Disturbing news is reaching us from Ethiopia regarding the plight of Ethiopian teachers. It is to be recalled that the teachers and their Association are held responsible for the regime’s loss of the May 2005 election. As a result they have been victimised and systematically persecuted. Thousands had been fired from their teaching posts, leaving their families without any income.
Tilahun Ayalew, Acting Chair of Awi Zone ETA Executive had been snatched on 14 December 2006 while he was on his way from work to his residence in Dangla town. It is reported that he was heavily tortured by the regime’s security agents and appeared with swollen face. They took him to Bahir Dar city and currently he is incommunicado at Addis Ababa Criminal Investigation Bureau commonly known as Maekelawi. On 01 January 2007, the Police took him to Lideta District Initial Court in Addis Ababa . He was so heavily beaten up that he could hardly walk on his own from the police van to the court room. At the remand of the police, the usual pretext to delay justice, i.e. two weeks for further investigation, the judge adjourned the case to 15 January. The offence allegedly said to be committed by Tilahun or the charges filed against him are not yet known to relatives and friends as they are not allowed to visit him.
Anteneh Getnet meanwhile has been in detention at Maekelawi since 29 December. Anteneh is one of the most prominent activists in the ETA and as a result he has been made subject to various attacks that included dismissal, kidnap, heavy beatings and constant harassments. It is reported that this time he has extremely been suffering of unbearable tortures in the hands of the security agents. On 01 January they brought him to the same court ( Lideta District Initial Court ) and treated him in similar way that happened to Tilahun.
The ETA further informed sisterly organisations across the globe and the international human rights organisation about Meqcha Mengistu, a member of ETA Advisory and Programme Organizer Committee for EFAIDS, and acting chair of East Gojam Zonal Executive, who had been kidnapped by the regime’s security on December 15 and the family members or colleagues do not know about his whereabouts. He had been under constant surveillance by government security agents for several days prior to his disappearance.
On 2nd January 2007, as ETA Executive members gathered to discuss on how to air the plight the suffering teachers, another plea came from Gondar teachers regarding Qagnew Arage of Emperor Bekafa School, who had been arrested, beaten up and detained without charges. His family members were in panic and calling for help.
It is to be recalled that Meqcha and Tilahun together with other 68 teachers had been detained without any warrant in November 2005 and finally released on bail.
