January 18/1999

           Ms. ABERASH BERTA (photo) was arrested by the security police of the EPRDF more than five years ago in Addis Abeba. Detained with her were TESFAYE KEBEDE and LEMMA HAILE. All three were members of the opposition Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP) and their detention happened around the time (May 1993) the government revealed that one of the EPRP leaders, Gebre Igziabher Haile Mikael, had died in a shootout with its security forces.

           Ms Aberash Berta , Lemma and Tesfaye were held in Addis Abeba in one of the so called "ghost prisons". They were chained and handcuffed, kept in the dark and incommunicado. Later on, they were reportedly taken to Holetta. Their whereabouts has become unknown for more than five years now. Aberash, Lemma and Tesfaye spent most of their youth fighting against the repressive military regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam. Lemma and Tesfaye had been imprisoned by the ruling EPRDF in 1991 and released after some months.

          SOCEPP lists Aberash and her collegaues as one of the "EPRP disappeared" along with Tsegaye Gebre Medhin, Yishak Debretsion, Sitotaw Hussein, Belete Amha, Azanaw Demile and many others.

          Please write to prime Minister Meles Zenawi ( p.o.box 1031, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia; fax no. 251 1 55 20 20) asking him to account on the fate of Ms Aberash Berta, Lemma, Tesfaye and all the other "disappeared".