June 15, 2003

Tsegaye Gebre Medhin, Yishak Debre Tsion, Sitotaw Hussein, Belete Amha, Desalegn Amsalu, Hago Bezabih, Teklai H.Sellasie,Azanaw Demile and other leading or veteran members of the opposition Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party were captured or fell into the hand of the TPLF/EPRDF (now in power in Ethiopia) and they have disappeared since. From various localities in Gondar and Gojam regions, they were taken to Bahr Dar (Gojam) and then transferred to Tigrai and the n "disappeared" altogether. Azanaw Demile, who was a registered refugee, was handed over to the ruling TPLF/EPRDF by the Sudan.

The ruling EPRDF has given contradictory signals concerning the conditions of the above mentioned and others who have been disappeared. Ay one time it flatly denied they had even fallen into its hands even though there were and still are witnesses to their imprisonment in Bahr Dar city. At another time, it unofficially claimed that they have all been executed by an "over zealous EPRDF officer". And then again, it has spread the news that they are still being held in one secret prison or another. Their families and friends have absolutely no news on their whereabouts or conditions.

SOCEPP has over the years called for a full report on the real status of the disappeared and kept up the vigil against "forgetfulness". The ruling EPRDF must be pressurized by all possible means to account for these political prisoners it had under its custody. Tsegaye Gebre Medhin and other disappeared leaders and member of the EPRP are victims of the ruling EPRDF be they alive or dead. Twelve years of disappearance is a sure trampling of due process and decent law. The regime of Meles Zenawi must be made to answer on what has happened to Tsegaye and the others who were in EPRDF custody.

SOCEPP