JANUARY 20/2004

Hundreds of Ethiopian refugees are detained in inhuman conditions in the desert of Djibouti given little food during the day and subjected to regular beatings by the police. Ethiopian truck drivers and traders have also complained of routine illegal detentions, beatings and robberies by the Djiboutian police without getting any recourse from any quarter.

Four Ethiopian employees of the Ethi0-Djibouti Railway corporation have been detained on charges of "being involved with the bomb that exploded on a train in Djibouti" a month or so ago. Mohamed Berale, Mesfin Negussie, Alemayehu Bezabih and Getahun Astawsegn are being used as scapegoats for a crime that many observers assert was perpetrated by another political force opposed to the EPRDF ruling in Addis Abeba. The four claim that their arrest is illegal and as long standing employees of the corporation their record is clean. The four Ethiopians have been severely tortured to make them sign a false confession prepared by the Djiboutian authorities.

The government of Omar Gelleh in Djibouti is a known violator of human rights and ever since it declared almost all Ethiopian refugees illegal it has been conducting a witch hunt against Ethiopians. Neither the UNHCR nor any other concerned human rights group has intervened to protest against this illegal action and violation on the part of Djibouti. The violations of the rights of Ethiopians in Djibouti continue much to the pleasure of the EPRDF that wants all refugees harassed and/or deported.

SOCEPP