Crushing Dissent in Ethiopia

11 july - On the 28th of June an international day of solidarity was held around the world to appeal for setting two Ethiopian civil society leaders free. About 40 committed civil society professionals from the likes of Amnesty International, Civicus and Sangoco and several Ethiopian organisations assembled in front of the Ethiopian embassy in Pretoria to shout, chat and scream for human rights in Ethiopia.

In 2005 over one hundred opposition members, journalists and civil society leaders were arrested by Meles’ security forces. This after these security forces, also referred to as the police, had shot dead up to 40 peaceful demonstrators who were protesting what they saw as stolen parliamentary elections. Meles’ EPRDF won nearly two thirds of the parliamentary seats. The opposition CUD came second and contested the results after serious allegations of fraud.

Ever since, spontaneous demonstrations have erupted and have just as quickly been quelled by police brutality, shootings, arrests and in some cases torture and disappearances to secret prisons, it is alleged.

Now, 38 opposition politicians have been found guilty of a plethora of indictments such as obstructing the exercise of the Constitution, or coordinating, leading and encouraging armed violence against the government, the violence the police had committed and endangering the country's defence.

On the 9th of July it was reported that the state would seek the death penalty against all those who hadn’t recognised the courts during the trial. Most defendants did not recognise the courts, specifically those of the opposition CUD. Only two defendants took the courts seriously from the onset of the trial and defended themselves.

The two defendants are called Netsanet Demissie and Daniel Bekele. They are both exemplary civil society leaders who have nothing to do with organised politics let alone opposition politics against Meles Zenawi. Due to their involvement with international NGOs and organisations they have received the necessary international solidarity and support. Hopefully this will prove sufficient to convince the Meles regime that conviction would be counterproductive for his regime.

Would it, really? As yet the international community has put some severe pressure on Meles and his cohorts to treat the detainees according to international law and give them a fair trial. But so far they have not received much proper or fair treatment. They have been denied bail for nearly two years now. They have had to sleep out in the open in the 2000m high freezing Abyssinian highland winters. They have been locked in solitary confinement for no apparent reason. Further details are not known due to the sensitivity of the case.

The repression continued and the initial 100 or so dissenters were held for nearly two years without due process. The main explanation that is given for the fact that the authoritarian regime can do as it pleases is that the international pressure on the Ethiopian authorities is lukewarm at best. The West, in particular the US, sees the Ethiopian regime as a Christian partner in a sea of “dangerous and threatening” Islam.

The Addis authorities are seen as critical partners in the “war on terror”. The Ethiopian army have most recently, as loyal lackeys of the US, invaded Somalia of course hunting the many terrorists that were plotting the downfall of the US in this country without any state or national infrastructure. The US joined in and annihilated parts of the Somali countryside, supposed terrorists included, with their massive C130 gunship Hercules.

With such important allies in the ever important war against global “terror” the pressure on the Addis regime will most likely not be as severe as to change Meles behaviour. But what is also interesting is the international community’s fixation on the two civil society leaders. Yes, for sure, they deserve all the help they are getting and more and should be set free immediately. But what of the opposition politicians and journalists? Why are they hardly getting any support if any? Why is Amnesty not lobbying for their freedom?

What is wrong with these opposition politicians in Ethiopia that they do not deserve our solidarity? What is wrong with opposing a ruling party through democratic means in that country? Why has the international community supported say the opposition in Zimbabwe? Why have they been crying foul every time the MDC are beaten or arrested? But why not pro-democracy activists in Ethiopia?

Let us just hope that justice returns to Ethiopia and that the accused will truly receive a fair trial. Surely that will see most of the accused acquitted forthwith. Time has a way of dealing harshly with despotic Ethiopian rulers.

www.civicus.orgwww.sangoco.org.za