From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Tue Aug 04 2009 - 07:42:42 EDT
Calls to stop aid to Ethiopia after Canadian jailed for life
By JIM BRONSKILL, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Last Updated: 4th August 2009, 5:14am
OTTAWA -- Supporters of a Canadian sentenced to life behind bars in
Ethiopia want the Harper government to suspend aid to the African
country over what they consider a politically motivated sham.
The Ethiopian High Court ordered Bashir Makhtal, 40, to spend life in
prison yesterday, after convicting him last week of terrorism-related
charges.
Lorne Waldman, Makhtal's Toronto lawyer, has denounced the legal
proceedings as a "kangaroo court" that ignored important evidence.
He wants the federal government to pressure Ethiopia by cutting off all
development aid short of humanitarian assistance.
The court found him guilty of membership in the political and military
central committees of the separatist Ogaden National Liberation Front;
working to co-ordinate attacks against the Ethiopian army, and working
with the Eritrean government in recruiting and training insurgents.
He could have received the death penalty.
The Ethiopian-born Makhtal, who settled in Canada as a refugee in 1991
and later moved to Kenya, says he's innocent. He is appealing the
conviction.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said the
government is "extremely disappointed" by the sentence.
Catherine Loubier, a spokesman for Cannon, said government efforts would
focus on the continuing court proceedings -- not suspending development
dollars.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/08/04/10353946-sun.html
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