borkena,Ethiopian Video
October 13,2017

About 200 Oromo youth traveled to Bahir Dar to volunteer in the fight against water hyacinth on Lake Tana. The video below is from social media. It captures the euphoric mood.

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The post Video : Oromo Youth volunteer in Lake Tana,Bahir Dar appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena, Ethiopian video
October 18,2017

Seyf Nebelbal radio producer bashed Oromo activists over an alleged move to claim ownership of the protest in the region and of the Queerro coordinator in Ethiopia.

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The post Seyf nebelbal radio bashed Oromo activists appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena, Ethiopian News
October 24,2017

Dr Abiy Ahmed is vice president of Oromo regional state of Ethiopia and an OPDO official. From the video below, which is a production of the ruling party communication and media department. Dr Abiy made a speech in Amharic emphasizing the need to on unity rather than antagonism.

However, his words were misrepresented in a way to sound that he favors self-destruction through in fights when shared on the ruling party social media page. What is your take? Share your thoughts in the comment section below

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The post Misrepresented words of OPDO officials appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena, Ethiopian News Video
October 27,2017

An agreement is reached in US Congress to table for a bote a draft bill that will review human rights situation in Ethiopia in relation to US policy.

Sponsor of bill 128, Chris Smith of New Jersey, is quoted by Voice of America Amharic service as saying ” Although Ethiopia is a friend and United States’ ally international peacekeeping, ongoing human rights violations are not absolutely unacceptable”

Embedded video credit: VOA Amharic service
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The post United States’ Congress reached agreement on draft bill relating to human rights issued in Ethiopia appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena, Ethiopian Video
November 3,2017

Lemma Megersa, with his team, is in Bahir Dar. The image that emerges from media frenzy about it is as if a high-level political delegate from another country visited Ethiopia. Does it make sense to you? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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The post Lemma Megeresa and his team in Bahir Dar. But is it a big deal? appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

borkena,Ethiopian Video
November 4,2017

Lemma Megersa is regularly in the news these days. And what is unusual about it is that Ethiopians who are in the opposition quarter are now lending an ear to him. Some even give him the benefit of the dout.

May be his choice of word in the video below is not right (because addiction represents a weakness and Ethiopiawinet is a spirit) but he seem to be, unlike many Oromo politicians, very comfortable to speak something positive about Ethiopia. What do you think of him? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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The post Lemma Megersa says “Ethiopiawint is addiction” appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Dr Abiy Ahmed speaks much like Lemma Megersa when it comes to the importance of Ethiopia. Will the Lemma Megersa team walk the talk and do more in terms of doing away with hate and enmity towards innocent simply because of their ethnic background?

Ethiopian Video
borkena
November 6,2017

Amid growing skepticism about the move of OPDO leaders in relation to dialogue with Amhara region, Dr Abiy Ahmed spoke to Amhara Mass Media Agency regarding Oromo and Amhara dialogue which was going on in Bahir Dar and related issues. He is of the views that artists,intellectuals,political leaders and elders need to work together to tackle challenges (challenges that are causing conflict between people) and work for the betterment of Ethiopia. He sees a special role for the youth in terms of building the country where Ethiopians could live in harmony.

A considerable number of Ethiopians seem to get comfort and hope in the rhetoric of OPDO leaders like Dr. Abiy Ahmed. Others see it, in fact some to be sure about it, as a plot by TPLF.

In addition to Dr. Abiy Ahmed, elders from Amhara and Oromo spoke to the AMMA. One member of Oromo elders spoke with optimism about challenges faced by Amhara and Oromo. He cited a certain young man for the expression “Amhara and Oromo are like a black stone. If you hit black stone with a hammer, it will bounce and hit you back. it is strong. Amara and Oromo are like that”

Many critics of the OPDO leadership cite that their rhetoric should start with demolishing the “statue of Anole” in Arsi – which was erected under the leadership of Muktar Kedir a few years ago to the joy and celebration of some TPLF leaders and to the dismay of many Ethiopias. The statue is based on radical Oromo ethno-nationalists’ narrative of history as it related to emperor Menelik’s campaign to unite Ethiopia. The Statue shows a removed breast in a palm – to signify the radical Oromo narrative that “emperor Menelik cut off women breast during his military campaign in the region.” At the time it was reported that more than twenty million Ethiopian birr was spent on it.

Video credit : Amhara Mass Media Agency
Cover Photo : Screenshot from Amhara Mass Media Agency video

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The post Dr Abiy Ahmed and elders spoke to Amhara Mass Media Agency [Video] appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian News
borkena
November 7,2017

Voice of America Amharic service has the following report (Audio) on the condition of detained billionaires (including Ethiopian born billionaire Mohammed Al Amoudi) in Saudi Arabia.

According to a report by Reuters, the prosecutor of the Kingdom has claimed that important clues and information have been obtained from the early “phase of the investigation”

VOA Amharic service mentioned that it did try to reach lawyers of Al Amoudi in Ethiopia but they declined to answer the phone call – apparently.

They are detained at the Riz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. The video ( with Amharic audio) below captures their situation as thing stand now.

Embedded Audio Source: VOA Amharic Facebook page
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The post Report on the condition of detained billionaires and princes in Saudi Arabia appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian News
borkena
November 10,2017

Eritreans in Europe protested government decision to ban any religious schools and turn all religious schools in Eritrea into a public school.

There was a reported protest in Asmara recently but no causality is reported although The Associated Press reporter in Ethiopia reported, citing Eritrean opposition in Addis Ababa, that 28 protestors were killed.

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The post Eritreans in Europe protested in London against Eritrean government appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian News Video
borkena
November 17,2017

A reported that emerged in Social media indicates that there is a Fresh protest in Shakiso, Guji zone, an area where the gold mine of Ethiopian born Saudi billionaire is located.

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The post Fresh protest unfolding in Gold mine region of Shakiso, Goji zone appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian News Video
borkena
November 18,2017

Senior Tigray region officials are in Gonder for “peace and reconciliation” conference. Earlier a delegation composed of priests and what activists call TPLF cadres arrived in Gonder. Watch the video below and share your thoughts in the comment section.

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The post Tigray government sent delegation to Amhara region for “peace and reconciliation” appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian News Video
borkena
November 22,2017

It is like Libya has become a hub of human trafficking and Ethiopians are among the victims. In the video below, they tell stories of captivity under brutal slavery-like circumstances. And what is the Ethiopian government doing to rescue them? Not much, if not nothing. That is why it is very imperative for international humanitarian organizations to consider to step-in to rescue them from the dangerous situation they are in.

Video credit: Vice News
Cover Photo : Screenshot from Video
Please share this post as widelys as you can.



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The post Ethiopians tell a story of horrifying captivity in Libya appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian Video
borkena
November 23,2017

It is not for nothing that Ethiopians claim, despite differences in languages, Ethiopian food you will find in Oromo region Ethiopians are same as they do share ( of course apart from blood relation) cherished culture. Especially the Oromo and Amhara culture is very much intermingled. Watch the video below and think about many other things that are overlooked as tools to reinvigorate deep-rooted relations among Ethiopians

Video Credit: EBS
Source : Selam Page
Cover Photo Screenshot from Video



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The post Ethiopian food you will find in Oromo region appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian News Video
borkena
November 25,2017

Ethiopian government made it illegal to hoist Ethiopian flag but Ethiopians are defying it. This week a brave man in Gonder proudly hoisted the flag in front of special security personnel who rushed to arrest him.

Source : Great Ethiopian Run

Video source : Muluken Tesfaw page
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The post Brave man defying security force in Gonder ; hoist Ethiopian flag appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian Video
borkena
November 25,2017

Reyot Alemu interviewed professor Mesfin Woldemariam about his new book, Inzech Imboch, in her “voices of writers” show. Embedded video below is from social media.

Source : Ethiopian DJ facebook page
Credit : ESAT
Source : Great Ethiopian Run



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The post Professor Mesfin Woldemariam interview with Reyot Alemu appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Abadula Gemeda speech indicative of evolving ideology or a public relation stunt?

Ethiopian News Video
borkena
November 29,2017

Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) is an unpopular political party, by all measures, among the people that it is representing. For a reason. Its weak stature in the face of repeated TPLF encroachments including on the issue of Wolqaite and recent massacres in the region are among the issues that make the party to be seen as a useless trojan horse to TPLF. The recent melodramatic “people to people” meeting in Gonder aggravated anger as it was seen as an insult to Amhara people.

But when it comes to the relation with Oromo Peoples Democratic Organization, ANDM move is not ignored, at least. It is in that light that the 37th-anniversary celebration in Addis Ababa needs to be reflected upon.

Abadula Gemeda, speaker of Federal parliament whose resignation letter is still being discussed by the ruling party, made a political rhetoric today on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of ANDM that rather sounded like an ideological shift within in his own party, Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO).

From the outset, one striking point (before even talking about the content of his rhetoric) is that ANDM 37th anniversary is celebrated at Oromo Cultural Center in Addis Ababa, of all the places. Needless to say, that in itself sounds very political and arguably a positive step with all the complexities of alliance formation efforts in the face of radicalized ethnocentric political convictions – which seem to be strong among the Oromos. It is hard to speculate as to whose initiative it was to celebrate ANDM anniversary at the Oromo Cultural Center in Addis Ababa. But chances are the initiative is from OPDO.

In terms of the content of the rhetoric, Abadula did not want to refer to AMDM as sister party the way the dominant party within the ruling coalition, TPLF, refers to political parties that are members of the ruling coalition. He rather referred to it as “our party.” In fact, he alluded to the ancester party of what is now ANDM, (EPDM) “Ethiopian People Democratic Movement” and how great it was. Well, that sounds unprecedented in the history of an OPDO official – at least in public speeches.

The other striking point about Abadula Gemeda speech is that while he was repeatedly making reference to ANDM, OPDO, and EPRDF, he omitted, apparently deliberately, TPLF in the more than eleven minutes of his speech. The omission is not without a political message to TPLF and probably to Ethiopians. On the other hand, the emphasis he placed on the importance of unity or sense of unity between the two parties and Amahara and Oromo people and the challenges ahead is a serious one. Take a listen to the rest of his speech.

Realities on the Ground

While there is a cautious optimism about the alliance in the hope that it could be instrumental to topple the brutes of TPLF, realities on the ground are bothersome. Social media activists point to the fact that, and rightly, Amharas are still being killed and abused in the very region that they lived for generations. So long as the ethnic radicalism and the forces that perpetuate it are not rooted out, the effort to unite people will be futile, if not completely impossible.

On the other hand, Oromo activists are also alarming that OPDO could revert back to the years of servitude to TPLF and that the effort for liberating Ethiopia from TPLF will fall apart. Share your thoughts.

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The post The gist of Abadula Gemeda political rhetoric on ANDM 37th anniversary appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Selemon Barega and Zeyneba Yimer emerged winners in the Great Ethiopian Run

Ethiopian News Video
borkena
November 29,2017

More than 40,000 runners participated in Africa’s largest road race, The Great Ethiopian Run, at the capital Addis Ababa this week.

Overall the event went as planned except the death of two runners of natural causes and the Federal police was hassling runners with Ethiopia’s flag as they confiscate it on alleged grounds that it is “not legal.” And this is the flag that Ethiopian patriots carried while fighting fascist Italy. Yetneberk Tadele, a journalist, wondered as to what they would do to the flags they confiscated since government considers it as illegal.

Video credit : VOA Amharic



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The post The Great Ethiopian Run 2017 appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian Video
borkena
November 29,2017

Tension over Ethiopian renaissance dam is growing after Egypt,Ethiopia and Sudan failed to reach an agreement in Cario this month over the guidelines of impact assessment over the dam. Egypt is sending a warning to Ethiopia but Ethiopia is not bothered about it as Ethiopia makes it clear that it will never accept what Egypt wants : implementation of colonial time agreemnt signed in 1929 and 1959 to which Ethiopia is not a signatory. In the meantime, Ethiopia is reaffirming commitment for dialogue and asserts that the dam will not affect the flow of water to Egypt. Sudan believes that the dam will not affect its share of the water. The Arab league is also crying foul over the dam as it thinks that “Egypt’s interest in Arab League interest.”

Aljazeera’s journalist reported the following from the project site. Based on the report, the project is now completed 63 %. Five kilometers of supplimentary dam is construted along with the dam which covers 1874 square kilometers.When totally completed, the dam will generate a total of 6000 MW of electric power which Ethiopia seeks to export to other countries in the region including Sudan.

Aljazeera’s report indicate that the dam area is ready in the event of attempted Egyptian airstrike.

Video credit: Aljazeera
Cover photo : Screenshot from Aljazeera video



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The post Aljazeera reports from Ethiopian dam project : 63 % completed appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopian Video
borkena
November 30,2017

The Video below was found from Germany Amhara Association facebook

Video credit : EBS
Source: Social Media



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The post Ethiopian Video : Ethiopian Community event in Germany appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.

Ethiopia News Video
borkena
December 2,2017

As in many African countries, Ethiopia has suffered the devastating consequences of migration across Mediterranean sea. Thousands have lost their lives in under horrifying circumstances in the sea and in the desert before reaching the sea. Many have become victims of rape before the eye of their partners. Thousands are still trapped in Libya purely in a brutal slavery.

Yet, the problem, the push factor, and alternative are barely discussed in Ethiopia. Doing the right thing to solve the problem is sound. However, finding oneself in a more devastating problem with the illusion of solving the problem is worse. Changing the situation in Ethiopia, whether it is political or something else, does take much less than what Ethiopian Youth are paying during the course of migration. What is lacking to do so, is consciousness and insightful and determined youth leadership. The video below is a good conversation starter. It gives some direction. Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

Video credit: Meleket media and EBC
Source : Social Media
Cover photo : screenshot from Video



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The post Must watch reflection on Sedet (Migration) appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.