Ethiopian Citizen

  August 03, 2023, ADDIS ABABA – Dr. Yelikal Kefale has called upon the federal government to intervene in Amhara region and take the next legal steps to stabilize the deteriorating security situation in the region. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the President of Amhara Regional State, summoned the federal government to act according to the FDRE Constitution. He said the security crisis is causing major humanitarian, social and economic mishaps and the local security structure is no longer capable to put it under control. The Fano militia has grown more powerful and the regional government security forces have proved in capable against it. Reuters said it confirmed from its diplomatic sources that the city of Lalibela is now under the control of Fano.

                                     Addis Ababa – Chief of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), Birtukan Midekssa,  announced on her social media page that she has resigned from her post as Chairwoman of the NEBE effective August 7, 2023.  "I need to have a long term rest in order to maintain my health", she wrote on her facebook page.  Birtukan wrote that two weeks ago she had informed the office of the Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) her decision to resign "voluntarily".  In the coming month as she prepares for her departure, she said she will be responsible for completing unfinished tasks and making administrative transitions. A former judge and a veteran opposition party leader, she was appointed as Chairperson of the Board when the national parliament approved her nomination by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in November 2018. “I had a dream of transforming our institution into a reliable and independent institution capable of co

                                           ADDIS ABABA – Thousands of Muslims gathered today for the funeral of Anwar Surur, Zubair Mudasir, Ibrahim Danbal and Jemil Redwan killed by police in Addis Ababa following Juma'a Friday Prayers at the Grand Anwar Mosque. Three of the four Zubair, Anwar and Ibrahim were killed yesterday after the Juma'a prayers were completed at the Grand Anwar Mosque while Jemil Redwan, was among those who were seriously injured in last week’s crackdown and has since been receiving medical treatment before he succumbed to his injuries. Their bodies were laid at Addis Ababa Kolfe Muslim Cemetary. And from yesterday's shooting Mukerem Asrar, Yonatan Mulugeta and Tadele Wabada are said to be in a critical condition at AaBET hospital, Addis Ababa. Reports also indicate that Yonatan and Tadele were shot while heading to work. Siraj Mohammed and Abubaker Elias were killed by police last week, May 26, when Muslims protested the demolition Mosques in Sha

                                             ADDIS ABABA - After completing their Friday Prayers (Juma'a) at the Grand Anwar Mosque, Addis Ababa, Muslims were received with bullets and tear gas. Dozens were reported to have been shot and there are also reports of casualties. There are still many Muslims under siege at the Grand Anwar Mosque, unable to leave the compound. Among them are the injured needing immediate medical assistance. Police fired live shots at worshippers at the Grand Anwar Mosque today as they completed their Friday (Juma'a) Prayers. There were no cause for police to shoot at the worshippers because there were no reports of protests today unlike last week. “Violent actions are not acceptable by any standard,” said Ambassador Ustaz Hassen Taju The Ambassador said the actions being taken by government security forces is causing injury and death of civilians and this is not acceptable by any standard. “This will only escalate the crisis and cause the people to b

                                        ADDIS ABABA - The Addis Ababa Islamic Affairs Supreme Council released a statement  yesterday urging Muslims to refrain from protesting in today's Friday (Jum'a) Prayers. Last week, hundreds of Muslims in Addis Ababa protested the demolition of more than 30 Mosques around the newly formed Shaggar City in Oromia. The result was a confrontation with police leading to the death of three. "The government led by His Excellency Dr. Abiy Ahmed has freed Muslims from previous oppression, established good relation between government and Muslims and prevented Muslims from being taken advantage of by others. This government has also made the legal establishment of the Islamic Affairs, interest-free banking and legalization of religious places," said the Addis Ababa Islamic Affairs Council in the statement. In the statement, the city's Islamic Affairs Council said there is a committee of nine members being established to go over the is

                  ADDIS ABABA – A new study shows that majority of Ethiopians want to amend the Constitution especially the powers of ethnic groups as sovereign owners of the nation, the ethnic-territorial system and the controversial Article 39 which grants ethnic groups the right to secession.  The research team led by Dr. Tilahun Tefera and his colleagues from Addis Ababa University briefly reported their findings to the audience. They explained that the Ethiopian Constitution, adopted in 1995, establishes a federal democratic republic and sets out the rights and duties of citizens and the structure of government. However, certain provisions and articles, especially those related to ethnic issues, have been the subject of repeated debates and disputes over the years. They said that although the Constitution contains various articles, they mainly focus on the articles that receive much attention in the literature. In other words, the study focused specifically on the ethnic-related