ESAT English News

Ethiopia: Security forces shot dead pregnant woman, fifth death since new PM took office

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 9, 2019) Ethiopian security forces reportedly shot and killed a pregnant woman and wounded another young man in Eastern Ethiopia last night bringing the death toll to five since a new PM was appointed last Monday. According to a Facebook post activist Jawar Mohammed, the woman named Ayantu Mohammed Shanko was walking home when ...

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Groups urge U.S. Congress to pass rights resolution on Ethiopia

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 9, 2018) Ethiopian and international civic organizations and rights watchdogs urge the United States Congress to pass H. Res. 128, a resolution supporting respect for human rights and inclusive governance in the country. The call by five Ethiopian civic organizations and Human Rights Watch came a day ahead of a scheduled vote on the ...

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Ethiopia: Efforts to disarm Amahars face backlash

ESAT News (April 6, 2018) Authorities are now recruiting paid militia to disarm the people in the Amhara region as several earlier attempts by the regime to take weapons away from the people in the region has failed. Attempt by regime security forces to disarm individuals in the last few months ended up deadly. At least ten regime soldiers were ...

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Ethiopia reconnects Internet but critical media remain blocked

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 6, 2018) Internet service has returned to most of Ethiopia that has been in the dark since last February. Mobile data has been shut down in the entire country with the exception of the capital Addis Ababa since the reimposition of a state of emergency on February 16, 2018. Ethiopia has continued to block ...

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Ethiopia: Rearrested journalists, bloggers and politicians released

By Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 5, 2018) Journalists, bloggers and politicians were released today eleven days after they were rounded up and detained as they were holding a private get together in Addis Ababa. Some of the detainees were rearrested on March 25th, few weeks after they were released following years of imprisonment. They include award winning journalists Eskinder ...

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Congress to vote on Ethiopia resolution

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 5, 2018) The U.S. House of Representative will hold a vote on Tuesday on House Resolution 128, a.k.a. H. Res. 128, a resolution supporting respect for human rights and encouraging inclusive governance in Ethiopia. #BreakingNews: I’m happy to announce the #Hres128 will be on the Floor of the House of Representatives this coming Tuesday. ...

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Ethiopia: Arrest and detention continues under martial law

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 4, 2018) Security forces have continued arrest and intimidation in various parts of the country using a state of emergency imposed for the second time and for celebrating the election of a new Prime Minister. Reports reaching ESAT show that regime security forces known as Agazis have arrested and detained several people in Dire ...

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Ethiopia: Blue Party urges new PM to work for formation of elected gov’t

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 4, 2018) One of Ethiopia’s opposition party, the Blue Party, called on the newly elected Prime Minister to give priority to bring together all opposition parties and civic organizations at home and in the Diaspora to arrive at a national consensus and pave the way for the formation of a government elected by the ...

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Ethiopia: Opposition parties applause PM’s inaugural speech but say words need to change to deeds

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 3, 2018) Ethiopian opposition political parties have reacted to the inaugural speech by the newly appointed Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, saying his description of the opposition as competing forces in the political process but not as enemies of the regime, as has been viewed by TPLF oligarchs, is a welcome development. In his first ...

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U.S. expresses support to new PM, renewed calls to lift emergency law

By Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 2, 2018) The United States said today it would support the newly elected Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, in his government bid to “rapid implementation of democratic and economic reforms.” The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa also said in a statement that it “looks forward to the lifting of the State of Emergency.” ...

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