The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) is engulfed in a controversy after its Woyanne-infested 9-member executive committee has tried to reverse the 27-member board’s decision to invite Birtukan Mideksa as a guest of honor.

As reported earlier (see here), majority of the ESFNA board voted by a wide margin to invite Birtukan, which was violently opposed by Al Amoudi stooges Sebsebe Assefa, Ayaya Arega, and Endale Turfa. At one point, Sebsebe and Ayaya threatened to physically attack delegates from the Los Angeles Abebe Bikila and the Maryland St. Mikael teams who presented the proposal. When the chair, intimidated by Al Amoudi thugs, hesitated to allow a vote, five of the 27 teams walked out. At which point, the chair gave in and allowed a vote to take place. The result was 12 to 8 in favor of Birtukan. If the five teams who walked out in protest are counted, the total number of teams who are in favor of Birtukan are 17 out of the 27.

The next day after the vote, Al Amoudi servants (ashkeroch) regrouped and forced the executive committee to reverse the board’s decision.

Flush with money looted from Ethiopia by Al Amoudi, the executive committee is preparing to file a law suit against Ethiopian Review and also to launch a public relations campaign to sell its frivolous argument that ESFNA cannot get involved in politics by inviting a politician. What they conveniently forget is that on more than one occasion ESFNA had invited a political figure as a guest of honor. The involvement of Al Amoudi and Woyanne agents in the ESFNA itself is highly political. On top of that, some of the executive committee members, such as Endale Turfa, are Woyanne activists who organize events on behalf of the Meles junta.

Some members of the teams whose delegates voted NO to Birtukan’s invitation told Ethiopian Review today that they are terribly disappointed at the decision of their representatives.  Most members of the ESFNA teams are patriotic Ethiopians who oppose the executive committee’s relations with the Woyanne junta and Al Amoudi. The ESFNA Executive Committee is actually a toothless body that is bossed around by Al Amoudi’s top aid Abnet GebreMeskel and his gang of thugs led by Ayaya, Arawit, and Sebsebe.

Here is how the ESFNA teams stand on the Birtukan invitation:

Teams Who Voted for Birtukan
Abay Ethio – New York
Abebe Bikila – Los Angeles
Blue Nile – Chicago
Dashen – Seattle
Ethio SC – Atlanta
Ethio SC – Boston
Las Vegas – NV
Liberty Walya – PA
Nyala – MN
San Jose Anbessa – San Jose
Seattle Barro –
St Mikeal – MD
Tana – Denver
Toronto Ethiostars – Toronto
Unity – DC
Virginia Lions – VA
Walya – San Francisco

Teams Who Voted Against Birtukan
Abyssinia – Portland
Addis – Dallas
DC Ethiopian Stars
Ethio-Maryland
Ethio SA – Dallas
LA Ethio Stars – Los Angeles
St George – Ohio
Tewodros SC – San Diego

Abstained
Dallol – Culver City
Houston Ethiopian SA

6:30 PM — Hundreds of Ethiopians in the Washington DC Area are holding candle light vigil for Ali Mohammed on 9th and U Street. The vigil started at 6 PM. [Read about Ali here]

[Photos by Abebe Belew and Fitsum Girma]

Vigil for Ali outside DC9 at 9th and U Street

Ali’s sister at the vigil


DC Councilman Jim Graham

Tamagn Beyene

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Letter Ronald C. Machen Jr. US attorney’s office for the District of Columbia

Ronald C. Machen Jr.
US attorney’s office for the District of Columbia
555 4th street NW Washington, DC 20530.

Dear District Attorney Machen Jr.,

We are contacting you on behalf of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE), an international social justice organization; committed to defending the rights of Ethiopians both in the Diaspora and within Ethiopia. We want to alert you to our serious concerns regarding the recent violent assault and subsequent death of a 27-year-old Ethiopian man, Ali Ahmed Mohammed, in Washington D.C. on October 15, 2010 at the hands of the owner and four employees from the nightclub, DC 9.

We do not defend Mr. Mohammed’s own actions that caused property damage to the DC 9 nightclub, but believe those reportedly involved in his brutal and horrific murder should be held accountable under the law of the United States of America. Instead of calling the police and letting the courts decide on the outcome, reports indicate that the owner and four of his employees from the DC 9 nightclub chased Mr. Mohammed down the street, threw him to the ground and then beat him and brutally stomped on his head and body. He died only 45 minutes later. What began as property damage to a window by Mr. Mohammed, led to a savage five-man gang assault against this one unarmed man.

We in the Ethiopian community are not only saddened by the loss of this man, we are also deeply disturbed by your office’s decision to amend the charges from Second Degree Murder to Aggravated Assault, despite the police reports and eyewitnesses that closely connect this brutal assault to Mr. Mohammed’s death. We would first ask why these charges were reduced; hoping that those original charges will soon be reinstated; however, if they are not, we would ask for an explanation.

We believe that transparency and rigorous adherence to the law can quell any suspicions; including concerns among Ethiopian Americans that somehow, his death will be attributed to other causes. Yet, as one can see from the picture above, the evidence that the attack was violent and vicious has left its bloody trail on the pavement.

There were also multiple eye-witnesses; both Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian, who will be able to testify to the heavy blows on his head and body that would have easily caused his death less than an hour later.

Ethiopians throughout the world, many of whom are very connected to each other through new technologies, are closely watching this case. They are shocked by the amended charges, but still maintain hope in the integrity of the American justice system. In Washington DC alone, we have over 300,000 Ethiopian Americans who are good citizens, hard-working people and law-abiding. Most have come to this great American land after running away from the rampant injustice, lack of political rights and corruption within Ethiopia; a country where political alliances and cronyism regularly pervert justice.

We ask you to show us an irrefutable example of American justice being served; even if it requires independent medical examiners, forensic experts, independent investigators, a change of court venue or other actions that may become necessary to create greater trust in the system and its fair, non-biased outcome.

We in the SMNE, are standing together with other Ethiopians and justice-loving people to make sure that the rule of law is followed because this young man who died was not just an unknown Ethiopian immigrant or a young man with a Muslim name or someone who committed a wrongful property crime, but he is our American family member, one of us and above all, a human being created by God who did not deserve to die this way. We believe in humanity before anything else and that until justice is served to all; the justice of all is threatened.

As an organization representing the Ethiopian people, we in the SMNE have already contacted a major law firm in Washington DC about some of the facts of this case. They have agreed to work with the SMNE, the Ethiopian community and the family as questions, difficulties or issues arise surrounding this case. We are also willing to assist your office as able.

We look forward to hearing from you. For more information on the SMNE, you may view our website at: solidaritymovement.org.

Sincerely yours,

Obang Metho;
Executive Director of the SMNE
PO Box 50561
Arlington, VA 22205
Phone: (202) 725-1616
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solidaritymovement.org