September 19, 2003

SOCEPP hereby registers its opposition to the statement of the Amnesty International recent report that claimed that there is an improvement in the human rights condition in Ethiopia. In actual fact, the violation of human rights by the regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has worsened.

SOCEPP is not aware of the facts leading to the Amnesty conclusion but it is fair to say that SOCEPP has had its basic differences with the London based body on the general issue of human rights in Ethiopia as well as on the case of the "disappeared" and of having a balanced view of the victims of the violations. That aside, it is very clear that nothing that has happened in Ethiopia in terms of respecting human rights warrants the Amnesty conclusion. Political prisoners are in the thousands and the regime does not even acknowledge it is holding ONE political prisoner. The regime has still refused to say one word on the fate of those "disappeared" in its custody. Due process of law is still absent, torture has become routine, hundreds if not thousands are incarcerated without ever being brought before a court of law, railroading people is routine, secret prisons are many, cruel and inhuman punishments systematic. From all regions there are persistent reports of atrocities, of the violations of the rights of children and women. The regime is still violating the rights of the free press, the freedom of association for trade unions, teachers' unions, etc.. In short, the victims, the people of Ethiopia, have affirmed and will continue to affirm that the regime in power in Ethiopia is a predator and gross violator of human rights. From where did the Amnesty conclusion rear its head and proclaim an "improvement" that is invisible to the very people concerned?

As human rights organization with no political axe to grind, SOCEPP strongly objects to the Amnesty assertion and calls on all peace loving forces not to be lulled by such erroneous accounts. The regime in Ethiopia is an arrogant violator of the basic human rights of the Ethiopian people. There is no improvement on the ground. On the contrary, conditions are worsening. The Meles Zenawi regime has refused to heed all calls for the respect of human rights. This is the fact and the reality in Ethiopia.