ER Research Unit has obtained an information that a Woyanne helicopter gunship has been missing since Friday. The helicopter took off from Debre Zeit and landed in Gode for refuel. From Gode it was to head to Mogadishu with two other helicopters. But soon after take off, the helicopter, which was fully armed, disappeared. Top officials from the Ministry of Defense in Addis Ababa flew to Debre Zeit as soon as the news of the disappearance reached them. So far there is no radio contact and no sign of crash. The Woyanne officials now fear that the helicopter may have gone to Eritrea.
China’s automakers aren’t fooling around when it comes to aggressive growth. While you don’t hear much enthusiasm from European or North American automakers about the market on the African continent, There’s already at least two Chinese carmakers who’ve set up shop there as a way to expand beyond the borders of their home country. Holland Car is the first car assembly plant in Ethiopia, and it’s kicking out a renamed Lifan 520. The 520 goes by the handle Abay in Ethiopia. Abay is the name of Ethiopia’s largest river, and the hope is that the name will spur buyers to check the vehicle out. Equipment levels are luxury-level for its market, $16,000 price buys you safety gear like ABS, airbags and brake distribution, and quality is good enough that Lifan thinks it will change Ethiopian’s opinions about a domestically produced car. Power is provided by a 1.3 liter four cylinder twisting a 5-speed transmission. The cars are assembled from knock-downs (CKD), and appear to have been solidly engineered. Lifan produces the 520 in several different locations – Russia, and Vietnam, for example. Hit the jump for a Lifan 520 commercial.
(New York) – Ethiopian Woyanne troops and insurgents have violated the laws of war in killing and wounding dozens of civilians in new clashes in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, Human Rights Watch said today.
Tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped in the city, many of them wounded and unable to access medical care and other services due to continuing fighting.
“All the warring parties are responsible for ensuring that civilians are not targeted and that they do not impede access to medical treatment and other relief,” said Peter Takirambudde, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The international community should condemn these attacks and hold combatants accountable for violations of humanitarian law – including mutilating captured combatants and executing detainees.”
In the early hours of November 8, Ethiopian Woyanne troops and convoys were ambushed by insurgents near the Livestock Market in the Huriwa district of northern Mogadishu. At least one soldier was killed. Crowds dragged his body through the streets to the Hodan neighborhood, southwest of the city.
At 4 p.m., large contingents of Ethiopian Woyanne troops left their base at the former Ministry of Defense to recover the body, according to Human Rights Watch. The Ethiopian troops then clashed with insurgent groups, and at least 20 civilians were killed as fighting broke out in various parts of the city.
In the evening, an artillery shell reportedly fired by an Ethiopian Woyanne tank hit Mogadishu’s largest market, Bakara, killing six people.
The next morning, residents of the Livestock Market found the bodies of a dozen civilians. According to Somali journalists, some of the victims had been rounded up by Ethiopian Woyanne troops the previous day.
Within 24 hours, 30 wounded people turned up at a single Mogadishu hospital, including a 3-year-old boy and a 90-year-old man, both with shrapnel injuries. Doctors claim most of the wounded were non-combatants, and half were children and women. Because of the ongoing clashes and the closure of many roads, the doctors predicted that some victims would not reach the hospital until November 10.
“Fighters on all sides must also respect that hospitals, medical staff, and humanitarian convoys enjoy special protection under humanitarian law,” said Takirambudde.
Tens of thousands of civilians continue to flee Mogadishu, especially the Huriwa, Hamar Jadid, and Gubta neighborhoods, which have been pounded with heavy weaponry.
International humanitarian aid agencies trying to reach people in need have encountered obstacles, some reportedly created by officials of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG), who have even been accused of threatening aid workers. The World Food Program, which distributes food to 75,000 people in Mogadishu, temporarily suspended operations following the detention of its director by TFG officials on October 17.
“The TFG also has a responsibility to ensure that aid agencies are able to carry out operations without threats or obstruction, particularly at this critical time,” said Takirambudde.
At a time when much of the world is disillusioned about the direction of the U.S. foreign policy, the historic passage in the House of Representatives of the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007 (H.R. 2003), sponsored by Congressmen Donald Payne and Chris Smith, has generated a renewed ray of hope that America is still a country that Ronald Reagan once called “… a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.”
Bound simply by principles to stand for truth and social justice, and having no egocentric motives to advance personal agenda, these Congressmen gave true meaning to the clarion call of their commander-in-chief, President Bush, who said:
“All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.”[1]
The noble action taken by the two Congressmen, in the face of formidable lobbying efforts [2] by the tyrant in Ethiopia to derail the bill, showed the world that America still has amidst its leaders persons of admirable integrity, courage, compassion, and conviction to the ideals upon which this great country is founded.
Irrespective of its fate in the Senate or the White House, the historic passage of the bill in the House has sent an ominous message to dictators around the world that the days are over when despots can harass, imprison and massacre innocent civilians with impunity, steal elections blatantly, and embezzle the wealth of the people with no accountability.
The direction of the U.S. foreign policy for the coming decades is summed up in the far-sighted pronouncement by Congressman Smith who said: “No regime that terrorizes its citizens can be a reliable ally in the war on terror” [3].
Indeed, his declaration was recently echoed by the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., when he stated that the U.S. policy concerning Pakistan needs to shift “from a Musharraf policy to a Pakistan policy” [4].
The Senator from Delaware, who is now in control of the fate of H.R. 2003 in the Senate, has long been known for his strong stand on the side of oppressed people. In the 1980s he played a crucial role in changing the U.S. policy toward apartheid South Africa, expressing openly his outrage on “… the lack of moral backbone” to the prevailing U.S. policy of appeasement [5]. All Ethiopians suffering under the brutal dictatorship of Zenawi should expect no less from the Honorable Senator, regardless of the current political environment or the enormous money the tyrant is spending to block the passage of the bill.
Ethiopians in the Diaspora have immense responsibility to work with Senator Biden and others to ensure that the bill is not derailed. The Diaspora has so far proven to be a force that Zenawi has neither been able to corrupt nor intimidate, despite his relentless efforts to do so. Having momentarily incapacitated all credible opposition groups at home, it is now public knowledge that a major focus of the tyrannical regime is to infiltrate and weaken the resolve and vigilance of Ethiopians in the Diaspora through financial incentives, violence and cheap propaganda. The secret directives issued to the embassies and consulates around the world [6] to thwart the heroic efforts of the Diaspora to free their fellow citizens, shows the degree of the desperation of the regime. The recent killings of refugees in East Africa by Zenawi’s agents [7], a stark reminder of the chilling murders of anti-Soviet individuals by the now defunct KGB in the decades preceding its demise, is another example of the distance Zenawi will go to satiate his hunger for power.
Why is Zenawi so Obsessed with the Ethiopian Diaspora?
Zenawi’s power base is built on lies, corruption, inter-ethnic animosity, and repression. With cheap propaganda, he has managed, albeit briefly, to hoodwink the West into believing that he was a new breed of African leader. He uses donors’ money to deceptively buy the allegiance of a handful of followers, and to run one of the most corrupt governments in the world today [8]. He has made tireless efforts to disguise his dictatorship under the ugly cover of ethnicity, with open and shameless preferential treatment of one minority group over the rest. In a sinister design to deflect focus from his authoritarian rule, he has created tremendous tension and anxiety in the country by assigning almost all key government, business and army positions to individuals selected from one minority ethnic group. He has brought the army and secret police under his direct control, and is using them to brutally crush any opposition to his autocratic rule[9].
Members of the Ethiopian Diaspora, most of whom are products of decades of repression, are too sophisticated to be swayed by Zenawi’s cheap ethnic propaganda, financially secured to be lured by vain promises of the dictator, and well protected by the laws of their countries of residence to fear his retribution. Their intellectual, financial and electoral capital is a force that the tyrant has no capacity to contend with. Consequently, their embrace of Western democratic philosophy, coupled with their selfless desire to emancipate their fellow citizens from the shackles of tyranny, has made them an antidote to the repressive and ethno-centric policies of the despot.
The passion and warmth the Diaspora demonstrated toward the just-released leaders of Kinijit, and the ferociousness with which they have rallied behind the passage of H.R. 2003 are expressions of the potential of this group to effect a lasting solution to the predicaments of the people. In the final analysis, the true torch-bearers of the struggle for freedom and democracy are the people back home, who are bearing the brunt of Zenawi’s tyranny. Nonetheless, judged by their accomplishments to date, Ethiopians in the Diaspora undoubtedly have come of age to assume their historic responsibility and role in the struggle against tyranny.
In the near term, their focus should be the passage of H.R. 2003. They should educate their senators and other political figures about the true nature of Zenawi’s dictatorship. To derail the bill, the tyrant is already exploiting the frailties of such politicians as Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma who are out of line with reality, anachronistic in their interpretation of American values, and arrogant in their rendition of the history of a proud people. In 1936, Benito Mussolini launched an illegal and horrific aggression against Ethiopia in the name of “civilizing a barbaric people”. Today, Zenawi is using the same tactic in the U.S. Senate to justify his tyrannical rule. The Senator from Oklahoma was simply reflecting Zenawi’s wishes when he declared that democracy was not appropriate for a “backward” people, one of whose girls he had rescued “before the dogs got her”[10].
As we salute those in the Diaspora who have already dealt an effective blow to Zenawi’s latest treachery and assault on our proud history and culture, we should take the ignorant remarks of Inhofe and others as a wake-up call for the enormity of the task ahead of us.
Sliding From Bad to Worse
The conditions on the ground in Ethiopia today are more appalling than ever before. As exposed in the November 3rd issue of The Economist, the country has slid backwards in measures that were unthinkable even under the regime of the former dictator, Mengistu Haile-Mariam. According to the report, “Ethiopians remain mired in the most wretched poverty,” with “… the average cash income for households” in some areas as low as “six cents a day”! The report uncovered the fudged growth statistics the regime has been feeding to donor nations and organizations, and disclosed that the share of private investment in the country is “nearly unchanged” since Zenawi took over in the early 1990s. With regard to the deteriorating human rights conditions, the report quoted: “The Committee to Protect Journalists estimates that only Zimbabwe has produced more exiled journalists since 2001.” It further noted:
The Ethiopian government’s efforts at political control are supported by a wide network of informers and secret police. Critics say it is exploiting the jihadist terror threat to link many legitimate opposition campaigners and supporters with terrorist groups and take them off the streets.
In a reiteration of the statement of Congressman Chris Smith, the report surmised: “[Zenawi’s] friendship in a dangerously volatile region would be of little use to the West.”
In Summation
Thanks to the efforts of Congressmen Donald Payne and Chris Smith, the historic passage of H.R. 2003 in the House has marked the dawn of a new era of American foreign policy — one that will be anchored not in the ephemeral and unnatural support of vicious and ruthless dictators, but in the trust and welfare of the people. Ethiopians in the Diaspora have played a crucial role in shaping the struggle of their fellow citizens for freedom and democracy, and have a historic responsibility to bring to bear their sizeable intellectual, financial and electoral capital to effect a lasting change in their country. The deteriorating socio-economic and human rights conditions in the country, as exhaustively elucidated in the November 3rd issue of The Economist and other media outlets, are objective predictors that the days of the tyrant are numbered.
________________________
Selam Beyene, Ph.D., can be reached at [email protected]
More than 70 people have died in fierce clashes between rebels and government Woyanne forces in Mogadishu. em>Viewers may find some images in this report upsetting. Click here to watch.
More than 70 people have died and more than 200 have been wounded in battles in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu in the past 24 hours.
A BBC correspondent says Ethiopian forces are engaged in reprisal attacks after soldiers’ bodies were dragged through the streets on Thursday.
Somalia’s presidential envoy defended the Ethiopian army’s tactics.
Abdirashid Sed told the BBC that the Ethiopians were responding to aggression by insurgents and had not attacked civilians.
Fighting between Islamist-led insurgents and elements of the Ethiopian army for control of Mogadishu has intensified during the past two weeks, prompting thousands of citizens to flee the city.
Shelling
The dragging of mutilated bodies of Ethiopian soldiers through the streets of Mogadishu has provoked a fierce and furious reaction.
On Friday, Ethiopian soldiers were reported to have fired cannon shells into an area of the south of the city where insurgent militia men are thought to be based.
The BBC’s Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says most of the dead are civilians, killed by shells fired into markets and residential areas.
Doctors say hospitals are overflowing with badly injured people.
People are trying to escape the violence.
“As you can see there is nothing they left for us, and most of those who died, died due to injuries they sustained and no medical assistance,” Saido Ali Asoble told Reuters news agency.
“Ethiopian troops are allowing us to leave our houses to go to safe areas,” she said.
Another woman blamed the Ethiopian troops for the problems.
“They killed every person they saw in the area and we have now decided to flee the capital,” Asha Guled said.
The insurgents are loyal to the Union of Islamic Courts, which was expelled by Somalia’s transitional government with the help of Ethiopian troops after briefly controlling much of central and southern parts of the country.
Presidential adviser Abdirashid Sed denied that traditional animosity between Ethiopians and Somalis was a major part of the problem in his country.
“There are many countries who are fuelling this insurgency,” Mr Sed told the BBC. “This problem needs international intervention and an international solution.”
‘Committed’
On the question of UN peacekeeping troops, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the international community could consider other options, including a multi-national force or what he calls a “coalition of the willing”.
The African Union (AU) did agree to send 8,000 peacekeepers to Somalia this year but only 1,600 Ugandan troops have actually made it.
The AU only wanted to be there for six months before being replaced by the UN.
Diplomats say it is hard to imagine which countries will want to contribute troops given how dangerous and chaotic Somalia is.
Few governments have forgotten the images of US troops being dragged through the streets by Somali militiamen back in 1993.
However, Bereket Simon, special adviser to the Ethiopian prime minister, said Ethiopia was committed to staying in Somalia.
“We believe the situation is improving and there is a big chance of stabilising Mogadishu,” he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme.
BBC Africa analyst Mary Harpers says that with Mr Ban describing as unviable the idea of deploying a UN force in the country, Ethiopia has little choice but to remain.
