Ato Hailu Shawel’s chiqa shum in the U.S., Dr Taye Woldesemayat, tried to hold a public meeting in Nashville last Saturday. Only 15 individuals came to the meeting, and half of those were there to challenge Dr Taye to stop dividing Kinijit. It was a repeat of the Oct. 14 fiasco in Washington DC.

[Not the actual photo. Camera was banned]

CBC’s Stephen Puddicombe report about Woyanne atrocities in Ogaden, including summary executions and punishment of the whole population by starvation. Click here to listen.

As Ethiopia shudders under poverty and oppression, Canada is accused of bean-counter development. It’s all in Stephen Puddicombe’s feature documentary from Ethiopia.

Collateral damage. Weapons from Somalia are bringing violence to Kenya, where they say dying is like drinking water. We’ll follow one man and the weapons that gave him a new life, but will almost certainly take someone else’s. And in India, the festival of Ganesh the elephant god is getting big. Maybe too big. We’ll take you to a mammoth celebration.

Listen to Part One in RealAudio

Listen to Part Two in RealAudio

Listen to the podcast version [mp3 file: runs 54:48]
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(AP) Two large blasts aimed at a convoy of Ethiopian Woyanne troops heading toward the capital prompted soldiers to open fire on Monday. At least two Somalis were shot to death, witnesses said.

The explosions south of Mogadishu could be heard a kilometre away, and “shook all the buildings nearby”, resident Mohamed Ahmed said.

It was not immediately clear whether any Ethiopian Woyanne troops died in the blast, but two Somalis were shot dead and several others wounded when the troops fired on passers-by following the attack, witnesses said.

Government and Ethiopian Woyanne officials did not immediately comment.

“I have seen two dead Somali bodies on the road; they were killed by Ethiopian soldiers,” resident Batulo Ali said by telephone from Wanlaweyn district in the southern Lower Shabelle region, about 90km from Mogadishu.

A local farmer, Mayow Ali, said Ethiopian troops sealed off the area immediately after the attack and prevented Somalis from leaving their houses.

The impoverished Horn of Africa nation is in the grip of a conflict between Islamic insurgents and the shaky transitional government and its Ethiopian Woyanne allies. Thousands of Somalis have died in the fighting since December, when the Islamic alliance was ousted from Mogadishu and southern Somalia by Ethiopian soldiers supporting the government.

Ethiopian Review Editorial

The news of EPRP’s split last week was received with great interest, even enthusiasm, among supporters of the pro-democracy camp. It would have been even better had a united EPRP transformed itself into a genuinely democratic party. But with the reactionary forces led by Ato Iyasu Alemayehu firmly in control of the party’s financial and other resources, a split up was an inevitable outcome.

The EPRP split occurred last week at the party’s congress that was held in the Washington DC Metro Area. There were about 200 delegates who came from as far as Australia to participate in the congress, which was convened to discuss and resolve strong disagreements inside the EPRP leadership.

As reported on Oct. 10, the two camps inside the EPRP leadership that have now gone on their separate ways are: The one led by Iyasu Alemayehu, Fasika Belete and others who wanted to maintain the status quo, and the other faction that is led by Ato Mersha Yoseph, Ato Solomon Gebreselassie, Dr Getachew Begashaw and others who wanted to institute openness and financial accountability in the leadership. The Mersha faction that calls itself “Democratic EPRP” also demanded that the EPRP leadership stop meddling in the internal affairs of Kinijit and other parties.

When the EPRP congress convened last week, the Iyasu Alemayehu faction (aka “Reactionary EPRP”) started to raise all kinds of procedural questions to block discussion on the proposals by the Mersha faction. After a long, heated debate on questions of rules and procedures, such as who is allowed to vote, over 65 members of the Democratic EPRP faction got up and walked out of the congress in frustration, after coming to the realization that the Iyasu faction was not willing to even hear their argument. Among those who did not walk out, there were many who supported or are part of the Democratic EPRP, but believe that walking out was not the right strategy at that point. After the dust has settled, it became clear that EPRP is now almost evenly divided into two camps.

After the split, Hibret Radio in Washington DC came under the control of the Democratic EPRP, to the great relief of Kinijit supporters in the DC area. The short wave Finote Radio remains under the control of Iyasu’s Reactionary EPRP. The Washington DC office also remains under the Reactionary EPRP’s control.

Ethiopian Review’s Research Unit has learned that within Democratic EPRP itself there are serious differences over strategy. For example, Ato Mersha Yoseph agrees with all of his comrades in the Democratic EPRP camp that the party must be democratized, but he differs with Dr Getachew Begashaw and others in that he advocates unilateral dialogue with Woyanne. Other members of the Democratic EPRP abhor the idea of unilateral dialogue with Woyanne. Instead, they prefer to strike a deal with Eritrea’s Isayas Afeworki and regroup the EPRP’s armed wing, EPRA, to launch military offensive against Woyanne. They believe that the only way Woyanne can come to the negotiation table without any condition is by force.

Democratic EPRP may split in to two camps over this very issue. It is not clear how much influence Mersha Yoseph has over the group, and whether he is in the minority on this issue.

From the Reactionary EPRP side, Iyasu Alemayehu is said to support the idea of working with the Eritrean regime, but his allies, Fasika Belete and others, disagree. In any case, it does not matter what the Iyasu faction believe any more, since it is all downhill for them from here on, taking Hailu Shawel with them to the ash bin of history. Iyasu’s Reactionary EPRP is an ideologically bankrupt group with no reason to exist as a political party. The only leverage it has right now is that it is in control of the party’s finances. But money alone without workable ideas is useless in a political organization.

Instead let’s focus on Democratic EPRP — which has the potential to emerge has a strong politico-military force. It seems this group is willing to learn from past mistakes, adopt new strategies, and do not see other organizations such as Kinijit, OLF, ONLF and others as enemies, but as partners.

In a matter of few days, it may become clear if the so-called Democratic EPRP is for real, or merely a result of power struggle between Iyasu and Mersha.

It should be noted here that what had just transpired inside the EPRP was no doubt influenced by Kinijit’s democratic ideals, or what Wzt. Bertukan Mideksa referred to as “Kinijit’s spirit.” Hopefully this spirit is currently working its magic on Woyanne as well. Do not be surprised if you wake up some day soon with the news that Woyanne is also split into two camps — Democratic Woyanne vs. Tribal Woyanne, with Democratic Woyanne having the upper hand. As Victory Hugo said, nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come.

By James Dunaway for the IAAF

New York, USA – Both the men’s and women’s races at the ING New York City Marathon were decided with exciting finishes in the final mile, but that was the only similarity between the two.

Britain’s Paula Radcliffe, in her first marathon since becoming a mother, won the women’s race in 2:23:09 from Gete Wami of Ethiopia in a race that was a two-person affair from the first step.

In the men’s race, Kenya Martin Lel outkicked Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco, 2:09:04 to 2:09:16, surviving a war of attrition which cut the field from a group of 17 at the halfway point in 1:05:45.

MEN

The men’s race stayed in that 17-man group until they hit the 16-mile mark which has become the traditional break-up point for this race.

And so it was today. Kenyan Rogers Rop zoomed the next mile in 4:25 quickly reducing the lead group to nine and dropping 2006 winner Marilson Gomes dos Santos, and by mile 20 it was down to five – former winners Rop, Martin Lel and South African Hendrick Ramaala plus New York first-timers Kenyan James Kwambai and Goumri, all five of whom surged into the lead at one time or another.

By mile 23, Rop and Kwambai had faded, leaving Lel, Goumri and Ramaala to duke it out in Central Park, with Lel doing most of the pushing. Suddenly Ramaala let go, and both Goumri and Lel looked very strong with 3000 metres (just under two miles) to the finish.

The two had dueled similarly in April at London, when Lel sprinted past Goumri (in his first-ever marathon) to win by three seconds.

This time Lel didn’t wait for the last 50 metres. With 400m or so to go, he accelerated swiftly and opened an eight-metre lead which he held to the line. More than two minutes behind Lel’s 2:09:04 and Goumri’s 2:09:16, Ramaala straggled in 2:11:25, with Italy’s Olympic champion Stefano Baldini charging up from tenth at 30km to grab fourth in 2:11:58.

Interestingly, Lel, endorsed the new no-rabbits policy. “I think it was good for me,” he said, “to test myself what I can handle without pacemakers, and it was very exciting for me.”

Another reason for being excited was, of course, was the US$130,000 he won, plus a US$30,000 prize bonus. Goumri, who must have been pleasantly surprised this year to discover that he is much better at marathoning than the Grand Prix track racing which was his former wont, will take home US$65,000 in prize money, plus a US$30,000 time bonus.

WOMEN

In the women’s race, Radcliffe lost no time in showing that motherhood has not changed her racing style. She charged to the front at the starting horn, and quickly took charge of a small group which went with her for the first mile or so, running uphill on the Verazzano bridge which is the toughest hill on the course.

With her were two-time defending champion Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia, Ethiopia’s Gete Wami, World champion Catherina Ndereba of Kenya, and Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia.

But not for long. Prokopcuka had said earlier in the week that, “If Paula goes through the half-marathon in 1:10, I won’t go with her.”

And it quickly became evident that that was pretty much what Radcliffe had in mind. So by 5km into the race, Radcliffe and Wami were five seconds clear of the other three and the next runner, American Elva Dryer, was another 47 seconds back.

Radcliffe and Wami hit the half marathon in 1:10:47, now two and half minutes ahead, and for the next 20km or so, the two ran together, usually with Radcliffe in front but sometimes side by side. In Central Park, with perhaps 5km to go, Radcliffe put in a surge and opened a 20 metre gap. “I looked back and thought ‘I’m away.’ ”

But Wami crept back and it was business-as-usual as they came into the last kilometre still together. Then Wami made a quick move, and for a moment it looked as if it might be decisive.

It wasn’t. Radcliffe quickly blew back into the lead, and shortly after re-entering the Park for the final 600m, looked over her left shoulder to see Wami, then bent her head and started sprinting. It was all over.

“It was just a gradual build-up, but when I looked back near the finish I was shocked. I thought she was right behind me,” said Radcliffe, but the margin had grown to 100 metres at the finish.

Nearly four minutes back in third was Prokopcuka, in 2:26:13, followed by Grigoryeva in 2:28:37 and Ndereba in 2:29:08.

Radcliffe won US$130,000 for winning, plus another US$40,000 for a time bonus. Wami won US$65,000 for second place money plus US$35,000 time bonus – but she also won US$500,000 as the first winner of the World Marathon Majors series.

That’s a pretty good consolation prize.

RESULTS

Men
1) Martin Lel (KEN) 2:09:04
2) Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) 2:09:16
3) Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) 2:11:25
4) Stefano Baldini (ITA) 2:11:58
5) James Kwambai (KEN) 2:12:25
6) Ruggero Pertile (ITA) 2:13:01
7) Stephen Kiogora (KEN) 2:13:41
8) Marilson Gomes Dos Santos (BRA) 2:13:47

Women
1) Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2:23:09
2) Gete Wami (ETH) 2:23:32
3) Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT) 2:26:13
4) Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) 2:28:37
5) Catherine Ndereba (KEN) 2:29:08
6) Elva Dryer (USA) 2:35:15
7 Robyn Friedman (USA) 2:39:19
8) Tegla Loroupe (Ken) 2:41:58

Gunmen from the ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front (Woyanne) murdered three former Addis Ababa University students in Nairobi, Kenya, and wounded two on Friday. The wounded are currently receiving treatment at the Kenyatta Hospital. Reportedly, the gunmen dragged the five students outside of their room and shot them execution style. The 3 died at the scene.

Saturday, the squad of Woyanne gunmen went to the temporary residence of 4 exiled Ethiopian journalists at dawn (around 5 AM local time), dragged them out of their rooms and were about to take them away when neighbors saw what was happening and started to yell for help. The loud scream by the neighbors attracted the attention of other nearby residents who also joined in the scream. As people gathered, the four journalists continued to resist being taken away while being savagely kicked and beaten by the gunmen. Finally, the six gunmen (3 Woyannes and 3 Kenyans wearing military uniform) left the journalists who were lying on the ground and took off.

Ethiopian Review spoke on the phone with one of the journalists who was beaten by the gunmen. He is a member of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association. He and his fellow exiled journalists are currently in hiding. Shocked by the murders and kidnappings, Ethiopians in Nairobi are organizing a protest rally in front of the UNHCR on Monday to appeal for international intervention.

The exiled journalists and students are appealing to Ethiopians in the U.S. to contact the Kenyan embassy in Washington DC and New York and demand that the government of Kenya provide security and stop Woyanne agents from terrorizing and murdering the refugees.

In a recent edition of the Woyanne newspaper, Abiyotawi Democracy, there was an editorial that calls for measures against journalists who are harming the Woyanne regime’s image. After shutting down all the media inside the country, the attack on the exiled Ethiopian journalists and students in Kenya looks like the type of measure the newspaper advocated.

Intimidating journalists by Woyanne agents is not limited to inside Ethiopia and neighboring countries. Ethiopian Review has been receiving death threats more frequently that ever from Woyanne agents in the U.S. The following are some of the many death threates ER has received recently:

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