Month: December 2020
- Africa
News: Ethiopia Rights Commission says attack in Benishangul Gumuz “sign of severe decline” of rights protection, primary duty of government
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and BG region president Ashadli Hassan during community discussion in Metekel zone on December 22. Photo: PM Abiy Twitter page Addis Abeba, December 24/2020 – In Benishangul-Gumuz Region’s Metekel Zone, an armed group shot at residents and set fire to their homes as they lay asleep, killing at least 100 people. The attack in Bulen Woreda’s Bekuji…
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News Alert: Eyewitnesses say more than 90 killed in fresh attack in Bulen Wereda, Benishangul Gumuz; region cautions civilians to join safe villages
By Siyanne Mekonnen @Siyaanne and Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil Addis Abeba, December 23/2020 – Disturbing eyewitness reports are reaching Addis Standard about overnight attacks which left “more than 90” people killed in Bekuji Kebelle, Bulen Wereda, Metekel Zone, in Benishangul Gumuz regional state. Reports coming since this morning indicate that civilians were targeted in the attack which lasted for “several hours” in…
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News: Federal Court receives amended charge on Eskinder Nega et.al; police detain supporters from court premises
By Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil Addis Abeba, December 22, 2020 – Following the ruling from the past hearing to amend the charge against Eskinder Nega et al, the Federal High Lideta, which was looking at prosecutor’s accusations of “terrorism and outrage against the constitution” has today received the revised charge from the prosecutors to further reflect on the charge. Update: Fed.…
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News Alert: UN Rights Commissioner speaks of “artillery strikes on populated areas, deliberate targeting of civilians & extrajudicial killings” in Tigray; urges Ethiopia to provide “unhindered access to whole of Tigray to protect civilians”
Addis Abeba, December 22/2020 – Please see the original link to the UN statement here Seven weeks after the conflict began in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the continuing lack of overall humanitarian access, coupled with an ongoing communications blackout in many areas, raises increasing concerns about the situation of civilians, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned…
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News: PM Abiy meets Metekel residents to discuss security; meeting comes a day after door-to-door ‘hunt’ launched to control “criminal groups” behind attacks on civilians
The news of the door-to-door hunt was announced yesterday at a community-based forum which was held in Asossa city. Picture: ENA/Asossa forum By Siyanne Mekonnen @Siyaanne Addis Abeba, December 22/2020 – Prime minister Abiy Ahmed is holding discussions with residents of Metekel Zone in Benishagul Gumuz regional state. According to state affiliated FanaBC, the discussion focused on finding lasting ways…
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News: OLF accuses gov’t of fresh crackdown on its members; Oromia region says measures taken on several dozen rebel members, thousands arrested across region
Getachew Balcha, Head of Oromia regional state Communication Affairs Bureau By Siyanne Mekonnen @Siyaanne Addis Abeba, December 21/2020 – Opposition party Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), said yesterday that ten of its members, including two journalists working for its broadcast, Sagaallee Billiisummaa Oromo (SBO), were arrested by government security forces over the weekend. In a separate statement it issued today, OLF said it doesn’t know…
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News: IOM, partners provide relief to people affected by the crisis in northern Ethiopia
Addis Abeba, December 18/2020 – Internally displaced persons (IDPs) and conflict-affected communities are in dire need of humanitarian and recovery assistance after weeks of conflict in the northern Ethiopian regional state of Tigray. The scale-up of relief operations in Amhara follows the agreement for unimpeded humanitarian access that was reached between the United Nations and the Government of Ethiopia, and…
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News: Nestlé launches a waste management program to tackle plastic pollution
Nestlé and TS Environment partnered to set up a plastics waste recovery program in Ethiopia Addis Abeba, December 17/2020 – Nestlé has partnered with local sustainability consultant TS Environment to set up a plastics waste recovery program in Ethiopia. The objective of the program is to achieve plastics neutrality within the next 12 months. This means Nestlé will have collected…
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News: As killings of civilians continue in Metekel, authorities in Benishagul Gumuz, Amhara regional states step up blames
Getahun Abdisa, vice president of Benishangul Gumuz regional state. Pictures: regional communication bureau By Siyanne Mekonnen @Siyaanne Addis Abeba, December 17/2020 – Fresh attacks mounted by armed men on December 15, left yet another round of unknown numbers of civilians killed in Dangur and Dibate Weredas of Metekel Zone, in Benishangul Gumuz regional state. Officials from Amhara regional state said…
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Analysis: Less than three years after declaring “new era”, Ethiopia is back in the list of countries jailing journalists. We traced 33 cases
Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil Addis Abeba, December 16/2020 – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s stellar speech about freedom of press on world freedom day is fresh in the memory of many Ethiopians who were full of optimism about the reform that swept the nation at the time. At the 26th World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) hosted by Ethiopia on May 03/2019, PM Abiy proudly…
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