Open
Letter to Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice
By Tadesse Walle (PhD)
Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice
U.S Department of State,
2201 C. Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
2 January
2006
Dear Secretary
Rice,
Re: I urge you to say enough is enough to the cycle of regime
violence in Ethiopia
The
US backed Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia is on the verge
of unleashing unprecedented civil war, Ethiopians are too pushed
into chaos, disorder, and blatant repression. As I write schools,
universities are being closed, a large number of students, citizens
are rounded up, taken to unknown detention centres, a considerable
number of teachers are being brutally assaulted, terrorized and
taken to unmarked torture centres. This is a disturbing, renewed
repression of the regime and unless checked in time, it is likely
that this might go out of hand, could potentially inflict dire
consequences throughout the region, international peace and stability.
The world has had enough of such calamitous, natural and man made
tragic trajectories; there is no need for more catastrophic consequences
unless out of psychosis. You are therefore urged to say enough
is enough to the cycle of regime violence in Ethiopia as perpetuated
by the vicious dictator Zenawi of Ethiopia, who deceptively enjoys
your governments support in the name of fighting terrorism, tainted
and cosmetic democracy.
Following the end of the cold war and the demise of the Mengistu
regime in Ethiopia, some Western governments and particularly
the US administration had taken a stand in supporting the Zenawi
regime with no sufficient consideration of his misguided policy,
political behaviour, and disingenuous commitment to democracy.
Arguably this was an error of judgement on the part of the American
Administration: whilst helping end the era of one dictatorship
was right without a shred of doubt; installing, backing up another
dictatorship was equally erroneous and irresponsible: Zenawi the
favoured pampered son of some western governments has irrevocably
proved himself to be an old Albanian Wine in a new bottle.
Dear Secretary Rice,
The issue here is not to deplore the US administration for its
past pitfalls, ill considerations of the true intent, political
gamble of the Zenawi regime in Ethiopia. The issue here is about
current Ethiopia, how your actions influence and at times determine
the destiny of Ethiopia, the home of more than 77 million people.
Your actions, as it stands now, are becoming paradoxically inconsistent
with your stated, articulated policy of international relations,
resolution of crisis in our 21st Century. Following G. Bush’s
second inaugural speech we were led to believe “…all
who live in tyranny & hopelessness can know: the United States
will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors; when
you stand for your liberty we will stand with you” It is
this stated policy of yours that we simply question. It is our
reflection and firm belief that your government’s action
is no much, disproportionate, not doing enough in the face of
naked regime violence, mass arrest, extrajudicial killing, disappearances,
kidnapping, and flagrant violation of human rights. Such unwarranted
tolerance has helped the Zenawi’s vote – rigging and
genocidal minority regime to carry on its shocking repression.
As matters stand now, your administration’s policy is mainly
confined to the stands of Iraq & Afghanistan. Whilst your
brave, meticulous actions in these countries is one of your fabulous
achievements; your near- disregard, if not inadequate action taken
for crimes against humanity, staggering repression, flagrant violation
of human rights in Ethiopia remains to be one of your stumbling
blocks. Since the May 2005 election, Ethiopia has been rocked
with non-stop violence, turmoil, killing. The urge for democracy,
transparency, accountability, and political pluralism has turned
into a living nightmare. A former high ranking US official , Mr
Herman Cohen described the development as “ …the Ethiopian
government’s recent actions indicate that Meles is weak
politically and that he is fighting for survival….high handed
measures demonstrate the true nature of the government…”
which he described as “authoritarian and totalitarian”.
Professor Donald Levine an academic and an expert on Ethiopian
affairs had to say “…Meles was all along a ruthless
and vicious dictator to the Ethiopian people” Sadly it is
this tainted, fictitious democracy that the West, particularly
your administration has been nurturing, and it is this same fictitious,
hard-nosed thing we request you to dissociate with, support the
champions of vibrant democracy and most importantly the Ethiopian
people.
Dear Secretary Rice,
To add charcoal to the fire, a tabloid lawsuit, cooked by the
PM himself has been established against the main, viable opposition,
journalists, civic and progressive individuals, human rights activists,
renowned professionals, academics, including juveniles with a
view to shatter the urge for democracy, punish , muzzle descent
for having, promoting an alternative political ideal. The “crime”
of the accused is in essence their scholastic power not to accept
the PM’s one size fits all ethnic policy, parochial political
doctrine. To this effect about 131, opposition members, journalists,
critics are facing trumped -up charges in the regime’s Kangaroo
courts. The trial includes frail Professor Mesfin Woldemariam
former human rights activist, aged 71, Engineer Hailu Shawel leader
of the opposition aged 70. According to The Reporter, the government’s
mouthpiece, the Ethiopian Prosecutor had established seven charges
namely ” genocide, high treason, armed up rising and civil
war, attack on the political and territorial integrity of the
country, outrage the constitution and the constitutional order,
obstruction of the exercise of constitutional powers, and the
impairment of defensive power of the state”. Same source
claims that Engineer Hailu Shawel, Birtukan Mediksa, Dr Brehanu
Nega, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam including others totalling
39 would face all the seven charges. According to Ethiopian law
if the accused, which is not unlikely, are convicted they would
face death penalty, mandatory life imprisonment, and imprisonment
for terms of years. Yet according to the PM, the arbiter of this
façade trial another “3,000 people will face charges
for disturbances” (Irin) Such a sinister act on the part
of the regime would only aggravate matters and descend the country
into anarchy and chaos.
Dear Secretary Rice,
Thousands are still toiling in both marked and unmarked detention
centres, bullied, bruised, battered, and degraded as human beings.
A considerable number of them are held incommunicado. Prison conditions
are harsh beyond belief. More than eighty peaceful demonstrators
including mothers in their own living rooms were shot dead cold
blooded in June and November 2005. Random shooting and killing
has also continued in rural Ethiopia. Crackdown against Free press,
civic and human rights activists has no any other explanation
except: cling to power by all means possible including denying
citizens the right to life. Thus the whole purpose of the court
room theatre is to convict peaceful dissent in a flawed trial,
silencing opposition, with an ultimate aim of orchestrating a
guilty verdict. This whole trial, legal fiction is against the
findings of Amnesty International. Amnesty International’s
release of December 2005 considers the detainees as “prisoners
of conscience”. Cambodian dictators, Afgan totalitarians,
the regime of Sadam Hussein, South Africa in its apartheid period
are no different to the current Zenawi’s desperate regime.
They all share one and same denominator: tyranny in all forms.
Until to date no bail rights have been allowed for detainees,
there is no access to legal representation, family visit is rare,
medical consideration is seldom, and no objective account of events,
clear terms of reference to offences has been established. Detainees
are subjected to prolonged pre-trials, arbitrary adjournments
whilst languishing under harsh prison conditions. The presumption
of innocence until proven guilty both before and at the time of
hearing is improbable as could be evidenced from Prosecutor, Abraham
Tetemke’s stand “It is unacceptable to release them
on bail because the majority of the charges include 15 years imprisonment,
the death penalty or life sentence “(Irin) Such a measure
violates International Covenants, the African Charter on Human
and Peoples Rights though ratified by the regime itself.
Dear Secretary Rice,
I for one do not doubt for a second that you have noted the irony
of justice here: the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Zenawi himself
is the prime figure and responsible person for the killing of
innocent civilians, the alleged criminal offences established
against opposition members, journalists would have been established
against him and his cronies in a country where rule of law, justice
prevails. If justice has to prevail those responsible to the killing
of peaceful demonstrators should be investigated, those who masterminded
the use of excessive lethal fore, those responsible for the shoot
to kill policy, those responsible for the ill treatment of thousands,
torture of detainees should have faced the reality of justice.
There is much in common between Milosevic of Serbia and Zenawi
of Ethiopia. Sadly, it is this rough justice the Ethiopian people
are struggling: as of now, justice is subjugated to injustice;
rule of law is subordinated to legal fiction. It is this injustice
the Ethiopian public opposes; it is this politically motivated
sham charge the US administration is urged to consider, it is
this irony of justice the US administration is urged to say enough
is enough.
Dear Secretary Rice,
The current Ethiopian regime has a dazzling record of miscarriage
of justice, unfair trial; abuse of power and abuse of due process.
It is a bygone conclusion that detainees would not get fair trial.
Its credibility is diminished by its own past and present actions.
Previous unfounded convictions of opposition party members, civic
rights activists, waiving parliamentary immunity for opposition
lawmakers are classic testimony. The law has been used and is
being used to silence the opposition, threaten critics of the
regime and quash the urge and aspiration for democracy. It is
such sham treason charges which we believe are politically motivated
and be dropped. It is these charges which the ruling circle should
answer for themselves and not the opposition and its critics.
It is those responsible for the loss of life, entire crackdown
of opposition, journalists, academics that should face justice.
Once again, you are requested to live up to your terms: “…the
United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors”
(please see above)
Please accept
my highest consideration
Sincerely,
Tadesse Walle
Contact address: tadessewalle@yahoo.co.uk
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