(Human Rights Watch) NEW YORK — Ethiopia’s [dictatorial regime] should immediately abandon plans to impose strict government controls and draconian criminal penalties on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said today.
The two groups called on donor governments, whose behind-the-scenes efforts to see the bill reformed appear to have failed, to speak out publicly against the de facto criminalization of most of the human rights, rule of law and peace-building work currently being carried out in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s federal government claims that its draft Charities and Societies Proclamation (draft law) is a benign attempt to promote financial transparency among NGOs and enhance their accountability to stakeholders. In fact, the law’s key provisions are blunt and heavy-handed mechanisms to control and monitor civil society groups while punishing those whose work displeases the government. It could also seriously restrict much of the development-related work currently being carried out by some of Ethiopia’s key international partners, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said.
“Ethiopia’s government has already made meaningful public engagement in governance impossible in many areas by persecuting its critics and cracking down on freedom of expression and assembly,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The clear intention of this legislation is to consolidate that trend by taking the ‘non’ out of ‘nongovernmental’ and putting civil society under government control.”
The law would apply to every NGO operating in Ethiopia except religious organizations and those foreign NGOs that the government agrees to exempt. Many of the key provisions of the draft law would violate Ethiopia’s obligations under international human rights law and fundamental rights guaranteed in its own constitution, including the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have both produced separate detailed analyses of the draft law. Among its most damaging provisions are articles that would:
* Impose stiff criminal penalties for anyone participating in “unlawful” civil society activity. The draft law would accord government agencies nearly unfettered discretion in deciding whether to register individual NGOs, and then defines as “unlawful” any civil society group that is not registered. To lend teeth to this restriction, the draft law would impose fines and prison sentences of up to 15 years for a range of new offenses including participation in any meeting held by an “unlawful” organization. It would also make dissemination of any information “in the interests of an unlawful charity” punishable by imprisonment. If the law were in effect today, this last provision could potentially be used to imprison anyone in Ethiopia who disseminated this statement.
* Subject all civil society groups to intrusive government control and surveillance. The draft law would set up a Charities and Societies Agency (CSA) with extensive discretionary powers to refuse to accord legal recognition to NGOs, to disband NGOs that have already been legally recognized, and to interfere in the management and staffing of NGOs up to the point of altering their organizational missions. The CSA would also have broad powers to monitor all activities of every NGO covered under the law. No NGO could hold any meeting without notifying the CSA in writing at least one week in advance, and the CSA and other government agencies would then be empowered to send police officers to attend and report on those meetings.
* Prohibit all activities carried out by non-Ethiopian NGOs that relate to human rights and other identified fields. The draft law draws an important distinction between “foreign” and “Ethiopian” NGOs. “Foreign” NGOs are expressly barred from doing any work related to human rights, governance, protection of the rights of women, children and people with disabilities, conflict resolution and a range of other issues. This would make expressly illegal any attempt by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International or any other international human rights organization to engage in human rights activities in Ethiopia unless the government would choose to exempt them from the law.
* Strip Ethiopian NGOs that work on human rights issues of access to foreign funding. The draft law would effectively close down the few independent domestic NGOs that continue to work on human rights- and governance-related issues by stripping them of access to foreign funding. The draft law defines as “foreign” any Ethiopian NGO that receives more than 10 percent of its funding from foreign sources or has any members who are foreign nationals, and then bars “foreign” NGOs from working on human rights and governance issues. This would hit hard, given the lack of obvious fundraising and development opportunities inside Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world.
These and other similar provisions in the draft law would have a devastating impact if implemented. But the likely impact is still more ominous when understood in its broader context.
Should this law be passed, Ethiopia’s already-limited political space would be further narrowed. Over the years, the government of Ethiopia has demonstrated a pattern of repression, harassment of political opponents and human rights defenders critical of the government, and pervasive human rights violations. These trends have accelerated since the country’s controversial 2005 elections. Disputes about the results of those elections led to street protests that were brutally suppressed and then followed by the arrest of opposition politicians and leading activists on charges of treason.
Official tolerance of political dissent, already thin, has waned markedly in the years since then. Formal political opposition has largely evaporated in most of Ethiopia. April’s kebele and wereda elections saw the ruling party running unopposed in most constituencies and winning more than 99 percent of all seats.
“This law is not just an assault on independent civil society organizations,” said Michelle Kagari, deputy Africa director at Amnesty International. “It’s part of a broader effort to silence the few independent voices that have managed to make their criticisms of the government heard in an increasingly repressive climate.”
Ethiopia is one of the world’s most aid-dependent countries. Ethiopia’s key bilateral donors, however, have largely maintained a public silence in the face of the government’s worsening human rights record. For example, the United States and Britain, which collectively provide Ethiopia with more than $600 million in foreign assistance each year, are the Ethiopian government’s most important donors. Both governments have consistently failed to speak out publicly against longstanding patterns of repression and human rights violations including war crimes committed by Ethiopian armed forces in Somalia.
Several donor governments, along with a range of international and domestic NGOs, have had intensive private discussions with Ethiopian officials in an attempt to convince the government to abandon the most repressive aspects of the draft law. These efforts, however, have failed to improve many of the most worrying provisions of the law according to the latest draft released in late June.
“Ethiopia’s bilateral partners have consistently failed to speak out publicly against severe patterns of government-sponsored human rights violations,” Gagnon said. “Their policy of silence has had the effect of helping to embolden the Ethiopian government to make further assaults on human rights, exemplified by the draft NGO law.”
(Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY — Police are looking for two unidentified persons for kidnapping and raping a 26-year-old Ethiopian housemaid in Kuwait, reports Alam Al-Yawm daily.
According to police sources, the men lay in wait for the maid to come out of a shopping mall in Ahmadi. They gagged her mouth, bundled her in their Jeep, drove her to a desert and raped her successively.
HARARE – The African Union observer mission has added voice in condemning Friday’s presidential election in which President Robert Mugabe was declared winner saying the electoral process fell short of accepted AU standards.
The mission noted the violence which preceded the run up to the presidential and parliamentary by election polls.
Former president of Sierra Leone Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah who headed the mission said fear of violence deterred popular participation in the electoral process despite the peaceful environment that prevailed on the polling day.
The AU interim statement was rather lukewarm and did not out rightly lambast unfair conditions that worked against the opposition resulting in the withdrawal of its candidate Morgan Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai’s withdrawal was noted as a concern by the AU mission but did not elaborate on the concerns of the opposition.
“The African Union Mission noted with concern the withdrawal of the MDC candidate on the 22nd of June 2008. This unexpected development led the AU mission to undertake a number of contacts with the judiciary authorities of Zimbabwe to seek clarification of the legal implications of the withdrawal,” Dr Kabbah said.
On affording equal access to the media, the mission confirmed lack of equal access to the public media.
The opposition was not given any access to the public media and only appeared in bad light to prop up the image of the ruling party ZANU PF.
The chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Uganda Dr Bachu Kiggundu who was part of the AU delegation told journalists that the election process was not free of violence in the run up to the polling day.
“An election process should be free of violence not only on polling day but throughout the preceding period. Your country (Zimbabwe) fell short of the requirements,” Dr Kiggundu said.
On a sad note, a member of the AU mission Beranu Abebe from Ethiopia collapsed on Monday morning and died upon admission to hospital.
A Project entitled “Strengthening the interdiction and investigation techniques of the Ethiopian law enforcement” Launched
(A press release by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA), Project-Office-Ethiopia)
ADDIS ABABA- The Ministry of Federal Affairs of the Federal Democratic Government of Ethiopia and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Project Office-Ethiopia launch a capacity development project on the interdiction and investigation techniques for the Ethiopian law enforcement. The project has three strategic components to realize its objective” strengthening Ethiopia’s capacity to tackle illicit drug trafficking particularly through Bole International Airport at Addis Ababa.”
The Strategic components include (i) strengthening the collaboration between key government entities at the airport, i.e. the Federal Police, the Ethiopian Customs Authority and the Immigration and Nationality main Department; (ii) upgrading the specialized skills of front line staff of the concerned entities; and (iii) providing the government with a computer-based training programme duly adapted to local language and cultural requirements for general and front-line law enforcement officers. Further the project aims to accomplish relevant activities such as, specialised training for Interagency team, Enforcement advisory for Bole International Airport operations, staff awareness raising on the project ,and supporting essential equipments including Radio communication system, test kits, vehicle and others. for inter-agency response team to be composed of the Police – Counter-Narcotics Service at Bole International Airport, Customs Unit at Bole International Airport, Immigration Unit at Bole International Airport, and Federal Police University College.
The project is expected to strengthen drug law enforcement procedures applied by the mandated control agencies operating to clear arriving passengers and freight at Bole international airport; to upgrade the skills of front line law enforcement staff involved in the processing procedures for arriving and departing international passengers and freight at Bole international airport; and to strengthen interagency collaboration and operational effectiveness.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report of 2008, “the World drug problem is contained”, in the cultivation, production and consumption of almost every type of drug namely cocaine, heroin, cannabis and Amphetamine type stimulants, there are signs of over all stability. Among others efforts by governments and the United Nations to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking are notable. However the report also indicated that these gains could rapidly come undone. Nor was the good news universal. Progress in some areas was offset by setbacks elsewhere. In Ethiopia, the problem of illicit drug trafficking through the Bole international air port is concern to the Government of Ethiopia and UNODC. It is also recognized that this situation is the direct result of among others a lack of adequately skilled personnel, appropriate expertise and equipment available to the Federal Police counter-Narcotics Service (CNS), the Ethiopian Customs Authority and the Immigration and Nationality Affairs main Department to counter the escalation of this problem.
According to the project document, this is a two years project (Dec, 2007-Nov 2009) with an overall budget of US $ 699,700 supported by the UNODC and partners.
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Contact:
1. Abraham Gebregiorgis Kahsay: National Project Manager
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Project Office-Ethiopia
Telephone: +251-115152680/82
E-mail: [email protected]
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – An Ethiopian opposition party called on Monday for an official probe into what it said was a massacre of 400 women and children in the west of the Horn of Africa nation.
The government, which has put the number of dead at more than 20 from the ethnic clashes in May, called the version by the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) an exaggeration.
Fighting between different communities over scant resources and grazing is common in outlying areas of Ethiopia.
OFDM said in a statement that the incident happened in Hangar and Didesa Valley, about 600 km (373 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa.
“Between May 16 and 31, some 400 Oromo infants, children, women and men who lived in Hangar and Didesa valley were slaughtered by Gumuz citizens of Beneshangul region,” the party said in a statement.
“We appeal to the Ethiopian parliament to establish a commission and investigate the causes of the ethnic conflict and the massacre of the people of Oromo.”
Information Minister Berhan Hailu said the number “was an exaggeration”. “The government has apprehended the perpetrators and investigating further the cause of the violence that erupted suddenly,” he said, without giving an update on those killed.
“A reconciliation process is being undertaken to solve the problem faced by the displaced people.”
The OFDM, which has nine seats in parliament, said the regional government had ordered a news blackout, preventing people in the area from talking about the massacre.
“Innocent people were mowed down. Pregnant women were slaughtered and their bodies strewn around. Arms and breasts were severed and men were murdered and beheaded,” it said.
OFDM added that some 10,000 people were uprooted and left without shelter and appealed for urgent assistance.
Independent versions from witnesses in the region could not be immediately obtained.
The statement added that the government was “an accomplice”. The government rejected the accusation.
“While the government is handling the situation promptly, the statement by OFDM is tantamount to a call for reprisal action, which did not help the situation,” the information minister said.
This week the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) marks its 25th anniversary. It should have been a joyous occasion, if it were not marred by the latest scandal — receiving $300,000 in donation from Al Amoudi, a vampire businessman and a key financier of the Woyanne terrorist regime in Ethiopia. The ESFNA many Ethiopians in the Diaspora labored hard to build and make a large Ethiopian sport and cultural institution has now become a tool for the Woyanne dictatorship with the help of Al Amoudi and his henchmen who managed to have a stranglehold on the Federation.
Wholesale condemnation of the Federation will not save the institution, and will also not do justice to some of the innocent, patriotic Ethiopians who are part of the Federation. So it is important to identify the culprits who are trying to turn the federation into a Woyanne tool. Interestingly, the bad guys are very few, but their ugly deeds are terribly harmful. Their power is Al Amoudi’s money.
We will come back to them. But first, let’s briefly review the good deeds the Federation had done since its inception.
ESFNA’s biggest accomplishment and its most important service to Ethiopians in north America is that it has been able to organize the largest annual Ethiopian gathering outside of Ethiopia. Every year, in the fist week of July, thousands of Ethiopians from all walks of life come together to celebrate Ethiopian culture, entertain themselves, reunite with old friends, hold various meetings, do business, build professional networking, and start relationships that lead to marriages.
For a long time, ESFNA has been accused of financial corruption. Most of the money it generates from the annual event disappear into the pockets of few individuals. At this year’s event in Washington DC, for example, the Federation charges $15 per person to enter the stadium every day, and $10 for parking. The over one hundred vendors have each paid $3,000 in advance for concession stands. Corporate sponsors such Western Union and AT&T have paid huge amounts of money (undisclosed to the public) to display their advertisement banners at the stadium. A significant portion of the revenue from these sources disappears.
As a result, ESFNA has not been able to expand in its 25 years existence and come out of its perennial financial difficulties. The annual event grew despite the Federation, not because of it, as over 90 per cent of the activities during the one-week event are organized by independent groups and organizations. Once the Federation announces the city where the annual event would be held, the various groups, including concert promoters, conference organizers, businessmen, and others start their own preparations totally independent of the Federation.
Repeated efforts to clean up the Federation from corruption have had little success. The public and the media have been tolerant of corruption in the ESFNA so far as long as its good deeds outweigh the bad ones.
In recent years, under a restructured leadership, the Federation, has been trying to repair its image by making donations to various causes, such as $20,000 for flood relief in southern Ethiopia, $15,000 for HIV/AIDS prevention programs, and $120,000 for drought victims a few years ago. The Federation also gives free concession stands for non-profit and religious groups to raise funds at the stadium during the one-week soccer tournament.
However, ESFNA as a sports association is not expected to engage in relief efforts. It would serve the community much better by sticking to it mission, doing it professionally, and rooting out the gross corruption in its midst.
But as if the corruption is not bad enough, this year, ESFNA has lend itself to Woyanne’s ugly politics by accepting a large donation from Woyanne money man Al Amoudi.
Al Amoudi’s role in the Tigrean People Liberation Front (Woyanne) is well-known. He is a self-declared Woyanne who has recently said that TPLF is like his mother. Al Amoudi has been a key player in helping solidify Woyanne’s evil grip on Ethiopia. When he is unable to buy critics of the Woyanne regime, Al Amoudi puts them of out business. He has also been trying to silence Ethiopian media abroad. Many Ethiopian web sites and radio program are afraid to criticize him. This web site, whose publisher is sentenced to life in prision in Ethiopia, has recently been threatened with a lawsuit by Al Amoudi’s powerful U.S. lawyers.
For the ESFNA to accept donation from Al Amoudi, a member of the Woyanne crime family that is terrorizing and brutalizing the people of Ethiopia and Somalia, is a cruel betrayal. The following is a sickening message that is posted on ESFNA’s web site:
The entire family of ESFNA, players, coaches, board members and Executive Committee members, would like to say “Thank You” to Dr. Sheikh Mohammed Hussien Alamudi for his generous gift of $300,000 to our organization… Again, thank you and we wish you good health and long life.
The ESFNA officials have shown themselves to be nothing but pigs by wishing good health and long life to one of the biggest Woyanne parasites that are sucking the life blood of our country.
Having said that, EthiopianReview.com has been able to find out that not all ESFNA officials are in the same boat. According to ER’s investigation, the donation by Al Amoudi has been orchestrated by a few individuals inside the ESFNA executive committee and the board of directors, over the strong objection of the majority. Through these few individuals, and using his vast financial resources, Al Amoudi has been able to infiltrate and hijack the ESFNA.
The names that come often during ER’s investigation into the matter are Vice President of ESFN Eyaya Arega, Secretary Samuel Abate, and board member Sebsebe Assefa.
These individuals, along with several of their collaborators, have been wined and dined by Al Amoudi in Sheraton Hotel when they traveled to Addis Ababa. They are using their official positions in ESFNA not to serve the community and the soccer players, but their own business interests. The other members of the executive committee and the board should not escape from being held accountable, even though they are thought to be innocent, since silence is a crime by omission. The rationale for their silence or for no taking strong stand, i.e, the survival of the federation, is not convincing. If they take strong stand and expose the pigs, the community will rally behind them and help them clean up the Federation.
EthiopianReview.com will continue its investigation of ESFNA and will make its findings available to the public. In the mean time, we urge all the soccer players to take a stand. Don’t let yourself be used by Woyanne and its hodam servants.
