The Movement for Eritrean People's Sovereignty (EPS
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Social-Media-Health
February 15th - March 15th, 2021 Social Media Health Report in Ethiopia A report compiled by the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) contents Introduction 1 Findings 2 Key Issues of the Month 2 EZEMA’s election-related concerns (February 15th) 2 OLF’s statement regarding the upcoming election (February 19th) 4 The killing of Yemane Nigusse, leader of the fenqil movement (February 20th ) 5 #StarvingForJustice and #OromoProtests (February 22nd) 9 Grant of permission for international media outlets to cover Tigray[1] region. (24th February) 10 Security concerns in Tigray Region (26th of February) 13 Killings in Horogudru welega zone (March 10th) 22 Conclusion 24 Social Media Health Report in Ethiopia February 15 - March 15, 2021 A report by the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) Introduction This social media health report construes the monitoring conducted in the days between the 15th of February 2021 through the 15th of March 2021. The Health Report is aimed at assessing the key issues on social media, the overall dynamics of hate speech in the country, and what they mean to the socio-political development of Ethiopia. The monitoring of this month includes the overall assessment of social media activities through the platform of Crowd Tangle and Brandwatch. Key issues are determined based on the degree of interaction and the attention it received on social media. SOCIAL MEDIA HEALTH REPORT 1 Findings Key Issues of the Month During this period, the following issues have been widely discussed: • EZEMA’s election-related concerns (February 15th) The Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA) party began its election campaign in Addis Ababa on the 15th of February. -
Joanne's Testimony
Joanne’s Testimony My roots in the Tigray province of Ethiopia are long and deep. My grandmother, Bizunesh Atsbeha, came from a long royal lineage in the northern region of Tigray, Ethiopia called Agamé, and she lived there until she passed away a few years ago. I spent many years visiting with family there and I developed deep friendships and connections in the region. I am very “Toronto”, I’m mixed; my dad is half Ethiopian (born and raised there), and my mom is a white Canadian with British and Scottish roots. During my time in Ethiopia, and especially in Tigray I found that even in communities experiencing abject poverty, even in households that had no knowledge of my Ethiopian connection or my grandmother’s lineage, I was always welcomed by open hearts into open homes. Ethiopia has spent years battling the bad press of famine from the 1980s and there is much to be celebrated about the country. It is home to the Aksumite Empire, one of the greatest empires in history. It boasts the origin of coffee, the source of the Blue Nile, a delicious culinary culture, a diverse landscape and a rich cultural history. It is one of the two countries on the continent of Africa to have never been colonized, and it’s the site of an incredibly important battle in global history, the Battle of Adwa, which repelled a colonizing force and became a symbol of strength in Africa—helping to mobilize black communities around the world. Ethiopia is also a religious nation, primarily composed of Christian and Muslim people. -
Disinformation in Tigray
Disinformation in Tigray: Manufacturing Consent For a Secessionist War May 2021 Cover Photo: TPLF leader “Aboy” (father) Sebhat Nega captured by Ethiopian National Defense Forces on January 8, 2021. (Courtesy of Ethiopian News Agency) Acknowledgements The preparers of this report by New Africa Institute would like to thank officials from the African Union, United Nations, Ethiopia and Eritrea for their assistance. New Africa Institute 601 West 26th Street Suite 325-53 New York, NY 10001 © New Africa Institute, 2021. Published on May 9, 2021. This material is offered free of charge for personal and non-commercial use, provided the source is acknowledged. For commercial or any other use, prior written permission must be obtained from the New Africa Institute. In no case may this material be altered, rented or sold. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS HISTORICAL CONTEXT ................................................................................................................................................................... III LOWERING EVIDENTIARY STANDARDS ..................................................................................................................................... 8 “COMMUNICATIONS BLACKOUT” .................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 “RESTRICTED HUMANITARIAN ACCESS” .................................................................................................................................................................. -
Contact Us on [email protected] Dr Mesfin
Appeal to the UN Security Council to Support Ethiopian Sovereignty by Rejecting the TPLF Cyber Warfare Based False Claims. Date: March 10, 2021 The Ethiopian Professional Association in Southern Africa (EthPASA) is a non-governmental, non- profit and independent professionals’ association not affiliated to any religious and/or political organization. EthPASA (https://ethpasa.org) is deeply concerned about the international public relations offensive campaigns that came after the November 4, 2020, military confrontation initiated by the TPLF leadership. TPLF’s regional forces launched a concerted attack on the Ethiopian Federal Defence Forces' Northern Command, which was based in several military bases in Tigray. They confiscated the Command's military equipment, detained thousands of its members, and killed hundreds of them in horrific circumstances. The Ethiopian Federal Government has tried several avenues to resolve the conflict peacefully, and reluctantly joined the war started by the TPLF for no other reason other than to maintain the enforcement of the rule of law. Dr. Abiy said he eagerly likes to send surgical masks to the people of Tigray and not weapons. The federal Government released the budget to Tigray by sending 6 billion Ethiopian Birr the day before TPLF declared the war against the Federal Forces Northern Command stationed to defend the people in the region. The Government cannot be blamed for the war started by the TPLF leadership when they should have negotiated with a number of traditional mediators sent by the federal Government and civil society organisations including religious leaders to promote a peaceful transition after their nearly 30 years divisive rule. -
ERI 2/2021 19 April 2021
PALAIS DES NATIONS • 1211 GENEVA 10, SWITZERLAND Mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea; the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Special Rapporteur on the right to food; the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non- discrimination in this context; the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation REFERENCE: AL ERI 2/2021 19 April 2021 Excellency, We have the honour to address you in our capacity as Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea; Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Special Rapporteur on the right to food; Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non- discrimination in this context; Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; and Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 42/22, 44/1, 44/5, 32/8, 43/14, 41/15, 44/4 and 42/5. In this connection, we would like to bring to the attention of your Excellency’s Government information we have received concerning allegations related to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by the Eritrean Army in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, including deliberate attacks against civilians and summary executions, indiscriminate attacks, sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, destruction and looting of civilian property and displacement. -
WHO STARTED IT? the Tigray War of Genocide
WHO STARTED IT? The Tigray War of Genocide Released 24 July 2021 Table of Contents Table of Contents Acronyms 2 Executive Summary 3 Introduction The Tigray war briefly described 5 The war participants 5 Purpose of the war 6 The narrative by the Ethiopian government 6 The purpose of this whitepaper 8 The Evidence Scheme 1: Demonize, Dismantle, & Destroy 9 Weaken Tigray and the TPLF using ugly campaigns 9 A foiled commando mission of 2018 10 Dissolve EPRDF to dissolve the TPLF 10 Kill, jail, and intimidate key TPLF members 11 Weaken the TPLF by mobilizing youth 12 Economic blockade to create rift between the TPLF and the people of Tigray 12 Scheme 2: All-Out War 13 Early Meetings and Undisclosed Agreements 14 Corroborations by Former Chief of Staff and Defense Minister 17 Activities weeks before 3 November 2020 17 Events on or after 4 November 2020 18 The alleged attack on the Northern Command 20 Could the TRG have reasons other than defending itself? 21 Conclusion 23 Endnotes 24 Acronyms AU=African Union | EPRDF=Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front | ESAT=Ethiopian Satellite Television and Radio | GERD=Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam | INSA=Information Network Security Agency | METEC=Metals and Engineering Corporation | NC-ENDF=Northern Command- Ethiopian National Defense Forces | OLF=Oromo Liberation Front | SJT=Security & Justice for Tigrayans | TDF=Tigray Defense Forces | TPLF=Tigray People’s Liberation Front | TRG=Tigray Regional Government. and even news media accepted the narrative at face value. This short paper presents findings of fact about the government’s Executive narrative in an effort to bring the truth out to the front and assist the reader in making a more informed conclusion about the true Summary causes, origins, and intent of the war. -
Red Lines: Upheaval and Containment in the Horn of Africa
Red Lines: Upheaval and Containment in the Horn of Africa This is the final part in a series of three analysis features covering unrest in Sudan. The first in the series — Riders on the Storm — explored the dynamics and agendas which resulted in the Juba Peace Agreement. The second — Danse Macabre — examined the origins of the uprising in Sudan and its trajectory following the coup of April 2019. This final analysis situates Sudan’s current upheaval in the context of the Horn of Africa, and extends the scope of analysis to encompass conflict in Ethiopia and the region. Introduction Since 2018, the Horn of Africa has made headlines for a series of dramatic developments. Following years of protests in the restive Oromia region, a power transition took place in Ethiopia in April 2018.In December of that year, anti-government demonstrations began. This culminated in a coup in April 2019 which was greenlit by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Gallopin, 2020). A dubious peace deal was reached in South Sudan in September of 2018 at the insistence of Sudan and Uganda, months after Saudi Arabia and the UAE brokered a peace agreement in Ethiopia and Eritrea in July (see Woldemariam, 2018; Watson, 2019). Events in the Horn have not proceeded entirely smoothly since these changes, despite initial optimism that a more pluralistic form of politics led by civilians would take root in Sudan and Ethiopia. Sudan’s military and paramilitary forces have cast an increasingly long shadow over the supposed transition underway in the country, while growing tensions between Ethiopia’s new administration and its former rulers — the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) — led to fears of civil war, as disorder spread to several parts of the country (see International Crisis Group, 2020a). -
Report Eritrea: National Service
Report Eritrea: National service Report Eritrea: National service LANDINFO – 23 MARCH 2015 1 The Country of Origin Information Centre (Landinfo) is an independent body that collects and analyses information on current human rights situations and issues in foreign countries. It provides the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (Utlendingsdirektoratet – UDI), Norway’s Immigration Appeals Board (Utlendingsnemnda – UNE) and the Norwegian Ministry of Justice with the information they need to perform their functions. The reports produced by Landinfo are based on information from both public and non-public sources. The information is collected and analysed in accordance with source criticism standards. When, for whatever reason, a source does not wish to be named in a public report, the name is kept confidential. Landinfo’s reports are not intended to suggest what Norwegian immigration authorities should do in individual cases; nor do they express official Norwegian views on the issues and countries analysed in them. Translation provided by the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons, Belgium. © Landinfo 2015 The material in this report is covered by copyright law. Any reproduction or publication of this report or any extract thereof other than as permitted by current Norwegian copyright law requires the explicit written consent of Landinfo. For information on all of the reports published by Landinfo, please contact: Landinfo Country of Origin Information Centre Storgata 33A P.O. Box 8108 Dep NO-0032 Oslo Norway Tel: +47 23 30 94 70 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.landinfo.no Report Eritrea: National service LANDINFO – 23 MARCH 2015 2 SUMMARY National Service has until recently consisted of both military training and community service or military service. -
The Tigray War & Regional Implications
THE TIGRAY WAR & REGIONAL IMPLICATIONS (VOLUME 1) November 2020 to June 2021 1 CONTENTS 1. Foreword …………………………………………………………………………… 4 2. Introduction: war, offensives and atrocities 2.1 Overview …………………………………………………………………………… 7 2.2 Early attempts to halt the fighting ……………………………………………… 10 2.3 The war escalates …………………………………………………………………. 13 3. Ethiopia at war 3.1 The Federal Government v Tigray Regional State ……………………………. 16 3.2 Prime Minister Abiy’s short-lived whirlwind of reform ……………………... 30 3.3 An inexorable drive towards conflict 2018 – 2020 …………………………….. 49 3.4 President Isaias and Prime Minister Abiy – who is in the driving seat? ……. 60 4. Progress of the war 4.1 ENDF offensives along the southwestern front ……………………………….. 73 4.2 The northern fronts ………………………………………………………………. 76 4.3 The Southern Front ………………………………………………………………. 78 4.4 The ENDF’s strategy ……………………………………………………………... 78 4.5 Retreat and consolidation ……………………………………………………….. 80 4.6 TDF expansion and the start of semi-conventional warfare …………………. 82 4.7 Overall War Progress: November 2020 to May 2021 …………………………. 84 4.8 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………… 88 5. The Ethiopian national context 5.1 Contextualising the war in Tigray ……………………………………………… 91 5.2 A threat to Ethiopia’s integrity? ………………………………………………… 92 5.3 Conflict and the rule of law ……………………………………………………... 94 5.4 Oromia politics and conflict - optimism and excitement ……………………. 95 5.5 Amhara politics and conflict …………………………………………………… 102 5.6 The south, east and west ……………………………………………………….. 112 5.7 Somali Region …………………………………………………………………… 113 5.8 Afar Region ……………………………………………………………………… 115 5.9 Benishangul Gumuz ……………………………………………………………. 116 5.10 Socio-economic stakes and the cost of the war ………………………………. 117 5.11 Concluding remarks ……………………………………………………………. 119 6. Diplomatic Efforts 6.1 UN Security Council and the African Union ………………………………… 122 6.2 The United States of America …………………………………………………. -
Eritrea Profile 31 March 2021
Special Edition No. 81 Wednesday, 31 March, 2021 Pages 4 ERITREA WILL PARTICIPATE At ‘GreENING INITIATIVE’ NEWS BRIEF KERKEBET: SOCIAL SERVICE PROVISION As a result of villages regrouping, the inhabitants of Himbol- Kechech administrative area, Kerkebet sub-zone, have become beneficiaries of social service provision particularly potable water supply. Speaking to Erina, the residents stated that after their regrouping, the problem they were facing such as access to clean water has been alleviated. However, the potable water project that was put in place eight years ago is exposed to flooding. Indicating that prior to the construction of the water project they were compelled to travel hours and fetch unclean water that caused to several water-borne diseases. Hmbol-Kechech is one of the 13 administrative areas of Kerkebet sub-zone established by regrouping eight villages at a central place Eritrea has accepted the initiative Crown Prince Mohammed bin Project aims, among other where health and education institutions as well as market places are and will participate in the Saudi Salman spoke extensively about things, to significantly reduce put in place. Arabia ‘Greening Initiative’. the Project during their telephone carbon emissions as well as conversation on 29 March. implement extensive afforestation President Isaias Afwerki and The multi-layered development programs. HAGAZ: SEMINAR ON STDS Workshop on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases POPULAR CAMPAIGN TO REDRESS ENVIRONMENT particularly on HIV/AIDS was organized to women in Hagaz town. The residents of Adi- of terraces and water diversion and water conservation activities At the workshop which was carried out from 21-23 March, a number Tsaedi, Mendefera sub- schemes. -
WHAT's HAPPENING in TIGRAY? Explained: the Humanitarian Crisis Affecting Millions of Civilians As a Result of a War Happening in Tigray, a Region in Northern Ethiopia
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TIGRAY? Explained: The humanitarian crisis affecting millions of civilians as a result of a war happening in Tigray, a region in northern Ethiopia. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Executive Summary *Content warning: violence, rape On November 4, 2020, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali, declared a "law and order" operation to disband Tigray’s elected regional government with the help of Eritrea, a sovereign country, and Amhara militias. The ongoing war has not simply been against a political party, but has been a war against the Tigrayan people. Ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity are being committed by Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces and militias, including weaponized rape against thousands of women and girls, weaponized starvation of millions, destruction of cultural heritage sites and extrajudicial killings and massacres of civilians. This is resulting in one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. We ask that you help in putting an end to the horrific tragedy an entire ethnic group is facing. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org How did we get here? Abiy Ahmed Ali was selected by fellow coalition members to lead Ethiopia's transitional government until scheduled elections in 2020. He was quickly renowned as a reformer and even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for normalizing relations with Eritrea. This past August, PM Ahmed postponed the 2020 elections, citing COVID-19 as a justification. TPLF called it unconstitutional and an attempt to extend his term and illegally consolidate power; and moved forward by holding their regional government elections in September and won. In response, Ahmed blocked funding for Tigray, during the worst locust infestations to hit the region. -
Update Briefing
Update Briefing Africa Briefing N°100 Nairobi/Brussels, 8 August 2014 Eritrea: Ending the Exodus? I. Overview The large emigration of youths is the clearest sign of extreme domestic discontent with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s government. Social malaise is pervasive. An ever-growing number of young people have fled over the last decade, frustrated by open-ended national service – initiated in 1995 and expanded during the war with Ethiopia (1998-2000). Yet, this flight has resulted in neither reforms nor a via- ble movement to create an alternative to the current government. Once outside, the ties that bind émigrés to their birthplace are strong and lead them to give financial support to the very system they escaped, through the 2 per cent tax many pay the state as well as remittances sent home to family members. Asmara’s response to the exodus, though always focused on mitigating its effects so as to ensure regime survival, has evolved in recognition of its uses. After initial, sometimes brutal attempts to obstruct emigration, a symbiotic system has emerged that benefits a range of actors, including the state. The government ostensibly ac- cepts that educated, urbanised youths resistant to the individual sacrifices the state demands are less troublesome and more useful outside the country – particularly when they can continue to be taxed and provide a crucial social safety net for family members who stay home. Meanwhile, those who remain tend to be the more pliant rural peasant and pastoralist population. Yet, the exodus is not limited to urbanised and educated youth; migrants, including an increasing number of minors, now come from a wider cross-section of society.