Press Realease

Protest against Meles Zenawi’s presence at the G20 in Toronto (Canada):

Media Release

June 26, 2010

WHO WE ARE:

• We are concerned Canadians of Ethiopian origin congregated here today from the greater Toronto area, Ottawa, London, other surrounding cities including the United States to be part of the protest organized by the members/supporters of the Diaspora Ethiopian human rights and political opposition groups namely: Unity for Human Rights and Democracy (Toronto), Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political prisoners-Canada (SOCEPP Canada), Supporters of the Ginbot 7 movement, and EPRP (Democratic) in collaboration with the Ethiopian Association in greater Toronto and the Surrounding Region. We are all members of the Ethiopian Diaspora community forced out of our country by this and the regime before it at different times and are particularly and gravely concerned about the human rights tragedies that has befallen our people in Ethiopia, who continue to suffer under the cruel and dictatorial rule of PM Meles Zenawi and his party – the EPRDF.  

WHO/WHY/WHAT WE PROTEST AGAINST:

• We are protesting AGAINST the presence of Ethiopia’s de-facto ruler: Mr. Meles Zenawi who is in town invited by PM Stephen Harper to be present at the G20 Summit here in Toronto. We also protest against PM. Stephen Harper’s decision to invite this dictator, who should instead be held criminally responsible for the crimes he committed against humanity, as to be part of the G20 Summit.

• We protest against Meles Zenawi  as this dictator represents himself and his one party - EPRDF’, only, not Ethiopia’s interest. He and his party came to power 20 years ago by the barrel of the gun and stayed in power through the rule of terror and repression. The May 23, 2010 fake election that fell far below international standards only crowned the group and this dictator with a contest free totalitarian rule and a fully narrowed political space similar only to that of his predecessor – Col. Mengistu H/Mariam’s and/or the late dictator - Sadam Hussein of Iraq.

• What we protest against are a number of issues. To name the major few:

• We reject the process leading to and the outcomes of the so-called May 23, 2010 election held in Ethiopia for it fell far below international standards, as also variously and pointedly addressed by the EU Election
• Observers (with which Canadian Observers were part of ), the US State Department, Human Rights Watch and various other impartial groups and state actors.

• The closing of the political space in Ethiopia under the totalitarian rule of the EPRDF where political freedom and human rights continue to vanish and political opponents of the regime like Birtukan Mideksa, Bashir Amhed Makhtal (Canadian), Abera Yemaneab and many others continue to suffer in the dungeons of the regime and the “disappeared” like Tsegaye G/Medhin, Aberash Berta and thousands of political prisoners languish in various jails, and many continue to remain an accounted for, is not acceptable to us. 

• The two laws enacted leading up to the fated election in May 2010 – the CSO law and the “Ant-Terrorism” law continue to play a crucial role for the incumbent as tools of repression for muzzling the free press, human rights activism and political dissent despite the mountain of opposition lodged against such laws by the world community at the last December UN Human Rights Review of Ethiopia last December in which Canada too played a crucial role.  (See: UNHCHR 16^th Annual Human Rights Review in their site).

• Hence, it is our undivided view and position that Meles Zenawi has become a symbol, or rather an icon of repression, who should not have been invited to be present to this prestigious Summit which should have been left only for those leaders who respect and abide by international human rights conventions and laws.

Why was Mr. Zenawi invited to the G20 Summit? : THE RATIONALE

• We are informed by DFAIT who extended the invitation to Mr. Zenawi that, he was invited not because of his democratic credentials; it is because Ethiopia is the seat of the OAU, and
• We are also briefed that the invitation was forwarded because Meles represented Africa at the climate change meeting in Copenhagen last year.

And we say: irrespective, is this rationale good and prudent enough when tested against the criminal records of Mr. Zenawi and his party they perpetrated against their own people during the last 20 years they have been in power. Let’s enumerate some without getting into further details:

• He/they muzzled and completely decimated the free press imprisoning and/or forcied into exile over 123 Ethiopian journalists and closing over 100 independent news papers. Now there are almost none let. The last strong independent press Addis Neger’s editors and journalists were forced to exile in Dec 09.

• VOA Amharic Service the DW-de Amharic service and the New Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) are regularly jammed; the Meles Zenawi openly said that he would give the order to shut independent media, and he did that.

• All pro democracy Web pages are blocked and Ethiopia is second in the entire Africa for jailing journalists and No.1 for blocking web sites.

• Civic societies are paralyzed – the draconian legislations such as the Charities and Association act, the media law and the anti terrorism laws have paralyzed the civic society and the political opposition.

• The 2005 and the 2010 election processes and outcomes remain to be illegal and below standard and the regime continues as the de-facto ruler of Ethiopia.

• The election commission is fully controlled by the ruling party. The election officers all over the country are specifically chosen for being loyal to the ruling group. The so-called code of conduct forced through the throats of the opposition that took part in the election was abrogated by none other than the regime itself when it started killing opposition members in Tigrai, Southern Ethiopia and elsewhere.

• Political prisoners continue to languish in prisons including Birtukan Mideksa, Abera Yemanab, Bashir Makhtal (the Canadian) and many more. The detained and “disappeared” like Aberash Berta, Tsegaye Gebremedhen, and many others continue to remain unaccounted for.

• Crimes against humanity committed in the regions of Gambella, the Ogaden and mass killings in Addis Ababa and many other cities still remain uninvestigated and unpunished and the perpetrators including this leader are still walking free amongst us as if they belong to the civilized, humane and just world. 

Acknowledgements and Demands:

• We are thankful of all the law makers/parliamentarians and human rights groups in Canada, the US and Europe who have listened to our appeals and stood with us to address the continued human rights and political abuses of our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia. We specially acknowledge the works of Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the ICG, Genocide Watch, ICFPJ and the like for their critical and central role in exposing the crimes of Meles Zenawi to the world.

• And to the less involved and ambivalent Canadian, American and European politicians We say: we hear what you tell us may make sense to a certain extent but WE ASK OF YOU TO DO MORE FOR THERE IS ONLY ONE  INTERNATIONAL STANDARD: THE FULL RESPECT OF THE VARIOUS
• HUMAN RIGHTS CONVENTIONS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW INCLUDING THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE & FAIR ELECTIONS irrespective of who you are dealing with! Would you not rather have a partner in democracy and justice to justify the millions of taxpayers money you invest on someone who is a terrorist himself against his own people and yet stands with you to “fight” terrorism elsewhere?  

The Venue & Time of the Demonstration, Events that Follow & Contact Info:

• The demonstration will be held on June 26^th starting at 9 am EST/ NYT/ Toronto time at the designated area at Queen’s Park.
• Following the demo, we will have a dinner solidarity evening at 40 Donalds Street (Toronto) - Meeting Hall, located in the east end of Toronto, Near Donlands Subway Station, starting at 7 pm.

For media inquiry please contact: Mr. Yousuf Omar at (416)570-3041 Mr. Aklilu Wendaferew at (647) 223-0404