In a teleconference conducted by Ethiopian Review today, the Coalition for Unity & Democracy (CUD) spokesperson, Dr Hailu Araya, said that the EPRDF government has become a completely lawless entity. EPRDF relies on gun, and not the law, to govern the country, Dr Hailu said.
The people of Ethiopia will not idly sit by and watch their votes being stolen, Dr Hailu told the teleconference participants. CUD will also take peaceful and constitutional measures to have the people’s vote respected, he added.
Asked about bringing to justice the perpetrators of the June 8 massacre, Dr Hailu said that CUD is consulting with local and international lawyers. His organization’s effort in this regard is hampered by lack of resources.
CUD is preparing the take over the Addis Ababa administration by the end of September, according to Dr Hailu. But the EPRDF is emptying the city’s treasury, acting like an invading force that is abandoning an occupied city Dr Hailu said.
Parts of Dr Hailu’s interview can be heard at www.tensae.com
ADDIS ABABA, 18 July 2005 (IRIN) – An umbrella body representing more than 250 international and local charities in Ethiopia has said the government threatened on Saturday to ban it because of alleged “political bias”.
The Christian Relief and Development Association (CRDA) said it was accused of “illegal and destructive activities” after voicing concerns over post-election violence.
“We are very alarmed by this threat because it means any criticism being made within the country is being stifled,” Semira Alhadi, deputy director of the body, told IRIN.
Ethiopia’s justice ministry has called a meeting on Tuesday with the 12-strong board of the CRDA.
CRDA had called for an independent inquiry after an estimated 40 people were killed during violent clashes between security forces and civilians protesting alleged electoral fraud in the 15 May elections.
It said the media was being muzzled and civil society was being marginalised in the Horn of Africa country. It also condemned mass arrests and demanded an independent inquiry into the killings.
The organisation criticised Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s ban on demonstrations in the capital, and said it had not served its purpose because people had been killed in clashes with police.
“We still stand by these points – we don’t have to be a political party to demand justice and transparency,” Semira said.
“We have basically made the same points that have been made by the United States government and the European Union, but we are targeted for bias,” he added. “We are afraid that the government is beginning a long process of harassment or imprisonment because of criticisms that have been made.”
Among CRDA members are international charities including Save the Children, Action Aid, Concern and Oxfam.
The Ethiopian information ministry, in the statement released to state media, said: “It is no secret that this organization is not only engaged in disseminating a baseless and blatant campaign against the on-going intensive development efforts of the government, but also indicates that it has no intention to collaborate as a development partner because it is bent on realizing a hidden political agenda.”
Meanwhile two more newspaper editors have been arrested in the country for their reporting on post-election violence.
Fassil Yenalem, editor-in-chief of “Addis Zena” newspaper and Amare Aregawi, publisher and editor-in-chief of “Reporter” newspaper and magazine, were arrested for their coverage of the aftermath of the election.
At least eight local editors are awaiting trial on recent charges related to their work during this period, according to international media watchdogs. Many others report being harassed or otherwise intimidated for their coverage, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said last week.
GENEVA, July 15, 2007 (UNHCR) – Assistant High Commissioner Kamel Morjane has reiterated UNHCR’s call for access to three Ethiopian airmen who reportedly defected to Djibouti in early June, but there are fears that they have already been returned to Ethiopia against their will.
The three Ethiopians – two pilots and an engineer – reportedly flew their Ethiopian military helicopter to neighbouring Djibouti around June 10. UNHCR learnt of the defection in the third week of June, and sent a note verbale to the Djibouti government on June 26 seeking access to the Ethiopians to determine if they wanted to seek asylum.
Receiving no reply, the director of UNHCR’s Africa Bureau sent a follow-up letter on June 30 seeking “access to the three asylum seekers to verify whether they are entitled to international protection.”
At the same time, the refugee agency has sought direct contacts with the authorities, including meetings on Thursday, but has so far been unable to get clarification on the men’s fate. There are conflicting reports on what has happened to them, with some officials saying they were returned to Ethiopia and others saying at least two of them remained in Djibouti.
This week, Assistant High Commissioner Morjane sent a letter to Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, expressing UNHCR’s concerns over the fate of the three Ethiopians.
“I would like to reiterate UNHCR’s deep preoccupation regarding the situation of the three Ethiopian pilots who may intend to seek asylum in Djibouti where they recently arrived,” Morjane stated in his letter. “I am very concerned to see that UNHCR still has had no clear reply regarding these asylum seekers. I would highly appreciate your assistance in this issue because it will be essential so that UNHCR, in collaboration with the government of Djibouti, can find an appropriate solution in conformity with international refugee law.”
UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva on Friday, “Despite early indications from some government officials that we would be able to meet the Ethiopians, we still have not seen them and we are growing increasingly concerned that the pilots may have been returned to Ethiopia against their will.”
The principle of non-refoulement is established in the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, of which Djibouti is a signatory. The Convention clearly prohibits expulsion or return of a refugee to a country where his or her life or freedom may be threatened on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular group or political opinion. The principle of non-refoulement applies by definition to any person requesting asylum, pending the full examination of their refugee claim.
“Given UNHCR’s long and positive relationship with the government of Djibouti, we hope the government will respond immediately to Mr. Morjane’s urgent request,” said Redmond.
A separate group of eight Ethiopian air force personnel defected in Belarus in early June. They are now being processed under the Belarussian asylum system.
A court in Arba Minch, Ethiopia, sentenced Ato Assefa Chabo, former head of the Pubic Organization Affairs “to 16 years prison terms starting from the day of his arrest,” a government media reported today.
The court also handed down ten year imprisonment on the former Deputy Administrator of the Gamo-Gofa province, Captain Paulos Bogale and the Gamo-Gofa province Special Police Force Commander, Captain Gebremikael Gebremariam.
Joint statement calls for reconciliation, nonviolence in election disputes
The United States and the European Union expect all parties in Ethiopia “to abide by the political process through parliamentary and constitutional means to resolve” the election crisis, according to joint statement issued by the U.S. State Department July 13, 2005.
“We urge the nation’s political leaders as well as those in the Diaspora to work together for political dialogue and support open communication towards reconciliation and a commitment to peace and nonviolence,” the joint statement said.
Following is the text of the statement:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
July 13, 2005
REVISED 2005/696
Statement by Tom Casey, Acting Spokesman
Situation in Ethiopia
The following is a joint Statement by the United States and the European Union:
The European Union and the United States commend the Ethiopian people for their peaceful and democratic expression of political will on May 15. The international community urges in the strongest terms that all parties to the elections and the government abide by their commitment to the June 10 and June 13, 2005 declarations. All parties should renounce all use of violence, inflammatory, defamatory or ethnic hate messages via the media or internet, and any other action that is likely to further increase tension in Ethiopia.
The European Union and the United States expect all political parties and the government to abide by the political process through parliamentary and constitutional means to resolve this election crisis. We urge all parties to participate fully in the Complaints Investigation Panel Process. All dissenting views need to be registered and the personal safety of witnesses ensured. Where there are procedural or other problems, these need to be addressed swiftly and constructively.
We urge the nation’s political leaders as well as those in the Diaspora to work together for political dialogue and support open communication towards reconciliation and a commitment to peace and non-violence. We note the announcement by the National Electoral Board on 8 July of the first set of final election results, and call on all sides to dedicate their efforts to ensure that the electoral process continues to be carried out in a transparent and fully open manner.
We expect all political parties including the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) to respect the political process with the National Electoral Board and continue working for the promotion of democracy and a vibrant society. We urge the government of Ethiopia to respect international principles of human rights by exercising due process and releasing detained party members and party supporters who are not going to be charged.
The European Union and the United States will assist Ethiopia as it meets these new democratic challenges.
Preparations are underway by the Coalition for Unity & Democracy (CUD) to take over the Addis Ababa City administration. A personnel selection committee chaired by Dr Shimelis TekleTsadik is preparing a list of individuals who will take over the mayorship as well as the hundreds of other city administrative posts. The overall transition process is being managed by CUD Vice-Chairman Dr Admassu Gebeyehu.
Meanwhile, a newspaper closely associated with the ruling party, the Nation, reported yesterday that the Ministry of Justice has accused top leaders of the Coalition for Unity & Democracy (CUD) of inciting unrest among university students.
CUD spokesperson Dr Hailu Araya told Ethiopian Review today that he heard about such threats only from unofficial sources. He could not confirm the report. But said CUD is calling for the formation of an independent commission that will investigate the June 8 killing of students and other unarmed civilians.
Similar calls have been made by other Ethiopian groups, as well as the international community, including the latest European Union resolution.
The vote probing process, which is CUD’s top priority currently, is not going well, according to Dr Hailu. EPRDF authorities do not even pretend to act legally now. They are intimidating, harassing and arresting witnesses who testify on behalf of CUD and UEDF. There are instances where they fired gun shots at witnesses.
