July 13, 2010
LET US MOURN FOR THE PRECIOUS LIVES LOST IN KAMPALA!
Most of us have heard about the 74 people killed and some 70 more wounded in Kampala, Uganda when three bombs exploded that had been planted at an Ethiopian restaurant and rugby field. Among the dead were Ethiopians, as well as Ugandans, Eritreans, Indians and an American. We greatly mourn the death of all of those lost in this tragic event.
read...
June 27, 2010
Follow up to Invitation to Ethiopian Stakeholders’ Meeting: Beginning the Dialogue Towards Collaboration
This is a follow-up to the invitation recently given to all Ethiopian stakeholder’s to take part in a meeting—the actual date, yet to be set—with the goal of exploring ways to achieve some basic goals in Ethiopia that we could agree on as important first steps to enhancing our society to the benefit of all of us.
read... read in Amharic read the list of Stakeholders
June 20, 2010
Open Letter to The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
We in the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia call on the Canadian government to rescind the invitation of Meles Zenawi to the upcoming G-20 Summit meeting in Toronto. read...
June 17, 2010
Letter to All Ethiopian Stakeholders
As we now know, the "election" is over and Meles has claimed a majority victory of an absurd 99.6%. Our country has been divided into pieces threatening the survival of all of us. We must reflect on what has gone wrong without endlessly concentrating on the past for our past grievances, offenses and embittered relationships are no longer sufficient justification to put our future at risk. We must seek healing and resolution, based on our shared humanity, our shared future and our very existence as the people of Ethiopia. read... read in Amharic
June 7, 2010
Open Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Concerning Peace and Stability in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
Dear Secretary Clinton: We, the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia, seek to learn how the recent Ethiopian National election, which you and others have acknowledged as not meeting international standards, will affect future US foreign policies with this illegitimately-elected government. Will you now choose to side with the democratic movement of the people or will you continue with the status quo, supporting a dictator who has stolen the votes of the people? read...
June 3, 2010
An Open Letter to the Professor Ephrem Isaac and Ethiopian Elders
Dear Prof. Ephrem Isaac and Ethiopian Elders: We, in the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE), want to address the urgent crisis in Ethiopia following the illegitimate results of the recent Ethiopian National election. What you do right now will either bring our country down to greater destruction or could instead, revive the dead bones of Freedom, Justice, Truth and Democracy already lying in their graves among the millions of other dead Ethiopians, victims of the EPRDF regime of Meles Zenawi! read... read in Amharic...
June 1, 2010
Let Us Keep the Flame of ESAT Alive!
We, the SMNE, would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the visionary leaders who conceived the idea of the Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) and implemented this vision through ESAT’s Board of Advisors, producers, editors and the entire team at ESAT, who have been working day and night over the last weeks and months to bring this vision to life; even successfully launching it prior to the recent Ethiopian National Election. read... read in Amharic...
May 28, 2010
Open Letter to the Sons and Daughters of Ethiopia
The election is over and the EPRDF states they have won 99.6% of the positions; winning every seat of Parliament except one and they call this a multi-party system. A figure such as this leaves no doubt of the lack of any political space in Ethiopia. It is surprising though because it shows little attempt on the part of the Meles-run regime to pretend that the election process was free and fair. read...
May 22, 2010
Ethiopians in Japan: The Burdens They Face are Ours to Share,
Obang’s Report from Japan
Ethiopians are living all over the world and Japan is no exception... Japanese immigration policies prohibit refugees—and their children—from ever becoming permanent resident or citizens, from getting a job or from enjoying some of the basic privileges of native born Japanese. Refugees were required to renew their visa status every month, until last month into every six months. I am told; often face resistance from Japanese government officials who do not want to give them extensions. read...
April 28, 2010
Open Letter to UDJ (Unity for Democracy and Justice) Leaders; Particularly Professor Mesfin Woldemariam and Engineer Gizachew Shiferaw, and Leaders of Medrek
Dear respected leaders of the UDJ; Professor Mesfin Woldemariam and Engineer Gizachew Shiferaw:
Ethiopians are again at a critical crossroads in our struggle for freedom, justice, the rule of law and the respect of human and civil rights in Ethiopia. A conflict has arisen between Professor Mesfin and Engineer Gizachew Shiferaw creating two different factions of the UDJ, one working in coalition with Medrek and the other, independent of Medrek. read...
April 10, 2010
Embracing Truth: A Means to End a Culture of Impunity in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
Address to Ethiopians at “Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa Conference on Governance, Peace, Security and Development,” Washington, DC
I hope this meeting is a beginning to not only talk, but that it will lead to action that will benefit all of us. It has been a wonderful experience so far to come together to listen, to learn and to hear different views on a region of the world about which we all care deeply. I was asked to talk about the campaign to end impunity, but I changed the title to: Embracing Truth:... read...
April 6, 2010
Horn of Africa Conference Could Shake Foundation of Flawed System of Exclusionary Dictatorships
This coming weekend, from April 9-11, a historic gathering will be held at the Double Tree Hotel in Washington D.C., organized by Advocacy for Ethiopia and the Ethiopian National Priorities Consultative Process.
The keynote speaker will be Ana Gomes, a member of the European Parliament and the former head of the EU’s 2005 Ethiopian election observation team as well as speakers from the US State Department, the US Congress, think tanks, non-governmental organizations involved in Africa and notable members of the Horn of Africa Diaspora. read...
April 3, 2010
Security Forces Clamp Down in Gambella as Shootings, intimidation, rumors of large-scale arrests and more troops Threaten Region
New threats are again on the rise in Gambella as the Meles government attempts to exert increasing federal control of the region, leading to new clampdowns against civilians. Many believe that these actions are meant to suppress the deepening local protest over the increasing land-grabs, the upcoming pre-determined election—where names of election ‘winners’ have already been leaked—and to the increasing pressure by government authorities on the citizens to cover up the real perpetrators of the 2003 genocide of the Anuak by attributing the blame to the Anuak themselves. read...
March 29, 2010
Open letter to Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Concerning Peace and Stability in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
Dear Secretary Robert Gates, I am contacting you on behalf of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia, a social justice movement of diverse Ethiopians committed to bringing sustainable freedom, justice, human rights, equality and the rule of law to Ethiopia.
As the Pentagon seeks a new US approach to involvement in Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa and Africa as a whole, we ask you, Mr. Secretary, to consider new ways to more closely align with the freedom movement of the Ethiopian people as the best means of ensuring a strong and productive relationship in the future. read... (pdf)
March 24, 2010
Urgent Medical Alert for Birtukan Mideksa
Information we have obtained in the past few days regarding Birtukan's physical and mental health have concerned us in the extreme. Birtukan's situation has been steadily getting worse since she was released from solitary confinement, where she spent more than six months. However, the following recent events have heightened our concern. read...
March 23, 2010
UK props up corrupt Ethiopian government
Press Release for Third World Solidarity
At a recent meeting of the APPG on Third World Solidarity Obang Metho, Ethiopian human rights activist and director of Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia, told parliamentarians, journalists and other attendees that the British government is propping up the corrupt regime in Ethiopia. read...
March 20, 2010
The Beginning of Regional Integration in the Horn: Extending the Hand of Friendship
Mr. Obang Metho Addresses Ethiopian-Eritrean in San Jose, California
When I ask the question, “Why are we here today,” I can say that it is because our political experiment of the last thirty years did not work. It did not work for Ethiopians and it did not work for Eritreans. The second question before us today is, “So, what do we do now?” We have an idea of what we want our success to look like, but the difficult part is how do we get from here to there? read...
March 13, 2010
Urgent appeal to individual Ethiopians and to the leaders of Ethiopian
This is an urgent appeal to individual Ethiopians and to the leaders of Ethiopian groups who are in a position to mobilize their supporters. Ethiopia is in grave danger! We must do something! read...
March 10, 2010
Open Letter to Mr. Thomas, Department for International Development
Dear Mr. Thomas,
Thank you and the Department of International Development for your December 15, 2009 response to my letter of November 6, 2009, on behalf of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE), where we expressed strong concerns regarding the alleged improper use of UK humanitarian and development assistance to Ethiopia by the Ethiopian government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. read...
March 8, 2010
Letter to Justice Navanathem Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Dr. Gregory Stanton - Genocide Watch
No one has ever been brought to justice in Ethiopia for the massacre of 424 Anuak in Gambella, Ethiopia on December 13-16, 2003, and genocidal massacres that killed one thousand more Anuak in 2004... A culture of impunity exists. Investigation by the High Commissioner for Human Rights is critical. read...
Listen to Dr. Stanton's interview with Voice of America.
February 15, 2010
What Would You Do if You were Prime Minister of Ethiopia?
Instead of addressing the question of what I would do as a prime minister, I will focus on what I would suggest potential political leaders should do now and at such a time of crisis should this government collapse quickly and unexpectedly. read...
January 23, 2010
Notice to Ethiopians: You are Being Evicted from Ethiopia — You are Unwanted!
Imagine this notice being posted in Ethiopia:
People of Ethiopia:
You are hereby warned; you are being given notice of your eviction from the country. You are no longer welcome here. Find a new place to live. We do not care where. All we want is your land, water and resources. They are no longer yours; but now are ours. If you resist, you will suffer the consequences. On the other hand, if you are willing to become part of a neo-slave labor force or to silently give up any claims to anything, you may stay as long as you are useful and compliant. We and our partners stand to make millions, if not billions, from this new economic investment and we will tolerate NO interference from you!
Truly not yours,
The Anti-Ethiopian TPLF/EPRDF government of the few elite and entitled read...
January 12, 2010
Haitians were there for Ethiopians in 1934 at their time of need, will we be th ere for them now?
The news, images and stories coming out of Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake that shook the capital city of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas on Tuesday are unimaginably heart-wrenching.
Beyond our sympathy, we Ethiopians cannot sit by and do nothing. That is why we, the members of the SMNE with our mission of putting humanity above anything else, are compelled to help the best we can with financial donations to these people. read...
Listen and view excellent videos detailing news and stories of the crisis at Democracy Now.
The Underlying Tragedy, by David Brooks, The New York Times
January 12, 2010
An Open Letter to President Barack Obama Concerning Peace and Stability in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
Dear President Obama: I am writing you on behalf of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia, a grassroots social justice movement whose mission is to mobilize Ethiopians in the Diaspora and within Ethiopia...The looming crisis in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa can no longer be ignored or addressed through “behind-closed-doors” quiet diplomacy. Such diplomacy has essentially covered up the evil actions of one of the most repressive and brutal regimes in Africa. Peace and stability in the Horn will be impossible while he is in power even while millions are spent in its pursuit. read...
read in Amharic...
January 5, 2010
An Open Letter to my Fellow Ethiopians for the New Year: Reflection Brings Questions
I live a simple life, without many of the “extras.” In fact, the truth is, even maintaining this has been quite a struggle. Recently, it has caused me to really question myself as to how long I can continue this way. The holiday season has a way of only increasing such introspection. As a result, I have found myself engulfed in an inner dialogue, a conflict of sorts, about my soul, my life and the purposes God has given me in this life. It is all inextricably interwoven with my motherland, Ethiopia, Africa and after six years of this work, what my response should be in 2010 to this continuing crisis. read...
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