Consider targeted sanctions against senior Ethiopian govt. officials EP tells EC

Update on today's EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT resolution:

European Parliament asks European Council to consider targeted sanctions against senior Ethiopian government officials: "the EU Commission and Council should "pursue a coherent post-electoral policy in Ethiopia" and "consider the application of targeted sanctions against senior government officials"".[Unofficial Resolution]

- SUMMARY OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION ON ETHIOPIA AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOLLOW-UP (Ethiopians in Europe are asked to pay particular attention to the 'Summary Remarks' section)
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The Washington Post is reporting that a deal has been struck between some of the 38 opposition leaders in Kality (not all) and the Ethiopian govt. The report also asserts that those who signed the agreement could be free within days. We advise our readers to take this story with a grain of salt. Also see Ethio-Zagol and EMF’s report.
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• PROFESSOR MESFIN WOLDEMARIAM'S LATEST LETTER FROM KALITY JAIL (on what transpired June 11 when the Kangaroo court convicted Kinijit’s leaders)


• COALITION FOR HR 2003 - Statement on the Oregon state Resolution


• TREASON TRIAL MADE IN ETHIOPIA: A 21ST CENTURY VERSION OF THE APARTHEID ERA TRIALS (Testimony of Dr. Dadimos Haile before the European Parliament)


• STOP U.S. SUPPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN ETHIOPIA (Petition sponsored by justforeignpolicy.org)

Lifestyles of the Poor and Displaced (Photo Essay)

Happy World Refugee Day. How shall we celebrate the 10 million global refugees? They don't make a Hallmark card for today. So instead let's go visit some refugee camps, featuring the #1 and #2 sources of refugees: Afghanistan and Iraq.
Iraqi Refugees

Mujahed Mohammed/AFP/Getty
Mosul, IRAQ: An Iraqi boy walks through erected tents at a camp for displaced people in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, 06 April 2007.

Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty
Baghdad, IRAQ: An elderly Iraqi displaced woman weeps inside her tent at a camp for displaced people in Baghdad, 14 January 2007.


Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty
Baghdad, IRAQ: Iraqi displaced children play outside a camp for displaced people in Baghdad's al-Karrada neighbourhood, 25 March 2007.
From IraqSlogger

Afghan Refugees

The tents of the camp are crowded together, increasing the likelihood of epidemics of communicable diseases.

Crowded living conditions also prevent the proper drainage of water. Stagnant pools form which can further the spread of communicable diseases.

This picture was taken by a 19 year-old girl who lives at Jalozai with her mother, father and siblings. She was unable to work or study in Jalalabad and thus fled with her family to Pakistan.

This boy and his family spin yarn. He, like many of the people of Jalozai, show strong personal initiative.

This picture was taken by a 26-year-old man who, along with his family, fled the war in Kabul.
From Médecins Sans Frontières

Other large groups of refugees include Sudanese, Somalis, Congolese and Burundians. The 10 Million figure doesn't include Palestinian refugees for some reason, which alone now count over 4 million. They also don't include the 24.5 million internally displaced people.

Who takes in these refugees? Not the wealthy countries, mostly. Map from Worldmapper.

Details

The Current Situation in Gaza & The West Bank

I haven't had the energy to post on this, despite the significance of what is going on right now. But, this article is worth reading: From Nakba to Gaza: Palestine at the friction point. It's pretty long, but interesting.

Also worth reading, The Crisis in Gaza: Made in Israel, A Tale of Two Governments and of course, Robert Fisk: Welcome to 'Palestine'


Bendib