WASHINGTON, June 12, 2012 - The Ethiopian Orthodox Church Synod in exile, upon conclusion of its 33rd regular conference in Washington DC, issued a solidarity statement to stand with the continued Ethiopian Muslims’ demand for religious freedom and basic rights. Having condemned the government interference in religious affairs, the Synod called upon Ethiopians of all faiths to rise in unison against pervasive abuse of citizen rights perpetrated by the EPRDF regime in Ethiopia. Nejashi Justice Council, as rights activists campaigning for human rights and social justice in Ethiopia, hailed the call of this highest Ethiopian religious authority as a milestone in refining Ethiopian inherent religious tolerance.
Following the release of Synod’s commendable statements, Nejashi Justice Council launched a preliminary survey
assessing the reaction of rights activists and ordinary Ethiopians and what leverage it would have on our struggle for justice, democracy and the rule of the law in Ethiopia. The Council is stunned by the results from Addis Ababa and other major cities and town. The reaction of Ethiopians across all background to the historic statement of Synod is self-evident that our long-standing interreligious tolerance is intact despite divide-and-rule policy of the incumbent regime over the last 20 years. The statement is a historic move that would lay down a bridge among people of diversified belief and bring them together in their struggle for a just system of governance where no one would be repressed and harassed for his/her belief, political opinion, ethnicity, gender or cultural background.
The Nejashi Justice Council would like to commend the patriotic support the Synod has shown to the Ethiopian Muslims’ struggle for religious liberty and join the church to call upon all Ethiopians to rise united by narrowing their differences and join hand-in-hand in their effort to promote human rights, justice, and democracy in the country. Sharing the view of our people, the Council believes that a foundation has been laid for Muslims, Christians and others to come together and pool their resources and efforts for a holy and common goal. The solidarity statement issued by the Synod certainly denies the EPRDF regime to use our difference in belief and other background to continue its crimes against humanity without the least regard to their basic rights, democracy and rule of law.
At a time when the regime put our differences in religion as its final card to keep us apart and thus prolong its lifespan, our failure or success to be compassionate to each other, empathizing with the pain of one another and being accommodating, is a matter of choice between ultimate devastation or resurrection as a prosperous and dignified nation.
Contact:
Yedesdes Mudesir, Vice-PresidentNejashi Justice Councilnejashijustice@gmail.com Phone: 703-498-5200
Nejashi Justice Council
Dulmidiid Gumaysidiid Gaaladiid
June 15, 2012 at 2:44 am
Ogaden Region: UN and ACF Local Staff attacked+ Villages burned down.
June 14 2012.
Thursday ( Ogadentoday Press)-the UN-WFP local staff and a French Action Contrela faim(ACF) in Ogaden region was attacked by the Ethiopian security intelligence, a source based in Kenya said to Ogadentoday Press.
The staff has been attacked by their house, some of relatives are arrested while others escaped, the WFP local staff is detained in Kebridahar Town in Ogaden, the source added.
ACF conducts nutritional and water sanitation projects in Qorahay Zone, WFP distributes food to the local people but aid organizations in Ogaden Region do not deliver the food and aid to the vulnerable population as right groups said in report.
With the Red Cross (ICRC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) both expelled from southern Ethiopia and the Ogaden since 2007.
Ethiopia has been accused of using the aid as political tools, and some food aid fall into the hands of Ethiopian ruling Party.
There is no independent news source in Ogaden Region, and Information is very limited.
Currently, Two UN localstaff have been in custody for the last six months and they are accused of that they are sympathizers of ONLF, Ogaden national Liberation Front.
Abdi rahmaan Sheekh, The WFP security staff in Jigjiga is facing the court in Addis Ababa next weeks as Ethiopia government announced last month.
Ogadentoday Press cannot confirm the reason but the incidents took place in Ogaden Region, Kebridahar as, our reporter in Kenya received a reliable source.
Dhagahbur Zone.
(Ogadentoday Press)- The Ethiopian troops have burnt several villages in the Ogaden region, and leaving many families homeless. Tension in the affected districts remains high and local residents are outraged at the government’s ‘inhumanity’.
The residents said, a group of military convey arrived in the Lebiga and Hunjiri villages in Dhagaxbur Zone, and ordered the local people to move a another place, but the residents refused and they burned down the whole two villages.
There is no comment from the Ethiopian government and the ONLF about the incidents.
It is not the first time, villages are burned, and civilians are forced to leave the villages, in 2008, Ethiopian governments burned almost 10 villages in Ogaden region.
Human right watch blamed the Ethiopian National Defense forces strongly.
The ONLF, founded in 1984, says the Somali-speaking population in Ethiopia’s oil-rich Ogaden region has been marginalized by Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia’s military launched an offensive against the ONLF after its fighters attacked a Chinese-run oil venture in Ogaden in 2007.
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Aboy
June 12, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Beautiful,
The real Ethiopiawinet is coming back to hunt the mercenaries. There is no place on Earth our people lived side by side with organic justice than Ethiopia. Imported religion, ideology, regime or anything else brought war and distraction like Woyane and al-habsha did. like one brother in the Mosque rally said the new religion Woyane imported is not Muslim nor Ethiopian it has to go. No negotiation.
WE want our original Muslim and Christin religion and our country back. we won’t accept anything else
God is watching after us
down with Woyane