ADDIS ABABA, June 28 (Reuters) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi slammed on Thursday calls by Western diplomats for the release of 38 opposition officials as “shameful”.
In an address to parliament, Meles lambasted the Addis Ababa-based Western ambassadors, some of whom were listening to his speech in the gallery, and accused them of pressuring him.
“In Ethiopia there is nothing that can be resolved as a result of external pressure,” he said.
The officials were convicted this month of charges relating to violent protests over disputed 2005 polls that altered the political landscape in the country of 81 million by handing the opposition a vastly increased share of parliament.
Meles, a one-time rebel leader, said diplomatic appeals for the group to be freed were “shameful and wrong”.
The officials, who may face the death penalty, are among 131 opposition leaders, reporters and activists charged in 2005 of treason, inciting violence and attempting to commit genocide.
There has been widespread speculation of a deal to free the 38 this week. But Meles ruled out a pardon for any prisoners while their cases were pending in court.
“We know the country is rife with rumours about their impending pardon … but the government has not discussed this issue with anyone because it violates the right of the court,” he said in response to a question by a parliamentarian.
Once the donor darling of the West, Meles has come under growing criticism for his human rights record after allegations of a secret detention programme targeting suspected Islamist militants, and a post-election crackdown that killed 193 people.
Even his greatest ally, the United States, has criticised donor-dependent Ethiopia for the arbitrary arrests of tens of thousands of opposition supporters and restrictions on media freedom, including the detention of journalists.
Meles has said he regretted the post-poll violence, but blamed it on opportunistic rioters and an opposition conspiracy to topple him by force.
“I had advised them (the opposition) not to violate the constitution, which they did not heed,” he said.
24 thoughts on “Meles calls appeals for release of Ethiopian poltical prisoners “shameful””
Why any body leasten to this full. All of us need to rise up and wipe him and his so called parties out.
Let us not west any more time. A moran is a moran. he has no sens of humer. Force is the only way out.
I urge all ethiopians to stand together and wipe out this adminesteration as soon as possible.
The life of Ethiopias greatest childrens is on line. There should be no time to be wested. I also urge all civic and poletical organizations to take step up action immideately.
Meles is as usual pathological liar.
Meles says above:
Hi, everybody, donot worry this is very simple, you will see worese condition.
Wendata Meles. “…manim ayadinachewm, ferngim bihon” that was his word.
Meles is a ‘smart’ guy. He is tring to be confident and stable by saying he has not made any deal with the prisoners. Even if he has made any secret aggreement he is not going to make it public in the parliament b/s in that case he has violated the judiciary. Thus he has to implememt any deal through the judiciary. An appeal by the attorney of the defendants is a possible way out for meles’s deal.
I don’t believe his recent statements on the parliament. He is weak inside but pretends in the parliament!! He is under pressure from every direction and he will release them !!
That is a must!
God bless Ethiopia
Now it is time for meles and his rebel party to fall down like a house cards. He is upsettinfg his bosses in the white house though he is paying a millionn dollar for his lobbyists in Washington. In the US poletical arena, especially towards foreign leaders, there is NO permanent enemy or a friend. he(Meles) is slipping out of their grip. You can fool some people for sometime but you can’t fool those in the congrees all the time.Congressman Payne has dismantled who the dictator is. The rest is on our shoulder those of here in diaspora. Let’s unite for God’s sake and raise our voice in unity.The Woyane cadres cannot oversmart us anymore.Enough is enough for one ethnocentric party who dare to divide and silence us. let;s pursue on fighting the good fight. It is a rightouse and godly struggle and The almighty will be with us. Let’s us have faith.
God bless Ethiopia!
These guys (Meles & Co.) Playing a game from the beginning when they imprison elected leaders of CDU from fabricating evidence, spreading rumors to postponing the so call court hearing, they are doing that to collect public opinion even though it is the poor way they choose for their poll, we are being fooled a lot and they did it again .shamefully they are declaring at their rubber stamp parliament that the
Meles takes maximum pleasure by exerting maximum damage to the psychological health of the country he rules. He deliberately raises the expectation of the population and then squeezes everybody hard by dashing out that expectation. Such was the mentality of Nero who was laughing loud when people of Rome were buring under the Great Fire. I do not think it is accidental that there is a big physical similarity between Nero and Meles. Nero, like Meles, was a fat necked and a pot bellyed mentally sick man. When the Roman senate condemned the emperor Nero to be flogged to death, he committed suicide. Such fate is awaiting this modern brutal dictator.
This guy is getting even worst then he was before. Unless he release all our leaders there is no New Year all of who how preparing yourself to go Ethiopia and celebrate New Year with this killer think about.
These guys (Meles & Co.) Playing a game from the beginning when they imprison elected leaders of CDU from fabricating evidence, spreading rumors to postponing the so call court hearing, they are doing that to collect public opinion even though it is the poor way they choose for their poll, we are being fooled a lot and they did it again .shamefully they are declaring at their rubber stamp parliament that the
After propogating woyane’s dirty job last week, Ben from Ethiopiafirst.com is again telling us today that our leaders will be released soon. What a con head!
I think there is something wrong with us. The small boy who was enabled to take power in 1991 in Addis Ababa,namely Zenawi is destined for elimination of Ethiopia and he is paid for it. We have seen the sabotage made in the futile and shaby war after making the nation land locked.He printed a constitiution to enable each nationalities to declare it’s independency. He frequently speaks with his first language that he is proud of being from such tribe in order to mobilize more body guards. Then what a hell are we waiting?
A small and sick mind can’t understand negotiation or the peaceful path for maintaining peace. As I attempted to depict above, he is paid evil to annihilate Ethiopia. That is why he doesn’t want to release Kinijit leaders.
The only alternative courses of action is to get rid of all rubish-human structured animals from Menilik the II palace. You know it may take a few weeks to teach these egocentric and ruthless elements, if we work together.
To our leaders,members and suporters of Kinjit who are in Kality detention, please note that you are prominent intellecuals, heroes and real human beings for you have sacrificed yourselves to rescue the needy and innocent Ethiopian population. Everyone of you needs to be proud of yourself. You have a history like our anicient heroes that you have engaged peaceful war against armed devils. May God bless our task for we are to fight against devil,Amen.
When every website carried the news of the release of our leaders,Elias Kifle ignored it for days. I commend you Elias for such farsigtedness. It seems that you have grasped the criminal mentality of this disgusting tug called Meles who is moved not by the quest to develop the country but by the hatred of its people and the distruction of their future.
I also commend you for identifying the other set of tugs here: the shaleka,the getachew haile and their unthinking follwers who try to shortcircuit and sabotage whatever we have gained in our fight for well-being of our people. For our country, both are the different faces of the same fraudlant coin.
THE TRANSLATION OF AP IS WRONG. MELES WAS TALKING ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO BUT THE WRITER UNDERSTOOD IT TO MEAN NOW. GO AND LISTEN IF YOU CARE THAT IS
http://radiofana.com/wmedia/MeleseReport2.wma
Hey guys just cool down, don’t ever think meles will once again play the tactics of his past. The game is over, meles is over, lost the war in somalia, lost the relations he has with the international community including the US, lost the domestic peoples (his own people) compassion and politics. what do you expect then…please let us wait and see. However he disguises he has no connection to the opositions what so ever, his end is approching, if not this time in the foreable future, so guys just cool down and we heard from a reliable source that he has a very big problem with someone has even insulted…cool guys
I agree with a comment by Asmamaw. Berket Melese’s mouth piece also denied the negotiations.At this time every woyanne responses the same. As they said it is a court case. Don’t forget a saying that says “Speech is a device that covrers(hides) ones idea.” (If I say it right. Woyane is everything: plaintiff, judge,police, etc.
http://www.abugidainfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/zenawi_lying.gif
once a lier always a lier!
infact he is a son of a beach habitual lier!
Dear Respected Ethiopian and friends of Ethiopia Particularly the Diaspora!
I
Casanova,
Very few stupids like you are in power.You might be excited what is said by Meles but how one can expect he can come up with better idea than this?You are all the same.You do not have the ability/knowledge to see all sides.If you are changed mean stones start to behave like human beings.Therefore what is going to happen is,your term in power will be shameful end like other dictators.
Lost in Translation,
I do not think no one cares to consult the website you mentioned here.
You people speak the same all the time.Who expect new idea from you?
Yes mr prime minester,
The external pressure can do nothing when it comes to the side of the prisoners, but can do a lot For Woyanne. You know how much you pay the consultants in the US to enable you be their dog.
i admired “PM” MELES ability to come up with different ideas. Let me predict about the fate the “kil” leaders. Meles will pardon them at the eve of the ethiopian millenium and before that..no Way!!!
However , he will make not come to the political life.
Who are the true childreen of Ethiopia ;and who are the paid agents among us?There is no question Ethiopia’s complex problem is systematicaly played in the hands of international aspirants.The goal of the Ethiopian people is total freedom;that is to put power in the hands of the public so that the people can shape their desteny.
First, I like to to send my deep appreciation to the rank and file of our people;who have vowed to pay the necessary scrifice to free our people:this are truly patriotc sons and doughters of the land. Unfortunately, the same can not be sayed about ,Andargachew and his team, the diaspora leadership.
Second,the basic problem with the opposition is a ,fundamental,strategical flaw we pursue:most people believe the co-operation between ,human right orgainizations ,western powers,and the opposition will give birth to demacracy in Ethiopia.This assumution is not based on available facts ,but one that is widly held because of its convinence the non governmental orgs,for that mater all the tax exemted orgs are there as a cover;in other words they are orgs without power to inforce;their mission is restricted to this :there are those who are unwilling to pay the necessary sacrifice that requires to put power in the hands of the people.Likewise,these are also the very people who make atrocious remarks or shrug a side the voices of autentic Ethiopians.
Some Ethiopians are putting their life at risk,for oppenly dis-agreeing with this popular,but impractical view;they find themselvesi,nadvertently, making remarks that will endanger their personal lively hood.How can one be expected to lead the millions;while the same who profess to lead has no accurate conception about who the enemy is?
It is heart breaking to see,not the rank and file,but those who are opinion makers puling us apart,imposing on the people unwaranted strategical principle:the eroneous method,and the existence of a mole inside the leadership continue to spell low morale among the commited rank.We must be willing to face the truth;there is a controvercy in the midest of us:ethiopians have deep suspicion all along whether the entity in diaspora is truly ethiopian or not;many believe we have a paralized or compromised group.It is impossible to go a mile without facing this harish truth; we need a vibrant ledaership that can give that can pull us out of this paralysis.
Finally,it might be to call a general meeting and reach in agreement to nominate capable leaders that can c-ordinate our resources and man power and actually lead us.If we agree on this we may ,strictly, use character trait as the only criteria for this purpose.The idea of using education as a sole mesurment for leadership is ,perhaps,unwise.Leaders,first and formost,have to be honest,truthful,patriotic:this traits can’t be attained by taking self help books;It is impossible to conpenset for this behaviours,but we can make up for the lack of knowlede by soliciting from the experts.
God blese the true childreen of that country!
We have been through tring times;we are resilient!
In the end truth and the people will overcome!