UK must stand firm against tyranny in Ethiopia
By Idris Shaankkore
February 12, 2006
Open Letter to:
The Right Honorable Tony Blair, PC, MP, The Prime Minister
10 Downing Street,
London,
SW1A 2AA
Re: Human Rights Abuses in Oromiyaa Region of Ethiopia
?The state of Africa is a scar on the conscience of the world. But if the world as a community focused on it, we could heal it. And if we don’t, it will become deeper and angrier.’ Tony Blair, Labour Party Conference, Brighton, 2 October 2001
Dear Prime Minister,
The intervention and the clear condemnation by the Right Honorable Hon Hilary Ben, MP, British Secretary of State for International Development, concerning the Human Rights abuses in Oromiyaa, suspension of direct aid, and the demand for an international investigation amid these concerns was welcome news to the Oromo Communities around the world. The Oromo Communities seized the opportunity to confirm and highlight the atrocities being suffered upon innocent, defenseless and leaderless Oromos, in the form of Petitions to Her Majesty’s Government. [Demand Respect for Human Rights in Oromiya Regional State of Ethiopia
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/968404168 ]
The Oromo Communities further welcome the confirmation by the Right Honorable Prime Minister of the commitment by Her Majesty’s Government to resolve outstanding political and Human Rights issues in Ethiopia. However, we wish to equally express our growing anxiety over statements by the Right Honorable Prime Minister, which appear to defend and deprecate the cries of the Oromo People for international attention by characterizing the facts and degree of human rights violations and oppression in Ethiopia as an “over-reaction, which often happens.” [UK PM targets Ethiopia at summit, Sunday, 12 February 2006, By Peter Biles BBC southern Africa Correspondent, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4707232.stm ]
The Oromos believe that inconsistencies and vacillation from convictions give comfort and support to lawless and dictatorial regimes and explicate the reasons for increasing resentment of people in developing countries towards the West. Prime Minister Zenawi’s response characterizing the problems in Ethiopia as “flaws” and “mistakes” from which “Ethiopia would learn” and “move on” are testaments to the lack of good faith and an inability to understand the serious nature of the brutality of his government towards the citizens. [UK PM targets Ethiopia at summit, Sunday, 12 February 2006, By Peter Biles BBC southern Africa Correspondent, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4707232.stm ]
Neither Prime Minister Zenawi nor his government is endowed to govern an unwilling constituency by Divine Right, but do so only because of the sanction and support of governments who would not permit the violation of basic human and democratic rights to be perpetrated upon their own people. Like other dictatorial regimes through out the course of human history, the present government will soon be another chapter in the history of Ethiopia. It is the wish of the Oromo Communities that the trust, confidence, and friendship of the Oromo People will not be tested and irreparably damaged by continuing to empower, defend, and impose a tyrannical regime on those who are entitled to exercise fundamental rights as human beings.
We again call upon Her Majesty’s Government to stand firm and to demand that:
1. All Oromo Political prisoners, journalists and students are released, without any conditions or reservations;
2. Those portions of the recommendations set forth in the Human Rights Reports referenced above which can only be implemented by the Ethiopian Government are fully and completely implemented without any conditions or reservations;
3. Independent Human Rights Commission’s are allowed to be legally established to operate freely within Oromiya, as permitted by law, without any conditions or reservations;
4. Those portions of the recommendations applicable to agencies and institutions, which are directly, or indirectly under the control of Her majesty’s Government, The Government of the United States, and The European Union are fully implemented.
Idris Shaankkore, is an Oromo resident in Ethiopia. Email: [email protected].