This letter is in protest of Prime Minster Zenawi of Ethiopia’s scheduled keynote address at the CGT’s the
World and Africa forum at your university on September 22nd 2010. We are disappointed with the
decision of Columbia University, an esteemed and premier higher institution, for giving a forum to a
leader who has denied basic human rights to his own people. Mr. Zenawi consolidated his power of
twenty years by intimidating and arresting opposition leaders and killing innocent civilians for protesting
against human rights violations by his government.
Currently, a prominent woman leader, Ms Bitukan Mideksa, is re-imprisoned for life. In May 2010, Prime
Minster Zenawi’s government declared a 99.6% victory in an election that was considered fraudulent by
independent observers and human rights organizations. As Human Rights Watch indicated in its report,
“… the ruling party officials intimidated voters and unlawfully restricted the media ahead of the May 23,
2010 parliamentary elections.”
Following are highlights of some basic human rights concerns in Ethiopia:
Many political opponents are languishing in prisons in different regions of the country.
Recently, the Ethiopian military, under the leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, has committed
serious atrocities in Oromia, Gambela and Ogaden regions.
The development of civil society is curtailed in the country. In January of 2010, the government passed a
new Civil Society Law whose provisions are, according to Human Rights Watch, “among the most
restrictive of any comparable laws any where in the world.”
Independent media is severely restricted. CPJ regularly reports on harassment and detention of journalists.
Internets are blocked regularly. U.S government broadcast to Ethiopia, Voice of America, was jammed for
over six months from March to July 2010, during and after the Ethiopian parliamentarian elections.
In addition, the economic situation in the country is alarming. The country is one of the poorest countries
in the world. An estimated 10 million people are seriously suffering of starvation because of the chronic
food shortages in the country.
We respectfully request that Columbia University should not give a forum to Mr. Zenawi. It is an insult to
millions of Ethiopians who are suffering under his dictatorial regime.
—
Ethiopian-American women created Ethiopian Women for Peace and Development, a non-partisan peace
organization, in 1991. We can be reached at [email protected].
