“All the dead were shot in the chest” – AP (Nov 1, 2005, Addis Ababa)

From: GOMES, Ana
Sent: Wed 11/2/2005 9:51 AM
To: MEP, ASSISTANTS & OBSERVATEURS
Cc:
Subject: Ethiopia – Urgent Appeal – Call on EU Governments and the
Commission to act

Dear Colleagues,
Another bloodbath is taking place in Ethiopia

As I write to you, EU ambassadors are unable to leave the compound where
they are meeting, random shooting is heard in the streets of Addis
Ababa. This follows bloody incidents yesterday, where security forces
killed people spontaneously protesting against PM Meles government and
EPRDF, the ruling party. The new parliament has been boycotted by the
opposition forces, contesting official results and anti-democratic
behaviour of the ruling party. EU ambassadors have confirmed to me that
the top leaders of the opposition have been arrested, and some of them
beaten, including the elected Mayor of Addis Ababa, Mr. Berhanu Nega,
who was picked up when leaving the Dutch Embassy.

As you know, there were elections in Ethiopia in 15 May and 21 of
August, which the EU Election Observation Mission, which I headed,
considered not to have met international standards for genuine
democratic elections, despite unprecedented competition and the massive
turn out of the people. This evaluation was due to manipulation of
overall result in the counting and tabulation of votes, following
recognition of a landslide against the ruling party in the capital. And
also to undemocratic control of the media, general climate of
intimidation and serious human rights violations against opposition
supporters committed by the government since election day. I witnessed,
and publicly condemned, the peak of such repressive and anti-democratic
behaviour on 8 June, when over 40 people were killed in Addis Ababa,
elected opposition leaders put under house detention and over 5.000
people subsequently arrested.

Despite those ominous incidents, the conclusions of the EU EOM
publicised on August 25, and two critical European Parliament
resolutions adopted since then (the last on October 13, denouncing the
undemocratic behaviour against opposition inside and outside the new
Ethiopian parliament), European governments, although verbally standing
by EU EOM conclusions, in practice have been acting as if it was
with Mr. Meles. In the last weeks congratulations
for PM Meles have been pouring in from Europe, including
from the British Presidency and the Presidency of the European
Commission. Earlier on, just after the June killings and arrests, Mr.
Meles was invited to rub shoulders with G-8 and “Africa Commission”
leaders in Scotland. That amounts to rubbing salt in the wounds of
Ethiopians who thought that democracy was at reach when they massively
turned out to vote on May 15.

Most ironic is that Europe counts in Ethiopia, a country which depends
on European aid, the largest recipient in Africa. Europe could
definitely make the difference for democracy in Ethiopia. Instead,
current European leaders are choosing to fail it. In doing so, they are
not just failing Ethiopians. They are also failing Europe.

Please, urge your government and the Commission to act promptly and
consistently for democracy in Ethiopia. Demand the release of arrested
elected opposition leaders and supporters. PM Meles should be
accountable.

Stop the killing of Ethiopians who dare to believe that democracy is
possible in Ethiopia.

Best regards,
Ana Gomes, MEP