Ethiopia’s opposition parties resist new draft law on terrorism
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
June 11, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s opposition political parties and parliamentary members strongly opposed a new anti-terrorism draft proclamation that provides for a tougher punishment to individuals involved in terrorist activity.
The draft law, if passed will give officials more authority to prosecute individuals for terrorist acts.
Accordingly, whosoever group or Individual that advance terrorism in the form of political, religion or ideological form to disrupt constitution, public or government institutions, or any intent to intimidate the public or section of the public will face, penalties of death or up to 15 years jail.
The bill is intended to “protect the safety of people and ensure rights of citizens to live in peace, stability, and harmony,” the government says.
Geographically being located within the Horn of Africa region, Ethiopia believes that the new draft law of terrorism is crucial to confront inside and outside terrorist activities in line with the global war on terror.
On the contrary, Ethiopia opposition political parties and opposition MPs reject the proposed draft law. They strongly argue that the proposed bill is a deliberate move designed to repress oppositions and intimidate opponents.
“Such laws are manipulated to weaken political roles of opposition groups there by arresting and prosecuting them using the bill as a cover” Ethiopia’s former president and MP Dr. Negasso Gidada told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.
The New draft bill further gives Ethiopian officials the Authority to randomly inspect residents, cars and communication systems including interception of telephone and internet access if necessary.
“The proposed bill contradicts the constitution by violating citizens’ rights to privacy” said Negasso, adding “it generally violates the rights of all peoples of Ethiopia”.
Dr.Negasso Gidada said that Oppositions strongly oppose terrorism but not on such a law. “Endorsing such a bill is not the wise way of tackling terrorism”
“The effective way to tackle terrorism would be to dry up all sources that could lead to terrorists acts,” he added
Opposition, Oromo, Federalist Democratic movement (OFDM) opposed the Draft law calling it as “tyrannical tool.”
“The proposed terror-proclamation is a weapon designed by the ruling party not only to weaken their role but also to totally eliminate all political opponents,” said OFDM chairman Bulcha Demeksa.
“Ethiopian election is next year and if this law is endorsed it will definitely be very hard for opposition groups to run for election,” he said.
“Our campaign for election, political or other meetings will be restricted under this law as a single call from any one to the police, no matter if there is any evidence or not could be considered as terror-related activity and put us all in jail.”
The House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) on Tuesday after thorough discussions on the relevance of the draft bill referred the anti terrorism bill pertinent standing committees for further scrutiny.
“To outsiders, the bill may appear too be innocuous, but to insiders, they know that it will be used to intimidate and to suppress any one that opposes the ruling party,” Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE) said in a recent statement.
“The Meles regime has become masterful at using the words of democracy ‘justice’, ‘the rule of law’, ‘the protection of the people’ and ‘the upholding the Ethiopian Constitution’, as tools of tyranny.”
“Because there is essentially no rule of law in Ethiopia, minor infractions can be inflated into serious ones, ill-defined laws can be tailored to justify what are actually politically-motivated charges and the innocent can be targeted with trumped up charges.” SMNE added.
The new law prohibits any involvement with suspected terrorist groups, including being in contact with them, providing them financial aid, collaboration in pre-attack, collecting money, among others.
The law also forces any one to cooperate with security personnel in delivering any information they may know of any terrorism’s acts being plotted by terrorists.
Moreover it states failing to cooperate with police or hiding information is a criminal act by itself, punishable by the court.
(ST)
Jabeessa
Ethiopia’s opposition parties resist new draft law on terrorism
In Ethiopia, we have so many issues to deal with. The issue of this biil is of great concer to citizens who already are under gun. The bill gives officials and law inforcement elements who are already brutals and mercelessly tyrant additional powr to further escalete their suppression. This is what I fear. The burden of proof of prosecutors as hinted in criminal code of the land previously, is now on the shoulder of the accused. Waht a mess!? How could possibly a person who is charged with crime proves his guilt? Have the writers of the so called “the bill” understood the difficulty therin? What is more is that, it is all done for the peace and security of the respective citizens. I know anyone deserves peace and security, and I do agree with writers on that stance. But, “how?” is the point needs further scrutiny. I think this won’t do any good for the people they are vowing to protect, but hurts.
We have so many “laws”, may be the laws designed to cripple opponent and oppositons and even the public at large like “Media law”, “Civil Society Law”…etc. They (the writers), know they were not welcomed previously. And they still know they will not be welcomed in writing the “would be” law bill. It is our day to day experience that the so called “REPRESENTATIVES” or MPs always pass each and every bill. And I have no doubt that this suppressive bill could pass with no adjustments. Let me call them the representatives of EPRDF than representatives of the people of Ethiopia. What we left with is directing our call to GOD, the usual way “EGZIO”. In this country, people direct their problems to somebody else maybe supernatural power than protesting againist it. ONLY IN ETHIOPIA?!
What we left with? I do not think we have one. From now on, it is fooling oneself to say “Law can protect one.” No law never protect in this country no one ever!!! Call me pessimist if you want. Gun and power is above the law!