Ethiopian Citizen

  ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 – Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA), Ethiopia’s media regulating body, issued a warning letter to CNN, BBC, Reuters and Associated Press (AP) today to desist from disseminating news that is consistently sowing seeds of “animosity” among Ethiopians and compromising the sovereignty of the country. If not, warned the media authority, the media giants will be stripped off their licenses to operate in Ethiopia. “EMA, in issuing licenses for journalistic operations, expects reports not to endanger Ethiopia’s national interest, territorial integrity or the peaceful coexistence of the people of Ethiopia.", said the warning letter from EMA. Despite repeated communication with the international mainstream media (MSM), EMA said there has not been any significant change registered so far. Therefore, “the responsibility to protect the wellbeing of Ethiopians from dissemination of unsubstantiated information lies with the EMA”, read the letters. Ethiopia’s

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 14, 2021 — The High representative of the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, released a statement today echoing United States' (US) position that "there is no military solution to the conflict" in Ethiopia and that "battlefield victory cannot guarantee political stability in Ethiopia". He also said " dialogue remains the only reliable and sustainable avenue to peace". " War represents a failure of politics", said President Obasanjo, as h e appealed to the leadership of "all sides to halt their military offensives". "This will allow an opportunity for dialogue to continue to progress. Such talks cannot deliver in an environment of escalated military hostilities", said AU's High representative for Horn of Africa. The Olusegun Obasanjo's statement is no different to what the US said on October 30, 2021, that "t here is no milit

  ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 — The Government of Eritrea said "the United States' (US) new, unwarranted, “sanctions” on Eritrea as a continuation of its misguided and hostile policy". While Ethiopia defended its neighbor saying "if the purpose of sanctions is to compel parties to cease their destabilizing actions, the Ethiopian Government strongly believes that the real target for sanctions and further tougher actions by the US Government and the greater international community should be directed towards the TPLF". The US on Friday, November 12, 2021 , designated six targets associated with the Eritrean government and ruling party pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14046, which the US President signed in September.   The US Treasury Department said, in a statement , it blacklisted Eritrea's ruling political party the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), the party's economic adviser and the head of the Eritrean national s

    ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 — The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a terrorist designated group, has retreated from areas it controlled in Wag Himra zone, Amhara region, after sustaining a heavy blow from Ethiopian forces composed of Amhara Special Forces, Fano patriots and Amhara militia, according to a report from Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA). The Ethiopian forces opened an offensive in Dahana and Ziquala Woredas of Wag Himra Zone, Amhara region, against occupying TPLF forces. The mission of rescuing and liberating Amhara civilians under TPLF terrorist occupation, spearheaded by the coordinated efforts of the Amhara Special Forces, Fano and Amhara militia, extended the offensive into Qoziba, Sosit Amba and Mizrib Woredas of Wag Himra where, according to reports, the TPLF terrorists sustained heavy losses. Although, in Sirel and Tsemira Woredas, the terrorists received support from Agaw rebels, they were unable to hold for long and thus attempted to a retreat looti

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 — The Director of Ethiopia's Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Dr. Shumete Gizaw, said Ethiopia's commitment to developing its own social media sites is intended to show that it is also an independent country in the field of technology. Dr. Shumete added that the issue of digital sovereignty is becoming a big issue on the world stage. "The countries that are entering the sector late should enter the sector very carefully," he said. " The issue of digital sovereignty has become a matter of national sovereignty," he said. "If we can ensure our institution's cybersecurity, we can also ensure our national security," he added.   "Protecting the nation's sovereignty over the cyberspace is not a task left to one group or institution. It is the responsibility of all parties concerned," he said.   The Director also mentioned that Ethiopia does not intend to shutdown other social media platforms

  ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 11, 2021 — Due to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) invasion, Amhara region has lost more than 4.5 million tonnes (41 million quintals) of crops, said the Amhara Agriculture Bureau, according to a report from Amhara Media Corporation. The bureau also said over 5 million acres (2 million hectares) of crops were destroyed as a result of the TPLF's expansion of the conflict into Amhara. In other words, 13% of Amhara region was devastated. More than 6.3 million people are suffering due to the damage on the harvests. In addition, it was also reported that the cost of destruction on farmlands, agriculture research centers, livestock resource centers, dairy and honey processing centers and other agriculture resource centers caused by the TPLF reached 5.8 billion USD. Dr. Almaz Gizew, Deputy Chief of the Amhara region Agriculture Bureau, met with leaders of Universities in Amhara region to find solutions to the destruction caused by the TPLF more spec

  ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 11, 2021 — On the battle for Kemise, Ethiopian forces composed of militia from the Oromo of Kemise, the Amhara of North Shoa, and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have gained success after five days of fighting and are now defending their ground, according to the statement from the Ministry of Government Communication Services (GCS). The government also said the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) conducted twenty attacks on the Bati- Aysaita front, in Afar region, in the last nine days. The TPLF carried out mission impossible to capture Mille, in Afar, but it was devastated in an operation by the Afar militia, the ENDF and the Ethiopian Air Force. The TPLF is targeting Mille Woreda, in Afar, to reach to the Ethio-Djibouti road and choke Ethiopia's economic lifeline, affecting millions. "The TPLF terrorist group had opened a new offensive at Bisober on Afar-Tigray boarder", said the statement from the GCS. However, "The

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 — YouTube has suspended the accounts of more than a dozen media outlets run by pro-Ethiopia activists just days after Senator Chris Coons introduced bipartisan legislation mandating sanctions against those "undermining peace efforts, profiting from, or otherwise fueling crisis in Ethiopia".   The crackdown lands on independent, non-governmental, pro-Ethiopia channels which were informing millions of Ethiopians around the world the events taking place in their homeland including the conflict in Amhara and Afar.   ZeHabesha, a US based, independent account and one of the longest serving channels providing Ethiopian news to the Ethiopian diaspora, was also suspended without notification on November 06, 2021. The so called " Ethiopia Peace and Democracy Promotion Act of 2021 " introduced by Senator Coons on November 04, 2021, could have triggered the social media crackdown on pro-Ethiopia accounts which were sources of informat

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 — The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) terrorists who have been in control of Sekota town, capital of Wag Himra zone of Amhara region, kidnapped Abune Barnabas, the Archbishop of Wag Himra and Canada Archdioceses, reported Fana Broadcasting Corporation (FBC). While under TPLF occupation , His Holiness Archbishop Abune Barnabas condemned the killings, looting of properties and destruction of infrastructure by the TPLF in Sekota and the surroundings. He was also coordinating humanitarian assistance to people affected by the TPLF invasion.   According to reports from Fana, who cited the Association of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Priests in North America , the TPLF terrorists are said to have severely tortured the Archbishop.   His Holiness Archbishop Abune Barnabas, whose whereabouts are still unknown, is a highly respected religious figure known for his humanitarian service.

  ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 — The Tigray People's Liberation Front's (TPLF) attempt to capture the Ethio-Djibouti road so as to choke Ethiopia's economy has been curbed for the sixth time by Ethiopian forces composed of Afar Special Forces, Afar militia and Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF). The Afar Media Agency reported that the terrorist group attempted to pass through Ada'ar Woreda of Afar region to capture Ethiopia's vital economic corridor and use it to pressure Ethiopia. However, due to a coordinated resistance from Afar Special Forces, Afar militia and ENDF, the TPLF terrorist group was repelled for the sixth time. Before attempting to pass through the Ada'ar Woreda, TPLF forces attempted a passage through Mile, Ewa, Chifra, Yallo and Berhale of Afar regions but all in vain. The terrorist group, after capturing Kemise, faced heavy resistance by the Wollo Oromo which forced it to forgo its plan to reach Addis Ababa and decided to confront the

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 09, 2021 — After President Olusegun Obasanjo delivered his briefing to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) yesterday, Ethiopia's Ambassador to the UN, Taye Atske Selassie, said his country honors and respects the call for political dialogue. "It is an approach we fully prescribe to and even applied in resolving many interstate and intrastate disputes", he said. The Ambassador pleaded to the Council to understand Ethiopia's context while discussing dialogue. "Ethiopia is a country of 83 languages. But no political group, despite their grievances, have raised arms against their brethren. No political group ethnic or political group, despite their unfulfilled demands, have waged war against the motherland. Diversity is not Ethiopia's problem", he said. Ethiopia's problem, said Ethiopia's UN Permanent Representative, is a criminal group [ the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF)] that refuses to accept equality

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 09, 2021 —  President Olusegun Obasanjo, African Union's High Representative for the Horn of Africa, after visiting Mekelle on November 07, briefed the AU's Peace and Security Council and later briefed the United Nation Security Council virtually. Below find his full statement to the UN Security Council. --- His Excellency, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, President of the UN Security Council; Your Excellency, Antonio Guterres , Secretary of the United Nations; Excellencies, Members of the Council; Distinguished ladies and gentlemen;   It is a great pleasure, an honor, for me to be invited to the briefing to this body to discuss the situation in Ethiopia within the context of agenda its item Peace and Security in Africa. I wish to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the President and Members of Council for this invitation.   If you allow me to exchange views on pertinent unfolding developments on one of the strategic countries in the continent of A

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 08, 2021 — Ethiopia begins providing national examination to more than 600,000 12th grade students today in more than 2,000 exam stations except in areas occupied by the US backed Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) terrorists. These exams decide the students' chances for tertiary education. The National Education Assessment and Examinations Agency (NEAEA) said it is planning to provide national examination in 2nd round in conflict ridden areas of Wag-Himra and North Wollo zones of Amhara region. It said it will provide psychological support to students from these areas before the exams. Adanech Abiebie (left), Addis Ababa Mayor, and Education Minister Professor Birhanu Nega visiting exam stations in Addis [Picture: Ministry of Education]   The Minister of Education, Professor Birhanu Nega, a veteran opposition figure, said that the 91.5% of students are attending the national exams from the total of those who registered.  However, in Tigray thin

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 07, 2021 – Hundreds and thousands of Ethiopians came out to the streets in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Sunday, denouncing the United States' (US) treatment of Ethiopia and condemning disinformation campaign waged against Ethiopia by international media such as CNN. The rally was also intended to show support to the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and condemn the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) terrorists and their backers.   In spite of the orchestrated international media disinformation campaign claiming Addis was uneasy, citizens of Addis Ababa came out to show to the world that things are not as the media depicts it to be. CNN recently released news saying that the TPLF terrorists were in the outskirts of Addis Ababa which led the U.S. Embassy in Addis to call on its citizens to leave the country. However, most Ethiopians saw this as unnecessary fear mongering.    Some of the demonstrators were carrying signs which read #NoMore ,

ADDIS ABABA, NOVEMBER 07, 2021 — Ethiopia's Mufti Haji Omar Idris enters the prestigious list of World's Most Influential 500 Muslims 2022 for a consecutive year. Mufti Haji Omar is selected as the most influential in the scholarly category. The 500 Most Influential Muslims (also known as The Muslim 500) is an annual publication first published in 2009, which ranks the most influential Muslims in the world.    The publication is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan. The report is issued in cooperation with Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University in the United States.   Mufti Haji Omar was born in Wollo, Amhara region, Ethiopia, where he completed his Quranic studies. He is the leader of Ethiopian Muslims as the President of Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council and head of the Fatwa and Da'wa Councils.    Widely respected among both Christians and Muslims in Ethiopia, he is a pr

  Addis Ababa, November 06, 2021 — After Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and Oromo Liberation Army joined hands in Kemise, Oromia Zone, Amhara region, they have killed hundreds of Oromo civilians, said Ahmed Hassan, mayor of Kemise town, in a phone interview with ETV. After they took over the town on November 04, 2021, the mayor said, they have been looting properties, destroying civilian infrastructures and killing many civilians. "OLA Shane has accepted TPLF's superiority and it is killing Oromo civilians, the people it claims it stands for. It brought TPLF to Kemise and killed many youths and looted property", said Shimelis Abdisa, President of Oromia regional state, during his interview with Fana television. Kemise is the administrative capital of Oromia Zone in Amhara region. The Oromo are the majority of the residents of Kemise town along with the Amhara and others. The Oromo in Kemise were the latest group to be targeted after TPLF was designated a ter

  Addis Ababa, November 06, 2021 — Twitter Inc said today it has indefinitely disabled its Trends section in Ethiopia over "threats of physical harm", the company said early today.  Ethiopia's hashtags #NoMore and #CNNFakeNews were the trends twitter disabled claiming they were "dehumanizing". But they were actually anti-terrorism hashtags and hashtags against disinformation campaign waged against Ethiopia and it was being led by Hermela Aregawi, an Ethiopian and a Tigrayan, through the Horn of Africa Hub . The hashtags among others were resisting a fake news being broadcasted by international media such as the CNN. Few days ago, CNN released unsubstantiated claim that the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a terrorist designated group, were at the outskirts of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. This claim by CNN, however, was immediately discredited by Ugandan journalist, Daniel Lutaaya, who visited Addis Ababa on November 05, just after CNN'