June 4, 2002


MAY-JUNE—REMEMBERING THE MURDERED
AND THE DISAPPEARED


·   JUNE 1991: Tsegaye Gebre Medhin, Yishak Debretsion, Sitotaw Hussein, Amha Belete, Teklai Gebre Sellasie,Hagos Bezabih, Azanaw Demile, and other leaders and members of the opposition Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party were held by the TPLF/EPRDF  and have since disappeared.
·   May 1993:EPRP leader Gebre Igzibaher (alias Gaim) was killed in Addis Abeba and at the same time Ms Aberash Berta, Lemma Hailu, Tesfaye Kebede (all three EPRP members) were detained and have since disappeared.
·   May 8,1997: Assefa Maru, teachers’ union leader and human rights activist was murdered outside of his house by government security men.
·   June 7, 1998: human rights activist, news paper editor and lawyer Tesfaye Tadesse was hacked to death by government security agents outside of his home.

The EPRDF has refused to account for the whereabouts of the prisoners deemed “disappeared” and the murderers of Assefa Maru and Tesfaye Tadesse have not even been apprehended or charged.

SOCEPP is vigorously fighting against “forgetting” the murdered and the disappeared. Justice must prevail, the guilty must be charged and brought before a proper court of law. The EPRDF must be made to account for the disappearances and the murders that have taken place as a result of its actions.
Where are the disappeared? Bring the killers to trial! Such should be our persistent demand till justice triumphs. We cannot, we should not forget the victims.

SOCEPP