It was understandable when neighbouring countries with questionable human rights and rule of law track record cooperating with Meles regime forcibly deporting Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers. These countries could agree to do anything as long as it helps their regime to stay in power disregarding safety concerns of Ethiopians living in their territory. Confusion became apparent in diaspora thinking when the news broke out that the Meles regime made a similar deal with a European country which normally preach respect for human rights and rule of law. To make sense of the situation many articles have been written why either the Norway government or Meles regime signed this agreement.
I believe the agreement is a meeting of interests. The Meles regime is on track of implementing its grand-diaspora strategy of silencing oppositions a.k.a “extremists” by the regime vocabulary. On the other hand Norway government is listening to recent internal political developments sweeping Europe, voters in many countries leaning to the right, demanding stronger immigration policy. Even though Norway has its own interest to return all failed asylum applicants, the existing political environment could contribute in speeding up the signing of the agreement without much consideration for the safety of Ethiopians.
Whatever the reasons be Norway also like Sudan and Somalialand follows its own interest and is getting ready to return Ethiopians by force. The baffling part of it is that this happens against many international organizations repeated reports of worsening human rights abuses by the Meles regime, and continued imprisonment of oppositions after the 2005 election. On top of that the Norwegian asylum case handling practices where in principle promising individual handling of the cases while in practice decisions are done on country basis could put many Ethiopians who are in danger of persecution wrongly categorized as risk free. Since the agreement requires Norwegian government to provide as much information as they can on would be returned asylum seekers to meles regime intelligent service, we can imagine what will be the fate of these Ethiopians. In the past the Meles regime signed documents on paper but respected none. The Norwegian government must be either dreaming the Meles regime starts to respect what is written in the document instead of what has been a normal practice – following Meles Zenawi’s whims or they know the danger that exists when Ethiopians returned but preferred to ignore it to suit their internal political interest. In conclusion the agreement serves both parties interest. The question is what implications can have this agreement on Ethiopians in diaspora?
Many in Norway believe the Meles regime chose Norway, to sign its first agreement in Europe, as a punishment to Ethiopians who gave him hard time organizing big and successful demonstrations against his rule during his two visits to Oslo after 2005 election. I also agree with that. But there might be some who contemplate this agreement is limited only to Norway and might not be extended to other European countries. That is a wishful thinking. It is my belief that forced deportation is Meles’s regime global wide strategy to weaken the opposition in diaspora. It should not be a waiting game which country to fall next. The diaspora has to come together and mobilize not only to stop forced deportation but also to stop the Meles regime continually abusing Ethiopians human and political rights. It calls for a united front from all concerned Ethiopians to stop Meles regime diaspora policy from holding its root in Europe.
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Based in Norway, the writer can be reached at [email protected]
