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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu Sep 15 2011 - 10:18:33 EDT
September 14, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Government-Critics-Detained-In-Ethiopian-Anti-Terror-Sweep-129845693.html
Government
Critics Detained In Ethiopian Anti-Terror Sweep
Peter Heinlein | Addis Ababa
Two fierce critics of Ethiopia’s ruling party have joined a growing list of
government opponents detained in recent days under a new anti-terrorism law.
The latest to be arrested are a journalist and a rising star in opposition
politics.
Ethiopian federal police detained five people Wednesday in an ongoing
roundup of terrorism suspects. Among them were Andualem Aragie, the youngest
executive committee member of the main opposition bloc Medrek, and
independent internet journalist Eskinder Nega.
Both men have been outspoken critics of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s ruling
Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Party, which has ruled the
country since seizing power in a bloodless coup in 1991. Both were among 130
journalists and political activists convicted of treason and sentenced to
life in prison following the disputed 2005 elections. All were later
pardoned.
Government spokesman Shimeles Kemal says both Andualem and Eskinder are
accused of involvement with Ginbot 7, an outlawed party led by Berhanu Nega,
who was elected mayor of Addis Ababa in 2005 but never took office and now
lives in exile in the United States. "Eskinder Nega and Andualem Aragie were
arrested for conspiring with terrorist organizations such as Ginbot 7 and
other foreign forces who wanted to wreak havoc in the country through their
terrorist activities," he said.
Eskinder and Andualem are the latest of several high-profile opposition
politicians and journalists arrested over the past few weeks under a
recently enacted anti-terrorism law.
Popular actor Debebe Eshetu, who was the face of the opposition in 2005
election campaign ads, was picked up last week. Debebe was also among
those jailed following the election and pardoned.
Two top leaders of parties representing Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, the
Oromos, were also jailed after meeting delegates of the human rights group
Amnesty International. The Amnesty representatives were expelled from the
country.
In addition five journalists have also been charged under the new law,
including two Swedes captured while travelling with rebels in the restive
Ogaden region, and a US-based Ethiopian internet journalist who was charged
in absentia.
Eskinder and Andualem have been particularly outspoken in their criticisms
of the ruling party. In his latest internet post, Eskinder ridicules the
terrorism charges against the actor Debebe Eshetu, describing him as a frail
man in his mid-60s, the antithesis of the profile of a terrorist.
At an opposition news conference called last Friday, Andualem had alleged
that the terrorism charges againts previous detainees had been fabricated
by a government worried that it is losing its 20-year grip on power. "So
long as you are not cooperating with the regime, then you will be labeled as
terrorist the next morning. Beginning with the 2005 elections, this regime
has very well understood it will never win the hearts and minds of the
Ethiopian people so the solution they are left with is fabricating lies and
jailing everyone they think is opposing them," he said.
Government spokesman Shimeles denied there was any connection between the
arrests and the suspects’ professional activities. He told VOA the charges
against the suspects involve a plot to violently overthrow the government.
"Ethiopia doesn’t espouse a policy that would prosecute people who advocate
dissent, who would criticize the official positions and no one would be
prosecuted for holding an opposition view. This has nothing to do with their
personal political views. They are being arrested for plotting and
conspiring to carry out and to launch terrorist attacks throughout the
country," he said.
Government spokesman Shimeles declined to describe the nature of the
terrorist plot the suspects are accused of involvement in. He said details
would be divulged only after prosecutors complete their investigation of the
case.
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