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Government Critics Detained In Ethiopian
Anti-Terror Sweep
14 September, 2011 | Peter Heinlein (VOA)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Courtesy
Anti-Terror Sweep
14 September, 2011 | Peter Heinlein (VOA)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 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
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.
Courtesy
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