1.Public Demonstration postponed

In UDJ UPDATE 24, we had announced that we were going to stage a controlled public demonstration. The City Administration told us, orally, to postpone the demonstration until after the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting currently taking place in Addis. The law [Proclamation 3/1991, Article 6 (2)] says that if the relevant government body decides to postpone an event, it has to give, to the applicant, the reason(s) for the postponement in writing. They refused to give us their reasons in writing. They gave us a surprising reason for their refusal: “We have never done it before.” In other word, they had never given their reason
for postponing an event in writing.

Here, they goofed in two ways: 1) They don’t seem know or don’t care to know or they have forgotten that Article 6(2) of the above Proclamation obligates them to give their reason(s) in writing; 2) We do have a letter in our file–a letter written by the relevant office of the City Administration–giving a reason for postponing an event we had planned to conduct recently. Our Standing Committee on Youth Affairs had recently planned a progamme of literary evening open to the public to be held at the Exhibition Center. As usual, we submitted our application of notification to the relevant body. We were asked to postpone the event because the last AU Summit was taking place. We accepted their suggestion and asked them to give us their official reason in writing. And they did! We have the letter in our files!

The public demonstration was supposed to take place today, April 9. Pushing surprising matters aside for the time being, we submitted—today—our letter to the relevant government body notifying it that the public demonstration will now take place next Thursday, April 16, 2009. Everything else will be as was planned for April 9 (see UDJ UPDATE 24).

2.Birtukan’s case in court

It is to be recalled that Birtukan had lodged, through a lawyer retained by UDJ, a complaint before the court saying that her constitutional right of being visited by relatives, friends, legal counselor, etc. It is also to be recalled that the court had decided that: 1) the case was tenable; 2) the was within its jurisdiction. The sepondent, the Prison Commission, was asked to respond. It did on April 2, 2009, with the following points of argument:

a. The court has no jurisdiction over the case;
b. The court cannot interfere in the internal affairs of the prison commission;
c. The defending lawyer does not have power of attorney to defend the plaintiff;
d. The time for lodging complaints had expired;
e. The complaint was lodged without first clearing with the commission for a solution might have been found without having to go to court;
f. …

The respondent did not say anything on the substance of the case. In other words, it did not accept or refute the complaint. The court adjourned to meet on May 15, 2009, to decide on the merits of the objections.

This is a golden chance for African countries to break free from the yoke of ruinous dictatorships so that the continent can for the first time benefit from its immense natural and mineral resources.

For decades, Western countries, particularly the United States and Britain, sustained despots in African countries with the only criteria being that they serve Western interests. This policy continues up to day; the test is, going forward, will the new U.S. Administration of Barack Obama continue the George W. Bush policy of “If you’re not with us, you’re our enemy; if you’re with us, even if you have blood in your hands, you’re our friend”?

The Bush policy permitted Ethiopia’s Meles Zenawi to steal national elections, lock up opposition leaders, and massacre those who demonstrated in the streets. Yet, he shielded himself against the full force of sanctions for his human rights abuses by offering to do for George Bush in Somalia, what Bush had done in Iraq; Zenawi invaded and occupied Somalia, ostensibly to depose a radical Islamist regime. The intervention was attended with the uprooting of hundreds of thousands of Somalis and who knows how many thousands killed.

Ultimately, Ethiopia was expelled from Somalia just like the U.S. had been ejected in 1993.

But who will pay the price of the occupation and destruction of Somalia? Will Ethiopia pay for it? Will the U.S., which sanctioned the invasion, pay? How will the cost be assessed? If no compensation is forthcoming, will we eventually see Somalis seeking vengeance against Ethiopia once they settle their own domestic affairs?

In the case of the Sudan, it is evident that Omar Hassan al-Bashir is now a castrated president and that his regime’s days are numbered. An indicted president cannot remain in power for long. The sad thing is that some of the so-called rebel leaders who have also committed atrocities, including ordering the murders of African peace keepers, will elude justice because in the simplistice Western template there always has to be a “good guy” and a “bad guy.”

In Eritrea, a closed society cannot survive in the era of the Internet and instant communication; the same is true for Gabon, with its life president Omar Bongo who has been in office for 42 years.

Rwanda had been given a free pass for years because no one in the international community wants to see the type of massacres that occurred in 1994. Dictator Paul Kagame, is believed with Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, to have played a role in the assassinations of presidents Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and Sylvestre Ntayamire of Burundi when the former’s plane was shot down, sparking the massacres of an estimated 800,000 to one million. Yet, for some years Rwanda had reestablished a level of normalcy relative to the 1994 tragedy and Kagame’s excesses were tolerated. He may have overplayed his cards late last year when he financed, equipped, and even supplied with fighters the terrorist Laurent Nkunda, who committed genocide in eastern Congo.

Rwanda belatedly “arrested” Nkunda but can’t dare turn him over to the authorities in Congo or to the International Criminal Court for fear that he would implicate Rwanda’s top political and military leadership.

Uganda is presided over by perhaps the most corrupt and tyrannical ruler in Africa. For years he has managed to charm the West while practically wiping out a whole ethnic group, Acholis, with the full knowledge and backing of the United States and Britain; the regime is so corrupt that even millions of dollars sent to fight HIV/Aids was embezzled.

Yet, after Museveni agreed like Zenawi to send troops to Somalia, he was awarded with a White House audience by George Bush, even though he was already under investigation by the ICC for war crimes. In 2005, the International Court of Justice had found Uganda liable and assessed $10 billion in damages, for crimes against humanity and war crimes in addition to pillage, when its army occupied eastern Congo from 1997-2003.  Please see http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/116/10455.pdf

The Wall Street Journal reported on June 8, 2006 that the ICC was investigating the same crimes, meaning Museveni, as with Bashir, could be indicted; yet, Bush, who also knows one or two things about war crimes, hosted Museveni at the White House in 2007.

Will the Obama Presidency make a radical break from the perverted U.S. policy of sustaining tyrants who hold back the economic progress of the African continent while presiding over the deaths of millions of Africans?

So far, President Obama has said many positive things. Even during the campaign, he publicly wondered why an “old man” wanted to cling on to power in Kenya; he was referring to Mwai Kibaki, who ultimately stole the election from Raila Odinga.

More recently, while in Strasbourg, France, after his trip to the G20 in London, President Obama condemned corruption in African countries and specifically named Kenya, although the criticism applies to several other countries.

President Obama rightly praised Botswana, which he said is a “well-managed” country; there are others such as Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, and South Africa, where democratic governance thrives.

President Obama should also make it clear that the U.S. won’t support personalized rule in African countries and offer full support for legitimate opposition so that more African countries can experience the kind of peaceful transition witnessed in Ghana after elections there.

In Addition to this the visiting  professor Mesfin has held meeting and discussions with Ethiopians Living in stockholm and surrounding on saturday  the 30th of march. aong with the meeting a fundraising was held to prepare for comemorating  judge Birtukan M. 3rd month in prison.

In the meeting the professor has stressed that we Ethiopians should reflect in our past in order to re gain the value of freedom which our ancesstors has inherited us by preserving it through generations with great sacrifice. Our ancestors died a degnified death defending their freedom,said the professor.

Usually, US organizations define, plan, host and influence African causes. The question: Academically gifted and resourceful, at what points do Africans become vanguards in US-Africa affairs? The program sets a new paradigm. As resident stakeholders in the US, it makes critical sense to be involved in policies that bear on your own families and homes in Africa. It does not diminish the compelling need for intra-Africa policies. That is another domain.

But at any point or era, partnerships are valued realities. The program prizes and highlights the indelible contributions of pioneering US organizations such as Trans Africa, whose work exemplifies cornerstones in Africa’s evolution. TransAfrica focuses on Africa and the Cariibean. Two groups on Haiti and the Caribbean expressed interests in the dialogue and they would be participating. Building working relations is paramount.

We are mindful of the under-reported but crucial contributions that indigenous African organizations are making, even surpassingly what US AID does, to develop communities in Africa. As stakeholders who understand Africa’s structural realities, indigenous entities should be subject of their inquiries; not objects of the studies.

However, less is known about African entities in mainstream USA. There are no real vertical partnerships with US organizations working on African issues. With a growing indigenous African ( Continental African) population in the US, the program fosters the desired relationships. Therefore, the format and setting allow for Interactive Dialogue for Partnerships.. More importantly, it projects the capacity of Africans (themselves). Designed for purposeful exchange and networking, the interactive approach is limited to 50 organizations and 65 participants. You get to know each other’s mission.

Organizations are encouraged to bring their brochures. Anybody who is not on the program and has a contribution to make, the microphone will be yours at the interactive Q -question and A – answers. Make it AV for Added Value. You can introduce and summarize your mission or issue. If need be, you can follow up with a position paper, which will be published with the report on the program.

Interfaith application is a major approach to some of the world’s gravest crises.
for your faith and the faith-based institutions. This complements a showcase organization: In Search for Common Grounds.

(source:WIC)Over 130 organizations engaged in horticultural production and export in Ethiopia are expected to take part in the third flower exhibition to be opened this Wednesday in Addis Ababa.

The Exhibition will have significant contribution to Ethiopia in expanding its market opportunities across the glob, the Ethiopian Horticultural Producers and Exporters Association (EHPEA) said in a statement.    

EHPEA President, Tsegaye Abebe said the exhibition would help promote investment opportunities and attract more investments to Ethiopia.    

 Several international and local producers and exporters working in the sector would also use the exhibition to exploit further opportunities, he added

Dr Tekabe’s success has helped his laboratory, headed by Dr Lynne Johnson, to receive another $1.6 million four-year grant from the National Institute of Health to continue his research, and Tekabe hopes that in a few years time his work can help heart disease prevention efforts and early detection of atherosclerosis in humans.

“Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD),” Tekabe says. “The result is progressive closing of the blood vessels by fat and plaque deposits, which block and further restrict blood flow. In more serious cases it may also lead to clots in the aorta (main artery coming out of the heart) or carotids (arteries supplying blood to the brain) that may dislodge and travel to other parts of the body such as the brain, causing stroke. If the clot is in the leg, for example, it can lead to gangrene. Deposits of fat and inflammatory cells that build up in the walls of the coronary arteries (supplying blood to the heart muscle) can rupture leading to blood clots. Such clots in an artery that supplies blood to the heart muscle will suddenly close the artery and deprive the heart muscle of oxygen causing a heart attack. In the case of very sudden closure of an artery a clot can cause sudden cardiac death.”

Tekabe came to Boston in 1990 and subsequently completed his Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology and his Masters and PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on CVD and drug development. His academic choices have inevitably led him to his career as a scientist, but he has personal reasons for choosing this path as well.

“I was born in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. I have 1 brother and 8 sisters, and my parents had no formal education. But my father always encouraged me to seek higher education. While I was completing my studies I witnessed my beloved father suffer from Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and he underwent triple bypass surgery. He passed away in 2004, and I promised myself that I would step up to the challenge of finding a way to prevent heart disease” Tekabe says in a somber and determined tone. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the developed world, and I am motivated by that challenge, but this research is also deeply personal

(source: addisfortune)Establishing companies by raising capital through public equities has been in the boom in Ethiopia’s business milieu, especially since mid 2008. Though the trend has been there for more than a decade after the first private banks started to popupthrough the same mechanism of raising capital, never have publicequity offers been as many as the past one year. Nassissie Girma, Fortune Staff Writer, compiled a brief profile of some among the 10 share companies that have mushroomed one after another, but are still raising equities.

Ethiopia is currently facing a foreign currency shortage due to the imbalance of its export and import trade. This has been resulted in high prices of imported items.

The inflation of food prices in Ethiopia in January-February reached 104.1% up from 96 % in December 2008, Ethiopian Central Statistics Authority said in its latest report released on Thursday.The report said inflation of food prices in the past six months increased by over 60%.The price of grains in July 2008 witnessed 52.2 % price inflation and 104.1 % in January-February 2009, the report said.The price inflation of non-food items, which was 11 % in the first six months of the Ethiopian new year, reached 22 % in September-February.