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A30 world news
Diasabra 6 November 2021

Tigray, other groups form alliance against Ethiopia’s leader

pia’s government and events some of the people who re-
Secretary of State Antony over the coming weeks. “Of turned to Ethiopia were later
Blinken in a statement called course we prefer if there’s a put in prison or under house
on the Tigray and Oromo peaceful and orderly tran- arrest.
Liberation Army forces to sition with Abiy being re-
“immediately stop the cur- moved,” he said. “A lot of goodwill was lost
rent advance towards Addis over the last three years,” he
Ababa.” He also urged Ethio- “The goal is to be as inclu- said.
pia’s government to halt its sive as possible. We know this
military campaign, including transition requires all stake- Other groups in the alliance
airstrikes in Tigray, and the holders,” he added. But as for include the Afar Revolution-
mobilization of ethnic mili- members of the prime min- ary Democratic Unity Front,
tias. ister’s Prosperity Party, “there Agaw Democratic Move-
would have to be a process. ment, Benishangul People’s
The new United Front of Many members would have Liberation Movement, Gam-
Ethiopian Federalist and to go through investigation, bella Peoples Liberation
(AP) — Ethiopia’s Tigray are approaching the capital, Confederalist Forces said possibly be prosecuted” for Army, Global Kimant People
forces on Friday joined Addis Ababa, according to time was running out for crimes related to the war. Right and Justice Movement/
with other armed and op- the State Department, and Ethiopia’s government to act. Kimant Democratic Party,
position groups around Ethiopia on Friday called on Ethiopia’s government called Sidama National Liberation
the country in an alli- military veterans to join what The alliance seeks to “estab- the alliance “a publicity stunt, Front and Somali State Re-
ance against Prime Min- it now calls an “existential lish a transitional arrange- asserting that some of the sistance.
ister Abiy Ahmed to seek war.” ment in Ethiopia” so the groups involved ”are not re-
a political transition after prime minister can go as ally organizations that have It is not clear whether all
a year of devastating war, The U.S. Embassy is urging soon as possible, organizer any traction.” It also asserted the groups are armed. But
and they left the possi- citizens to leave Ethiopia “as Yohanees Abraha, who is that life in the capital had a there’s interest in protecting
bility open for his exit by soon as possible.” with the Tigray group, told “sense of normalcy” and re- the 1995 constitution that
force. the AP. “The next step will jected any notion of a siege. enshrines ethnic federalism
The opposition alliance be, of course, to start meet- and includes the right to self-
“There is no limit for us,” formed as U.S. special envoy ing and communicating with The prime minister’s spokes- determination. Under the
Berhane Gebrechristos, a Jeffrey Feltman met with the countries, diplomats and in- woman addressed the alli- constitution, critics have ac-
former foreign minister and prime minister amid calls for ternational actors in Ethiopia ance when she tweeted that cused regional leaders of as-
Tigray official, told report- an immediate cease-fire and and abroad.” “any outliers that rejected the serting the rights of majority
ers in Washington. “Defi- talks to end the war that has democratic processes Ethio- ethnic groups at the expense
nitely we will have a change killed thousands of people He said the new alliance is pia embarked upon cannot be of minorities.
in Ethiopia before Ethiopia since November 2020. The both political and military. It for democratization,” point-
implodes.” two held “constructive dis- has had no communication ing out Abiy’s opening-up of Abiy preached national unity
cussions,” the prime minis- with Ethiopia’s government, political space after taking of- and transformed the former
The alliance includes the Ti- ter’s spokeswoman, Billene he added. fice in 2018. His reforms in- ruling coalition of ethnic-
gray forces who are fighting Seyoum, told The Associated cluded welcoming some op- based parties into a single
Ethiopian and allied forces, Press. The prime minister A spokesman for the Oro- position groups home from Prosperity Party, but the Ti-
as well as the Oromo Libera- also met with U.N. humani- mo Liberation Army, Odaa exile. gray leaders who long domi-
tion Army fighting alongside tarian chief Martin Griffiths Tarbii, said the possibility of nated that coalition opted
Tigray forces and seven other about the rapidly growing forcing the prime minister The OLA spokesman, reply- out, deepening frictions that
groups. The Tigray fighters crisis. out will depend on Ethio- ing to the tweet, noted that led to war.

Official Myanmar records mistaken about detained US reporter

(AP) — Testimony by to see his family. He is the Fenster’s lawyer, Than Zaw lawyer. journalists who have been
prosecution witnesses on managing editor of Frontier Aung, said prosecution wit- detained since February,
Friday in the case of Dan- Myanmar, an online news nesses, including police of- The judge also told Fenster when the military ousted the
ny Fenster, a U.S. journal- magazine based in Yangon, ficers, testified under cross- that after Myanmar Now’s elected government of Aung
ist who has been detained Myanmar’s biggest city. examination on Friday that a license was revoked in March San Suu Kyi. About 30 re-
in Myanmar for more letter from the Information of this year, the news outlet main in jail.
than five months, estab- He has been charged with Ministry declared that the defied authorities by con-
lished that official records incitement for allegedly publishing license of Myan- tinuing to post stories about In Washington, U.S. State
did not accurately reflect spreading false or inflamma- mar Now, another online organizations opposed to the Department spokesman Ned
where he was employed, tory information, an offense news site, contained Fen- military takeover, Fenster’s Price urged Myanmar’s gov-
his lawyer said. punishable by up to three ster’s name in its list of edi- lawyer said. ernment on Thursday to im-
years in prison. tors. The license was origi- Fenster is among about 100 mediately release Fenster.
The point may be crucial be- nally valid for a period lasting
cause it appears that Fenster Fenster was also accused of from 2015 to 2025.
is being prosecuted for al- violating the Unlawful As- Both Myanmar Now and
leged offenses by a news out- sociations Act for contacting Frontier Myanmar have is-
let at least seven months after opposition groups that were sued statements saying that
he stopped working for the declared illegal by Myan- Fenster worked as a reporter
outlet. Authorities have not mar’s military-installed gov- and copy editor for Myanmar
clearly described what Fen- ernment. The offense car- Now until July 2020 and that
ster is accused of doing and ries a penalty of two to three he joined Frontier Myanmar
his trial is closed to the media years’ imprisonment. the following month.
and the public.
An additional charge of vio- Last month, the judge said
Fenster was detained at Yan- lating visa conditions that is Fenster had been sought in
gon International Airport punishable by six months to connection with activities
May 24 as he was about to five years’ imprisonment was by Myanmar Now together
board a flight to go to the De- added this week. with its chief editor, Ko Swe
troit area in the United States Win, according to Fenster’s