JULY 20/2006

 OPEN LETTER TO MOZAMBIQUE PRESIDENT ARMANDO GUEBUZA

ENSURE THE ASYLUM RIGHTS OF ETHIOPIANS

Mr.President,

 SOCEPP, a non political human rights organization, calls upon you to stop the deportation measure that is in the pocess o falling on Ethiopian refugees who have made their way into Mozambique. A country and  people that had to endure long years of colonial opprssion and had to fight to get its independence and basic rights surely knows what it means to be a refugee and why people are froced to flee their country of birth.

 Ethiopia is under the grip of a repressive ruling clique that openly practices ethnic politics and discrimination. The regime of Meles Zenawi holds close to 50,000 political prisoners, dozens of journalists and political leaders are impriosned illegally, many more have been disappeared. Violation of human and basic rights is systemic and wide spread. Repression based on one's political stand and ethnic origin is routine. International human rights organizations have confirmed the fact that the regime in Addis Ababa is repressive.After commiting fraud in last year's general election, the regime rounded up thousands of people for having  supported the opposition; elected opposition leaders have also been jailed and are being railroaded on made up charges of "genocide and treason".

 Thousands of Ethiopians have fled to neighboring countries and afar because of the repression that relelntlessly strikes the people. There is no peace in Ethiopia, no rule of law to speak of. If Ethiopians flee their country it is primarily because they fear for their lives and seek asylum and safety elesewhere. It is to remembered,Mr. President, that Ethiopia and her people were staunch supporters of the struggle of Mozambicans for independence. At this critical time for Ethiopians, Mozambqiue should also stand with them. It is only justifed to ask that Ethiopian refugees, now under custody in Mozambique, be given asylum rights or the chance to resettle elsewhere where they can feel safe and secure.Sending them back to Ethiopia could very well mean  exposing them to violent reprisal and even a possible death.

SOCEPP