By Elias Kifle
The burning of Ethiopian woman, Shweyga Mullah, by the family of Libyan madman Gaddafi has shocked the world. The bestiality of the Gaddafis in subjecting a fellow human being to such unspeakable cruelty is horrifying to any decent human being. People around the world would be equally shocked if they see pictures of the tortures that are being perpetrated at this very moment by the U.S.-financed regime in Ethiopia.
One of the torture victims whose story the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalist wrote about this week is journalist Woubshet Taye. According to his wife, Berhane Tesfaye, Woubshet and other prisoners are being savagely beaten up and tortured by Meles Zenawi’s security forces. Woubshet told family members that he is unable to hear due to the torture.
The crime of torture by Meles Zenawi’s regime against Ethiopians is not news. Ethiopian prisons are filled with thousands of Shweyga Mullahs. All well-known international human rights organizations have extensively written about savage beatings of prisoners by the Meles rgime.
The Ethiopian women shown below have been burned by Meles Zenawi’s forces in Ogaden, eastern Ethiopia:
Farhia Mohamed Mahad (Age 20) — Civilians are arrested and jailed in Ogaden on mere suspicions of being part of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and Farhia was no exception. Farhia was only a child when she was arbitrarily detained and jailed at Garbo Jail in the Ogaden. No explanation was given for her arrest. Farhia remained in jail for five years. During her imprisonment, Farhia was subjected to torture, rape, and electrocution. Her body, especially her chest and breast, suffered severe burns as a result direct electric current. Farhia has permanent scar tissues all over her body. Farhia received no treatment for her injuries.
Ismail Abdirahman (Age 8) — Ismail came to the refugee camp with his grandmother Hawa Hassan. They fled from Gunagado, Dagahbur. According to Mrs Hawa, the military came to her village, caught many villagers by surprise, and ordered everybody to come out of their houses. The soldiers started targeting and burning certain houses including Hassan’s house. Ismail and his uncle Mahamud were in the house when the soldiers set the house ablaze. Mahaumud was severely burned as he shielded Ismail from the flames. As a result, Ismail suffered burns on his thighs and knees and Mahamud died from severe burns and fumes.
U.S. Ambassador Donald Yamamoto has also written this classified report about torture in Ethiopia:
Recent interviews with individuals who have been held in non-traditional detention facilities have shed anecdotal light on beatings and abuse by Ethiopian security officials against civilians in country. While we cannot confirm the scope or persistence of such mistreatment, these first-hand reports do offer a unique insight into abuse of detainees and dynamics regarding Ethiopia’s non-traditional detention facilities. A handful of released political and other prisoners in Ethiopia have recently reported to PolOff that they and other detainees have been tortured in police station jails in attempts by security officials to elicit confessions before cases go to trial. Depending on the detainee, abuses reported include being blindfolded and hung by the wrists for several hours, bound by chains and beaten, held in solitary confinement for several days to weeks or months, subjected to mental torture such as harassment and humiliation, forced to stand for over 16 hours, and having heavy objects hung from one’s genitalia (males). Based on what our sources have reported, torture seems to be more common at police station detention centers (most notably Ma-ekelawi police station in Addis Ababa), while less is reported at Kaliti prison. Released prisoners have also reported to PolOff cases of prisoners being detained for several years without being charged and without trial, prisoners held in jails despite having been released by the courts, and police interference with court proceedings.
The question Ethiopians ask the Obama Administration is, in light of such overwhelming evidences, including testimonies by U.S. officials about the crime of torture that is being perpetrated by the Meles regime against Ethiopian civilians, why is the U.S. continuing to prop up the regime with billions of dollars in assistance?