SEATTLE – Ethiopians living in South Africa on Saturday condemned “anti-democratic acts” against Ms. Bertukan Mideksa, a charismatic female leader of the main opposition party, as they called for the release of all political prisoners, including the country’s pop star Teddy Afro who has been in jail on what observers say are politically-motivated charges.
In a press release sent to Ethiomedia, the Ethiopians in South Africa called on the Zenawi regime to refrain from intimidating Ms. Bertukan, a young female leader of the opposition Unity for Democracy and Justice Party (UDJP), and halt other acts of desperation. They called on the ruling party to rather work for a strategy that would pave the way for an “all-inclusive” elections in 2010.
Following is the full text of the press release:
“As the preparation for the 2010 election starts to gather momentum, the minority regime that has been in power for the last 17 years has escalated the harassment and sabotage of legally registered political parties in Ethiopia. It has refused to make peace with armed groups. It has refused to bring the perpetrators of human rights abuses to justice.
“The recent intimidation of Judge Birtukan Mideksa, the leader of the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party (UDJP, Andinet) is yet another indication of the regime’s intolerance of meaningful opposition in the country. It is closing the road to democratic change. It is encouraging the creation and strengthening of guerrilla movements. The plain truth about the current harassment is nothing other than the neutralization of resurgent opposition forces in the country.
“Entangled by problems that are mostly of its own creations, the regime in power is led by a desperate individual whose survival strategy is embedded on falsehood. The legally registered opposition forces have created a joint forum. Andinet and AEUP, the two major forces in the former CUDP have started to reopen their regional offices. Ginbot 7 is also mobilizing resources for what it refers to a multiple strategy struggle.
“In December 2008 Andinet was able to organize the first ever peaceful political assembly in Addis Ababa since the declaration of the State of emergency in November 2005. The assembly was addressed by former Head of State Dr Negaso Gidada, Ex Defence Minister Seye Abraha and Professor Beyene Petros of UEDF.
“This was a major political development since the failed May 15, 2005 election, in which close to 200 people were killed and about 40,000 were imprisoned in a massive-witch hunting arrest. Intimidating Miss Birtukan, the party’s chairperson and creating discord among the leadership through surrogates and agents is TPLF’s old strategy of disenabling its opponents. If ethnic and faith does not divide the opposition forces, economic interest will do the job is its age old strategy. We have seen it here in South Africa within the refugee community. We once again condemn this anti democratic act in the strongest possible terms, and call upon the TPLF/EPRDF government to negotiate with its political opponents, and map a peaceful transition through an all-inclusive free and fair election.”
