The land grab in Ethiopia is not limited to “investors” from China, India, and Saudi Arabia. In fact, TPLF members are grabbing more fertile land in southern and western Ethiopia than China, India and Saudi combined, according to Ethiopian Review sources.
In investigating land grab by the TPLF members, Ethiopian Review Intelligence Unit has stumbled upon a particular evidence that shows how a person named Dr Te’ame Hadgu Embaye took over a land almost half the size of Washington DC for a monthly rent of about $8 per square kilometers, the first payment to be paid after 3 years of signing the contract. (Click here to read the agreement).
The massive land was given to Dr Teame Hadgu Embaye, who resides in Minneapolis (USA), to grow cotton and peanut for export to the Middle East. Because of the heavy use of chemical fertilizers, the land will be rendered useless within a few years, i.e., before Dr Teame starts paying rent for the land. The people of South Omo, whose land Dr Teame is profiting from, will receive little or no benefit. They will be left with a destroyed, barren land.
While we focus on land grab by China and Saudi Arabia, we seem to have ignored the equally devastating land grab by the TPLF mafia that is displacing local farmers and residents.
It is also important to note that TPLF members heavily invest in companies such as Karturi, the king of Indian land grabbers, but their names are kept off the books.
69 thoughts on “TPLF land grab in Ethiopia – The case of Dr Teame Hadgu”
I know this guy he lived in Minneapolis and Saint Paul area for a long time. He is not a “real Dr.”, he even become a Chiropractor when the requirement was a Diploma.
some body replies:
March 4th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
I do not think you know what a Doctor means and if you donot please go back to school before writing ignorant ideas.You have no power nor the ability to judge him and if you are worried about his qualification of his education, ask the state of Minnoseta and they will teach you dummy. Go to community college and get your GED first then, you can talk. He is a scholar and a bussines man and I am proud of him. You guys cannot do what he did in life and you are jealouse. Go work hard instead of gossiping and writting stupid paragraphs which is non sense.
Senay replies:
March 4th, 2012 at 6:54 PM
I agree. The brother needs some schooling. Don’t discredit our scholars. Accredited Universities issued the degrees. He got educated himself and now he is trying to help his people by spending (investing) his money in his country.
Anonymous replies:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:47 AM
he is trying to invest so funny he is not investor he is part of the weyane mafia group and participating to colonize Ethiopia…don’t forget we are in apartheid society….tigray apartheid
Anonymous replies:
March 6th, 2012 at 2:45 PM
So what? He has invested and he will continue to do it in USA as well as in Ethiopia. The guy doesn’t work for money any more but his money works for him. Whether you like it or not, he will be the next Ethiopian Ali-Mudi very soon. You guys living were jealous all these past 16 years and still you are crying?
Anonymous replies:
March 11th, 2012 at 4:27 PM
For those of you wo do not know Mr. Team please allow me to give you a little inforamtion about him. I had the the prvilage of knwoing him for the last 3 years. He is a man with a a bigger heart. He is a person who cares for his people and country. He a person who cries when somone is hurting. He does all he can to help his people. He changed his life for those 3 years that i mentioned. You can all him out and ask questions about the land you guys are talking about, but please i am asking you not to make it personal. Let us chnage for once as a people and discuss when there is an issue with the proper language without making the person we are taking about our enemy. I am not going to stop ask you to stop from asking the real question that you guys are asking but the language you some of us are using, we all could agree does not have place in our public discoure. I am not just saying this because i have known him for those 3 years or i am not saying this becasue he helped put me through school. I am just sharing my idea. I have never went out on Ethiopian website before this is my first time. I did it b/c someone told me what is going on by that i mean what you guys are talking about and i felt like i wanted to come out and say few words about the man i know… Thank you. Hope i have made a few points. God Bless
JO replies:
May 1st, 2012 at 2:04 AM
Wow i am happy for Dr. for doing this project in Ethiopia; however, i don’t have any problem with him or TPLF but do you think what is going on is fair?
he is from tigray
I am sad replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Here we are again? Is it crime to be from Tigray? To invest in Ethiopia from which ethnicity group you have to be? The driving force of your idea is your ignorance, and i fell sorry for you.
Yemeret keberte Zemen still here.
So called educated diaspora Amhara teramageoch where are you now?
Kebede replies:
March 6th, 2012 at 2:36 PM
We are still eating Kitfo, Kurt Siga but now our worse enemy is not TPLF but, Cholesterol, Stroke, High Blood Pressure, stress and diabetics. Because of these enemies, rather than going on first class of Ethiopian Airlines, we are leaving for home on Coffins.
It seems Ethiopian youth died for nothing in 1960s and 70s shouting ‘Land to the Tiller’. The land that was nationalized by DERG in 1970s is now auctioned by Woyane, 21st. Century colonialism. The day will come when true Ethiopians rise aginst the blood suckers of Woyane rulers and their foreign friends grabing their land in the name of investment. Sooner or later a true natinalistic government will be established that will lead the people of Ethiopia from darkness to light. Another Tewodros or Isaias will rise in Ethiopia!
Please watch a true national Leadership and Democracy in action, the fruit of true sacrifice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=PjumhRdm150&NR=1
peace replies:
March 1st, 2012 at 2:18 AM
TPLF is copying this neoliberalism that will be spreading throughout the poor nations from the West. people, let us occupy this guy’s Minneapolis property and make him accountable. No one becomes rich without working hard. Tigrayans have become lucky that TPLF just gives them wealth and property without working hard for it where as the most hard workers in Ethiopia, who are the Gurages are being removed from their businesses. So we can do something in the diaspora by going after the greedy TPLFites.
Abrerom replies:
March 4th, 2012 at 5:12 PM
What a shame mr. Chika rass! First I really recommend you to take a GED class, that will help you improve your grammar and to right negative comments about the real and hard worker Ethiopians like Dr. Embaye. If you really want to know about Dr. Teame let me tell you short real story. I know you will get headache or cry. But who cares for you. Dr. Teame has created a non profit organization to help 3000 people in Ethiopia (Mesmat letesanachew) to get hearing aid for free. He has been working for the last two years with American Doctors and has been traveling more than eight times to make it happen. With all his hard work and dedication those 3000 people will have a FREE hearing aid soon. You will see him on CNN and other news then you will know who Dr. Teame is. I am sure when you read this information you will have more drink to satisfy you chika brain.
For all Chika brainers, please please you need to grow up. Why can’t you just mind your business and work hard to pay your American bill. This welfare system is not healthy. That is why you live welfare and your brain becomes Chika brain. I pro miss you if you work hard and mind your business you will think like 21st century real people.
Anonymous replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 12:34 AM
If you guys are to go after Dr. Teame’s personal properties in Minneapolis, there is some more information you need to know. In the last two years, he has invested millions of dollars in buildings in the East-Cost areas, mostly, in Washington, DC and NewYork city, so you shouldn’t forget these properties as well.
peace replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 4:04 AM
Aside from your insults, good for him. Can you tell me the name of the non profit to congratulate him?
Biniam replies:
March 7th, 2012 at 11:48 PM
Abrerom
So what he arranged cheap a $100 or less costing hearing aids. Do the maths . It don’t amount to what he got in return. Not even close.Price cannot be put on those human’s life who are unable to cultivate their ancestoral land because people like this chiropratcor somehow got a land almost half the size of Washington DC for a monthly rent of about $8 per square kilometers, the first payment to be paid after 3 years of signing the contract.
peace replies:
March 1st, 2012 at 2:25 AM
Anonymous,
What shame.. that is exactly why we Ethiopians are not going ahead because we cater and idelize the enemy of Ethiopia, Isayas. Tewodros and Isays are two different people. Tewodros died for ethiopia where as Isays kills Ethiopia. Shame on you using Isayas to save Ethiopia when in fact they are the main orchestrators of TPLF and anti ethiopianism. The time is also not “soon” it is now. I really don’t undertstand how the brain of Ethiopians are working. I think we are the main culprits because while Eritrea under Isayas, they understand that investing and protecting their country is important from outside vultures, such as the so called investors and relgion fanatics will eat their country alive and they know that. However Isays is praising Meles /TPLF what they are doing to Ethiopia. It is blessing for Isayas/Shaebia for Meles/TPLF to rape Ethiopia. Because as Ethiopian people are demoralized, oppressed, Eritrea will rise up and will be empowered. By the way, some of the money from Ethiopia is also funding the development of Eritrea and Tigray. Therefore Ethiopians need to wake up.
Anonymous replies:
March 1st, 2012 at 11:00 PM
I am not sure where your learned your history about Ethiopia and Eritrea, but I am sure you are one of those who is brainwashed by DERG and Woyane war propogandas. You claimed Isaias kills Ethiopians, please Eritrea under Isaias never invaded Ethiopia, the Ethiopian who died in the war in Eritrea died for nothing trying to invade Eritrean land. So open your mind and follow the facts. It is written in the Bible, only the truth will make you free. All the garbage you wrote about OLF and ONLF being financed by “Arabs” is the same tired war propoganda since the time of Haile Selassie and DERG repeated day in day out for almost 50 years. Stop chewing that leaf, if you want to make change in Ethiopia today, then join those who are doing it now. Peace be with you!
peace replies:
March 2nd, 2012 at 4:14 AM
You are delusional. Again calling names I am supporter of this and that doesn’t help. I am not supporting or attacking Eritrea. Fact: Shaebia created TPLF to gain strength of its secession. Fact: Shaebia promoted was the brain child of TPLF and OLF pro ethnic stand because to get their goal, they must weaken unity of Ethiopia because unity is strength which will lead to questions demanding port Asab and even Eritrea. Please address facts. Of course TPLF and Shaebia had “fall out” which I doubt only because of economic reasons TPLF decided finally it can stand by its two feel to not share the pie by over exploitation of Ethiopia’s resources. Please address the fact. I could say as you said, perhaps you are supporting maybe because you have Eritrea friend’s (at Ethiopia’s cost?), or you are half or what ever. But please do not be gullible and erase the fact. Again this doesn’t make me I am supporter of anyone. I even wish one days Ethiopia and Eritrea live in peace one day side by side. Shaebia you are supporting maybe now anti TPLF but do not erase what the facts are that are well documented. It is also very doubtful that there is really animosity between tPLF and Shaebia.
Anonymous replies:
March 2nd, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Dear Peace:
I did not accuse you as a supporter of this or that group. All I indicated to you is that you have a distorted history of the Ethiopian and Eritrean history. Let us examine the facts of history. The Eritrea highlands was and the coastal region was known as Midre Bahir and was a battle ground between Abyssinians and foreign colonial armies from Turkey the Ottoman Empire, Egyptians, Italians, French and British colonial powers, when finally Italy controlled it with the support of Menelik II, who received arms and money in recognition of the Italian sovereign over Eritrea. Italian colonizers abused Eritrean people confiscated their agricultural lands and forcibly drafting the youth to be used for their colonial ambitions in East Africa and North Africa. Several of them died in Libya, Somalia and Abyssinian wars. Out of the bitter experience, the people of Eritrea wanted to control their destiny and wanted to be independent of any colonial rulers of any kind black or white by 1940s. Their effort was frustrated when UN federated the country with Ethiopia in 1951. The UN stipulated for ten years trial period for the Federation, and provision of Referendum after the trial period but Haile Sellassie did not want that so he unilaterally abolished the Federation and that lead for the armed struggle. By 1970s when the Ethiopian revolution lead by students erupted, the army under the leadership of Mengistu came to power claiming ‘Ethiopia Tikdem Yaleminm Dem’. The rest is history, there never been bloodshed in the country history like that of Mengistus régime. During the Mengistu time several Ethiopians organized themselves to remove him and many went to Eritrea seeking help, so EPRP, TLF, TPLF and OLF were the prominent ones. So your claim that ‘Shaebia’ formed those organizations is not a fact. It is true they supported them because the common enemy was DERG lead by Mengistu. Some of the liberation front became successful; the TPLF formed alliances with some and fought others, eventually to take power. The Eritreans conducted a referendum and the majority decided for Independence in 1993. Now if the Eritreans achieved their independence in 1951 where would Horn of Africa be? They would have been the first country to achieve independence from Europeans Colonialism in Africa and not the last. Where would be Ethiopia now if it did not spend all its resources in war based on lies? We would not be begging food from Europe and America.
TPLF kicked out OLF and ignited a border war with Eritrea and civil wars inside the country with Oromo and Somali, and Gambela people that claimed other innocent victims in the region, so blaming ‘Shaebia’ or Eritreans for the Ethiopian weaknesses is wrong. Ethiopian enemies are not Eritreans or Somalis but Ethiopians themselves, who follow false stories fed by their rulers and go to war everywhere. Don’t accuse the Eritrean for acting in their interest. If Ethiopians were acting in our interest we would make peace with Eritrea and Somalia.
Now would you be happy if I mentioned leaders liken George Washington or Abraham Lincoln or George Bush instead of mentioning Isaias? Now about the video, it shows a simple meeting between leaders and the people discussing their problems, an exemplary leadership of ‘our enemies’. I believe you can also learn from your ‘enemies’ as well as your friends. Peace be with you.
peace replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 4:01 AM
Ananymous,
Thanks for the explanation. Enough said however that tells me your one sidedness. You see, I don’t mind discussing with the faults of Ethiopia but what really confirms to me that you are 100% pro Shaebia not one shred of explanation on the flaws of Eritrea. So people like me wonders why people like you come here and attack TPLf “seemingly” to be pro Ethiopian. The explanation is that TPLF has demonstrated to be anti Issayas not necessarily anti Eritrea and it is clear that Eritrea has interest in the economy of Ethiopia, you have forgotten to mention how Eritrea became “coffee exporter” as an “independent nation” when it doesn’t have coffee to export. So Eritrea was enjoying the economy of Ethiopia until TPLF decided to have the whole pie instead. What you also failed to mention is that: although there were fringes of rebels mostly whom were Muslims in Eritrea funded by Arabs and Egypt, under Haile Selassie you were accusing which you have never been present what the deal was or what the stake was that was discussed inside UN, until this day we don’t see the real documentation why Haile Selassie did the annexing, what was the reason? It is again another propaganda that is roaming that you are spreading Haile Selasie did this without understanding what the true story, documented was. The same thing by the way when you accuse of Menilik signing the treaty. We don’t know the whole true story and we are supposed to just believe your propaganda. Until this day, the true document is not available or it has been distorted to support the anti Ethiopian agenda. What was “Eritrea” called before colonization. You call it “Midre Bahir”. How is it different from others calling it “Mereb Melash”? You see my interest is findng fact instead of being pro this or pro that. Apparently the land must be Ethiopia’s there is your own proof when you said it was a battle ground Ethiopia trying to get rid of foreign invaders. What do you expect? If there was a battle ground then Ethiopians were dying there as well which indicates it is part of Ethiopia. However, if you know world history and history of world wars, for instance what benefited the British Empire was because it had a strong navy army which they are able to attack and capture the coastal regions of a nation. So for nations that have coasts it could be both blessing or dangerous. Blessing because civilization could thrive in the area because of trade exchange. Could be dangerous because the coastal areas are easy access to attack a nation. So why is Ethiopia’s case any different if you look at world history? To go back to Mengistu era and prior. The claim that Haile Selassie was being blamed now, how was it that after annexation, majority Eritreans christians, except some of the Muslims funded by Arab countries, were living in peace among Ethiopians since annexation until Mengistu? You mean Mengistu’s killing woke them up for independence? I am not saying if they want independence, they shouldn’t get it. But it shows there is some flaws that they acted only when Mengistu started killing by the way not just Eritreans but he was killing everyone. The story “independence” really doesn’t hold true water. My guess is that while Mengistu was under killing spree, with the help of outsiders, the majority of Eritreans got brainwashed to bring the question of independence. Well the whole future will be seen what happens and what was right or wrong. The main issue is to bring peace to both and development without any distoritions.
Anonymous replies:
March 6th, 2012 at 4:23 PM
Peace,
The Doctor doesn’t need your “congratulation” because he is getting appreciation and admiration from other infuential and intelectual Ethiopians.
Anonymous replies:
March 8th, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Mr Peace, there is one thing you are right, I support 100% Eritran government, because they speak the Truth. Now let me address how Eritrea became ‘Coffee Exporter’. Where did you get this information? Do have any evidence to support your claim other than repeating like parrot the war propoganda of TPLF. For your information here is from an international organization that list the Coffee exporters from 1990s. Repeating war propoganda as truth would not bring Peace and Development to both countries. Again Only the Truth make us Free.
http://www.ico.org/new_historical.asp
As the others claims you made how Arab countries funded the Eritrean Revolution is again war propoganda that Haile Selassie and DERG made up to discredit the Eritreans. Can you tell me where our region would have been today if we stick to the ‘Truth’ and rejected the lie?
Exporting countries: volume of total exports to all destinatinos
Calendar years 1990 to 1999
(60-kg bags)
January-December
Country of origin 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Angola 84 350 70 501 80 250 38 878 8 302 40 559 51 831 50 494 53 929 50 114
Benin 0 0 0 1 805 50 0 0 0 0 0
Bolivia 156 442 73 523 96 204 47 319 84 321 93 958 123 445 110 955 97 039 123 709
Brazil 16 935 788 21 182 761 18 790 719 17 837 748 17 273 148 14 468 432 15 250 609 16 801 260 18 144 388 23 149 204
Burundi 584 773 687 851 645 858 417 609 507 803 528 202 224 076 528 764 373 841 408 748
Cameroon 2 611 259 1 752 179 1 645 851 704 530 545 889 407 269 563 549 1 368 030 745 718 1 154 047
Central African Republic 196 698 140 950 99 975 137 197 136 676 231 542 98 328 202 778 102 320 194 884
Colombia 13 943 870 12 599 185 16 564 370 13 568 362 11 768 089 9 814 197 10 588 431 10 918 863 11 259 929 9 995 310
Congo, Dem. Rep. of 1 838 636 1 417 957 954 229 919 506 761 010 1 051 390 881 561 544 253 640 369 487 112
Congo, Rep. of 1 680 924 336 504 1 017 19 149 12 634 2 670 0 0
Costa Rica 2 265 644 2 399 640 2 431 340 2 363 920 2 104 968 2 067 011 2 430 134 2 099 239 2 044 558 2 194 911
Côte d’Ivoire 4 282 866 3 804 734 4 546 368 4 033 107 2 443 993 2 493 946 2 750 603 4 712 982 4 365 288 2 406 010
Cuba 181 779 121 429 162 710 116 195 135 725 122 287 112 171 106 663 151 941 77 413
Dominican Republic 535 207 476 263 369 467 331 432 332 313 451 018 452 704 306 977 359 505 160 592
Ecuador 1 783 716 1 416 384 1 273 435 1 598 666 2 145 251 1 539 974 1 539 411 1 044 981 1 056 416 988 026
El Salvador 2 509 873 2 148 210 2 120 092 2 947 071 2 092 955 1 807 498 2 314 147 2 772 126 1 684 247 1 889 815
Equatorial Guinea 7 068 3 321 2 766 2 463 849 3 385 1 659 1 120 1 669 1 036
Ethiopia 1 074 101 841 329 734 461 1 166 778 1 475 325 1 276 118 1 838 231 1 979 733 1 917 061 1 818 087
Gabon 2 314 3 338 1 007 2 178 5 039 2 946 1 681 0 1 765 2 500
Ghana 10 865 15 702 32 245 47 482 10 815 38 152 4 359 29 669 17 787 94 408
Guatemala 3 240 141 2 831 985 3 327 988 3 750 687 3 274 069 3 700 872 3 978 998 4 243 882 3 541 853 4 680 601
Guinea 121 696 61 447 57 520 15 469 50 467 151 552 32 430 114 344 228 180 300 794
Guyana 200 422 539 53 403 26 338 323 228 1 409
Haiti 191 445 150 673 165 976 158 542 103 468 151 788 156 468 100 776 127 306 71 841
Honduras 1 735 093 1 444 363 1 960 071 1 705 317 1 718 185 1 795 963 2 059 760 1 722 482 2 329 274 1 986 603
India 1 979 148 1 727 359 1 816 341 2 101 593 2 496 085 2 469 337 3 119 736 2 640 111 3 486 830 3 621 959
Indonesia 6 903 227 6 170 796 4 603 696 5 662 094 4 604 630 3 946 585 6 440 280 5 755 078 5 598 032 5 115 027
Jamaica 14 984 16 705 22 427 24 354 15 827 26 323 27 285 29 682 16 981 24 228
Kenya 1 969 338 1 557 532 1 384 291 1 438 799 1 358 411 1 450 046 1 901 584 1 159 095 841 489 1 114 070
Lao, People’s Dem. Rep. of 98 333 98 333 101 850 141 667 153 000 165 233 144 167 110 083 111 688 191 336
Liberia 22 411 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 244 15 209
Madagascar 863 040 587 658 736 406 627 783 435 621 585 188 718 049 480 233 796 116 464 383
Malawi 124 154 99 535 128 022 103 574 78 469 91 633 60 151 60 170 58 600 54 310
Mexico 3 683 104 3 530 820 3 332 041 3 263 616 2 789 046 3 626 492 4 633 497 4 502 424 3 399 026 4 357 625
Nicaragua 671 184 392 053 635 946 476 466 623 514 681 179 822 356 714 003 940 584 984 194
Nigeria 3 582 922 11 391 10 304 7 873 15 191 6 924 6 905 9 897 8 576
Panama 131 654 124 200 125 404 129 286 76 486 180 533 138 598 124 107 145 123 117 981
Papua New Guinea 1 050 719 788 353 917 174 1 054 634 1 156 837 1 002 052 1 090 076 1 043 437 1 348 968 1 320 148
Paraguay 262 502 120 084 40 369 58 442 54 986 14 007 14 794 9 703 41 266 5 122
Peru 1 105 078 1 041 867 1 061 043 775 000 1 057 017 1 760 467 1 679 374 1 647 733 1 949 254 2 407 330
Philippines 168 282 103 025 41 316 34 758 125 670 57 324 27 032 30 929 21 003 8 595
Rwanda 779 150 473 980 644 525 480 725 30 024 313 899 265 306 217 949 214 272 314 019
Sierra Leone 139 744 103 821 47 020 40 986 61 924 71 475 28 512 46 943 41 865 22 945
Sri Lanka 19 137 22 168 14 724 14 464 47 359 21 896 11 536 21 136 27 266 17 260
Tanzania 1 019 052 871 330 827 786 1 037 296 632 138 744 653 969 637 655 167 742 305 643 354
Thailand 1 001 435 540 937 1 163 776 981 782 1 136 046 1 209 523 872 686 1 066 230 778 031 493 404
Togo 238 838 154 834 313 177 218 284 165 795 200 316 85 490 313 137 165 801 320 880
Trinidad & Tobago 30 232 7 672 2 451 9 744 5 400 4 060 3 757 3 952 5 219 2 967
Uganda 2 352 680 2 095 093 1 961 034 1 829 081 3 368 765 3 079 261 4 654 503 3 501 942 3 286 012 3 840 797
Venezuela, Bol. Rep. of 277 795 127 889 135 818 525 002 385 996 96 752 494 567 104 537 267 563 464 082
Vietnam 1 145 234 1 200 952 1 937 611 2 071 837 2 720 911 3 546 405 3 779 415 6 177 834 6 466 712 7 727 013
Yemen 50 000 71 667 36 989 50 853 92 840 76 874 42 007 79 789 70 791 68 004
Zambia 24 360 29 198 30 514 23 072 23 954 20 742 35 824 38 890 33 308 51 184
Zimbabwe 250 772 239 324 162 318 69 828 31 744 156 975 150 362 109 008 153 268 131 422
Total 80 674 673 75 943 178 78 299 237 75 168 142 70 716 498 67 871 655 77 685 063 80 413 571 80 265 126 86 144 598
Aida mesfin replies:
March 8th, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Forget the TeretN Tere´t 3000 years old your bad history.Can any one see in nowday Ethiopia how look she is?
Badly I have enough to get mod from this Ethioia…this and that.Woyane palyed you and the game is not over yet.´Hold on and move out…….We need you in this truble time.
HE IS ONE OF THOSE GREEDY FROM ADEWA,AND HE IS NOT REAL Dr. he is a trained wegesha(physical therapysit). This Guy is one of Ethiopia’s worst enemy.
Senay replies:
March 4th, 2012 at 7:02 PM
Bro, go to school. In your words, at list the Doctor is a trained wegesh. What have you accomplish in life so far? Get life.
What are we Going to do about it,the only solution is armed struggle,cos no foreign power will topple this TPLF band, cos TPLF are there to serve there foreign master and them self at the expense of Ethiopia!!!!
peace replies:
March 1st, 2012 at 2:32 AM
Again,
The mind set of Ethiopians… “no foreign power will topple..” how can you expect others to get rid of Meles /TPLF for you? Wey guud. Think how TPLF took power. They got organized and they got help from foreign armies. TPLF very much knows if he caters to foreigners then Ethiopoians who struggle against this regime by having arm resistance will have absolutely no support from foreigners. The Ethiopian arm resistance in Eritrea is a joke, they have become servers of Shaebia. Meles also had made sure Sudan, Somalia any of Ethiopia’s neighbors none of them will host Ethiopian arm resistance. It is possible the only anti Ethiopian arm resistance groups ONLF and OLF are being supported secretly by the West and Arabs just like they did with TPLF. TPLF will even support this for later because they all have the same beliefs that is to break Ethiopia apart.
Jegnaw Ethiopiawe replies:
March 1st, 2012 at 1:19 PM
I am with all the way my brother even though we cant do armed struggle using other country Like TPLF we can still do it within the country as long as there is determination and we have a total support of the people and our cause is just there is NO power will stop us from getting read of the TPLF cancer!!!
The question is are we willing to pay the price which is our blood like our ancestors.that is the question????
freedom never free………….
peace replies:
March 2nd, 2012 at 4:22 AM
So true. We have been living comfortable abroad and the people of Ethiopia are hungry and TPLF and Shaebia and other nations very much know Ethiopians are to be feared because of our past history. So these anti Ethiopians are working hard (from their stand point to have power and control they are right) they have to break this spirit, this unity by any means necessary and that is exactly what they are doing.
Anonymous replies:
March 4th, 2012 at 8:35 AM
we Erireans have our problems,so why did you involve Shaebia n Eritrea in every Ethiopian problems Your Weyane did ,we been separated for more than 20 years and 14 years since we don’t see you guys, but you blame shaebia for every incident happen in Ethiopia please don’t be emotional.
Hayelom replies:
March 1st, 2012 at 5:49 PM
WE need solution…again what are we going to do???? ponder on this brother!!
UNITE and get rid of these fascists/parasites who are looting and killing in the name of the people of TIGRAI
peace replies:
March 2nd, 2012 at 4:34 AM
That is what I would say. We Ethiopians don’t need unity 101 course. We have united before. We are not against Tigrayans but against TPLF, we are not against Eritreans wanting their independence but must refrain from weakening Ethiopia, we are not against West or Arabs but equally benefit eachother while respecting the sovereignty, religion and development of Ethiopia (read Dambisa Moyo’s Dead Aid). Ethiopains of all groups must refrain from misinformation for their own agenda acknowledge any past or present indequalities, come to solutions where Ethiopians of all ethnic groups have equal rights in every participation of Ethiopia : economically and politically. Your religion, language and your ethnicity is your own and you can practice but without pushing this into the face of other Ethiopians. What we will work on is the development, peace, education and advancement of Ethiopia.
Ethiopia shall rise!
Dear Ethiopian Review,
I applaud you for your effort to expose such criminal elements in our own backyard. It seems the Ethiopian Alawites from Adwa never hesitate to destroy our country and we should be prepared for the worst. These pests will continue to wreck havoc for the coming years and it is high time all opposition groups come together to avert major disaster in our country. In the mean time ER please continue to expose the misdeeds of the cursed TPLF mafia group and its unlawful beneficiaries.
Galatooma!
Anonymous replies:
March 4th, 2012 at 6:15 PM
Kumisaa, while I appreciate that you care for Ethiopia, as an Ethiopian, it sounds that your brain functions only through Elias Kifikr’s brain (Ethiopian Review reports) but all investor’s agreement, improvement (changes) and progress are open to the public and are found at the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture Web. That is were Elias Kifle found it (forgete the investigative unit) and he just pickup the Tigrain investors names only but not other investors on purpose just to irritate simple minded people like you.
We are truly dealing with a cancerous tplf here. If you think that you can walk healthy while TPLF-Tigrayan moral and spiritual doldrums are in power you are fooling yourself. We are technically in a state of war with the cancerous tplf.
The gun tauting TPLF have confiscated everything and there is nothing in Ethiopia which the people call their own. Even the Merkato traders , in Addis Abeba who used to be Guraghies in the majority have now been totally chased out of Merkato by TPLF and their kits and keith.
Prime land which is most attractive for trade and development in Addis has been entirely confiscated by TPLF politbureau and their cadres, the original owners of the land have been intimidated , threatened with their lives and forced to leave their land without any compensation.
Many families have been made homeless and destitute. The misery of the people has been piling up for two decades and it seems it has no end yet.
The new ‘law’ concerning city land which the TPLF have brought into force recently, completely strips any property owner in the cities of any land ownership. According to this new law of TPLF, if you live in a city and have a house, all you own is the roof and the four walls of the house. TPLF own the land your house stands on.
All the so called ‘laws’ the TPLF make these days are designed to give them more control of the land and the people.
What a job from Ethiopian Review ! please keep exposing woyane tugs
How about the Tigreas who have been buying more land in Gondar and Wollo that is close to Tigrea province from poor farmers to expand the Greater Tigrea province they have been dreaming about?
Dear Elias,
I do not the problem if an Ethiopian invests. I do not understand what is the problem if an Ethiopian invest regardless ethnic? I personally do not oppose if Ethiopian invest. Ethiopia is for Ethiopians. Derg use to settle people from Tigray and Eritrea and Wollo. Reason simply, derg was trying to help the people to use the arable land. For me the problem is giving land to the foreigners from India and Arab which Indians scholars have themselves opposed.
Why we hate TPLF is by selling land for 100 years at the cost of 1 dollar per hectarre per year for 99 years and by displacing people who owned the land. This is a crime.
Elias, it sounds you are calling everyone with Tigrignean name TPLF ? You need to be clever brother. Why are you opposing this man? is it because he is Teame? who cares from where Teame is if he an Ethiopian? what evidence do you have he is TPLF?
Brother Elias, you need to address who you are opposing ? you can not hate everyone and if you call every Teame TPlf you are wrong. I am not trying to defend Teame. But this can appy to any Ethiopian. If an Ethiopian or oromo or tigrie or amhara,…etc invest anywhere in Ethiopia, for it is not a problem. My problem is when land is given to foreign citizens and the foreign citizens joke getting land for free. That is what broke my heart. Did you hear what the Indian said? he said, we did not even see the land and we just took it. He said he has no obligation to do anything for the people than to give small money to the TPLF traitors.
tplf spoke man also stated that the land owners do not deserve compensation? this is what breaks my heart.
Brother Elias, by accusing everyone as TPLF, you are prolonging the suffering of our people and promoting the selling of our land. We need united front now to stop the madness of the bandas in Arat kilo. We do not to accuse every Ethiopians as TPLF. this type of politics is called Kisara only.
peace replies:
March 2nd, 2012 at 4:48 AM
Gezaee,
Even though not all Tigrayans maybe TPLFites, you have to make a distinction between it is okay when Ethiopian owns and it is not okay when foreigners owns it. Just yesterday TPLF was accusing people who used to have land Neftegnas. Every acccusasions they used from past leadership they are doing a double whammy themselves today. I don’t recall the displacing of poor farmers in the past? What makes today any different is it should be no way that the minority Tigray should own over 90% of the economy that is okay for you. Even one can defend which there was absolutely no way that even 30% of Amara which are the majority than tigrayns could claim power because next to the Oromos they are the next populations. Although I am not supporting this of course it is laughable a tiny minority group controlling almost 100% of Ethiopia’s economy. The ones you are claiming there are other ethnic groups are those of the diaspora who go there open dance clubs, bars etc, that doesn’t contribute much to the economy. Besides they will be srutinized if they are to develop something in Ethiopia of course they are welcome because TPLF wants to suck the diaspora’s good skills and money. Once that is used, then they are threatened. Besides, TPLF using Tigryans have shown its anti Ethiopoian stand so why should we support those supported by TPLF? OCCUPY Teame’s prpoerty in Minneapolis!
Anonymous replies:
March 2nd, 2012 at 11:05 PM
Gezae I know you. I got your kid birthday card on Dr teame office lol. I know u you are from adwa. Also ur not from tembien lol. Don’t kiss Teame ass’s.
Leah Aaron replies:
March 8th, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Gezaie Helie is fm both Aduwa Tigria and Seria lEritrea like his boss Meles and wanted to eat from both side.I hate such people!! enjoy with your self and have funn and coll down boy with youe comment-
I applaud the ethiopian review for investigative journalism, exposing the criminal deed of the TPLF and its associates. There was big news that the southern region is sending out Amhara farmers from the region on the pretext that they took the land illegally while they are settled paying the appropriate fee. But it is shameful , while selling the land for their kind, with a price of a killo of coffee for the hectar land, while millions are uprooted from their region.
It is time the people raise their arms to face the TPLF, IT is better to die in honor than see these aparteid system once for all.
This guy worked really hard to save money and invest in his motherland while you were snoring in your crib. Why don’t you leave these kind of people alone? How do you blackmail innocent people and sleep at night? How old were you when you came to the United States and what did you do with your time in the states? I am sure you have nothing to show for it. You are an insult to human beings.
Alula
Eri bey Agere !!!
There is a sad news reported by reporter that amara were order to leave the south within a month. The act is absulute madness from the tigre leaders. i do not know what rage of anger will suffice to revamge aganist the tigre leaders. Im sorry none of the so called oposition websites reported thise shameful act of the woyane invaders againist the amara people. So we are watching while the amara expelled as a foriegner the tigre and soudis are getting land for free…YekyeSew yiyew tegreain Mekere.
True story! replies:
March 2nd, 2012 at 9:36 AM
There are lots of hidden damaging news Ethiopians don’t know about when it comes to Meles and his tplf hoodlums doing to Ethiopia/ns. I’ve heard that people from Tigrea have been given invitations at Woyane Embassies around the world and given advices and encouragements to buy land in Ethiopia, particularly in Gondar and Wollo that is close to Tigrea province.
Woyane/TPLF eyaln Ennoralen. We are fearful, and we highly like our life. Why don’t we learn from them? We know some of them dropped from University to join Armed struggle, and there were even few who joined it from Europe and USA. Why don’t we do it? Why are we talking while sitting here? Goebz, tewarden eko!
To be honest,
I am out of any ethnic discourse. I do not enjoy discussion about amhara, tigrie, oromo,…. I am not able to communicate with the majority of Ethiopians. The majority of Ethiopians obssessed with their tribal discussion. It sounds to me everything is tribalized and ethnicized in Ethiopia. People are not able to focus on problem.
I do not know this man called Teame. I am not even supporting his investemnt because I do not even know about it apart from reading here.
I said what is the problem if an Ethiopian invest anywhere in Ethiopia. But why you slide to Amhara, tigrie,… discourse? why? did I say raise anything based on tribe or ethnic? I am living in Canada. As a citizen I can invest anywhere. No one can stop me as long as I respect the rules of my country. I lived in Canda few years, but I have more rights than in Ethiopia. It appears now I might able to invest in Ethiopia?
It is this blinded politics of hate that gave Meles a new lease of political life. If that was not the case, Meles would not have existed today. He must have been removed in 2005. The bankrupted kinjit started attacking Tigreans in addis and that helped Meles to survive upto day.
I repeat, I have no opposition for an Ethiopian investing in Ethiopia. you can oppose it is your right but it does not sound rational opposing everything. If I invest in my country It is my right.
About Amhara, I never heard of Amhara accused of taking land from anyone. It is true there was oppression as it is today and even that not be subscribed or blamed on the entire amhara because of fewe elites.
Please take me out from anything discourse. I favour any Ethiopian investor regardless tribe or ethnic or wherever they live. I am not going to oppose everything.
Stop accusing one entire tribe based on few elites. I do not support TPLF. I do oppose TPLF because of its anti Ethiopia set up. I do not care about majority and minority. Nothing must be given based on majority or minority except based on ability and merit. I do not believe in ethnic or tribe or majority or ninority or factions or grouping. Citizens must equal right regardless their ethnics composition of majority or minority. People must given the opportunity based on thier ability only. Nothing based on tribe or ethnic or majority or minority etc. That is my belief. I do not believe in majority and minority.
Mesin replies:
March 3rd, 2012 at 3:14 AM
Gazee. You are an imposter. You are agitated because the name taaeme, hagos, woldu or teklai is attached with this land grab business. what difference does it make whether it is mr. smith, mr. sanjy gupta or mr. woldu who is taking land for free, stripping farmers of their right, degerading the land, earn millions and exit? The very issue of land grab never concerned you. What concerned you is some one from your gutter domain seems to have been targeted at least for you. For you as long as it is woldu or hagos land grab is ok. Evicting the inhabitants from the land is ok. Giving it for free to woldu and hagos is ok. spraying the land with sinful chemicals and degrading the land in the name of boloke farming is ok as long as it is woldu and hagos that are doing it. Sntaching land from poor farmers and stripping the century old trdaitional entiltlement to the land of the poor farmers is ok as long as the woldus and hagoses are doing it. You are true to your colour.
It is the tigreans who are spreading tribal hate and racism. Get over it . you can not eat with two forks. In 2005 it was the ordinary tigreans who were bragging and vowing to show their muscle and shove non-tigres. The rest of non-tigre ethiopians depended on the ballot card. But the majority of the tigreans in 2005 depended on the agazi interamwe militia to do the slaining so that they continue to enjoy the priviledge that they are enjoying till today. In 2005, i was in one of the bars in Addis Ababa as i came to ethiopia to visit my families and stayed longer. What i witnessed was shocking. One tigre man in the bar started banging the table and shout “Oromo feri new. merot bicha new yemichilew. Amaharan suriwun aswelikenewal. manin new yimeiniferaw”. Roughly translated in to amharic he was saying the oromo is a coward and knows only how to flee we have stripped the amhara of his cloth and we will see who gets where. People then started leaving the bar including myself. The man was probably armed and he was trying to incite violence. It was at that time in 2005, from all this, from what meles was saying ands doing, from the way the agazi interhamwe militia slained non-tigrte ethiopians, i get the real impression of Tigray and tigrayans. These are the group of people who can never leave peacefully with the rest of ethiopians. My strong position is that tigray has to go and diclare its oindependence and leave the rest of ethiopia alone.
peace replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 4:21 AM
Well said. Eventhough TPLF under Meles for the first time brought ethnic hatred to our peaceful country. Great for them Mengistu gave then that power as he is psychopath. Let us remind ourselves that we Ethiopians are peaceful people and Meles/TPLF want to create interhamwe. It is not we should be afraid, it is because we are peaceful people able to live in peace which we have demonstrated in the past and we believe in compassion and humanity. But this should not mean when we see blatant discrimination we should stop or bring justice to those who are committing this injustice and so Ethiopians must continue the struggle. I heard TPLF has signed 99 year agreement contract with outsiders to help them (militarily and in every way) stay in power and in return they will fulfill what they outsiders want.
I am so greatful for Elias for digging deep down and exposing woaynes and Keep the good work !!!!
This Dr. has been doing business in Minneapolis and saint paul area and most of his customers are Ethiopians who do not know he is a blood sucker woyane. If there is any one to be blamed here is, Ethiopians in Minneapolis and Saint Paul who made this guy become rich by taking their business to him while there are a better Chiropractors around the city. Thank You! Ethiopian Review.
“Ethiopians need to STOP buying Woyane” Until we do that we are the same as or as bad as woyane indirectly.
Please let us take our Money where we can not heart our self, our family and our country Ethiopia.
peace replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 4:28 AM
Here is suggestion: as ER did, let us really investigate how he is affection the Ethiopians in Ethiopia. If he is really found that he is doing a great damage to Ethiopia then we must educate ourselves who is who doing the real damage and stop their business. Ethiopians need to find for themselve or be educated to find out who is hurting Ethiopia and boycott them. The problem is I think if Ethiopians don’t invest in Ethiopia, TPLF/Meles will not hestiate to invite foreigners to invest more. However, TPLF/Meles want to empower Tigrayasn more for later Greater Tigray that is why they are cherry picked to invest. Since that is considered discrimination whether the Tigrayans are doing good in Ethiopia or not, they need to be boycotted unless they are true honest business people who are doing the business for the greater good of Ethiopia and not just Tigray.
Anonymous replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 8:25 PM
Wow, guys you need to get out of Minneapolis for some time and see the rest of the US. May be, go to Ethiopia for an extended time. It does not hurt to get some sunshine and thaw yourself from the cold weather. It looks like your brain is frozen in time. You guys seem to know this doctor very well and it seems to me that you are instigating to lure his clients! Jealousy and greed are bad things. My advice to you is to go to church and ask your creator for forgiveness. He is forgiving and he shall.
In a short time, I did my homework and learned that the doctor is the first Ethiopian to graduate as a Chiropractor in Minnesota. He is also the first Ethiopian fellow to open a chiropractic clinic in Minnesota. He broke the glass ceiling for other professionals that come after him. Ethiopians in Minnesota should be proud of him and follow his steps. Surely, some of you are reaping some of the fruits he planted as a businessman. We need tons of people like him. He is an exemplary citizen. Come on guys, be fair and rationale! Peace be upon you!
Mesin,
You are entitled to your opinion. I have to tell you that your opinion is as bad as that of TPLF supporters. You are not different, but you may think you are differetent. Your biase, prejudice, tribalism, ethnicism, … will not help anyone including you. I am not going to be dragged into this low life tigray or non-tigray discourse. You can find people of your calibre to discuss about ethnic or tribe. you insult, labelling me, degrading wording, only shows only who you are. I am not going to repeat any of these to you. Reason, I have little interest.
All I can say, this type of hatred will never help Ethiopia or any Ethiopian. I am definitely sure if you get to Arat kilo tomorrow you will probably be much worse. Reason, you do not have the right mindset up to be better than those who are in Arat kilo. We thought they will be better than derg, but now they are worst. I assure if people like you get their foot arat kilo, they will be much worse. Reason, people like you are driven by hatred, biase, prejudice , tribalism and ethnicism and revenge. you can see your writings how biase, prejudiced you are. You do not know me, but you are insulting me and giving me all sort of names.
In 2005, it is people like you who aborted the victory of kinjit.I was kinjit supporter but I was shocked to hear kinjit members instigating tribal conflict in addis.
Mesin, if you do not respect any Ethiopian, your cry about Ethiopian does not hold water. Ethiopia belongs to every Ethiopians. There is no special Ethiopians. People like you think they are the only Ethiopian. You are the judge and everything. You even judge people without having clue who they are. Since you are accusing me falsely, I am sure you are accusing Mr. Teame also falsely because his name bears a Tigreans name and this is based on tribal, ethnic hatred and biase, prejudice.
We can build only a better Ethiopia if we accept each other as mortal being who deserve all respect. I do not believe there is an Ethiopian who is going to watch being killed or shot. If you threatened people based on thier tribe, it is the law of physics. There will be an equal and oppose reaction. This is a natural law. No matter who does it, it is a natural law every human being will defend itself. You can not bring change in Ethiopia by intimidating people based on biase and prejudice. You can only bring change if you show respect to people and present you case rationally on the table.
Mesin, I have to be honest with you, people like you will never bring change in Ethiopia. People like will actually prolong suffering of Ethiopians by intimidating and scaring people. You know what I mean? even the oppressed cannot join intimidators. revolution requires wisdom, pure reason, fidelity, honesty and committment.
I did not say any of the things you have said about me. All are figments in your imagination based on in your engrained tribal, ethnic biase, and prejudice. I live in the civilized world where discrimination is forbidden based on race, ethnic, tribe, religion, look, opinion or region or nationality. I live under this law. I love it. I cannot afford to live your dark world of tribalism and ethnicism. What you said does not even cross my mind in everyday of my life. All those thing you accused me does not exist in me. I live in the civilized world and learn the good things of respecting people for who they are. That is I am not going to jump on you and say you are this and that. We are galaxies apart. I suggest you can find people in your tribal calibre. I am out of it. Good luck.
Ethiopia’s tribes cry for help
By Dominic Brown |
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Al Jazeera)– The Lower Omo Valley in south-western Ethiopia is a vast and rugged region of mountains and valleys, inhabited largely by nomadic agro-pastoralist tribes numbering some 200,000 people. Many live a simple existence, living in straw thatched huts and have little contact with the outside world. But the Ethiopian government’s new found appetite for large-scale sugar production threatens the very existence of many of these tribes.
“We stand to lose everything,” one tribal leader explained, tears welling in his eyes, as he stood surrounded by his villagers. “Our traditional hunting grounds, the land we use for grazing our cattle, our homes. Everything will be gone. We will be left with nothing. We need the outside world to help us.”
Why are only 23 comments posted but not all the 38 of them? You do not want the public know the truth,correct? Additinally, you said the so called your “Investigative Unity” discovered this fact, but isn’t it true that such docoments are open to the public at the Ethiopian Minstry of Agricultre Web? I read all the agreement but it didn’t say the products are to be exported to the “Midle-East” so, why do you add such things and trying to irritate some people who are realying on your reportings?
Hmmm, I looked at the contract and it is issued and signed by Tefera Derbew, Minister of Agriculture. The following officials also signed on the contract: Wendyrad Mandefro, Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Isias Kebede Amare, Director of Investment of Ministry of Agriculture. I was expecting names like Hagos, Teklu and Taeme per your lead but that is not the case. What I see here is that the so called ‘TPLF’ is on the receiving end.
Secondly, good reporting should have some comparative analysis with solid data so the reader can judge which ethnic group gets what kind of piece of land. In Ethiopia, there are more than 70 ethnic groups and Tigray happens to be one of them. But for you in order to settle some personal disagreements with this gentleman, you chose this platform and ask others to tarnish his name. There seems that there is a lot of work to do. Tigray is part of Ethiopia and the people of Tigray are Ethiopians and they care about their country as much as any other Ethiopians.
Third,you said, ‘TPLF members are grabbing more fertile land in southern and western Ethiopia than China, India and Saudi combined, according to Ethiopian Review sources.’ This is a strong statement and you need to support your accusation with some data. I am looking forward to it.
Last but not list, I can conclude that your report does not hold water. It got too much air! Leave this guy alone. At least, he is taking his money and treasure to his country to help his people and alleviate hunger. Next time, please do some decent reporting with some facts and data!
SENAY
No one say Tigrians are not Ethiopians. The argument is why didn’t he buy this land in Tigray. Why the Omo Valey people have to give up their lively hood in order to comfort TPLF Members. If you think Tigrians are a better Ethiopians than The people around The Omo river. You my friend, is wrong. What do you feel if you are one of the tribe whose land is given to some one in the name of investment and make you a slave to this Dr. for the next 99 years. It does not matter who signed the docment. “one for all, all for one” does not work on cyber net. Think out of your Ethnic box and try to understand what the people of the omo river feels.
Anonymous replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 3:31 PM
Teklu:
Dr. Teame is about to receive another 5,000 hectares of fertile land at the same location, at the deal very soon. This is the same size what Ali-Mudi received in Gambella.
Anonymous replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 3:50 PM
Dear Teklu,
Do you have any proof you can provide to the public that this respected Doctor is a TPLF member? Does investing in South Ethiopia and receiving land like any other Ethiopian investors make him to be TPLF member or is it just because he is from Tigray? Do you also know that there are also other 11 non-Tigrian investors just next to his land but never mentioned their names on this topic? Are you also saying Tigrians have to invest only in the state of Tigray but nowhere in the country? looking forward for your respond.
Senay replies:
March 5th, 2012 at 9:08 PM
Let’s be fair, the businessman doesn’t have to rent a piece of land in Tigray. As an Ethiopian, he has the right to do business where ever business is feasible for him as long as he follows the rule of law of the land. It would be very shallow and narrow minded to say Tigrians should only do business in Tigray. He did not right the rules. All he did is follow the rules just like many Ethiopians.
How come you are silent about the Chinese, Indians and other ethnic groups say Amhara, Oromo, Somali, Hadia and so on who rented land ten times bigger than his lot. You should take your issue to the officials who make the rules of the country. Barking at the guy does not sound right!
Ethiopia: Compilation Of Reports From South Omo, Ethiopia On Land Grabbing And Indigenous People
I am writing to inform you of the situation now in Southwestern Ethiopia. The land area I speak of starts at Gambella, goes south to Bench Maji and to South Omo. The pastoral people were put in jail and beaten badly, women were raped, the government used electric shock on the people in south Omo. The government also brought in the Agadiz special police forces in the indigenous areas.
I heard this from local people. They told me everything that has happened to them. I traveled for twenty days in southern Ethiopia. The Suri area government is doing bad things to the people. The government took many Suri cattle. Many of the Suri were put in jail and most of them were taken far away where their families will never see them. The government is not allowing families to visit them in jail. The Suri will take their cattle to Sudan if the government continues doing this. Now, the government is targeting the educated boys and police from the pastoral communities. Most of them have already been arrested. Some of them have been killed.
The main purpose of the government in doing this is to scare away the indigenous people from the area so they can take their land and give it to foreign investors. If the government does not do this the investor will not come to the land, because the indigenous people are carrying many guns.
The Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the Regional Government President Shuferow Shugute, and the Bench Maji Zonal Administrator Admasu, are going to wipe out all the pastoral people in Southern Ethiopia. Please help the pastoralists in southern Ethiopia they will be under threat for 6 long years. The government plans to settle the mobile pastoralists in large villages. The government plans to set these up soon.
Remember these people are Human beings they are not animals to go and hunt as wildlife. The Pastoralists in southern Ethiopia are now paying many cattle to the government so the government will stop harming them. Now the people are agreeing to everything the government is saying. They have no choice. The people live in fear. They are afraid of the government. What the people are saying is not good. There will be a civil war. The government is now acting like the previous Derg government.
There will be a big problem in these areas if all the cattle are taken by the Government, what will these people eat? Now the drought is badly affecting the Horn of Africa. Now the Gibe 3 dam is being built, and there will soon be no flood waters from the river. The land has been taken away. The cattle have been taken by the government. With all of these things being taken away, what will happen to the poor people in time of the famine? The people who want to wipe out of the pastoralists eat three times a day.
September 2011
South Omo Zone, Ethiopia
A few days ago a South Omo Zone police commander and his officers went to the Mursi place called Hailewuha to discuss with the community there about the sugarcane plantations and the highland worker’s camp. They asked the Mursi why they are always rejecting the government plantations. They strongly told the Mursi that the government wanted to build a second big campsite, for sugar plantation workers, in Hailewuha. Now, they’ve done it. They cleared the area and are building the second large campsite there.
The Government told the Mursi they will soon look for the Mursi elders and the young men who are rejecting the plantation plans to capture them and put them in prison. Now they know the tribes that are rejecting the plans are the Mursi and some elders from the Nyangatom, and are focusing on these tribes.
In the beginning of the plantation implementation, the government told the Mursi and Bodi not to carry their guns along any roads, and if they do, the government will take them. During that meeting in Hailewuha, one young man had his gun and passed by the soldiers. They told him to give up his gun, but the young man nearly started shooting the soldiers, and the soldiers saw this and they stopped following him. During all this, Mursi people were calling to the young man to start shooting, and calling to all of the Mursi to shoot the soldiers. Fighting between Mursi and the government will happen. I’m telling you, for sure, that it will happen.
October 17, 2011
News from the south Omo valley of southern Ethiopia
The sugar plantations project, which is threatening local indigenous people, has seen recent increases in severity of abuses by the government.
Government officials gathered the Bodi from many different villages in their areas and also members of the other neighboring group called the Chirim. They had a big meeting about the sugarcane project and villagization. After the meeting, the government took the Bodi and Chirim to show them the resettlement area where they were told they will live permanently. After seeing the place, the Bodi and Chirim refused to live there and all went back to their homes.
October 26th, 2011
The government left the area and went to discuss the matter seriously. On October 26, 2011, again the government called the Bodi in the Hanna area for a meeting. They had a very long meeting and again the Bodi men rejected the project, the government became exhausted of trying to make the Bodi agree. The government called the security forces and the forces came and surrounded the Bodi at a meeting. Even surrounded, the young men still would not be scared into agreeing to the project, so the security forces caught four young men and put them in prison. The last eight months the government has made up many reasons to put local people in jail, but the real reason is opposition to the plantations. There have been more arrest in the past weeks putting the total at more than 100 Bodi* and 28 Mursi in jail. The tribes fear the next step will be the security forces killing people.
Please help these people. This plantations project brings these people no peace. Please tell the Ethiopian government to stop abusing these people. Tell Meles Zenawi to leave these people alone.
Now everything is under government control in the south Omo area, especially in the Mursi and Bodi areas. The road to Hanna, in Bodi territory, now has put up a check point to stop journalists like the BBC and Survival International. It is the same things in the Mursi area too, even the tourists are not allowed to go further into the rest of Mursi land and to the Omo River, it is very sad. *note the source said it may be more than 200 Bodi in jail now.
News update 11/03/2011.
News from near Mizan Teferi in Southwestern Ethiopia, on September 16, 2011 the government was planning to move the Suri people imprisoned for opposing the plantations from the town of Tum to different areas of Ethiopia. The Suri prisoners didn’t want to be moved and they escaped from prison. Many of them had run away many times. Now the government decided to take them somewhere to be trained to be soldiers to guard the national borders. The Suri are extremely frightened to be taken away.
Yesterday at 10 pm, nine Suri prisoner escaped and they were shot at. One is dead and four of them are badly wounded. The wounded are in the hospital. Four others were caught and badly beaten. They are in critical condition and government has not allowed them to be taken to the hospital. Other Suri are not allowed to go and see them. Most of them in Mizan were given 30 year prison sentences.
November 24th, 2011
News update, first step to the end.
There is recent bad news from the Mursi and Bodi tribal areas of southern Ethiopia. In Haylewoha, the government put many Ethiopian defense forces around the village and established a road block.
The Ethiopian defense forces have started raping the Mursi women in the bush, while the Mursi women are collecting firewood, fetching water, and getting the grass for the calves.
The raping started a month ago, the Ethiopian defense forces told the women if they tell their husband they will immediate kill their husbands and children, burn their houses, and destroy their villages.
The women who were raped were silent for many weeks, not daring to talk to anyone about it. Yesterday, the women told some community members without soldiers near. When the Mursi men heard of this all them were crying.
The men think their government is planning to destroy them all soon, maybe in few weeks time. The district government yesterday told Mursi they have to bring all of their guns to the government, but the Mursi did not. The government told them if they don’t bring the guns they will see government power soon, meaning things will be done by force.
“These problems are coming because of our rich land. The land grab is true. We see our death is near. It is just behind our backs,” a Mursi man said. “The government will kill us like it killed many people from the Nyamogn 13 years ago and like it shot the Suri from a helicopter, and attacked other tribes. Now we know the government is a big liar, because the development he brought to our land is not real development, it is not peaceful. Anyone can understand this easily. Now people fear the government.”
This is the first step to a string of problems:
1. Women are being raped.
2. Killings will happen soon, within a month.
3. The land will be destroyed by big heavy machines.
4. The land will be covered in chemicals and after many years the land will become bad. The plantations will leave and we will have bad land forever.
5. For the land to recover as it was naturally will take ages.
6. HIV/AIDS will take over in ten years.
7. Alcohol.
8. Lost culture.
*note: so far four rapes by the military of Mursi women have been reported in the last month.
Source: http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13253:ethiopia-compilation-of-reports-from-south-omo-ethiopia-on-land-grabbing-and-indigenous-people&catid=25:africa-indigenous-peoples&Itemid=58
I do not see a problem when a TPLF member or a TIGERIAN being part of what is happenning… But I have a big problem seeing ” ETHIOPANS” Being part of it.. So guy’s stop playing game ‘ This is real.
Mr. Biniam,
I don’t think you have any medical knowledge, nor any intellectual ability to address your hate driven point. . I’m saying this because I don’t think you know the difference between a Hearing Aid and a Bluetooth. Dr. Teame managed to get the fund to supply these 6,200 (for 3,100 patients) hearing aids at the cost of $6,000.00 per pair (per patient). Now, there are 16 health professionals leaving for Ethiopia on a private plane with all other medical divides to examine and fit these poor Ethiopians who even cannot affords the $100 you put as the price of the hearing aid. These hearing aids are individually designed for each patient according to the depth, length, size, of the ear cannal of each patient. Dr. Teame took him almost 3 years to get all the funds for the cost of the hearing Aid, transportation costs of the professionals and now, he has finalize this project and the patients will receive the benefit of hearing in about a month. In addition to that, there is another team with 40 professional film producers going for this event to document this historical and life changing mission. After this first mission, this will continue once or twice a year till all the 1,500,000 deaf patients currently registered in Ethiopia are helped. You can keep hitting your hate dram but this is what the Sr. Teame is doing and I know this because I am a health profession who has personally involved on this project for the last three years.
BTW, nobody needs to do anything to invest in agriculture or other industries in Ethiopia. Good Luck.