[Source: Ethiopian Review]

PART 1 [Forward to 19:10]

PART 2 [Forward to 31:50]

[Source: Ethiopian Review]

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) – A north Georgia pastor was shot to death by police when he struck an officer with his car after he was seen in a vehicle with a drug suspect, authorities told CNN.

Authorities say they found nothing illegal in Jonathan Ayers’ car after he was slain during a drug sting.

Jonathan Ayers, pastor at Shoal Creek Baptist Church in Lavonia, Georgia, died after the incident Tuesday afternoon in the nearby town of Toccoa, Georgia, police said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is looking into the shooting.

An undercover drug task force team had set up an operation at a local business, and had a woman under surveillance — someone they had bought drugs from on two previous occasions, GBI spokesman John Bankhead told CNN Thursday.

The officers saw the woman in a car with Ayers and saw what they believed was a drug transaction, Bankhead said. They followed the car as Ayers dropped the woman off at a gas station.

The undercover officers wanted to question Ayers about what they had just seen, he said. “They approached the vehicle. They were in plain clothes. They identified themselves as police officers, which civilian witnesses say happened. They also had badges around their necks.”

Ayers put the car in reverse and backed up, striking an officer, Bankhead said.

According to Bankhead, Ayers then put the car into drive, and another officer fired into the car, hitting Ayers, because he thought his life was in danger.

“The subject kept going and drove off,” Bankhead said. “And later he ran off the road. He was taken a local hospital, went into surgery and died an hour later.”

The incident was caught on the gas station’s surveillance camera.

Police later determined what they had seen was not a drug transaction, but “other circumstances were involved, and that’s part of the investigation,” Bankhead said.

The woman who was in the car with Ayers was taken into custody and faces drug charges, Bankhead said.

Stephens County sheriff Randy Shirley has placed both officers involved in the incident on paid administrative leave, he said. The officer that was struck by the car was treated and released at a local hospital.

No drugs and nothing else illegal was found in Ayers’ car, Bankhead said, “even though what occurred would make any undercover officer working drugs think that was a possibility. I can’t get into that, but that’s what we’re looking at.”

Shirley told CNN the drug task force unit comprises three Georgia counties — Stephens, Habersham and Rabun.

Ayers’ sister did not return a call from CNN Thursday.

* * *
This is Pastor Ayer’s blog. Last updated on August 25, 2009: New Beginnings

More from other sources:

Before he passed away, Pastor Jonathan Paul Ayers asked paramedics who shot him. The rest of the update is at the bottom of the post.

Original Post - A multi-jurisdictional drug task force set up a sting to take place yesterday in Toccoa and a pastor from the area was inadvertently shot and killed. 29-year-old Jonathan Paul Ayers wasn’t a target in the drug sting and was not connected at all but a passenger riding in his car was.

Ayers dropped off the woman riding with him in downtown Toccoa around 2:30  Tuesday afternoon and two agents from the task force which was made up of officers from Stephens, Habersham and Rabun counties followed Ayers and attempted to question him.

Ayers tried to avoid the officers, striking one of them with his car after putting it in reverse. The officers yelled (according to witnesses as well as their statements) “Police, Stop!”. Ayers car lurched toward the law enforcement officers in a “threatening manner and one of the three agents fired a two shots which struck Ayers in the upper body. He drove off but ended up hitting a telephone pole about a block away. The pastor died at Stephens County Hospital in Toccoa.

[Source: Ethiopian Review]

Bulcha Demeksa is the leader of Oromo Federal Democratic Movement (OFDM) who has been known for speaking his mind. On VOA Amharic May 6, he spoke with Surafel for which the TPLF cadre, Ermias gave a short reply and accused Ato Bulcha as a “criminal”.

Bulcha said the regime in power has been known for locking up Oromos on fabricated charges of being OLF fighters to overthrow the regime and what is happening now on non-Oromo army officers and civilians, accused of terror and assassination plot is the trademark of the regime and “without independent investigation he would not accept the charges labeled by TPLF/EPRDF”.

By independent commission he meant foreign organizations since there are not any functioning independent organizations of any kind in present day Ethiopia. He said, those like him who are in parliament are just listeners . “There is not free press and organizations”, he said and in such situation, “we are unable to do anything for our constituencies”. He said, ” we cannot even visit our constituency without risking our and other lives”.

The May 3, All Ethiopian Unity Party (AEUP) news release which is also posted on Aiga Website for propaganda propose,however, declared the expansion of AEUP offices throughout Ethiopia. The divide and rule of TPLF is now at full speed. All potential enemies are rooted paving the way for June 2010 election. Bulcha said also that the regime is now recruiting people throughout Ethiopia to vote for EPRDF. “Conferences and workshops are everywhere while others so called oppositions including his party are just seating and waiting for the landslide victory of TPLF/EPRDF”.

Persons like Bulcha Demeksa who has been a partner with TPLF/EPRDF for many years know very well that they haven’t served their constituencies except giving legitimacy for the regime. His courage as an individual for speaking the truth on TPLF’s parliament and on foreign platforms,however, is commendable.

The sad thing is that party like AEUP, UDJP still believe that they will pull the kind of the Kinijit’s victory of May 15, 2005 by just being nice and do organizational work to defeat TPLF. It is only one year before the so called election of 2010 and the recent arrest and the intimidation campaign is part of the TPLF election campaign as Bulcha accurately put it together recruiting millions of hostages, workers and peasants, under the cover of workshops and conferences.

The choice for Bulcha and his party is now clear. For more than a decade he tried to empower his people peacefully and that has not produced any tangible result. Now it is time to save himself before he faces similar fate like the thousands of Oromos who have been locked up for years as members of an outlawed OLF.

What Bulcha Demeksa tried for a decade is now discovered as something new by AEUP, UDJP and others believing that there is no other alternative. I wish they were right.

By Tedla Asfaw

[Source: Ethiopian Review]

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians have attended a state funeral for legendary singer Tilahun Gessesse, considered a symbol of national unity since the time of Emperor Haile Selassie. Many of Tilahun’s songs were considered anthems, binding together a country through war and famine, monarchy and dictatorship.

Mourners wailed in the streets and security forces struggled to control massive crowds as a nation said farewell to a man many call ‘the father of Ethiopian music’. Radio stations interrupted regular programming for a live broadcast of the memorial service.

Hours before the service began, tens of thousands of fans, many with tear streaked faces, gathered under a blazing sun in Addis Ababa’s main square, chanting and singing along with Tilahun Gessesse’s songs.

Fifty-year-old Antene Gizachew said nobody will replace him in Ethiopia’s heart.

“He’s a legend for Africa,” said Antene Gizachew. “He was motivator, humanitarian, so the United States has legends, as a young man I remember Elvis was a legend. He’s like our Elvis. He lives in each Ethiopians hearts and minds forever.”

Tilahun’s golden voice captivated a struggling nation, transcending politics and time. He was a favorite of Emperor Haile Selassie, and served in the Imperial Guards.

His fame grew through the years of Marxist dictatorship known as the Dergue, under Mengistu Haile Mariam. His songs about starvation raised millions of dollars for a famine-stricken nation. He traveled abroad, thanking the world for its support during the famed “We are the world” campaign.

But unlike many who fled the terror of the Dergue, he overlooked politics and kept on singing to his adoring public.

He won over the current government a decade ago during Ethiopia’s war with Eritrea when he went to the front to entertain the troops.

The front row of seats at the memorial service was dotted with the faces of top government officials.

Also prominent at the service was a massive floral bouquet sent by the young singing sensation Teddy Afro, whose songs were adopted by the opposition during the violent anti-government protests following the 2005 elections. Afro is currently serving a prison sentence for a fatal hit-and-run traffic accident.

Famed artist Sileshi Demisse says even though Tilahun’s music sometimes had a political edge, politicians of all stripes embraced him.

“He was not anti any government personally, but through his music he expressed his feelings during all these three regimes, and all these governments were going to give him a hard time,” said Sileshi Demisse. “But he wasn’t that politically hard, but he was saying what he wants to say.”

Prominent actor Abdullah Balcha, who also served as Tilahun’s personal attorney, says the singer not only had a knack for expressing the people’s feelings, but could do it in several languages.

“There was some operation in every form at the time of the emperor, at the time of the dergue, there was that feeling of expressing, and he was always the voice of the people,” said Abdullah Balcha. “He used to sing perfectly and eloquently in Amharic and Oromifa and in Sudanese, Arabic as well.”

Tilahun had been in poor health in recent years, suffering from diabetes. He died Sunday, hours after returning to Ethiopia from the United States. He was 68-years-old.

Source: VOA News

…………………………………….

Short biography of the famous Ethiopian Singer, the legendary Tilahun Gessese

Gessesse was born on September 29, 1940, in Addis Ababa to Woizero Gete Gurmu and Ato Gessesse Negusse. When he was fourteen years old, he was taken by his grandfather to Waliso where he began attending Ras Gobena Elementary School.

As time went by, his interest in music became increasingly clear, although his grandfather urged him to concentrate on his academic studies. The Ras Gobena School Principal Mr. Shedad (who was from Sudan), encouraged Gessesse’s interest in music and urged him to go to Sudan to pursue his music career. Although Gessesse did not go to Sudan, he took Mr. Shedad’s advice very seriously. When Woizro Negatwa Kelkai, Ato Eyoel Yohanes and others artists from the Hager Fikir Theatre came to his school to perform, Gessesse took the opportunity to discuss his interest in music with Ato Eyoel. He was told to go to Addis Ababa if he wanted to pursue a career in the field.

Gessesse left school to go to Addis Ababa, a journey he began on foot without his grandfather’s consent. When his grandfather realized that Tilahun was no longer in Woliso, he informed Gessesse’s great-aunt in Tulu Bolo. After Gessesse traveled fifteen kilometers on foot, he was caught in Tulu Bolo and stayed overnight with his great-aunt Woizero Temene Bantu. The next day, he was forced to return back to his grandfather in Woliso. Since his interest in music lay deep in his heart, Gessesse chose not to stay at his grandfather’s house in Woliso. After staying only one night at his grandfather’s house, he again began his journey to Addis Ababa, this time hiding himself in the back of a loaded truck.

In Addis Ababa, Gessesse was first hired by the Hager Fikir Association, which is now known as Hager Fikir Theater. After a few years at the Hager Fikir Theater, he joined the Imperial Bodyguard Band where he became a leading star singer. During his time with the band, Gessesse ran afoul of the government after the attempted coup d’état of December 1960 by the Imperial Bodyguard. He was arrested and put in prison for a time.

Gessesse moved to the National Theater where his success continued. He was so famous that he appeared three times in front of Emperor Haile Selassie I. During a visit, the Emperor advised him not to abuse his talent.
The majority of Gessesse’s recordings are in Amharic, though he has recorded a number of songs in Oromigna.

He received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Addis Ababa University, in appreciation of his contribution to Ethiopian music. He has also received an award for his lifetime achievements from the Ethiopian Fine Art and Mass Media Prize Trust.

(source: wikipedia)

[Source: Ethiopian Review]