JANUARY 28/2007

RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW

As the EPRDF regime readies itself to sentence the jailed leaders of the Opposition to heavy prison terms, it is spreading the rumor that a certain number of them would be released/or not sentenced at all while others would languish in Kailiti for years. This insidious campaign is also accomapnied by the attempt to limit the focus of attention on selected political prisoners while covering up the fact that close to 50,000 people are behind bars or in underground holes for political reasons.

This requires that all peace lving Ethiopians and all those concerned with the fate of politial priosners in Ethiopia be wary of the regime’s ploy to champion limited calls to the detriment of the all encompassing and apt call for the RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS. This being the reality, SOCEPP calls on all concerned to champion the release of ALL political prisoners in Ethiopia and not to be satisfied with calling for the release of only  a selected few. The human rights of all should be respected and fought for. The call for the release of Professor Mesfin must include a vigorous call for the release of Ato Hailu Shawel and of Tsegaye Gebre Medhin, and of thousands suffering in the various prisons and concentration camps all over the country. The call for the release of over twenty journalists in Kaliti must also include the call for the release of journalists Berhanu Ijigu,Kumsa Berayu and many others. The call for the release of Bertukan Midiksa and Aberash Berta should not ignore the hundreds of women behind bars in Shoa,Gondar,Jimma,Bahr Dar,Makalle,etc.The regime’s attempt to derail the human rights struggle by releasing some and keeping the many under detention should not be allowed to divide the human rights struggle. The release of the prisoners cannot also be taken as a sign of the regime’s mellowing or respect for human rights. The political prisoners have been kept behind bars illegally, they have been railroaded through the courts controlled by the ruling party. No justice has been done, all rights had been denied. The political prisoners should not have been jailed in the first place. It is also necessary to recall that prime minister Meles himself has gone on record to declare that his repressive regime holds NO political prisoners at all.

RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS. This is the appropriate slogan around which all should rally and struggle. Injusice for some is injustice for all.

SOCEPP