Ethiopian regime's repression
By Graham Peebles
September 25, 2013
_____
They speak of democracy, but act violently to suppress dissenting voices and
control the people through the inculcation of fear: they ignore human rights
and trample on the people, they are a tyrannical wolf in democratic sheep's
clothing, causing suffering and misery to thousands of people throughout
Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) government
repeatedly scoffs at international law and consistently acts in violation of
their own Federal constitution - a liberal document written by the regime to
please and deceive their foreign supporters. They have enacted laws of
repression: the widely condemned Charities and Societies (ATD) law (CSO law)
and the Anti Terrorism Declaration, which is the main tool of political
control, together with the 'Mass Media and Freedom of Information
Proclamation' they form a formidable unjust arsenal of government control.
Freedom of the media (which is largely 'state-owned') is denied and
political dissent is all but outlawed.
Against this repressive backdrop, the Semayawi (Blue) party, a new
opposition group, organized peaceful protests on the 2nd June in Addis
Ababa. Ten thousand or so people marched through the capital demanding the
release of political prisoners, "respect for the constitution" and Justice!
Justice! Justice! It was (Reuters 2/06/2013 reported), an "anti-Government
procession.. the first large-scale protest since a disputed 2005 election
ended in street violence that killed 200 people", a 'disputed election'
result that was discredited totally by European Union observers and
denounced by opposition groups and large swathes of the population.
The Chairman of the Semayawi Party, Yilekal Getachew, told Reuters, "We have
repeatedly asked the government to release political leaders, journalists
and those who asked the government not to intervene in religious affairs".
In keeping with the recent worldwide movement for freedom and social
justice, he stated that, "if these questions are not resolved and no
progress is made in the next three months, we will organize more protests.
It is the beginning of our struggle". To the disappointment of many and the
surprise of nobody, the government has made no attempt to 'resolve' the
questions raised, and true to their word a second demonstration was planned
for 1st September in Addis Ababa. In the event, as the BBC report, around
"100 members of Ethiopia's opposition Semayawi (Blue) party were arrested
and some badly beaten", and "equipment such as sound systems were
confiscated", ahead of the planned rally, which was banned by the EPRDF.
Government justification formed, and a cock and bull story was duly
constructed with Communication Minister Shimeles Kemal stating "the venue
[for Semayawi's event) had already been booked by a pro-government group
condemning religious extremism".
Non-interference in religious affairs is one of the key demands of the
Semayawi party, a demand based upon the constitutional commitment of
religious independence from the State, which Muslim groups claim the
government has violated. Enraged by government interference in all matters
religious, the Muslim community have organised regular small-scale protests
and sit-ins in the capital for the last two years. In early August, Reuters
8/08/2013 reported "Demonstrators chanted "Allahu Akbar" and hoisted banners
that read "respect the constitution", referring to allegations that the
government has tried to influence the highest Muslim affairs body, the
Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council". Around 40% of Ethiopia's
population (around 85 million) are Muslim, for generations they have lived
amicably with their Orthodox Christians neighbours, who make up the majority
in the country; they are moderate in their beliefs and peaceful in their
ways. The EPRDF in contrast are violent, intolerant and ideologically
driven; 'Revolutionary Democracy' being the particular tune to which the
democratic dictatorship hums and drums its partisan rule.
"Name-Calling"
The government's response to the peaceful demonstrations, has unsurprisingly
been intolerant and dismissive; their comments inflammatory and predictable,
stating Mail_at_Guardian 14/07/2013 record, "most of these demonstrators are
Islamic extremists", and showing their own 'extreme' tendencies,
authoritively declaring that "the protesters aimed to set up an Islamic
state in the country and were bankrolled and guided by "extremists" [this
time] overseas". Duplicitous nonsense, which serves to distract attention
from the underlying issues being raised and the imperative (and legal
requirement) for the government to act in accordance with its own
constitution.
Along with such disingenuous comments the regime has responded to the
protests in a repressive manner; imprisoning Muslims calling for justice,
causing Amnesty International 8/08/2013 to be "extremely concerned at
reports coming out of Ethiopia. of further widespread arrests of Muslim
protesters", Amnesty demand that the "on-going repressive crackdown on
freedom of speech and the right to peacefully protest has to end now".
Despite the fact that the protests have been peaceful and good-natured the
regime has consistently described the protesters as violent terrorists, in
February the 'Holy War Movement' was shown on State Television, it presented
protestors and those arrested (including journalists), as terrorists. And in
a clear violation of people's constitutional right to protest, the regime
has threatened to take firm action against further protests.
Whilst the majority of actions during the last two years have been without
incident, protests in Kofele in the Oromia region on 8th August ended in
"the deaths of an unconfirmed number", there have also been reports of large
numbers of people being arrested in Kofele and Addis Ababa, including two
journalists. Following the Kofele deaths Amnesty called for "an immediate,
independent and impartial investigation into the events in Kofele, as well
as into the four incidents last year which resulted in the deaths and
injuries of protestors". Legitimate demands which the regime has duly
ignored.
The EPRDF does not tolerate any independent media coverage within the
country and indeed does all it can to control the flow of information out of
Ethiopia and restrict totally dissenting voices. And they don't care who the
journalist is working for, key allies or diaspora media; In October 2012 a
reporter from the Voice of America (VOA) covering a protest in Anwar Mosque
in Addis was arrested and told to erase her recorded interviews, the
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report. This was not the first time a
VOA journalist had been detained. "They are criminalizing journalism," said
Martin Schibbye a Swedish freelance journalist who was jailed [in 2011]
along with a colleague for more than 14 months in Ethiopia", for entering
the Ogaden region. A heavily militarized area where wide ranging human
rights violations constituting crimes against humanity are taking place,
which has been hidden from the International media and aid organisations
since 2007. Fearing imprisonment, many journalists have left Ethiopia, CPJ
report that in 2012, along with Eritrea, it was were Africa's 'top jailer'
of journalists", coming in eighth worldwide.
Unjust Laws of Control
In July last year, hundreds of protesting Muslims peacefully demanding that
the government stop interfering in their religious affairs and allow them to
vote freely for representatives on the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme
Council (EIASC). Most were released, but 29 members of the protest committee
were charged on 29th October under the universally criticized Anti Terrorist
Declaration (ATD), accused of "intending to advance a political, religious
or ideological cause" by force, and the "planning, preparation, conspiracy,
incitement and attempt of terrorist acts." Their arrest has been slammed by
human rights groups as well as the United States Commission on religious
Freedom, who "are deeply concerned that Ethiopia's government is seeking to
silence peaceful religious freedom proponents by detaining and trying them
in secret under trumped-up terrorism charges. They should be released now
and their trials halted". The men claim to have been "tortured and
experienced other ill-treatment in detention".
The ambiguous ATD was introduced in 2009 and has been used by the Ethiopian
government, "to severely restrict basic rights of freedom of expression,
association, and assembly", Human Rights Watch (HRW) state. It violates dues
process, which like a raft of other internationally recognized and legally
binding rights, is enshrined in the Ethiopian constitution. The legislation
cause outrage amongst human rights groups and the right minded when it was
proposed. HRW (30/06/2009) said of the draft law, (which un-amended found
its way onto the statute books) that it would "permit the government to
repress a wide range of internationally protected freedoms", - precisely the
reason for it's introduction, and it provides "the Ethiopian government with
a potent instrument to crack down on political dissent, including peaceful
political demonstrations and public criticisms of government policy".
The unjust law allows for long-tem imprisonment and the death penalty for so
called crimes that meet some EPRDF definition of terrorism, and denies in
some cases a defendants right to be presumed innocent - the bedrock of the
international judicial system. Torture is used without restraint by the
military and police, under the ATD evidence obtained whilst a prisoner is
being beaten, hanged, whipped or drowned is admissible in court, this
criminal act contravenes Article 15 of the United Nations Convention against
Torture (ratified by Ethiopia in 1994), which 'requires that any statement
made as a result of torture is inadmissible as evidence'. Terrorism is
indeed an issue of grave concern in Ethiopia, it is not rooted in the Muslim
community, the media, the Blue Party or the Universities, it is State
Terrorism that stalks this land, that kills and falsely imprisons, tortures
and rapes the innocent, it is the EPRDF; the rebel group that ousted a
communist dictator in 1991 only to take up his tyrannical mantle, who
manipulate the law to serve their repressive rule and who violates a
plethora of human rights, consistently and with impunity. Ethiopia's donors
and international friends, (primarily America and Britain) have other,
larger fish on their minds, and even though they give the country over a
third of its federal budget they seem unconcerned by the criminality being
committed, much of which is taking place under the cloak of development.
Violent rule however is a storm that is imploding throughout the world, the
people, who have suffered long enough, sense their collective strength and
are awakening.
Need for Unity
Although completely contrary to the EPRDF's pledge of Ethnic Federalism,
divide and rule is the effective methodology of division employed by the
regime. In a country with dozens of tribal groups, various ethnicities and
different religious beliefs (Islam and Christianity), unity is the key to
any popular social revolution, much needed and ardently longed for by
millions throughout the land. We are witnessing a worldwide protest movement
for change; age-old values of freedom, equality and social justice,
brotherhood and peace are the clarion call of many marching and protesting.
And so it is in Ethiopia, the Blue party and other opposition groups, the
Muslim community and the students on the streets demanding Justice! Justice!
Jusitce! are in harmony with the rhythm of the times. Out of step and blind
to the needs of the people and their rightful demands, the ruling party acts
with violence to drown out their voices and suppress their rights: in Addis
Ababa, where thousands marched in June, in Oromia and the Ogaden, where the
people seek autonomy, in Amhara, where thousands have been displaced, in
Gambella and the Lower Omo Valley, where native people are being driven off
their ancestral land into state created villages, women raped and men
beaten.
Unity is the song of the day, rich with diversity united in intent, the
collective will of the people of Ethiopia and indeed throughout the world is
an unstoppable force for change. All steps need to be taken to remove the
obstacle to the realization of unity throughout the country, ethnic
prejudices and tribal differences; all need to be laid aside. The Ethiopian
regime may succeed in subduing the movement for change that is simmering
throughout the country, however with sustained unified action, peacefully
undertaken and relentlessly expressed, freedom and social justice, longed
for by millions throughout the country, will surely come.
Graham Peebles is director of the <
http://www.thecreatetrust.org> Create
Trust. He can be reached at: graham_at_thecreatetrust.org
Received on Wed Sep 25 2013 - 13:55:41 EDT