November 10/2001

RELEASE DOCTOR MOGA AND ENGINEER ABERA NOW!

The government police have once again arrested Dr. Moga Frissa, the elderly vice president of the Metch Tulema Self-Help Association, and engineer Abera Aguma who had worked in the Water Resources Commission and as one of the board directors of the Awash International Bank. Engineer Abera had in the past (1997) been railroaded and jailed for three and half years.

 It is to be noted that the police broke into the house of Dr. Moga and illegally confiscated his personal property including computer disks, letters, files, etc...Dr/ Moga has earlier been arrested and released on bail. The authorities accuse the two of colliding with "illegal Oromo organizations" though they are mainly accused of opposing the transfer of the capital of Oromiya kilil (the government has divide the country into ethnic regions or kilils) from Addis Abeba to Nazreth or Adama. The detention of the two is yet another proof of the official drive to harass and silence Ethiopian intellectuals of Oromo ethnic origin (the same is being done on those coming from the Amhara, Hadiya and other ethnic groups too). Thousands of Oromos languish in Zwai and other prisons on charges of being "narrow nationalists" or supporters/members of "illegal Oromo organizations".

 SOCEPP calls on the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to promptly release Dr/ Moga and Engineer Abera who are behind bars on trumped up charges and without an yn due process of law. The government must also release the thousands of Oromo civilians detained in Zwai,Shoa-Robit and other inhumane detention centers. In fact. It is time the government of Prime Minster Meles Zenawi respects the rule of law and releases ALL Ethiopian political prisoners being held all over the country.

Release all political prisoners now!!

SOCEPP