[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]
Tonight there is a free concert going on at the Washington Monument given by several Ethiopian musicians to celebrate the new Ethiopian millennium.
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]
Ato Abebe Belew of Addis Dimts radio told Ethiopian Review that there are currently (8:15 PM EST) thousands of Ethiopians enjoying the concert, which will go on until 10 PM.
The free concert was planned for last night, but Woyanne agents and sympathizers had reserved the place in advance. Thinking that last night’s concert was given by pro-Ethiopia artists, thousands of Ethiopians went to the Washington Monument. But they were shocked to find out that the Woyanne ambassador Samuel Assefa was invited as a guest of honor. When HodAder Samuel tried to give a speech, the crowed showered him with insults: “leba!” “leba!” The Woyanne presence spoiled the mood of most of the people in the crowd. So they left in disguest. Fortunately, they have the chance to enjoy the real event tonight patriotic artists such as Abebe Belew.
Kinijit Spokesperson Dr Hailu Araya
addressing a rally in front of the
U.S. Congress [photo: Tewodros Mekebeb]
Hundreds of Ethiopians have participated in a rally today in front of the United States Congress to urge members of Congress to pass H.R. 2003.
The rally was organized by the Washington DC Millennium Celebrations Committee.
Kinijit leaders Dr Hailu Araya and Ato Gizachew Shiferraw, U.S. Congressman Mike Honda, and representatives of several Ethiopian civic and political groups were among the speakers.
The speech by a representative of the Ogaden Ethiopian community was the highlight of the rally. (We will post Ato Guled’s speech as soon as we get it).
[photo: Tewodros Mekebeb]
Kinijit top leaders who arrived in Washington DC on Sunday for a working visit to the U.S. rolled their sleeves and got to work the very afternoon of their arrival despite the jet-lag from the long flight.
On Tuesday, Kinijit leaders met with Congressman Payne and discussed issues that are crucial to the democratization process in Ethiopia. The delegation expressed heartfelt appreciation for the continued support Congressman Payne and several others of his colleagues are rendering to champion the cause of democracy, human right and stability in Ethiopia.
The delegation also thanked Congressman Payne for the role he played in securing the release of political prisoners, including the five delegation members currently visiting the U.S.
The delegation is also meeting with representatives of Kinijit chapters and receiving reports on their activities.
The millennium party that was organized by Woyanne billionaire businessman Sheik Al Amoudi was attended by very few people other than Meles Zenawi, his puppet, President Girma Wolde-Giorgis, Woyanne officials and some opportunist individuals.
The much-talked-about party, which was organized at the cost of $10 million in the Bole district of Addis Ababa, was being shown live on the state-run TV.
The party hall was almost empty, as the TV cameras showed tonight. Meles himself appears to be uneasy as he listened “Don’t Lie” by Black Eyed Peas band from the U.S. The only person who is seen enjoying himself seems to be Meto Aleqa Girma Wolde-Giorgia, because food is in abundance supply at the party.
There was another party in Addis Ababa Stadium that was hosted by the Woyanne-installed mayor of Addis Ababa. That party was also a bust. There were very few people inside the stadium, as shown on TV. The Federal Police, Meles Zenawi’s trigger-happy killers, may have outnumbered the party-goers.
In Jan Meda, there were more people, but almost all of them teenagers. Even that one did not look any thing close to a millennium party.
So this was how the millennium was received in Ethiopia — Meles listening to Black Eye Peas from the U.S., “President” Girma attacking a table full of food, the Woyanne mass murderers getting drunk, may be to forget about their murder spree, and the rest of Ethiopians staying at home and praying to God for a better future for the country.
It was the height of hypocrisy any way for Meles and his Woyanne gang to try to celebrate Ethiopia’s 2000. Didn’t they say that Ethiopia’s history is only 100 years old?
The Meles regime released today 17,765 political prisoners who are suspected of being members of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (Kinijit) and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), according to members of the elders council Prof. Ephrem Isaac and Pastor Daniel.
It is to be remembered that Woyanne Propaganda chief Bereket Simon had repeated said there are no political prisoners in Ethiopia.
The 17,000 who have been released today are those who have been rounded up from the streets and their homes suspected of being members of OLF and Kinijit.
Tens of thousands of political prisoners who are members or suspected of being members of the the Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front, the Ogaden National Liberation Front and other rebels groups remain in jail.
Most of the prisoners have been tortured and abused while incarcerated without trial for several months and years.
The astonishing number of the political prisoners is just one example of the kind of atrocities the Meles Zenawi and his Woyanne regime are perpetrating in Ethiopia.
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Report by Ethiopian News Agency
Federal, regional governments grant pardons to 17,765 prisoners
September 11, 2007
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ENA)- Federal and Regional Governments have granted pardons to 17,765 prisoners who submitted requests for
clemency, said the Ministry of Information.
The Ministry quoting the Justice Ministry said the requests for pardon by prisoners in the regions were given answers to after having been looked into
by the regional boards of pardon and approved by presidents of the respective regional governments. The requests made by prisoners at federal prisons
were approved by the head of state upon recommendation by the federal board of pardon.
Accordingly,
Oromia pardons 6,942 prisoners
South Ethiopia Peoples’ State 4,995
Amhara 3,108
Tigray 1,800
Benishangul Gumuz 458,
Harari 60
Gambella 19
and from the federal government 383 in the wake of the new millennium.
The pardon applied to individuals who have shown good behaviour, and in view of the contributions they could make to national economic building –
criteria against which each of the pardoned had been evaluated by committees.
The pardoned include individuals who were convicted and were serving prison terms ranging to as many as 20 years for crimes such as rape, murder,
armed robbery and other criminal offenses.
