Brussels – In connection with the upcoming European Council Summit that will take place from Thursday the 23rd to Friday 24th of March in Brussels, Ethiopians all over Europe will hold a grand rally and demonstration in Brussels, Belgium.
Despite European Union (EU) pressure, Meles Zenawi remains defiant to release all political prisoners. The EU withheld direct budgetary support worth about $375m by condemning the government for its heavy-handed reaction to peaceful protest in June and November.
People are still rounded up and thousands, including opposition leaders, as well as human rights activists and journalists, are being held without charges.
Being partner to Bush’s administration to fight terrorism seems to have been taken by Meles for granted. In an interview with a journalist with The Washington Times, the US backed regime even dared to question the human rights records of Western countries.
“Mr. Meles complained of being scolded by governments that do not have strong human rights records themselves.” says Betsy Pisik “Frankly, some of the requests of some of our partners are incompatible” with their actions, Mr. Meles said. “We don’t agree with that, and we have told them so. But we have agreed to agree on the issues on which we agree and to disagree on the others.”
In a teleconference held earlier this month, representatives of Ethiopians in Belgium, Britain/United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland have decided to hold a demonstration in Brussels. The aim of the demonstration is to send a message to the EU council to implement the resolution passed by the parliament, which include targeted sanction against government officials and UN involvement on the inquiries of the atrocities being committed by the regime in Ethiopia.
The demonstration will be the largest Ethiopian rally ever held in Brussels for the Summit brings the heads of states of the 25 member states all in one place and it is a huge opportunity for making our voices heard. The EU countries leaders make up the European Council and decide on all the most important issues and policy guidelines of the European Union.
Ethiopians in Europe are also urged to contact foreign ministries of their respective countries through parliamentarians or directly so that they include Ethiopia on the Summit’s Agenda, which is prepared in advance by another body confusingly, named the Council of the European Union and is composed of one Minister per member state.
