ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Germany’s Commerzbank announced plans on Monday to open a branch in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
The move comes before a one-day visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the Horn of Africa nation this week.
“Commerzbank considers Africa as a rapidly emerging economic opportunity and plans to enhance its links with the African market,” the Frankfurt-based bank said in a statement.
Germany is the biggest buyer of Ethiopian coffee, one of the country’s key foreign exchange earners.
It bought 36,399 tonnes of coffee worth $86 million in 2005/06 compared with 50,115 tonnes valued at $117.6 million in 2006/07, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
During her visit to Ethiopia, Merkel is expected to meet Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and address the 53-member African Union, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa.
Officials said she would also visit South Africa and Liberia.
Dictator Meles Zenawi, the butcher of Addis Ababa, Ogaden, Mogadishu, Anuak… is coming to Washington DC on Monday or Tuesday, according to Ethiopian Review sources.
Meles will be in Washington to meet with State Department officials.
The U.S. House of Representatives will take final action on H.R. 2003 Tuesday, Oct. 2. Meles is expected to make last minute attempt to dissuade members of Congress from voting on the bill.
This could be the last time for Meles to travel to the U.S., because if H.R. 2003 is passed by Congress, all government officials in Ethiopia who are responsible for the massacre of unarmed civilians after the May 2005 elections would be banned from entering the U.S. [read more about H.R. 2003 here].
Ethiopians in Washington DC are ready to give Meles the kind of welcome a blood thirsty dictator deserves — spoiled eggs and tomatoes are being collected.
We will post update on the dictator’s arrival as we get more information.
The following is a commentary by Woyanne ambassador Samuel Assefa that appeared today on Washington Times. Hodader Samuel accuses the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) of being a terrorist group. The fact, as reported by several credible human rights groups and media, is that Woyanne is committing unspeakable atrocities in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, including mass murder, rape, displacement of civilians, burning of villages, etc. In the Google Search, TPLF (Woyanne) is ranked first as a terrorist organization (search TPLF in Google). Here the opportunist ambassador (hodader) is just doing his job on behalf of the Woyanne tribal junta — tell lies.
Imagine for a moment that a military group — aligned with al Qaeda and supported by a bordering hostile nation — slaughtered 74 workers at a business in America or Europe.
How long would it take for this group to be declared a terrorist organization by Western governments and widely condemned in the media?
On April 24, 2007, my country, Ethiopia, suffered just such an attack. Yet Western governments have not labeled the perpetrators as terrorist and the media has been largely unsympathetic. Is there a double standard in what constitutes terrorism depending upon whether the victims are Western? Certainly there is no double standard under U.S. law. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act says “terrorism” is “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents.”
In Ethiopia a group calling itself the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has committed numerous acts of violence against civilians, Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians alike. The ONLF’s goal is to forcibly separate Somali-speaking Ethiopians from the rest of Ethiopia.
In April, the ONLF attacked a Chinese oil exploration facility in this region and proudly claimed credit. In this single attack the ONLF murdered 74 innocent Chinese and Ethiopian civilians, including a 3-year-old child, many as they slept.
The talents of the ONLF extend beyond slaughtering innocents. The group is remarkably adept at public relations and has romanced some Western journalists with the notion its members are modern-day Che Guevaras. The New York Times recently called them “Rebels with a Cause,” and its correspondent praised their boldness.
Yet they are, plain and simple, terrorists. The ONLF has killed local elders opposed to its policies, attacked people in markets and religious institutions, killed mourners at funerals of ONLF victims, bombed a stadium, planted bombs near a railroad, assassinated local businessmen and government officials and kidnapped foreign workers and staff of humanitarian organizations. Just recently, the ONLF threatened violence against any oil company that seeks to work in the Somali Regional State.
The ONLF has also allied itself with al Qaeda-aligned terrorist groups operating in Somalia. These groups have a common state sponsor in Eritrea. A recent United Nations report concluded that Eritrea has armed terrorists in Somalia with weapons including suicide belts and anti-aircraft missiles.
______ Click here for some information on the crimes of Meles Zenawi’s regime that Samuel Assefa is defending.
Donald Payne delivers gift of freedom, democracy and human rights to Ethiopians
“It is a good day for Ethiopia. It is a Good Day for America.” – Donald Payne
September 26, 2007, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously passed H.R. 2003, “Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007.”
The bill authored by Africa Subcommittee Chair Donald Payne provides funding and technical assistance to Ethiopia to improve human rights protections and build democratic institutions. H.R. 2003 has full bipartisan support in House, and is co-sponsored by 85 members.
For a detailed explanation of the bill in Amharic and English, click here:
At the mark-up hearing, Payne explained that the bill had been delayed for various reasons, but cautioned that “our democracy is a long and arduous trail” which takes time. He urged Zenawi’s regime to set free the “hundreds of prisoners still in prison” without just cause. He expressed his hope that Zenawi’s regime will be focused on such things as judicial reform, health care and democracy building. He said, “We would like for them to be our allies, but we can’t have people who disregard human rights.” He said the bill will be debated and passed on the House floor “in the near future”, and also be approved in the Senate and made into law once the president signs it.
The bill was debated vigorously by Committee members. Congressman Chris Smith explained that he met with Zenawi in August, 2005. At that time, Zenawi told him he “had a dossier on virtually all of the opposition leaders and it was a matter of time before all were arrested and charged with treason. And like any other petty dictator, he arrested these individuals.” Smith urged bipartisan support for the bill.
Congressman Dana Rorabacher explained that the bill is “vitally important” for Ethiopia. He said “Ethiopia could be a shining light of democracy” but a “a group of self-serving thugs ignored the democratic process and decided to hold power no matter what the election results were in Ethiopia. What shocked me most was when I learned that there were American Humvees armed with machine guns rolling the streets of Ethiopia murdering, maiming and terrorizing the population after the election into submission for a government that was not elected. This is not what American military assistance should be used for.”
Both Smith and Rorabacher hammered DLA Piper, the lobbying firm hired by Zenawi to defeat H.R. 2003. Rorabacher said, “There has been a strong lobbying effort. Top people from this Congress have been hired to come back and twist our arms. This is not right for members of Congress to do.” Smith added, “We got this bill passed in Committee in the last session of Congress” but “lobbyists, a high powered bi-partisan group killed the bill and never made it to the floor.”
Sheila Jackson Lee, who recently returned from a visit in Ethiopia, argued for continued engagement with Zenawi’s regime, but was very insistent that Zenawi observe the basic human rights of the Ethiopian people. She declared: “We want the people to stop suffering!”
Zenawi’s ambassador in Washington released a statement which repeated the tired and discredited canard that “this bill is a blatant effort to employ the U.S. Congress in support of a partisan Ethiopian political agenda.” He warned that “this legislation, should it proceed further, will create fresh obstacles by emboldening those who seek confrontation rather than dialogue, encouraging politics of extremes.” He threatened:
“But under no circumstances will Ethiopia accept what it regards as officious intermeddling by misinformed Members of Congress to intrude in our internal politics.”
Delegation members who just weeks ago were political prisoners observed the hearing as special guest observers. Following the hearing, Dr. Hailu, Ato. Gizachew and Ato Brook marveled at the dynamic and intense debate that occurs in the American Congressional process. Their presence at the hearing gave a special poignancy to the entire proceedings. Just a few weeks ago, they were hostages in a tug-of-war between Zenawi’s regime and the Committee. At the time, Zenawi desperately sought to thwart mark-up action on the bill and threatened to prolong the imprisonment of the political prisoners.
The bill will proceed to the House floor for final action under suspension of the rules, which bypasses the regular House deliberative procedures and speedily delivers the legislation to the floor final consideration. Such a procedure is generally used to quickly pass non-controversial bills, and bills for which there is massive support. AND THERE IS MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR H.R. 2003. THERE IS NOT A SINGLE MEMBER OF THE HOUSE THAT OPPOSES H.R. 2003.
The coalition for H.R. 2003 wishes to thank all Ethiopians and Americans who worked diligently to help pass this bill out of committee. The number of individuals, groups and organizations who played central roles in this effort are too many too list. You all know who you are. THANK YOU all for teaching us the value of united action! THANK YOU for proving to the world that despite our diverse backgrounds and interests, we can still stand as ONE when it comes to freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia! And THANK YOU for subordinating any individual interest in getting credit and working tirelessly to ensure the success of our collective cause.
It was the 26th of September, a day all Ethiopian Americans, and all Ethiopians will always remember! “It was a good day for Ethiopia. It was Good Day for America.”
The butcher of Addis Ababa and
Mogadishu Meles Zenawi is in New York
Addis Ababa (ENA) – Dictator Meles Zenawi left for New York late on Tuesday to attend “Clinton Global Initiative 2007”, an international conference deliberating on power supply, global warming and poverty reduction.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press statement to ENA on Tuesday that thee conference would discuss issues related to education and health, among others.
Former and current heads of state and governments of various countries and renowned personalities are expected to attend the international conference.
Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Horn of Africa’s most bitter enemies, are escalating after a boundary commission trying to broker a deal to demarcate their border all but conceded defeat.
According to a meeting transcript seen by the Financial Times, Sir Elihu Lauterpacht, president of the independent Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, told the countries earlier this month that after a five-year stalemate: “Effectively, we can do no more.”
The failure to reach agreement will raise fears of renewed conflict between the two countries whose poisoned relations have exacerbated instability in the volatile Horn of Africa.
Ethiopia and Eritrea say they do not want renewed fighting along their 1,000km border – a 1998-2000 war killed at least 70,000 people – but both countries have massed thousands of troops along the heavily fortified border zone this year.
In July, the United Nations warned that “as the parties continue military preparations, there is a serious risk that a relatively minor incident could lead to a military confrontation”.
The commission “delimited” the border – set the boundary on the map – in April 2002 but both sides have prevented it being “demarcated” on the ground with boundary pillars.
Eritrea has accepted the commission’s decision without qualification, but has violated the 25km-wide temporary security zone along the border and imposed restrictions on the UN Mission, which is meant to be monitoring the zone.
Ethiopia has also accepted the ruling, but resisted moves towards implementation. It has said demarcation cannot be allowed where it cuts villages in two, and that it will not discuss demarcation while Eritrea engages in hostile acts in the region.
Before the commission meeting on September 6 and 7, Eritrea indicated a willingness to take steps to allow demarcation to begin.
According to the transcript, Sir Elihu, the commission president, said the commission “appreciates the implications of flexibility by Eritrea”. But Fisseha Yimer, Ethiopia’s representative, indicated his country’s position had not changed.
“We regret that we could not take our work through to its conclusion, but at least we leave you with a line that is operable,” Sir Elihu said. “It is up to you to work out how to implement it.”
Barring shifts in the positions of the two countries, the boundary will automatically stand as demarcated in November based on map co-ordinates set in 2002.
But Bereket Simon, an adviser to Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia’s prime minister, said: “The boundary cannot be official on the map. We don’t accept it. We accept demarcation on the ground.”
