Scholars urge Ethiopia to provide medical care to political prisoners

August 20, 2006 — The 5th Horn of Africa Conference meeting of scholars in Lund, Sweden from
19-20 August 2006 on the theme of “The Role of Diasporas in Peace, Democracy
and Development” has heard with deep concern of the critical ill-health of
our academic colleague Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, who has been detained
since November 2005 and is facing capital charges of instigating violence
and other offences arising out of post-election demonstrations.

Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, aged 76, is a distinguished academic and also
a prominent human rights defender as founder and former chair of the
Ethiopian Human Rights Council.

Although he is reportedly now admitted to intensive care in hospital, fears
have been expressed for his health on account of his advanced age, harsh and
unhygienic conditions in Kaliti prison and reportedly inadequate provision
of medical treatment after his hunger strikes and at the time of his arrest.

We are also anxious about whether he will receive a fair trial according to
international and regional standards. He is refusing to defend himself
against charges which he rejects as being politically motivated. He is
widely held to be a prisoner of conscience on account of his peaceful
political opinions and his record as Ethiopia’s best-known human rights
activist.

The conference respectfully wishes to bring these grave concerns about
Professor Mesfin Woldemariam to His Exellency Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
We urge that Professor Mesfin Woldemariam be given all necessary medical
treatment. He should not be returned to prison until he is restored to good
health on the advice of his doctors and only if his prison conditions are
considerably improved.

We urge the Ethiopian authorities to respect the basic human rights of
other academics facing similar charges and prison conditions, including Dr
Berhanu Negga, Dr Yakob Hailemariam and Dr Hailu Araya.

We request this appeal to be brought to the urgent attention of His
Exellency the Prime Minister. We look forward to receiving a positive
response as soon as possible.

Mammo Muchie, Dphil
– Professor
– Director of DIR
– Research Centre on Development&IR
– Aalborg University
– Fibigertraede 2
– 9220-Aalborg East
– Aalborg, Denmark
– Tel.no. 00-45 9635 9813
– fax.no. 00 45-98153298
– http://www.ihis.aau.dk/development/
– http://www.ihis.aau.dk/ccis/