The invitation circulated in electronics mail says “A simple dinner to remember Birtukan.” Indeed, the dinner was simple, all digging from the same group meal on a serving tray, free of hard liquor or name brand fine wines. But the message conveyed and the ideas exchanged on Tuesday night, September 14th, 2010 at a local restaurant in Atlanta was far more greater than the banquet.
The focal point of the agenda for the evening was no other than the internationally acclaimed prisoner of conscience — Birtukan Mediksa.
In fact, one side of the flyer distributed at the dinner reads: “Let us rise up and be determined to free Birtukan this year,” while the flip side of it conveys best wishes for the New Year with rays of lights steming out of newly-blossomed tulips, signifying the hope of the Ethiopian people.
The occasion was organized by “Free Birtukan.org” group run by vibrant, young, dedicated students and they spent no time in explaining neither who Birtukan was, nor why she was illegally thrown into prison for almost two years now– for enough have been said and enough have been written about this gallant, selfless and champion of democracy and human rights movement.
In stead, members of the Atlanta chapter of “Free Birtukan.Org” dwelt at length on the question as to what should be done collectively as well as individually to free not only Birtukan but also the entire flock of political prisoner in Ethiopian languishing in various prisons in the country.
“Free Birtukan.Org” group was formed just a little over a year and is now growing in leaps and bounds, according to its members. At present there are ” Free Birtukan.Org” chapters in South Korea, Australia, Germany, South Africa , Canada, Washington DC, Los Angeles
San Diego, and in many other cities and countries.
The organizers disclosed that they continuously receive tons of requests from Ethiopia to form chapters, but taking into consideration the ramification and the security danger it poses, the organizers are left with no choice but to supress these requests at least for now.
According to members of the organization, the month of September is dedicated to renew the commitment and intensify the struggle world-wide towards the release of Birtukan, using face book and other electronic methods.
The group mentioned that it is working hand and glove with Amnesty International and now is in a better position in supplying latest information regarding Birtukan to the latter.
The highlight of the evening activities was a series of trivia questions : questions like what are the logical and legal arguments that human rights activists present for Birtukan’s unlawfull imprisonment to which more that ten valid and legal points were mentioned by participants and organizers.
At the end of the meeting every participant was asked to pause for a moment and think of Birtukan and then either coin a word or a phrase or sketch a drawing the first thing that comes to her/ his mind when they hear the name Birtukan.
Some visualized Birtukan as selfless heroine, comparing her to a candle that burns itself and yet gives light to others. While others see her as a helpless victim for now, but at the end of the day becomes victorious leading the Ethiopian people toward freedom avenue.
And yet others looked at her as the last alphabet in the English language– Z. The alphabet Z in Greek mythology symbolizes perpetuity of life.
All those who participated in this mental exercise see the sacrifice and the the titanic struggle that Birtukan is waging as unparalleled in the history of the Ethiopian people fighting against injustice, inequality and the rule of law.
The ” Free Birtukan.Org” is fast growing non-profit and apolitical organization whose single motto is nothing but to chip-in its due share in the struggle to free Birtukan and the reset of thousands of political prisoners in Ethiopia.
“Life may not be fair in prison for Birtukan, but God is fair and I have a strong feeling that one day Birtukan will be free and lead the march towards freedom and equality,” observed one elderly participant.
