disaster averted
and one step closer to accountability
Hi there,
This weekend I went to a book launch and a documentary film screening. The launch of the book was held at the National Archives and Library of Ethiopia, and the book was written by my former law school instructor (media law to be specific). It was nice running into my other previous teachers, who I reach out to as experts in some of the stories I cover.
The documentary film screening, entitled, Legacy of a Man, was done by Nafkot Gebeyehu, and it was the story of her father, Gebeyehu Ayele, an Ethiopian literary icon diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years ago. If you’re in Addis, make sure to go check out the photo exhibition which runs until January 18. Details here.
Finally, if you or anyone you know is looking for a job, a Fundraising and Communications Coordinator position has opened up at an NGO working on maternal health. Check it out here and send your applications to yordanos.hhoj@gmail.com.
To new subscribers, welcome!
My name is Maya Misikir, and I’m a freelance reporter based in Addis Abeba. I write Sifter, this newsletter where I send out the week’s top 5 stories on human rights and news in Ethiopia.
Now, to the news.
Civic space: suspensions lifted
I wrote about the shocking license suspension of three significant civil society organizations at the end of last month. The suspensions placed on the Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia, and Lawyers for Human Rights were lifted last Wednesday.
The organizations have been suspended for almost a month. While the reversal is great news, the effects of the suspensions, on the operations of the organizations and the overall ‘chilling effect’ it has on the civic space cannot be undone.
Here’s an excerpt from a statement by Lawyers for Human Rights:
This allegation by the Authority, which we believe lacks transparency and is unfounded, has significantly disrupted and adversely affected our planned activities. It has also harmed the interests and rights of our employees, interrupted the active legal aid services we provide to vulnerable groups, and delayed payments owed to private sector partners and the government.
The statement by CARD here, by Lawyers for Human Rights here, and by the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia, in Amharic, here.
Infrastructure: another peace deal, signed
Ethiopia signed a port deal (a Memorandum of Understanding) with Somaliland on January 1. Since then, there’s been one news story after the other, detailing ‘escalating tensions’ between Ethiopia and Somalia (‘Mogadishu announced its readiness to go to war’ and ‘threatened to expel Ethiopian troops who were stationed in Somalia to fight Islamist insurgents’, and this prompted fears of a wider regional conflict).
Why did the port deal cause this?
Here’s an excerpt from the Middle East Eye:
Earlier this year, Addis Ababa signed a naval agreement with the breakaway state of Somaliland, a move that Mogadishu viewed as an attempt to recognise Somaliland’s self-declared independence, thereby undermining Somali sovereignty.
Seven months after this port deal, last July, Turkey stepped in to mediate between Ethiopia and Somalia.
These efforts have paid off, as last week, at the third round of talks held in Ankara, the two countries achieved a diplomatic breakthrough.
Here’s an excerpt on that agreement, known as the Ankara Declaration, from a story on The Reporter:
The deal, negotiations for which are set to start in February, would allow Ethiopia sea access under the “sovereign authority” of Somalia, according to a statement released yesterday.
The ‘Ankara Declaration’ signed by both leaders states intentions to “leave behind differences and contentious issues and forge ahead in a cooperative manner.”
The negotiations will start in February 2025 and are expected to be concluded in four months.
What about the details of this deal (a commercial maritime arrangement)? Will Ethiopia renege on its stand to grant official recognition to Somaliland?
“They did not go into details”, says a story by Reuters.
The full declaration here, the story on the new agreement on The Reporter here, and on Reuters here.
Women’s rights: a serious lack of transparency
I’ve brought up the issue of (sexual) harassment that women in Ethiopia face at the hands of drivers who work for ride-hailing services. In June, a famous Ethiopian singer went public about how a driver had attempted to rape her.
The story went viral, but ride-hailing companies, including the two most dominant companies Ride and Feres, did nothing about it. I browsed their social media pages for a while hoping to see anything – a statement, a post, a photo - acknowledging what had happened or what they would commit to ensure women’s safety. Instead, there were crickets.
The singer’s story is not an isolated incident nor does it happen infrequently. What has become a serious problem is the ‘lack of comprehensive data on incidents and unclear policies addressing sexual harassment within the ride-hailing industry’ according to the latest story by Shega Media.
The Addis Abeba Transport Bureau seems to be in over its head in regulating this sector, and ride-hailing companies are banking on this, as their strategy looks like, ‘pretend nothing has happened until it dies down’. Once more, women's rights advocates have come forward to push for accountability in this sector too: Addis Powerhouse, Article 35, and Merahit recently have called for a ‘service which is free from violence’.
Here's an excerpt from the story on the joint call:
“The joint call outlines five key demands: a Zero-Tolerance Policy, the display of Safety Guidelines in vehicles, the implementation of an SOS button, training programs, and the establishment of a reliable reporting and complaint system.”
The story cites global cases from Uber and Lyft, which, ‘have reported thousands of sexual assault incidents in recent years’. Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority revealed that nearly 40% of female riders have endured harassment during their trips according to the story.
This data is unavailable in Ethiopia, despite ride-hailing companies having call centers for complaints.
The full story, on Shega Media, here.
Security: we don’t know her (XXXIV)
Transportation disruption have been happening in Ethiopia’s Amhara region since last week Tuesday. This is not a new phenomenon in the region, which has been in conflict since last year August but the latest roadblocks, in areas known as East Gojjam, South and East Wollo, are ‘imposed by Fano militants’ says a story by Addis Standard.
This is the 34th part update on this series which follows the conflict in the region, between the federal government and the region’s informal militia, the Fano. You can access the full list of updates in chronological order, here.
The armed group allegedly issued these directives, to pressure ‘government security forces.’
Here’s an excerpt from the story which cites a resident from the region’s capital city:
A resident of Bahir Dar confirmed the situation, stating that roads from Bahir Dar to Dangila, Kosober, Debre Markos, Finote Selam, and Bure have been blocked since early this week. He also mentioned that urgent travel, including a family member’s planned trip to Injibara, has been impossible.
The full story on Addis Standard, here.
Refugees: one of these is not accurate
The issue of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia has been in the news cycle over the past few weeks. At the end of November, the UN refugee agency announced that 20,000 Eritreans have sought refuge in Ethiopia since the start of the year.
Two weeks ago, Addis Standard published a story on how Eritrean refugees are facing arbitrary arrests in Addis Abeba.
The Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), the government agency, says these claims are ‘unfounded and baseless’ and that ‘refugees bearing legal status have not been subject to any form of arrest or detention’.
The full statement by the RRS, here.
That’s all for this week. I’ll be back next week with more updates!
In the meantime, feel free to share this with anyone you think can benefit from keeping up with what’s going on in Ethiopia.
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Thanks for sharing, Maya.