July 3/2001

BRUTAL TREATMENT OF ETHIOPIANS IN LIBYA

 SOCEPP has often reported on the plight of Ethiopians (women and men, young and elderly) who have been forced to seek employment in the Middle east and Arab countries as a whole and who have been the victims of inhumane treatment. The cases of young Ethiopian girls who have been/and are being literally sold into modern day slavery (be it in Lebanon, UAE, Libya or Yemen for instance)) have been adequately presented.

 Ethiopians who had tied to work in Libya and who have been subjected to brutal and inhumane treatment have now made their case public and sought support from the government in Addis Abeba but with little result up to now. SOCEPP has taken up their cases and addressed a letter to the Libyan Leader, Mo'amar Gadaffi.

Numerous Rethiopians languish in the Jedaida and other prisons of Libya nort only in Tripoli an dbenghazi but also in El Beida and other places too according to reports. Let us cite some cases to illustrate the grave problem ignored by the government of the EPRDF.

1. Legese Ahmed Ali: he was imprisoned and beaten up so viciously in Libya that he has lost all sanity and is now being treated at the Amanuel asylum in Addis Abeba in accord with the letter of support (t28/1494/93) written for him by the Ethiopian foreign ministry.

 2. Leteberhan Tazelew Assefa: imprisoned in the Jedaida prison for eight years and eight months and accused of being a "black Jew" she was beaten mercilessly by an electric cord, has been mutilated and also gang raped by Libyan police. Her attempt to take the Libyan government to court has fallen on deaf ears.

 3. Mehari Gebru Welde Abzgi: a young man who made his way to Libya via Malta hoping to go to Norway. Within fifteen days of his arrival in Libya he was arrested as a "black jew" and jailed for more than eight years.

 4. Leul Andarge Dessie: has worked in Libya for five years and owned a garage and cars before he was detained as a "black Jew' and imprisoned for eight years and eight months without ever being brought before a court of law.

5. Qasim Ali Mohamed: arrived in Libya four years ago and was working as a mechanic before being thrown into prison for eight years and eight months. Has been repeatedly and brutally beaten and wounded by a bullet on his right leg.

 These and many other prisoners demand reparation from the government in Tripoli for the damages that they had suffered and the illegal imprisonment that they had to endure for more than eight years. There are still many Ethiopians being held prisoner for no reason other than the so-called "black Jew" tag attached to them which is by itself not only false but utterly racist.

SOCEPP has demanded the immediate release of the Ethiopians illegally detained in Libya and due reparations to those who have lodged a justified demand for compensation.

SOCEPP