OCTOBER 5/2004

The politics of the government of Norway as concerns Ethiopia has mostly contravened the interests of the Ethiopian people and its on going acts against the rights of Ethiopian refugees is only but one more example.

The government of Norway routinely refuses Ethiopian refugees the right of asylum on the untenable ground that the regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is democratic and Ethiopia, as a consequence, a "safe country". Not only does it deny refugees asylum but it has recently decreed that rejected applicants should be given absolutely no help, no food, no lodging, nothing. A number of Ethiopians have been thus turned homeless and exposed to intense suffering and humiliation. A number of political and human rights organizations in both Norway and Sweden have denounced the condemnable action by the government of Norway.

The Norwegian government backs, politically and financially, the repressive regime of Meles Zenawi much as it used to do when the Tigrean front was fighting for power. The mistreatment of Ethiopian refugees in Norway is part of the Oslo government's overall pro-TPLF/EPRDF policy and goes against the interests and rights of the Ethiopian people. Ethiopian refugees made homeless in Norway are ill prepared to cope with the terrible winter of that country.

SOCEPP calls on Ethiopians both inside and outside the country to express their opposition to the actions of the Norwegian government by sending protest letter via its embassies. The UNHCR as well as the Norwegian human rights groups and democratic organizations should also raise their voices in support of the rights of Ethiopian refugees.

SOCEPP