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Ana Gomes asks President Zuma to help release Birtukan

Posted on by EthiopianReview.com

Member of European Parliament Ana Gomes asks President Zuma of South Africa to help release Ethiopian Birtukan Mideksa

(Brussels) MEP Ana GOMES (S&D, PT) asked President Jacob Zuma of South Africa today, during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, to help liberate Birtukan Mideksa, a young woman leader of the main opposition party in her country, Ethiopia, who has been jailed for life and whom Amnesty International considers to be a “prisoner of conscience”.

The South African Head of State admitted to not knowing the case in particular, but assured the European Parliament that “if she was jailed unfairly, South Africa would certainly be willing to use its influence” and press for her release.

Ana Gomes asked President Zuma and South Africa to show solidarity towards Ms. Mideksa, who the people of Ethiopia consider the “Ethiopian Nelson Mandela”. The Portuguese Socialist MEP evoked Nelson Mandela and his inspiring fight for freedom, stating that “he is not just a hero of South Africans, he is a hero for Mankind”, and recalled how world solidarity was important to return Nelson Mandela to freedom. “Will South Africa now show solidarity to get the release of this brave, young African woman imprisoned for life in Ethiopia, the country that hosts the headquarters of the African Union?”, directed Ana Gomes to President Zuma.

Together with MEP Marita ULVSKOG (S&D, SE), Ana Gomes proposed Birtukan Mideksa for the Sakharov Prize 2010. During the last plenary session in Strasbourg, the nomination of the Ethiopian political prisoner won the endorsement of the Socialists & Democrats Group for the European Parliament’s prestigious Human Rights annual award.

4 thoughts on “Ana Gomes asks President Zuma to help release Birtukan”

  1. Ana could have sat silently,watch and say- let this apes and monkeys eat each other,as the other Europeans and American are doing ,but she decided to act the other way for she is an extraordinarily selfless human.
    Ana, history and Ethiopians will remember you forever because you are a rare human and this unfair/unbalanced world of us needs more of your kinds’.

  2. TED – Well said. Ana Gomes is the angel sent from God for Ethiopia. Nobody does what she is doing. I wish there were more of her in this world. God Bless You, Ana Gomes.

  3. Ana Gomes is one of the few friend Ethiopia has in the world stage.
    i just want to thank you to those people who stood with us peace livening Ethiopians in time of our need in support of our straggle from this undemocratic and oppressive regime that put our Ethiopian Mandel Betukan Medkesa and thousand of Political prisoners in despair for their life for the last 20 years .thank you once again the likes of Ana Gomes were ever you are.
    God bless Ethiopia and God bless all prisoners of conciseness in Ethiopia and the World…

  4. Ana Gomes you are a women with dignity and always talks truth and fighted for the voiceless especially in Ethiopia. I do have great respect for your personality and integrity. One day I wish to see Bertukan left the prison and be elected president of Ethiopia. I also wish to see you as elected president of Portugal. That time I will be full pleasure!!!

    Ana with my heart I wish you all the best and we ethiopian love you forever.

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