N E G A S H I - OJ

The much expected “Terror and shock” planned by the government on Ethiopian Muslims and their organizations is about to go in operation in full swing. Negashi OJ had already put an alert message about this impending action. The latest information we got indicate that a total ban on any activity in the capital by Muslims is already in place. According to this information and confirmed by different independent and internal sources, Muslims may not hold any shura in side a mosque; activities as teaching Quran and Hadith in the Mosque is also forbidden. Earlier, a workshops on Tolerance and Peaceful co-existence and prepared by the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) was forbidden; a similar program planned by Al-Quds and Cultural section of Iranian Embassy was also blocked at very last moment. Daiyya from the Teblig group who arrived in Ethiopia from abroad were arrested for one night for sleeping inside a mosque and later deported.

In the mean time, the Executive Director of the Majlis (agent of the security and put in place to spy on Muslims, harass them and justify any action to be taken so as to further marginalize Muslims and silence their demand for equality, respect for their rights, …), delivered a list of 140 Muslims to Federal Security for possible apprehension. Out of the 140 Muslims, 90 names are confirmed to be already in the security’s file.

Targeted Muslims are grouped into three and they are to be “put under control” in three rounds. Those already in the security ‘list’, 90 Muslims thus, constitute the first group and they all deemed to be arrested at the onset of the “terror and shock” project. Muslim writers, teachers, Imams, student and all Muslim publishers are listed under this group. The second group consists mainly of Merchants who are blamed for providing financial and other support for Muslim student,  publishers and scholars. Muslim NGO’s are put as third group which has to wait for the third round of “terror and shock“. This pilot project is to be implemented first in the capital. Yet security agents around the country are put at high alert and are on stand-by to execute the same plan immediately when they are ordered to do so.

The list of targeted Muslims and their organizations includes such names as the great scholars of comparative religion br. Sadiq M. and M. Kadir, Daiyya Yassin N., B. Omer, thinker and writter H. Taju, Ayub D., K. Shamsu, Mohammed B., Nejashi Studio, Al-Aqsa, Noor Audio-Visuals, Malcom-x and Alimraan Studio, any many more.

Muslims of Oromo background are further to be charged with belonging to the Oromo Libration Front (OLF) and other political related excuses for their arrest is prepared. Those of Ethnic Somali background are deemed to be members or sympathyzers of ONLF.  A fabricated, for some political and for others religious, accusations are prepared to justify this government orchestrated Terror.

The capital, Addis Ababa, is described “a ghost city” for Muslims. Muslims of all walks of life are in complete confusion and worry not knowing what is to happen to them and/or their loved ones after each and every second. Some are reported to have disappeared or taken a very low profile. Many are taking temporary precautions including limiting their telephone contacts and other discussions.

We Muslims are at a time of great difficulty. A very carefully planned and well coordinated terror is on the coming with the aim of annihilating Muslims and Islam in the country. It is then compulsory upon every God-fearing Muslims to stand in unity, with resolve and determination for our rights. For this, information is crucial and as part of this effort contributors to Negashi OJ will do their utmost to keep you updated with the latest. Help us then by visit us regularly and by dessiminating the information further. Our uncovering of the secrete plan and alerting Muslims is one way of fighting back and diffuse the intended terror.

In a meeting he held with selected youth from all over the country, PM Meles Zenawi spoke of the recent religious tension in the country. What did he really want to say when said “Nebarun Ye Islimna Hayimanot/ ???? ?????? ?????”? How about the encounter of the “German President” in Harar? How could he overlooked the apartheid style oppression of Muslims in Axum? Could he name any Christian dominated region to demonstrate any “historic tolerance”? What type of historic  (”yeminkorabet/ ???????”) tolerance he set to protect? How about correlating the “Youth” with “Kiristianun yemaskoref Sira / ??????? ?????? ??”? Does this speech give us an insight as to the position of the government on Religion particularly Islam and the suffering of Muslims under various regimes? Would his goverment wish to resort to that “historic tolerance”? Listen and judge!

Alert! Alert! Alert! - Muslims are to be arrested in Mass

The notorious Ethiopian security in full collaboration with so its agent the called Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (Majlis) is finalizing preparation to arrest Muslims in mass, Negashi learnt. In a move to implement a two-phase action to remove all voices that speak for Islam and its teachings, the security has listed about 110 Muslim preachers, writers, publishers, NGO leaders and soon to arrest them. The list was prepared by the federal Majlis in name but set up as a periphery to the security apparatus of the country to crack down on every thing that represents Islam and Muslims in the country. The list of Muslim intellectuals to be arrested includes distinguished scholars of comparative religion, owners and managers of Islamic publishers, and executives of some ten Muslim NGO.

The “to be arrested” list includes some individuals from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as well be in no way comparable to the measure to be taken against Muslims both in number and diversity.

In a move that is designed to justify the action to follow the latest security sponsored religious tension in the country, most importantly, to prepare Muslims for eventual shock and terror they are face, the government has been holding secrete and public meetings with its agents. Such meetings often ended by incriminating Muslims. One such meeting was held at the end of last week in Addis Ababa where three “trust worthy” individuals from the followers of the different religions invited representing each Woreda. The meeting was attended by such known anti-Islam and anti-Muslim voices from the previous Federal Majlis and put full blame on Muslims for the type of religious tension that we have seen lately while in reality Muslims have been on the receiving side of terror executed by Fanatic Christians with full knowledge of the security.

In another secrete meeting held in the capital, discussion was held by top security officials of the government with leaders of the so called Habeshi group, founded and led by the late Abdullahi al-Harari. The participants came from not only from Ethiopia but from as far as Lebanos and all neighboring countries. The group is very much promoted by the US and Israeli Embassies and its thinkers as Hagai Erlikh and Ephreme Ishaq and other fundamentalist group in the Ethiopian Churches as redeemer of Tolerance in Ethiopia.

Negashi will soon bring to you a summary of the soon to be implemented action plan of the government. In the mean time, I call upon Muslims around the world to revisit their position they so far held and stand for action against all attempts to eliminate Islam and Muslims from that country before it is too late. Words on paper have meaning only if they are translated in to action. Actions so far have proved without any slightest doubt that declaration of religious freedom and equality in the constitution is no more different from the widely referred wordings of the late Emperior Teferi Mekonnen - Hayimanot yegil - Ager yegara. As much as that word did not stop the Emperor from setting up a secrete department and tasked it to eliminate, at least to weaken, Islam in the country and reduce its followers, the provision in the current constitution has not prevented the present government from making the very Muslim institution its security apparatus for the same, exactly the same, objective as that of the Emperor’s.

Heroic Ethiopian Muslims in Washington DC held a demonstration last Friday, March 20, 2009 in front of the Ethiopian Embassy. The objective was, as said, was to denounce extremism of all forms and demand for the respect of the civil and religious rights of Ethiopian Muslims. The demonstration was applauded by one Embassy officer (and pro-government information outlets) while at the same time denounced as  a show of “diplomatic support” for the government by a contributor to ECDAF (who himself could not have the courage to condemn the acts of the Fanatics).  Is it really so? What do we mean when we say some thing is hijacked or not? Discuss. Below is the article from ECDAF

N.B. While Negashi OJ opens this topic for discussion, it urges all participants not to ever forget,  no matter how the event was planned, organised and later interpreted, the hundrads of heroic Ethiopian Muslims who went out to denounce the increasing violation of Muslims religious and civil rights .

• Read more: Is the DC Muslims Demonstration really “Hijacked”?

????? ???? ??? ??? ??!

  … “????? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????  ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ???????? ????? ???????? ????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ????? “?????? ???? ???” ????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ????? ????????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ???????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ???????” Read the full statement (Pdf).

Network of Ethiopian Muslims is a leading Diaspora Ethiopian Muslims organisation with a mission to create an effective and sustainable Network that enables Ethiopian Muslims come together and coordinate their activities with the view to contribute their share to the betterment of their society and their country. It strives to contribute its share towards the realization of a democratic Ethiopia where all its citizens, irrespective of their race, belief or political opinion, enjoy peace, security, freedom, justice, equal right & responsibilities in all spheres of life, be it social, economical or political.

As a means to advance this mission, the network is finalizing preparation to hold its first ever conference in Göteborg - Sweden from April 10 - 12, 2009. All Ethiopian Muslims are cordially invited to participate in this historic event. To learn more about the program, and detailed information on how to take part, please click here.

The Federal Majlis issued its first directive since it has got new leadership. In a letter signed by the President of the council, Sh. Ahmedin, addressed to Addis Ababa Majlis, the federal Majlis ordered the suspension of the Ulema Unity Forum started by the outgoing Addis Ababa Majlis. The Ulema Unity Forum has been praised by Muslims around the world and other regions were to start the same initiative to bring together the divided Muslim religious scholars. The directive further ordered that any religious gathering and Islamic initiative should not be allowed before it is brought to the council and get approval.

Sources close to the members of the forum told Negashi that these distinguished leaders are very much surprised and disappointed by the directive. However they affirmed that Unity for Muslims is a religious matter and the directive would not have a lasting effect, despite it is likely to make their effort difficult and the journey long. Unity for Muslims is part of the duties of Muslims and as such it is one of the core pillars of the religion. They are very much thankful to the Almighty for being able to lay the foundation and created understanding. This would not be possible without the active role played by the outgoing AA Majlis and they expressed their appreciation for its members specially its president, Mufti Shaykh Omer Idris.

Negashi learnt that the grand Mufti too is surprised that such directive was issued before having any discussion about it in the leadership. He did not know any thing about it until he was informed by the AA Majlis. He even did not the idea that the council was planning to issue such directive which for sure would bring disgrace to the institution. This praise worthy initiative has already demonstrated its positive contribution to the umma and the country. The political leaders themselves could not resist that fact. He has expressed his commitment to the unity of Muslims and reiterated his position that unity is an obligation for Muslims that no directive is able to eliminate.

Against all expectation that the Mufti will be able to get the chance to lead the institution of the over 40 Million Muslims, the grand Mufti was limited to a small section - the Mosque and Awuqaf department - of the institutions. He is however happy to be assigned there. If there is no hidden mission to weaken his authority, he expects that the position will allow him to do huge ground works. He believes that this is the area where action is badly needed and it in fact is the basis of any progress in the umma. It will strengthen the institutions from bottom up. With the type of measure the President has just taken, he contemplating if he will have a conducive atmosphere to engage himself in the job.

Muslims around the country are shocked by the news of the directive and expressed their fear that the new leadership might not be any better than its predecessor. They also expressed their doubt that the purpose of taking the grand Mufti from the AA Majlis was a part of the plot meant to curtain any progress made in bringing Muslims of diverse opinions together. Mufti Omar has been instrumental in the establishment of the Forum and he is elected to be its chairman.