S E C R E T ASMARA 000300
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHAE #0300/01 0741405
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 151405Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8774
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 6069
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 2940
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0222
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1308
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1485
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
S E C R E T ASMARA 000300
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2017
TAGS: PREL PINR PTER ET ER
SUBJECT: MORE DETAILS: KIDNAPPED EUROPEANS RELEASE IN
ERITREA
REF: A) ASMARA 282 B) 070649Z MAR 07 ASMARA IIR 6 908
0216
Classified By: AMBASSADOR SCOTT H. DELISI, FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)
¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: On March 14, British Embassy officials
provided additional details about the kidnapping and release
of the five Europeans by the Afar Revolutionary Democratic
Union Front (ARDUF). The British officials also shared a
report issued by the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE)
which outlined its efforts to secure the release of the
kidnapped Europeans. The report indicates that the GSE had
knowledge and access to the abductees as early as March 6,
although the Eritreans shared no information with the British
Embassy until notification of the release and travel of the
abductees to Asmara on March 13. Despite the GSE,s lack of
transparency in communication with the British and French
Embassies and despite the questions lingering around possible
linkages between the GSE and the ARDUF, there is no
indication at this time that Eritrea was involved in any way
with the kidnapping, and in fact, the GSE appears overall to
have played a proactive role in facilitating the release of
the abductees. End Summary.
------------------------------
THE ACCOUNT FROM THE ABDUCTEES
------------------------------
¶2. (C) On March 1, in an ARDUF raid on a tax office in
Hamidella, Ethiopia, the five Europeans and thirteen
Ethiopians were, seemingly, caught in the wrong place at the
wrong time. One of the Europeans reported that, during the
raid, an ARDUF rebel appeared surprised by the presence of
the foreigners in the area and signaled to them to go away.
The leader of the ARDUF attack overruled this decision,
however, and detained the thirteen Ethiopians and five
Europeans. The Europeans reported that the Ethiopians in
their tour group appeared to recognize the kidnappers,
through tribal or clan affiliation but not through any
complicity in the kidnapping. The Ethiopians were able to
translate what was happening for the Europeans from Afar and
Amharic into English. The ARDUF kidnappers provided the
abductees with their manifesto at the start of their
detention, leaving the Europeans no doubt as to the identity
and agenda of the group from the outset.
¶3. (C) After capture, the group was marched for the next four
to five days through flat terrain. During this time, ARDUF
permitted four of the Ethiopians to leave the group. One of
the Europeans reported that on Day 2 of their march, the
ARDUF leader announced they were now in Eritrea. On the
fifth day (probably March 5), they arrived at a location
which the British Embassy believes to be the ARDUF
headquarters near, or in, the locality of Wandidel. From
there, they were marched to a wadi (dried river bed) with an
oasis several hours away. The group stayed there until
Monday, March 12, spending the days in the oasis and nights
on top of a barren plateau to evade the mosquitoes in the
oasis. (Note: The kidnap victims also reported the oasis was
located near a cemetery. End note.)
¶4. (C) On March 12, the Europeans were informed they were
being released. Prior to their departure from Wandidel, they
attempted to give shoes and other supplies to the nine
Ethiopian hostages who remained behind, however, they were
prevented from doing so by their ARDUF kidnappers. The five
were then transported by car with members of the ARDUF to an
Eritrean military camp. The Europeans said that the ARDUF
members appeared to know, and be friendly with, Eritrean
military members stationed at the camp. At 1100, an Eritrean
helicopter arrived at the camp. The Europeans were loaded
into the helicopter and, at approximately 1530, departed the
camp for Asmara. Accompanying them in the helicopter were
the Sultan of the Eritrean Afar, three other Afar leaders,
and the leader of ARDUF. Upon arrival in Asmara, the Sultan
and the Afar leaders remained with the European hostages but
the ARDUF leader was swept away by Eritrean officials, a
group which reportedly included a representative from
President Isaias, office. The hostages were taken into the
care of the British Embassy until their departure for Addis,
via Djibouti on March 14. The group was scheduled to fly to
London from Addis Ababa on March 15.
---------------------
THE ERITREANS ACCOUNT
---------------------
¶5. (S/NF) The GSE presented to the British Embassy a written
account of its efforts to secure the release of the
Europeans. The account made it clear that the Eritreans had
been in communication with ARDUF since Tuesday, March 6 and
had full knowledge of both the abductees, location and
physical conditions. (Note: As reported reftel B, the GSE
had notified the British and French Ambassadors on March 6
that they had learned of the location of the abductees in
Ethiopia and would try to arrange for their release. End
Note.) The GSE provided no further information to the
British and French Embassies until contacting the British
Ambassador on March 13, to inform him of the abductees,
release and expected arrival in Asmara that evening.
¶6. (S/NF) The GSE report said that the GSE learned on
Tuesday, March 6 that the kidnapped group was located in
Wandidel (Wayima), 30 kilometers south of the Eritrean
border. The GSE then contacted three Afar Sultans of the
region: Sultan Abudulkader of Rahaita, Sultan Shahira of Bada
and Sulton Mohamed Abdella of Aiyum. Through these
intermediaries, the GSE requested a March 7 meeting with
ARDUF at Oasa Gala, 10 kilometers south of the Eritrean
border in Ethiopian territory. Initially, ARDUF refused.
However, on March 8, a group of Afar elders met and applied
pressure on ARDUF to negotiate with the GSE. On March 9, an
Eritrean doctor was granted permission to see the abductees.
(Note: The Europeans confirmed they saw the doctor on
Saturday, March 10. If the GSE claim as to the location of
the abductees at that time is accurate, then the Eritrean had
to cross the border into Ethiopia to see them. End note.)
The Europeans reported that they were aware that negotiations
were ongoing for their release, which they believe is a
likely reason for their earlier transfer to the oasis away
from the camp where the Eritreans, Afar and ARDUF were
reportedly meeting.
¶7. (S/NF) The GSE reports that during the negotiations, the
ARDUF presented three political demands. First, ARDUF wanted
political recognition for the organization. Secondly, they
sought restitution for the salt mines taken over by the
Ethiopian government. Thirdly, they wanted the Government of
Ethiopia to reimburse the Afar for salt harvested in the past
few years. The GSE reports that it dismissed ARDUF,s demands
and continued to press for the Europeans, release and
further claims that ARDUF eventually &bowed to the pressure
of the Afar elders8 and agreed to hand over the abductees.
On March 12, the European were returned to Wandidel and
traveled by car to Aiyumin in Eritrea ) a 45 kilometer ride
that took 2 hours of travel. They arrived in Aiyumin at
¶1900. The next day they traveled to Asmara by helicopter.
-------
COMMENT
-------
¶8. (S/NF) The GSE played a facilitating role in the release
of the European abductees and for that the British, French,
and Italian Ambassadors are all grateful. However, all of us
are puzzled, to say the least, by the fact that the GSE
appeared to know first-hand of the abducted group,s location
and of their physical status for at least seven days prior to
their release and yet offered no additional information to
any of the concerned Embassies in Asmara. Two possible
explanations offered by our British colleagues for the GSE,s
reticence to coordinate more closely include the Eritreans,
fear of losing face should their efforts prove unsuccessful
and possible GSE concerns that the British government might
use the information to attempt a rescue of the abductees
using force. A third explanation is that the Eritreans were
just being themselves, i.e., difficult to deal with and
insensitive or oblivious to how their actions would be
perceived. As noted reftels, Post has no basis for believing
that the GSE either ordered or orchestrated the kidnapping --
nor, despite its likely ties to ARDUF, do we have any reason
to believe that the GSE could have taken any further actions
to resolve the situation more expeditiously than it did. The
GSE has, however, managed to turn a potentially positive
bridge-building opportunity with the Western nations into one
where we will continue to harbor questions and doubts about
the Eritrean role, even if they truly acted constructively on
behalf of the abductees. END COMMENT
At least 19 people were killed and 8 wounded in a surprise attack on a bus. Tensions have been on the rise in Gambella, Ethiopia. There has been much anger at the government as people are evicted from their land that is being sold to wealthy foreigners. The most recent killings took place as calls have increased for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to justice for the massacre of over 425 people in Gambella in 2003.
“An atmosphere of terror continues to permeate innocent people in Gambella as crimes of inhumanity against them are so regular that it has become part of their everyday life, changing even the most basic life events such as traveling between towns. Yesterday March 12, a minibus traveling from Godere district to Gambella city was attacked by unknown assailants. 17 people or more were reported killed. It is a hideous act that must be condemned. Details are sketchy at this time. We are trying our best to find out more information. We will keep you post it.” — Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE) statement, March 13, 2012
Ethiopia official says gunmen kill 19, wound 8, in bus attack in country’s southwest
By Associated Press
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — An Ethiopian official says unknown gunmen in the country’s southwest have killed 19 people in an attack on a public bus.
The president of Ethiopia’s Gambella region said Tuesday that eight people were wounded.
Omod Obang Olum said the victims were Ethiopian residents traveling in a public bus that got ambushed near a town called Bonga by attackers with machine guns.
He says Gambella security forces are still chasing down the attackers. He said he had no detailed information about the attackers’ objectives.
Gambella is a traditionally marginalized area of the country that suffers internal conflicts over resources like water and land. It also is affected by its border with South Sudan, as refugees pour across into Gambella when violence erupts in that newly independent nation.
African-American Congressman Donald Payne was a great friend of Ethiopia, a relentless advocate for democracy and a permanent thorn on the side of the Zenawi regime. Ethiopians in the New York-New Jersey area and throughout the United States always knew they could count on Congressman Payne to speak up for democracy and human rights in spite of the many pressures from the Ethiopian regime and its lobbyists. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family.
Donald M. Payne, First Black Elected to Congress From New Jersey, Dies at 77
By Raymond Hernandez | New York Times
Representative Donald M. Payne of New Jersey, a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and the first black to be elected to Congress from New Jersey, died on Tuesday. He was 77.
The cause was complications from colon cancer, according to Mr. Payne’s office. He died at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J. Mr. Payne had disclosed in February that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer but said that he would not take a leave of absence and that he planned to seek re-election because his doctors expected him to make a full recovery.
Mr. Payne was a low-key and unassuming lawmaker who nonetheless made a mark in a number of areas, including education and global affairs.
A former teacher, he played a role in advancing policies that sought to make college more affordable. For example, he led efforts in Congress to cut interest rates on Stafford loans for college students and increase the size of Pell Grants, need-based grants for college of as much as $5,500 a year.
Mr. Payne had a deep interest in global matters too. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he worked to promote democracy and protect human rights overseas. He was the author of legislation that sought to provide famine relief to Darfur and bring an end to the bloody conflict there. He was also a founder of the Malaria Caucus in Congress and helped secure billions of dollars in foreign aid for treating HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Donald Milford Payne was born July 16, 1934, in Newark. A graduate of Seton Hall University, he held a number of positions in the private sector before entering politics, including serving as an executive at Prudential Insurance and Urban Data Systems. He was also a national president of the YMCA.
But he developed a passion for politics early. In 1972, Mr. Payne was elected to the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. A decade later, he won a seat on the Newark Municipal Council.
As early as 1974, Mr. Payne declared his intention to become New Jersey’s first black congressman, rather than run for mayor of Newark.
He achieved his goal in 1988. He was elected to Congress from New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, a heavily Democratic area that includes sections of Essex, Hudson and Union counties, after Peter W. Rodino Jr., the longtime dean of the state’s congressional delegation, decided not to seek a 21st term. Mr. Payne had unsuccessfully challenged Mr. Rodino in primaries in 1980 and 1986.
Before his 1988 campaign, Mr. Payne said: “I want to be a Congressman to serve as a role model for the young people I talk to on the Newark street corners. I want them to see there are no barriers to achievement. I want to give them a reason to try.”
Mr. Payne was in his 12th term when he died. In several of his later campaigns, he ran without any Republican opposition.
He served as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus from 1995 to 1997.
Mr. Payne, who was a widower, had three children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.
MIDROC Thrives at Privatisation Tender:
Al-Amoudi targets expansion of his companies’ presence in agricultural, mining sectors
By Elleni Araya | Addis Fortune
Companies under the umbrella of Mohammed International Development Research and Organisation Companies (MIDROC) Ethiopia and its affiliates appear to have thrived at the opening of a public tender to privatise close to eight state-owned firms, after they made offers to acquire more than half of the firms up for a sale.
The Privatisation & Public Enterprises Supervising Agency (PPESA) had offered Ethiopian Marble Enterprise; Coffee Processing & Warehouse Enterprise; Kality Metal Products Factory; Upper Awash Agro Industry Enterprise; Awash Winery SC; and Gojeb, Abobo, & Bilito Siraro farms up for privatisation through a public tender issued on January 9, 2012.
When the bid was opened on Thursday, February 23, 2012, MIDROC and its affiliates made an aggregate of 1.3 billion Br in offers to acquire five of the eight enterprises. MIDROC Ethiopia extended the highest offer of 860 million Br for Upper Awash Agro Industry Enterprise. It was the only offer that came for the enterprise.
The Enterprise is involved in the production and export of fresh and processed fruit and vegetables from its four farms located in Oromia and Afar regional states. Originally developed by a joint venture of domestic and foreign investors during the Emperor’s time, these farms lie on an aggregate land area of 7,049ht. It was nationalised in the late 1970s by the military regime.
Another subsidiary company of MIDROC that stood tall at the bid opening last week was National Mining Corporation (NMiC), managed since its foundation by Melaku Beza, a Russian-trained mining engineer. It offered 110 million Br, and an upfront payment settlement to acquire the Ethiopian Marble Enterprise (EME).
NMiC is not new to dealing with the Agency. It launched its operations in 1993, with a registered capital of 43 million Br, after acquiring Awash Marble Factory from the Agency for 45 million Br. The Factory had the capacity to produce 300,000tn of marble, limestone, and granite for export to the Middle East and Europe.
NMiC’s biggest prize came four years later, when it triumphed over a bidder from South Africa in acquiring the nation’s lone goldmine, Lega Dembi, in Shakiso Wereda, Borena Zone, Oromia Regional State, for 172 million dollars. With the government retaining a two per cent share, the goldmine was granted to NMiC as a concession for 20 years.
The concession coming to an end in five years, NMiC has positive prospects after its geologists discovered the largest gold reserves ever found in the country, in Tigray and Oromia regional states, two months ago. Managers of NMiC announced their plans to start production in three years, in hopes of raising total revenues of four billion dollars within 20 years of exploitation.
Its latest bid to acquire the Ethiopian Marble Enterprise, established by Italian investors in 1963 and nationalised in the late 1970s by the military regime, will bring it additional quarries located in Benishangul Gumuz and Harari regional states. The Enterprise has three branches in Nifas Silk, Bole, and Gulelle districts and made a gross profit of 3.3 million Br from its operations last year.
“There is a big gap between the demand and supply of marble in the country. We are trying to narrow this gap by further expanding our company,” Melaku Beza CEO of the corporation told Fortune. “Ethiopian Marble has a lot of resources that we can use,” Melaku Beza CEO of the corporation told Fortune.
Melaku also affirms that MIDROC is undergoing expansion plans, which explains its numerous bids that it had placed on Thursday.
“MIDROC is always on the move,” says Melaku, explaining that all its subsidiaries are undergoing expansion plans.
National Mining for example is considering opening a large marble factory, once it has finished conducting a feasibility study.
Two MIDROC-affiliated companies, largely owned by the Saudi tycoon Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-Amoudi, are Saudi Star Agricultural Plc and Horizon Plantations Plc. Both offered tens of millions of Birr to acquire state-owned plantations, last week, as well.
Saudi Star, incorporated in 2009 with a capital of 500 million Br, offered 90 million Br to acquire Abebo Farms, located in Gambella Regional State, with 3,000ht of land and a cotton processing plant with a 65,000sqm premises.
If it succeeds in its bid, it will add to Saudi Star’s already vast holdings in the regional state, where it currently holds 10,000ht of land in Alwero area, for growing rice. Saudi Star, now managed by Fikru Desalegn, former state minister of Capacity Building, has pledged to pay 45pc of the payment upfront and settle the balance within four years.
Horizon Plantations Ethiopia Plc, run by Jemal Ahmed, as a deputy to Al-Amoudi, was the lone bidder for two of the other enterprises that the Agency offered for sale.
Horizon Plantations, owned by Al-Amoudi and Jemal, also a prominent edible oil importer, was established in 2008, with a registered capital of 190 million Br. It is not new in acquiring properties from the state, as it bought Bebeka Rubber Plantation, located in Southern and Gambella regional states. Its main farm stretches from Addis Abeba to Dukem and employees 5,000 with a resident population of 28,000. It also acquired a 60pc share in a tyre factory, Addis Matador, and has been granted 85,000ht of land in Bench Maji Zone for a, Southern regional state in February of 2011.
Horizon offered 35.1 million Br, last week, to buy Gojeb Agricultural Development, a private farm during the Emperor’s time, which grows maize, banana, and pineapple on 1,400ht of the 1,800ht of land it owns near the border between Oromia and Southern regional states.
Horizon Plantations is also interested in acquiring the Coffee Processing & Warehouse Enterprise from Agency, offering to pay 228.2 million Br, out of which half is pledged to be paid upfront and the balance to be settled within two years.
The deal, if successful, could put Horizon in a better position than the other bidder, Ambassel Trade Works Enterprise, which has made an offer of 135 million Br, proposing to pay the amount in five years.
However, the bids will have to go through a review process before winners are selected, according to Brehane Gebremadhin, the agency’s director and bid committee chairman.
“The bid committee will review both the technical and financial proposals, which all bidders have submitted, and shortlist winners to the board of directors,” said Brehane.
The Agency’s board is chaired by Tadelech Dalecho, former sate minister of Culture and Tourism (MoCT).
“It is true that MIDROC is undergoing an expansion plan, as it explained during the inauguration of Derba MIDROC Cement Factory,” Jemal told Fortune.
This is part of Al-Amoudi’s commitment to help achieve the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) in the shortest possible time, according to Jemal.
“We bid on the Coffee Processing & Warehouse Enterprise from the Agency so that we could have our own sorting, preening, and polishing facility to produce export-standard coffee.”
The company has pledged to invest an additional half billion Br in Upper Awash, according to its technical proposal, Jemal revealed, speaking for MIDROC.
“We plan to use the farms to grow cash crops through irrigation,” he said.
It is a good expansion strategy that MIDROC is following if they manage to win the bids, according to Henock Assefa, consulting expert and managing director at Precise Consult International.
“Mining and agriculture are very profitable investments,” according to the expert. “You cannot go wrong with such investments, even if you have your eyes closed.”
Other bidders who appeared at the floor of the Agency, located on African Avenue, last week, were Ques Industrial SC, Morel Agro Industry Plc, and individual bidders, such as Mulugeta Tesfakiros and Tigist Deneke. They submitted offers for the acquisition of Kaliti Metal Factory, Bilito Siraro Farm Development, and Awash Winery SC, respectively.
Morell Agro Industry, a foreign company established in 2008, made an offer of six million Birr to buy Billito Siraro Farm in Oromia Regional State. The Farm harvests maize, haricot beans, and sunflower seeds on 3,270ht of land. The company has 10,000ht of land around the border of Somalia.
Mulugeta, who bought Langano Bekele Molla Hotel from the state for 80 million Br, in June 2011, after the original owners defaulted on a Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) loan, was seen last week bidding jointly with Tigist Deneke to acquire Awash Winery SC, offering 202 million Br.
The Winery, up for auction for the second time, has been in business since 1943, with brands such as Axumite, Guder, and Awash. It had been the lone operator in the domestic market up until competition knocked on its door, in the form of Castel Winery, a sister company of BGI Ethiopia, brewer of St George, Bati, and Castel beers.
The results of the current bid will be announced in less than a month’s time, according to Berhane.
