Ethiopian political news and discussions

[Hilal]

Unless Mr. Zenawi wants to open up a can of worms for himself, the possibility of him recognising Somaliland is almost nil. The issue of Somaliland is one that concerns Somalia and it has absolutely nothing to do with Ethiopia.

[abesha]

Demo lela meta.

[Yoniii]

Originally Posted by Hilal

Unless Mr. Zenawi wants to open up a can of worms for himself, the possibility of him recognising Somaliland is almost nil. The issue of Somaliland is one that concerns Somalia and it has absolutely nothing to do with Ethiopia.

No one is questioning the fact that it's a Somali issue, but the Somaliland officials have been working for international recognition for a while now.

I personally don't believe Ethiopia will recognize Somaliland without AUs support.

[Hilal]

Originally Posted by Yoniii

No one is questioning the fact that it's a Somali issue, but the Somaliland officials have been working for international recognition for a while now.

I personally don't believe Ethiopia will recognize Somaliland without AUs support.

You're not making any sense. Even if Somaliland actively looks for independence for 400 years it'll still be an issue that concerns Somalia and Somalia only. The A.U also isn't going to recognise Somaliland any time soon if ever because of numerous reasons. Btw Yoniii, I can vouch to you that there are more ogadenis that want independence from "Ethiopia" than Somalilanders that want to split from Somalia

[Yoniii]

Originally Posted by Hilal

Your not making any sense.

Which part didn't you understand?

Originally Posted by Hilal

Even if Somaliland was actively looking for independence for the past 400 years it'll still be an issue that concerns Somalia and Somalia only.

Re-read the article. Somalilanders went to Addis Ababa asking for support in their struggle for international recognition. It wasn't the other way around.

I personally don't care if they get independence or stay united.

I don't think AU has any plans to recognize Somaliland anytime soon either. They need to do some serious lobbying there, as well as in the Arab league before it becomes reality.

[Hilal]

No one is questioning the fact that it's a Somali issue, but the Somaliland officials have been working for international recognition for a while now.

So you agree that it's something that concerns Somalia but then again you say that they've been looking for independence for sometime now. And?? lol Does that somehow mean that it's more of an international issue now just because they've been actively for 20 years looking for independence. Maybe it's just me reading a little too much into what your saying but the "but" didn't make any sense to me.

Re-read the article. Somalilanders went to Addis Ababa asking for support in their struggle for international recognition. It wasn't the other way around.

I personally don't care if they get independence or stay united.

I don't think AU has any plans to recognize Somaliland anytime soon either. They need to do some serious lobbying there, as well as in the Arab league before it become reality.

I know that Somaliland officials went to Ethiopia as they have numerously done so not just to Ethiopia but also to the U.K, Djibouti, the U.S etc in order to gather support for their wish to be internationally recognised but that's nothing new. They've been doing that for the past 20 years. It's also practically the only thing they can do as they are totally not involved in the TFG.

[Yoniii]

Originally Posted by Hilal

Maybe it's just me reading a little too much into what your saying but the "but" didn't make any sense to me.

I agree with this .

Originally Posted by Hilal

I know that Somaliland officials went to Ethiopia as they have numerously done so not just to Ethiopia but also to the U.K, Djibouti, the U.S etc in order to gather support for their wish to be internationally recognised but that's nothing new. They've been doing that for the past 20 years. It's also practically the only thing they can do as they are totally not involved in the TFG.

That they've went to Ethiopia for support is nothing new, like I stated earlier.

My question was if Ethiopian officials have been this openly positive about the idea of recognizing Somaliland before. I was surprised, so I was wondering this has happened before.

The fact that it's a Somalian issue doesn't mean that everyone else aren't allowed to discuss it, specially not when Ethiopia is involved by Somaliland leaders asking for support in Addis Ababa.

[ja'far]

Originally Posted by abesha

Demo lela meta.

Now, where's my Amharic dictionary.

[The Nomadic Warrior]

Originally Posted by Yoniii

Has similar "promises" been made before? How would diplomatic recognition in Somaliland affect South Somalia?

It will never happen, Ethiopia is happy with the status quo,

I mean, Somaliland wouldn’t exist if not for Ethiopian and UN support. Somaliland is a vessel state and is controlled by Ethiopia. Why would they have an independent Somaliland when they can have a slave state? Independent Somaliland will present more problems in the future for Ethiopia than solutions

[Hersh]

Originally Posted by abesha

Demo lela meta.

Lol Aydel

[cyberManHere]

China, Ethiopia Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties

China and Ethiopia celebrated their 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations at a reception in Beijing Thursday.

Bilateral cooperation in such sectors as trade, education and public health has been deepened over the past 40 years, said Jing Dunquan, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

He applauded the Ethiopian government's firm adherence to the one-China policy as well as its support to China on issues involving China's core interests.

Ethiopian Ambassador to China Hailekiros Gessesse said its government and people appreciated China's help in building a series of agricultural and infrastructure projects in Ethiopia.

He added that the two nations should take this opportunity to boost bilateral cooperation to a higher level.

China and Ethiopia forged diplomatic ties on Nov. 24, 1970

source

[abesha]

Time for private TV stations!

Part two of chapter three of the 1994 Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, which enshrines fundamental democratic rights, has a provision, Article 29, entitled “Freedom of thought, Opinion and Expression!!”

A sub-Article of the Article reads, “Everyone has the right to hold opinions without interference.

Affirming that everyone has not only the right to hold opinions but also to freedom of expression, sub-Article two states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression without interference. The right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, whether orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any media of his choice.”

And recognizing that the press, in particular, needs to be accorded protection while exercising this right, sub-Article four provides, “In the interest of the free flow of information, ideas and opinions which are essential to the functioning of a democratic order, the press shall, as an institution, enjoy legal protection to ensure its operation, independence and its capacity to entertain diverse opinions.”

The Constitution cannot be more explicit about this right. In fact, Article 29 was taken word for word from Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), of which Ethiopia is a signatory.

Two proclamations have been promulgated by parliament, on the basis of the Constitution, that specifically deal with broadcasting. The first, a Proclamation to Provide for the Systematic Management of Broadcasting Service No. 178/1999, defines broadcasting service as “a radio or television transmission programme conducted to educate, inform or entertain the public.”

A subsidiary legislation has thus affirmed that one of the means through which the constitutional right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds regardless of frontiers can be exercised is braodacasting service using radio and television.

Some may try to hold out that broadcasting services can be undertaken by the state alone. However, a second piece of legislation, the Broadcasting Service Proclamation No. 533/23007, which replaced Proclamation No. 178/1999, stipulates in its Article sixteen, sub-Article one, that “categories of broadcasting services shall be public, commercial and community broadcasting services.”

This proclamation further lays down the requirements that the entities that are entitled to provide private braodacasting services have to fulfill.

The EPRDF should be or should have been proud that it was instrumental in causing the adoption of a Constitution which unequivocally recognizes and protects freedom of expression as well as that of the broadcasting proclamations of 1999 and 2007 that reaffirm the constitutional right to engage in private broadcasting services.

Is this the reality on the ground? Sadly, apart from a handful of private FM radio operators, no-one has been licensed to operate a private television station to date. Why hasn’t the right enshrined in the Constitution and elaborated by the 1999 and 2007 broadcasting proclamations been properly given effect to?

It’s not because launching a broadcasting service requires extensive deliberation, unique expertise or sophisticated equipment. It’s simply because the executive does not have the desire to license private television operators and the legislature, to whom it is accountable, does not exercise its oversight power over it and let’s it have its way. This notwithstanding, there’s the absence of an informed and organized civil society which demands respect for its rights as well as an opposition which tables alternatives that are grounded in the national interest.

It’s in this backdrop that some half a billion birr was allotted to the state-owned Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency (ERTA) to enable it to start eight new television stations soon. Following that the agency has floated invitations calling on anyone interested to lease air time to broadcast their programmes.

We have no beef with ERTA expanding its service as long as it is constitutional, lawful, democratic, based on professional, sound and ethical considerations and is not open to corruption. As a matter of fact, we have been calling for quite some time now for the agency’s services to be improved.

However, side by side with strengthening the state-owned broadcast media, the constitutional right of the public should be given due consideration. Accordingly, private operators should not just be entitled to lease air time from ERTA; they must be allowed to own and operate their own television stations that compete with ERTA.

This means parliament has to demand the executive to explain why the laws it had enacted pursuant to the Constitution have not been properly implemented and instruct it to begin executing the Constitution and the law immediately. On its part, the government needs to demonstrate that it is not above the Constitution and the law; it has to acknowledge that it failed to put properly to effect the Constitution and the broadcasting laws which it had a major hand in and rectify its errors forthwith.

There can be no trifling with the Constitution and the law. They can not and must not be infringed by directives or procedures. They have to be implemented faithfully.

In short, both parliament and the executive have to start doing their jobs properly. It’s high time for privately owned television stations which educate, inform and entertain the public to hit the airwaves!

http://www.ethiopianreporter.com/eng...ial&Itemid=512


This is the editorial of the Reporter, a usually pro-government private paper.

[Simfan34]

Well all the remaining private papers are moderately pro-government, but I think a better term is "as un-biased as possible before the government shuts us down". So not really unexpected. But an insightful and correct analysis by the writer.

[abesha]

I've been thinking of writing something to them as well. Something about the importance of a vibrant media and ICT sector to the development of a country. If I find time I'll do that and post it here for comments, then maybe we can send it in to Reporter/Fortune/Capital to see if they'll publish it, not just as a "letter to the editor" but as a proper opinion piece.

We can make it a group effort so that we can sign it as a group of concerned Ethiopians. What do you think?

[Simfan34]

Originally Posted by abesha

I've been thinking of writing something to them as well. Something about the importance of a vibrant media and ICT sector to the development of a country. If I find time I'll do that and post it here for comments, then maybe we can send it in to Reporter/Fortune/Capital to see if they'll publish it, not just as a "letter to the editor" but as a proper opinion piece.

We can make it a group effort so that we can sign it as a group of concerned Ethiopians. What do you think?

I like it!

[The Nomadic Warrior]

Somali region leader went to Minnesota today. He was trying to create an illusion of the Ogadeni Diaspora supporting the TPLF. So he called in his close relatives and paid some other people to come and attend, anyways story cut short,

There was massive protest outside and inside his venue, security couldn’t handle the situation. A Somali guy pretended to hand him the Ethiopian flag and knocked him out and broken his nose, now he is hospital with his supporters in hiding. The whole event was closed and the propaganda tour is now in disarray

[Bekele100]

Originally Posted by The Nomadic Warrior

Somali region leader went to Minnesota today. He was trying to create an illusion of the Ogadeni Diaspora supporting the TPLF. So he called in his close relatives and paid some other people to come and attend, anyways story cut short,

There was massive protest outside and inside his venue, security couldn’t handle the situation. A Somali guy pretended to hand him the Ethiopian flag and knocked him out and broken his nose, now he is hospital with his supporters in hiding. The whole event was closed and the propaganda tour is now in disarray

Can you give us the source of the news? I searched the story on the net and didn't see such story.

[The Nomadic Warrior]

Originally Posted by Bekele100

Can you give us the source of the news? I searched the story on the net and didn't see such story.

Here is the footage, all hell broke loose after he was punched. The whole event was canceled and he was rushed into Hospital. Most likely the failed tour will not proceed. Most reports are in Somali websites, it definitely not going to be covered by TPLF websites

Link to the protest pictures here

[musa90]

The Ogaden and Oromo diaspora are hardcore separatists but the ones in Ethiopia are barely like that.

[Bekele100]

The Ogaden people anywhere in the world have the right to express their opinion, but they do not have the right to stop others from expressing their opinion. Punching someone in the nose for speaking in the public is barbaric and archaic. I hope the perpetrator of this crime is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.