March 24, 2000
PRESS GANGING OF YOUTHS INTO THE ARMY INTENSIFIED
SOCEPP has received more information to the effect that the EPRDF government has stepped up the forced recruitment of youths into the army. "The situation is becoming as bad as the times of Mengistu," say some complaints, referring to the defunct regime which routinely rounded up people into the army and the militia. What makes the present government's practice different, if not worse, is that the illegal action is directed at selected ethnic groups and areas. People express justified fears that the government, dominated by the Tigrean front/ TPLF/, is planning to use the youths of certain ethnic groups as cannon fodder for its war with Eritrea.
W hile the rounding up is also affecting the South, the reports we are receiving now indicate that Gojjam, Gondar and Shoa, in other words those regions designated as Amara, are receiving the brunt of the ongoing press ganging. Police have raided bus stops (Gondar, Bahr Dar, Debre Berhan,etc) and taken off youths to the camps. Many youngsters have fled to Addis Abeba to hide with relatives and to escape the rounding up. Many youths have also been thrown into prisons for resisting the forced induction.
News of the forced recruitment is accompanied by government military action in many parts of Gondar. Troops and helicopter gun ships were reportedly involved in the action in Belessa and Janamora, the reports in Addis Abeba affirm. The number of casualties was reportedly high. SOCEPP calls on local Ethiopian and foreign human rights bodies to protest against the ongoing press ganging of the youths and the preparation to send them all to a sure death. STOP the forced recruitment! Stop the ethnic discrimination! Stop the violation of rights! Such should be our clear and firm message to the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
SOCEPP
