October 4/2006

OPEN LETTER TO EU PRESIDENT JOSE MANUEL BAROSO

EXCELLENCY,

SOCEPP is unpleasantly surprised by Your Excellency’ visit to Addis Ababa, the favourable statements made in support of dictator Meles Zenawi and the decision by the EU to continue giving money to the repressive regime. Coming on the wake of the visit by the World Bank president your visit and talks with Meles Zenawi fall within an ongoing campaign to rehabilitate the tyrant who stole the people’s votes and committed massacres.

Ethiopians were pleased last year when the EU rose up to its own democratic assertions and condemned the repressive and illegal regime in Addis Ababa and imposed a boycott on it. These were indeed hesitant measures but they were a sign, a beginning and in many ways thanks to the principled stand taken by EU election observer team leader, the Honourable MP Ana Gomes. Since then, the regime ahs not mellowed –facts actually show it has worsened.

As the tyrant unashamedly declares there are no political prisoners in Ethiopia dozens of journalists and opposition leaders as well as close to 50,000 innocent Ethiopians are detained as political prisoners in Kaliti and other prisons as well as in labour camps like Zwai, Dedesa, Bir Sheleko, etc…

Opposition leaders and journalists have been illegally detained for more than 8 months are being railroaded through the State controlled courts on the basis of false and fabricated charges.

The regime stays illegally in power as it had lost the last May 2005 general election.

Repression is rife and the Prime Minster heads a band of corrupt officials who are fleecing the country of its resources and embezzling aid money.

The rule of law and due process remain denied to the majority of the people, torture is rife, ethnic discrimination a State policy.

 

Is this a regime that deserves aid and support as a "democratic" body?

Your Excellency, we are not naïve as to the demands of real politics and the perennial double standards that come to the forefront when the issue concerns the rights of people in Africa. However, the EU decision to cuddle the tyrant in Addis Ababa and to give him moral and financial support is an aberration and detrimental to the welfare and democratic struggle of the people of Ethiopia. The EU should condemn the repressive regime of Meles Zenawi and impose a boycott on it until it respects the vote of the people and also releases all the political prisoners.