The regime in power in Ethiopia has killed hundreds and detained more than 50,000 citizens in a bloody effort to stamp out peaceful dissent. Dozens of opposition party leaders have also been rounded up, some have been beaten and all have been imprisoned. Scores of independent journalists have also been jailed and one, Wossen Seged Gebre Kidan, a former editor of Ethiop has been sentenced for eight months.

Since last May, the rulers in Addis Ababa have been trying to brutally suppress the people's resistance and opposition to a confirmed electoral fraud. Emboldened by a tepid foreign objection towards its brutal action, the regime of Prime Minster Meles Zenawi has trampled over due process and violated every right of the people. It is still continuing to round up people day and night also to murder students, teachers, peasants, etc. It has banned all independent newspapers, started to jam radio broadcasts, put out a wanted poster for dozens of people and imposed a rule of terror.

Thousands of citizens have been taken to the Dedesa malaria-infested camp and scores have died already. The same situation prevails in the Zwai detention center. Prisoners are beaten and mistreated routinely. Leaders of opposition organizations have been threatened and harassed o give public false declarations about their conditions while others have gone on a hunger strike to publicize their plight. Relatives of those killed by security forces have been asked to sign false declarations nullifying the government's responsibility in order to receive the corpses. The regime has killed children, a mother of seven, youngsters, old people, innocent people from all categories and social backgrounds. In other words, the regime is continuing in power through the use of force and violence.

The violation of human rights in Ethiopia is indescribable. Bad has gone to worse and promises to degenerate further. Sadly enough, the West is turning a deaf ear to the cries of the people of Ethiopia.

SOCEPP calls for an immediate halt to the brutal repression in Ethiopia.

ALL political prisoners should be released unconditionally and immediately.

Foreign countries subsidizing the repressive regime should stop doing so.