April 4, 2000
KIDNAPPINGS AND DISAPPEARANCES
The notorious practice of kidnapping and disappearing political opponents or dissidents seems to have been activated again all over the country. SOCEPP has received the following report:
1. Ato Tadesse Bale, the administrative executive officer of the
Ethio-Plastic Factory was kidnapped by government security agents (in
civilian clothes) as he left his house (6 am, March 23) to go to work.
2. Ato Tekle Borena, an employee of the civil
aviation administration, was kidnapped in the same way on the evening of
March 22 when he left his house with a torch planning to talk with a
neighbour.
Both of the above were previously arrested and taken to Wolaita Sodo (where
they were detained for month) in connection with the public protest in
Wolaita caused by the government's arbitrary imposition of the Wogageda
"language". The present whereabouts of both Ato Tadesse and
Ato Tekle is not known ad their relatives fear the worst.
3. in Bahr Dar town, 12 traders and civil servants kidnapped from their
homes and workplaces have now passed a month in prison without being
charged or allowed visits by relatives.
4. in Jimma, two brothers who had been repeatedly questioned by the police to reveal the whereabouts of their other brother ( suspected of being an OLF member) were recently (mid March) kidnapped from their work places, and both have now disappeared.
5. while the government has finally released (after 22 months of illegal detention) the air force pilots lieutenant Daniel Beyene and Captain Teshome Tenkolu, the other pilot who had been illegally detained for many years, Captain Tilahun Bezabih, recently tried to kill himself, SOCEPP has learnt.The suicide attempt was caused by the stress and suffering the Captain has been forced to endure through the long terrible (and continuing) years of captivity. There are still many pilots of the former Air Force who are being held without due process.
SOCEPP
