Defense Minister and Command Post Secretariat Siraj Fegessa said 17 security personnel have been injured in violence in Oromia since the second state of emergency was declared two weeks ago. He said security officers have been stabbed, hit by stones and beaten with sticks by youth opposing the government.
“Some people are throwing grenades, at buildings, government offices and private companies and blocking roads so people can’t get to work. Our security officers are doing their best to control these illegal actions,’’ he said.
He added that almost 90 percent of cross county road transportation is back into full operation. However the route from Addis Ababa– Ambo-Asossa and the route from Addis Ababa to Jima is still blocked.
When the state of emergency was ratified it instructed security forces to take “measures” against those disturbing the peace of the country, with a new special court established to try them.
“What everyone should understand is that we are not getting development, peace, democracy in violent ways. Burning houses is not the solution to the problem. Disturbing innocent people’s lives is not what we expect from people. We may have questions, we may have grievances about the government but we must deliver our issues in an ethical manner so we do not disturb people or end lives. To protect our citizens from danger we will take strict action against those who instigate violence, including arresting them,” he said.
Capital asked Siraj a question about negotiations between the government and opposition parties here and abroad. He responded by saying
“This government is elected by the people and the only force that will remove it from the chair is our people. We are observing that some people are mistakenly involved in violence by listening to the groups who want the government to step down illegally. Some say transition is the answer and some say discussions with the groups who want to take power though a short cut. We do not accept this idea because we are governed by constitution and all things should be done in the right way.”
“Let me tell you something, we are better than before, look at our Prime Minster, he submitted a resignation letter weeks ago and not that much trouble has occurred in the country this shows how the government is doing its job in a good way,’’ he added.
Journalist also asked how many people have been killed so far and if excessive use of force was being used.
He said that the report is being summarized. “We will disclose the total number of lives lost and amount of property damaged when we summarize our report and as to the excessive actions as far as we know many security forces are doing their jobs in a very patient manner even if some people are trying to snatch their weapons. If any security personnel fail to follow the correct procedures we will take action as we have done in the past.”
Though the government said the state of emergency will bring stability to the country some opposition groups have called for a transitional government or dialogue between opposition parties.
Command Post says most roads open, some security forces attacked
AU Chief confers with US Secretary of State
African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat hosted U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa. Both sides reaffirmed their strong commitment to the shared goal of a stable and prosperous Africa.
Their conversation builds upon their previous meeting in November on the margins of the annual US- AU High Level Dialogue in Washington D.C. The United States was the first country to establish a mission uniquely dedicated to the AU in 2006. During their meeting, Chairperson Faki and Secretary Tillerson reinforced their commitment to common priorities. She said that the AU has made significant progress on institutional reform and regional integration, including the planned signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, and the launch of the Single African Air Transport Market. The United States applauded the work of the AU’s Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which has tracked and responded to disease outbreaks on the continent.
The two also discussed a few country specific issues, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR), where the United States continues to urge the AU to press all parties- including the DRC government and the political opposition- to work towards December 2018 DRC elections. Tillerson and Faki agreed that the AU and Intergovernmental Authority on Development should continue to apply pressure on the warring parties in South Sudan for a negotiated solution, to protect the lives and welfare of innocent South Sudanese.
The AU has named 2018 as the year of “Winning the Fight against Corruption,” and the United States supports the AU’s fight against all forms of corruption to improve the conditions for free and fair trade and enabling the environment for business and good governance.
Meeting against the backdrop of International Women’s Day, the AU and the United States joined their efforts to help those who decry gender-based corruption, inequality of opportunity, harassment, and gender-based violence.
Economic engagement between the United States and the AU is extensive and builds on existing US programs such as Trade Africa, Power Africa, the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and Feed the Future. Opportunities for greater collaboration include joint trade facilitation workshops, and supporting greater agricultural trade between the United States and Africa, including by harmonizing agricultural standards and building on ongoing food safety standards efforts through the AU-led Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa.
The AU’s ongoing efforts to enhance its legal framework through the early entry into force of its Convention on Cyber security and Personal Data Protection will establish a sound basis for collaboration on efforts to develop cyber security capacities to protect Africa’s citizens.
Peace and security remain a mutual priority. The February launch of a US supported unarmed, unmanned aerial surveillance platform to support the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) underscores commitment to the fight against terrorism in Somalia. The United States recognizes the perseverance and sacrifice of African Union soldiers participating in AMISOM and acknowledges the need to ensure predictable and sustainable funding for AMISOM to enable it to achieve its mandate.
Clean cooking project launched
The Netherlands Development organization (SNV) on Tuesday launched the Strengthening Enabling Environment in Clean Cooking Sectors (SEECCS) project to assist the government with its plan to distribute over 11 million improved cooking stoves during the current Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II).
According to Kebede Yimam, State Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, getting people better stoves has vastly improved people’s lives primarily by improving the health of mothers and reducing deforestation in rural areas.
The use of renewable energy and creating green jobs are two ways the government is trying to tackle climate change. During GTP I over eight million improved stoves were distributed, Kebede told Capital.
During the event at the Intercontinental Hotel it was announced that the SEECCS project would last two years and SNV would partner with government and private organizations as well as financial institutions. There are a lot of programs working on improving cooking stoves but this is a first for the exclusive clean cooking initiative, Project Manager Hiwote Teshome, said.
“Fuel saving has been the priority with the cooking stove projects in the past, but the current project is targeted to include health issue like household pollution and environmental concerns,” she added.
The private sector will play an important role in this project by supplying improved stoves.
The World Bank has injected capital via the Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE) for renewable energy and although the private sector has not engaged in this endeavor but it has hoped that they will soon, according to the project manager.
“We have expectations that those financial organizations including the micro financial ones will get involved in this project,” she added
The project is financed by the government of the Netherlands in collaboration with the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change.
UN Women focuses on Women and girls living in rural areas
A panel discussion with the theme “Time is now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives” was held by UN Women to commemorate International Women’s Day. The event had panelists from organizations like UN agencies, representatives of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and others, to discuss and contribute to the work on transforming the lives of rural and urban women in Ethiopia.
“We are here to celebrate and to hear from the empowered women that are working themselves to transform other women’s lives. We have urban activists who struggle to emancipate other women and who are doing their best to change the next generation of women,” said Letty Chiwara, UN Women Representative to Ethiopia, AU and UNECA.
“This year’s theme captures the women activists’ vibrant life whose passion and commitment have won women’s rights over the generations, and successfully brought change. We celebrate an unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality, safety and justice, recognizing the tireless work of activists who have been central to this global push for gender equality,” she also added.
UN Women which is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment facilitates engagement with regional inter-governmental bodies and the UN system. The UN Women’s program in Ethiopia empowers women to secure their human rights while supporting institutions that provide services.
The two hour long panel discussion that was held on Thursday had selected urban and rural advocates as panelists and present their achievements, approaches, challenges and opportunities in transforming women’s lives.
“The feminist movement must continue to increase the diversity and the number of people working on gender equality, bringing in individuals and groups-such as men and boys, young people and faith-based organizations-to support and shape the agenda, so young men and boys learn to value and respect women and girls and so men can change the way they behave,” Chiwara also said.
Chiwara highlighted the need to change the narrative from ‘Rural Women and Girls’ as it is not the women who are rural, but that it is the context and environment within which the women and girls derive their livelihoods and experience which is rural. In this context she advised the focus to be on interventions that change those contexts and environments for the benefit of the women and girls.
A representative of Australian Embassy Rebecca Yohannes stated that this year’s International Women’s Day celebration theme requires everyone to continue to work and close the gap between opportunities for urban and rural women. Everyone must be able to celebrate women by ensuring that activism is inclusive for all.
“Achievements of women are meant to be celebrated on this day. Do not get me wrong, women should be celebrated 365 days a year and not just one; but this gives us a special opportunity to empower women in all settings, rural and urban. International Women’s Day is a day that marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. It is a day to celebrate activists who are working hard to claim women’s rights and realize their full potential,” she said.
