ ደበና” እዩ ዝኸውን። “ሰልፈይ ወይ ውድበይ ስልጣን ክሕዝ፡ ኣተሓሳስባይ ሕገመንግስታዊ ልዕልና ክረክብ፡ ባህለይን ቋንቋይን ክዕንብብ……..ወዘተ” ኢልካ ምሕላን ጸገም ኣይኮነን። እዚ “መዓስን ኣብ ከመይ ኩነታትን’ዩ ዝረጋገጽ?” ዝብል ሕቶ ኣብ ዘይተመለሰሉ ምሕላኑ ሕልሚ ኮይኑ እዩ ዝተርፍ።

ካብዚ ዘለናዮ ደውታ መዋጸኦ ዝኾነና፡ ነቲ ኩሉ ግዜ፡ ንምድሮ፡ ንጭረሖ፡ ንኽትሞን ንእውጆን  ምትግባር እምበር ካልእ ተኣምር ኣይኮነን። እተኾነ ነቲ ኣብ መንጎ ምባልን ኣብ ባይታ ምትግባርን ዘሎ ሃጓፍ  ከነወግዶ’ኳ እንተዘይከኣልና ከነጻብቦ ግና ቅሩብነት እንተልዩና ዘይክኣል ኣይኮነን። ነዚ ክንበቅዕ ከኣ ንዝሓለፈን ሎሚ ዘየስርሕን ጉዳይ ንቕድሚት ዘይምምጻእ፡ ኣብ ክንዲ ውልቃዊ፡ ሰልፋውን ውድባውን ጸቢብ ስምዒታት ጉዳይ ሃገርን ህዝብን ከነቐድም እንተ በቒዕና ዝከኣል’ዩ።

ሓደሓደ ግዜ ኣብ ዝረአን ዝድህሰስን ሓቂ ዝፈላለየሉ ዕንቅፋት’ውን ኣሎ። ንኣብነት ብዛዕባ ናይ ጉጅለ ህግደፍ ኣብ ውግእ ትግራይ ኢድ ምእታዉ፡ ክንዝቲ እንከለና፡  “እቲ ጉጅለ ናብ ትግራይ ዝኣተወሉ ምኽንያት ካብ መቐለ ናብ ኣስመራ ሚሳይል ስለ ዝተደርበየ እዩ” ዝብሉ ብዙሓት እዮም። እቲ ካብ ቅድም ኢሳያስ ቀንዲ ተዋሰኣይ ኣብ ጉዳይ ትግራይ ኮይኑ ዘዕገርግሮ ዝነበረ እሞ ይጽነሓልና፡  ቅድሚ ናብ ኣስመራ ሚሳይል ምድርባዩ ሓይልታት ምክልኻል ኤርትራ ብወገን ሕሞራ ኣብቲ ውግእ ምእታዉ’ኳ ክንእመን ኣይንደልን። ካልእ መተዓዛዘቢ መጐተ ከኣ “ሓይልታት ምክልኻል ኤርትራ ናብ ትግራይ ዝኣተወ፡ ብቀያድን ናይ መወዳእታን ብይን ኮሚሽን ዶብ ንኤርትራ ዝተዋህበ መሬት ንምምላስ እዩ” ክበሃል እውን ይስማዕ’ዩ። እዞም ከምዚ ዝብሉ ወገናት ኢሳያስ፡ ድሕሪ ምስ ዶ/ር ኣብይ ኣሕመድ ዓሊ ምሽራኹ፡ ንጉዳይ ዶብ ኣዋዲቕዎ፡“እቶም ኣብዚ እዋንዚ ጉዳይ ዶብ ዘልዕሉ እቶም ምስ ኢትዮጵያ ጀሚርናዮ  ዘለና ምቅርራብ ክዘርጉ ዝደልዩ እዮም። ክልቲኡ ህዝብታት ኤርትራን ኢትዮጵያን ሓደ ህዝቢ እዩ።”  ክብል እንከሎ፡ ዶ/ር ኣብይ ኣሕመድ ብወገኑ ምስ ኢሳያስ ኣብ ዝገበሮ ርክብ ብዛዕባ ጉዳይ ዶብ ኤርትራን ኢትዮጵያን ተሓቲቱ “ኣዝዩ ንኡስ ጉዳይ ስለ ዝኾነ ኣየልዓልናዮን”  ኢሉ ከም ዝመለሰ ኣይፈልጡ እዮም ማለት ድዩ?፡  ኮታ ህግደፍሲ ሃገር ከየጥፍእ እትሰግኦ እምበር፡ ዶብ ከምልስ እምነት እተንብረሉ ኣይኮነን። ስለዚ እዚ ኣብ ርኡይ ጉዳያት ምፍልላይ’ውን ነቲ ብሓባር እምበር በይንኻ ዘይብጻሕ ጉዕዞና ይሓላልኾ ከምዘሎ ይሰቆረና።

Saturday, 17 July 2021 14:39

Ethiopia conflict heats up as Amhara region vows to attack Tigray forces

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JULY 15, 2021  ETHIOPIA, NEWS, TIGRAY

Source: Reuters

Tigrayan militia took about 19 refugees from Adi Harush on Wednesday to an unknown location and one refugee – a Muslim man – was killed after they told him to carry some weapons and he refused, another refugee told Reuters.

Ethiopia conflict heats up as Amhara region vows to attack Tigray forces

Members of Amhara Special Forces stand guard along a street in Humera town, Ethiopia July 1, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer

ADDIS ABABA, July 14 (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s war in the northern region of Tigray looked set to intensify on Wednesday as the prime minister signalled the end of a government ceasefire and the neighbouring Amhara region said it would go on the offensive against Tigrayan forces.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has recaptured most of its home region in the past three weeks after an abrupt reversal in an eight-month war, has vowed to retake western Tigray, an expanse of fertile territory controlled by Amhara forces who seized it during the conflict.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed abruptly pulled central government troops out of most of Tigray last month, citing a unilateral ceasefire that the TPLF mocked as “a joke” designed to justify his forces’ retreat. Wednesday’s statement marked a shift in rhetoric, as Abiy said the ceasefire had failed to deliver.

A spokesman for the Amhara regional government also said the authorities there were rallying their own forces for a counter-attack against Tigrayan forces.

“The regional government has now transitioned from defensive to offensive,” Amhara spokesperson Gizachew Muluneh was quoted as saying by the region’s state-run Amhara Media Corporation. “Amhara militia and special forces have been systematically trying to defend but now our patience has run out and as of today we have opened an offensive attack.”

He did not respond to requests for further comment. On Tuesday the National Movement of Amhara, a major regional political party, called on irregular volunteer militia – known as Fano – to mobilise.

Western Tigray has long been home to large populations of both Tigrayans and Amhara, and renewed fighting between two of Ethiopia’s biggest ethnic groups over the territory could drive another wave of refugees from a conflict that has already forced 2 million from their homes.

When Abiy sent troops to fight the TPLF last year, Amhara militia fought on the central government’s side, using the opportunity to take control of a swathe of territory administered by Tigrayans for decades.

Since Abiy’s abrupt withdrawal on June 28, the TPLF has pushed steadily outwards, recapturing most of Tigray. Its forces retook Alamata, the main town in the south, on Monday and pushed across the deep ravine of the Tekeze River to take Mai Tsebri from Amhara control on Tuesday. read more

But a tougher fight could loom for western Tigray, which the Amhara consider a reclaimed part of their own historic homeland and have vowed to keep under their control.

ABIY STEPS BACK FROM CEASEFIRE

Abiy’s more forceful remarks in a statement on Wednesday suggested his government was abandoning its three-week-old emphasis on its ceasefire declaration, proclaimed as government troops abandoned regional capital Mekelle to the advancing TPLF.

“The ceasefire could not bear the desired fruits,” he said. “The TPLF…poses a great danger to the sovereignty of the country. The federal government, through mobilising the people of Ethiopia, is determined to curb this threat.”

He blamed the TPLF for choosing to fight rather than allow in aid or observe the ceasefire, and accused them of recruiting, drugging and deploying child soldiers.

TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda dismissed the claim.

“We don’t have child soldiers because mature soldiers are never in short supply,” he told Reuters via satellite phone.

Getachew also repeated that the TPLF welcomes aid, and would not observe a ceasefire while parts of Tigray remained under control of the central government or its allies.

REFUGEES STUCK IN THE MIDDLE

Caught in the middle of the fighting are 23,000 Eritrean refugees sheltering in two camps near the town of Mai Tsebri. Many have already fled the Tigrayan war once when two other refugee camps were destroyed, and told Reuters they had seen refugees kidnapped and killed during previous fighting.

One refugee from Adi Harush camp told Reuters Tigrayan militia were searching refugees’ homes and confiscating cell phones.

“There is still shooting all around the camp,” he said.

Tigrayan militia took about 19 refugees from Adi Harush on Wednesday to an unknown location and one refugee – a Muslim man – was killed after they told him to carry some weapons and he refused, another refugee told Reuters.

“Our forces are not after Eritrean refugees. We will make sure refugees are protected and we are more than ready to investigate any claims,” TPLF’s Getachew said, adding refugees would be permitted to leave the area if they wished.

Tesfahun Gobezay, head of Ethiopia’s refugee agency, said they wanted to relocate the refugees away from fighting as fast as possible.

“We will bring refugees into the high schools as we try to build shelters,” he said.

Saturday, 17 July 2021 14:28

How Prime Minister Abiy encourages rape in his public statements

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JULY 15, 2021  ETHIOPIA, NEWS, TIGRAY

Channel 4 on Rape in Tigray

From Apologies to Atrocities: How to make sense of leadership statements in Ethiopia

by  on JUNE 19, 2021

By Jan Nyssen and several colleagues that co-authored but preferred to remain anonymous.

In a speech to assembled Ethiopian ambassadors in January 2019, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed would make a prescient remark regarding Tigray. Alluding to the role of soldiers during the battle of Adua in 1896 and later, during the Eritrean war, Abiy said: “This hasn’t been researched, but it’s obvious. From the battle of Adwa during the time of Menelik, to the later wars, many people from central Ethiopia – Oromos, Amharas – have been going to Tigray to fight. They were there for the war with Eritrea, and there’s been a military presence in Tigray for the 30 years since. So, if you’re wondering what the proportion of Oromo in Tigray is, leave it for DNA to find out. [Hilarity in the audience] It’s probably wrong to say this, but: those who went to Adwa, to fight, didn’t just go and come back. Each of them had about 10 kids.” [Loud laughter of the audience and applause]. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0-RF8E4ov0)

On March 21 2020, during a parliamentary session in which he was questioned on sexual violence in Tigray, Abiy replied: “The women in Tigray? These women have only been penetrated by men, whereas our soldiers were penetrated by a knife”. (https://twitter.com/womenoftigray/status1374723950786318336?s=20 , video includes English subtitles).

Earlier that year, after the first reports of the deliberate targeting of women had begun to emerge, an Ethiopian general is filmed addressing a group of officers. Berating his cohorts, he says: “why are women being raped in Tigray, at this time? We might expect this during war time and it is not manageable but why is it happening now in the presence of federal police, in the presence of an official administration?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX-GmMwEF10)

The rest of the video has been cut by the Ethiopian Broadcast Commission which first broadcast it, but it would appear to be an admission of what had been going on. An admission later echoed by the Ethiopian Minister for Women’s Affairs and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. (Addis Standard reports)

What are we to make of these statements? How are we to interpret words which, from the Prime Minister himself, seem an open acknowledgement, even an endorsement, of military tactics and strategy that holds, as its central pillar, the use of rape in war? How can the world reconcile these kinds of statements? How will the people of Tigray – and in particular the women – live with what has been said, and what has been admitted; and above all, if Abiy wins the election in June 21, how will the the rest of Ethiopia live with a Prime Minister who has endorsed a culture of rape?

PM Abiy Ahmed with military commanders, Office of the Prime Minister, Ethiopia, February 14, 2019, (Public domain)

Abiy Ahmed was appointed Prime Minster of Ethiopia on April 2 2018. He arrived on the scene talking hope, reconciliation, reform and much anticipated change. He seemed to embody everything Ethiopians hoped for. He was half Oromo half Amhara; a Christian, though Protestant, but he acknowledged his Islamic ancestors. He seemed to be the new ‘unity in diversity’ figurehead incarnate.  A new Ethiopia in the making. Who could object? He embarked on a series of tours around the country to explain himself then to the diaspora, to neighbours, and to the world. He moved fast, making changes addressing all the grievances over corruption and the past ‘misdeeds’ of the former government. He released prisoners, called back banned political parties and enjoined Ethiopians to address their past and atone with one another over historical events, and then move on.

The man with a PhD in Peace and Conflict studies it seems was putting in place the main steps for future reconciliation and state rebuilding. The world held its breath; he ‘made peace’ with Eritrea, he talked of Rwanda, he reminded the world of the evils of genocide and the need not to demonize and to transcend all differences.  He appointed several women into his cabinet, a first for Ethiopia. He was applauded at home and abroad he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

It was a moment of pride for the country for him. Much was written: articles, blogs, Twitter, Facebook all were euphoric.  Ethiopia reasserting her honor, her history of internationalism and defender of universal values. A founding member of the United Nations  a great contributer to Peace-Keeping operations since 1950. Abiy, the ex military man now statesman was bringing back this honor to Ethiopia, to the Ethiopian army, to its people.

As the war unfolded in Tigray, the reports of atrocities and their specific intentions seemed to follow the textbook example of all that has been written and researched on the use of rape in war, and on violations of international protocols and treaties governing conflict.  AP Africa correspondent Cara Anna described the horrors of sexual violence in Tigray on CBS News. Aljazeera and Reuters detailed the sexual slavery in Tigray. Helen Clark and Rachel Kyte called the world to action: “The world knows enough to say that war crimes are happening in Tigray. We should not need to wait until we are able to conduct full and thorough investigations before we act to stop rape as a weapon of war. We should not have to count the graves of children before we act to stop starvation crimes.” The Red Cross also condemned this horrific sexual violence in the strongest terms.

With each report and social outrage, there was denial and counter accusations of ‘fake news’ and ‘alleged’ rapes and claims of  a ‘western’ smear campaign against the integrity of Ethiopia. The cries of pain and testaments of Tigrayan women, now scorned and dismissed as propaganda.

As activists and human rights lawyers examine the evidence from Tigray and other places where women continue to suffer the onslaught of violence and ethnic cleansing, the academics remind us: governments don’t outsource violence to militias; they model it.

On June 19th the world will be commemorating International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. A day agreed on by all member states of the UN to condemn and call for the end of conflict-related sexual violence, including rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy and enforced sterilization; and to honour victims, survivors and those fighting to end these most terrorizing and destructive of crimes.

As activists and human rights lawyers examine the evidence from Tigray and other places where women continue to suffer the onslaught of violence and ethnic cleansing, the academics remind us: governments don’t outsource violence to militias; they model it. Data on government and militia attacks against civilians in civil wars from 1989 to 2010 show that when governments target civilians — whether through massacres, ethnic cleansing or deliberate bombing and shelling — they generally do so through both their regular military forces and militia forces. And when states decide not to target civilians, militias generally hold back as well. They may influence militia behavior through training or through more informal diffusion — or both. Studies show that when governments train militias, militias are more likely to target civilians both with sexual violence and other kinds of violence.”

On June 17 The African Union announced the opening  of the official Commission of inquiry into Tigray. As they begin to collect the statements from Tigrayan refugees and victims of sexual violence, they would be wise to also consider the various speeches and statements of Abiy Ahmed himself.

Saturday, 17 July 2021 14:22

“Against all odds” – Dan Connell’s seminal book on the Eritrean revolution, now updated and reappraised

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“Against all odds” – Dan Connell’s seminal book on the Eritrean revolution, now updated and reappraised

JULY 15, 2021  NEWS, TIGRAY

Against All OddsThis book – as relevant today as it was in 1993 when it was first written – is by one of the few outsiders who can claim to really know those who fought for Eritrea’s freedom.

That long struggle, which began in 1961 and ended 30 years later with the ecstatic capture of Asmara, was known to very few who were not Eritreans. Dan Connell was one of them.

It is with great pain and sadness that he therefore writes an update and reappraisal of these events. Today Eritrea is possibly the worst dictatorship in the world and many of Dan’s contacts and friends languish in its dungeons.

He sums up this dilemma in his preface to the new edition.

The liberation front’s remarkable discipline and organisation and its fierce commitment to self-reliance help explain its success against extraordinary odds. But the same qualities made for problems when it can to state-building in a less easily controlled political environment. Perhaps, then, it was was inevitable that the front would revert to what it knew best: a permanent war-footing with its nation-building project under strict military command, albeit in civilian clothing, as if it were still a guerilla army defending its besieged base area from existential threats on all sides. Was there ever really another way? The question is an idle one, though it preoccupies many in the diaspora.” 

Dan considers why Eritreans have behaved with such utter disregard for their enemies and for civilians in the current war in Tigray.

This he puts down to the problem of “cult-formation” with conscripts indoctrinated into believing that their country is facing an overwhelming threat, which only a inspired leader can save the nation. The young men and women are isolated from the rest of the world and have absolute obedience enforced upon them.

Little surprise then that they have slaughtered men and abused and killed women without humanity. “Once initiated in the fever of killing, plunder, rape and destruction, there was no turning back; they had been turned into monsters.”

How right Dan is. Eritreans have been transformed and deformed by decades of dictatorship.

Changing the country into the humane democracy that the EPLF fought for over so many years will take years of healing and re-education.

You can buy the book directly from Africa World Press

Friday, 16 July 2021 00:25

BREAKING: Turkish drones reportedly being constructed in Addis

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JULY 14, 2021  ETHIOPIA, NEWS, TIGRAY

According to Tigrayan sources ten drones supplied by Turkey are being built in Addis Ababa with the support of Turkish technicians.

The weapons, which are said to be for both surveillance and tactical use, are being built at a training and intelligence centre of the Information Network Security Agency or INSA.

The director-general of INSA – Temesgen Tiruneh – is reportedly in overall charge of the programme, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is said to visit the site frequently.

The agency is said to be building a runway from which the drones can be launched, about ten kilometres from the centre of Addis.

Drones in the Tigray war

There have been previous reports that drones were being used in the Tigray war, being flown from UAE bases in Eritrea.

This was discounted by the independent investigators, Bellingcat.

Bellingcat concluded in November 2020 that: “In sum, the claims made by the Tigray forces are not impossible, but so far they seem improbable.

Satellite imagery confirms the presence of Chinese-produced drones at the UAE’s military base in Assab, but that is all it confirms. There is currently no further evidence that these same drones have been involved in operations in support of the Ethiopian airforce, though there have been confirmed sightings of Ethiopian jet fighters in the conflict zone.”

But the current report is different – quoting first hand accounts by people who have seen the drones currently under construction.

Thursday, 15 July 2021 20:46

Dimtsi Harnnet Kassel 15.07.2021

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Dimtsi Harnnet Kassel 15.07.2021
Published in Radio
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Wednesday, 14 July 2021 22:43

Ethiopia: UN Appeals for Faster Passage for Aid Convoys to Ethiopia's Tigray

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World Food Programme

Humanitarian aid being delivered to the Tigray region of Ethiopia by a convoy of 50 trucks .
13 JULY 2021
 
UN humanitarians appealed on Tuesday for far quicker access to Ethiopia's embattled Tigray region, after the first aid trucks in days to reach the local capital, Mekelle, encountered multiple checks delaying their arrival.

Unobstructed aid deliveries are crucial in the northern Ethiopian region where the World Food Programme (WFP) says that four million people need emergency food assistance, after more than eight months of conflict between regional and central government forces.

In a related development, the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning the violence committed by all parties to the conflict since it began on 4 November 2020.

According to the WFP, the convoy of 50 trucks that arrived in the Tigrayan capital of Mekelle on Monday delivered 900 tonnes of food, along with other emergency supplies.

"It was the first humanitarian convoy to reach Tigray since WFP re-started operations in the northwest on 2 July", said WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri. "Of the 50 trucks, 29 truckloads transported food commodities comprising wheat, split peas and vegetable oil, enough to cover the most pressing urgent food needs of 200,000 people for a week. It is not enough."

Inspection routine

The WFP official underlined how damaging the delays to the convoy's arrival had been.

"What is important here is to note is that these convoys are going through rigorous checks", Mr. Phiri said. "It should not be like that. We need to send these convoys every day from now on so that we are able to meet demand. We therefore appeal for quicker and smoother passage into the region as soon as possible."

The aid convoy took four days to travel from Semera in the northeast to Mekelle, a distance of 445 kilometres. Drivers had to stop at 10 checkpoints where "at each and every stop, the humanitarian cargo was rigorously checked", Mr. Phiri said.

Some 100 aid trucks "need to be moving on any given day" and they need to for half the time if we are to reverse the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the region" he continued, before noting that WFP needs $176 million to continue to scale up its response in Tigray to save lives and livelihoods to the end of the year.

Healthcare destruction

Latest reports from Tigray on Tuesday also appear to confirm that healthcare provision is damaged beyond repair in many areas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

"Most health facilities are not functioning at the moment and first-hand accounts that we just received this morning tell us that medical equipment and supplies were removed or destroyed in almost all health facilities in the region," said WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier.

Despite the challenges of access, the UN agency has allocated $1.9 million for malaria, cholera and nutrition treatments. "But this is only a fraction of what's needed; (it) will be critical for local authorities and partners to deliver assistance," Mr. Lindmeier insisted.

In June, the WHO warned that conflict between Ethiopian Government troops and those loyal to the dominant regional force, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), had left hospitals "barely functioning", people displaced and famine "looming".

The agency also underlined the serious danger of communicable and vaccine-preventable diseases spreading owing to a lack of food, clean water, safe shelter and access to health care.

Rights action call

In Geneva, in a call for action on the situation in Tigray at the Human Rights Council, Member States expressed grave concern at the reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international refugee law, that have been allegedly committed by all sides.

Those supporting the resolution proposed by the European Union backed its call for the swift and verifiable withdrawal of Eritrean troops from the region, as well as the need for accountability for human rights violations and abuses.

The text was adopted by a vote of 20 in favour, 14 against and 13 abstentions, after Member States rejected all 16 amendments to the draft resolution.

The adopted resolution also contained a request to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to present an oral update to the forum at its next session in September.

 Read the original article on UN News.
 
Wednesday, 14 July 2021 22:25

BREAKING: Turkish drones reportedly being constructed in Addis

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JULY 14, 2021  ETHIOPIA, NEWS, TIGRAY

According to Tigrayan sources ten drones supplied by Turkey are being built in Addis Ababa with the support of Turkish technicians.

The weapons, which are said to be for both surveillance and tactical use, are being built at a training and intelligence centre of the Information Network Security Agency or INSA.

The director-general of INSA – Temesgen Tiruneh – is reportedly in overall charge of the programme, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is said to visit the site frequently.

The agency is said to be building a runway from which the drones can be launched, about ten kilometres from the centre of Addis.

Drones in the Tigray war

There have been previous reports that drones were being used in the Tigray war, being flown from UAE bases in Eritrea.

This was discounted by the independent investigators, Bellingcat.

Bellingcat concluded in November 2020 that: “In sum, the claims made by the Tigray forces are not impossible, but so far they seem improbable.

Satellite imagery confirms the presence of Chinese-produced drones at the UAE’s military base in Assab, but that is all it confirms. There is currently no further evidence that these same drones have been involved in operations in support of the Ethiopian airforce, though there have been confirmed sightings of Ethiopian jet fighters in the conflict zone.”

But the current report is different – quoting first hand accounts by people who have seen the drones currently under construction.

Wednesday, 14 July 2021 10:04

EPDP EC Statement on the Situation in Tigray

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EPDP EC Statement on the Situation in Tigray

EPDP EC Statement on the Situation in Tigray

In an extraordinary meeting held on 3 July 2021, the Executive Committee of the Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) seriously evaluated the outcomes of the eight-month long intensive war in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, and at the outset, the meeting wished to express its good wishes to the fraternal Tigray people and their defense forces for the remarkable achievements through steadfastness and exceptional valor.

The meeting found it noting the November 21 2020 statement of the EPDP Central Council, based on relevant resolutions of the last Party congress and related policy guidelines, that strongly condemned the blatant interference of the Eritrean dictatorship in the internal affairs of a neighboring country with the sinister aim of fueling hostile conflicts. The earlier CC statement also referred to the call upon the Eritrean people to watchfully defend their hard-won sovereignty which was under threat of those secret pacts ostensibly reached under the cover of darkness with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, forgetful of the past bitter experiences of the Eritrean people.

At its 3rd of July evaluation, the EC once more saw the Party’s concerns repeating themselves in the war in Tigray that, in spite of the military gains, have caused untold suffering to innocent civilians. And still, the suffering is not ending. The EPDP leadership thus reiterated its deep concerns about the regional ramifications of the conflict whose imminent dangers cannot spare Eritrea. Most importantly, it is timely to recall the following conclusions and  concerns of the CC November statement:

  1. The EPDP condemns the Isaias-Abiy collusion to fight the people and government of the regional Tigray State, and calls for a political solution to the conflict which is in the first place constitutional and political;
  2. The Party supports the combined calls for peaceful settlement of the conflict by international, regional, religious and human rights organizations, and in particular recommends that the warring parties accept the African initiative for reconciliation. The Party leadership also urged concerned international bodies to come on the side of the affected people and see to it that refugees problems are addressed with utmost attention.

Thus, continuing the discussion on an urgent theme of “what can be done to avert a looming additional havoc?” the 3 July meeting of the EPDP Executive Committee reached the following conclusions:

  1. The EC again saluted the Tigrayan people at home and abroad for having forged a unified stand under a solid defense umbrella of its field forces and broke the dark nightmare that befell them until they could restore their legitimate regional government;
  2. It called for the immediate return of public services like supply of electricity, water communication networks, transport, banks and the like which have been disrupted as part of the war project. Likewise, international actors have to increase their pressure and follow up to make sure that access for humanitarian assistance to reach the needy victims is fully realized;
  3. The EPDP leadership further reiterated its call on all parties to agree on workable cease-fire and start serious dialogue to reach a lasting solution;
  4. It commended the distinguished stand of the Tigray regional state and their defense force in their unwavering support to Eritrean sovereign existence, and which remains their honorable trademark. The EPDP Executive Committee thus reminded fraternal Tigray regional state to continue upholding this noble stand and in addition cooperate with Eritrean forces struggling against the tyranny in Eritrea.
  5. The meeting urged the international community to see to it that the crimes and abuses committed against refugees and civilians are not repeated and all the crimes committed in the conflict are fully investigated and the culprits brought to accountability without delay. In addition, all parties are urged to respect the rights of prisoners of war and never fail giving due process of law to any accused amongst them.
  6. At this juncture, we urge the Eritrean people to demand answers to question as to what has been the fate of their sons and daughters who were forced to join in this war that did not concern their country, and many of them reportedly perished under different circumstances. In this connection, our people are called upon to unify their ranks to defeat the cruel tyranny at home that caused so much suffering in neighboring Tigray region and bring to justice all those who committed crimes against other human beings.

Finally, it is time to revisit continuous crimes Isaias and his clique have been committing in Eritrea and now extended the same criminal acts to the  people of Tigray with the aim of instilling mutual hatred and enmity between the fraternal peoples of Eritrea and Tigray. However, the PFDJ regime does not represent the Eritrean people and our people have no involvement in the crimes this repressive regime perpetrated against our neighbors. Therefore, it is now the most opportune moment for the two fraternal people not to have grudges against each other but unify their ranks in cooperating against their common enemy in Eritrea.

Most importantly, the EPDP believes it is time for the Eritrean change and justice seekers to take a new path and launch a new phase of struggle to save their own people and sovereign state. Similarly, friends of Eritrea are urged to put more pressure on the repressive regime in Eritrea and extend the necessary support to the Eritrean pro-democracy actors to realize their long deferred dream for a democratic state in post-dictatorship Eritrea.

We struggle for Democratic Governance and Progress!

The EPDP Executive Committee

3 July, 2021

Wednesday, 14 July 2021 09:46

 ኮሚሽነር ላዕለዋይ ኮሚሽን፡ መግለጺ ኣውጺኦም

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 ኮሚሽነር ላዕለዋይ ኮሚሽን፡ መግለጺ ኣውጺኦም

ኮሚሽነር ላዕለዋይ ኮሚሽን ጉዳይ ስደተኛታት ሕቡራት ሃገራት ፍሊፖ ግራንዲ ብ13 ሓምለ 2021 ኣብ ኢትዮጵያ ክልል ትግራይ ብዛዕባ ዘለዉ ኤርትራውያን ስደተኛታት መግለጺ ኣውጺኦም። እቶም ኮሚሽነር ኣብ መግለጺኦም፡ ላዕለዋይ ኮሚሽን ጉዳይ ስደተኛታት፡ ረዲአት ብምቕራብን ነቲ ጉዳይ ዝከታተሉ ብቑዓት ክኢላታት ብምምዳብ ብዝከኣሎም ይሰርሑ ከም ዘለዉ ሓቢሮም።

ምስዚ ኣተሓሒዞም ኣብ ዝሓለፈ ሕዳር 2020 ኣብ ትግራይ ውግእ ካብ ዝጅምር ኣትሒዞም፡ እቶም ስደተኛታት ተዓቚበሙለን ካብ ዝነበሩ መደበራት፡ እተን ክልተ ሽመልባን ሕንጻጽን ዓንየን፡ ኣብኣተን ዝነበሩ ስደተኛታት ንዝተፈላለዩ ጸገማት ብምቅለዖም፡ ኣብ ዝለዓለ ሻቕሎት ከም ዝጸንዝሑ ጠቒሶም። ከምኡ’ውን ብሰንክቲ ዘጋጠመ ውግእ ብዙሓት ስደተኛታት ነብሶም ከድሕኑ ፋሕ ኢሎም ክሃድሙ ከም ዝተገደዱን ንብረቶም ተዘሚቱ ብዙሕ በደላትን ግህሰታትን ከም ዘጋጠሞም ካብ እሙናት ኣካላት ስሩዕ  ሓበሬታ ከም ዝበጸሖም ኣብ መገልጺኦም ኣስፊሮም።

ኮሚሽነር ፍሊፖ ግራንዲ፡  ሻቕለቶም ብሓፈሻ፤ ብዛዕባዞም ስደተኛታት ዝለዓለ ኮይኑ ከም ዝጸንሐ፡ ብፍላይ ኣብዚ ቀረባ መዓልታት ብለይቲ ኣብ መደበራት ማይዓይንን ዓዲ ሓርሽን ዘጋጠመ ኣዝዩ ከም ዘሻቐሎም ገሊጾም። ኣብ ዝሓለፈ ሰሙን ኣብ ከተማ ሽረ ብዙሓት ስደተኛታት ከም ዝተኣስሩ ዝጠቅስ ሓበሬታ ምስ በጸሖም፡ ኮሚሽኖም ብዛዕባዚ ኣብ ልዕሊ ዑቑባ ዝሓተቱ ስደተኛታት  ዝወረደ ዘይሕጋዊ ተግብር መብርሂ ንምርካብ ናብ መቐለ ከም ዝሓተቱ ኣብዚ መግለጺኦም ኣስፊሮም። ብዘይካዚ ንፈደራላዊ መንግስቲ ኢትዮጵያ ኮነ ኣብ መቐለ ንዘለዉ ኣካላት ብዛዕባዚ ጉዳይ ምጽራይ ንኽግበር ከም ዝተማሕጸኑ ገሊጾም።

እዞም ኮሚሽነር “ዝኾነ ኣብ ልዕሊ ስደተኛታት ዘጋጥም ምግልታዕ ጠጠው ክብል ይግበኦ፡ ምኽንያቱ ሰደተኛታት መሰል ዕቑባ ዝሓቱ ሲቪል እዮም” ኢሎም። ኣተሓሒዞም ድማ ኩሎም ዝምልከቶም ወገናት ንዓለም ለኻዊ ሕጊ ኣተሓሕዛ ስደተኛታት ክምእዘዙ ይግበኦም ኢሎም። ቀጻሊ ተግባራት ላዕለዋይ ኮሚሽን ጉዳይ ስደተኛታት፡ ሓድሽ መደበር ስደተኛታት ካብ ምህናጽ ጀሚርካ፡ ድሕነት ስደተኛታት ምሕላው ከም ዝኸውን ጠቒሶም።

ኣብ ትግራይ ካብ ዝነበራ 4ተ መደበር ኤርትራውያን ስደተኛታት፡ ሕንጻጽን ሽመልባን ኣቐዲመን እቲ ውግእ ምስተጀመረ ከም ዝዓነዋ ዝዝከር እዩ። እተን ደሓን እየን ተባሂለን ዝነበራ መደበራት ማይዓይንን ዓዲ ሓርሽን ከኣ፡ ኣብዚ እዋንዚ ሓይልታት ምክልኻል ትግራይን ፍሉይ ሓይሊኣምሓራን ኣብ ዝመናጠልሉ ክሊ ኣትየን ኣለዋ።

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