June 22/2005

Daniel Melke Gesese is one the thousands of students detained by the ruling front/EPRDF/ in Addis Ababa following the June 6 student strike and the June 8 government slaughter of close to a hundred innocent civilians in the capital city alone.

The regime needs scapegoats for its condemnable mass killing of innocent protesters and the detention of thousands in Zwai, Shoa Robit, Sendafa and other horrible detention places. The world has been shocked by the regime's brutality and callousness and its refusal to admit guilt. This is why it is trying to railroad student Daniel Melke as the main agitator of the student unrest and accusing him of inciting rebellion. The regime alleges that Daniel took his orders from the opposition CUD while this coalition has publicly denied that it had anything to do with the strikes or demonstrations that followed the fraud perpetrated by the ruling EPRDF vis a vis the May 15 general elections. Reliable reports indicate that the ruling front lost the election but is trying to cling to power using force and violence. As a result many have been killed, thousands detained and many more threatened or beaten up by the regime's special forces and police all over the country.

If Daniel Melke did call on students to protest peacefully he was within his constitutional and human rights. It is apparent, however, that the ruling EPRDF is looking for scapegoats in its campaign to accuse the opposition and to repress dissent. SOCEPP calls for the unconditional release of Daniel Melke and of the thousands detained illegally by the regime. Railroading people is a practice that ahs to stop and needs to be condemned.

Daniel Melke is innocent and should be released without delay.