Deputy Mayor Elect of Addis Abeba Flees Country with Wife

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

Also in the news: [100,000 letters-in-ten-days campaign update] - [Ethiopian Millennium to be Celebrated by Ethiopians in Los Angeles] - [Somalia: Artillery Kills 10, Wounds 50] - [Poverty and cultural customs contribute to obstetric fistula] - [UN Security Council approves Somalia peacekeepers]

International: [Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'] - [Italian Premier Prodi resigns] - [Toxic gas latest insurgent weapon in Iraq] - [Real Sea Monster Caught In Antarctica] - and more of today's top stories!

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One of the earliest Europeans to see the churches of Lalibela, Portuguese priest Francisco Álvares (1465 - 1540) - astounded by their beauty, describes what he had seen in considerable detail and ends by saying , "I weary of writing more about these buildings, because it seems to me that I shall not be believed if I write more ... I swear by God, in Whose power I am, that all I have written is the truth". Now, these magnificent churches are in danger of collapse, BBC reports. (More...)
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100,000 letters-in-ten-days campaign update

Coalition for H.R. 5680

As part of the worldwide 100,000 letters-in-ten-days campaign, H.R. 5680 has been overwhelmed by enormous responses in support of the campaign, and requests for a shortened version of Prof. Al Mariam’s letter to President Bush.

The Coalition has prepared the following shortened two-page version of Prof. Al’s letter for all supporters of freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia. All who wish to write President Bush a letter may use this letter in its present form, or by modifying it to express their personal views.

The Coalition thanks the thousands of Ethiopians and others who have contacted it over the past couple of days regarding the 100,000 letters campaign.

The Coalition pledges to respond to each and every email message over the next few days, and apologizes in advance for any delays.

- [See shortened LETTER]

- Also Visit: 100,000 LETTERS IN TEN DAYS Campaign site
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Deputy mayor elect of Addis Abeba flees country with wife

Ethiopian Review

Dr Admasu Gebeyehu, former chairman of UEDP-Medhin and Deputy mayor elect of Addis Ababa, is now in Sweden seeking political asylum. Dr Admasu went into exile with his wife, Dr Mulualem Tarekegn, a member of parliament representing Woreda 12/13 of Addis ababa.

Dr Mulualem had split with Kinijit's leadership over the question of boycotting parliament. She entered the rubber-stamp parliament with Ato Lidetu Ayalew and others. She now regrets her decision, saying that the opposition has no voice.

Soon after he was elected as vice-mayor of Addis Ababa, Dr Admasu became sick and has been inactive since. As a result, he escaped imprisonment when his colleague, the mayor of Addis Ababa, Dr Berhanu Nega, along with all the other top leadership of the Coalition for Unity & Democracy Party (CUDP) were thrown in jail.(More...)

Also see:
-EMF: MP joins the Diaspora struggle

Ethiopian Millennium to be Celebrated by Ethiopians in Los Angeles
Ethiopian Millennium Coordinating Committee of Los Angeles

February 21, 2007
For Immediate Release

Ethiopians all over the world will celebrate our own millennium in September 2007. To date, Millennium events are planned in grand fashion in Washington DC , London and Australia .

The Ethiopian Millennium Coordinating Committee of Los Angeles was established by interested individuals to have a millennium celebration for all Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia in the West Coast.

The Coordinating Committee has held regular meetings to lay the ground work for this event to take place in Los Angeles around the first weekend in September. Our vision is to make the Los Angeles Millennium event a regional event in which Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia from California , State of Washington , Oregon , Nevada etc join us for a three day event that will include symposium, art, music, cultural fashion show, youth program and poetry reading to celebrate Ethiopia ’s uniqueness.

Our objectives include introducing Ethiopia 's diverse culture to others and to recognize remarkable Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia who have made contributions to the betterment of Ethiopia and its people.

The Los Angeles Coordinating Committee held its first public meeting on Sunday, February 18, 2007 to announce its plans to invited community members. The Coordinating Committee is in the process of putting together a Millennium Celebration Committee(MCC) that will include Ethiopians from all walks of lives.

We would like to invite interested individuals, businesses, non profit organizations and all faith based establishments to join us for this once in a life time event. We believe this will give our community an opportunity to introduce the rich history of Ethiopia to other communities and be part of the legacy that the coming generation will be proud of.

For further information contact: fayami@aol.com

Somalia: Artillery Kills 10, Wounds 50

Deadly attacks, incessant gunfire and rocket exchanges between unknown gunmen and Somalia government-Ethiopia troops in Somali capital, Mogdishu, have left 10 dead, 50 seriously wounded and forced thousands to flee the country.

The largest number of civilian population fled Mogadishu on Tuesday morning, heading to Merca in Lower Shabelle province, 100 km south of the capital. Meanwhile hospital sources say that more wounded people could not be rushed to hospitals last night as artillery fires were continuing and people could not reach the hospital. Doctors in Medina hospital said most of the wounded were admitted to the hospital yesterday. They said some of the wounded bled to death after hours of lack of medical care.(More...)

Poverty and cultural customs contribute to obstetric fistula, a condition virtually unknown in the West

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia | Kumbe Seboka, nine months pregnant, sat quietly in the hospital parking lot. She clutched her medical information card in one hand and cradled her swollen belly with the other, as if to keep her unborn child from escaping.

Her first pregnancy, two years ago, had ended in heartbreak: three days of excruciating labor, then a stillbirth, and finally a ruptured bladder that for three months issued a steady trickle of urine that ran down her legs and wet her clothes, bed, everything.

The injury is called obstetric fistula, a tear in the tissue between the vagina and adjoining organs, caused by prolonged labor in small, undernourished women.(More...)

Human Rights Watch: Letter to Ethiopian Ministers on Human Rights Violations Against Students

Human Rights Watch wishes to draw your attention to several incidents of human rights violations allegedly committed by federal police officers against students in the towns of Dembi Dollo and Ghimbi in western Oromiya State in the past weeks.

In sum, we have learned that one student, and perhaps two, died as a direct result of police beatings and that other students were severely injured and hospitalized in Dembi Dollo. Between 30 and 50 have been detained and remain detained without charge in the central Dembi Dollo jail and in two district police stations. In Ghimbi, local police and militia members deputized by local officials are reported to have shot and killed two high school students—cousins—in January.(More...)

UN Security Council approves Somalia peacekeepers

The UN Security Council authorised an African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission for Somalia for six months yesterday as mortar attacks pounded the capital and the northeast African country spiralled further into chaos.(More...)


The Rabbit and the Elephant

by Wondimu Mekonnen

A running rabbit passed the lion and the gorilla!
Off into the Desert of Gambella
She ran and ran to cross into The Sudan
But blocked by an elephant,
The gentle African giant.
"Rabbit Bunny! Rabbit Bunny!
Just spare me a minute, honey!
Why such in a hurry? Why are you running?
(More...)

Today's Top Stories

-Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'
-Another US Helicopter Down, British Bases Bombed
-Prince Harry Looking Forward to Proving Himself in Military
-Italian Premier Prodi resigns
-Toxic gas latest insurgent weapon in Iraq
-World Powers Await IAEA Report on Iran
-Real Sea Monster Caught In Antarctica
-Colombian clowns gunned down in front of kids
-Sex attacks blamed on bat demon (Men in parts of Tanzania's main city, Dar es Salaam, are living in fear of a night-time attacker)





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