Chinese, Russian Vessels Join Drills to Uphold Post-WWII Global Order

Referring to history, regional countries still remain alert to Japan’s militarism

By GT staff reporters

Sep 02, 2022 11:59 PM

The Type 055 large destroyer Nanchang attached to the navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Northern Theater Command is seen during deployment as part of the Russian Vostok 2022 strategic military drills lasting through September 7, 2022. The Russian Defense Ministry published footage of the meeting of the two countries' warships in the Sea of Japan on September 2, 2022. Photo: VCG

Flotillas of Chinese and Russian naval vessels participating in the ongoing Vostok 2022 (East 2022) joint drills met in the northern part of the Sea of Japan on Friday, which was the 77th anniversary of Japanese representatives signing the official Instrument of Surrender after Japan's unjust war brought tremendous injuries and pain to people across Asia. 

Observers noted that China and Russia, as two major regional powers, are committed to jointly maintaining regional peace, stability and the post-WWII global order. 

This is of great significance at a time of complex changes in the regional situation, including Japan's obvious militarist tendency, which has a historical relevance.

In footage released by China Central Television, China's 10,000 ton-class Type 055 large destroyer Nanchang sailed along with other naval vessels. Earlier news reports said the Chinese flotilla also included the Type 054A guided missile frigate Yancheng and the Type 903A comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu. 

While the drills are neither aimed at a third party nor related to the current situation, they serve as a deterrent against uncertainties such as ill-intended external forces, hegemony and power politics, analysts said, noting that military cooperation between China and Russia, two major world powers, will contribute to peace and stability in the region. 

Yet Japan protested the drills, when its own Ground Self-Defense Force joined drills with the US Army to simulate the defense of remote islands, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported on August 28. The drills are believed to be intended to deter China, the NHK reported. 

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed at a news briefing on Friday his willingness to talk with China, and noted dialogues with China at various levels are important. However, he also hyped the "threats" of People's Liberation Army's (PLA) operations surrounding the island of Taiwan and on the East China Sea. 

Remembering history

Japan has been using China as the main excuse to "justify" its own increasing military activity and attempts to boost its military capacity. But scars left by a militarized Japan remain vivid and painful in victimized countries more than seven decades after the WWII ended. 

Prior to the anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) on September 3, Chinese people held various events including attending exhibitions of old pictures and watching documentaries, to commemorate the courage, solidarity and great sacrifices made by their ancestors in the arduous war.

On social media, Chinese netizens posted old photos of Japanese representatives signing the surrender document, of battles, and of people celebrating the victory in the streets. 

"Remember history and our generation should strive for self-improvement!" read a common post. 

A special sale featuring war-themed works was held at a bookstore in Wangfujing, a bustling shopping area in downtown Beijing. 

An item of current news also aroused strong national feelings. Evan Kail, a US pawnbroker, posted on social media an album he claimed to date to World War II and contained more than 30 pictures of the Nanjing Massacre — Japanese troops' brutal crimes against civilians, and blatant war atrocities, which Japan has continuously been attempting to deny and cover up.

There has been plentiful evidence of Japanese troops' inhumanity, while more and more of this is being uncovered. "How can they be blind to this?" a net user posted on Sina Weibo. 

No wonder regional countries, including China, are highly alert to Japan's latest militarist tendency, Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Japan's defense authority boasted on Wednesday of producing longer-range and hypersonic missiles, and of greatly boosting Japan's defense budget for the next year, which shows a clear yet dangerous tendency of Japan's militarism rebounding and right-wing forces growing stronger, Lü said.

Japan caps annual defense spending at about 1 percent of its GDP, but the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) proposes doubling it in the coming years, citing NATO's standard of 2 percent, according to Reuters.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday that such a spending goal not only indicates Japan's attempt to meet the threshold for NATO membership, but also exposes Japan's desire to break away from its pacifist constitution. 

Japan has never really reflected on history and its war-time crimes, with many in the country believing its defeat in the WWII was the result of being "not strong enough." In the past few decades, Japan was restrained by the pacifist constitution and the post-war global and regional order, and it has always dreamed of "shaking off those fetters," observers said. 

Though opposing voices remain among ordinary Japanese people, the consensus on amending the pacifist constitution is forming rapidly, experts said. 

A poll conducted by Japanese news outlet the Asahi Shimbun in May showed 56 percent of those surveyed agreed on the necessity to revise the constitution, while 37 percent opposed it or deemed the revision unnecessary. 

In 2020, however, only 43 percent supported the move while 46 percent did not, and in 2019, it was 30 percent supporting vs 56 percent opposing.

Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, wrote earlier in an article for the Global Times that the LDP never abandoned this agenda, but just postponed it for a certain period of time to prioritize economic development. Through new interpretations of the pacifist constitution in recent years, the LDP has indeed hollowed out the document. 

For Japan's right wing, the pacifist constitution is a symbol of Japan's defeat in WWII. Japan actually refused to acknowledge its wrongdoings during the WWII and the results of the Tokyo Trial, believing the constitution should be revised, Xiang noted. 

There is a strong "sense of victimhood" in Japanese society, despite the reality that it was imperialist Japan that had brought disasters to Asia. 

Refusing to learn lessons from history and to reflect on its own mistakes, today's Japan remains a factor of uncertainty and a disturber of regional peace and stability, Lü said, citing Japan's active participation in military pacts like the Quad and frequent joint drills with its allies. 

At a key historical juncture, when the world, especially the Asia-Pacific, is witnessing major and complex changes, when dangerous militarism is rebounding in Japan and when external forces are continuously stirring up trouble in the region, it is the responsibility of major regional countries like China and Russia to join hands in maintaining peace and stability, experts said. 

US in No Position to Call Itself ‘Defender of Freedom and Openness’ in Indo-Pacific

By Global Times

Sep 01, 2022 08:55 PM

Asia-Pacific Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

"Free and open Indo-Pacific" has become one of the favorite clichés Washington would like to use in recent years. 

However, the actual actions of the US reflect that it pursues the absence of freedom and openness when it comes to China - an important part of the Indo-Pacific region - since the US is trying to contain China and exclude it from regional affairs in every possible way.

On Thursday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held trilateral talks with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Hawaii. After the meeting, he plans to visit the US Indo-Pacific Command to discuss the country's alliances "in defense of the free and open Indo-Pacific," according to a White House statement on Tuesday.

This is the first high-level security talks among the three countries since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol took office. And when the US talked about "free and open Indo-Pacific" once again, it is clear that it's just another day for US officials to target China.

After US house speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to the island of Taiwan, Washington expected its allies in Northeast Asia - Seoul and Tokyo - to keep up with its pace on how to deal with a new status quo in the Taiwan Straits. But currently, both Japan and South Korea are still some distance away from the US. Tokyo has almost reached its anti-Beijing limits, with one further step across China's bottom line to get itself burned up. Meanwhile, although a US treaty ally, South Korea is unwilling to stand by the US over the Taiwan question, showing even more rationality than Japan has.

Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that in such a context, Washington apparently seeks to put more pressure on its Northeast Asian allies through the Thursday trilateral meeting. It also attempts to confirm if Tokyo and Seoul genuinely want to be a part of its confrontation campaign against China, because if so, they should step up their anti-China game.

"Free and open Indo-Pacific" has long been a pretext the US exploited to bring in allies to contain China. But what is considered "free and open" can be defined only by the US. Based on this principle, only those that meet Washington's interests are "free and open," and those that are not should be prepared to meet suppression from the US.

In fact, some cooperation among the US, Japan, and South Korea has threatened a "free and open Indo-Pacific." This includes the mechanism of intelligence gathering and sharing Washington has been promoting, and trilateral military exercises such as the recent one taking place near Hawaii weeks ago. These activities could certainly disrupt regional order and security.

Moreover, the US is planning a preliminary meeting this month for the so-called Chip 4 alliance to block the development of Chinese semiconductors, with the anticipated participation of Japan and South Korea. Such a partnership obviously intends to create a China-excluded clique, which, together with other US-led coteries in this region including the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, completely counters Washington's pursuit of a "free and open Indo-Pacific," proving its definition full of hypocrisy and geopolitical calculations.

Many countries have actually realized that the US abused the idea of "freedom and openness." Throughout history, Washington has even imposed severe sanctions on some of its allies without mercy. Yet most countries do not have the ability to confront the US. Nor do they dare to openly object to such an unjust action, as they may face more outrageous acts of revenge from Washington.

The US is in no position to call itself the "defender" of freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific region. According to Lü, the US clamors to safeguard the regional order, but its true intention is to undermine China's development, which means it needs more strength to fulfill its evil goal. However, this is highly impossible, since the US is already struggling to maintain its current level of strength.

After US' recent series of provocations against China over the Taiwan question, the situation in the Taiwan Straits has become more likely to destabilize the regional situation.

At a time like this, Japan and South Korea need to make up their minds whether to continue engaging in US' ill-intentioned plans and make themselves China's enemies and targets for Chinese military actions, or to remain relatively neutral between the two great powers. They should also ask themselves: Is it really worth sacrificing their own interests and safety for a false "freedom and openness" that the US has been talking about?

US Announces Plans to Sell Weapons, Services Worth $1.1 Billion to Taiwan — Pentagon

The US Department of State has authorized the implementation of those contracts in accordance with the national legislation

WASHINGTON, September 3. /TASS/. The United States administration announced three contracts on Friday to sell weapons and technical services to Taiwan worth $1.1 billion in total, the US Department of State and a Pentagon agency have announced.

The first contract, worth $665.4 million, will provide Taiwan with equipment and logistical support for its radar stations. The second one envisages the delivery of 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles and four ATM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II missiles worth $355 million. Under the third contract, worth $85.6 million, Taiwan is to receive 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles.

The US Department of State has authorized the implementation of those contracts in accordance with the national legislation.

The administration has already notified the Congress about the move. The legislative body now has 30 days to examine those agreements and possibly block them.

US arms sales to Taiwan jeopardize US-Chinese relations — embassy

Washington’s move "sends wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said

WASHINGTON, September 3. /TASS/. US plans to sell weapons and services worth $1.1 billion to Taiwan create serious risks for bilateral relations, Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu has told TASS.

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The United States interferes in China's internal affairs and undermines China's sovereignty and security interests by selling arms to the Taiwan region," the Chinese diplomat said.

In his words, Washington’s move "sends wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, and severely jeopardizes China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

The US decision "runs counter to international law and basic principles in international relations, and violates the one-China principle and provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique," he added.

The United States administration announced three contracts on Friday to sell weapons and technical services to Taiwan worth $1.1 billion in total, including equipment and logistical support for Taiwan’s radar stations, 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles, four ATM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II missiles and 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles. The administration has already notified the Congress about the move. The legislative body now has 30 days to examine those agreements and give its approval.

Situation around Taiwan

Last month several US delegations visited Taiwan, and that has exacerbated tensions between Beijing and Washington. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan on August 2-3, which displeased China and prompted Beijing to start military maneuvers around the island. Several US senators and governors visited Taipei later. China blasted the visits as provocations and interference into its domestic affairs. The The Chinese troops also held large-scale military maneuvers with missile firings in six maritime areas around Taiwan.

Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces under Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in the Chinese civil war. Taipei has since retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China, which had existed on the mainland before the Communists came to power. According to Beijing’s official position, supported by most countries, including Russia, the island is one of China’s provinces.

Russia Did Its Utmost to Prevent Forceful Scenario in Ukraine — MFA

Maria Zakharova believes that the Minsk agreements were a chance for Kiev, but the Ukrainian authorities from the outset had no intention to implement this plan

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

© Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that Russia had done its utmost to prevent the forceful scenario in the Ukrainian crisis.

"For many years we kept saying we were doing everything to prevent the situation [in Ukraine] from sliding down, from degradation, and then to avoid a forceful scenario," she said, while speaking at the Znaniye (Knowledge) educational marathon on Friday.

Zakharova believes that the Minsk agreements were a chance for Kiev, but the Ukrainian authorities from the outset had no intention to implement this plan. "[National Security and Defense Council Secretary Alexey Danilov] earlier this week made a statement that the Kiev regime had never had any plans to implement the Minsk agreements," Zakharova said.

Defense Ministers from 35 Countries Took Part in Moscow Conference on Security

The 10th Moscow Conference on International Security was held on August 16 as part of the Army International Military-Technical Forum

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin Sergei Bobylev/TASS

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Defense ministers from 35 countries as well as representatives from six international organizations took part in the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said during a conference call on Friday.

"The conference was attended by defense ministers from 35 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Two of them have the rank of a deputy prime minister. Sixteen countries were represented by deputy defense ministers and chiefs of general staffs and ten by the commanders of arms and services. The forum attracted 67 independent military experts from 31 countries, as well as representatives from six international organizations: the UN, the CIS, the CSTO, the SCO, the League of Arab States and the International Committee of the Red Cross," Fomin said.

He noted that the general tone of the conference was set by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s video message containing a detailed analysis of the international situation. "The content of the report has been thoroughly studied by professional military and political circles, including those in Western countries," he added.

Fomin said that thanks to the conference, Russia managed to draw the attention of a wide foreign audience to the true causes of the current geopolitical situation in the world and outlined Moscow’s steps to normalize the international situation and ensure its own security.

The 10th Moscow Conference on International Security was held on August 16 as part of the Army International Military-Technical Forum.

Russian Pacific Fleet ships conduct missile firings in Vostok 2022 strategic drills

The Vostok 2022 strategic command and staff drills are running on September 1-7 under the command of Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The Pacific Fleet’s naval groups hit all the targets during missile and artillery firings in the Vostok 2022 strategic command and staff drills, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"The Pacific Fleet’s naval groups successfully accomplished missile and artillery firings against aerial targets during a tactical air defense exercise in the Vostok 2022 strategic command and staff drills," the ministry said in a statement.

Specifically, the small anti-submarine warfare ships Sovetskaya Gavan and Koreyets, four missile gunboats and a naval minesweeper group comprising the harbor minesweepers BT-100 and BT-325 practiced the joint use of air defense systems, accomplishing surface-to-air missile and artillery firings, the ministry specified.

"Il-38 aircraft of the Pacific Fleet’s naval aviation dropped small-size aerial targets at a planned distance from the naval group, which were destroyed by a pair of the small anti-submarine warfare ships Sovetskaya Gavan and Koreyets, which employed Osa surface-to-air and Igla man-portable air defense systems. For their part, the missile gunboats and harbor minesweepers employed artillery systems against aerial targets," the statement reads.

The drills took place at a naval range in the Sea of Japan. "All the targets were successfully destroyed," the ministry said.

Vostok 2022 strategic drills

The Vostok 2022 strategic command and staff drills are running on September 1-7 under the command of Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov to practice defensive and offensive operations at the Burduny, Goryachiye Klyuchi, Knyaze-Volkonsky, Lagunnoye, Sergeyevsky, Telemba and Uspenovsky training grounds of the Eastern Military District and in maritime and coastal areas of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan.

Along with the troops of Russia’s Eastern Military District, Airborne Force units, long-range and military transport aircraft, joint operations during the Vostok 2022 strategic drills will be practiced by military contingents and observers from member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and other partner states, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Syria and Tajikistan.

In all, the Vostok 2022 strategic maneuvers will bring together over 50,000 troops and more than 5,000 items of armaments and military hardware, in particular, 140 aircraft, 60 combat ships, gunboats and support vessels.

Over 81% of Russians Trust Putin, and Over 78% Approve of His Work

It is reported that Mikhail Mishustin was trusted by 62.5% of respondents

© Gavriil Grigorov/POOL/TASS

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. The proportion of Russian citizens' confidence in President Vladimir Putin stood at 81.1% at the end of August, while 78.1% of those polled approved of the president's work, according to the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center that published the results of a survey conducted from August 22 to 28 among 1,600 respondents aged over 18.

"The approval rate of the Russian president's work from August 22 to August 28, 2022 was 78.1% (-0.3% over the week). Positive assessment figures for the Prime Minister and the Russian government over the past week dropped to 51.8% (-0.8%) and 50.8% (-0.1%), respectively," the report noted.

When asked about their confidence in Vladimir Putin, 81.1% of Russians polled answered positively (-0.1% over the week), while Mikhail Mishustin was trusted by 62.5% of respondents (this figure remained unchanged over the week).

Those surveyed also expressed their confidence in the heads of various parliamentary factions. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) leader Gennady Zyuganov was trusted by 33.6% of respondents (-3.1%), Sergey Mironov, the leader of A Just Russia - For Truth, received 31.7% (+0.2%), the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) got 17.5%, and the leader of The New People party Alexey Nechaev procured 10.9% (+0.7%).

The poll also revealed that the level of support for the United Russia party stood at 40.2% (+0.3% over the week), with the CPRF supported by 10.2% (-0.5%). The LDPR got 8.1% (-0.5%), A Just Russia - For Truth was supported by 5.7% (+0.3%), and The New People party’s figures came to 4.8% (+0.5).

West Began Demonizing Russia Long Before Special Operation in Ukraine — Senior Diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov also stressed that attempts to blame Russia for economic problems and problems with the food market in Western countries look ridiculous

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Western countries began demonizing Russia long before Moscow started its special military operation in Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said during a Rossiya-24 TV broadcast on Friday.

"The demonization of Russia began in the US long before the special military operation [in Ukraine]. In all recent years: the first decade of the 21st century, and the last two to three years, we see that the US political elites have adopted anti-Russian narratives, in other words, when translated into Russian, fables that have nothing to do with reality," he said.

According to Ryabkov, such US narratives "serve as a screen to cover up their own failures, their own internal political squabbles and problems, which are multiplying in the American society".

Ryabkov also stressed that attempts to blame Russia for economic problems and problems with the food market in Western countries look ridiculous.

Opportunities to Circumvent Russian Oil Price Cap Will be Limited — G7 Statement

According to Alexander Novak, Russia would halt oil and petroleum products supplies to countries deciding to cap the Russian oil price

© Yegor Aleyev/TASS

BERLIN, September 2. /TASS/. The Group of Seven (G7) intends to introduce restrictions against the circumvention of capped prices for Russian oil, G7 Finance Ministers said in their joint statement on Friday.

"We would aim to limit possibilities for circumventing the price cap regime, while at the same time minimizing the administrative burden for market participants," the ministers said in the document.

Russia would halt oil and petroleum products supplies to countries deciding to cap the Russian oil price, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday.

Gazprom halts Nord Stream gas supplies until turbine gas damage cured — company

During activities at gas compressor unit of Portovaya compressor station, performed jointly with Siemens representatives, Gazprom found oil leakage with sealing compound admixture along terminal connections of cable lines of low and intermediate pressure rotor speed sensors

MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Gazprom has identified damages during activities at the last operating gas compressor unit of the Nord Stream pipeline and has to completely halt pumping until they are cured, the Russian gas company said on Friday.

During activities at gas compressor unit (GCU No. 24) of Portovaya compressor station, performed jointly with Siemens representatives, Gazprom found oil leakage with sealing compound admixture along terminal connections of cable lines of low and intermediate pressure rotor speed sensors, the company said.

"The letter on detected malfunctions of Trent 60 (No. 24) unit and the need to cure them was sent to President and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens Energy AG Christian Bruch. Gas transport to the Nord Stream gas pipeline is completely halted until remedial actions for equipment operation," the gas holding informed.

Protester Killed in Fresh Anti-coup Protests in Sudan

Sudanese youths run from tear gas fired by security forces as they protest near the airport in the south of the capital Khartoum on August 31, 2022, to demand the return of civilian rule. (AFP)

August 31, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – A Sudanese protester was killed when security forces violently dispersed an anti-coup demonstration in the Sudanese capital on Wednesday.

Khartoum protest was organized by the spearhead of the anti-coup demonstrations Resistance Committee to support the missing persons and victims of enforced disappearance. Other protests took place in the other cities of the capital and Madani of Al-Jazirah State.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors stated after the protest that the victim died after being hit in the head with a tear gas canister and run over by a vehicle belonging to security forces.

The independent medical group further added they didn’t identify the victim. But, activists confirmed his name and his neighbourhood in Khartoum.

This brings the total number of protesters killed since the coup of October 2021 to 117.

The Sudanese government lifted the state of emergency on May 29, but security forces continue to use excessive violence against protesters.

The security services closed the Al-Mak Nimr Bridge linking Khartoum and Bahri. Also, military reinforcements were deployed around the Republic Palace, the army general command, and the centre of the capital.

Peace Monitors Endorse Extension of South Sudan’s Transitional Period

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar in Juba, August 11, 2022 (PPU photo)

September 1, 2022 (JUBA) – Members of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) on Thursday voted to extend the transitional period and term of South Sudan’s coalition government until February 22, 2025.

The “Agreement on the Roadmap to a Peaceful and Democratic end to the Transitional Period of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan,” was presented by parties to the 2018 peace deal.

According to Article 8.4 of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), at least two-thirds of the voting members of the peace monitoring body consent to an amendment of the agreement.

On Thursday, however, 37 of RJMEC members voted in favour of the extension.

Following the voting, the RJMEC Chairperson, Amb. Maj Gen Charles Tai Gituai will submit the decision of the RJMEC together with the accompanying resolution to the RTGoNU to consider RJMEC’s position and recommendation in this regard.

“I would like to encourage the Parties to continuously dialogue, work together to enhance the rebuilding of trust and confidence in the peace process, by taking concrete steps to address all the key impediments to progress in the implementation of the Agreement,” Gituai noted in his closing remarks.

He further “urged the RTGoNU Parties to implement the Roadmap in an inclusive manner, including by continuously consulting with all relevant stakeholders, and civil society actors, during its implementation”.

The chairperson of the peace monitoring body urged the coalition government to “demonstrate full and unwavering political will and commitment to implement all the priority tasks set out in the roadmap, in accordance with letter and spirit of the Revitalised Peace Agreement to implement additional interim measures, including an economic recovery plan to improve the current business environment.”

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 following a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his then deputy Riek Machar, leading to the death and displacement of millions of civilians in Africa’s newest nation.

More than 2 million people, the United Nations said, have been displaced by the conflict that subsided amid peace mediation by the international community that culminated in the establishment of a transitional government of national unity in February 2020.

(ST)

Proliferation of Weapons, Climate Change Fueling Conflict in South Sudan, Says U.N Official

The head of UN mission in South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom (Getty)

September 1, 2022 (JUBA) – Proliferation of weapons, lack of economic livelihoods, and climate change are factors fueling conflict in South Sudan, a United Nations official said.

Nicholas Haysom, the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was addressing the South Sudan National Livestock Conference held in Juba on Thursday.

Vice President James Wani Igga, ministers and several lawmakers graced the conference.

Haysom said unregulated cattle migration, among a host of other factors, were key drivers to communal conflict as well as violence in the East African country.

In the second quarter of 2022, UNMISS’s Human Rights Division reportedly said community-based militias and self-defense groups, whose main objective is to protect herds of cattle from external attack, were in fact responsible for 60% of civilian deaths.

“Unregulated transhumance—the flow of cattle through migration routes—also continues to be a major driver of communal conflict in South Sudan,” stressed Haysom.

He added, “It is not just a domestic phenomenon, but one that crosses regional borders and invokes sensitive issues of ethnic politics, land ownership, borders, grazing rights, and access to water”.

Haysom said prolonged insecurity has led to the erosion of traditional, local, and state authorities.

“And in the absence of dispute resolution, criminal accountability, and justice mechanisms, a culture of impunity has taken root,” he warned. “This sparks vicious cycles of counter raids and retaliatory attacks that, once unleashed, are difficult to quell.”

Livestock, Haysom noted, plays a central role in the fabric of life in the country and that it has been vital to the economy, culture, and social structure of the people of South Sudan even before independence.

“And this is what makes it (livestock) a valuable form of currency and, therefore, both an incentive for both cooperation as well as an incentive for conflict among communities,” he said.

According to the UNMISS head, the consequences of cattle-related violence on inter-communal harmony are devastating and long-lasting, setting up cycles that are difficult to break and undermine progress this country has made towards peace.

“Solutions must go beyond retaliatory dynamics at the surface and look into broader issues of accountability, reconciliation, political inclusion, state effectiveness, development, and the proliferation of arms among the civilian population,” he stressed.

Haysom, also the Special Representative of Secretary General,  said UNMISS is providing technical assistance to review draft legislations on livestock management in South Sudan, including the Livestock Bill, Animal Production Bill, Veterinary Bill, Meat Marketing Bill, and Land Act and Policy.

(ST)

Defying Calls for Peace, T-TPLF Intensifies Destructive Activities in Ethiopia

September 2, 2022

BY STAFF REPORTER

ADDIS ABABA – The attacks re-launched by Terrorist TPLF, pushing against peace calls, have further continued to intensify, said the Government Communication Service (GCS).

In its recent statement, GCS indicated that innocent civilians are being killed; many are being displaced and property is being destroyed. As it can be seen now, the duty of halting the terrorist group from its destructive activities has fallen on the government and people of Ethiopia.

“This is so, because the terrorist group must be prevented from disturbing our peace and destroying our country; the government has a responsibility to ensure that humanitarian assistance is directed to the true intended beneficiaries of the Tigray State and hence a conducive environment needs to be created to halt the diversion of assistance to combatants as is being done by T-TPLF, and  the terrorist group is punishing the people of Tigray through starvation by repeatedly launching attacks during the farming season and the Government has a responsibility to overturn this,” the statement said.

 In the situation where all the efforts made by the government for a peaceful alternative have been shunned, statements being made by various entities equalizing the Government with a belligerent clique in “both sides rhetoric are not acceptable as they deviate from the reality, the Government underscored.

“Therefore, the posture of Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF)remains one of defending the various attacks which have been launched from all directions, together with our people.”

The Ethiopian Herald  2 September 2022

Despite Escalating Hostilities, Ethiopian Government Remains Committed to Achieving Peace

September 2, 2022

 BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN

ADDIS ABABA – Albeit the escalating hostilities by terrorist TPLF and its continued lame excuses to impose conditions and disparage the AU-led peace process, Ethiopia is dedicated to achieving peace, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.

Briefing Addis Ababa-based diplomats and representatives of international organizations on current developments yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen said T-TPLF continued with its preconditions and demands, vacillating to accept the African Union-facilitated peace efforts apart from forcefully displacing people, killing civilians, looting and destroying property and infrastructure.

“The thugs had just re-ignited the present humanitarian situation and the government’s  continued efforts to bring the conflict to a peaceful resolution.”

Demeke pointed out that the T-TPLF has blocked humanitarian truce through hostile rhetoric, recruiting child soldiers, and engaging in public mobilization planning for yet another round of hostilities.

As the terrorist group has been blaming and demonizing the government and asserting fictitious wins, the government would continue to discharge its constitutional responsibility to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of all Ethiopians as well as defending sovereignty and territorial integrity, he asserted.

“Some groups should stop equating the government with the outlawed terrorist organization and take measures that will worsen the conflict and threaten Ethiopia’s sovereignty.”

Appreciating the efforts of the countries and humanitarian actors that tried to contribute to prevent another round of bloodshed in Ethiopia, Demeke noted that the government has been disappointed to see and endure the open conspiracy of some actors.

“Ethiopia has implemented a re-engagement strategy to reset its relations with several countries. It has registered encouraging progress.”

He, however, said some entities and sub-national elements have persisted with negative views and few have gone extra miles supporting the TPLF. “Still, others have used their media platform and personal accounts to give their support.”

According to him, the worst manifestation of hostility to the government has gone as far as supplying the TPLF with military hardware.

Talking about the renewed war by the terrorist group, Demeke said that the latest wave attacks on the Amhara and Afar areas will not be accepted and the government is committed to taking all necessary steps to prevent the T-TPLF from victimizing these communities.

The government has been taking measures against the terrorist group with utmost care to avoid civilian casualties extending alerts to protect themselves and stay away from military installations, it was learnt.

“The international community is expected to be free, balanced and objective. We called on humanitarian actors to respect principles of impartiality and independence. They should not be used by TPLF for its hostile propaganda.”

The Ethiopian Herald  2 September 2022

Scholar Accuses Thugs of Conspiring to Disrupt Ethiopia

September 2, 2022

BY YESUF ENDRIS

ADDIS ABABA-The Terrorist group which called itself as TPLF has been on several occasions forging alliances with foreign enemies to weaken Ethiopia and serving those foes’ vested interests against the motherland, expert said.

Mekelle University Former Heritage Conservation and Research Associate Prof. Ayele Bekerie said that the Terrorist group is now carrying out a well-coordinated war against the general public.

The thugs have just opened the war against Ethiopia and the people to run the group’s selfish interest, he reiterated.

As to him, the T-TPLF group has plotted to dismember Ethiopia waging war here and there against the country.

“During its regime lasting for three decades, the group has vividly violated public interests and struggled for personal interests. In the meantime, numerous civilian soldiers have been killed during the past wars of TPLF-plotted war,” he stated.

The group is now using its last resort -miscalculated military attacks on Ethiopia in connivance with the country’s foreign enemies that are funding the group and backing to extend the war, he added.

“The ongoing war will never favor the majority of the people in Tigray. But some individuals have been seen as war-merchants amid the crisis posed on public.”

Moreover, peace-talk with such belligerent group also cannot be realized as the group has intolerable tradition against national sovereignty and integrity, he opined.

Recruiting children as solider, looting civilian infrastructures, raping women, and destruction are typical manifestations of the group.

Accordingly, all Ethiopians from all walks of life should be united against the T-TPLF and its allies and safeguard the country.

The Ethiopian Herald  2 September 2022

Ethiopia’s First Gas Reserves Certificate Lures Anchor Investors

September 2, 2022

BY DANIEL ALEMAYEHU

ADDIS ABABA — With certified seven trillion cubic feet natural gas discovered lately in Ogaden, Ethiopia, is definitely a key to reach out to anochor investors, Fairfax Africa Fund Global Chairperson Zemedeneh Nigatu said.

In his latest interview with international media, Zemedeneh stated that the seven trillion cubic feet natural gas is actually the proven and certified gas reserve. Starting from the Imperial regime, a lot of explorations have been done in Ethiopia, but nothing was really significant, he added.

What the Government of Ethiopia has done smartly this time, according to Zemedeneh, is finding out what exactly does the nation have. The country gets a certified reserve from the American Company with a very good track record of certifying reserves.

As to him, to certify what is there is one step, and the second step is to monetize. A government with such reliable and certified data, it entices investors to proceed. The certification is now attracting sizable amount of credible investors when they see this kind of certified reserve.

Further, Zemedeneh mentioned that now a day, gas price is the main topic in Europe. Countries in Europe are looking for other gas sources. “With seven trillion cubic feet of gas, Ethiopia might be an alternative supplier of gas to Europe. It will be worth tens of billions of dollars over the next decades or more,” he said.

In addition, the chairman disclosed that it is a very significant step for Ethiopia regarding monetizing what is in the ground. This might be the first step towards that goal.

In the past, there were talks about significant gas and oil available in Ethiopia, but nothing was done. Now, the Government of Ethiopia has taken a smart, radically different approach regarding knowing what the nation has. Ethiopia is going to approach anchor companies not speculators because now the nation has tangible resource, Zemedeneh noted.

Seven trillion cubic feet of gas reserve is amongst 40 largest reserves in the world and rank higher on the list, the chairperson added.

The government of Ethiopia has been restructuring its policies in the past several years to upgrade its potential and to attract investors. This time, the country has something at hand, so that as to the mine minister, they will definitely be dealing with credible players, Zemedeneh said.

The Ethiopian Herald September 2/2022

Wheat Production and White Lies Against Ethiopia

September 2, 2022   

BY GETACHEW MINAS

Whenever the Ethiopian economy registers significant and notable growth, the agricultural sector makes the highest contribution. Of the total produce, crops take a substantial share out of which wheat stands as the most important cereal crop. It makes a significant contribution to the growth and development of the agricultural sector and to the food security of farmers. With substantial government support to farmers, wheat production and productivity have been rising in the last few years.

Despite the wars and civil disorder, Ethiopia has recorded the largest wheat production in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the Western propaganda machine spreads lies related to drought and shortage of food in the country. The West shipped food aid to Ethiopia without being requested. In fact, wheat has been produced by small-scale farmers and by commercial agro-enterprises that use modern techniques of production.

In the past, wheat production and marketing system has been negatively affected by constraints which caused decreasing yield of wheat. However, there were also important opportunities which encouraged wheat production and marketing. Moreover, the attention given to infrastructure, training and awareness given to farmers has helped in boosting wheat production. Ethiopia has been making progress towards the structural transformation of its economy. Such progress has been driven by growth in agricultural productivity that allows the poor farmers to shift from agriculture towards other sectors including local manufacturing, industry and services. The government focuses on transformation that increases the per capita income of farmers thereby reducing and eliminating poverty and hunger.

It is well known that the agriculture sector is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy. It makes a major contribution to the gross domestic product/GDP of the country. Within agriculture, crop production is a major contributor to GDP. Also, livestock rearing is a major subsector of agriculture, which contributes live animals and their produces to the economy. These produces include meat, dairy products, hides and skins, which could be prepared for exports. As foreign exchange earners livestock produces may finance import of manufactured goods, canned food, fertilizers, agricultural machineries and farm implements. It is probably one of the few sectors the outputs of which finance its inputs. In other words, Ethiopia exports, for example, meat to earn foreign exchange with which it imports fertilizers.

According to agricultural experts, coffee, pulses, oilseeds, potatoes, sugarcane, vegetables and cereals are the principal crops grown in Ethiopia. Cereals are the most important food crop which provides daily food calories to the people. Hence, cereal production and marketing are the means of livelihood for millions of Ethiopians. Wheat, maize, teff, sorghum and barley are the major cereals that occupy a large segment of the total area cultivated. Consumers spend a major part of their income for purchasing cereals. Of the total grain produced in Ethiopia, cereals account for a large share of the produce. Wheat is an important industrial and food grain which ranks second among the most important cereal crops in the world after rice and traded internationally.

The Prosperity Party/PP and government of Ethiopia focus on wheat as a strategic commodity which generates farm income and improves food security status. Many African countries are producing wheat for both consumption and sale, but the level of production and sale varied between countries. Ethiopia is one of the largest wheat producers in terms of total wheat area cultivated and total production (CSA). As noted by Anteneh and Dr. Asrat, wheat and wheat products represent a major share of the total calorie intake in the country which makes wheat one of the most important food items. In Ethiopia, wheat ranks fourth after teff, maize and sorghum in area coverage and third after maize and teff in total production (CSA).

Studies indicate that the smallholder production of wheat is mainly for subsistence and less for market. It is produced by both smallholder farmers and large-scale commercial farms. Except some large-scale and commercial farms, wheat is produced predominantly by smallholder farmers under rain fed conditions. This modality of production affects the competitiveness of wheat quality at the global level. Having realized this problem, the current Ethiopian government has embarked on an agricultural strategy that improves wheat production and productivity. This strategy promotes export of wheat after having satisfied domestic consumption. It definitely replaces imports thereby saving foreign exchange and it helps earn foreign exchange by exporting wheat.

It is the intent of the Ethiopian government to encourage wheat production for both the domestic and external markets. It has helped technically in the import of agricultural tools, implements, tractors, combine harvesters as well as training for operators. It also facilitated agricultural investment that contributes to high yield thereby satisfying domestic and external markets. In this endeavor focus has been given to the highlands of the central, south-eastern and northwest parts of the country which are the main wheat-growing zones of Ethiopia. In the country, wheat grain is used in the preparation of different traditional as well as modern processed food products and other industrial processed products like pasta and macaroni. Also, wheat straw is traditionally used as a roofing material and as animal feed.

Wheat is one of the most vital cereal crops, the production and marketing of which should be given policy direction and close attention by the government of Ethiopia. It is an essential stable and cash crop that increases income, food security, employment and agriculture sector GDP. However, studies indicate that its production and marketing is challenged by factors such as shortage of agricultural inputs, infestation of pests and diseases. It is also seriously affected by shortage of infrastructure, institutional services, storage facilities, product quality and low marketing price. However, there are also opportunities such as the policy of the Ethiopian government, expansion of market and increasing demand for wheat. Also, the potential for wheat production encourages producers and traders to engage in its production and marketing activities.

Research has been conducted on wheat in different parts of Ethiopia. The output of such a research work has to be reviewed and documented for reference by policymakers, researchers and others who are interested in wheat. Particularly, a review of value chain analysis would help to identify challenges and opportunities in wheat production, distribution and marketing in the country. Also, analysis of the impact of climate change on wheat production is of great value. Currently, the Ethiopian government is giving proper attention for the facilitation of production and marketing at home and abroad. Wheat serves as an instrument to reduce and eliminate hunger and poverty. Wheat also saves and earns foreign exchange through reducing its imports and enhancing its exports.

Observers have indicated that little has been done in reviewing research works on wheat in the country. It is, therefore, important to review them to identify gaps and give future directions on production, productivity and marketing of wheat. The overall objective of such a review is to assess wheat production and marketing in Ethiopia. It should specifically review wheat production status, marketing constraints and opportunities in the country. Constraints are the main reasons for the low development of the wheat sector in the past. On the other hand, opportunities are a means for increasing production, productivity and marketing of wheat. Wheat production and productivity in Ethiopia is the pillar for the growth of the Ethiopian agriculture. The agricultural sector, in turn, has contributed to the development of the country’s economy.

Sustained growth in wheat production depends on modern technology supported by agricultural extension services. The extension structure extends from the federal to regions and to Woredas where the main drivers are stationed. In the production system, commodities like crops, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and fruits are produced annually. Crops make the largest contribution to total production and area coverage (CSA). Crop production has the highest share in the Ethiopian gross domestic product. Among the types of crops, cereals are the most important which provides food calories in day-to-day life of the people. To strengthen their life and to change their living standards, people use various livelihood strategies. Thus, cereal, in particular wheat, production and marketing are the backbone of the Ethiopian economy.

According to agriculture experts, there is a significant annual variation in small scale wheat production due to variability in rainfall. When the rainfall is insufficient, it leads to low production. Despite good production and productivity trends, Ethiopia has faced a growing deficit in supply due to increase in demand caused by the high growth rate of population. Even if it shows increasing trend domestically, wheat production by small scale farmers is still relatively small by global standards. To increase the demand of wheat domestically and globally, the current government has given tremendous support to small farmers and large-scale commercial investors. As a result there will be a glut in wheat production, which may be exported in the very near future.

Experts believe that wheat can be produced in almost all regions of the country including pastoral and agro-pastoral areas. Bale and Arsi zones are the main wheat-growing areas and are known as the wheat belt of Ethiopia. However, wheat production and marketing face constraints despite its major share in rural employment, agricultural land use, calorie intake and contribution to national income. Wheat is one of the most important staple crops of the country in terms of production and consumption. However, Ethiopia still imports millions of quintals of wheat annually. There are two main reasons for the import of wheat into the country. The first is to stabilize domestic price and the second is to meet the overgrowing wheat demand of the consumer in the country. The current government of Ethiopia has been making efforts in the last few years to mechanize wheat farming and produce for both the domestic and external markets. Such a strategy encourages both saving and earning of foreign exchange in the country. Such efforts defeat the Western propaganda against Ethiopia as a starving country. They shipped wheat to Ethiopia which has been rejected by the government.

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 2 SPTEMBER 2022

Russia to Suspend Oil Supplies to States That Will Impose Restrictions on Price of Its Oil

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak slammed the proposals to impose restrictions on the price of Russian oil as "completely absurd," adding that the measure could completely destroy the global oil market

© Yegor Aleyev/TASS

MOSCOW, September 1. /TASS/. Russia will suspend supplies of oil and petroleum products to states, which will decide to restrict the price of oil from the country, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Thursday.

"As far as price restrictions are concerned, if they impose restrictions on prices, we will simply not supply oil and petroleum products to such companies or states that impose restrictions as we will not work non-competitively," he said.

Novak also slammed the proposals to impose restrictions on the price of Russian oil as "completely absurd," adding that the measure could completely destroy the global oil market.

"Interference in the market mechanisms of such an important industry as the oil industry, which is the most important in terms of ensuring the energy security of the whole world, such attempts will only destabilize the oil industry, the oil market," he said, noting that those European and American consumers who are already paying high prices for energy now, will pay for the measure in the first place.

"This will fully ruin the market," Russian Deputy PM stressed.

Repeat the #Nomore Victory!

September 1, 2022

History has taught us that the sacrifice paid for a good cause will pay back later in a more gratifying way. One best example that can be mentioned here in fighting for a noble cause is the struggle by people against colonialists as well as those who fight for their human rights, sovereignty and the like.

As demonstrated by all human societies across the world nobody wants to be subjugated to others either through colonialism or any other form of oppressive rule. When those who want to subdue others under their unfair rule encroach against the sovereignty of others, the prey would have a noble cause to fight for and their resilience against the ill designs of the predators would give them the energy and are most of the time likely to succeed.

Our forefathers had a good cause to fight and die for. That is what our forefathers did at the Battle of Adwa. And that was also the main factor behind their outshining victory.

In the years that followed people have fought hard to maintain the noble causes of the country and fend off the enemy that affronted the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation. Among these are the struggles of Ethiopian patriots against the invading fascist Italian forces during the Second World War. The patriots fought the well-armed fascist forces with the relatively small and backward armament. They paid their lives for the sovereignty and liberty of their country. They finally succeed in routing the enemy forces.

Subsequently, the country had faced similar aggression of foreign forces allied with some local armed groups. All these threats against the nation were averted through the people’s struggle to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at any cost. Throughout the times one common thing that was behind the victory of the people is their allegiance to the genuine national cause.

These days too, the country has come across a serious challenge to its security and sovereignty. This calls for the concerted actions of the people both at home and abroad as this is a good national cause which is worth fighting for. Unlike in the past, people are not only expected to fight to carry the gun on the battlefield but also they must be well aware and wage the fight against the false information on the social media.

Hence, the people of the country both at home and abroad must keep in mind that they have a good cause to fight for as the terrorist TPLF has put the sovereignty and security of the nation at stake. Since the inception of the war, it has brutally attacked the northern command of the National Defense Forces which exposes the country to a grave risk of security. Furthermore, it has attacked civilians and public facilities both in Tigray and neighboring states. It is also committing almost all forms of atrocities against humans like rape, mass murder, incendiary, looting of public property, and desecration of holy places.

Essentially, in defending these serious attacks of the terrorist TPLF, Ethiopians, these days, have demonstrated a similar level of heroism as the country is under the serious threat by the terrorist sand its foreign alliances. Few months ago, Ethiopians in the Diaspora had waged a successful campaign entitled #Nomore. This campaign deserves to be remembered always for its monumental impact as a game changer.

When terrorist TPLF was fighting on the ground here at home, their enablers abroad especially in the west were striving to give them a blood lifeline. At this juncture, Ethiopians both at home and in the Diaspora were effective in exposing the plot of some corrupt officials who work for their gains rather than the bilateral relations of the countries.

In sum, now Ethiopians should follow suit and carry out a similar campaign to expose the ongoing plots against their motherland’s sovereignty. The campaign has to help the international community to realize the fact that the terrorist TPLF launched third round aggression when the Ethiopian government has been pursuing measures for peace.

The Ethiopian herald September 1/2022

Ethiopian Teachers Association Expresses Support for AU-led Peace Talks

September 1, 2022

BY MISGANAW ASNAKE

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) has expressed its support for AU-led peace talks to end the conflict in the northern Ethiopia.

ETA President Yohannes Benti (PhD) told the media yesterday that the federal government and the Terrorist TPLF should stop the renewed war and engage actively in AU -led peace talks.

Apart from urging international community support for ending the conflict in a peaceful manner, he said adding that Ethiopia would only achieve its national development goals so long as there is an enduring peace and security.

“War by its nature is so destructive and its psychological impact on the society is intolerable as well as lasting long, thus the ongoing war should be stopped immediately.”

Due to this war, millions of people would be displaced from their homes, schools, health facilities and public property are being ravaged, besides students are made to skip classes, he noted.

He, moreover, said that in the efforts of reconstructing these damaged property, it needs huge amount of finance and labor force.

“All conflicts will be resolved through dialogue or avoided if politicians work to nurture peace-loving citizens a committed manner.”

ETA has appreciated the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire declared by the government.

The association has demanded the humanitarian aid to continue and reach in Tigray for those who in need in a proper manner.

“We must pass down peaceful and prosperous nation to the posterity, it is all fellow citizens responsibility to work on ensuring long lasting peace in Ethiopia.” ETA has 700,000 members and it was established 75 years ago.

The Ethiopian herald September 1/2022

55 Civilians Reportedly Killed in Horo Guduru Wollega

August 31, 2022

This time there seems to be a twist to the story of the massacre. Individuals are claiming that “Fano was involved in the Horo Guduru killing” 

Google Map shows Amuru

Borkena  

At least 55 civilians are reportedly killed in the Amuru district of the Horo Guduru zone in the Oromo region of Ethiopia.  The incident happened in the early morning of this past Tuesday.

It happened after the special forces from the region posted in the area were withdrawn, based on the DW Amharic report. 

The regional forces were removed from Amuru this past Sunday. 

It is said that gunmen with different names were in the town after the withdrawal of forces. It is unclear why the security forces were removed from the area. 

DW Amharic cited a resident of the town who identified himself as Nigussie Banja. He said what the government calls Shane (“Oromo Liberation Army”), took control of the town on Monday. They disarmed about 59 guns from the community and left the town on the same day, it was said. 

On Tuesday morning, said Nigussie, groups who call themselves Fano entered the town and “opened fire on residents whom the gunmen accused of collaborating with OLF. 

The resident went on to claim that 15,000 residents were displaced and as many as 55 bodies were buried.  There is also a claim that 87 residents are missing and that a search is underway in the jungles – a search for bodies as the resident put it. 

Bikila Alemu, another resident of Amuru, made similar claims about displacement from the town. “Those who were displaced from rural villages are leaving the town because of FANO gunmen” 

Nimona Deressa, who is described as a teacher, claimed to have seen twenty bodies and had registered the names of the deceased. 

As many as 40 are reportedly wounded but they are not getting treatment. 

DW Amharic said there was an attempt to reach out to the head of Amuru District, Fantahun Taye, to obtain an explanation about the incident.

The administration has not confirmed the alleged attacks by Fan.  Security authorities in the region were not available for remark, the report added. 

There has been a recurring massacre in the Wollega region of Ethiopia targeting civilians, mostly ethnic Amhara, for over four years now.  In all the cases, the perpetrators were, as confirmed by regional and federal authorities, “Shane” – a word that government officials employ to refer to radical ethnic Oromo Nationalists operating in the region. 

There was no verified report in the past that indicated Fano presence in the Wollega region of Ethiopia.  FANO, volunteer groups with recognition from the government, is supporting government operations against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) – a group that triggered war in Ethiopia for the third time in less than two years. 

FANO did not also have a record of opening fire on the unarmed civilian population. 

The story of FANO in Horo Guduru is suspicious, to say the least, as the TPLF has been attempting to bring about mayhem between the Amhara and Oromos. 

At this writing, Ethiopian government security forces have not remarked about the latest incident in Horo Guduru.

American Ethiopian Community Rallies for Peace

September 1, 2022

Ethiopians rallying in Washington D.C. (Photo: File)

AEPAC Press Release

Washington DC – The American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC) has urged the United States Government to condemn renewed attacks by the rebel insurgency Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in Ethiopia, and call on the group to lay down their arms and return to the African Union led peace talks.

To date, the American Ethiopian community has been disappointed with the United States Government’s approach to the conflict, which has been perceived as more favourable to the TPLF terrorist group than the democratically elected government of Ethiopia. However, in recent months the US has taken a more balanced position as the Ethiopian Government demonstrated its commitment to peace through the release of TPLF prisoners, initiating a humanitarian ceasefire and wholeheartedly supporting African Union peace talks. 

In contrast the TPLF insurgency used the truce to undertake a programme of forced mass conscription including the recruitment of more child soldiers. In August they rejected the African Union peace process, looted 12 fuel tankers from a World Food Programme warehouse and invaded towns in Amhara, ending the 5-month ceasefire.

Executive Chairman of AEPAC Mesfin Tegenu said:

“For the past two years the US Government has stayed silent on the actions of the TPLF. Many atrocities were committed and reported but were only ever met with silence. That is now unsustainable, and the time has come for the US to condemn the TPLF.

“In a sign of diaspora solidarity, AEPAC, together with partner organisations, will be participating in “rallies for peace” in major cities across the United States, with a main protest being held in Washington DC on September 6th.

“The rallies will have a clear objective – to call on the US Government to support peace over violence in Ethiopia.

“We hope the rallies will send a message that Ethiopians want peace and prosperity, not war. 

“Our message is clear:

The TPLF must lay down its arms and end its attacks on the Ethiopian people 

The African Union peace process must be given a chance to succeed 

International human rights organisations should investigate the TPLF’s use of child soldiers as a matter of urgency 

The US should support these steps by condemning the actions of the TPLF

International media outlets must apply robust scrutiny to the vast amount of misinformation coming from the TPLF leadership 

The Ethiopian people and its elected government should defend the country’s sovereignty, protect communities from the TPLF attacks and communicate clearly with the international community 

“The only way to give peace a chance for the people of Ethiopia and ensure stability in Horn of Africa is to end the TPLF’s violence. AEPAC will continue to engage US legislators and the administration to educate them on the facts on the ground and views of the diaspora.” 

For more information contact: Alex Walker | awalker@actumllc.com 

About AEPAC: The mission of American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC) is to strengthen and foster the U.S.-Ethiopia relationship, enhance both countries security interests, as well as advance democracy, respect for human rights and free market entrepreneurship in Ethiopia.

AEPAC is a voluntary, non-profit, non-connected, public affairs organization that is not affiliated with any political party nor with any specific candidate for election.

AEPAC engages with and educate US government officials, law makers, non-government organizations and the general public at all levels about the bonds that unite the two countries, with a particular emphasis on how AEPAC serves America’s best interest by strengthening the over a century old bond with one of its oldest allies.

Renewed Conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region Said Widening

By CARA ANNA

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Officials in Ethiopia’s restive Tigray region allege that Ethiopian forces have again teamed up with those from neighboring Eritrea to attack the northern area.

Ethiopia’s government did not comment Thursday after the allegations by the Tigray External Affairs Office and by Tigray forces spokesman Getachew Reda, who said a “massive” offensive had begun in northwestern Tigray.

But the government alleged in turn that Tigray forces’ own fighting had intensified.

Claims by both sides in the renewed conflict are difficult to verify since the Tigray region remains largely cut off from the world and without basic services. The conflict that began in November 2020 had calmed earlier this year but resumed last week after efforts at peace talks failed.

With both sides choosing to fight instead of talk, millions of people in Tigray remain severely deprived of food and other supplies and those in the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions again fear for their lives.

Ethiopia’s foreign minister and the lead negotiator for the previously planned talks, Demeke Mekonnen, told diplomats in the capital, Addis Ababa, that the government is still open to peace efforts. “But we will take whatever measures are needed to secure the country’s sovereignty,” he said.

A witness in the Afar region’s capital, Semera, told The Associated Press he saw a large contingent of Ethiopian army units mobilizing on Sunday and Monday and moving north toward Eritrea, next to the Tigray region, the next day. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

Eritrea’s Information Ministry, in a statement Thursday, accused the Tigray forces of starting the latest fighting.

In a rare admission, Ethiopian officials last week said federal and allied forces had retreated from the strategic Amhara region town of Kobo, south of Tigray.

On Wednesday, both Ethiopia’s government and Tigray forces announced the opening of a new front in the border area with Sudan.

A resident of the historic Lalibela town in the Amhara region told the AP he saw a “previously unseen” level of aircraft movement on Thursday, following Tigray officials’ allegation that federal forces were conducting several dozen flights to the town.

Ethiopia’s government on Thursday again warned against publicizing military movements, saying anyone who supports or assists the propaganda of the “enemy” will face up to life in prison.

On social media, many Ethiopians are expressing their support to the government in the latest fighting. But some question Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration’s handling of the war, and organizations like the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia are calling on both sides to give peace a chance and sit for talks.

Zimbabwe Moves 2,500 Wild Animals Due to Climate Change

By FARAI MUTSAKA

FILE - An elephant is hoisted into a transport vehicle at the Liwonde National Park southern Malawi, July 10, 2022. In neighbouring Zimbabwe, National Parks is moving more than 2,500 wild animals from a southern reserve to one in the country’s north to rescue them from drought, as the ravages of climate change replace poaching as the biggest threat to wildlife. (AP Photo/Thoko Chikondo, File)

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A helicopter herds thousands of impalas into an enclosure. A crane hoists sedated upside-down elephants into trailers. Hordes of rangers drive other animals into metal cages and a convoy of trucks starts a journey of about 700 kilometers (435 miles) to take the animals to their new home.

Zimbabwe has begun moving more than 2,500 wild animals from a southern reserve to one in the country’s north to rescue them from drought, as the ravages of climate change replace poaching as the biggest threat to wildlife.

About 400 elephants, 2,000 impalas, 70 giraffes, 50 buffaloes, 50 wildebeest, 50 zebras, 50 elands, 10 lions and a pack of 10 wild dogs are among the animals being moved from Zimbabwe’s Save Valley Conservancy to three conservancies in the north — Sapi, Matusadonha and Chizarira — in one of southern Africa’s biggest live animal capture and translocation exercises.

“Project Rewild Zambezi,” as the operation is called, is moving the animals to an area in the Zambezi River valley to rebuild the wildlife populations there.

It’s the first time in 60 years that Zimbabwe has embarked on such a mass internal movement of wildlife. Between 1958 and 1964, when the country was white-minority-ruled Rhodesia, more than 5,000 animals were moved in what was called “Operation Noah.” That operation rescued wildlife from the rising water caused by the construction of a massive hydro-electric dam on the Zambezi River that created one of the world’s largest man-made lakes, Lake Kariba.

This time it’s the lack of water that has made it necessary to move wildlife as their habitat has become parched by prolonged drought, said Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

The parks agency issued permits to allow the animals to be moved to avert “a disaster from happening,” said Farawo.

“We are doing this to relieve pressure. For years we have fought poaching and just as we are winning that war, climate change has emerged as the biggest threat to our wildlife,” Farawo told The Associated Press.

“Many of our parks are becoming overpopulated and there is little water or food. The animals end up destroying their own habitat, they become a danger unto themselves and they encroach neighboring human settlements for food resulting in incessant conflict,” he said.

One option would be culling to reduce the numbers of wildlife, but conservation groups protest that such killings are cruel. Zimbabwe last did culling in 1987, said Farawo.

The effects of climate change on wildlife is not isolated to Zimbabwe. Across Africa, national parks that are home to myriad wildlife species such as lions, elephants and buffaloes are increasingly threatened by below-average rainfall and new infrastructure projects. Authorities and experts say drought has seriously threatened species like rhinos, giraffes and antelope as it reduces the amount of food available.

For example, a recent study conducted in South Africa’s Kruger National Park linked extreme weather events to the loss of plants and animals, unable to cope with the drastic conditions and lack of water due to longer dry spells and hotter temperatures.

The mass movement is supported by the Great Plains Foundation, a non-profit organization that works “to conserve and expand natural habitats in Africa through innovative conservation initiatives,” according to its website. The organization is working with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, local experts, the University of Washington-Seattle’s Center for Environmental Forensic Science and Oxford University’s Department of Zoology, according to the website.

One of the new homes for the animals moved in Zimbabwe is Sapi Reserve. the privately-run 280,000-acre private concession is east of Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its splendid setting along the Zambezi River that forms the border between Zimbabwe with Zambia.

Sapi “is the perfect solution for many reasons,” Great Plains chief executive officer Dereck Joubert said on the foundation’s website.

“This reserve forms the middle-Zambezi biosphere, totaling 1.6 million acres,” wrote Joubert. “From the 1950s until we took it over in 2017, decades of hunting had decimated wildlife populations in Sapi Reserve. We are rewilding and restoring the wild back to what it once was.”

Africa Urged to Propose Action on Climate at Conference

By WANJOHI KABUKURU

FILE - Locals wait for food distribution by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in Kachoda, Turkana area, northern Kenya, July 23, 2022, amid a drought. The African climate

week conference will discuss critical concerns of the continent including food security, carbon markets, climate migrants and coastal resilience. (AP Photo/Desmond Tiro, File)

MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) — Africa’s nations must develop strategies to address climate change which poses an existential threat to the continent’s megacities, Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba said at the third Africa Climate Week conference.

African officials and experts should sharpen the positions they will present at the 27th annual United Nations climate conference to be held in Egypt in November, said Bongo.

The third African climate meeting is bringing together more than 1,000 government officials and stakeholders in Gabon’s capital Libreville. They are working to form strong African regional climate responses.

“Climate change is a profound challenge in Africa and a great challenge of our time, amplifying existing social, political and economic inequalities,” Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth group of former British colonies, said to the meeting.

The African climate week comes as the continent reels by several extreme weather events such as drought in East Africa and the Horn of Africa, sandstorms and extreme heat in West Africa’s Sahel region, and destructive flash floods, storm surges including cyclones in central, western and southern Africa.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who will host the upcoming U.N. conference, lamented that promises made to African countries to help them fight climate change have not been fulfilled.

“The international community is lagging behind in mitigation, adaptation and finance. Several pledges on mitigation and adaptation finance celebrated in Glasgow are yet to be delivered,” said Shoukry.

He said the “backtracking on commitments by many developed countries is a matter of concern” for many African countries. “The delayed delivery of climate finance continues to affect Africa’s efforts to contribute to the global effort against climate change,” he said.

The African climate week conference will discuss other critical concerns of the continent including food security, carbon markets, climate migrants, and coastal resilience. Climate early warning systems, integrated water management to address scarcity and international cooperation to boost climate action are also issues to be examined.

Sudan Official: Death Toll from Seasonal Flooding at 100

August 31, 2022

This is a locator map for Sudan with its capital, Khartoum. (AP Photo)

CAIRO (AP) — Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains across much of Sudan killed at least 100 people since the start of the rainy season in May, an official said Wednesday.

The downpours, which began earlier than normal this year, also injured at least 96 others, said Brig. Gen. Abdul-Jalil Abdul-Rahim, spokesman for Sudan’s National Council for Civil Defense.

The United Nations said at least 258,000 people have been affected by floods in 15 of Sudan’s 18 provinces. The downpours wrecked many villages and left tens of thousands of acres of land flooded, it said.

Authorities have declared a state of emergency in six hard-hit provinces.

The western Darfur region and the provinces of Nile River, White Nile, West Kordofan and South Kordofan are among the hardest hit areas, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Abdul-Rahim said around 27,600 houses were “completely destroyed” and around 42,000 more were “partly damaged.”

Sudan’s rainy season usually starts in June and lasts until the end of September, with floods peaking in August and September.

Rescue Operations End in Nigeria Building Collapse; 1 Dead

By CHINEDU ASADU

August 31, 2022

Rescue workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed three-story building under construction in Kano, Nigeria, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. A three-story building under construction collapsed Tuesday in northwestern Nigeria, trapping shoppers in a busy neighborhood. Emergency response workers told The Associated Press that at least eight people have been pulled from the rubble and they were searching for more. (AP Photo)

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — One person has died after a three-story building under construction in northwestern Nigeria collapsed, the emergency services said Wednesday.

The victim died at the hospital where six others pulled from the rubble were treated and released, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency said.

The building crumbled on Monday in Kano, northern Nigeria’s commercial hub, and rescue operations have ended, Nura Abdullahi, head of Kano’s disaster management agency.

“We called it off because we came to the conclusion that there was nobody still under the rubble,” Abdullahi said Wednesday.

Of the eight people pulled from the rubble, “one person that has multiple fractures is still in the hospital and six people with minor injuries have already been discharged,” he said.

Kano Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje ordered an investigation to “unravel the cause of the collapsed structure.”

The building was planned as a business center and was being constructed although some businesses were already operating on the ground floor. It was located in a busy neighborhood, initially raising fears among residents that there would be a high number of casualties.

Neither residents nor local officials have explained why the building collapsed. There have been many similar building collapses in Nigeria amid criticism that some unscrupulous builders and corrupt officials do not abide by construction and safety standards.