Ethiopian-American Constituency

Working within the democratic process to represent the interests of the Ethiopian-American community.

Since the initial reports of the political turmoil within the TPLF, the ruling arm of the EPRDF coalition government in Ethiopia, surfaced and Ethiopian Government officials in Addis Ababa and in Washington D.C. began providing certain statements related to the state of affairs, the Ethiopian-American Constituency (EAC) has been following the situation with grave concern. 
 
 

The secret nature of the closed meetings currently in session in Ethiopia with various TPLF party organs has denied outsiders actual facts about the circumstances surrounding recent events. The outcome of the problem and the circumstances that surround it, however, will have a profound effect on the people of Ethiopia. Until the hard facts surface, EAC members will continue to engage in a series of consultations with others equally concerned about Ethiopia.

In light of the disturbing situation in Ethiopia, it behooves all Ethiopians in the Diaspora to discard past and present differences, personal or ideological, and commit ourselves to creating a united front to address the challenges in Ethiopia, as the country strives to embrace democracy and to rid itself of poverty, disease, and illiteracy. 

EAC strongly believes that the current developments in Ethiopia also present a rare opportunity for all Ethiopians to rally behind the ideals of democracy and the rule of law for Ethiopia.  These principles are among the objectives for which EAC was established. In this regard, EAC is shocked and dismayed that, in the name of maintaining public order, the Ethiopian Government is resorting to violence, particularly the firing of live ammunition by the police force against peaceful student demonstrators who submitted routine demands for academic freedoms to their University Administration. Indeed, there is no legal justification for any government, which claims to be democratic, to shoot and kill an opposition element, students or any other organized body, whenever one decides to exercise its political freedom through a peaceful and non-violent demonstration.

To the members of EAC, we all realized from the recent U.S. Presidential election, the importance of every voice in determining the outcome of a vitally important federal election. Likewise, your voice can make a significant contribution to the formulation of American government policy that will enable those of you living in the U.S. to become important stakeholders of the American Dream. You, the same stakeholders, will then be in a position to play a constructive role in helping to shape U.S-Ethiopia relations. It is, therefore, of paramount importance that, each of you takes the initiative to develop good relations with your Congressional representatives, familiarizing them frequently with the current affairs in Ethiopia and reminding them of the critical role the independent and peace-loving people of Ethiopia have played from time immemorial in maintaining regional stability in the Horn of Africa.

Finally, regarding the current political problem facing the leadership in Ethiopia, EAC would only reiterate that, throughout history, there has been no simple, short cut road to good governance. Justice, freedom, the rule of law, equality among people, and the fair distribution of a country's resources will always remain the cornerstones of a stable and democratically sound nation.

We the Ethiopian Student Association International received the following statement from the Addis Ababa University students. On their behalf we are presenting the demands and a list of the events that led to the violent clash between the students and the Ethiopian Police Force. We the Ethiopian Students Association International are in full support of the studentÕs demands and also the implementation to insure the safety and the continuation of the education of the AAU students. We hope that you can assist as in dissemination this serious violation of human rights and the rights of our students. The following attached documents are as follows. 1) Statement from the Addis Ababa University Students 2) List of events 3) Photos Statement from Addis Ababa University Students This is to inform you that we, students of Addis Ababa University (AAU), are in grave danger. Some of the students, after being forced to leave the campus, took shelter in churches found in Addis Ababa, 'Kideste Mariam', 'St. Markos' etc. Since then, they have been seriously assaulted and have been taken to detention places. This all happened as a result of the offending response given from the Ministry of Education to the reaction of AAU students. Since there has been bias in reporting of the recent events, we want the world to hear our side of the story. The following are the issues we want to emphasize to all Ethiopians residing in foreign lands and the international community.

1. We, students of AAU, were seriously assaulted and threatened by the Police Force while waiting for the appearance of the Ministry of education, Mrs. Genet Zewdie on April 11, 2001. Mrs. Genet herself witnessed the brutality of the police. Because of the attack of the police on students on campus and in their dormitories more than 50 of them were seriously wounded and one female student has died. This move that was taken by the police is clearly in violation of the Federal Democratic Republic of EthiopiaÕs Constitution Articles 30 and 31. Now, therefore, we demand that the particular institution, which sent the police, forces to AAU campus to appear before the court for trial.
2. We want to inform Ethiopians and the international community that students were not responsible for public and private property destruction that occurred here in Addis Ababa on April 18, 2001. The delay of the ministry of education in responding to the demands of AAU students led to the senseless destruction. While the destruction was going on, most students were leaving the campus holding their luggage.
3. We want the safety of all students to be guaranteed before we can resume our education.
4. We want our early demands to be answered before going back to school.
5. We need our fellow students who are imprisoned to be freed.
6. We still need a date to be fixed for the campus police to leave and be replaced by civil guards. We also need our management problems to be solved.
7. We want to inform the world that other Universities and Colleges in Ethiopia have insisted that the demands of AAU students be answered. But due to the blackout by the government media their demands have not been heard.

Article 30 of the FDRE constitution

Article 31 of the FDRE constitution

News Clips

Ethiopian Government violently quashes protests in Addis Ababa

Chronology of events (complied from reports by BBC, Agence France Presse, Reuters, Daily Monitor, UN Integrated Regional Information Network, Pan Afracian News Agency, Addis Tribune, and Ethiopian News Agency-no reports seen to date on CNN or Associated Press):

1. Tuesday, April 10: Over 3,000 students at Addis Ababa University started boycotting classes to press several demands, including:
• The re-instatement of the student council
• The right to have council representatives nominated by students rather than university officials
• Resumption of publication of the banned student newspaper
• Representation on the university senate
• A say in the nomination of the university president and drafting of the university charter.
2. Wednesday, April 11: 
• While students were holding a peaceful demonstration, hundreds of police armed with rifles and batons invaded the campus, where they violently beat and shot at students. About 50 students were hospitalized, several with severe injures, includes head injuries and broken arms and legs. Other students were arrested. 
• Fleeing students were pursued to their dormitories, where pools of blood, broken batons, shattered glass, and bullet holes in the wall were later witnessed by BBCÕs Nital Bahalla, who photographed injured students and a wall and floor spattered with blood.
3. Monday, April 16: 
• A second round of talks involving student leaders and government officials reportedly deadlocked over the timing of the withdrawal of the armed police from campus. The Ministry of Education gave the students a deadline to return to classes by noon Wednesday or face permanent expulsion from the university.
4. Tuesday April 17: 
• In the midst of a peaceful rally by university and secondary school students outside Addis Ababa University campus, a group of about 100 protestors started throwing rocks and bottles at the police. Hundreds of riot police then trapped the protestors along a small road and charged at them from all directions.

Here is the eye-witness report of BBC's Nital Bhalla

At least two people had been killed by police gunfire by Tuesday evening, and many more wounded. On Tuesday evening, protestors set fire to eight cars parked at the Organization for National Examination.

• Long before the noon deadline fro students to return to their classes, sounds of automatic rifles and ambulance sirens were heard in various areas of the city. Cars and pedestrians fled from the directions the gunshots were being heard. 
• Two students were killed when police forced themselves into the Menelik II High School. One was severely batoned on the head and the other was hit by a rubber bullet on the head. Over 15 ambulances were witnessed coming in and out of the school compound to remove the many injured. 
• Students sought refuge in neighbouring churches and mosques. Hundreds were later rounded up by the police in spite of protesting clergy, forced into military trucks, and driven 20 miles away from the city to the Ethiopian Police College at Sendafa. 
• The Ethiopian government warned opposition political parties to Òrefrain from trying to Exploit the situation and promote anarchy in the city, Òand closed the university indefinitely. Local schools were closed until Monday.

• The streets were clam as police patrolled in armored vehicles. 
• Parents whose children had not returned home gathered at the mortuary gates. Families demanded to know the whereabouts of the arrested students. 
• The opposition Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), reported that one of their members, Tawfic Lale weshengo, was shot dead by security forces at this home, and that about 40 EDP members were arrested, including secretary gereral Lidetu Ayalew and executive member Tamirat Tarekegn. EDP President Admasu Gebyhew denied the arrested members had any role in the violence. ÒWe do not entertain violence as a means of political struggle,Ó he told Reuters. ÒWe are against the use of violence.Ó ÒUnless the government takes tough and appropriate actions, it has become difficult to maintain peace and security of the public,Ó the federal police said in a statement released to the press. The statement also said that Òthe so-called human rights organization have attempted to snatch weapons from the riot police.Ó State radio and television referred to demonstrators as Òhoodlums and lumpenÓ. 
• Amnesty International waned that Ethiopian security forces were using Òexcessive force against students and other demonstratorsÓ and said security forces had reportedly fired at demonstrators and were continuing to round up people. Hospitals could Òhardly cope with the number of those injuredÓ. 
• Solidarity protest have taken place at other universities and colleges throughout the country. The body of a dead student awas found in Mekele in northern Ethiopia, after he had taken part in peaceful protests there against police brutality at Addis Ababa University. 
• Among the US organizations that have expressed concern about the injured and arrested students are the New York Academy of Sciences, Ethiopia Student Association International, Stanford University Ethiopian Students Union, San Jose State University Ethiopian Students Association, UC Berkeley Ethiopian Students Association Alumni, Delaware State University Ethiopian Students Union, and UC Davis Ethiopian Students. Also see pictures and news reports at:
• http://addistribune.ethiopiaonline.net/
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_1273000/1273793.stm
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_1281000/1281791.stm
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_1284000/1284608.stm
• http://allafrica.com/stories/200104190260.html 

I can no longer say anyone has the right to do something in this country. There was no democracy before too but at least you won't see people getting killed on the streets before. This government had always eliminated those who damage its reputation and put at risk its stay in power in a very quite way. But starting from Wednesday April 11,the government's ugly side of its face started to show. On Monday april11, Students of the AAU in 6kilo campus stopped going to class because some of their administrative rights have been evoked. Some of the questions are 

1. The Campus police should no longer be the force to guard the Campus rather it should be civil security force. 

2. The newspaper of the campus "helina" written by the students and is now stopped from getting published should resume its publication. 

3. Some persons who are in high administrative positions without their skills and with no equivalent comprehension for their position should be replaced by others fit enough. 

Eventhough the students have been presenting their questions legally in a peaceful manner, the Special Forces of the federal police stormed in to the campus on Wednesday 11. They injured 45 students (ETV said this which means there were at least twice this number of students that were injured.).One girl was beaten so harshly she died on Monday 16 after spending the week in coma. My friends who has gone to 6 kilo campus to see the savagery told me that the dormitory corridors were filled with blood. There isn't a single room that is without a mark of someone's misery. 

They even told me that they have seen some students jumping from the 3rd floor because they chose to jump from that height than to get beaten by the police. Generally speaking, it was a situation no one dare want to be into. This happened around 10o'clock in the morning. 

But it didn't solve the problem for the police or the government. Instead it escalated the situation . 4 kilo and 5 kilo campus students joined the activities of the 6 kilo immediately and the situation worsened for the police. 

That night Genet Zewde (ministry of education) came to see what has happened after the damage has already been done. And she gave a speech that night saying what was done was wrong and that there will be no class till Monday 16 on which there will be a meeting chaired by her to answer the problems of the students. By Monday when she was asked to give a fixed date on which the police in the campus are going to live she wasn't able to come up with an answer which made the meeting fruitless. That night she gave a speech o TV once again saying the students should return to class. The next day I was afraid there was going to be differences among the students about going to class or not. But this didn't happen at all. 

On this day, Tuesday 17, there was an even more unified voice by the students. IN the afternoon students from high schools and youngsters from around 4 kilo started to gather. There were lots of people throwing breads and orange for the students for they have refused to eat from the cafeteria. When the police tried to disband the crowed no one was willing to move because of which there was a clash.

Some of the police were forced to give up their rifles but the youngsters who took them from the police were unable to use it so they smashed the AK47 (Clashinkove rifle). The youngsters also burnt 11Cars and 1motorbike parked in the compound of the National Examination office building-the damage was estimated 25million birr. They also destroyed the windows of the Ministry of education, The commercial Bank and Tourist Hotel. The police cars which tried to go after this people were also damaged by the stones thrown. It was a very frightening sight.

There was never such an opposition on the government by the public by so many people since this government had been on power. Once again that very same night, Genet was on TV saying that if there is any student who doesn't return to class by tomorrow, Wednesday 18,up to noon, they should leave campus peacefully and let those who do want to learn go to class peacefully. She also said there will be Special Forces in the campus to make the students who want to learn safe. 

The unity among students was very strong. The next day when I went there to see the situation, all the students were leaving campus and only around 200were left in the compound-not to learn but preparing to leave. More than 1500 students went to the 5kilo Kidiste Mariam church for shelter. It was a very tragic sight. The students were sitting by the shade, lots of women were crying afraid for the students' safety, some were bringing food for the students and others were begging for money to buy food for the students. By around 9:15 in the morning, the Special Forces came on foot and by trucks and started to clear the area which ones again resulted in chaos. From this time on the 4kilo to 6kilo area, Piazza, and merkato were to be what they were not. 

The police entered the Menilik high school compound and beat the students to death. I was on the apartment in front of the high school and was able to see around 8-10 ambulances taking the injured students. 

And once I saw a police pickup car carrying the bodies of three dead children (12-16 years of age).In Piazza shops were looted, in merkato 3 buses were burnt completely and 14 were made windowless. The telecommunication station in merkato was looted and also bunt completely including the cars in the compound. Government cars were burnt here and there. This was all done by young people of the age15-25. 

This is the generation of today in Ethiopia, a generation ruined by the government. These were the once who looted the jewelry stores, who burnt the cars and broke the windows of many shops and buildings. 

The deteriorating quality of education and life standard and many other reasons are the once which gave rise to such a generation. So I don't blame the youngsters for what they did, I blame the government because they are the outcomes of their ruling. This is all I have to say my friend. Bemiketlew gize lelam lemetsaf emokralehu. But I am not sure if you are going to have time to read this. Please e-mail this to every Ethiopian that you know. Every Ethiopian has the right to know what is going on here. 

Just don't mention my name since I am not out of this country yet.