Amnesty International launches’ campaign for Birtukan
The Dutch chapter of Amnesty International has launched a campaign for the release of Birtukan Mideksa. Members of Amnesty Netherlands are campaigning to get as many petitions as possible before the dead line (1 December 2009).
Birtukan Mideksa, the charismatic leader of UDJ, is being held in solitary confinement serving a life sentence. Please sign a petition to Mr. Louis Michel European Union Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid to use all diplomatic means for the freedom of Birtukan Mideksa.
Download a sample letter here and send it to Louis.Michel@ec.europa.eu
Source: EMF
Free Birtukan Mideksa (our AUNG SAN SUU KUI)!
Birtukan Mideksa, Ethiopia’s pro-democracy leader, symbolizes peaceful struggle for more democracy, the respect for human rights and the rule of law in Ethiopia.
She is the leader of the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party as formerly known as Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), which achieved a decisive victory in the last Ethiopian national election, held in 2005. The tyrant TPLF regime has refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of that vote.
More: Nothing but the truth
The 2005 Ethiopian election is remembered by all Ethiopians because it was the year that the people rejected the tyrant regime with Ballots. On the Election Day all Ethiopians said NO to tyranny and dictatorial rule by voting to oppositions. But, the will of the people administered by the result of the Ballots were refuted by the tyrant regime`s Bullets.
Five years after this election, in 2010, Ethiopians will go to the polls again. The tyrant regime has and is closing all avenues for a peaceful democratic change and it’s already predicted that the outcome will be ‘more of the same” as it was in the last election, in 2005.
Here is how the election will be run:It will be run by the regime “only” to self claim that it has won; to try to impress the International community’s mainly lying to them with what is already known and by wasting their money.
Here is what really will happen in 2010 Election:- Harassment, imprisonments, closure of offices throughout the country
- No opposition (political) party, no civil society organizations, no free press, no justice
- Arrests, disappearances, mass killings of citizen without due process of law
- Self-serving polices
- Misusing poverty
- Vote repression/Voter intimidation
- Barring of foreign monitors from polls
- Voter suppression and corruption, etc…
More of the same:
It will be more of the same as it was in the last election - stealing the election as the tyrant regime did in 2005 election. The donor countries, both East and West governments will keep continue recognizing and cooperating with the tyrant regime. What is left for Ethiopian people is to continue to live with the increasing repression.
Remembering May 15th 2005 Election
This was the day 26 million Ethiopians cast ballots at 35,000 polling stations across the country.
This was the day Ethiopians showed their faith in democracy.
This was the day the election was greatly rigged followed by a state of emergency and human right abuse which was impossible to comprehend.
This was the day the hopes of the people had been dashed by the regime in power.
Until now, the tyrannical regime is still committing murder and human right abuses all over the country. Ethiopians know what stands between their aspiration and its realization – the tyrannical regime which is gratified and flattered by the donor countries.
Arrests ahead of Ethiopian poll
Repression and poverty have demoralized Ethiopians and made them subjects to dictators. The people seem to accept the brutality of the TPLF/EPRDF (the ruling party - a regime which is terrorizing the people). The current regime is preparing to rule the country for life. 18 years have passed since the regime came to power and it has become more and more dominant. The TPLF/EPRDF still rules today with its divisive politics and wants to victimize the Ethiopian people.
The TPLF/EPRDF jails its citizens simply because they have different political views or because they criticize the regime. Ms. Bertukan, a peaceful opposition leader was jailed for not saying sorry for a statement she made about the controversial pardon that was facilitated by the local elders.
All prisoners of conscience including Ms. Bertukan Mideksa could have bowed to the demands of the TPLF/EPRDF. She could have abandoned her party and supporters and joined the regime. She could have simply gone home to her mother and her daughter Hale but chose to stand up for her rights.
To give in would be exactly what the regime wants which is to continue to humiliate any opposition to its rule by forcing others to join their repressive group, the TPLF/EPRDF.
By imprisoning Ms. Bertukan and others like her, it shows that the regime uses force on its citizens instead of cherishing and protecting them.
Free Bertukan and all prisoners of conscience! NOW!
