May 26, 2001

TRAMPLING ON THE RULE OF LAW CONTINUES

THE government in Addis Abeba has refused to heed the call for the respect of the rule of law and is blatantly continuing with the repression and the violation of rights of the people.

 The two illegally detained academics, professor Mesfin Woldemariam and Dr. Berhanu Nega, have been sent back to jail. Denied bail even though they were legally entitled to it, the case of the two academics, who are on a hunger strike since their arrest on May 8, was brought before judge Leul Gebre Mariam who had last year distinguished himself as a government cadre campaigning for the EPRDF Wereda/district 24 in Addis Abeba during the may 2000 elections. The 5th Criminal Court has closed the file on the case of the academics because the prosecutor claimed he had filed a case at another court but the defendants have yet to know what the charges are. The repression against students continues and this week too university students have been beaten up and their IDs have been taken by the police. Security men in civilian cloths continue to hunt for students not only in Addis Abeba but in many other towns too.

Army and security police are on a virtual rampage in Southern Ethiopia and the blind repression is claiming many lives as the government strives to punish the people for having supported oppostion organizations (SEPDC, etc..) in the May 2000 elections.

 Now that the government has released most of the top politbureau members of the former regime who had been accused of “Red Terror Crimes” it has lost any justification for holding in prison low level officials and cadres. Peace delegate Abera Yemenab, whose detention had been conveniently attributed to the same charge (Red Terror), should also be released without delay as should be the former university president and many individuals incarcerated in Kaliti and other places (including Tigrai). Reliable reports indicate that the government is threatening independent journalists with severe repression (and even murder) if they continue with their tasks. The whereabouts of the arrested leaders and members of the EDP and AAPO remains hidden and they have not been brought before a court of law.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has now gone on record justifying the bloody repression against the students and the detention of the academics. This does not augur well. On the contrary, it ominously highlights the determination by the Prime Minister to continue with the condemned practices and policies that have routinely violated the rights of the people. Call for an end to the repression and the violations.

 Call for the release of the detained academics and all political prisoners. Support the struggle for the respect of human rights in Ethiopia.

SOCEPP