June 21 – The UNHCR took custody of the eight Ethiopian air force pilots who sought political asylum in Belarus yesterday. Today, the pilots’ passports were taken away and they were sent to a location outside of the capital city, Minsk. The pilots said that so far the UNHCR did not provide them with any assistance. They don’t even have money to buy food. The place they are now is not a secure location. The Ethiopian ambassador in Moscow flew to Minsk to talk to the pilots today, but they refused to meet with him. They told ER that they will return to Ethiopia and serve their country only after the Meles regime steps down. They said that the people of Ethiopia paid for their training to protect the country from foreign enemy, not to kill unarmed Ethiopian citizens. Any one who wants to help the pilots, please contact us.
June 13, 11:15 PM – ETC Chairman Dr Taye on VOA today audio Dr Taye said detained students are purposefully exposed to malaria
June 13, 2:35 PM – CUD chief representative in Wollo, Ato Bisrat, has been arrested. Many of his colleagues in Dessie, Wollo, have also been arrested. EPRDF troops are rounding up students and opposition members.
It’s feared that Ato Bisrat and his colleagues are being tortured as a revenge for working to defeat Bereket Simon in Lalibela. Previously, Bereket Simon’s EPRDF agents had burned Ato Bisrat’s his house in Dessie.
Please contact the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ethiopia and request for a visit to check their conditions.
Anna Schaff, ICRC Addis Ababa
tel: + 2511 518 366
Marco Yuri Jiménez Rodríguez, ICRC Geneva
tel: +41 22 730 2271
Also please call these officials:
Kofi Annan: 212 963 2486, fax 212 963 3301
Condoleeza Rice: 202 663 0500
June 13 – UEDF said Tesfaye Adane Jara, who had been elected to parliament in the May 15 polls, was shot dead by police on Sunday in Arsi Negele … AP
Another UEDF member was killed by police at his home in Jeldu in northeast Ethiopia on June 13, according to UEDF President Merara Gudina. AFP
June 13 – The ruling party and two main opposition parties are poised to begin talks today to end their dispute. DPA
Thousands of students and others remain in jail. Their condition is unknown, but it is feared that they are being tortured by starvation.
June 12, 12:59 PM – In Addis Ababa taxi drivers are back to work today after a 5-day strike.
“The strike was only meant to last five days,” one taxi driver told AFP. “Futhermore, it’s difficult to go on strike for long, people need to work.” AFP
June 12, 4:41 AM – In Bahr Dar today, soldiers beaten up students of Tana Hayq High School and took them away to unknown locations. In response, the people went on a general strike. Schools, shops, hotels, etc. are all closed. Troops with armored vehicles and jeeps are patrolling the city.
There is also a general strike in Debre Markos. Every thing has been shut down in the city.
June 12, 3:37 AM – Gonder is under military clamp down today. The local police was forced to disarm by the Agaazi army fearing that it will side with the people. More military equipments are pouring into the city. Upto now, the youth have been the primary target. Now the army is going after farmers who are suspected of supporting the opposition parties. Meles Zenawi’s forces are terrorizing the people of Gonder at this very moment.
June 11 – Meles should face international court for murder, Ethiopian rally in Canberra demanded… ER
June 11, 1:20 PM – Ethiopian civic associations are coming to the defense of peaceful protestors… ER
June 11, 11:09 AM – The people of Gonder continue to face vicious attacks by Meles Zenawi’s special forces. The youth in Gonder and CUD members are the primary targets. They are being shot at and savagely beaten. They are also being rounded up and tortured.
June 11 – Diplomats who arrived at Ato Hailu Shawel’s home to check on him were searched under protest and at least one was pushed and shoved by soldiers. “This is absolutely disgraceful,” Tim Clarke, the European Commission chief in Ethiopia, said of the behaviour of the soldiers. In a phone call to Bereket Simon outside Ato Hailu’s home, Clarke could be heard saying diplomats had been assaulted. SA
June 14 – U.S. State Department Press Conference
Q: … there was a pretty big demonstration in front of the State Department today. I couldn’t count them all… they seem to feel that the U.S. Government is not doing enough to try to get the Ethiopian Government to maintain rule of law … are you doing anything try to get the government to restrain itself in its dealings with the protestors? And you mentioned contacts from the Secretary on down. Has she made contacts with the Ethiopian Government?
MR. MCCORMACK: She did speak with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi… more
DC protestors: Mission accomplished.
June 14 – Ethiopians held rally in Brussels, met with Ana Gomes… Kinfu Assefa, photo
World Council of Churches and the All Africa Conference of Churches on the violence against protestors … WFN
Please write them a thank you note for standing up. [email protected]
BTW, where is the Vatican on this?
June 14 – In an interview aired on the Eritrea State Radio and Eritrea Television, Lidetu Ayalew denied that agreement has been reached among the three parties. WIC
This is a fabrication of news by WIC, an EPRDF information outlet. Lidetu has been under house arrest until today without any means of outside communication.
June 14: 10:30 AM – CUD head in Wollo, Ato Bisrat, and hundreds of other CUD members and students who are arrested by security forces have been transferred to an unknown location outside of Dessie last night. The prisoners were forced to take off their jackets and allowed to wear only t-shirts, the families we talked to a few minutes ago said. The detainees are also not given food and water. The families are extremely worried about this latest development.
CUD leader has been released AP
Scholar says state of emergency violates constitution … Mark Bowen, June 13
U.S. condemns the violence in Ethiopia, State Dept
Ban on protest extended AFP
Meles is preparing for “Interhamwe” … ER
The June 12 LA vigil photo
June 12 Calgary vigil audio photo
The emerging irony in Ethiopia… NES, June 12
American Embassy: “Reports of numerous arrests and detentions have increased tensions throughout the country, and we urge the government to respect the rule of law when maintaining order, respect the international principles of human rights, and apply due process to those arrested or detained.”
Congressman Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, called on Ethiopian Government to cease and desist violent response to protests… CS
Please call Congressman Smith and say thank you for speaking out. Ethiopia needs a friend like him at this trying time. – ph: (202) 225-3765; fax: (202) 225-7768
Why the West’s billions may end up in the wrong hands – Richard Beeston
VOA condemns the Meles regime’s action against reporters … VOA, June 10
Listen to VOA director’s statement
Amnesty calls for impartial inquiry of political violence In Ethiopia… – VOA, June 10
Martin Hill is doing an exceptional job of exposing the violence against the people of Ethiopia. Please send him a thank you note: [email protected]
Mr Stockwell Day, Canada’s Official Opposition Foreign Affairs Critic: “I call upon the Ethiopian government to halt its use of repression, release the detained students, recognize the concerns voiced by our colleagues from the EU, to abide by all international human rights standards.”
Day
Please send thank you letter to Mr Day for speaking out Email: [email protected]
June 11, 9:07 AM – Alert: Several CUD officials and members in Gonder have been arrested today. EPRDF troops are hunting down all CUD officials and candidates through out the Gonder region. Head of the CUD in Gonder, Ato Leul, is appealing to Ethiopians abroad to create worldwide awareness for their plight.
Yesterday, heavily armed troops savagely beaten students at the Fasilides High School or protested the savage murder of unarmed people. All schools in Gonder are now closed. The brutal actions by EPRDF in Gonder is intensifying.
June 11 – CUD Chairman Hailu Shawel and Executive Committee member Lidetu Ayalew have been placed under house arrest. Journalists who went to Hailu’s home to check reports he was under house arrest were beaten by police using fists and clubs. AP
“I am not allowed to leave my residence, my wife and maid are not allowed to leave and no one is allowed to visit,” said Hailu, chairman of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD). “I am virtually in prison.” Reuters
Some taxis have started service today, but most are still on strike. Shops are still closed. Addis Ababa is being patrolled by tanks.
At Bahir Dar University, students are not allowed to leave the campus.
June 10 – Protest rally and vigil in front of the White House… ER live
CUD accuses the Meles regime of terrorism against the people of Ethiopia… AFP
June 10 – Distressed Ethiopians at Downing Street, London… Forget all the demonstrations and rallies held all together in the past 14 years in London by Ethiopian protestors. The Friday 10 June 2005 dwarfs all the biggest turnouts in the past. Wondimu Mekonnen … view photo here
Meles Zenawi’s private army of killers (Agaazi) AFP
The Agaazi army must be disbanded. It’s a gang of killers whose only mission is to keep Meles in power at any cost.
June 10, 4:00 PM – In their first meeting since the violence started, EPRDF and the two main opposition coalitions were to sign an agreement aimed at ending the violence. AP
CUD put the following condition: the attack on unarmed civilians must stop; all those arrested must be released; the arrest and harassment of
opposition leaders must stop; and the murder of civilians by the security forces must be investigated and those responsible must be brought to justice.
June 10 – Meles said he had received calls from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Britain’s Development Minister Hilary Benn and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in recent days. Reuters
June 9
Sir Bob Geldof describing the situation in Ethiopia: “they make me puke.”
June 9 – The Carter Center expresses its deep alarm and sorrow at the violence, injuries, deaths, and violations of human rights that have occurred since June 6 in in Ethiopia
June 9 – UK’s Conservative Party questioned whether Meles Zenawi should remain on Tony Blair’s Africa Commission… AP
June 9 – “Everybody needs to refrain from violence and exercise restraint,” Scott McClellan, White House spokesperson, told reporters while travelling with president George W Bush – Reuters
How could Mr McClellan equate shooting at unarmed civilians with peaceful protest? It’s a disappointing answer. More work needs to educate the White House.
June 9, 9:30 AM – There are reports of clashes between people and Meles Zenawi’s Agazi force in Addis Ababa’s Woira Sefer and Akaki, the outskirt of the city.
The brutality of the Agazi troops towards unarmed civilians is appalling. These are blood thirsty murderers.
June 9 – CDU leaders continue to be under house arrest. dpa
Lidetu Ayalew is detained in his office without food and water. Those who brought him food have been chased away. A staff member, Azeb Amare, has been taken away. Here whereabouts is unknown.
European Commission’s head of Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, spoke with Meles Zenawi urging tolerance and restraint on the use of force in response to recent unrest EU
June 8, 11:00 PM – Over a thousand Ethiopians in DC held a protest rally today in front of the British Embassy… ER
Kofi Annan condemns the violence in Addis Ababa UN
UK’s Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman issued statement FCO
European Union observers condemn the arrest of opposition leaders PA
CPJ expresses concern – CPJ
sickening photos of atrocities… MSQ
June 10 – “We deeply regret that lives have been lost, and if there has been an instance of excessive use of force, that is obviously something we will look into” Meles Zenawi told Reuters.
Meles and his Agaazi killers must be held accountable for murdering unarmed civilians.
June 10, 10:30 AM – Bereket Simon is talking on the radio right now in a conciliatory tone towards the opposition… what is he up to? … he is talking about some kind of agreement with the opposition parties.
ALERT
Meles Zenawi’s hand-picked administrator of the Oromiya region, Ato Juniden Sado, is now
aggressively campaigning to incite ethnic violence against non-Oromos in the region. EPRDF agents
are also distributing a flyer in Addis Ababa that foments ethnic hatred. This is Meles Zenawi’s strategy of divide and conquer. CUD and UEDF need to use every means available to them to expose this evil act.
June 10, 10:00 PM – Violent clashes resurfaced today, uprising spreading to other cities… ER
June 10 – Kofi Annan intervenes to secure freedom for opposition leader. Over 1500 students and opposition supporters detained … Abebe Gelaw
June 10 – Security forces are rounding up youths… Reuters
June 9 – President Bush is being kept awake by thousands of Ethiopians … ER live
June 9 – CUD executive committee member Ato Lidetu Ayalew has been released, after UN Secretary General Kofi Annan placed a phone call to Meles Zenawi today.
Ato Lidetu had been detained in his office for almost 30 hours without food and drink. His relatives and friends who tried to bring him food were chased away by the police who surrounded Lidetu’s office.
Ethiopians worldwide conducted an intense campaign on behalf of Ato Lidetu through out the day, which led to Kofi Annan’s intervention. The intensity of activities was too much for him to ignore the matter.
The Secretary General made the call to Meles as he visited with President Bush today at the White House.
Before talking to Meles, Mr Kofi Annan had called Ato Hailu Shawel, CUD chairman, and discussed Ato Lidetu’s condition, as well as other matters related to the uprising that is underway in Ethiopia.
CUD/UEDF need to create a shadow cabinet
Call a nationwide general strike full text
“The whole hospital was literally packed with injured,” the Reuters journalist said. Ambulances streamed in with new injury victims, most of them with gunshot wounds, as hundreds of relatives wailed and wept in packed wards. Reuters
Joint press release by CUD and UEDF
June 7 – The Meles government said this evening it has revoked the permits of VOA and Deutsche Welle journalists for illegal reporting activities … Xinhua
ETV said if they are found broadcasting any more news they will be jailed.
June 7, 3:28 AM – Federal police stormed Debub University’s main campus in Awassa and savagely beaten up students who had been holding peaceful rally. As the police tried to round up and take away students, they were confronted by parents and other residents of the city. There is a stand-off as this story is being written.
Addis Ababa is calm, but schools are closed. Kotebe is also calm, and the town’s residents managed to rescue the students there.
Riot is reported in Gonder and Awassa
Taxi drivers joined students as protests spread in Ethiopia… – ER, June 8
A high school girl was killed AP
June 6, 4:00 pm – CUD spokesman Lidetu Ayalew has arrived home from office, but his house is surrounded by police. It’s feared that the police are waiting until the middle of the night before arresting him to avoid confrontation with the people in Ato Lidetu’s district.
The National Election said today that it has begun investigating appeals submitted by contesting political parties on 299 constituencies over election irregularities. The Board Chairman Kemal Bedri told journalists that investigation committees, to be formed by representatives of the board, international observers as well as the parties themselves, will start investigating appeals of contesting parties by the end of the week … – Xinhua, June 6
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