Site Name

April 8, 2006 Ethiopia's parliamentNew shocking revelations about the extent of the gross human rights violations in Ethiopia have emerged as some Members of Parliament have gone public with allegations that they were tortured, harassed, threatened and denied their right to meet with members of the public in their respective constituencies.

Honourable Abiyot Kebede, who represented the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) in the May elections and won a parliamentary seat in Werejarso Woreda, North Shewa, told VOA that he and a close companion were subjected to traumatic kidnapping, torture, false
imprisonment and were even threatened with execution.

The young MP claimed that security men in plain clothes kidnapped a friend of his and himself a fortnight ago from around his residence in the capital. He said they were forced into a car and were immediately blindfolded. The lawmaker tried to stop the tormentors by showing his
parliamentary ID card. "They trashed my ID card and told me to use it as toilet paper", the traumatized MP alleged.

The constitution of the "Federal 'Democratic' Republic of Ethiopia", Article 54 (6), stipulates that no member of the parliament shall be arrested or prosecuted unless his or her immunity is revoked by the legislature.

Honourable Abiyot recounted at lenght to VOA's Nuhamin Bikila how they were driven to an unknown church cemetery out of Addis and were told that their graves were already dug. According to him, the two were severely beaten and threatened that they would be executed and buried unless they confess that they were involved in inciting students in Oromia to rise up against the government and being sympathizers of Mecha and Tulema Welfare Association. The association was banned two years ago and its leaders, along with many of its members, are still languishing in jails.

Before their ordeal ended, the kidnappers told the MP and his friend that they had been given orders to take any necessary measures against them. At one point, the duo were even ordered to face a tomb and guns pointed at them from four directions as if they were going to be executed. "One of them put the muzzle of his gun into my mouth while another one poked my stomach with his gun," he alleged.

Honourable Derbe Yirga Sireda, who represented the Oromo National Congress (ONC) and won a parliamentary seat in Jeldu Wereda, Oromia, also claimed that she was denied her right to hold a meeting with members of the public in her constituency. She said she faced threates and intimidation by the local administrators when she tried to call a public meeting. Honorable Derbe noted that her son is still in jail and her daughter was detained and sebsequently beaten up while she was taking an exam. Though she was later released on bail, she is ill as a result of being beaten up by securitymen, she said.

Another MP Honourable Dejene Tafa Geleta of ONC, who won a parliamentary seat in Cheliya, Oromia, said that he is receiving complaints from his constituency that members of the the ruling party were committing gross human rights violations against residents of his constituency including violating homes, committing roberry, beatings and rapes.

Yohannes Tesfay, an exiled lawyer in London said that the ordeals of the MPs and their families is clearly indicative of the determination of the ruling party to go to any length to stay in power. "If this kinds of shocking abuses happen to the nation's lawmakers, one can imagine what
may happen to ordinary citizens.

"This is a serious case that calls for a sincere independent investigation to find and prosecute the perpetrators of these heinous and outrageous crimes. An attack against an elected lawmaker without due process of law is a serious assault against the parliament, if at all there is any real one, the law of the land and the electorate at large.

"While Ethiopia is still gripped with election disputes, the few remaining opposition MPs who won clean seats without resorting to cheating and fraud need to be protected," he noted.

He underlined that the gross human rights violations being committed across Ethiopia in a bid to suppress peaceful political dissent should cease without further aggravating the volatile political situations.