Ethiopian opposition says members beaten, illegally detained – (Reuters)

(Reuters) – An Ethiopian opposition group accused police and security officials of beating, illegally detaining and abducting more than 150 of its members between July and September this year.

The Horn of Africa country has won international plaudits for delivering double-digit growth for much of the past decade, but rights groups often accuse the government of using state institutions to stifle dissent and silence political opposition.

Addis Ababa, long seen by the West as a bulwark against militant Islam in the Horn of Africa, denies charges that it is quashing dissent.

In a 39-page report launched on Thursday, the Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) detailed what it said were “gruesome rights violations” committed against its supporters and members.

“One hundred and fifty members and supporters of the party have been subject to severe beatings, illegal detentions and abductions by police and security officials,” party chairman Negasso Gidada told reporters.

“We are asking the government to stop these human rights violations and take those responsible to justice,” said Negasso, who served as the country’s president from 1995 to 2001, before joining the opposition.

A government spokesman declined to comment saying it had to receive the report.

Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch said many former detainees – including politicians, journalists and alleged supporters of insurgencies – were slapped, kicked and beaten with sticks and gun butts during investigations at Addis Ababa’s Federal Police Crime Investigation Sector, known as Maekalawi.

Ethiopia intensified its clampdown on peaceful dissent after the disputed 2005 election, the New York-based watchdog said.

Back then, the disputed polls ended in violence and the killing of 200 people. Opposition candidates won 174 seats but many did not take them up, saying the vote was rigged.

In an interview with Reuters this month, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the government was not to blame for the opposition’s poor showing.

He has also accused some opposition party members of collaborating with rebel groups the government had previously labelled as terrorist organisations.

But UDJ’s leaders deny any links with the outlawed rebel groups, and warn the government that “stifling” dissent may encourage violence in the country.

“We are not requesting anything from the government side, we are requesting a level playing ground,” Girma Seifu, a senior UDJ official and the sole opposition politician in Ethiopia’s 547-seat parliament.

(Editing by James Macharia and Alison Williams)

SOURCE, ABUGIDA

International Commission of Jurists (ICJ): Ethiopian Leaders to Face a Trial for Genocide

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) reported to have begun to work to bring Ethiopian authorities to justice for having committed a genocide in the Ogaden region. The International Commission of Jurists is a known international human rights organization composed of jurists (including senior judges, attorneys, and lawyers). The commission is known for its dedication to ensuring respect for international human rights standards through the law.

The report came right after different Swedish TV channels showed a movie smuggled out from Ogaden by an Ethiopian refugee, who had been a government official in the region. The 100 hours long movie is said to have many evidences of genocide committed by the Ethiopian government in the region.

Speaking to journalists, Stellan Diaphragm, the commissioner of the Commission, said that he would do everything necessary to bring the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Reports indicate that although Ethiopia is not a member of the ICC, the country can possibly face trial for crimes under international law.

The Ogaden region is a territory in Eastern part of Ethiopia, and populated mainly by ethnic Somalis. Since 2007, the region has been a site of brutal struggle between the government troops and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a rebel group seeking for more autonomy for the region.

Different human right organizations accuse the Ethiopian government of committing grave human right violation (including genocide) against the civilians in attempt to control the ONLF’s public support.

According to the Genocide Wach, the crimes committed in the region include extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, rape, torture, disappearances, the destruction of livelihood, the burning of villages and the destroying of life stock.

SOURCE, ECADF

Ethiopian opposition alleges killings, abuse

AFP Addis Ababa — A leading Ethiopian opposition party said in a report Thursday that scores of its members and supporters had been killed, abused or jailed over the past two years.

Ethiopian opposition leader Negasso Gidada in Addis Ababa on October 6, 2010 (AFP/File, Aaron Maasho)

“The report has information on human rights violations on members of UDJ, on supporters and other political party members and leaders… in different parts of Ethiopia,” said Unity for Democratic Justice (UDJ) leader Negasso Gidada.

Negasso said seven party supporters had been killed in southern Ethiopia and around 150 supporters had faced intimidation, arrest without charge, abuse, abduction and confiscation of property by police and security forces across Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian government said it had not seen a copy of the report, but accused the party of routinely coming up with “concoctions and spurious accusations”, Information Minister Redwan Hussein told AFP.

UDJ is among a handful of opposition parties in Ethiopia, where only one out of 547 seats in parliament is occupied by an an opposition member.

Negasso, the former president of Ethiopia, said the report will be submitted to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and that he hopes the document will send a strong message to the government.

?We want the government to stop human rights violations and we are asking the government to bring those people concerned to justice,? he said, adding that his party had not lost any strength as a result of the violations documented in the report.

“The intimidation, the threats has not discouraged our members and we will continue our struggle,” Negasso said.

Last year, a leading member of the UDJ, Andualem Arage, was sentenced to life in prison on terror-related offenses.

UDJ has staged a series of demonstrations across Ethiopia this year, calling for the release of opposition members and journalists charged under Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism legislation.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has issued stark messages to protesters in recent months, warning them that they will face harsh consequences if the break the law.

Rights groups have said the 2009 anti-terrorism law is vague and used to stifle peaceful dissent.

SOURCE, ECADF