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Houthis tighten grip on Yemen's capital

Ethiopian activists pelt ambassador's car with rotten eggs

Clashes in Yemeni capital cast doubt on deal signing | Middle East | Worldbulletin News

The Yemeni government and armed Shi'ite Houthi rebels reached an agreement to end the worst violence for years in the capital Sanaa, U.N. special envoy Jamal Benomar said.

World Bulletin/News Desk

Shi'ite Houthi rebels and government forces fought for a fourth straight day in the Yemeni capital, residents said, despite the announcement of a U.N.-brokered agreement due to be signed later on Sunday.

Residents reported sounds of heavy shelling throughout Saturday night in an area of the capital near the headquarters of the first armoured division camp and close to the religious university of Iman.

The fighting, which intensified on Thursday after weeks of protests and clashes, appeared to be the biggest challenge yet to a U.N.-backed transition to democracy launched after veteran ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to step down in 2012.

U.N. special envoy Jamal Benomar, who had held talks with Houthi leader Abdulmalek al-Houthi in their home province of Saada on Wednesday and Thursday, announced late on Saturday that an agreement had been reached and was to be signed on Sunday.

Benomar said in a brief statement that the agreement would bring to an end confrontations between the Yemeni army and the supporters of the Shiite Houthi movement in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Benomar did not, however, mention further details about the agreement. Neither did the government of Yemen nor the Houthis comment on the reported deal.

Earlier in the day, Yemen's higher security committee imposed a nighttime curfew in some of the neighborhoods of the capital Sanaa.

The committee cited what it described as "security situation developments" and takeover by Shiite Houthi militants of the headquarters of the Yemeni state television in the capital for its decision.

It said in a statement that the curfew would start from 9:00pm local time (18:00 GMT) and come to an end at 6:00am local time (03:00 GMT) every day from Saturday.

The committee did not, however, set a date for ending the curfew.

It said it would be imposed in three neighborhoods and a village in northern Sanaa.

The security committee called on Yemenis to abide by curfew hours and stay at home to protect their lives. It said violators would be risking their lives, according to the statement.

Yemen state television returned on air late on Saturday, almost half an hour after it went off air following its takeover by Houthi militants.

The television had to resume its broadcast from an alternative site, according to a television official, who refused to mention information about this alternative site.

Earlier in the day, fumes were seen pillowing from the television building, a short time after the building was shelled by Shiite Houthi militants.

The fire was, however, limited to part of the building, which did not disrupt the broadcast of Yemen's state television, an Anadolu Agency reporter said.

Building workers, meanwhile, called on the Yemeni army to send yet more reinforcements to protect them, according to a request for help issued by the television staff.

Some of the workers of the building were injured in shelling by Houthi militants earlier in the day.

"Houthi militants had prevented ambulances from reaching the site of the attack," the television said.

Yemen television said earlier that Houthis returned to attack its building by heavy and light weapons for the third day in a row.

The Shiite movement has not commented on the alleged attacks.

In recent days, Sanaa has seen deadly clashes between army troops and Shiite Houthi militants amid protests demanding the resignation of the Yemeni government.

Yemen has been dogged by unrest since a popular uprising that began in 2011 ousted longstanding president Ali Abdullah Saleh one year later.

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Ethiopia's Political Developments Towards Ogaden Diaspora- What went wrong?

When I asked ONLF officials about this propaganda they scornfully said; "We know the issue and Ethiopia will discover sooner that they were sold empty boxes."

Ethiopian government has been putting all its limited resources and energies to deal with the continually increasing Ogadeni diaspora and to persuade them to cut their ardently support to ONLF for using a propaganda campaign of its primitive media known as Ethiopian Somali Television or ESTV.

To achieve that, the regime with its fantasy sent delegates to United States, European Union, Australia, Canada and many parts of the World to reach out Ogaden Somali communities in exile since TPLF's catastrophic invasion and destruction of the Ogaden region .

The Ethiopian delegates were led-by Abdi Mohammoud Omar ( Abdi Iley), an Ethiopian security made politician, and deputy Prime minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekkonnen. They toured many countries in the Western World to meet the Ogaden communities. Their mission was simply waving to the diaspora to come to Jigjiga  with cost-free manner. But those who accepted the call were only retired individuals and retired adults who suffered extreme homesickness for their long stay in the West.   

The Ethiopian Embassies, were their allotted meeting places due to their safety reasons in order to be away from the angry protesters.The attendants were hand picked by individuals within the community who were known spies for the embassies. There were chanting protesters outside the embassies and even some grievances occurred inside the meetings halls, were Abdi Iley as usual tried to use his fist.  

The Ethiopian delegation lured those who attended by offering anyone who is ready, free tickets, free hotel accommodations, and khat (leaves, which are chewed as a stimulant) during his or her stay in Jigjiga. There were many other promises including offering lands they can build or invest.      

Ethiopia's main objective was to make them appear as individuals or as groups on the Somali Speaking ESTV and the main Ethiopian TV screens, while chanting that Ogaden is in peace and prosperity. It was a campaign intended for propaganda to the Diaspora abroad, expecting when the homesick elders listen that they will line up for the free ticket to Jigjiga and the other bonanza. In exchange they were asked to cut their relationship with the ONLF and to forget their long-life dream of achieving free and liberated Ogaden region. It was a hollow pact even though it satisfied the Ethiopian government as a major blow to ONLF.  

When I asked ONLF officials about this propaganda they scornfully said; "We know the issue and Ethiopia will discover sooner that they were sold empty boxes."

Besides that, the traditional dance known as "Dhaanto" was the main program for the Somali-speaking ESTV and was engrossed in many Ethiopian controlled Somali-speaking communities in the region. 

The expectations of Ethiopia was to influence the memories of the Ogadenis, since "Dhaanto' is used to play during the rainy,peace and prosperous seasons in the territory. 

So the trick was to show the diaspora repeatedly those teenagers dancing in a very green bloom environment to brainwash the people in case to forget their lost families and loved-ones, which were brutally massacred by the Ethiopian security forces and the notorious Liyu police,which are commanded by Abdi Iley. But they were in vain, because the Diasporas,who mainly grow up in the west have strong avowal for Human Rights values, and were not ready to easily forget their humiliated relatives as merely showing  the Somali’s tradition of –New Season, New Life.   

Hence, Abdi Iley and his notorious close-friend, General Abraha,lied and fooled the Ethiopian government by telling that ONLF's Diaspora support has come to an end. The non-stop celebrating around the globe by the diaspora for the 30^th commemoration of ONLF is a good prove for that.     

The real question is: Will the Ethiopian governments’ campaign to stop the Diasporas' support of  ONLF affect the ONLF's military action,which is the biggest challenge that Ethiopia has been facing for the last couple of decades? The Ogaden people believe that it won't stop the fighters on the ground.  And history will back my analysis. 

The Ethiopian diaspora project has helped ONLF in many ways. Many ONLF supporters and also its loyal members got a golden chance to enter into Ogaden, while financed by Ethiopian embassies.

Second, members from the diaspora united with their families that  shared with them the hardship and the unbearable burden they are living under the current Ethiopian occupation. They have seen the Ethiopia's army brutality, which is based on kill them all to secure oil and gas wells in the Ogaden region. Can’t we say then, ONLF gained more than it lost for the Ethiopian diaspora campaign?   

If not so, why the diaspora showed this intimate support to ONLF on the occasion of  this ONLF's 30 years commemoration,and displayed their authority around the globe? The answer is simple, the majority of the diaspora regards ONLF as the only legitimate group on the stage that is fighting for the self determination of the subjugated and terrorized   Ogaden region.  

By Ahmed Ahmed