ESAT News (October 3, 2017) A rights defender urged the U.S. Congress to ask the National Security Agency and the Department of Defense on the status of the surveillance partnership with the Ethiopian regime to ensure that the U.S. is not facilitating human rights violations in Ethiopia. “It is high time for the US administration and Congress to reckon with ...

ESAT News (October 3, 2017) The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called the arrest of Andualem Aragie, an opposition politician, arbitrary and called for his release. The UN Group, besides demanding Aragie’s release, also said that the political prisoner should be compensated. Mr. Aragie has been behind bars for exercising his political rights, the UN group argued and ...

ESAT News (October 2, 2017) Over 1500 engineering students of Bahir Dar University were expelled from campus following a dispute with University officials over the format and grading of a comprehensive fourth year exam. A change has been made to the grading of a “holistic” examination given to fourth year students. According to the new directive, students will be given ...

ESAT News (October 2, 2017) Scores of people were arrested on Sunday following anti-TPLF protests at the annual Irreecha festival in Bishoftu a.k.a. Debrezeit, 25 miles outside the capital Addis Ababa, according to information received by ESAT. The religious festival on Sunday turned into protest rally with thousands of festival goers chanting anti-TPLF slogans and demanding freedom for the Oromo ...

ESAT News (September 29, 2017) The Federal Police Commission said the army and police force would be deployed at the Irreecha festival this coming Sunday despite earlier statements by the Aba Geda and authorities that said there would be no armed security at the site of the festival in Bishoftu. Police Commissioner, General Asefa Abiyou, told TPLF owned Fana Broadcasting ...

ESAT News (September 29, 2017) More than 93,000 people have reportedly been displaced by flooding in areas in Afar, Jima, South-East and South-West Shewa as well as in zones surrounding the capital Addis Ababa, according to a report by Centre for African Journalists (CAJ). The report said that over 18,600 households have also been affected by the extensive flooding. The ...

ESAT News (September 28, 2017) Reports reaching ESAT from Eastern Ethiopia say about 10,000 Oromos displaced from Somaliland and the Ethiopian Somali Region were headed to Harar and Eastern Hararghe. It brings the total number of people displaced so far close to 80,000. Trucks loaded with the displaced have began arriving in Harar and Hamaresa today. Ethnic violence in Eastern ...

ESAT News (September 28, 2017) The Council of Aba Gedas, the cultural and religious leaders of the Oromos, has banned government officials from delivering speeches at this year’s Irreecha festival due to take place Sunday October 1, 2017, according to a report by the BBC Amharic. Hundreds were killed and injured at last year’s Irreecha, a festival to welcome the ...

ESAT News (September 28, 2017) Eritrea warned that Ethiopia’s continued occupation and encroachment on its territory is a threat to peace and security in the Horn of Africa. “Another impediment in front of Eritrea, indeed in front of the whole Horn of Africa region is the 15-year-old occupation of sovereign Eritrean territory by Ethiopia,” Eritrean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Osman ...

ESAT News (September 27, 2017) Ethiopian regime officials confirmed reports of the killing of hundreds of people in ethnic clashes in the Eastern parts of the country while close observers of the crises blame security forces of the regime for having a hand in the death and displacement of ethnic Oromos and Somalis. Spokesperson of the regime Negeri Lencho told ...