November 2/2004

The general election of May 2005 is on the horizon and the ruling EPRDF has unleashed its security forces and political cadres to threaten and harass people suspected of having sympathies for the opposition organizations. In this respect more than 14 people belonging to the opposition CAFPDE have been jailed arbitrarily in the Siraro district of Eastern Shoa. The officials allege that the jailed people were agitating the people not to pay taxes.

Past experience has shown how brutally repressive the EPRDF can be against people with sympathies for the opposition. Close to 300 people were killed and many more jailed in Southern Ethiopia during the last general election. Thousands of peasants were also jailed on the grounds that they did not pay the debts they had incurred by buying fertilizers (a forced transaction with the regime that is the main vendor) while the real reason for their detention was that they were supporters of the SEPDC and the CAFPDE opposition groups. Reports of similar arrests as the one that took place in Eastern Shoa,Siraro district have been received from Debre Berhan, Bahr Dar, Gondar, Debre Tabor, Welkait,Tegede, Harar, Jimma and other regions. Different organizations have also complained that their supporters and cadres are being harassed at their work places so as to frighten them into inactivity. The security forces have used the controversial proclamation against "dangerous vagrancy" go detain many members of the SEPDC in Southern Ethiopia and in Yeki district/ Fede kebelle/ ESPDC member Yerkesho Yebo has been shot dead by the police in late August. Around Arba Minch area too, SEPDC cadres and peasants who supported the organization have been rounded up and jailed.

There are many more instances that clearly show that the EPRDF has stepped up the illegal and repressive action against the people in an effort to assure its electoral victory.SOCEPP calls on the ruling EPRDF to stop the repression and the violation of the rights of the Ethiopian people.

SOCEPP