Top dog in the Horn Releases 38 Ethiopian Opposition Leaders.

[Jabhad]

Ethiopia Releases 38 Opposition Leaders

 

By Stephanie McCrummen

Washington Post Foreign Service

Friday, July 20, 2007; 9:10 AM

 

NAIROBI, July 20 -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi announced Friday that 38 of his country's top opposition leaders were being released from prison after being convicted on sedition charges in a trial that critics labeled a sham and that sparked an international outcry.

 

At a news conference, Meles said the prisoners would be pardoned. He said their letter to the government requesting a pardon was equivalent to them taking some responsibility for violent protests that followed the country's 2005 elections.

 

 

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"I hope this conveys the message that people are given a second chance as long as they seek it," the prime minister said.

 

Moments later, three minibuses left Kaliti Prison with the newly freed on board, the Associated Press reported. Dozens of family members and supporters outside the facility shouted in joy and whistled. Some of the politicians in the buses made the victory sign, which is also the symbol of Ethiopia's opposition.

 

The prisoners were among an estimated 30,000 people arrested in a widespread crackdown on opposition supporters following Ethiopia's 2005 elections, when the opposition made major gains despite accusations that the vote was flawed.

 

Most of those arrested were quickly released but the top leadership of the country's main opposition party, along with journalists, an elderly professor and the Addis Ababa mayor remained jailed.

 

While Meles accused the opposition leaders of inciting violent protests following the elections, a government report later found that the protesters were unarmed and that Ethiopian security authorities had used excessive force, spraying crowds with bullets, targeting protesters with sharpshooters and hunting others down in their homes.

 

At least 193 people were killed during the crackdown--some shot once in the head, execution style.

 

Charges of attempted genocide were thrown out during the 14-month trial, but the prisoners were convicted last month of charges including "outrage against the constitution" and "inciting armed opposition."

 

The prosecution recommended the death penalty. On Monday, a judge instead sentenced 30 of the defendants to life in prison and gave eight other prisoners terms of one to 18 years. The defendants were also stripped of their right to vote and to run for office.

 

But Meles said at Friday's news conference that, as part of the pardon, the defendants will not be stripped of those rights.

 

U.S. officials -- urged on by the Ethiopian immigrant community -- had negotiated behind the scenes for the prisoners' release. Rep. Donald M. Payne (D-N.J.) sponsored a bill in Congress calling for the unconditional release of all Ethiopian political prisoners

 

But some of the prisoners' relatives said U.S. government efforts were compromised because of the Bush administration's reliance on Ethiopia in fighting terrorism in the Horn of Africa.

 

Special correspondent Kassahun Addis contributed to this report from Addis Ababa, and staff writer Debbi Wilgoren contributed to this report from Washington.

[Jabhad]

US Legislation on Ethiopia Democracy Moves Forward

By Dan Robinson

Washington

18 July 2007

 

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A U.S. congressional panel has approved legislation aimed at supporting democracy and human rights in Ethiopia, sending the bill to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. VOA's Dan Robinson has this report from Capitol Hill.

 

Lawmakers concerned about Ethiopia have faced the choice of taking steps to pressure the government in Addis Ababa, or waiting for Ethiopia's leaders to act on their own to improve the human rights and political atmosphere there.

 

Last year, legislation to pressure the Ethiopian government failed to reach the full House, as the Bush administration pressured Congress to hold off.

 

Donald Payne

On Wednesday, Congressman Donald Payne referred to news reports that a clemency decision may be imminent for 38 opposition figures, including journalists, sentenced to life in prison and lesser terms.

 

While he hopes clemency is granted, Payne believes passage of this year's bill is important. "We want to see Ethiopia move back as it has been in the past, a good ally of the U.S, but we can no longer sit by and allow these issues to go without us mentioning them."

 

The United States, along with European governments and human rights groups, has condemned the sentencing of opposition leaders, and urged political reconciliation in Ethiopia.

 

State Department human rights official Barry Lowenkron testified this week before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "To this day, the crackdown casts a shadow over the Ethiopian government."

 

While underscoring Ethiopia's cooperation in what President Bush calls the global war on terror, the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act calls for the release of political prisoners.

 

It calls on the State Department to fund human rights, democracy, civil society and rule of law groups and those helping victims of torture.

 

Although Payne describes the measure as not punitive in nature, it would prohibit non-humanitarian aid to Ethiopia if the government obstructs U.S. human rights and democracy training efforts.

 

It would also restrict security assistance until the Ethiopian government releases prisoners, holds those in the security forces accountable for human rights abuses related to the crackdown following 2005 demonstrations, respects freedom of speech, and allows human rights groups to operate without harassment.

 

Other provisions include prohibiting members of security forces from receiving U.S. training, a visa ban for officials accused of gross human rights violations, and support for identifying and extraditing former Mengistu regime members living in the U.S.

 

Republican Congressman Christopher Smith hopes the legislation will get a vote in the House this year, and asserts that the Bush administration has not pushed Ethiopia's government hard enough on human rights issues. "The war on terrorism is very important, we all know that. But no regime that terrorizes its own citizens can be a reliable ally in the war on terror. Terrorism isn't just a military issue, it is also a human rights issue," he said.

 

But others have reservations with the wording of the bill.

 

Republican Michael McCaul says while the Ethiopian government is far from perfect it has shown a willingness to move in the right direction. "I am concerned that the passage of this bill as it is currently written will do more harm than good to the Ethiopian democratic movement, and will hurt our strategic partnership with Ethiopia in combating terrorism. I am also concerned it will have a negative effect on the current negotiations between the government and the opposition," he said.

 

"It really does appear that we are taking sides. There is no recognition of the fact that there have been significant advances since the ruling party came to power in 1991," said Republican Congressman John Boozman shares the concerns.

 

Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee believes the legislation will be helpful. "I am concerned about the military assistance, but I am listening to how it is to be instructive, because right now although we are about to release a number of prisoners, we still have a series of individuals who are still incarcerated. The question becomes what will happen to them?," she said.

 

To become law, the Ethiopia bill would have to be approved by the House and Senate, but would still face potential opposition from the White House.

 

A spokesman for the House Africa subcommittee told VOA it is hoped the measure will be considered by the Foreign Affairs Committee before the end of July.

 

As currently written, the measure gives the president authority to ignore the ban on security assistance if doing so is in the interests of U.S. national security, including joint counter-terrorism efforts, and Ethiopian contributions to U.N. peacekeeping.

[Jabhad]

US calls for clemency for jailed Ethiopian opposition

Wed 18 Jul 2007, 5:42 GMT

 

By Tsegaye Tadesse

 

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The United States has urged Ethiopia to consider clemency for 35 opposition members sentenced to life in prison for trying to topple the government in a case that has drawn condemnation from rights groups.

 

The group was sentenced on Monday along with eight other defendants who received jail terms ranging between 18 months and 18 years for charges relating to violent protests over 2005 elections the opposition say were rigged.

 

In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States, a key ally of Ethiopia, was following the case very closely.

 

"While I can't tell you exactly what powers of clemency (Prime Minister Meles Zenawi) himself may possess, we would urge him as well as the Ethiopian government to exercise powers of clemency in this regard," McCormack said on Monday.

 

"As a matter of trying to bring together the Ethiopian people and bring an end to this particular chapter of political turmoil, we would urge the Ethiopian authorities to consider -- strongly consider clemency for these individuals."

Ethiopia says the defendants, among them leaders of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), had written to Meles before the sentencing asking for mercy.

 

The defendants expressed "regret" for attempting to get rid of the "constitutionally established government" in a letter published by the state-owned Ethiopian Herald newspaper on Tuesday.

 

"We stand in supplication before the government and people of Ethiopia and ask, with admission to and regret for the mistake we have committed, for forgiveness as is customary," the letter was quoted as reading.

 

No one from the opposition has yet to confirm the letter was written by the defendants.

Officials say clemency by law is a matter for President Girma Woldegiorgise rather than Meles. But the prime minister still wields strong influence and analysts believe his opinion would be carefully considered.

 

They say the letter will be considered by a so-called board of amnesty, which will then submit its recommendations to Girma.

 

The court ruling also revoked the defendants' constitutional rights, including the right to stand for election -- which analysts say may remain in place even if they are freed.

Rights groups and donor governments have criticised the case as an attempt to suppress the opposition after it won its largest ever parliamentary showing in what was seen as Ethiopia's freest election.

 

It was not immediately clear whether the defendants, many of whom refused to present a defence saying it was a politically motivated case, would appeal the court decision.

[Jabhad]

H.R. 2003: Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007 passed the first hurdle

Jul 18th, 2007

 

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Africa has unanimously approved H.R. 2003 (Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007) today.

 

The bill, if passed by the full House and the Senate, would restrict, among other things, military assistance to the Meles regime unless the human rights condition in Ethiopia has improved.

 

The bill would also ban travel to the U.S. by the Meles regime officials who have authorized the use lethal force against peaceful demonstrators in Ethiopia. Such a travel ban directly affects Meles Zenawi himself who ordered his Federal Police and Agazi special forces to use deadly force against civilians.

 

An inquiry commission that was appointed by the parliament charged the Meles regime of using excessive force against peaceful protesters, causing the death of at least 193 civilians.

 

Meles has been paying the Washington-based DLA Piper lobbying firm $50,000 a month to quash H.R. 2003.

 

Meles and his high-powered lobbyists had succeeded in derailing a similar bill in the U.S. Congress last year after it had passed the Subcommittee on Africa.

 

[Jabhad]

Payne Bill on Ethiopian Democracy Moves Forward

Congressman Donald Payne

Tenth District - New Jersey

For Immediate Release

Contact: Kerry McKenney

(202) 225-3436

 

Washington, DC – The US House of Representative’s Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health today approved HR 2003, the Ethiopian Democracy and Accountability Act which was introduced by Congressman Donald M. Payne, Chairman of the subcommittee, on April 23, 2007. The bill encourages human rights reform in Ethiopia.

“I was dismayed to learn of the hundreds of people killed and the thousands arrested as they attempted to exercise their right to protest the outcome of the May 2005 elections in Ethiopia,” Payne remarked during the hearing. “No one has been held liable for those crimes and political prisoners have been languishing in jail for two years. If the government was serious about democracy, rule of law and accountability, it would hold accountable the security forces responsible for killing citizens and it would free the political prisoners who are only guilty of running for office and winning.”

Approved by a voice vote, the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health endorsed the legislation which stipulates that the Ethiopian government foster accountability and support democracy or risk losing security assistance. In particular, it requires the withholding of assistance until the President of the United States can certify to Congress that political prisoners are freed, those responsible for the violence related to the 2005 protests are held accountable, freedom of speech and information are respected, and Ethiopian human rights groups are allowed to operate without being harassed. It also authorizes $20 million to support democracy, human rights and economic development in Ethiopia.

On June 16, 2007, the Ethiopian courts sentenced 35 of the jailed political leaders to life in prison for inciting violence and attempting to overthrow the government. The defendants were also denied the future right to vote and to hold public office. Since that time, there have been reports that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi requested that the Pardon Board review the sentences and either recommend amnesty or pardon. “I hope the prisoners are granted full amnesty which includes the restoration of the right to hold public office and vote,” Payne stated...

 

[Faarax-Brawn]

Siaasa America aan maqli jiray alaylee.

 

Waa hada if Meles was on the other side of America,Maanta those Opposition leaders would have been in Power,Aduunyo!!

[Jabhad]

Congratulations goes to the people of Ethiopia for their endurance and hardwork to win freedom for their leaders who were illegally held in prison by the dictator Meles and his minority Tigre militia. Indeed it would not have been possible without the unity and the collective sacrifice made by the patriot Ethiopians inside and outside of their country to show the world the plight and the suffering of their people under dictatorial regime in which without the financial, political and military help by the US cannot survive and continue spreading the culture of destruction across the Horn. Its also a partial victory to see the ignorant Bush adminstration imbarrassed and pressured both by [Ethiopian expats and American politicians ] to question the no strings attached policy support given to their number uno regional puppet[Meles] as usefull ally of the so called "war on terror". An ally that cannot say no to the limits set by their master to continue receiving generous American handouts, a life-line for the minority regime in staying power . Popular intifada at home, failing and hopeless occuppation in Somalia and a hostile neighbour to the north, the end days of the Tigre regime is indeed getting closer even with strong Bush support. Its a nightmare scenario for those few weak groups ********among us dependent on Tigre militia as a saviour and for the anti occupation majority, its an end of one evil dictator among many in the Horn of Africa.

[Jabhad]

^^

Getting rid of a dictator like Meles is walk in the park for the Americans compare to popular Presidents like Hugo Chavez of Venezuela which the Bush adminstration tried and failed misserably.

[Jabhad]

Under Pressure, Ethiopia Releases Prisoners

by Michele Kelemen

 

All Things Considered, July 22, 2007 · On Friday, Ethiopia began releasing prisoners it had jailed two years ago in a crackdown on political opponents. Some human rights advocates on Capitol Hill are taking credit, saying it pays to put pressure on repressive regimes. The U.S. is now giving closer scrutiny to Ethiopia's human rights record at home.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12158920