Editor-in-Chief of Salafia NL sent to Qaliti Prison

24 August, 2009 [Addis Ababa] - The Lideta Federal First Instance Court in the capital sentenced today (24 August 2009) the editor-in-chief of the weekly Muslim Salafia Newsletter - Ato Ibrahim Mohammed - to a one year impresonment. The reason for his arrest is an article that appeard on the Newsletter two years a go. The article entitled “እስራኤል ከሰኩላሪዝም ወደ አይሁድነት … ትምህርት ሚኒስቴር ከሰኩላሪዝም ወደየት? (=Israeil from Secularism to Judism and Ministry of Education from Secularits to …?) analysed the directive drafted by the Ethiopian Ministry of Education. The draft directive was received by the Muslim Umma all over the country as an attempt to deny Muslims their freedom to worship and force them to choose between their religion and education. Ato Ibrahim is immediately sent to the notorious Qaliti Prison to serve his sentence.
Earlier the editor-in-chief of another Muslim Newsletter - Al-Quds - Ato Ezedin Mohammed was sentenced to 10, 000 birr fine for publishing articles that exposed the mis-management of the Federal Majlis by the ex-Vice President Ato Elias Rediman and Co.
Having witnessed these sentenced following one after the other, some Muslims are asking if there is some conspiracy behind all these. To strengthen their opinion they mention the soon-to-launch Newsletter named “Ethio-Muslims.” Ethio-Muslims Newsletter is said to be funded by the Federal Majlis and managed from the back its Executive Director, Ato Jemal. The Newsletter is hoped to be used as a tool to eliminat other independent Muslim Newsletters.
More News in Brief
A five years old Mosque Dimolished
A Mosque in Lafto Woreda (Nefas Silk) of the capital Addis Ababa and has been giving service to the community for the last five years was demolished by the authorities of the Woreda on August 18, 2009.
Muslims of the surrounding area fought hard to protect thier mosque but overpowered by the police. A peaceful protest staged by Muslims was attacked and police detained twenty nine of the protesters. One Muslim protester who was under police custody died after “having given a poisoned food“. He was rushed to hospital but it was already too late to help him. Negashi OJ has no detail at this moment particularly on why the authorities decided to demolish the Mosque and if there has been a legal case against it.
Radio Negashi has special coverage on its August 23, 2009 broadcast.

Ato Elias Rediman and co. found guilty of Mismanagment
A special committee set-up to review the working of the ex-Federal Majlis officials concluded that Ato Elias and co. mismanaged the property of the institution and misuse of their power. The specific case was a building that cliamed to have costed 17 million Ethiopian Birr. The review committee found that an Engineer hired to estimate the value of the building estimated it to worth no more than 4 million. Agains the advice of the expert, the officials claimed to have paid the said amount, with 4 million birr yet to be paid. They recommended to file a case against the ex-officials in court and start a formal investigation.

Anwar Mosque under the Federal Majlis
The status of Anwar Mosque has been one of great contention for some time now between the Federal Majlis and those who argue for it to be managed by an Endowment Board. The Federal Sharia Courst decided earlier in favour of the Majlis after several of those who pushing for a ruling in favor of the later were dismissed. The general assembly of the Majlis met in Harrar last month gave the Federal Majlis the authority to manage the historic Mosque. Known rather for being an obstacle to development and Muslims/Islamic inspiration, it is a wonder for many how this institute is to manage the Mosque.

50th Anversary of the Ethiopian Runners

Archive for the Sports Category
Kenenisa Bekele adds 5,000m title to 10,000m gold
By Mamo Gebrehiwot (mamo@goodnewsethiopia.com) Berlin, Germany (August 23, 2009) - Kenenisa Bekele won the men's 5,000 metres world title here today to add to the 10,000m he won earlier in the championships. After a thrilling finish the 27-yearmore
Aselefech Mergia wins bronze in women’s marathon
By Mamo Gebrehiwot (mamo@goodnewsethiopia.com) Berlin, Germany (August 23, 2009) - Aselefech Mergia won a bronze medal as she finishes 3rd in the women's marathon race at the World Championships here. Bai Xue became the first Chinese to win a gomore
Kenyan cheer as Cheruiyot defeats Meseret Defar for 5000m title
BERLIN — (August 22, 2009) - Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot trumped defending champion Meseret Defar of Ethiopia in a sprint to the line in the women's 5000m at the World Athletics Championships here on Saturday. Cheruiyot had led for much of the race more
Tsegaye Kebede finishes 3rd in men’s marathon
Berlin, Germany (August 22, 2009) - Tsegaye Kebede repeated his third place finish from the Olympics last year as Kenyan Abel Kirui took the men's marathon title at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany on Saturday morning. Youngstmore
Gelete Burka & Kalkidan Gezahegne advance to women’s 1,500m final
By Mamo Gebrehiwot (mamo@goodnewsethiopia.com) Berlin, Germany (August 21, 2009) - Gelete Burka & Kalkidan Gezahegne joined Ethiopian-born Maryam Yusuf Jamal (formerly known as Zenebech Tola) of Bahrain to advanced to the women's 1,500 finalmore
Ethiopian runner targets Olympic glory for New Zealand
August 21, 2009 - It's a long way from Ethiopia to Michigan via Wellington, but that's the path the legs of Terefe Ejigu have taken. The former refugee has turned a stellar running career at Wellington College into a $100,000 scholarship at Eastmore
Kenenisa Bekele keeps on track for world distance double
BERLIN (AFP) - Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele remained on course for an unprecedented distance double at the World Athletics Championships after moving seamlessly into the men's 5000m final. The Ethiopian used his trademark last-lap kick to win more
Rome and Tokyo marathons to team up to celebrate Abebe Bikila
Berlin, Germany (August 20, 2009) - Organizers of the annual Rome and Tokyo city marathons will team up to mark the 50th year anniversary of Ethiopian running legend Abebe Bikila's victory in the 1960 Rome Marathon next year. At a ceremony organimore
Uganda beat Ethiopia 4-0 in opener
By Mamo Gebrehiwot (mamo@goodnewsethiopia.com) Juba, Sudan (August 19, 2009) - Uganda’s U-17 national side, Hippos started their CECAFA -el Bashir Junior Challenge Cup campaign on a good note with a 4-0 victory over Ethiopia here, tonight wrotemore
Deresse Mekonnen, first Ethiopian athlete to win medal in men’s 1,500 medal
By Mamo Gebrehiwot (mamo@goodnewsethiopia.com) Berlin, Germany (August 19, 2009) - Deresse Mekonnen became the first Ethiopian male athlete to win a medal (silver) in the 1,500m at the World Championships when he finished second (3:36.01) here more

Natalia Rodriguez Finishes First, Disqualified for Pushing Fellow Runner

The women's 1,500-meter final had a strange result at Sunday's world track and field championship in Berlin, as Spain's Natalia Rodriguez made a late surge and crossed the finish line first -- only to be disqualified because part of that late surge included pushing past Ethiopian runner Gelete Burka, who fell to the ground and couldn't finish the race.Burka was the pre-race favorite, but she ended the race lying down on the track. Ultimately it was Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain, who crossed the finish line second, who ended up winning the world title. Rodriguez went over to apologize to Burka immediately following the race, but she insisted afterward that she hadn't intended to knock Burka down:
I have a clear conscience, I know that I ran well," said Rodriguez after learning she had been disqualified. "I saw a space down the inside and then Burka tried to close me out. There was some barging and then she fell. I did nothing wrong. "At about 150 meters, Gelete opened up a little and left some space open on the very inside of lane one. I tried to get by her, but as I tried she closed me down and forced me off the track. I was going to do the lap of honor, but all the stadium was whistling and the truth is it wasn't very nice." click here for live video