It is now a public secret that Coalition for Unity and democracy party (CUDP, a.k.a. Kinijit) is coming apart at the seams. Just when it thought it has left its legal saga behind, it is now facing a fractured leadership and a divided constituency both inside and outside the country. After simmering under the surface for a long time, the conflict with in the CUDP leadership erupted soon after their release from TPLF prison. North America is now one of the battle grounds for the political/propaganda and legal fights between the Hailu Shawel group and the Berhanu Nega group. Since their arrival in North America a couple of weeks ago, they have both been utilizing every communications media they can to win the hearts and minds of the Habasha (Abyssinian) Diaspora.
The first bullet in the legal combat, however, is fired in Toronto, Canada.
Kinijit Ethiopian Cultural and Relief Organization in Toronto has filed a lawsuit against Kinijit Canada council, Kinijit for Human Rights and democracy and Kinijit Waterloo for “infringing the plaintiff’s rights in the Kinijit design trade-mark.” From the little information this blogger has, it looks like the plaintiff is on Hailu Shawel’s side while the defendants are on the side of Berhanu Nega and Co.
It is to be recalled that the Asmara Group of OLF had filed a similar lawsuit against TA-OLF.
The allegations in Kinijit lawsuit are almost exactly the same as that of the Asmara group of OLF’s against TA-OLF in a Minnesota court.
Both lawsuits allege the defendants (a) Infringed the plaintiff’s exclusive rights to use the organizations’ logo, trade-mark, etc …; (b) Passed their services off as that of the plaintiff’s and in the process confused the public; (c) Seriously hampered the plaintiff’s ability to raise funds.
Both plaintiffs plead with the courts to (a) Grant them permanent restraining orders against the defendants; (b) Award them compensatory damages; (c) Award them their legal fees arising from these disputes and other costs.
The first bullet in the legal combat, however, is fired in Toronto, Canada.
Kinijit Ethiopian Cultural and Relief Organization in Toronto has filed a lawsuit against Kinijit Canada council, Kinijit for Human Rights and democracy and Kinijit Waterloo for “infringing the plaintiff’s rights in the Kinijit design trade-mark.” From the little information this blogger has, it looks like the plaintiff is on Hailu Shawel’s side while the defendants are on the side of Berhanu Nega and Co.
It is to be recalled that the Asmara Group of OLF had filed a similar lawsuit against TA-OLF.
The allegations in Kinijit lawsuit are almost exactly the same as that of the Asmara group of OLF’s against TA-OLF in a Minnesota court.
Both lawsuits allege the defendants (a) Infringed the plaintiff’s exclusive rights to use the organizations’ logo, trade-mark, etc …; (b) Passed their services off as that of the plaintiff’s and in the process confused the public; (c) Seriously hampered the plaintiff’s ability to raise funds.
Both plaintiffs plead with the courts to (a) Grant them permanent restraining orders against the defendants; (b) Award them compensatory damages; (c) Award them their legal fees arising from these disputes and other costs.
It is very interesting that both lawsuits do not allege the defendants distorted the plaintiffs’ political messages, or educated their audiences against plaintiffs' objectives. Both lawsuits are silent when it comes to whether they agree or disagree with the contents of political education provided by the two defendants to their audiences. All the lawsuits allege is that defendants impinged on their “economic advantage” and their “ability to fundraise.”
It looks like these two plaintiffs have taken politics for business, and political organizations for business firms whose primary raison d'etre is NOT political education and political struggle but fund raising and amassing money. What is the world coming to? This blogger has no sympathy for CUDP, but don't they have better things to do rather than dragging each other in the courts? Don't they see that this is a dream come true for Melles and Co.?
It looks like these two plaintiffs have taken politics for business, and political organizations for business firms whose primary raison d'etre is NOT political education and political struggle but fund raising and amassing money. What is the world coming to? This blogger has no sympathy for CUDP, but don't they have better things to do rather than dragging each other in the courts? Don't they see that this is a dream come true for Melles and Co.?
Read Kinijit Ethiopian Cultural and Relief Organization in Toronto’s statement of claim HERE. You may have to download the document as Kinijit seems to have removed it from their web site. Many thanks to those who informed this blogger of the removal.
Have your say!
5 comments:
It is the same Qinijit that is taking the OLF to the court. Shanee-Qinijit (SQ) is the same as the Qinijit in Canada. Oromo wake up!
Gumaa Guddaa
It is getting clearer now where all these court business is coming from. I was wondering where the hell they learned how to sue? Since I have never seen them suing any body, not even their enemy.
I was talking about shane qinijit above.
You guys created a new organization, why do'nt you want a new name (QC) to go with it?
Not every thing is for sell.
There are things that don't and can't have a dollar value associated with it. Bilisumma (libration) is one of these things. It costs people's life, imprisonment, torture and no amount of dollar can be associated with its price.
I am just wondering where OLF-Asmara had the magic number $50000 dollars got from to ask its competitors for compensation.
How about them, who is going to sue them for the lives that are lost because of their unwise decision made over and again? Which court should we take them to and how much should we sue them for?
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