ESAT News (December 30, 2015)

White House National Security Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement today that the US is “deeply concerned by the recent arrests of other journalists in Ethiopia.” The statement further said “We urge the Ethiopian Government to release journalists and all others imprisoned for exercising their right to free expression, to refrain from using its Anti-Terrorism Proclamation as a mechanism to silence dissent, and to protect the rights of journalists, bloggers, and dissidents to write and speak freely as voices of a diverse nation.”

Close observers of Ethiopian politics and political analysts however say just expressing “deep concern” alone would not cut it. They say it is sad to see that the US is taking no action when the TPLF regime, one of the top US aid recipient in Africa is using the funds to torture and silence its citizens. They called on practical actions against the regime that is getting away with its human rights violations.

The TPLF regime, the darling of the West and considered “a bulwark” against the Islamic extremists in the horn of Africa has so far faced no consequences for the extrajudicial killings and torture it is perpetrating against its citizens.

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Source: http://ethsat.com/esat-radio-wed-30-dec-2015/

ESAT News (December 29.2015)

The Ethiopian government arrested hundreds of people who took part in the anti-government protest that entered its second month this week. Government security forces arrested the youth in the capital whom they suspect have taken part or supported the ongoing anti-government protest that was sparked in the Oromia region of Ethiopia when students took to the streets opposing a plan by the government to expand the city limits to the surrounding farming communities.

Hundreds of students from Ambo and Wollega Universities were arrested today by security forces. Former public relations head with Semayawi Party (the Blue Party), Yonatan Tesfaye was also arrested today. Yonatan was known for his social media activism and his comments and analysis of the anti-government protest in Oromia for which he has been harassed by the Ethiopian security.

Getachew Shiferaw, editor-in-chief of Negere Ethiopia newspaper, also known for his social media activism was arrested last Friday as he was heading to his office. Fikadu Mirkana, a news anchor at the Oromia Radio and TV was also arrested by the regime two weeks ago.

The Ethiopian government has so far detained over 5000 people, including leaders of opposition Oromo political parties. Security forces killed 124 people during the month long anti-government protest.

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