by Berhanu Tesfaye
The human right abuse and atrocities in Ethiopia was guided by enforcing the fiasco proclamations of the Civil Societies, anti terrorism and press law that attack every citizen from different angles and the results were the imprisonment of political activists, journalists and religion leaders. Nominating and placing of religious leaders against the will of the believers for both religions.
The TPLF led administration had closed the free press (326 in 2003 and now 32 in 2013 printed materials) and control the people of Ethiopia by organizing people five in one overseen by the members of the party and taping telephone lines inside (VOIP) and allocating millions of tax payers and aid money for spies abroad to oversee the activities of the Diaspora. Forbidding people not to contact, have tea or coffee with members that are suspected by TPLF as core oppositions since they are terrorist.
Extra judicial killing, torturing, harassment and displacement from jobs for those who are not from Tigrai and their affiliates are day to day activities. Moreover to have the advantage members of other ethnic groups should breath with the lungs of TPLF or have to be members of EPRDF and its affiliated parties. These atrocities are recorded and reported from different organizations who reside inside and outside of Ethiopia and some international organizations and governments have also urged the TPLF led government to release all political prisoners, abide its own constitution and respect human rights and stop to interfere as per se.
But what I heard yesterday in the nation’s radio the private property of TPLF led EPRDF government is shocking. The parliament (545 of 547 seats belong to TPLF EPRDF and its affiliates) discussed and seconded a new proclamation awarding the security department and its members not to be accused or requested in any deeds they perform including if a person dies in due time they will not be questioned or asked.
This proclamation is an extension of what happened in December 13, 2003 in Gambella where 424 were massacred in daylight, peasants in Loqe (southern region near Awasa) were killed for asking their rights, 199 persons killed in Addis Ababa after 2005 election and the bombing of Ogaden region.. Moreover nothing is done about ethnic based displacement of the Amharas from Southern region, Benshangul Gumuz and other localities. What was done is only lip service for international community consumptions saying they are returned to the displaced areas in Benshangul region not in others. The commuter of such atrocities are breathing and in some high posts without taking responsibilities of their act.
The drama of TPLF is the same old trick to fool international community who handout them bilateral and aid donations by allowing a fiasco election drama.
One can research the number of MPs in the fiasco parliament (1995-2000 only 12 of which 8 private and 4 opposition, 2000-2005 23 of which 10 private and 13 from oppositions,2005-2010 137 of which one private and 2010-2005 only 2 one from opposition parties).
The situation in 2005 election was different due to the sky rocketed anticipation of TPLF led EPRDF having over confidence about its constituents. But the contest was heated and ballot rigging were well recorded but the last result was to jail elected members of the oppositions.
Such abuse of authority by the ruling TPLF led EPRDF was not improved in the next election period but it was planned to bring the parliament back to square one (1995 election). The following numbers of MP clearly justify the fact (1995 535MPs, 2000 524 MPs, 2005 410 and now 2010 545 MPs out of 547 seats.
To whom are MPs accountable in Ethiopia? To run for MP in Ethiopia does not need to have capacity, capability or delegation from the constituents but the only criteria is to be loyal to TPLF or to be bottled with ideology of revolutionary democracy. This leads to the situation the parliament is breathing with the lungs of their bottling factory TPLF.
Any drafts that are presented by TPLF do not need discussion by members of the MPs but just to raise hands and rubber stamp it. The result one against and the rest for based on the numbers who are available in that particular session.
It is this scenario in a country where all human rights articles are included in the constitution as alphabets and also ratified all international conventions to fight for human rights abuses but voting for a proclamation that allow the security forces to do whatever they like including ransacking, abusing and killing and not asked for such acts commuted.
This proclamation is a blank check for all the members of the police, military and security who killed, raped and tortured Ethiopians for the last 22 years and is also allowing them commute it again and again till TPLF led government is in power.
chillalo@gmail.com
