Somali court of appeals has adjourned the case of a journalist and a woman he interviewed who alleged that government forces had raped her.
The next date of hearing has been set for February 27.
Both journalist Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim and the 27-year-old woman were sentenced to one year in prison during an earlier hearing. The charges included insulting a government body, making false accusations and seeking to profit from said allegations.
Rights activists, including US-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW), have alleged that the ruling was politically motivated, and urged the appeals court to acquit the two defendants.
Three other defendants were acquitted during the February 5 trial by a Benadir regional court.
Ibrahim, who has been under detention since January 10, began serving his sentence at Mogadishu Central Prison immediately after the trial.
The woman is to begin her sentence after nursing her baby.
“The court finds that he offended state institutions by making a false interview, and entering the house of a woman whose husband was not present,” said Judge Ahmed Adan while announcing the earlier verdict.
The journalist’s arrest followed increasing media attention on reported sexual abuse by Somalia security forces. Earlier in January, Universal TV – a local television station – and Al Jazeera’s website separately published stories about allegations of rape in the city’s crowded camps for displaced people.
Ibrahim had not been involved with either story, does not work for either organisation, and had not published anything of his own investigation before he was detained.
“The outcome of this case is crucial for both the reporting of sexual violence and press freedom in Somalia,” said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “This case is a travesty, but it could still end with justice prevailing.”
Prior to being charged, the woman was interrogated for two days by the police without a lawyer present, HRW said.
At the trial, the judges did not permit the defence to present witnesses or evidence to rebut the prosecution’s case.
Many Somalianders are asking themselves what prompted the head of the Presidential Public Relations office Mr. Osman Abdi Osman better known as ‘Ina Awr Liqe’ to quit his job at the Presidential palace earlier Tuesday morning.
Mr. Osman Abdi Osman Aka as ‘Ina Awr Liqe’ revealed that he was quitting his post as head of the Presidential Public Relations office during press conference in Hargeisa citing that he has handover his resignation letter to incumbent president of Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Silanyo he declined to divulge the reasons behind his resignation but promised to do so on a later date.
During the press conference Mr. Osman read a brief note which stated as follows, As of today 19/2/2013 I want to take this opportunity to inform the President of Somaliland, minister of Presidency and members of independent media that I have chosen to resign from the post I have held for the last two years due personal reasons of which I will reveal at an appropriate time.
Mr. Osman went on to say I will hold in my keeping a government owned vehicle with registration number GT1217,until I get my refund for my personal money which was used to purchase the vehicle in the first place.
The Official is a close relative of Mr. Muse Biihi Abdi the embattled chairman of the ruling party KULMIYE, who is currently fighting for his political survival tonight as we speak in a secret closed door meeting with President Silanyo ,this after fallout between the duo a fortnight ago after the chairman of the ruling partyMr. Muse Bihi told the President Silanyo not to interfere with the upcoming party convention after suspecting a sinister plot to ouster him.
Good leaders encourage people to move forward with excitement, inspiration, trust, and vision. A common thread that consistently comes
What makes a good leader?
Good leaders encourage people to move forward with excitement, inspiration, trust, and vision. A common thread that consistently comes into discussion is leading by example. As a leader you can say whatever you want, but the actions you take show who you are.
Every decision you make; every word you speak, no matter how little, has an impact. Whether or not that impact is good one or a bad one is dependent solely if your actions run parallel to your words.
A good leader looks closely at his own behavior and fashion himself into the kind of person that others will want to follow and emulate.
So far, Somaliland doesn’t have a good leader, and I don’t see a good lead from the horizon.
In conclusion, Eleanor Roosevelt said, Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people.” After 21 years, our political leaders are wasting their time for finger pointing at each other and they are not discussing ideas that are beneficial to the nation.
Somaliland Minister of Health Dr. Hussein Muhumed Mohamed (Hussein Hog) today attended the closing of a three day workshop aimed at improving health care in the country at Hotel Mansoor, Hargeisa.
The three day workshop aimed at highlighting the dangers of Hepatitis B which a potentially life-threatening liver infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus. It can cause chronic liver disease and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer.
Dr. Hussein told those participating in the three day workshop, said the disease is a major global health problem and the most serious type of viral hepatitis and much need to be done to counter the disease.
Worldwide, an estimated two billion people have been infected with the hepatitis B virus and more than 240 million have chronic (long-term) liver infections. About 600 000 people die every year due to the acute or chronic consequences of hepatitis B, said Mrs. Asiiya Osman WHO Country Representative.
Mrs. Asiiya Osman said, there is currently available a vaccine which has an outstanding record of safety and effectiveness. Since 1982, over one billion doses of hepatitis B vaccine have been used worldwide. In many countries, where 8–15% of children used to become chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus, vaccination has reduced the rate of chronic infection to less than 1% among immunized children.
WHO is working with Somaliland ministry of health in order to counter the disease by implementing measures to prevent and control viral hepatitis such as Raising awareness, promoting partnerships and mobilizing resource and collecting evidence-based policy and data for action in order to prevent transmission and screening, care and treatment, added WHO representative.
The results of the local councils election created a whirlwind of confusion and paranoia which produced an encouraging sphere that could have tip the unbalanced and politically immature individuals to incite large number civilians into acts of violence. It had created a climate of collective uncertainty; each end of the political spectrum in the Somaliland Republic was attacking the other, albeit not in large scale, laying blame for creating a climate of mistrust and public odium that could have fostered such a division.
Looking back on the way in which the local council’s election on 28th November 2012 has been organised and implemented, I believe there has been committed serious mistakes and judgemental errors which could have been prevented by fair-minded, impartial and professional conduct and procedure of the National Election Committee.
However, out of this unfortunate and unforeseeable local council elections aftermath, we can come together as a stronger nation. I believe that the true nature, power, sprit and quality of the people of Somaliland comes when we are united and when we stand together- not when we are a splintered, quarrelling and polarized nation. As a nation, we share the same roots, history and values as we also cherish the same fate and future. Therefore, the things that unite us and keep our people together as a nation are far more important than those factors that divide us or create social disagreement.
Now the local government elections are behind us (with all irregularities surrounded it), it is time for tolerance and national unity. I believe it is the time to move forward and to make a reconciliation overture with compassionate purpose to heal the social scars that the local elections have left behind. It is the time to reaffirm our national unity, people’s togetherness and the sense of belonging and nationhood among the Somaliland people. In addition, it is important that a social justice and equality applied in every rank of Somaliland people has to manifest and reflect the values and history of our great nation.
The Somaliland citizens must also have the rights to exercise fully their constitutional rights and ability to speak their mind and have a say in how they are governed; they should have confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice. The Somaliland citizens are ardently eager to see a government that is transparent and doesn’t embezzle and pinch from the people.
At a time of growing enmity, hatred and resentment towards the existence of our nation aimed solemnly at destabilization and damaging of our home country, I believe that defending the interests, existence and the cause of our country is a moral duty and an individual obligation for each and every Somalilander, at home and abroad. We must be sensible for the way in which we criticize the leadership of our country. We should find out non-destructive ways to express our views and to make known our discontent and disagreement with regard to the way in which the current government leads and governs the country.
Although you may personally not in agreement with all of President Ahmed Silaanyo’s policy stances and the way in which his government run the country, I suppose you love your country and you care about your people. The current president is not only the president for those who have voted for him, but he is the president for all of us. That’s why you should support and respect the incumbent as the President of Somaliland Republic. We should not bad-mouth him to others (Somaliland enemies) but respect, support and sustain him as our President. If you have an issue with his policies, take a stand and have your say, use your individual rights granted by the Constitution, start a petition, and get involved in the democratic process.
After all, when it comes to the existence and sovereignty of our country as well as the aspirations and self determination of the people of Somaliland, we all know it’s the simple and only thing that counts among many other things that we may hold a different view. The future is as bright as we make it. We can choose to fight for what we believe in or not.
Long Live the Somaliland Republic
May ALLAH (SXWT) protect the true and genuine patriot!
Architectural-Eng. Hussein Adan Igeh (Hussein Deyr) [UK]
Somaliland security forces in Las Anod have apprehended two suspects involved in the recent killing of a prominent religious man in Garowe capital of neighboring Puntland.
The Deputy Commanding Officer of Police for Sool Region Captain Abdillahi Said Guled speaking during a press conference he said “Somaliland security forces holding two men in custody since yesterday night after were caught them as they were about to board a rented car in the southern suburbs of Las Anod en route to Hargeisa.
“One of the two men we have in our custody is believed to be directly involved in the last week murder of the late Sheik Abdikedir Nur Farah (Gacamay) while his accomplice had facilitated his escape, stated Captain Abdillahi.
The Two Suspects involved in the murder of the Sheik Abdikedir Nur Farah (Gacamay) have been transferred to Hargeisa criminal investigation department headquarters and will be arranged in court soon.
CALGARY—As she was driving to a rally to raise awareness about violence against women, Amanda Lindhout started to have doubts about her plan to speak publicly for the first time about how she had been raped and tortured while being held captive in Somalia.
“I just didn’t know if I was going to have the courage to do it,” she said Friday.
“Those are words that I have never said in public before, that I have said only in the confines of my therapist’s office and with close friends and family. So for me, just like for any woman that has experienced this kind of abuse, to stand in front of people and say that publicly and really own that experience was extremely difficult for me to do.”
But buoyed by a feeling of safety at the One Billion Rising event in Calgary, the 31-year-old writer and activist who hails from Red Deer, Alta., and now lives in Canmore, Alta., chose to reveal the repeated sexual attacks that she suffered during her captivity with the aim of showing solidarity with others dealing with the same issues.
Lindhout has spoken before of her time being held captive by a group of Somali youths who had kidnapped her off the side of the road outside the capital of Mogadishu in August 2008. At the time, she was working as a freelance writer.
When Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan were abducted, their parents first turned to the Canadian and Australian governments for help, but eventually hired a private hostage negotiation group and paid a ransom to secure their freedom.
“When I came home from my experience as a hostage three years ago, I never felt an obligation to share publicly any great amount of details about the abuse that I suffered,” she said.
“I shared what I felt was an appropriate level of detail with the Canadian public, who I did feel some responsibility to, considering how engaged the nation was during the 15 ½ months I was a hostage.”
Lindhout turned her attention to writing a book about her experiences and founded her Global Enrichment Foundation, which has a mandate of supporting vulnerable Somali women.
An articulate and composed speaker, Lindhout always seemed to exude confidence, but she admitted that surface belied the ongoing difficulties many survivors of sexual assault would be familiar with.
“There are still days that are really hard for me,” she said. “I have pretty severe post-traumatic stress and it’s something I live with every single day. I’m still afraid of the dark and I’m afraid of loud noises.”
Adding to the complexity of her recovery was her work, which put her in daily contact with the subject of her greatest fears.
“Every woman who has experienced sexual abuse knows how hard it is to get up every single day, but then on top of that I have the public looking at me and the media asking questions about what happened to me,” she said.
She may not have used the words rape and torture, but she said they often ended up in the headlines of stories about her.
“Every time I saw them and read them, I felt like I was victimized over and over again. Those words touched a raw part of me that was still unhealed.”
But she became determined not to be a victim.
“I’m a survivor of rape and I’m a survivor of torture,” she said. “I choose to walk the road of healing. It’s been a long journey over the last three years, but it’s something I choose every day.”
She has learned the process of healing will likely take the rest of her life — she works with psychologists and therapists and nutritionists “to put both my physical and my emotional self-back together.”
She said the support she received after going public about her sexual abuse was heartwarming.
“I have been overwhelmed and extremely touched by how many women have reached out to me,” she said. “If I’m in a position to have my voice heard because of what happened to me in Somalia and share my story and my experiences … then I feel a bit of responsibility to do that.
“That wasn’t easy for me to do yesterday. But it was worth it.”
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The Somali government is offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the convictions of those killing journalists, the country’s prime minister said.
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon said over the weekend that the reward will help ensure that such killers are brought to justice.
Somalia is one of the world’s most dangerous countries in which to practice journalism, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Last year 18 Somali journalists were killed, but no arrests were made. So far this year one reporter has been killed, bringing to 45 the total number of journalists killed here since 2007.
The National Union of Somali Journalists said last year that impunity is a fundamental problem in Somalia. It said no one has been convicted for the deaths of the journalists. Judicial reform is at the heart of the government’s efforts to ensure killers of journalists are brought to justice, Shirdon said during a meeting with journalists on Saturday.
The prime minister called the meeting to discuss the government’s relationship with the media and listen to journalists’ concerns, following the killing of journalist on January 18 and two recent arrests of reporters, according to a statement from his office.
“I respect the important work you do in Somalia in what are often extremely difficult circumstances and I understand your concern,” the prime minister said. “One journalist killed is one journalist too many. We don’t want any to be killed.”
He said that nobody in Somalia is above the law, including government officials.
The decision to establish the Independent Task Force on Human Rights, which was launched on February 5, had been taken in large part to address concerns about the human rights abuses against Somali journalists, as well as to investigate violence against women, he said.
International human rights groups expressed outrage over the one year sentences given earlier this month by a Mogadishu court to a woman who said she was raped by security forces, and freelance journalist Abdiaziz Abdinur, who interviewed her. Rights groups say the charges against the two were politically motivated because the rape accusations were made against the security forces.
Rape is reported to be rampant in Mogadishu, where tens of thousands of people who fled last year’s famine live in poorly protected camps. Government troops are often blamed for raping women in the camps.
Journalist advocacy groups also condemned the detention without trial, for more than a week, of journalist Daud Abdi Daud, who spoke out in court against Abdinur’s sentence.
Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders accused the Somali government of clamping down the free expression in the country.
Human Rights Watch said Monday that the Somali Court of Appeals in Mogadishu will hear the cases of Abdinur and the woman he interviewed who alleged rape by government forces.
“The outcome of this case is crucial for both the reporting of sexual violence and press freedom in Somalia,” said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “This case is a travesty, but it could still end with justice prevailing.”
By Associated Press
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The Somali government is offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the convictions of those killing journalists, the country’s prime minister said.
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon said over the weekend that the reward will help ensure that such killers are brought to justice.
Somalia is one of the world’s most dangerous countries in which to practice journalism, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Last year 18 Somali journalists were killed, but no arrests were made. So far this year one reporter has been killed, bringing to 45 the total number of journalists killed here since 2007.
The National Union of Somali Journalists said last year that impunity is a fundamental problem in Somalia. It said no one has been convicted for the deaths of the journalists. Judicial reform is at the heart of the government’s efforts to ensure killers of journalists are brought to justice, Shirdon said during a meeting with journalists on Saturday.
The prime minister called the meeting to discuss the government’s relationship with the media and listen to journalists’ concerns, following the killing of journalist on January 18 and two recent arrests of reporters, according to a statement from his office.
“I respect the important work you do in Somalia in what are often extremely difficult circumstances and I understand your concern,” the prime minister said. “One journalist killed is one journalist too many. We don’t want any to be killed.”
He said that nobody in Somalia is above the law, including government officials.
The decision to establish the Independent Task Force on Human Rights, which was launched on February 5, had been taken in large part to address concerns about the human rights abuses against Somali journalists, as well as to investigate violence against women, he said.
International human rights groups expressed outrage over the one year sentences given earlier this month by a Mogadishu court to a woman who said she was raped by security forces, and freelance journalist Abdiaziz Abdinur, who interviewed her. Rights groups say the charges against the two were politically motivated because the rape accusations were made against the security forces.
Rape is reported to be rampant in Mogadishu, where tens of thousands of people who fled last year’s famine live in poorly protected camps. Government troops are often blamed for raping women in the camps.
Journalist advocacy groups also condemned the detention without trial, for more than a week, of journalist Daud Abdi Daud, who spoke out in court against Abdinur’s sentence.
Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders accused the Somali government of clamping down the free expression in the country.
Human Rights Watch said Monday that the Somali Court of Appeals in Mogadishu will hear the cases of Abdinur and the woman he interviewed who alleged rape by government forces.
“The outcome of this case is crucial for both the reporting of sexual violence and press freedom in Somalia,” said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “This case is a travesty, but it could still end with justice prevailing.”
By Associated Press
In December 2011, I wrote a commentary entitled, “Ethiopia: Land of Blood or Land of Corruption?” contrasting two portraits of Ethiopia. At the time, the portrait painted by Transparency International (TI) (Corruption Index) and Global Financial Integrity (GFI) showed Ethiopia as a land blighted by systemic corruption. GFI reported that “Ethiopia, which has a per-capita GDP of just US$365, lost US$11.7 billion to illicit financial outflows between 2000 and 2009. In 2009, illicit money leaving the economy totaled US$3.26 billion, which is double the amount in each of the two previous years.” TI gave Ethiopia a score of 2.7 on the Corruption Index (on a scale of 0 – 10, where 0 means “highly corrupt” and 10 means “very clean”).
At that time, the dictatorial regime, which is still in power today, sought to portray Ethiopia as a country under siege by traitorous terrorists. In a fear-mongering three-part propaganda “documentary” entitled “Akeldama” (or Land [field] of Blood, taken from Acts 1:19 referring to a field said to have been bought by Judas Iscariot with the thirty pieces of silver he got for betraying Jesus) shown on ruling party-owned television service, the regime sought to depict Ethiopia as a country under withering terrorist attack by Ethiopian Diaspora opposition elements and their co-conspirators inside the country and other “terrorist” groups. “Akeldama” began with a proclamation on the arrival of a bloodbath doomsday in Ethiopia: “Terrorism is destroying the world. Terrorism is wrecking our daily lives, obstructing it. What I am telling you now is not about international terrorism. It is about a scheme that has been hatched against our country Ethiopia to turn her into Akeldama or land of blood. For us Ethiopians, terrorism has become a bitter problem….”
“Akeldama” stitched revolting and gruesome video clips and photomontage of terrorist carnage and destruction throughout the world to tar and feather all opponents of the late Meles Zenawi as stooges of Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab in Somalia. Gratuitously horrific images of dead bodies of babies and little children lying on the ground, fly-infested corpses of adults oozing blood on the asphalt, severed limbs scattered in the streets, burned vehicles, bombed buildings, doctors treating injured victims and footage of the imploding Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2011 were blended in a toxic video presentation to hypnotize and paralyze the population with fear and loathing. Following an orgiastic presentation of carnage and destruction, that “documentary” pointed an accusatory finger at “ruthless terrorists” who are “destroying our peace” and “massacring our loved ones”. In a haunting voice, the narrator exhorts, “Let’s look at the evidence. In the past several years, there have been 131 terrorist attacks; 339 citizens killed; 363 injured and 25 kidnapped and killed by terrorists.”
By weaving deceitful, deceptive and distorted narratives between grisly spectacles of alleged terrorist atrocity, cruelty, brutality, bestiality and inhumanity from the world over, “Akeldama” hoped to create rabid public hysteria against Ethiopia’s opposition elements and justify the regime’s violent crackdowns on opposition elements. That propaganda hogwash gained little traction in the public mind.
2013: Dictatorship, corruption and the politics of fear and smear
Fast forward to February 2013. A recent exhaustive 448-page World Bank report revealed that Ethiopia has one of the most corrupt-to-the-core regimes in the world. According to this report, Ethiopia’s “Telecommunications Sector” is Corruption Central, the Ground Zero of Corruption: “Despite the country’s exceptionally heavy recent investment in its telecoms infrastructure, it has the second lowest telephone penetration rate in Africa. Amid its low service delivery, an apparent lack of accountability, and multiple court cases, some aspects of the sector are perceived by both domestic and international observers to be deeply affected by corruption.” Ethiopia’s “Construction Sector exhibits most of the classic warning signs of corruption risk, including instances of poor-quality construction, inflated unit output costs, and delays in implementation.” Corruption in the “Justice Sector” rears its ugly head in the form of “political interference with the independent actions of courts or other sector agencies, or payment or solicitation of bribes or other considerations to alter a decision or action.” Corruption in the “Land Sector” is built into the law itself: “The capture of state assets by the elite can occur through the formulation of policy that favors the elite.”
On February 5, 2013, the ruling regime in Ethiopia broadcasted a one hour “documentary” entitled “Jihadawi Harakat” (“Holy War Movement”) purportedly aimed at exposing Islamic extremists and terrorists preparing for a “holy war” to establish an Islamic government in Ethiopia. This “documentary” is nothing less than a declaration of an unholy war against Ethiopian Muslims. “Jihadawi Harakat” is a maliciously conceived and executed propaganda campaign right down to the diabolical title which seeks to portray Ethiopian Muslims peacefully demanding respect for their human rights as the handmaidens of such jihadist terrorist movements as Hamas (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya), Harakat al-Jihad al-Islami al-Filastini and the Abu Sayyaf (terror group in the southern Philippines) group’s Al Harakat al-Islamiyya.
“Jihadawi Harakat” is very similar in tone and content to “Akeldama”. The principal difference is that “Jihadawi Harakat” targets Ethiopian Muslims for persecution and vilification. The “documentary” as a whole argues that Ethiopian Muslims who asked for nothing more than respect for their basic human rights and non-government interference in their religious affairs are merely local chapters of blood thirsty terrorist groups such Boko Haram (Nigeria), Ansar al Din (Mali), Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, Hamas… Despite the lip service disclaimer that the “documentary” is about a “few terrorists taking cover behind the Islamic faith to commit terrorism” in Ethiopia, this “documentary” stands as an ugly testament to official state religious intolerance and persecution rarely seen anywhere in Africa.
There are lies, naked lies, damned lies and sleazy lies. “Jihadawi Harakat” is all four. After viewing this revolting “documentary”, I recalled the furious words of the late Meles Zenawi when the European Union Election Observer Group confronted him with the truth about his theft of the May 2010 election by 99.6 percent. Meles was so angry that he got caught, he condemned the EU election report as “trash that deserves to be thrown in the garbage.” This phony, vile, shallow, pretentious, noxious and histrionic docutrash is such a pile of crap that it deserves to be flushed into the sewer.
First, let us establish the facts on the demands of Ethiopian Muslims. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent body constituted by the Congress and the President of the United States to monitor religious freedom worldwide:
Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to impose the al-Ahbash Islamic sect on the country’s Muslim community, a community that traditionally has practiced the Sufi form of Islam. The government also has manipulated the election of the new leaders of the Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC). Previously viewed as an independent body, EIASC is now viewed as a government-controlled institution. The arrests, terrorism charges and takeover of EIASC signify a troubling escalation in the government’s attempts to control Ethiopia’s Muslim community and provide further evidence of a decline in religious freedom in Ethiopia. Muslims throughout Ethiopia have been arrested during peaceful protests: On October 29, the Ethiopia government charged 29 protestors with terrorism and attempting to establish an Islamic state.
The jihadists are coming, again?!
“Jihadawi Harakat” is not the first time the regime in power in Ethiopia has pulled the jihadist bogeyman out of their back pockets to scare the people of Ethiopia. Back in November 2006, a month before Meles Zenawi’s tanks “blitzkrieged” their way into Mogadishu killing tens of thousands of innocent Somali civilians and displacing over a million, I wrote a commentary entitled, “The Jihadists are Coming!” I argued that Meles Zenawi had fabricated the Somali jihadist terrorist threat out of whole cloth to deflect attention from his dismal human rights record and repression and to buy the good will and diplomatic support of the U.S.:
Here we go again! Trot out the Somali jihadist bogeyman (aya jibo). Get out the smoke machine and mirrors. Show time! Act I. Narrator Zenawi: “Somalia is becoming a haven for terrorist. The sheiks of terror have declared an unholy war on Ethiopia, and the U.S. of A. They are on the outskirts. Patriots and countrymen, defend the homeland!…
But the whole jihadist business smacks of political fantasy. It’s surreal. Mr. Zenawi says the Somali jihadists and their Al Qaeda partners should be opposed and defeated because they are undemocratic, anti-democratic, oppressive and authoritarian. The jihadists don’t believe in human rights and do not allow political or social dissent. They are fanatics who want to impose one-party rule… Duh!!! Has Mr. Zenawi looked at the mirror lately?…
… Mr. Zenawi says the Somali jihadists are lurking behind every desert rock and boulder. He wants Ethiopians to come out and fight them in every hamlet, town and city. We want Ethiopians to come out of the jails and prisons and rejoin their families. We want them to come out into the streets and peacefully express themselves, show their opposition to government policies and actions, engage in constructive dialogue with their fellow citizens and enjoy basic human rights… Now, we have a choice to make. We can follow along the Zenawi Road Show and entertain ourselves with stories of the Somali jihadist bogeyman, Mickey Mouse and the Easter Bunny. Or we can stay focused on the real issues of human rights, civil liberties, the rule of law and democracy in Ethiopia.
Meles used the jihadist bogeyman in 2006 to plunge Ethiopia into the civil war in Somalia. In 2013, his disciples hope to use same jihadist bogeyman to plunge Ethiopia into internecine sectarian civil war.
“Jihadawi Harakat” or the art of Islamophobia
“Jihadawi Harakat” is such a revoltingly amateurish piece of propaganda that one could easily dismiss it as dimwitted cartoonish gibberish and sophomoric fear mongering melodrama. But that would be a serious mistake because this vicious docutrash scandalizes, villiainizes, slanders and vilifies Ethiopia’s Muslim community. As lame and as cynical as this docutrash is, its tacit propaganda aim is to present a “morality play” of “evil” Muslims against “good” Christians. It is intended to scare Christians into believing that the same Muslims with whom they have coexisted peacefully for a millennia have now suddenly been transformed into “Islamic terrorists” and are secretly planning to wage a jihadist war on them to establish an Islamic government. Just as “Akeldama” sought to demonize, dehumanize, anathematize, demoralize and barbarize all of Ethiopia’s dissidents and opposition groups as a confederation of blood thirsty terrorists, “Jihad Harekat” seeks to do exactly the same thing to Ethiopian Muslims by creating Islamophobic hysteria in Ethiopia.
Careful review and analysis shows the ruling regime sought to accomplish a number of propaganda objectives with this docutrash: 1) tar and feather all Muslims who demand respect for their basic human rights and regime non-interference in their religious affairs as blood thirsty terrorists, fanatical jihadists and homicidal maniacs, 2) inflame Christian passions to incite hatred and spread distrust and suspicion against Muslims; 3) vilify Muslims and create a climate of fear, loathing and intolerance which the regime hopes will trigger mass hysteria, persecution and discrimination against Muslims; 4) divert the attention of the population from the desperate economic, social and political issues of the day by feeding them ugly fantasies of jihadists Ethiopian Muslims planting bombs and planning terrorist acts to create an Islamic state, and 5) establish the moral justification for ruthlessly cracking down and clamping down on Muslims who have asked for nothing more than respect for their religious liberties and official non-interference in the administration of their religious affairs. Of course, the regime desperately wants to divert public attention from its massive corruption documented in the World Bank’s exhaustive 448-page report.
Anatomy of a Docutrash
For those who do not wish to waste their time viewing this pile of bull manure (make sure to hold your nose if you must watch it) passing off as a “documentary”, here is a summary. The docutrash opens with a text-image insert announcing, “An evidence-based documentary on a few individuals who have used the Islamic faith as a cover to conduct terrorist activities. A documentary prepared in collaboration with the national intelligence service, federal police and Ethiopian television and radio organization. It presents evidence on how a few individuals have taken cover behind the Islamic faith and tried to implement the terrorist plans of Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab in Ethiopia.”
For 13 seconds, the text image insert slowly recedes on the screen; and without warning the face of a menacing “terrorist” set against a pitch black background emerges and scrolls to the right on the screen for 8 seconds to inspire a foreboding sense of fear and panic in the viewer. The same man whose picture has been photoshopped to make him look wild-eyed and sinister appears and gives the first “evidence” by “confessing” in a soft voice and gentle demeanor, “The jihad is between Muslims and those who are not Muslims.”
The “evidence” presented consists of “confessions” (mostly 2 0r 3 sentence incriminating admissions by the “suspects” unaccompanied by the questions of the interrogators) of some of the 29 terror suspects mentioned in the report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom referenced above. (The terror suspects giving “confessions” are currently on trial and the regime broadcasted the “documentary” in flagrant violation of a court order not to do so.)
Following the “confession” of the man admitting to a jihad between Muslims and non-Muslims, a video clip of riotous young men (insinuating that they are Muslim rioters) running away from something is shown. Video clips likely scarfed from the internet immediately follow showing turbaned and disguised jihadists from all over the world wreaking havoc in unnamed places. A text-image follows announcing, “Boko Haram in Ethiopia.” Young Ethiopian Muslim men are briefly shown at a peaceful gathering protesting. A young Muslim leader is shown speaking to a group and claiming that Muslims are being “accused of being terrorists, criminals and seeking power.” More photos of turbaned and armed terrorists are shown followed by a video clip of Muslim terrorists digging up a cache of arms from a hole in the ground. A bearded Muslim man appears and states, “We have prepared the weapons and the manpower needed for the war against the government and our aim is to establish an Islamic government.” Photomontage of terrorists from other parts of the world brandishing AK47s and RPGs follow along with more video clips of terrorists blowing up buildings. Civilians are shown running away from scenes of terrorists attacks. Unnamed terrorists are shown marching in the bushes. Photoshopped pictures of the same bearded suspects shown at the very beginning of the video are scrolled time and again across the screen to give the creepy impression that the “confessing” suspects are stalking the viewer like beasts of prey. For another 58 minutes, the same theme is repeated over and over again with snippets of “confessions” sandwiched between scenes of armed terrorists and terrorist devastation.
Rule of Law or Rule of Ignoramuses
Leaders of the ruling regime often trumpet their allegiance to and defense of their Constitution. Last September propaganda meister Bereket Simon, after telling and retelling the world the Big Lie about Meles’ health and death, waxed eloquent day after day about constitutional succession and the game of official musical chairs to be played in the post-Meles period. As “communications minister”, Simon authorized the broadcasting of the “Jihadawi Harekat” docutrash. One really wonders how these “champions of the Ethiopian Constitution” seem to be enlightened only about those provisions they like but are willfully benighted about the parts they don’t like such as the rights of the accused. It reminds one of a line from Shakespeare, “The devil can cite Scripture for his purposes.” Are they cunningly malicious or just plain ignorant? For years, I have been saying that preaching constitutional law (the rule of law) to the regime in Ethiopia is like preaching Scripture to a gathering of heathen. These vacuous imposters would not recognize the Constitution if it ran them over like a Mac truck.
What needs to be doubly underscored in the case against the 29 Muslim “terror suspects”, including those who allegedly confessed in “Jihadawi Harakat” are three important facts: 1) All of the “suspects” are pretrial detainees entitled to full procedural due process protections provided in the Ethiopian Constitution and various other binding international human rights conventions. 2) There is substantial evidence to show that the “suspects” who allegedly confessed did so under coercion. In the case of one “suspect”, for instance, a video of the interrogation and “confession” shows him handcuffed. 3) All of the 29 “terrorism suspects” in custody are political prisoners.
In terms of the flagrant disregard for the constitutional and human rights of the suspects, one cannot be unimpressed by the abysmal depth of ignorance and depraved indifference of the regime leaders. The Ethiopian Constitution under Art. 20 (3) provides: “During proceedings accused persons have the right to be presumed innocent.” They seem to be totally clueless (or don’t give a damn) of their obligation under international human rights conventions which are incorporated expressly into the Ethiopian Constitution under Article 13. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides under Art. 11: “Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which they have had all the guarantees necessary for their defence.” The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) under Art. 14 (2): “Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.” The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) provides under Art. 7 (b): “The right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty by a competent court or tribunal.” The presumption of innocence requires that there be no pronouncement of guilt of the defendant by responsible public officials prior to a finding of guilt by a court of law. Moreover, the “confessions” obtained in this docutrash are in flagrant violation of the prohibition on coerced admissions and confessions and the exclusionary rule in Article 19 (5) which provides that the accused “shall not be compelled to make confessions or admissions which could be used in evidence or against them. Any evidence obtained under coercion shall not be admissible.”
The sad irony in the case against the Muslim “terror suspects” is that the kangaroo court which issued the injunction against the broadcasting of the docutrash will not have the integrity or the guts to throw out all of the “confessions” or impose other sanctions including criminal contempt citations against those who willfully disobeyed its order and/or dismiss with prejudice the case against the defendants for such an egregious and outrageous violation of their fair trial rights.
Frankly, I must confess that I take a bit of perverse pleasure in being fully vindicated. For years, I have been saying that there is no rule of law in Ethiopia and the courts are kangaroo courts puppet-mastered by the political bosses. Is there any doubt now that the miscarriage of justice has become justice in Ethiopia?
A desperate dictatorship and the art of sewage politics
With this docutrash, the dictators in Ethiopia have proven not only that they can get lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut but also that they are the grandmasters of sewage politics. The fact of the matter is that the only proven cases of terrorist carnage in Ethiopia were committed by the regime. In “Akeldama”, the regime claimed “131 terrorist attacks; 339 citizens killed; 363 injured and 25 kidnapped and killed by terrorists” over the preceding decade. However, the official Inquiry Commission established by Meles Zenawi determined that in just a few days following the election in May 2005, security troops under the personal control and command of Meles Zenawi massacred 193 unarmed protesters in the streets and severely wounded another 763. The Commission concluded the “shots fired by government forces [which were intended] not to disperse the crowd of protesters but to kill by targeting the head and chest of the protesters.” In September 2011, the world learned “Ethiopian security forces (had) planted 3 bombs that went off in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on September 16, 2006 and then blamed Eritrea and the Oromo resistance for the blasts in a case that raised serious questions about the claims made about the bombing attempt against the African Union summit earlier this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.” It was the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa which conducted its own “clandestine reporting” and fingered “GoE (Government of Ethiopia) security forces” for this criminal act. If all other acts of state terrorism committed against Ethiopian civilians were to be included, the body count would be in the hundreds of thousands. Those who point an accusatory index finger to tar and feather others with charges of terrorism should be careful to see which way the other three fingers are pointing.
“Jihadawi Harekat” is a smear campaign designed to vilify, malign, demean and marginalize Ethiopian Muslims. It is a vicious propaganda effort aimed at poisoning the centuries-old peaceful relations between adherents of the Islamic and Christian faiths in Ethiopia. It is an outrageous piece of propaganda designed to promote irrational fears of Muslims and Islam in Ethiopian society and facilitate the creation of conditions that will eventually lead to the persecution, discrimination and exclusion of Muslims from the political, social, economic and public life of the nation. “Jihadawi Harekat” is out-and-out Islamophobia.
We should never tolerate or yield to Islamophobia in Ethiopia!
Release all political prisoners in Ethiopia!
Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam teaches political science at California State University, San Bernardino and is a practicing defense lawyer.
Previous commentaries by the author are available at:
http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/
www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/
Amharic translations of recent commentaries by the author may be found at:
http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic
http://ethioforum.org/?cat=24
