U.S. trains African soldiers for Somalia mission

May 16, KAKOLA, Uganda (The Washington Post) — The heart of the Obama administration’s strategy for fighting al-Qaeda militants in Somalia can be found next to a cow pasture here, a thousand miles from the front lines.

Under the gaze of American instructors, gangly Ugandan recruits are taught to carry rifles, dodge roadside bombs and avoid shooting one another by accident. In one obstacle course dubbed “Little Mogadishu,” the Ugandans learn the basics of urban warfare as they patrol a mock city block of tumble-down buildings and rusty shipping containers designed to resemble the battered and dangerous Somali capital.

“Death is Here! No One Leaves,” warns the fake graffiti, which, a little oddly, is spray-painted in English instead of Somali. “GUNS $ BOOMS,” reads another menacing tag. Read more…

Stop Zenawi’s Somalia Intereference

25 Years of constant ETHIOPIAN INVASION to Somalia, then IGASOM, later Only AMISOM for a while, and  now AMISOM, ETHIOPIAN AND KENYAN TROOPS all together in Somalia. What will be next for Ethiopian-Kenyan hijacked Somalia peace prevention plot?

“Several participants pointed out that the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) – deployed shortly after Ethiopia’s military engagement – is at risk of being identified in Somali eyes with Ethiopian interests. Originally conceived as a peacekeeping operation that would hand over to a UN mission after twelve months, AMISOM now finds itself lost in a hostile environment. It has an impossibly ambitious mandate to provide security and assistance to the TFG, stop illegal arms flows and assist in the disarmament of militias not under TFG control. Of AMISOM’s planned strength of 8.000 troops only 1.500 Ugandan soldiers have so far been deployed. The other countries that had earlier promised troops (Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria) understandably hold back on their commitments. In the current precarious situation, the UN is also unlikely to re-enter the quagmire of Somalia to relieve the AU operation.” Read more…

Ethiopia denies Anuak are fleeing violence into South Sudan

May 15, 2012, ADDIS ABABA (Sudan Tribune) – The Ethiopian government has dismissed reports of violence in the country’s South Western region that allegedly forced civilians flee into South Sudan’s Jonglei State.

A new humanitarian report released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that hundreds of ethnic Anuak Ethiopians have crossed into South Sudan to escape an alleged hostility between the government forces and little known Anuak opposition forces in the horn of Africa country’s Gambella region.

The Ethiopian government has dismissed the reported clashes between government forces and Anuak insurgents that allegedly occurred during the past few weeks.

“There wasn’t such an incident. Our forces didn’t engage in any clash with whatsoever opposition force in the reported vicinity” Ethiopian government spokesperson, Shimeles Kemal, told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

Kemal said the reports – which originally were published in OCHA’s Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin 4-10 May 2012 – are “unfounded” and further termed them as “white propaganda”. Read more…

Jennifer Lopez wants to adopt twin babies from Ethiopia

DNA | May 15, 2012

Background

Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969) is an American actress, businesswoman, dancer and recording artist. Often referred to by her moniker J.Lo, Lopez is recognized as the most successful entertainer of Latin descent. Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, she enrolled in singing and dancing classes as a child before starting her career as a fly girl on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller Money Train. Her first leading role was in the biographical film Selena (1997), in which she earned an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress. She earned her second ALMA Award for her performance in Out of Sight (1998). She has since starred in various films, including The Cell (2000), The Wedding Planner (2001), Maid in Manhattan (2002), Shall We Dance? (2004), Monster-in-Law (2005) and The Back-up Plan (2010). Read more…

Ethiopia: The Meles Zenawi Show – World Economic Forum On Africa, 2012

ANALYSIS

May 15, 2012 (AllAfrica) – The World Economic Forum is best known for its annual meeting at Davos in the Swiss Alps where, recently, focus has been on the poor state of the world economy – particularly that of Europe. So, the annual Africa version of the event (held last week in the swanky surroundings of the Sheraton, Addis Ababa) must make a welcome change, as the atmosphere was robustly positive.

African economies are on the rise, none more so than Ethiopia’s which, if you believe the numbers, (and most informed sources do) grew at between 5 and 10 percent over the past half a decade.

Sitting astride this economic growth, and taking pride of place at this year’s WEF, was Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. In an event that boasted such political heavyweights as former British PM Gordon Brown, and private sector luminaries like the Ivorian boss of The Prudential, Tidjane Thiam, whose $600 billion worth of assets makes Ethiopia look like a minnow, I was surprised by how much Meles came out as the dominant figure. Read more…

African Hunger Games at Camp David

Alemayehu G Mariam | May 15, 2012

White House spokesman Jay Carney announced last week that President Obama has invited the presidents of Ghana, Tanzania, Benin and Meles Zenawi to attend the G8 Summit (the forum for the governments of eight of the world’s largest economies) for a discussion of food security on May 19 at Camp David (Presidential retreat) in Maryland. The U.S. has been handing out food aid to the African continent for decades. Now President Obama says there is another looming “food crises” in Africa. Oxfam says, “All signs point to a drought becoming a catastrophe if nothing is done soon.” The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has issued appeals for an extra $70 million to aid some 800,000 households in the drought-hit Sahel region in West Africa. Ethiopia and Somalia are expected to be ground zero for the anticipated famine. According to the April 25, 2012 report of the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), southern Ethiopia will most likely experience famine: “The anticipated below-average rains will have significant negative impact on crop production, pasture regeneration, and the replenishment of water resources throughout the region, with the most severe and immediate impactin belg-dependent areas of southern Ethiopia.” Over the past couple or so years, I have written over one-half dozen commentaries on famine and food shortages in Ethiopia. (See links below.) Read more…

Growing Oromo community celebrates annual picnic

Rachael Gray/Telegram Guests fill their plates with a variety of fare Saturday in Finnup Park during the second annual Oromo picnic. Since their first picnic last year, Garden City's Oromo community has nearly quadrupled in size.

Rachael Gray/Telegram Members of the Oromo community dance Saturday in Finnup Park during the second annual Oromo picnic. The picnic was free and open to the public.

May 14, 2012 (Garden City Telegram) — Muna Ibrahim says she loves living in Garden City.

32-year-old mother of six, Ibrahim said the quality of education has  improved for her children. Four out of six of them attend Florence Wilson  Elementary School.

Before she and her husband, Mamfoud Mohamed, moved to Garden City in 2008,  Ibrahim lived in Kansas City, Mo.

The community has been welcoming and has given the family many opportunities,  Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim and Mohamed are members of the Oromo community, made up mostly of  refugees from the east African countries of Ethiopia and Kenya. Read more…

Dhaamsa Dargaggoo – Walaloo

Mekiyaa Abdullahitiin | Caamsaa 15, 2012

Magaalaa Nagayatti

Wayaabada ana waan yeroon na goote
Dhufaa dabraan marti ana gabroomfatee
Biyyuma abbaa kiyyaatti bakkaan dhalaadheettii
Bakka handhurti koo itti awwaalamtettii

Qe’uma too dhuftee akka qabneen marti
Eenyummaa ni qabdaa jettee na gaafattii?
Anuu isii hin gaafannee bakka irraa deemtuu
Kan isiin eenyummaa kiyya na gaafattuu
Read more…

Violent and Deadly Crackdowns Against Worshipers In Ethiopia

Ethiopia: HRLHA Urgent Action and Appeal,

             PUBLIC 13 May, 2012

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) strongly condemns the Ethiopian Government’s interference into religious affairs and its heavy-handedness against Muslim communities in various parts of the country.

In this religion-based and allegedly government-sponsored violence that openly started around the beginning of February, 2012 and has widespread particularly in the central and southern parts of the country, four people have been confirmed to have been killed by armed government forces,(Musa Gabi 13, student of local madrasa (religious) school, Kamal Irena 60, tailor, Aliyi Waqo 40, peasant, and Shafi Jano Tufa 40; daily laborer)  while hundreds of others have ended up in prisons. The four dead, who were from the Gadab Asasa locality of Arsi Zone in Southern Oromia Region, and the killing happened on the 6^th of April, 2012 when a very huge crowd of Muslim worshipers where met with well-armed government security forces in front of a local mosque following a Friday “Jum’a” prayer. Read more…

Ibsa Ijjanno Kominiitii Islama Oromo Edmonton

Caamsaa 15, 2012

Akkamu hedduu kennya hubannutti ummata Empaayara Itopia keessa qophatu harki guddaan Islaama. Haa tahuu malee, hamma yeroo dhihootti islamummaan madda kabajaa fi ulfinaa osoo hin tahin akka asxaa salphinaa fi gad aantummaatti ilaalamaa turee jira.

Kessaahuu, hamma bara 1930-mootatti islaamummaan akka amantii ummata itoopiaa hin tahin fi Empaayarattiin diddibboo kiristianaa jedhamtee akka yaamamtuu fi “Isalaamota” (Muslimoota) itopia jechuu caalaa Islaamota itopia keessa qubatan jedhamanii akka ibasamaa turan seenaan nu yaadachiisa.

Haatahuu malee, Bara xaaliyaan irraa kaasee mirgi muslimoota itopia bifa waliigalaatti ilaalcha waan argatee fi Hailasellaseeniis akka duritti akka ummata kana ukkaamsuu hin daandeenye eega dhugoonfate booda mirgoota tokko tookko kennufii jalqabe. Read more…

Buze Driba and Muktar Endris impress at Ethiopian Champs

Muktar Endris takes the Ethiopian national 5000m title

May 14, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (IAAF) – Newcomers Buze Driba and Muktar Endris were among the impressive winners in the women’s and men’s 5000m as the 41st Ethiopian Athletics Championships (May 9th-13th 2012) came to a close on Sunday (13) at the Addis Ababa stadium.

Despite the absence of Ethiopia’s more illustrious track runners, the championships saw the rise of young stars in the middle and long distance events as the battle to earn qualification to Ethiopia’s London 2012 team gathered momentum.

Driba, Endris take 5000m crowns

While Ethiopia does not use trials to determine the composition of its Olympic team, the championships in Addis Ababa were an opportunity for upcoming runners to make a good impression of their credentials in order to earn invitation to compete in the international track season. Read more…

The End of TPLF

by Amanuel Biedemariam | May 14, 2012

March 23, 2012, Ethiomedia (former TPLF supporter ), posted a Press Release, “TPLF down-sized to a single-family party,” and quoted a former TPLF Seeye Abraha saying, “That TPLF no more exists today in the fashion that we used to know it years ago.” Seeye, further noted, “ The present socio-economic situation in Ethiopia is in the same state of expose with the final days of the military government of Colonel Mengistu Haile-Mariam, characterized by exorbitant cost of living and deepening public discontent. In a country where inflation is soaring over 30%, corruption has become the order of the day.”

Seeye’s admission, “That TPLF no more exists today in the fashion that we used to know it years ago” is a clear evidence that the criminal mercenary clique, that he was once a part of, has dissipated as organization and replaced, as the headline suggested, by a single family party of Meles and Azieb, his wife.

The original mission of the organization was not clear to the Ethiopian people outside Tigray because the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) was an ethnic based organization that sought for autonomous rights or, as the TPLF Manifesto exposed, an independent Greater Tigray. However, the power vacuum of 1991 invited the minority clique to power and, once in power it appears as though, the underlined mission became murky or, as Seeye claims, nonexistent. Read more…

Radiyoo Marii Biyyaa: Leenco Lataa Balleessaa isa odeeffamaa ture amane

Note: Lenco lata, earlier, refused to interview on Seife Nebelbal Radio Program led by Eyob Bayssa.

Ethiopian Edao Weily wins Oxford’s Town and Gown Race

May 13 (BBC) – A road race in Oxford has been won by an Ethiopian runner involved in a scheme to train East African athletes.

Edao Weily, who won the annual Town and Gown Race, had trained with Running Across Borders which was established by an Oxford University graduate.

Mr Weily, 25, said he was “really happy to have won” his first competitive race in the UK.

About 3,000 runners took part in the event, raising up to £120,000 for Muscular Dystrophy research.

Malcolm Anderson set up a Running Across Borders training camp in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to provide economic opportunities for young runners from the region. Read more…

Racialized Geography of Food Insecurity in Ethiopia, and G8 Summit

Oromo Press | May 13, 2012

From an insider’s point of view, two patterns are  most salient about the unfolding threat of food insecurity in Ethiopia:

• That the geography of life-threatening food insecurity canvasses the peripheral southern regional states such as, the Southern Nations and Nationalities, Oromia, Ogaden-Somali. Ironically these south Ethiopia’s regions are the greenest and the most fertile. They are simultaneously the scenes of ongoing low-intensity armed conflicts between Meles Zenawi’s government of Ethiopia and the Oromo Liberation Front in Oromia, the Sidama Liberation Front in the SNNP, the Ogaden Liberation Front in Ogaden and the Afar Liberation Front in Afar. We see clearly that the maps of famine follow the maps of conflict and instability. Showing that famine is used as a weapon of collectively punishing ethnic groups in the non-ruling geographic areas, whereas the same levels of food insecurity are not observable in Tigray region ( the homeland of the Prime Minster of Ethiopia).

• The second pattern is that benevolent Western aid organizations involved in helping systematic famine victims and Western reporters blame (frame) the cause of this large-scale famine in the south exclusively on the shortage of rainfall and population growth. No Western media cites war as a primary cause of food insecurity in Ethiopia. Resettling and urbanization are erroneously suggested as solutions for those superficial causative factors. Read more…