By Stephanie McCrummen
The Washington Post
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Ethiopian opposition leaders jailed in a brutal crackdown following 2005 elections have signed a document accepting partial responsibility for the violence in exchange for their release, senior U.S. and Ethiopian officials said.
Only some of the 38 political detainees, whom Amnesty International has called prisoners of conscience, have agreed to sign the document. Others, including the senior opposition leaders, have refused, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are involved in the discussions.
Those who signed could be freed within days, the officials said.
Negotiations on the prisoners’ release have proceeded despite their conviction last week on charges including “outrage against the constitution” and aggravated high treason in a trial that human rights groups and some U.S. officials condemned as a sham. The prisoners are to be sentenced in July and could face the death penalty.
The prisoners’ families have accused the United States of softening its criticism of Ethiopia’s human rights record because the country is a key military ally in the fight against terrorism in the Horn of Africa.
The 2005 elections were generally hailed as free and fair, and the opposition made significant gains. But when opposition members took to the streets to protest some of the results, Ethiopian security forces, including sharpshooters, responded with massive force, arresting about 30,000 protesters and killing at least 193 people.
28 thoughts on “Some of the Ethiopian political prisoners sign paper in bid for release”
Hi,are you sure ? I should not see and hear anymore,why at this time agrement ? This leads very big disentagration among ethiopian people.
Shame on those who signed.
Oh ! that is great,thanks for Mr.Lidetu others also start to denay their country (ethiopia).Why they started the way to freedom ? freedom cant be achived within short stay in prison,it is long journy.I feel happy for this because it gives strength to those unsigned , I am sorry for them signed.
wahsington post statement is false,as thier govrnment they are trying to weaken our struggle,it is international conspirecy.
It doesn’t matter what they sign about, the international community and we know they are innocent and the very important children of Ethiopia. Every thing they do without their will is just their wise move to save the country woyane is cooking her started from dedebit. The so called Ethiopian constitution is a TPLF constitutions written while they were in dedebit years ago before they reached to Addis by force.
The Ethiopian people will support and stand behind with them with any decision they make. They can sign or agree with things deep inside they know they must not do that. They also have to know that the Ethiopian people know every detail what is going on in the country under TPLF rule. Thanks to them, the dark shadow, fear, reluctant, and any dark force our country has face for the last 14 years is gone since the Election. The Ethiopian people know the truth about their country and they will fight the dedebit Seytans in Addis by any means necessary. These are mercenaries who have difficulty to call the name Ethiopia as a country but as an enemy or something they have no respect at all.
I admire the courage of those leaders. Who are an inspiration, role model, and hero to all Ethiopians. What an honer to stand up againest the dictators for the right of thier peopel, and country. Let us all Ethiopians follow their foot step. Let us join them to plant democracy in Ethiopia once and for all. Let us not stand up on the side and see their plans to free Ethiopia, and Ethiopians from colonisers, and dictators parish. Our Ethiopia and our ego for freedom and democracy will perish with them for ever.
I urge all Ethiopians to stand up and fight for freedom and democracy now, before it is to let. Our leaders have to be released immediately. We have to prove to woyane that we the people are the low.
Well…let the reconciliation and “Irq” start. This may be a time for all of us to step back and cease from radicalizing ourselves!!
Doesn’t that justify the fact that the regime does have a saying so in the ruling of the court system? How could the regime release them if they really are held by the court?
This childish game that the weyane regime plays should have been condomned by the world! but instead the U.S is involved in midiating the foolish game…All of what this shows me is that, The U.S knowing that this regime is plying poitical games by westing the lifes of the legitimet representatives of the Ethiopian People, thinks its Normal. The United States is equally responsible for tolorating the terrosation of zenawi.
If midiating with the government can throuw out the courts verdict , what makes us sure that this court if free from the hands of the terrorist regime in power?
YOU CAN NOT FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE OR STOP A FLOOD WITH A FLOOD !! THE NEED FOR UNITED STATES TO REVIEW POLICY ON WOYANE IS CRITICAL INORDER NOT TO MAKE ENEMY WITH THE PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA BY SIDING WITH THEIR KILLER “ZENAWI AND JUNTA”..
MAY GOD BLESS ETHIOPIA AND THE WORLD
They are saying that only Bedru Adem signed the release. The remaining heroes of democracy still refuse to falsely admit to being responsible for the massacre of 193 people and the arrests of tens of thousands of innocents who, according to the Woyane established Commission of Inquiry, the Woyane thugs were responsible for in the first place. So, this claim that the prisoners admitted partial responsiblity is Woyane’s usual madenageria. The struggle continues and our true leaders have not falsely admitted of responsibility and the criminal Woyane gang is still trying to shift responsiblity to the heroes of democracy, and attempts to exonerate itself from this heinous crime and cling to power. While the prisoners have the right to find a way to get out of prison, they have shown that they will not surrender to the Woyane thugs plan to shift responsibility for the June and November massacres the Agaazi sharp shooters committed on innocent civilians.
We promised our leader that we will fight for their freedom. They believed us. But we have not done a penny. SHAME ON US!
How can we see their face when they come out of prison tomorrow? Is not shame? They suffer there in prison we fight here for position (I am talking about the so called kinijit leaders in North America). Again shame on us. Now they are trying to solve the problem by themselves from the prison. This is because they haven’t seen anything expected from us.
In other words we sold them to this brutal government.
For the third time-shame on us.
Kinijit leaders will be free.
Long live Kinijit
Long live Ethiopia.
For get this hipocrat and ignorant americans they always don’t do any good as we have seen all over the world. In the first place they brought a minority and uneducated groups in power just to be able to conrol them easily aginsest all ethiopian ppls but time will judgethem for their eviel agenda and we may got an oportunity to revenge our griefs.Some dumb CIA officers are doing alll this garbage thing becouse they are not smart and they don’t let anoutsider to help them out for teh so calle security reason. It is proven that only americans group can’t do any thing in this world there is always an foreign mind in their progress for example sintific achivments. When we come to military and intelegence it is only american and they fail desipite of all the resourse and buliness stil they fail every where. Look at those new generelas every week they can’t do any better because tehy become to this power through connection now some body on the top not because their genuity. It is a dumb nation with alot of illgotten resourses. They all way want a short cut and bulieng in order to get what they want inspite of compromise and understanding. Thanks to china,india,russia and arabs so the developing contries got an alternative for their trade partners and oil other wise the americans would eradicate us from the world.
The Human snakes (woyanes) with lots of venom with purpose to bite and destroy Ethiopia as they are doing since their creation in dedebit, will never change and become members of the human race. Don’t even trust them for a second. This is another round of their dirty game playing together with their foreign backers who don’t like to see prosper any black country. This is their desperate move to mislead us from the political war we are from all direction engaging against them. As long as all elected and respected leaders are not free, we will not take even a little rest.
Stop hearing the woyane call. Stop reading the woyane propaganda writing. Stop responding every time when they respond in a way to free themselves from the pressure they are getting from inside and outside. We have to judge them only by their action. As long as we don
Ethio_Zagol
“Thursday, June 21, 2007
Not yet…Prisoners haven’t signed release papers
Stephanie McCrummen of WaPo wrote today that some of the prisoners have signed Meles’ proposal. Read it here. The report isn’t very accurate. I think the American officials in Addis whom she quoted and EPRDF are trying to spin this even before an agreement is reached. I hope all will be resolved today. Meles has come some way in this last round. Although the terms are still short of what we expect ideally, and although negotiating under duress is unjust, I think this one is can be accepted without compromising basic principles.
It is 4:50 in the afternoon here in Addis Ababa. The mediators are in Kaliti right now talking to the prisoners. Now that it it is broken, this is what has really happened so far.
Friday, 15 June
Meles sent a proposal to the prisoners outlining his intention to use his executive powers to release them. There were two main points in the proposal which differentiates in from his previous terms.
1. The terms “fault” and “guilt” were substituted by “mistake”. The proposal states that the CUD leaders admit that they have committed mistakes after the election, and that they take partial responsibility to the consequences of the mistakes including the violence in October.
2. Meles says that he doesn’t accept the “guilty” verdict by the court.
Caveat: The proposal is a “take it or leave it.”
Monday, 18 June
Representatives of the prisoners debated about the proposal. Hailu Shawel(the chairman of the CUD) and Birtukan Mideksa(Vice chairwoman) rejected it. Dr. Yacob Hailemariam, Birhanu Nega and Muluneh Eyuel, Gizachew Shiferaw and Hailu Araya were just debating the pros and cons of the proposal without making their decision known.
Tuesday, 19 June
Hailu and Birtukan haven’t changed their stance. The others said that once the two had decided civility, solidarity and the idea of practical public reason won’t allow them to sign the document unless there is a consensus among the prisoners. The legal and political debates regarding signing the proposal continued.
Wednesday, 20 June
Hailu Shawel and Birtukan haven’t changed their mind, and the others weren’t willing to sign the paper. Late afternoon, the talks seems faltering. With the mediators except Ephrem Isaac giving up hope.
Today
The mediators are still there. The morning went the same as yesterday. But in the afternoon, all of the prisoners(not only the representatives) have met to debate on the issue.
Again, I believe this is an agreement our heroes can take. Meles’ statement that he doesn’t accept the guilty verdict of the court creates a false division between the executive and the judiciary. However, it is very valuable politically for the CUD leaders and the pro-democracy movement. This is just my opinion. It has nothing to do with the decicion of the leaders. I know they will decide what is best for the country as they usually do.
I don’t like the way it is spinned by the US officials here though.”
(more to come…)
if the people in prision signed a paper saying they are partitally responsible for the killings that happened in 2005, we still need to support thier decission. They should not die in the TPLF’s prision
Just another ploy to disintegrate the united people.
Great admiration and respect is due for those who seek their full right and truth. These leader must get a CLEAN BILL OF CRIMES for they have been acting responsibly and legally.
Now, are we going to keep talking and yield for pure game to derail us from our path of freedom or Are we gone keep our heads high and do whatever it takes to take back our constitutional rights.
Hey this will never happen!! Our leaders know what is the true, so don’t worry this is just Woyana propaganda. And we will fight no matter what is happen until we see true democracy in Ethiopia
This is a good news and I hope to see these individulas
out and joining their family soon. Our unity comes when we are happy and avoiding hate and monger. Only the Bandas may be unhappy and they are pretending as Ethiopians, please watch them. Every Ethiopians should be happy about this good news.
Well
Hey I don’t think Meles would honor his word and tell the world that he doesnot accept the verdict…He’s known for betraying anyone who would make a deal with him..go back and study his past.. and he does not begin to change today… he was born, grew up and live in a LIE and will die LYING!!!
for me it is a good news to hear a kind of negotation is going on. i apperciate both who signed and thosa who did not. their decision must be respected because they are the ones under risk which none of us can share. i respect their decision as their descion is important for their families.
I wish all of them get out of the jail in one or another way.
I Think what ever decsion our leaders made, we have to accept it. They have paid a lot for our freedom and we should be happy when they got released from Woyane Prision. They know very well which is nice for the country and for them selves.
If there is some body which is not happy for release, i suspect his healthiness.
Bold and ugly creature Meles saying
If they sign or not it doesn’t matter. We (ethiopian) Know eveything.
Confessions signed by political prisoners who have been jailed and tortured for over two years carries no weight. It is a signature taken by force. It is amazing if this idiot Meles and his financiers and political backers in the US think that this confession mean anything. Ethiopians and others who are willing to see Meles for what he is, know the truth and that is what matters.
Let’s not be harsh on those who have already endured two years of torture
ohhhhhhhhhh what a fantastic news
My friends I know there are few who will be toiling laboring for the good of all of us in the whole world fpr the majority of us to leave in peace and happiness. In Ethiopia now our elected leaders are suffering for a cause of freedom so that our children might enjoy in the future. The struggle they are making is severe because the majority of us are either suppressed by the governmnet of Ethiopia or those majority of us) who are in diaspora are entnagled with the daily life affairs either unorganized or lack capacity or no trust to the struggle that we have decided to keep quiet (but I know few are making consistent struggle) and see what happens. So our leaders are in prison and suffering in severe pain and as the released journalists exopressed it unexplicale human condition in prison. So why these PROMINENT people INTELLECTUALS who can very much contribute to the improvement of the whole world if freed be victims to the struggle in Ethiopia specially fighting against Woyane who are administered by naive policies which compares itself with the worst world dictators. Ultimately, K think that is what is going to happen. Because presidentbBush is not going to lead the U.S. and the World in the near future. There will no hope for Meles perhaps without Tony Blair and George Bush. So he might get the rewrds of his deed. I am not ignorant of the good things Meles’ regime has done but his warrior (negative) character overweighs his economic and some democratic achievements. As Dr Berahnu Nega in his book said it he Meles could have been wise man if he respected the real cause of his collegues died for
i apperciate all the comments who wcome with apperciations of a release. Any thing against this is evil.
I personally like what tewodros commented…..
Why and what gain to have these people jailed forever? It has no value to the country at large and to their family in particular.
Wish peace be on our land.
Melse deserves apperciation if he really decides to help them get out of the jail….I wish it were true that melse is becoming a hero!
I am glad that both sides have compromised for peace.Its also hard fact they have partial responsibility for the death,a mess cannt happen by only one side.
Now we need peace and agreement with all other parties including ONLF and OLF.Let the people decide for their own,not parties.
Dear ethiopians,
Don’t be surprised by Woyane’s propoganda and tactic. We know them for the last 16 years. Their aim is to divide and conqure. Ethiopians are tired of this devilish regime. we’re tired of being kicked by the brutal feet of Woyane.We need to stand against this ruthless government. Let’s stop the talk and walk the walk. Let’s join those brave tens of thousands of ethiopians who are in prison like criminals because their political beliefs. Whether we like it or not, one day Ethiopians will rise up and live out the true meaning of democracy. And we need to do our best now for Ethiopia.
God bless Ethiopia.