September 28, 2001

REPRESSION IN KONSO CONTINUES UNABATED

More than 200 people illegally imprisoned, 16 others subjected to brutal beatings and torture, more than 171 fined to pay thousands of Birr, and one other person (65 years old Angasso Aleto) beaten to death: such is the grim report reaching SOCEPP from the Konso region where the EPRDF has launched a repression against innocent people and the Konso People's Democratic Union (KPDU) since the last May elections.

Harassed peasants have been forced to flee from the area and acclimate of fear imposed over the whole region as government militia and police break into houses illegally, beat up people or imprison without court order. Ato Jarso Jenbo was, for example, beaten and hang all night from a ceiling beam with his tied tightly behind his back with plastic cords. Ato Angaso Aleto was also detained from the market place, taken to the police station and in the morrow taken out of the station and beaten to death. Recently, Ato Kusiya Atshan and Aklilu Golole have been detained along with others falsely accused of belonging to an armed illegal organization.

The government repression in many areas of Southern Ethiopia intensified during and after the last may elections and is linked to the reality that most people are opposed to the politics of the front in power. Many sympathize with organizations grouped within the SEPDC or in the opposition. Hence, the government's action is reprisal on the one hand and terror on the other,and constant pleas by the people for the respect of their human rights have been consistently ignored by the authorities. It is to be remembered that special military units have been camped in many southern areas.

STOP THE REPRESSION IN KONSO AND OTHER AREAS OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

SOCEPP