It would be better to remedy an abuse rather than making of attempts to cover a blunder with another blunder!

By EHRCO Press Dept

April 15, 2003

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(Explanations given to the allegations made by a Senior Official of the
Ministry of Information against EHRCO over Radio Fana.)

April 15,2003
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

It is to be recalled that the Ethiopian Human Rights
Council (EHRCO) had, on March 21/2003, issued its 61st Special Report entitled
“An urgent call for Immediate disclosure of the Whereabouts of People Who Have
Been Abducted and Disappeared!”

In this Special Report, EHRCO has made reference to its 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th Special and Regular Reports in which it said that it had described situations under which many people were abducted by security forces and taken to unknown destinations. EHRCO in its 61st Special Report specified that, the whereabouts of 39 people who were abducted by security forces at different times still remain unknown. The Special Report said that the cases of those persons abducted by security forces and whose whereabouts are unknown thereafter are among the worst and the most atrocious forms of human rights violations which EHRCO exposes from time to time. However, said the Special Report, the government has continued to turn a deaf ear to the repeated calls made by EHRCO regarding such people.

It has been reported that, after EHRCO’s 61st Special Report had been issued, an unnamed Senior Official of the Ministry of Information gave an interview to a reporter of Radio Fana that was broadcast on March 29/2003. The full text of the report (interview) broadcast over Radio Fana reads as follows:

“In an interview with Radio Fana, a Senior Official of the Ministry of Information said that EHRCO has lately disseminated information which disclosed that government forces have abducted 39 people and that the whereabouts of these people remain unknown ever since. The Senior Official described the news as fabricated information which clearly unmasks and indicates EHRCO’s hidden political agenda. The Senior Official recalled that Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam was, over a year ago, charged with inciting Addis Ababa University students to riots and illegal activity and said that the fabricated information disseminated by EHRCO is part and parcel of this scheme. According to the Senior Official, EHRCO is, beyond the cause which it claims to advocate, leaving no stone unturned to win advantage from prevailing riots and conflicts. The government would take appropriate legal measures on the fabricated news that was disseminated by the organization.”

EHRCO first sends to pertinent government authorities copies of reports it issues from time to time. Although they have been receiving copies of EHRCO reports, the government bodies have, for the past many years, neither responded to the issues raised in the reports nor taken any legal measures against those who have committed gross human rights violations. After a long time, however, the government has given only two responses in connection with reports issued by EHRCO. Irrespective of whether they are positive or negative, EHRCO believes that, the limited willingness shown on the part of the government to give direct or indirect responses to issues raised by it (EHRCO) is a measure that should be encouraged. EHRCO would nonetheless like to point out here that the direct or indirect response given by the government should see the problems raised in the reports in their right perspective and examine them with due sense of governmental responsibility.

The interview that was given by the Ministry’s Senior Official and broadcast over Radio Fana has not properly evaluated the demand put forth by EHRCO. The official’s allegations are not substantiated by concrete evidence. Besides, the interview incriminates and condemns EHRCO which has, since it came into existence, been conducting a sustained peaceful struggle to ensure the respect of human rights, the development of a democratic system and the rule of law in the country.

EHRCO was established to realize these fundamental objectives. It is an organization operating in accordance with the licence issued to it by the government. In order to confirm that EHRCO does not have any hidden motives outside the just-mentioned objectives, it would be worth while for any interested party to have a close look at its activities, make closer inquiries and have proper understanding of the purposes for which EHRCO was established. We believe that taking such action would remove any doubts about and misconception of EHRCO. The government has, without any evidence, made a statement that casts aspersions on EHRCO’s good reputation and its well known activities. This is a clear indication of the fact the government is not ready (steadfast) to learn from its mistakes and rectify them.

Contrary to the description given by the Senior Official of the Ministry of Information in the interview, the cases of the 39 individuals who are said to have been abducted and disappeared ever since is not a fabricated story. EHRCO has neither the reason nor the objective to prepare and disseminate a fabricated story and confuse the Ethiopian people and the international community in a country where many people are abducted and disappeared there after. Thousands of people are, more often than not, arbitrarily put under arrest and made to suffer in prisons, a larger number of people are chased, beaten up and made to undergo great sufferings and miseries. Before it brings to light any human rights violations cases, EHRCO first gathers sufficient evidence and confirms as to whether the acts have been committed or not. It is only on the basis of such evidence that it has gathered that EHRCO finally issues reports.

All the reports which EHRCO has issued hitherto are, we firmly believe, based on satisfactory and concrete evidences. All reports which EHRCO would issue in the future will also be based on satisfactory and concrete evidences. This is because EHRCO is acutely aware of the fact that it could face questions of accountability on the human rights violations cases which it describes in its reports. In connection with the report issued by EHRCO, its (EHRCO’s) doors are open to the government or any interested party that would like to confirm that EHRCO has satisfactory evidence about the violations that are said to have been committed. The 61st Special Report against which the Senior the Government Official has complained, contains sufficient details about each of the 39 individuals who are said to have been abducted and whose whereabouts remain unknown ever since: full name, residential address, occupation and life conditions and photograph and some details.

Sufficient descriptions have been given about the cases of individuals who had left their houses and never returned for unknown reasons. The abductions and disappearances of the individuals are supported by concrete evidence. The government is expected to give information on the individuals who may have been released, if at all.

In connection with the 61st Special Report, the Official has alleged in the interview that Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam, had, last year, incited Addis Ababa University students into riots and said that EHRCO has a political agenda outside the causes which it claims to advocate. As is well known, Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam’s case is still pending in court. And he (Professor Mesfin) has the constitutional right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. In spite of that however, government officials have, on repeated occasions, been heard portraying Professor Mesfin as an offender. This act contravenes the principles of FDRE’s is Constitution. Moreover, the objectives of EHRCO constitutes, among others, making its voice heard about people who have been abducted, arbitrarily imprisoned, gunned down by armedmen, suffered from administrative malpractices and denial of justice. EHRCO also has the objectives of enlightening the Ethiopian people on the virtues and principles of human rights. It is inappropriate and absolutely illogical to assume that EHRCO has hidden (ulterior) political motives just because it is specifically committed to the realization of the just-mentioned objectives. The objectives of EHRCO are specifically and fundamentally based on the principles that have been clearly set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights provisions. The government knows only too well that EHRCO is not an organization that operates with the intention of taking governmental power or advancing political objectives. In the interview he gave to Radio Fana, the Official has said that the government would take legal action against EHRCO.

The government should however realize that it would, instead of uttering such a threat, be in a much better position to protect the freedom of its citizens and guarantee their security, if it gives close attention to the calls made to it, examine the cases in question, and, accordingly take legal action against the offenders. Under such a favourable situation, the peaceful lives of the people would be guaranteed. As a result, the government could easily win and enjoy public confidence.