Starting from one o’clock in the afternoon, the organising team arrived on the doorstep of the Embassy, 17 Princess Gate, and started putting on slogan posters relevant for the day and our green-yellow-red pride in high places to been seen and attract the eyes of the onlookers. To pronounce the day more loudly to the neighbouring Embassies, passers by and the agents of human rights violators themselves, illegitimately occupying the Ethiopian Embassy premises, a giant black flag was spread in the middle and a few little ones were hoisted by the sides spelling it out to the whole world that the protestors were mourning their losses to the genocide perpetrators. Looking at the combination of the colours clouded by the black mark magnified the atmosphere.
The other Embassies on both sides of the premises occupied by the TPLF gangs and their agents, calling themselves “Ethiopian Diplomats”, started looking out of their windows and immediately knew at whom the protest was targeted. It was shame on Woyyane that its neighbours were once more going to be subjected to the loud noise as a result of crimes committed by the regime against its citizens in Ethiopia. In fact, if there was any sound around that peaceful area, it should always be the Ethiopian protesters against one Embassy – that is the Ethiopian Embassy in name.
The composition of the protestors was much different from the past. There were so many new faces in the crowed. Of course, the notable new face to London was the face of Ato Kifle Mulat, the President of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association. The organisers were very much of aware of what that meant for the Martyrs Day. His presence as a journalist from home, as the president of the free press journalists and firsthand victim of Woyyan’s injustice made the difference. He was there to mourn for the murdered fellow trade unionists Assefa Maru, Kebede Desta, Shimelis Zewdie, colleagues and fellow journalists Abay Hailu, Tesfaye Tadesse, irreplaceable patriots Prof Asrat Woldeyes and ordinary citizens who lost their lives to Woyyane for no reason, like Terefe Qumbi, Gudissa Insa, Tesfaye Kumsisa and Alemante Melisew. In addition, the Reporters of Radio Voice of Germany (DW) took out his cam-recorder captured the momentum to beam the message to Ethiopia and the world at large as usual. At the same time, The Spectrum “Negat Radio” reporter was also seen running up and down with his mobile telephone, transmitting the event directly to the station and interviewing the protestors at the same time to share it with those who did not have the chance to participate the vigil.
While some Police staff members stood on both sides of the protestors, a good number remained in their cars. However, a strong team of Motorcyclist Police Force was seen arriving and guarding the embassy Gate behind the wall on the other side of the street.
From 2:00 to 5:00 the protest continued with uninterrupted protest shouting slogan, leaders exchanging the microphones and the crowed turning the place in turmoil shouting at TPLF. The angry protestors demanded justice for the murdered, freedom for the imprisoned, immediate halt to genocide in Gambella, unequivocal demand to stop the harassment of journalists, teachers, students, human rights activists and our citizens as a whole.
All the passers by on foot stopped and listened to the slogans, read the posters fixed to the fences and held up by protestors, looked at giant dominant black flag for a moment and then turned their heads to look at the premises where the agents of those human rights violators who caused all those pains reside. Many shook their heads, took our leaflets and went their ways. Motorists slowed down, read our slogans, some raised their fists and others hooted to show their mark of solidarity.
The protestors were chanting slogans that included the following:
Justice for Assefa Maru’s family!
Justice for the genocide victims in Gembella!
Justice for the murdered!
Justice for the tortured
Justice for the political prisoners!
Justice for all victims in Ethiopia!
Free Abera Yemane Ab!
Free Tsegaye Debteraw!
Free Mekonnen Dori!
Free All political prisoners!
Stop the killing in Ethiopia!
Stop persecuting students!
Stop persecuting teachers!
Stop persecuting journalists!
Stop persecuting trade unions!
Stop ethnic cleaning in Ethiopia
We want democracy!
We want peace!
We want unity!
Meles is a killer!
Meles is a murderer!
Meles Zenawi is a dictator!
Meles has to go!
TPLF regime has to go!
United Kingdom! Stop supporting the dictator!
United Kingdom! Stop supporting Meles’s dictatorial regime!
At about 5:00 o’clock, a poem fit to the occasion was read and the protestors dispersed peacefully.
