July 19, 2005

The government of Djibouti presided over by Omar Gelleh has handed over two Ethiopian helicopter pilots who had defected and sought asylum in Djibouti. This is not the first time that the government of President Omar Gelleh has trampled on the human rights of Ethiopian asylum seekers and refugees and. The Omar Gelleh government is also notorious for violating the basic rights of the people of Djibouti and for letting its soldiers commit atrocities, rape and repression against the people (specially Afars).

Reports coming from the Debre Zeit (Bishoftu) Air Force base in Ethiopia indicate that the two pilots have already been brutally tortured. While the Djibouti government falsely claims that they returned for their own free will their condition and treatment proves otherwise. There are serious fears for their lives as the Meles Zenawi regime is on a killing and repressive spree ever since the May 15 general elections led to its defeat. On June 8, security forces of the regime killed more than sixty unarmed civilians in Addis Abeba alone while an elected MP of the opposition UEDF was also shot in Southern Ethiopia. The families of the two pilots are justifiably worried.

SOCEPP strongly condemns the Djibouti government that deported the two pilots to a brutal regime that could possibly kill them. SOCEPP unequivocally condemns the Meles Zenawi regime for torturing the two pilots in detention and calls on the UNHCR, the Red Cross and other human rights agencies to check on the condition of the two pilots and to demand the respect of their rights. A worldwide protest action must be launched against the government in Djibouti and its collusion with the Meles Zenawi regime.

SOCEPP