N E G A S H I - OJ

Dear Vistitors,

Ramadhan Mubarak! 

Negashi OJ is upgraded and moved to another address (http://blog.ethiopianmuslims.net or http://negashi-oj.ethiopianmuslims.net). It is our hope that the new look and functionality will provide a better platform to communicate and exchange ideas. The page still carries a bulk of important material occumulated over the last four years. Untill we finalize exporting all our data to the new database, this page will remain accessible to visiters. We won’t however add new enteries here any more. Please follow us there.

Negashi OJ team.

CPJ’s OPEN LETTER

His Excellency Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Via facsimile: (251) 11 1552020

Mr. Prime Minister,

We are writing to draw your attention to conditions that undermine press freedom as guaranteed in Article 29 of the Ethiopian Constitution. We would welcome your leadership in furthering reform by working for the repeal of draconian provisions in recent antiterrorism and media legislation. We also call on your administration to abandon practices that obstruct the free flow of information, such as the ruling EPRDF’s absolute control of the government-subsidized and publicly funded national press, the government’s restrictive media regulation and licensing practices, and the state’s censorship of Internet content.

Five journalists are currently in Ethiopian prisons in connection with their work, according to our research, making your country the second worst jailer of the press in Sub-Saharan Africa. Only Eritrea jails more. Three of the journalists were sentenced to prison for their independent coverage of government affairs dating as far back as 2004 under Ethiopia’s now-obsolete 1992 press law, according to our research. The government has declined CPJ’s repeated requests to account for the whereabouts, health, and legal status of two others-Eritrean state television journalists Saleh Idris Gama and producer Tesfalidet Kidane Tesfazghi-who have been held incommunicado and without charge or trial since 2006.

• Read more: Ethiopia’s Zenawi Urged to Pursue Press Reforms

Human rights instruments provide protection against refoulement. The UN Convention against Torture, in Sub-article (l and 2) of Article 3 states that:

1. “No State Party shall expel, return (refouler) or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.
2. “For the purpose of determining whether there are such grounds, the competent authorities shall take into account all relevant considerations including, where applicable, the existence in the State concerned of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights.”

Reports has reached African Rights Monitor-ARM, that Ms. Bisharo Wa’adi, an Ogaden Women Democratic Association activist, who fled from Ethiopia to the neighboring province, Somaliland, as a refugee has been captured and detained by Somaliland authorities and handed to the Ethiopian Security Services (ESS) on February 10, 2010. Ms. Wa’adi lived in Hargaisa for the past two years as a refugee under the alias Shamsa Abdulahi Hirsi to disguise her identity from ESS after she escaped from JigJiga prison where she was unlawfully detained from October 2006 to January 2007. Prior to this latest arrest, Ms. Wa’adi was arrested and jailed multiple times where she was severely tortured psychologically, mentally and physically. Ms. Wa’adi’s body bears injuries that made her physically disabled and her mental anguish prevented her from leading a productive life.

Article 14 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that

“Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution”.

ARM urgently appeals to the international human right agencies, the United Nations, and governing bodies, to condemn Ethiopia and Somaliland for these unlawful acts against innocent civilians that flee a country that does not respect nor protects the rights of its citizens. This is not the first reported renditions by ESS and the Somaliland forces against innocent Somali refugees and this violation of basic rights must be stopped and prisoners freed.
__________________________
Contact: Huda Yusuf FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Email: africanrightsmonitor@gmail.com

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• Read more: Radio Negashi Editorial (24/01/10) - Uncompormised Right

Ethiopia - the Second Worst Jailer of Journalists!

Ethiopia jails editor whose paper challenged Zenawi New York, February 1, 2010—An Ethiopian judge sentenced a journalist to prison on Friday in connection with a January 2008 column that criticized Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s statements about religious affairs in Ethiopia, according to local journalists.

Federal High Court Judge Mohammed Omar sentenced Editor Ezedin Mohamed of the Muslim-oriented newspaper Al-Quds to one year in prison. The precise charges were not immediately available but were related to a January 30, 2008, column that came in response to Zenawi’s interview with The Guardian of London that month, according to CPJ sources.

The Al-Quds column challenged Zenawi’s characterization of his country as “Orthodox Christian Ethiopia,” one source said. Mohamed has begun serving his sentence at Kality Prison outside the capital, Addis Ababa, sources said. “The jailing of Ezedin Mohamed is another example of Ethiopia’s intolerance of independent and critical voices,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes. “It is high time for Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to demonstrate his commitment to democratic values by ending the practice of imprisoning journalists.”

Mohamed is the fifth journalist imprisoned in Ethiopia, which is the second worst jailer of journalists in Africa, according to CPJ research. Only Eritrea jails more.

Information that reached Negashi OJ indicated that Ato Ezedin Mohammed, editor-in-chief of the weekly Newsletter Al-Quds has been sentenced to a one year imprisonment. The reason for the sentence is an article that he published a year ago. The particular article was analysing the implication and impact of the draft regulation of the Ministry of Education.The regulation was seen by the Muslim Community as a measure intended to curb the rights of Muslims.

Insha Allah, Negashi OJ will soon bring more on the arrest of Ato Ezedin Mohammed.

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• Read more: ????? ?????? ????? ?????

OTTAWA — Three years ago last week, Bashir Makhtal was arrested at a Kenyan border post, one of thousands fleeing fighting in Somalia.

Three weeks later, the Canadian businessman was shackled and forced onto a night flight to Ethiopia, along with dozens of other foreign nationals. Once in Addis Ababa, he was placed in solitary confinement in a military prison. Makhtal was held with no access to a lawyer, no access to Canadian diplomats, no charges laid against him.

Three years later, Makhtal is still in jail, but much has changed. Of the almost 100 foreign nationals illegally deported to Ethiopia during the same period, only Makhtal and a Kenyan man remain in detention.

• Read more: Three years later, Canadian businessman languishes in Ethiopian jail

Six Muslim students are reported to have been expelled from school for having a bearded face and for shortening their trousers. According to the report the students were expelled from Addis Ababa Secondary High School and more could face similar action in the coming days and weeks should they fail to learn from the six students. Negashi OJ has not so far the chance to verify the report. We will try to bring details on the subject. Stay tunned!

We promised last time to provide you with a detailed picture on the last part of the latest drama within the Muslim institution.

To recapitulate what was already reported:

October 08, 2009: Seven members of the AA Majlis went to federal Majlis and complained that they could not work effectively. They also requested for witnesses as they were to hold meetings to evaluate the working of the office and its officers.

On October 10, 2009: AA Majlis members set to discuss their matters in the presence of the general secretary of Federal Majlis and the chair of regional affairs. The general Secretary chaired the meeting. The meeting was concluded by imposing a ban on three of its senior members: the President Hajji Bahir Abdella, the vice- president Ato Aman Ibrahim and the head of Development activities, Ato Khadir Rahmeto. They were blamed for being inefficient and thus incompetent for the type of responsibility their positions requires.T he three are the only members who have academic diploma.

October 12, 2009: the general Secretary of AA Majlis wrote the three and demanded that they submit on the same day all the material and file in their position.

October 14, 2009: Federal Majlis held a press conference and denied of any interference. It told journalists that the General Assembly of AA Majlis would meet within 15 days to discuss and decide on the matter which way it found appropriate.

October 15, 2009: The three held a press conference at Ghion Hotel and denied of the charges made against them and told journalists that they are victims of conspiracy against their fighting corruption, work towards rule of law and effectiveness.

October 17, 2009: A memo was circulated calling selected members of the GA to attend a meeting the next morning, Sunday October 18, 2009 at 8:30.

October 18, 2009: Seventy seven (77) of the 196 member GA of Addis Ababa Majlis responded to the less than 24-hour call for meeting and set to take part in it

• Read more: The Addis Ababa Majlis Drama