June 5, 2001 JUNE

 1991-JUNE 2001-TEN YEARS OF DISAPPEARANCE

Tsegaye Gebre Medhin, Sitotaw Hussein, Amha Belete,Yishak Debretsion-all veteran leaders of the opposition EPRP- and Teklai Gebre Sellasie, Hagos Bezabih,Desalegn Amsalu and Azanaw Demile ( long standing members of the EPRP's guerilla army) fell into the hands of the TPLF (some were wounded ) in June 1991 in Quara, Metekel and other places. They were taken to Bahr Dar (Gojjam) and subsequently to Makalle( Tigrai) and they have disappeared since.

The government of PrimeMinister Meles Zenawi has given contradictory replies to queries on their whereabouts. At times, it has claimed it never had them in its hands, on other times it had let it be known that they were summarily executed by an over zealous soldier/cadre. Reports that they are all imprisoned in Quiha or other underground prisons in Tigrai have not been confirmed. It is ironic that this same government which has recently released four polit-bureau members of the Mengistu party/government (all accused of Red Terror crimes) has opted to keeping prison or to "disappear" the leaders and members of the same party that was the main, if not the exclusive victim, of the said Terror. SOCEPP once again demands from the government a clear and truthful account of what has happened to these political prisoners.

SOCEPP calls on the local human rights bodies and on Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc...to break the silence on the fate of these "disappeared" and to join SOCEPP on demanding an explanation from the government.

The government must account on the fate of the disappeared leaders and members of the EPRP.

SOCEPP