It is with a sad and broken heart that we announce the passing away of Commander Zeleke Bogale who had served his country both as a distinguished naval officer and civilian Administrator par-excellence. For those who know Cmdr. Zeleke Bogale, his passing away marks the end of the life of a courageous Ethiopian who left an indelible mark in the development of his beloved country. No man, presently alive or long gone, has done more to modernize the former sea-ports of Ethiopia and its marine related infrastructure. Although now under the control of Eritrea, Cmdr. Zeleke’s years of hard work and the foundation he laid will undoubtedly benefit both the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea in the future. Cmdr. Zeleke was credited by many for his visionary leadership and management of the staff and thousands of employees of The Ethiopian Marine Transport Authority and in transforming the cities and ports of Assab and Massawa.

On 14th June 2009, a candlelight vigil was held in Geneva and Zürich in commemoration of the martyrs killed while demonstrating peacefully 4 year ago in the aftermath of the highly constested 2005 elections. The organizing task force also reported that letters were sent to various international organizations based in Geneva on the conditions of Birtukan Mideksa, the leader of the opposition Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) who has been re-arrested and imprisoned for life in December 2008. See pictures

Ethiopian journalist Sekalem Fasil has been honored by the Global Forum of Freedom of Expression in Oslo, Norway. Serkalem was jailed in the aftermath of the highly contested 2005 elections in Ethiopia. Before May 2005, Serkalem and her husband, Eskinder Nega, used to run two independent newspapers, Menelik and Satenaw, both shut down as a result of the total muzzeling of the Free Press by the regime.

 

Watch Video of the ceremony and read "To my brave sister Serkalem Fasil" by Yilma Bekele.