The U.S. Gov’t went to “the end of the earth” to find a kill bin Laden, a monster who murdered 3,000 of its citizens. When Joe Biden, at the Democratic Convention this evening, presented the killing of bin Laden as one of the Obama Administration’s major accomplishments, the 20,000 people in the hall responded with roars and cheers. Here is what he said:
In 2008, Barack Obama made a promise to the American people. He said, “If we have Osama bin Laden in our sights, we will take him out. That has to be our biggest national security priority.” Barack understood that the search for bin Laden was about a lot more than taking a monstrous leader off the battlefield. It was about righting an unspeakable wrong, healing a nearly unbearable wound in America’s heart. He also knew the message we had to send to terrorists around the world—if you attack innocent Americans, we will follow you to the ends of the earth.
Obama and Biden hunted down and killed a terrorist, but they turn around and send a pompous ‘ambassador’ to Ethiopia to praise and glorify another terrorist, Meles Zenawi, who slaughtered 100 times more innocent people in Ethiopia. We Ethiopians are suffering from an “unbearable wound” that has been inflicted upon us by a monstrous dictator who was financed by the Obama-Biden Administration to the tune of billions of dollars.
Joe Biden, you are the worst type of hypocrite! Your and Obama’s hypocrisy is causing bloodshed and misery in another part of the world.
The ruling junta in Ethiopia, Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), is preparing to replace the late dictator Meles Zenawi. However, there seems to be no clear choice so far, as the various factions within TPLF vie for control. According to Wikileaks, in a previous TPLF election, Meles Zenawi had lost to Arkebe Equbay, but Arkebe reportedly declined the chairmanship for fear of disunity. Two years later, Meles purged him from the TPLF politburo. Could the TPLF central committee reelect Arkebe now? Read the Wikileaks file here.
Current TPLF Politburo (Executive Committee)
1. Meles Zenawi
2. Tsegay Berhe
3. Abay Woldu
4. Abadi Zemo
5. Tewodros Hagos
6. Dr Tewodros Adhanom
7. Debretsion Gebre-Mikael
8. Beyene Mikru
9. Azeb Mesfin
Currentg TPLF Central Committee
1. Meles Zenawi
2. Seyoum Mesfin
3. Abay Tsehaye
4. Fetlework Gebre-Egziabher
5. Arkebe Equbay
6. Beyene Mikru
7. Debre-Tsion Gebre-Michael
8. Roman Gebre-Selassie
9. Dr. Tewodros Adhanom
10. Abay Woldu
11. Azeb Mesfin
12. Nega Berhe
13. Desta Bezabih
14. Abay Nebso
15. Gobezay Wolde -Aregay
16. Kiros Bitew
17. Tewodros Hagos
18. Mikael Abreha
19. Yitbarek Ameha
20. Alem Gebre-Wahd
21. Tsegay Berhe
22. Dr. Addisalem Balema
23. Teklewoyni Assefa
24. Berhane Kidane-Mariam
25. Abadi Zemo
26. Niguse Gebre
27. Hadish Zenebe
28. Getachew Belay
29. Berhane Gebre-Kirstos
30. Tirfu Kidane-Mariam
31. Tewolde Gebre-Tsadikan
32. Hishe Lemma
33. Kidusan Nega
34. Essayas Wolde-Giorgis
35. Tilahun Tarek
36. Zeray Asgedom
37. Meseret Gebre-Mariam
38. Mengisteab Wolde-Kidan
39. Getachew Assefa
40. Daniel Assefa
41. Tesfalem Yehdego
42. Gebre-Meskel Tarek
43. Tewolde Berhe
44. Sahleselassie Teka
45. Eyassu Tesfay
By Tom Rhodes| CPJ East Africa Consultant
Since I published a blog last week on the lack of information about the health and whereabouts of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, readers have deluged it with comments (over 175 as of today), reflecting the pent-up interest in the premier’s status and deeply divided views of his leadership.
For weeks, Meles’ situation has been in question. International reports have claimed he is seriously ill at a hospital in Brussels, while the local and exile press have reports ranging from Meles being on holiday to having already died. A state press conference left reporters disappointed, with no new information other than claims that Meles was “recovering” and would be back at work in “a few days”–more than a week ago. … [read more]
Abune Philipos, a senior member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s Holy Synod in exile, has visited Ethiopian National Transitional Council’s office in Washington DC on Saturday, July 28.
During the official visit on behalf of the Holy Synod, Abune Philipos delivered a message from His Grace Abune Melketsedik, the Secretary of the Holy Synod, and blessed the Council’s effort for transition to democracy in Ethiopia.
The Secretary General of the Transitional Council, Dr Fisseha Eshetu, explained the Council’s mission and requested cooperation from the Holy Synod.
Abune Philipos asked many questions during the discussion with the Transitional Council’s officials, shared his advise, and expressed full support for the Council’s effort.
The Transitional Council had also invited high-ranking officials from the Muslim community but they were unable to come because of the sadaka program they had on Saturday.
(AlertNet) – At least 18 people have been killed in fierce fighting between the Borena and Garri communities over land in southern Ethiopia. The fighting forced 20,000 to flee to Kenya, the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said on Monday.
Fighting broke out last Thursday because of a dispute over the Ethiopian government’s decision to settle the Garri community on land which the Borana claim to own, KRCS said in a statement on its website.
Thousands of refugees, segregated by ethnicity, are camped out in schools and a mosque around the Kenyan town of Moyale. Others are being given refuge by local Kenyan residents.
“Most of the families are in the open cold with their children for lack of shelter,” KRCS said.
“The humanitarian situation is dire bearing in mind that the effects of the HOA drought on the populations in the conflict areas are also still being felt,” it said.
The Garri and Borana communities straddle the Kenyan and Ethiopian borders.
Life in arid northern Kenya is precarious, with millions still reliant upon food aid following a severe drought in 2011. Heavily armed pastoralist communities regularly clash over land, water and cattle in the remote borderlands.
Some refugees started to return to Ethiopia on Monday after Ethiopia’s federal government intervened in the clash-hit areas, Abbas Gullet, the secretary general of KRCS, told AlertNet.
“The federal security forces are taking control of the security situation from regional security officials and they are looking for an amicable solution to the disputes,” Gullet said.
At least 12 people have been injured, but they are reluctant to seek medical help at facilities thought to belong to rival communities, KRCS said.
“The reported injuries include gun wounds, fractures, bleeding, and internal bleeding,” it said.
The KRCS Moyale Branch response team is waiting for more casualties to reach the Kenyan border from the Ethiopian interior where the fighting is taking place, KRCS said.
