February 13/2000
MORE REPRESSION IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA LINKED TO THE COMING ELECTIONS
More than 16 members and supporters of the opposition SEPDC have been jailed in the Hadiy zone (Southern Ethiopia) as the government openly moves against supporters of its rivals. The wide spread arrests in Limo district, in the Sahasgo kebelle and other places, is not restricted but is repeated in many other areas.
In many areas in this zone and as far as Arba Minch, the government has refused to register legal candidates and has,in some cases, beaten the would be candidates who came with the required signatures showing their support. Candidates for southern Omo like Wondwossen Akumati have met such a fate while candidates like Tamene Arfecho and Captain Tagesse Fantaye, who were legal candidates for Misha district (Kontobo) have been jailed. Candidates for election who represent the SEPDC in Welayita have also been chased away from the region and the pro government party is solely fieling its own candidates. In Keffa Sheka,North Omo, Derashe,Sidama and Gedeo zones, voters' registration offices are kept closed.
In Kenbata Alaba Tenbaro zone, voters who wanted to register were turned back and threateend with action if they dared again to come in big numbers. Candidates have been summarily transferred to other areas or, as has happened to Ato Ayele Guro and Tefri Toro in Wenago district, have been shot at to make them abandon their candidacy. All over Southern Ethiopia, the government is violating the rights of people who have been hoping for a free and fair elections. Government troops reportedly continue to burn the Ethiopian flag and the symbols of legal opposition parties in the Southern region. · In the Arba Minch area, the government has detained Tamene Lechara, Ashenafi Shuda, Ainalem Wana, Samuel Shambel, Wondimu Workineh, Werkineh Wolge, Girma Wolde, Lemma Bedasa, Bgashaw Bada and Selo Sena since mid January. In Konso special district, Adane Fetaita, Kole Katele and Senbeto Deres (all members of the SEPDC) have been jailed. · In Derashe special district 17 SEPDC supporters and members including Tamene Archefo and Tagesse Fantaye (mentioned above), Yoel Rifo, Tadele Mekero, Abeba Klem,Hussein Settaro, Ablawa Lalamo, Osman Sena, Wamish Abo, Detamo Bamud, Mustefa Malebo, Kedir Korma, Yohannes Abage, Rifo Ayano, Abebe Hirgo, Abera Ashibo and Hirqago Merqano have been jailed. · In Wenago district Assefa Tella and Desta Wako have been jailed while 14 other people have been imprisoned in the Serro district, all the arrests being linked to their belonging to the SEPDC and being active in light of the election preparations. With reports alleging that Tigrean troops from Shire have been deployed in Southern Ethiopia and that Bitew Belay, the TPLF man who is commonly considered the de facto president and strongman in the whole region, is assuming more powers, the coming weeks do not augur well for the region as a whole. Reports of government soldiers shooting at civilians in Hadiya and other zones are also coming in. SOCEPP calls on the EPRDF government to stop the repression, to stop setting up partisan electoral commissions, and to desist from all actions which make the election a farce and perpetuate the violations of the rights of the people.
