Ethiopia: displacement, intimidation and abuse

With the coming of big industrial farms in Ethiopia, local people, villagers and pastoralists are being threatened, intimidated, forcibly displaced and herded into camps by the military, their homes destroyed. Along with vast agricultural complexes, dams are planned and constructed, water supplies redirected to irrigate crops, forests burnt, natural habitats destroyed. Dissenting voices are brutally silenced – men beaten, children frightened, women raped, as is the land.

Over 80 per cent of Ethiopia’s 85 million people live in rural areas and work in agriculture. Many are small-scale farmers who, according to government figures, farm “8 per cent (about 10,000,000 hectares) of the national land area”, and traditional pastoralists who have, for generations, lived simple lives.

Huge tracts of agricultural land with water supplies are being leased to foreign companies for food export. The Oakland Institute, a US-based policy think-tank and leader in the field, has produced in-depth reports on worldwide land sales stating that during 2008-11 “3,619,509 ha were transferred to domestic investors, state-owned enterprises and foreign companies”. Assuming government figures are correct, this amounts to a third of the land farmed by Ethiopians themselves, an area the size of a small country such as the Netherlands.

Government genocide 

Land grab (and associated water appropriation), Oxfam states, occurs when “governments, banks or private investors buy up huge plots of land to make equally huge profits”.

Since 2008 such speculation has vastly expanded. In 2009 alone the Oakland Institute recorded that “foreign investors acquired 60 million ha of land [worldwide] – the size of France – through purchases or leases of land for commercial farming”, up from an annual average of 4m ha prior to 2008. Three quarters of all land deals take place in sub-Saharan Africa, in some of the most food-insecure, economically vulnerable, politically repressive countries in the world – precisely, some say, because of such advantageous commercial factors.

In Ethiopia, land sales are occurring in six key areas: Oromia and Gambella in the south, and in Amhara, Beneshangul, Gumuz, the Sidaama zone and the Lower Omo Valley – an area of outstanding natural beauty with acclaimed world heritage status. According to Genocide Watch, the Ethiopian government’s conduct in Omo and Oromia has “already reached Stage 7 [of 8 in] genocidal massacres”. This is not only shocking, but also casts shame upon the Ethiopian government and the slumbering donor nations who are well aware of the cruel methods, which violate a plethora of human rights laws, employed by the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) – a regime whose loyalties, it seems, rest firmly with investors, corporations and multinationals and which cares little for the people living upon the land or, indeed, in the cities.

Forced from home

Conditional within land lease agreements is the requirement that the government will clear the area of “encumbrances”, meaning indigenous people – families, children, pastoralists, cattle, wildlife, forests, anything that will interfere with the leveling of the land, building of (foreign) workers’ accommodation, roads and the eventual sowing of crops.

The national three-year villagization programme, initiated in 1985, aims to move 1.5 million people from their ancestral homes, over four states, into large settlements. The process is well under way, according to the human rights organization Cultural Survival. It says: “by February 1987, 5.7 million people (15 per cent of the rural population) had been moved into 11,000 new villages. By the end of this year [2010], 10 million rural inhabitants (25 per cent of the population) are expected to be villagized in 12 of Ethiopia’s 13 provinces.”

Government propaganda justifying the policy states these new village centres will “facilitate the provision of human social services by concentrating scattered homesteaders into central communities”, and facilitate “agrarian socialism”. Hence the leasing of mega chunks of land to multinational corporations, without the participation of local people, whose land is being taken from them: a totalitarian version of socialism.

Contrary to federal and international law, which requires the free, informed and prior consent of the people, this mass movement is being carried out without consultation or compensation, no matter the official claims to the contrary.

The Significance of Adwa Victory for Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance 50 years after the OAU

NES COMMENTARY On 117 Years Of Adwa Victory

Inspiration

“Those who have strength, support us with your strength Those who are weak, support us with your prayers” Aste Menelik

“ I am a woman. I do not like war. But I would rather dies than accepting your deal.” Etigue Taitu Bitul

“They lost their history, so they died.” An African Maxim

“A country without historical memory is like a person without a head” The message from our ancestors

“If we appreciate the achievements of our ancestors and develop the capacity and openess to learn from their mistakes, we will always stand tall with dignity” NES

Introduction

We  would like to thank you all those throughout the world who are making the effort to remember and celebrate the 117 years of the battle of Adwa, which is now increasingly becoming recognized as a definitive victory  over world empire and colonialism.

It is said everything is moved but memory; we heartily welcome that this important day is being remembered in Ethiopia, by the Ethiopian heritage society in America, UK, Netherlands, South Africa and elsewhere. All efforts to recognize and remember 117 years of Adwa Victory must be appreciated, and all who took the initiative in preparing and organizing education to  make sure the Adwa Victory every year without fail is celebrated must be welcome.

1. 1.    Background

All the varied groups from Oromia to Eritrea were mobilized and contributed richly to the success of the Adwa victory

 by all Ethiopians through the depth and breadth of the land. This was not a victory of the leaders, or one ethnic group. This was a national victory with a wider African and indeed world significance. It was and remains an exemplary episode in demonstrating what a united people can achieve.

Adwa was a major anti-colonialist battle fought by all Ethiopians, under the skilful leadership of Emperor Menelik and Empress Taitu. This victory resonated well beyond the Ethiopian and indeed the African border. It represented the clash between colonialism and liberation on a world-scale.

Every year during Yekatit, Adwa can provide the occasion to appreciate fully the international significance of the Ethiopian victory over the world colonial project in Africa. The failure to put this victory in the context of the wider challenge which confronted Africa before, during and after the nineteenth century needs to be put right.

It is a matter of historical record that the Adwa victory signaled the beginning of the end of the Scramble for Africa. This victory constitutes a crucial chapter in the record of African resistance and liberation. It armed generations of Africans with the confidence of victory to engage in resistance and liberation. It attracted attention as far as the Caribbean and the Americas, not to mention Europe and the rest of Africa.

TPLF and al-Qaeda: Two side of the same coin

Ethiopians will be making a mistake of historical proportion if we believe there is anything resembling a government in the ruling regime of Ethiopia. The fact the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) regime hides behind al-Qaida to preserve its self declared minority rule and corruption alone is enough prove. If anything, Woyane* is al-Qaeda in disguise. Ethiopians will be advised to do the exact opposite of what the impetuous regime does to save our people, country and religions.

by Teshome Debalke

Every tyrannical regime that walked the planet earth search for and find hiding places to preserve its draconian and

 corrupt rule. Making up enemies and beating war drams against manufactured enemies are popular hideouts. Using ethnicity and religion to divide and neutralize the power of the people has always been the easiest for all tyrants. ‘The glory days are coming’ is another popular slogan to keep the people on suspense and distracted while robbing them blind. Manufacturing propaganda to confuse the population is time tested weapon of confusion. Showing off brute force and terror network are reserved when their rules are threatened by popular demand to surrender power is common.

But, the paranoid Woyane goes where no tyranny has ever gone before; hiding behind al-Qaeda, the most intrusive non state international terrorist organization in modern history.

The disgraceful act of Woyane; associating our people of the Muslim faith with al-Qaeda is the new low. We shouldn’t take it lightly like we did when our people were attacked by Woyane for their ethnicity and political beliefs. For sure, it is another desperate attempt to prevent the unavoidable surrender of power to democratic rule. The frantic move is the regime’s way of preempting Ethiopians from coming together to end Woyane’s minority and corrupt rule.

What is even more troubling is the similarity of Woyane’s tactics with al-Qaeda. Like al-Qaeda, Woyane terrorizes the populations to instill fear by ransacking the homes of Ethiopians in public.  What makes Woyane even more potent is it also runs the public institutions exclusively to legitimize terror as a means to subdue the population.

The regime atrocity on Ethiopians of the Muslim faith is a continuation of the usual desperate move to remain in power. It worth to note, the regime doesn’t like to be referred as ethnic minority, tyranny or corrupt while it rules as an ethnic minority, by way of terror and extortion. It is like wanting to have its cake and eating it too.

Therefore, Ethiopians will be fools not to see Woyane for what it is; a desperate al-Qaeda like tyranny in search of hiding place to extend its rule one more year… days… hours… and by all means necessary.

But, blaming Woyane alone shouldn’t be a hide out for the rest of us either. We have to come together to bring down the institution of tyranny and achieve the desired freedom and democracy soon. Looking at our own fault line is more important than blaming the small-time ethnic regime known to the world over for its brutality, corruption and misinformation.

When we deal with tyranny separately we are not demanding the rights and freedom of our people but negotiating with the ruling tyrant.  Instead of pleading with the shameless regime to respect our right, we must collectively demand its surrenders for democratic rule, noting less noting more. Instead of bargaining with a corrupt regime, we must demand it surrender the public resources stolen. Instead of protesting against its atrocity and corruption to the world we must make it stand trial in the world stage.

Under no circumstances we should entertain to compromise democracy and the rights and the freedom of the people with anyone let alone the small-time Woyane tyranny.

Here is where we often go wrong when we confront tyranny as ethnic and religious group or one interest group or another than Ethiopians. It opens more opportunity for Woyane or others to play the same game of division and hide behind something. Many tried they can bargain their freedom with a small-time ethnic tyranny like Woyane or outsourced it to one political group or another. The result turns out to be a disaster that did more damage than otherwise.

Why are we protesting as ethnic, religion…groups than for universal suffrage of our people? Unless we surrender our freedom to Woyane or outsource our straggle to others or unless we believe we deserve freedom more than others there is no one iota reason we struggle separately to demand freedom and democracy.  Are we reducing our freedom to the liking of Woyane?

Many of us are mislead to believe our ethnic identity, religious belief, regional location is enough to get us our freedom and ended up falling victim for atrocious and corrupt regimes and groups.  It is partly because of our misunderstanding of how tyranny operates. I am afraid we haven’t learned enough to understand there is no freedom for one without the whole.

It is important to recognize tyranny is a moving target like a terrorist organization. It has no identity, ideology, beliefs, principle etc.  For example, one of tyranny’s effective methods of dividing the people is by bribing one group against the other. It isn’t for the benefit of the bribed against others but to create enough conflict thus division to neutralize the people’s power. Another method is giving symbolic gesture to co-apt one group against another to remain in power. It is not because it loves the co-opted over others but a tool minority regimes use to galvanize support to neutralize the majority. Therefore, bargaining with tyranny is a zero sum game. At the end of the game there is noting to gain but a self inflected wound and an empty pocket.

Our fault line is clearer than ever; we expected tyranny can have the good senses to do something right. That expectation threw us off from the important things of democracy that need our undivided attention. The same goes with our expectation of the oppositions. Simply going against tyranny is not enough to accept empty promises. We must demand surrender to democracy from oppositions as much as we do from the ruling regime to bring down tyranny on its knees once and for all.

It all boils down to what we, Ethiopians collectively want as people.  We must decide whether we say no to tyranny in all forms or willing to accommodate it as long us it benefit us or doesn’t affect us personally.

WE the PEOPLE must determine our future as one people and a nation.  If we value our freedom more than we despise the small time illegitimate ethnic tyranny, we must abide by the rule of democracy. Thus, the first thing to acknowledge is, it doesn’t matter how we shake it or bake it there is no good tyranny but ‘dead’ tyranny, period.  Therefore, rejecting tyranny in any form and shape is the first step towards freedom.  Second, the struggle is for democracy, not against tyranny or to bargain our freedom with an illegitimate regime as hyphenated Ethiopians. Therefore, there is no negotiation with tyranny; except the condition of surrender. Third, no matter what, we can’t abandon our people at the mercy of tyranny regardless of who they are. Therefore, we must struggle for rights of our people, not take advantage of the violation of tyranny on each other. Finally, no personal ego is big enough to compromise the interest of the people not to work in solidarity with any Ethiopian to put down tyranny and bring about freedom and democracy. Therefore, those that refuse to work towards democracy in freeing the people from tyranny are potential tyrants themselves and must be rejected.

The cost of barging with the devil

The last 21 years, the people of Ethiopia separately and collectively attempted everything in the book to get Woyane, the self declared ethnic minority regime surrender power to the people’s government. Woyane unequivocally rejected every chance it is offered on the bases of ‘it has the gun and it will rule and robe for eternity’.

The one and only time Ethiopians got the opportunity to collectively and formally reject the ethnic junta at the ballot box was in May of 2005 election. Again, they gave Woyane the opportunity to surrender peacefully but, the response was a massacre of fascist proportion.  Ever since, the minority regime intensified its brutality and corruption and preempt the people will as gathering danger to its rule.  The latest victims are Ethiopians of the Muslim faith. The excuse this time around is ‘al-Qaeda is coming to institute Islamic government’.

The lists of Ethiopian labeled ‘terrorist’ in Woyane’s book are mounting. It includes human right advocates, journalist, political parties, democratic movements, religious leaders and liberation front.  In short, the entire people of Ethiopia became terrorists to preserve the most atrocious and corrupt regime ever seen in modern history.

When Woyane fragmented Ethiopians by ethnicity, religion and region it was preciously to hit us one at time. Therefore, it is easy for Woyane to label one group or another as terrorist and get away with murder. As far as Woyane is concerned anybody that demands rights or surrender of power for the people’s government are terrorist. Thus, we shouldn’t be surprised when the latest victims are Ethiopians of the Muslim faith and more to come. After all, the illegitimate minority regime has no mandate to rule and did its homework how to sustain its brute and corrupt rule. The question is, are Ethiopians collectively ready to force the illegitimate regime surrender?

If there is one lesson Ethiopians should learn by now is the struggle to rid of tyranny is a collective struggle for democracy. There is no ethnic, religious and region divides when it comes to democracy and freedom. If anybody says otherwise they are lying through their teeth and must have motives other than freedom and democracy and should be responsible for aiding Woyane to remain in power.

As Woyane dodge the question of its illegitimacy and corrupt rule, the so called supporters are following the regime in the gutter as accessories in crimes of atrocity and corruption. Why they throw their life away in the service of ethnic tyranny against the people of Ethiopia may not be clear to an average Ethiopian yet. But, the fact they are willing to sustain an illegitimate and corrupt regime will continue to hunt them the rest of their lives.

What is important at this point of the struggle is, not to allow legitimacy for criminality; as the regime and its sorry stooges are hoping to do.  In that regard, we will be better off to sort out and document the crimes of the regime’s operatives and prepare for the eventual judgment day for crime against the people and the nation as any civilized society would.   What Ethiopians should never do is, reduce ourselves to Woyane level and render collective guilt and punishment as the sorry regime does. Guilt by association is a primitive tool tyrants use to survive. If we adapt it, we aren’t any better than Woyane.

The time has come to put down tyranny on its knees and build democracy once and forever. Whether the regime or anybody else likes it or not there is no way out of it.

* Woyane: The Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), known more commonly and sometimes as Woyane or Weyane (Ge’ez: ሕዝባዊ ወያኔ ሓርነት ትግራይ, Tigrinya: ḥizbāwī weyānē ḥārinet tigrāy^?, “Popular revolution (for) the freedom of Tigray”) is a political party in Tigray, Ethiopia. At the last legislative elections, the party was the main part of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, that claimed 499 out of 547 seats. Sourse wiki

የሕወሐት ፍጥጫ ቀጥሏል (ከኢየሩሳሌም አርአያ)

“አሁን ያለው ሕወሐት ቆዳ ነው” እነ ስብሃት

“የሕወሐት ወራሾች እኛ ነን” እነ አባይና አዜብ

(ከኢየሩሳሌም አርአያ)

ሁለት ቦታ የተከፈለው የሕወሐት አመራር ልዩነቱን በማስፋት እየተወዛገበ መሆኑን ከመቀሌ ታማኝ ምንጮች ገለፁ። ስብሃት እና አዜብ የሚመሩት ሁለቱ ቡድን አነጋጋሪ አቋም ይዞ መውጣቱን ምንጮቹ ጠቁመዋል። በስብሃት ነጋ የሚመራው ቡድን ባስቀመጠው አቋም « መለስ ሕወሐትን ገድሎ ነው የሔደው! አሁን ያለው ሕወሐት ቆዳ ነው። ጥያቄው ግልፅ ነው፤ ሕወሐት መቀጠል አለበት.. ወይስ የለበትም?» ሲሉ በድርጅቱ ቀጣይ ሕልውና ላይ ጥያቄ አሳርፈዋል። ከዚህ በተቃራኒ የቆመውና አባይ ወልዱ፣ አዜብና ከጀርባ በረከት ስምኦን ያሉበት ቡድን በበኩሉ « የሕወሐት ወራሾች እኛ ነን፤» ሲል ለነስብሃት ምላሽ መስጠቱ ታውቋል። በተጨማሪ በሁለቱም ቡድኖች በልዩነት ነጥብ ተደርጎ የተወሰደው በ1993ዓ.ም ከፓርቲው የተባረሩት አመራሮች « ይመለሱ» ፣ « አይመለሱም» የሚለው እንደሚገኝበት ተጠቁሟል። የሁለቱም ጐራ ፖለቲካዊ ግብ አንዱ ሌላኛውን ገፍትሮ ከሜዳው ማስወጣትና ፓርቲውን ብሎም አገሪቱን በፈላጭ ቆራጭነት ለመቆጣጠር ያለመ እንደሆነ አንድ የፓርቲው ቅርብ ሰው ጠቁመዋል።

በፓርቲው በተለኮሰው ስር የሰደደ ፖለቲካዊ ፍጥጫ ካድሬው ለሁለት ተከፍሎ ሲነታረክ መሰንበቱን ምንጮች ጠቁመዋል። በፓርቲው አባላት « አደገኛ» የተባለውን ይህን ፍጥጫ መሰረት በማድረግ በቴውድሮስ አድሃኖምና ብርሃነ ገ/ክርስቶስ የሚመራ ቡድን ራሱን « የአስታራቂ ሽማግሌዎች ቡድን» በሚል ሰይሞ ባለፉት ቀናት ሲነቀሳቀስ መቆየቱን ገልፀዋል። ሆኖም ሁለቱን ጎራዎች አቀራርቦ ለማነጋገርና ለማስማማት የተጀመረው ጥረት በሁለቱም በኩል በሚታየው አክራሪ አቋም ምክንያት ተስፋ ሰጪ ሁኔታ እንደማይታይ ምንጮቹ አስታውቀዋል። አሁንም ድርድሩ መቀጠሉን ምንጮቹ አልሸሸጉም።

የሕወሐት ሕልውና አጣብቂኝ ውስጥ በገባበት በአሁኑ ወቅት በሌላ ጐራ የተነሱ ወጣት የፓርቲው ካድሬዎች ባነሱት ጥያቄ ፥ ሁሉም አንጋፋ አመራሮች ከድርጅቱ እንዲለቁ ጥያቄ ማቅረባቸውንና ይህን ለማድረግ ፈቃደኛ ካልሆኑ ግን ሕወሐት ሊፈርስ እንደሚችል ማስጠንቀቂያ ጭምር መስጠታቸውን ምንጮቹ አያይዘው ገልፀዋል።

በተያያዘም « ጉባኤ ይጠራ» በሚል በካድሬዎች የቀረበውን ጥሪ እነ አባይ ወልዱና አዜብ ያሉበት ቡድን ውድቅ እንዳደረገው ታውቋል። አባይና አዜብ የሚመሩት እንዲሁም ትርፉ ኪዳነማሪያም፣ ሃድሽ ዘነበ፣ አለም ገ/ዋህድ፣ በየነ ምክሩ፣ ተክለወይኒ አሰፋና ሳሞራ የኑስ የተካተቱበት ቡድን በጉባኤው አሸናፊ ሆነው እንደማይወጡ ከወዲሁ በማመናቸውና በነስብሃት በኩል ከፍተኛ ሃይል እንደተደራጀባቸው ጠንቅቀው ስለተረዱ ነው ሲሉ የጠቆሙት ምንጮቹ አክለውም ሳሞራ በመከላከያ እጣ ፈንታቸው ተመሳሳይ መሆኑን በማመናቸው ከነአዜብ ጋር ተሰልፈው እንደሚገኙ ገልፀዋል።

የበላይነትን እየያዘ ነው የሚባለውና በስብሃት የተደራጀው እንዲሁም በደብረፂዮን የሚመራው ቡድን አብዛኛውን የማ/ኮሚቴ አመራር በዙሪያው ያሰባሰበ ሲሆን ከነዚህም፥ አዲስአለም ባሌማ፣ አርከበ እቁባይ፣ ቅዱሳን ነጋ፣ ፈትለወርቅ፣ ፀጋዬ በርሄ፣ አባዲ ዘሙ፣ ሃ/ኪሮስ ገሰሰ፣ ተ/ብርሃን…በዋንኛነት እንደሚገኙበት ምንጮቹ አመልክተዋል። የሽማግሌው ቡድን ስብስባ እንደቀጠለ ተጠቁሞዋል።

London Debretsion Church and the Ethiopians

Watch the YouTube video before reading this article.

This is Debretsion Ethiopian Orthodox Church in London England. The picture seems to have been taken on a cold winter day. It is such a beautiful church. Doesn’t it look so serene and peaceful? I am sure it is that most of the time. But according to this video it was nothing but serene a few weeks back. The best way to express the twenty one minute video is it felt like was watching a scene where the mental patients have taken over the asylum.

I agree it is totally depressing to see all classic Ethiopian behavior on display in a controlled environment. The location being a church gives it that special quality of raising the bar to show how low we have sunk. Such a brawl in some obscure hall, how ugly it is, normally is not worth a mention. I guess we get so consumed with the righteousness of our cause that we toss out all civilized behavior out of the window regardless of the place or the time.

The video is not intended to be a work of art. It is not fiction that jumped out of some ones

 imagination. This play does not have a director, a producer or a lead actor. This video is real unrehearsed presentation of Ethiopians and their social interaction. The setting adds to the drama of the moment. We thank the individual who had the patience to record reality in that hallow ground.

If you care to dig deep deeper into the story you will find out the reason to the madness you are subjected to watch but that is another story all by itself.  Unfortunately having an excuse does not justify bad and shameful behavior. Wrong or right does matter but with this short presentation that we are left with all we can do is watch and marvel at the utter stupidity our situation at home and abroad.  I am interested in parsing out what fate has presented us- a way to watch ourselves from afar. It is priceless.

As I said before the setting is Debretsion Church in London, England and all those present are immigrant Ethiopians. All come to Debretsion by their own free will. We assume they are followers of Christ AKA Christians. For Christians a church is a most hallowed place. It is God’s home. Christians go to church to pray, praise the lord and cleanse their soul of evil thought and bad feelings. We expect love, understanding, forgiveness and chartable acts to flourish in such a location. Is that too much to ask?

The law is our shield

By Abebe Gellaw
Around two weeks ago, a few members of ECAD Paltalk room members took the initiative of donating money for the

legal actions I am to take in earnest against criminal TPLF thugs that have been violating our civil rights guaranteed under U.S. laws and constitutions.

In Ethiopia, TPLF agents are above the law; they are untouchable no matter what they do. Those who have killed, maimed, tortured and jailed so many innocent citizens are walking free. Some of these dangerous agents and operatives of the criminal regime come to the United States and Europe seeking refuge and political asylum under false pretense that they were being persecuted by the TPLF. Then they turn against other Ethiopians. They spy, intimidate, threaten and attack anyone vocal against TPLF’s criminal regime. What I have been subjected to for exercising my civil rights is probably unprecedented in terms of intensity and degree but definitely not unique as so many others have silently endured these kinds of criminality.

We have two options even in the land of the free. We can either endure the criminality of the thugs and terrorists that are out to silence us or confront them in a language they understand better. The legal recourse is of course the most powerful and effective option. In countries where the rule of law is sacrosanct and fully guaranteed, the law is the best shield we have at our disposal against the terrorist and thugs that have already chased us away from our beloved country.

Where there is crime, there is punishment. Having good lawyers to deal with complex crimes committed in various jurisdictions is a must. While pressing criminal charges is necessary, civil litigations will also be part of the push for justice so that those responsible will feel the pains of their criminal behaviors and actions. To that end, we will hire at least two lawyers, one in Europe and another one in the United States, where most of the multiple crimes have been committed.

I am very grateful that some Ethiopians have willingly supported this cause. Since we have started soliciting contributions a week ago, a little over $5000 (as of February 24^th) has been collected. The amount is still far less than our target. But we do hope that we will raise sufficient funds in the coming few weeks.

Those who have donated confirmed, as much as I do, that we should not silently ignore criminal attacks, persecution and threats similar to what the people of Ethiopia have to endure routinely. We should do what we can afford collectively.

I would like to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank all who have already denoted for this campaign against our tormentors. Your support is very much appreciated.

I should also point out that anyone who has donated can demand financial report at any time to ensure that the money collected for this cause is spent appropriately. We will account for every dime spent.

There is no small fight for justice. Every violation of civil rights must be challenged. A criminal attack and persecution against one is an attack against all.

In case anyone would like to add small contributions, please use one of the following methods.

1. To donate online through Paypal use the following link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=UHPF5RPB2PBSN
2. Deposit at any Wells Fargo branch AG Legal Fund, Acc. No. 3525090746.
3. Deposit through any Bank of America branch AG Legal Fund, Acc. No. 485010192701
4. Wire money from any other branches to AG Legal Fund, Acc. No. 3525090746, ABA 121000248.
5. To transfer money from banks outside of the US: AG Legal Fund Acc. No. 3525090746 SWIFT- WFBIUS6S.
6. It is also possible to use Western Union to transfer your donations using one of the bank details above.

For further information, please call (001) 5718829882 or email us at ethlegalfund@gmail.com

Note to potential donors: This appeal is only for those who believe in our cause for justice and freedom. We do not appreciate donations for the sake of donating. Only donate to causes you truly believe are worth supporting.

I thank so much again! Together we can make a difference.  Should you wish progress report, please check the file below.

Progress report

http://addisvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/agfr.pdf

Barack Obama: Failing the African Spring?

by Helen Epstein
The New York Review of Books

February 25, 2013

America’s new drone base in the West African city of Niamey, Niger, announced by the White House on Friday, further

President Barack Obama preparing to address Ghana’s parliament, Accra, Ghana, July 11, 2009

expands our counter-terrorism activity in Africa. It’s also consistent with the militaristic emphasis of the Obama administration’s engagement with the continent. This may help contain the spread of jihadist violence in specific cases, but by failing to address persistent abuses of human rights by our African military allies, America is also undermining its own development investments that are intended to lift millions of people out of poverty and ensure the continent’s peace, stability, and economic growth.

The administration’s neglect of human rights in Africa is a great disappointment, since the president began his first term by laying out ambitious new goals for the continent. In July 2009, when his presidency was only six months old, Barack Obama delivered a powerful speech at Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, the point from which millions of African slaves were shipped across the Atlantic. He called on African countries to end the tyranny of corruption that affects so many of their populations, and to build strong institutions that serve the people and hold leaders accountable. The speech seemed to extend the message of his much-discussed Cairo address a month earlier, in which he called for a new beginning for Muslim relations with the West, based on non-violence and mutual respect. Many thought that the policies of the new president, himself of Kenyan descent, would depart from those of the Bush administration, which provided a great deal of development aid to Africa, but paid scant attention to human rights.

After more than four years in office, however, Obama has done little to advance the idealistic goals of his Ghana speech. The US finally suspended military aid to Rwanda last year, after it was forced to accept evidence of Rwandan support for the brutal Congolese rebel group M23, but has otherwise ignored the highly problematic human rights situation in that country. In Uganda, the US looked on for years as President Yoweri Museveni’s cabinet ministers gorged themselves on American and other foreign aid intended for impoverished farmers, war victims, roads, and health care. US diplomats have recently begun expressing support for Uganda’s many oppressed civil society groups, but one wonders what took them so long. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Uganda is a vital US military ally in Somalia, where Ugandan troops helped oust the Islamic militant group al-Shabbab from Mogadishu last year.

Meanwhile, Kenya, another important US ally in Somalia that is soon to be receiving drones from the Pentagon, is preparing for national elections on March 4. But some observers say the country is more violent now than it was in 2007, when post-election ethnic clashes left 1000 people dead and caused economic chaos across East Africa. Presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto have both been indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes connected with those events. It’s not clear what the US will do if Kenyatta wins, but it often seems as if Obama will work with any African leader who furthers America’s military aims, regardless of how that leader treats his own people.

Ethiopian Muslims protesting in Addis Ababa, October, 2012

And then there is Ethiopia. Today, Western nations give $3.5 billion a year in aid to Ethiopia, most of it for health care projects, food aid, and other development programs. Of this, the US alone provides roughly $700 million—an amount that has quintupled in the past decade, even as the nation’s human rights record has deteriorated to the point that Freedom House now designates it one of the least free countries in the world. The Ethiopian government has rigged elections, taken control of the economy, and outlawed virtually all independent media and human rights activity in the country—including work related to women and children’s rights, good governance, and conflict resolution. Thousands of political prisoners languish behind bars and dozens of editors, journalists, judges, lawyers, and academics have been forced into exile.

But when Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi died last summer, then-US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice praised him as a personal friend and a “talented and vital leader.” When she remarked that “he had little patience for fools, or ‘idiots,’ as he liked to call them,” some in the opposition believed she was referring to them—and approving Meles’s sentiments. Rice’s support for authoritarian leaders in Africa was highlighted by critics who opposed—and ultimately derailed—her nomination to be secretary of state.

Perhaps most worrying of all is the unwillingness of Obama and other Western leaders to say or do anything to support the hundreds of thousands of Muslim Ethiopians who have been demonstrating peacefully against government interference in their religious affairs for more than a year. (The Ethiopian government claims the country has a Christian majority, but Muslims may account for up to one half of the population.) You’d think a nonviolent Islamic movement would be just the kind of thing the Obama administration would want to showcase to the world. It has no hint of terrorist influence, and its leaders are calling for a secular government under the slogan “We have a cause worth dying for, but not worth killing for.” Indeed, the Ethiopian protesters may be leading Africa’s most promising and important nonviolent human rights campaign since the anti-apartheid struggle.

The 117th Anniversary of the Battle of Adwa

The indelible legacy of Emperor Menilik II and EmpressTaitu

There is no heritage more glorious, precious, and inspiring than freedom and independence won by the ill-equipped and

poorly trained, if at all, Ethiopian militias over vastly superior Italian invaders at the famous Battle of Adwa in 1986 under the leadership of Emperor Menilik II and His brilliant diplomat and strategist, Empress Taitu, who in Her own right commanded 16,000 valiant militia warriors.

The Empress devised the idea of controlling the water points near the Italian garrison at Mekelle in Tigray. She sent a well-armed detachment of selected militia secretly with orders to capture those water points on which the Italians and their animals of burden depended for survival. The mission was so successful that the enemy offered to negotiate surrender. The magnanimous Emperor granted them safe passage and the garrison came under the control of His militia army. Lo and behold. The enemy that invaded Ethiopia under the pretext of civilizing barbarians found mercy in the hands of those it came to educate!

Emperor Menilik II is the victor of the famous Battle of Adwa, which became a trophy of  epic pride for Ethiopians and a beacon of hope for the black people in the Diaspora; a truly beloved Great Leader of His people that dubbed Him Emmye Menilik (Mother Menilik).

The famous victory won at the Battle of Adwa at heavy price paid in lives and blood, came as a complete surprise to European colonial powers that had no choice but recognize Ethiopia as a sovereign state.

Revenge by Fascist Italians 40 years after Adwa

The victory of our ancestors under the able leadership of the Monarch, His Empress, valiant Generals, and brave militia warriors at the battlefield dealt an unforgettably humiliating defeat to the Italian aggressors. So the Italians took forty years of extensive preparation and invaded Ethiopia in 1935 – an act of atrocious aggression in full view of the League of Nations of which both Ethiopia and Italy were members. The European powers did nothing to prevent the naked Italian aggression. But when Mussolini and Hitler forged alliance at the start of WWII, the prophetic famous speech of Emperor Haile Selassie at the League of Nations came to pass. Great Britain this time allied with the Emperor and His guerilla fighters and the alliance played a decisive role in driving out Marshall Graziani’s occupying forces from Ethiopia. The ouster led to the disgraceful fall of Mussolini.

Incidentally, the ferociously advancing Ethiopian militia warriors were within wee minutes of claiming the second Adwa victory in this war too. But, due to the sabotage by renegade Rayas (bought and armed the Fascists) attacking the advancing force to the stronghold of the enemy from behind the war was lost.  In this war the Ethiopian peasant warriors vowed in the name of Emmye Menilik and fought with extraordinary gallantry. For example,  the immortal legacy of the beloved Monarch was inherited by top patriot Abichu at his tender age of 17 years and his young compatriots under his command including the militia army of the children of Hamassein commanded by General Haptom;the militia army of the children of Tigray (Mekele) under the command of General Tesfatsion; the militia army of the children of Gojjam (Damot) commanded by General Gashu; and the main militia army of the children of Selalle under the command of General Worqu.

Source: Habešská Odyssea (YeHabesha Jebdu) ???? ??? by Adolf Parlesak Translated by Techane Jobre Mekonnen – page 274.

What is most remarkable and pleasing to me is that the children of Ethiopia, unknown to each other and hailing from distant regions and all of them young, could form their own command which by his own admission became excruciating thorn in the flesh of Marshal Badoglio – supreme commander of the invading Italian Fascist Army.

Provocative monument to Graziani, the Bucher of Ethiopia

Unfortunately, the Italian authorities, have identified a square in Rome where it has erected a monument in a public park  for Field Marshal Graziani despite the record of his atrocities including the murder of Abune Petros for refusing to betray the right of his people to fight for freedom and independence; atrocious carnage of Ethiopia patriots; terrorizing people into submission by dragging dead bodies of patriots on the streets of major cities; throwing  patriots from airplanes; heavy attack from the air with machineguns and bombs; aerial spraying  of poison gas, barred by international law, on Ethiopian militia warriors poorly  equipped with swords, spears, shields, rifles, and a few machine guns.

In August 2012, $160,000 of public money was used to finance monument in his honor with the words “Fatherland” and “Honour” engraved on the mausoleum. It is really sad and perturbing that the Vatican blessed the occasion of the inauguration of the monument of the “Butcher of Ethiopia” monument as if its endorsement and blessing of the Fascist invasion of our motherland was not enough.

Ethiopians on 19 February 2013 commemorated the anniversary of  the massive massacre  on 19 February 1937 of over 30, 000 innocent Ethiopians in Addis Ababa alone by order of Graziani only because an attempt was made on his life by two heroic citizens. He was nicknamed “The Butcher of Ethiopia” worldwide including even in Italy.

That grisly massacre did not deter Ethiopians from vowing in the name of Emmye Menilik to resist the occupation of Fascist Italy. So, Graziani ordered the removal of the monument of Menilik to a secret place because its presence in full view of the public in the city gave him a nightmare as it increasingly became a rallying point for consultation, exchanging information, and plotting to oust the Fascists. The statute was recovered and put back in its original place after the triumphant return of Emperor Haile Selassie to Addis Ababa; it is a priceless symbol of grand victory of all Ethiopians over tyranny that must be jealously guarded.

 The victory of Adwa is a symbol of our strength in unity in diversity; a pride of our harmony in the face of our cultural diversity; an indelible foot print like no other in our long history. It is a sacred inspiration and hallmark of our future existence in unity as a democratic, prosperous and strong nation. Adwa is our hallowed ground where our ancestors from all corners converged to defend their liberty by paying incalculable sacrifice in human lives, bloodshed, and expended material resources. Menilik died penniless leaving an immortal legacy of earnest quest for freedom and independence. The history made at Adwa must never die!

Menilik the magnanimous and fair judge died penniless

The Monarch elevated His antagonists to high key posts in His government, to wit: – Fitawrari Haptegiorgis Dinegde and Dejazmatch Balcha Safo among many others.

In a civil suit the Emperor ruled in favor of the appellant on grounds that it is unfair for the Crown to own both the throne and land stressing what with the people will remain if the Monarch owned both. He died penniless leaving behind the true meaning of magnanimity and justice.

Gratitude to EHSNA

It is with utmost sincerity and great pleasure that I congratulate the Board officials of EHSNA on the glamorous occasion of the celebration of the 117^th Anniversary of the Battle of Adwa.

As I have said time and again, EHSNA was conceived by farsighted visionary few inspired by genuine love of Motherland Ethiopia. They were no doubt motivated by the rich repertoire of Ethiopia’s abundant heritage garnered over thousands of years. I am sure that young celebrants in particular will proudly appreciate and vow to enrich the repertoire of their heritage.

LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA!!!

Ethiopia: The Prototype African Police State

by Alemayehu G. Mariam

The sights and sounds of an African police state

When Erin Burnett of CNN visited Ethiopia in July 2012, she came face-to-face with the ugly face of an African police state:

We saw what an African police state looked like when I was in Ethiopia last month… At the airport, it took an hour

 to clear customs – not because of lines, but because of checks and questioning. Officials tried multiple times to take us to government cars so they’d know where we went. They only relented after forcing us to leave hundreds of thousands of dollars of TV gear in the airport…

Last week, reporter Solomon Kifle of the Voice of America (VOA-Amharic) heard the terrifying voice of an  African police state from thousands of miles away.  The veteran reporter was investigating widespread allegations of targeted night time warrantless searches of homes belonging to Ethiopian Muslims in the capital Addis Ababa. Solomon interviewed victims  who effectively alleged home invasion robberies by “federal police” who illegally searched their homes and took away cash, gold jewelry, cell phones, laptops, religious books and other items of personal property.

One of the police officials Solomon interviewed to get reaction and clarification was police chief Zemedkun of  Bole (an area close to the international airport in the capital).

VOA: Are you in the area of Bole. The reason I called…

Police Chief Zemedkun: Yes. You are correct.

VOA: There are allegation that homes belonging to Muslim Ethiopians have been targeted for illegal search and seizure. I am calling to get clarification.

Police Chief Zemedkun: Yes (continue).

VOA: Is it true that you are conducting such a search?

Police Chief Zemedkun: No, sir. I don’t know about this. Who told you that?

VOA: Individuals who say they are victims of such searches; Muslims who live in the area.

Police Chief Zemedkun: If they said that, you should ask them.

VOA: I can tell you what they said.

Police Chief Zemedkun: What did they say?

VOA: They said “the search is conducted by police officers; they [the police] threaten us without a court order; they take our property, particularly they focus on taking our Holy Qurans and mobile phones. Such are the allegations and I am calling to get clarification.

Police Chief Zemedkun: Wouldn’t it be better to talk to the people who told you that? I don’t know anything about that.

VOA: I just told you about the allegations the people are making.

Police Chief Zemedkun: Enough! There is nothing I know about       this.

VOA: I will mention (to our listeners) what you said Chief Zemedkun. Are you the police chief of the sub-district ( of Bole)?

Police Chief Zemedkun: Yes. I am something like that.

VOA: Chief Zemedkun, may I have your last name?

Police Chief Zemedkun: Excuse me!! I  don’t want to talk to anyone on this type of [issue] phone call. I am going to hang up. If you call again, I will come and get you from your address. I want you to know that!! From now on, you should not call this number again. If you do, I will come to wherever you are and arrest you. I mean right now!!

VOA: But I am in Washington (D.C)?

Police Chief Zemedkun: I don’t care if you live in Washington or in Heaven. I don’t give a damn! But I will arrest you and take you. You should know that!!

VOA: Are you going to come and arrest me?

End of  interview.

Meles’ legacy: mini Me-leses, Meles wannabes and a police state

Flying off the handle, exploding in anger and igniting into spontaneous self-combustion is the hallmark of the leaders of the dictatorial regime in Ethiopia. The late Meles Zenawi was the icon of spontaneous self- combustion. Anytime Meles was challenged on facts or policy, he would explode in anger and have a complete meltdown.

Just before Meles jailed virtually the entire opposition leadership, civil society leaders and human rights advocates following the 2005 elections for nearly two years, he did exactly what police chief Zemedkun threatened to do to VOA reporter Solomon. Congressman Christopher Smith, Chairman of the House Africa Subcommitte in 2005 could not believe his ears as Meles’ arrogantly threatened to arrest and jail opposition leaders and let them rot in jail. Smith reported:

Finally, when I asked the Prime Minister to work with the opposition and show respect and tolerance for those with differing views on the challenges facing Ethiopia he said, ‘I have a file on all of them; they are all guilty of treason.’ I was struck by his all-knowing tone. Guilty! They’re all guilty simply because Meles says so?  No trial? Not even a Kangaroo court?  I urged Prime Minister Meles not to take that route.

በኒውዮርክና በአካባቢው ከምንገኝ የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ቤተክርስቲያን ምዕመናን የተሰጠ መግለጫ

እኛ በኒውዮርክና በአካባቢው የምንገኝ ምዕመናን በቅርቡ ከህጋዊው የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋህዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን ቅዱስ ሲኖዶስ ወቅታዊውን የቤተክርስቲያናችንን ሁኔታ በሚመለከት የተሰጠውን መግለጫ ሙሉ በሙሉ የምንደግፍ መሆናችንን ለሚመለከተው ሁሉ ለመግለጽ እንወዳለን።

እንደሚታወቀው ሁሉ በኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋህዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን ላይ የደረሰው በደል ያስከተለው ሀዘንና ጉዳት በቀላሉ ተዘርዝሮ የሚያልቅ አይደለም፣ በመሆኑም የቤተ

ክርስቲያኑ ካህናትና ምዕመናን ላለፉት ሃያ አንድ ዓመታት ዕርቀ ሰላም እንዲወርድና ሕገ ቤተክርስቲያን እንዲከበር ሲመኙና ሲጸልዩ ኖረዋል። ከዚህም ባሻገር የቤተክርስቲያኒቱ የቁርጥ ቀን ልጆች የሚያስተራርቁ ብፁዓን ናቸው እንዲል የሰላምና የአንድነት ጉባኤ በማቋቋም በሀገር ውስጥና በውጪ ሀገር ባሉት አባቶች መካከል ዕርቅ እንዲፈጠርና ቀኖና ቤተክርስቲያንም እንዲከበር ያላሰለሰ ጥረት ማድረጋቸው ሲያስመሰግናቸው ይኖራል። ሆኖም ግን የመጨረሻው ድርድር ፍፃሜ ሳያገኝ ከአዲስ አበባው ሲኖዶስ የተሰማው ድምፅ ካህናቱንና ምዕመናኑን ከበፊቱ ለከፋ ሀዘን ዳርጎታል። በዚህም የተነሳ “ኦሆ በልዎ ለእግዚአብሔር ወእንብየ በልዎ ለጋኔን” በሚል ርዕስ ከህጋዊው ቅዱስ ሲኖዶስ ሰፊ መግለጫ ተሰጥቷል። እኛም በኒውዮርክና በአካባቢው የምንገኝ ምዕመናን ከሁለቱም ወገን የተሰጡትን መግለጫዎች በጥልቅ በመመርመር እውነትን የሚፈልግ ልብ ደስ ይበለው ተብሎ እንደተጻፈ በውጭ ሀገር በሚገኘው ሕጋዊ ቅዱስ ሲኖዶስ የተሰጠውን መግለጫ ሙሉ በሙሉ በመደገፍና በውስጡም የተሰጡትን መመሪያዎች በሥራ ላይ ለማዋል ቆርጠን ተነሥተናል።

በመግለጫው ገጽ 6 ቁጥር 3 ላይ የተገለጸውን መመሪያ መሠረት በማድረግ እኛ በኒውዮርክና በአካባቢው የምንገኝ ምዕመናን የሚከተለውን ውሳኔ አስተላልፈናል፡፤

1ኛ/ ባለፉት 21 ዓመታት ፓትርያርክ በህይወት እያለ ሌላ ፓትርያርክ መሾሙ ያስከተለውን ጥፋት ለማረምና ለማስተካከል የተፈጠረውን ታሪካዊ አጋጣሚ ተጠቅሞ ህጋዊውን ፓትርያርክ ብፁዕ አቡነ መርቆሬዎስን ከነሙሉ ክብራቸው ወደ መንበራቸው በመመለስ ፋንታ በጥፋት ላይ ጥፋት ሌላ ስድስተኛ ፓትርያርክ ለመሰየም የሚደረገውን ጥድፊያ እንቃወማለን፣ ተመራጩንም አንቀበልም።

2ኛ/ የተለያዩ መንፈሳዊ ጉባኤዎችን በማዘጋጀት፣ ማኅበረ ምዕመናኑ ስለቅዱስ ሲኖዶስ አመሠራረትና ስለ ቀኖና ቤተክርስቲያን መከበር አሰፈላጊነት፣ ጥርት ባለ መንገድ እንዲገነዘብ

በማድረግ ለሀገራችን ለኢትዮጵያ ሰላም ለቤተክርስቲያናችን ፍቅርና አንድነት በሙሉ ልብና በሙሉ ኃይል እንዲነሳ ያለሰለሰ ጥረት እናደርጋለን።

3ኛ/ በኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋህዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን ላይ የደረሰው የመከፋፈል አደጋ የኢትዮጵያና የውጪ በሚል ብቻ አላበቃም። ከሁለቱም ያልወገነ ገለልተኛ በሚል ስም የሚጠራ ሦስተኛ አካል እንዳለ ይታወቃል። ቅድስት ቤተክርስቲያናችን አጣብቂኝ ውስጥ በገባችበት በአሁኑ ወቅት ሰላምና አንድነት ዕውን ለማድረግ እርምጃ መውሰድ የግድ ይላል። ስለዚህ፣ በሰላምና አንድነት ኮሚቴ አማካይናት በህጋዊው ሲኖዶስና በገለልተኛው ወገን መሀከል አንድነት ለመፍጠር ይቻል ዘንድ የዕርቅ ድርድር በአስቸኳይ እንዲጀምር በትህትና እንጠይቃለን።

4ኛ/ በህጋዊው ቅዱስ ሲኖዶስ ሥር ያሉ አጥቢያ አብያተ ክርስቲያናት ውስጥ ከምን ጊዜውም በበለጠ የቅዱስ ሲኖዶሱን መመሪያዎች በሥራ ላይ ለማዋል የሚፋጠን ልዩ ኮሚቴ እንዲቋቋም መንፈሳዊ ምክራችንን እንለግሳለን፣ በዚሁም መሠረት በኒውዮርክና በአካባቢው ቤተክርስቲያናት ልዩ ኮሚቴ ተቋቁሞ ሥራውን መጀመሩን በትህትና እንገልጻለን።

ስለ ሀገራችን ኢትዮጵያ ሰላም፣ ስለቅድስት ቤተክርስቲያናችን ፍቅር አንድነት እንማለዳለን

Indian land grabs in Ethiopia show dark side of south-south co-operation

The takeover of peoples’ land and water by corporations – even if they are from the global south – is a new form of colonisation

The idea of south-south co-operation evokes a positive image of solidarity between developing countries through the

Women pick pigeon pea in eastern Ethiopia, where 80% of the population are engaged in agriculture. Photograph: Picasa/Mark Tran for the Guardian

exchange of resources, technology, and knowledge. It’s an attractive proposition, intended to shift the international balance of power and help developing nations break away from aid dependence and achieve true emancipation from former colonial powers. However, the discourse of south-south co-operation has become a cover for human rights violations involving southern governments and companies.

A case in point is the land grab by Indian corporations in Ethiopia, facilitated by the governments of both countries, which use development rhetoric while further marginalising the indigenous communities that bear the pain of the resulting social, economic and environmental devastation. It is against this scenario that international solidarity between communities affected by the insanity of a development model that prefers profits over people is reclaiming the principles of south-south co-operation.

Ethiopia’s late prime minister, Meles Zenawi, welcomed India’s expanding footprint in Africa as essential for his country’s wellbeing, a vision shared by his successor, Hailemariam Desalegn. The Export-Import Bank, India’s premier export finance institution, gave the Ethiopian government a $640m (£412m) line of credit to develop the controversial sugar sector in lower Omo. Indian companies are the largest investors in the country, having acquired more than 600,000 hectares (1.5m acres) of land for agro-industrial projects.

With 80% of its population engaged in agriculture, Ethiopia is home to more than 34 million chronically hungry people. Every year, millions depend on aid (pdf) for their survival. Amid such hunger, large-scale land deals with Indian investors are portrayed as a win-win situation, modernising agriculture, bringing new technologies and creating employment.

Research by the Oakland Institute, however, contradicts such claims. Most of what is produced is non-food export crops while tax incentives offered to foreign investors deprive Ethiopia of valuable earnings. The promises of job creation remain unfulfilled as plantation work at best offers menial low-paid jobs.

Worse still, the Ethiopian government is using its villagisation programme to forcibly relocate (pdf) about 1.5 million indigenous people from their homes, farms and grazing lands to make way for agricultural plantations. Those who refuse face intimidation, beatings, rapes, arbitrary detention and imprisonment, and even death. The repression of social resistance to land investments is even stipulated in some land lease contracts: “[it is the] state’s obligation to ‘deliver and hand over the vacant possession of leased land free of impediments’ and to provide free security ‘against any riot, disturbance or any turbulent time.’”

It was to challenge this form of south-south co-operation that the Oakland Institute, in partnership with Indian civil society groups the Indian Social Action Forum (Insaf), Kalpavriksh and Peace, organised an Indian-Ethiopian summit on land investments in New Delhi in February. Obang Metho of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia and Nyikaw Ochalla from the Anywaa Survival Organisation, members of the Anuak community of Gambela, Ethiopia, travelled to India with shocking testimonies of how their community has been dispossessed of livelihoods, ill-treated and subjected to misery while the Ethiopian government leases land to Indian corporations at giveaway prices.

This coming together of Indian and Ethiopian civil society groups marks a turning point in the struggle for land rights and livelihoods in the two countries and beyond. For the first time, the agony of communities who face human rights abuses as their lands are taken over has reached the investors’ doorstep, sending a powerful message to the investors and governments of Ethiopia and India. At the same time, it initiated a rewriting of south-south co-operation where the takeover of communal lands that have been homes, grazing grounds and water sources for generations, by corporations – even if they are from the global south – is being recognised as a new form of colonisation. It was a starting point, and plans for further collaboration are under way.

Unlike the Ethiopian leaders who met the Indian business delegations in person, Metho and Ochalla did not get a hearing with Indian government officials, despite several requests. Instead, it was activists who are challenging land grabs across India who travelled to New Delhi to meet them. They told how control over land and natural resources is spurring violent clashes in nearly 130 districts of India. Meanwhile, reports came in that 12 platoons of police had moved in on villagers in Govindpur and Nuagaon in Odisha, to forcibly clear lands for the Korean Steel Posco project. Women and children were beaten indiscriminately and people were arrested as they tried to prevent the demolition of their betel vineyards – one of the most viable local livelihoods.

We need to challenge the paradigm of development that trivialises and ignores the human consequences of these land acquisitions by corporate investors and governments. The idea that “some have to be sacrificed” for the “larger national good”, which is nothing more than the double-digit economic growth that benefits a few, must be rejected – even if the deals are between developing countries and framed by the rhetoric of south-south co-operation.

• Anuradha Mittal is founder and executive director of the Oakland Institute, an independent policy thinktank based in Oakland, California