September 29, 2005

JUSTICE FOR TEFERA LEGESE AND ALL THOSE AGGRESSED

 BY THE EPRDF SECURITY

 Tefera Legese is an Oromo National Congress (UEDF) member who was elected to the parliament, May 15, by his Northern Shoa constituency. As the EPRDF is presently engaged in organizing a renegade ONC, security forces kidnapped Tefera, took him to an undisclosed location, beat him up severely and then abandoned him at the place called Bajedera  after threatening to kill him if does not join the renegade ONC group. He did not and his attempt to get legal redress has gone nowhere.

 Previously to this CUD leadership member Debebe Eshetu was beaten up by the security agents. The car of ONC leader Dr. Merera Gudina was smashed by security men. All over the country, dozens of opposition party officials and members have reported beatings and torture. It can be asserted that the ruling EPRDF has broken all legal restraints and let loose its security forces and soldiers on the people. With hundreds behind bars, with more in prisons and concentration camps like Zwai, with very many disappeared prisoners, the human rights record of the EPRDF has sunk from bad to worse. Sadly, the head of the regime is spearheading this violation of rights by making incendiary and irresponsible speeches aimed at sparking inter ethnic violence and justifying official repression against the people. The regime has denied the pe ople their inalienable rights including the right to protest peacefully through rallies and demonstrations. This state of affairs is exacerbating the tension in the society and could very well lead to unwanted consequences in the near future.

 Please call for an end to the repression by the EPRDF in Ethiopia !

Socepp