December 10/2007

DECEMBER 10--WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

Every year, as we observe the World Human Rights Day, we are forced to observe that the human rights situation in Ethiopia has worsened. The number of political prisoners has not decreased, the arrogant trampling on the rule of law has intensified, due process is systematically denied, torture is routine, discrimination is rampant and, as events in the Ogaden are showing us, terror and massacres are in place.

 The EPRDF regime has refused to heed the call for justice. Enjoying the suport of the West that is rewarding it for its role as a foot soldier in the declared war against "terrorism", it has persisted in its gross violation of rights. The dozens of diappeared have not been accounted for, the more than 35,000 political prisoners are still suffering in Dedesa,Zwai,etc.., ethnic discrimination is in place and non Tigreans are bearing the brunt of this evil, the free press is muzzled. Moreover, the regime has launched a brutal counter insurgency in the Ogaden, massacring people as it had done previously in Gambella. The crimes of the regime in the Ogaden demand firm and wide spread condemnation. Ethiopians are still forced to flee from their own coutnry, to seek refuge abroad but this has also proved dangerous and fatal for them. Kenya and the Sudan have deported scores of refugees to a sure repression on the part of the ruling ERDF. Yemen has jailed and even shot at would be emigrants. Djibouti deports refugees incessantly. Inside Ethiopia, political dissent is still repressed with fury, many genuine political forces remain ostracized, hunted down and declared illegal. The EPRDF regime that fradulently stole the last election is in power thanks to the use of brute force and the backing of foreign owers that refuse to condemn its violation of rights.

 The regime in Ethiopia is one of the worst human rights violators in Africa. It has even crossed the Ethiopian border into Somalia to commit atrocities and violations against the people there. This regime deserves more than a simple condemnationas we observe the World Human Rights Day.

SOCEPP