Ethiopian students “kidnapped” by security forces – watchdog

January 13, 2010 (A DDIS ABABA) – An exiled Ethiopian watchdog, Advocacy For Ethiopia (AFE) on Wednesday accused Ethiopian Security forces of kidnapping three university students for protesting on river pollution.

AFE said that the three students (their names listed) were kidnapped and taken away from the southern Awassa university campus by members of the security and police forces of the Federal Government of Ethiopia earlier this month for their involvement in protesting on the contamination of local rivers and streams from waste products of the gold mining industry at Lega Danbi.

There was no immediate comment from the Ethiopian government over the alleged accusation and the report could not be independently confirmed. Repeated attempts by Sudan Tribune to reach University officials didn’t work at the moment.

The group said that the whereabouts of the students is unknown and urged for an immediate release.

“Advocacy for Ethiopia is concerned about the safety and well being of the three students and urgently demands their release.” It said adding “We condemn these types of kidnappings and arrests, and calls on all who believe in the rule of law to call for the immediate halt to these kinds of violations of human rights.”

An opposition official on condition of anonymity told Sudan Tribune that with national election approaching such arrests are not a surprise.

“The message to the university students is clear; refrain from involvement in nation’s political affairs or you will face the harsh consequences,” he said.

In 2005, post-election violence in Ethiopia is believed to have been fuelled after hundreds of university students joined opposition protesters in the streets of the capital, Addis Ababa. Some 200 people including university students died then.

Now, Ethiopian officials say that they are committed to conduct a peaceful, fair and democratic election and they reassure that same mistakes won’t be repeated in the upcoming election, only few months away.

The group further urged the Ethiopian government to release all political prisoners prior to the upcoming general elections to be held in Ethiopia in May 2010.

Despite the Ethiopian government’s commitment to uplift its people from extreme poverty, a number of international human rights organizations have accused the PM Meles Zenawi-led government of doing little in the aspects of democracy and human right violations.

Advocacy for Ethiopia is a global coalition of civic groups that advances human rights, the rule of law, good governance, the protection of the environment and socially and ecologically sustainable development in Ethiopia

The group argues that the current government in Ethiopia unlawfully nullifies the decisive electoral victories of opposition political opponents, arrests opposition political figures including thousands of members, jails journalists and dissidents or are forced to flee country and this should be stopped through collective hands.

(ST)