The United States Concerned By Clashes in Oromia, Ethiopia

The United States is deeply concerned by the recent clashes in the Oromia region of Ethiopia that reportedly have resulted in the deaths of numerous protestors. We greatly regret the deaths that have occurred and express our condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives.

We urge the government of Ethiopia to permit peaceful protest and commit to a constructive dialogue to address legitimate grievances. We also urge those protesting to refrain from violence and to be open to dialogue. The government of Ethiopia has stated publicly that the disputed development plans will not be implemented without further public consultation. We support the government of Ethiopia’s stated commitment to those consultations and urge it to convene stakeholders to engage in dialogue as soon as possible.

Mark C.toner

Dispatches: Yet Again, a Bloody Crackdown on Protesters in Ethiopia

Student protests are spreading throughout Ethiopia’s Oromia region, as people demonstrate against the possibility that Oromo farmers and residents living near the capital, Addis Ababa, could be evicted from their lands without appropriate – or possibly any – compensation. Social media is filled with images of bloodied protesters; there are credible reports of injuries and arrests in a number of towns; and local police have publicly acknowledged that three students have died so far.

The current protests echo the bloody events of April and May 2014, when federal forces

Ethiopia denies imprisoned journalist visitation rights, medical treatment

Local friends and relatives of journalist Temesghen Desalegn, who is serving a three-year jail term, said that Ethiopian prison authorities in Ziway Prison have denied him medical treatment and all prison visits.

A court in the capital, Addis Ababa, convicted Temesghen on October 27, 2014, on charges of defamation, incitement, and false publication in connection with a series of opinion pieces published in 2012 in the now-defunct Feteh ("Justice") newsmagazine, according to a translated copy of the charge sheet in CPJ's possession. Two of the articles discussed the peaceful struggle of Ethiopian youth movements for political change and two columns criticized alleged government efforts

Ethiopia: World Bank Translator, Activists Face Trial

Activists Heading for Food Workshop Charged With Terrorism

(Nairobi) – Ethiopian authorities should immediately drop all charges and release a former World Bank translator and two other local activists charged under Ethiopia’s repressive counterterrorism law after trying to attend a workshop on food security in Nairobi, six international development and human rights groups said today.

Zone 9 Bloggers Winners of the 2015 CPJ Press Freedom Award

(CPJ) – In April 2014, Ethiopian authorities arrested six bloggers affiliated with the Zone 9 collective. The bloggers–Abel Wabella, Atnaf Berhane, Mahlet Fantahun, Natnail Feleke, Zelalem Kibret, and Befekadu Hailu–were charged with terrorism.

The Zone 9 blogging collective was formed in May 2012 in response to the evisceration of the independent press and the narrowing of space for free expression. The name, “Zone 9,” is derived from the zones in Kality Prison, the main jail where Ethiopia’s political prisoners, including several journalists, are held. While Kality Prison is organized into eight different zones, the bloggers refer to the

Walking into danger: migrants still head to Yemen

HARGEISA, 11 August 2015 (IRIN) - Qader and Abdi are two weeks into their journey. Carrying only one empty plastic water bottle each, flattened, with no liquid to return it to its cylindrical shape, the two men figure they will be walking for another month-and-a-half before they reach the sea. From there, they will take a smuggler boat the short distance to Yemen, where another 600-kilometre walk lies ahead before they may reach their final destination, Saudi Arabia.

The pair – members of Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, the Oromo, which activists charge is systematically disenfranchised by the government – are walking along an uncrowded road connecting the capital of Somaliland, Hargeisa, to a northern port city.

Ethiopian Opposition Group Threatens Armed Resistance

Ethiopian opposition figure Berhanu Nega, have moved from the US to Eritrea.


Ethiopia’s opposition Ginbot 7 Movement for Unity and Democracy has decided to use armed resistance in addition to peaceful resistance against the government in Addis Ababa. This follows the move of the group’s leader from the United States to Eritrea.

Berhanu Nega travelled to Ethiopia’s northern neighbor following the merger of his Ginbot 7 with the Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front. “It’s true he travelled to Eritrea, he went on July 17, 2015,” said the spokesman for the group, Dr. Tadesse Biru.

“He is the leader of an organization that strives to bring about democratic order in Ethiopia, and he