Worldwide Ethiopian protests

 

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Jimma Times
Thursday, January 15, 2009

UDJ Chair Birtukan Mideksa (photo credit: Jimma Times)

Ethiopians around the world held a demonstration in support of political prisoners in Ethiopia since Wednesday. The main target of the protests demanded the release of Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) chairperson Judge Birtukan Mideksa, Secretary General of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) Bekele Jirata and the famous artist Teddy Afro.

The rallies were held in various main western cities, including Washington D.C., London and Brussels. Several western governments and human rights organizations condemned the detainments of the opposition leaders by the Ethiopian government as well as the recent adoption of an NGO law which critics say violates fundamental rights and puts further restrictions on the civil society.

Birtukan “encouraged’

According to a JT source, the UDJ leader Birtukan Mideksa is encouraged by the growing emotional support she received from Ethiopians from all corners of the world as well as the political help from several Western governments, describing that she felt “comforted and heartened by the worldwide support.”

The jailed Birtukan, who is a fan of US President Barrack Obama, asked for two books while in her prison cell: the Bible and Obama’s memoir “Dreams from My Father.”

Ethiopian withdrawal

Ethiopia continued to withdraw from Somalia on Thursday. The last of Ethiopian troops left Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Thursday, mostly transferring power to a joint force of Somali government troops and moderate Islamists. But many believe there will be a power vacuum that will be filled with the stronger and hardline al Shabaab islamists. The Eritrea-based Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, designated a terrorist by the U.N, said on Thursday that the international community should stop calling for more peacekeepers in Somalia, a reaction to US attempts to bring UN peacekeepers to help the African Union (AU) force.

Eritrea - UN

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Eritrea’s occupation of Djibouti territories. It asked Asmara “to acknowledge its border dispute in Ras Doumeira and Doumeira Island” in order to start a dialogue. However on Thursday, the Eritrean government denied that it occupied any Djibouti territory. The Eritrean government, which has been blamed for starting conflicts against Yemen, Sudan, Djibouti and Ethiopia during the 1990s, is sensitive of new accusations from the UN. It called the UN resolution “ill-considered, unbalanced and unnecessary.”

Grenade blast in Addis

A hand-grenade blast wounded over 30 people in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, federal police said Thursday. Though it appears to be accidental, many expect the government to eventually blame the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and Eritrea. According to hospital sources contacted by a Jimma Times, about two dozen of the wounded have already returned to their homes after getting brief treatment.

Source: Jimma Times, Jan 15, 2009