Ethiopia sentences two Mengistu loyalists to death

Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:07 PM GMT

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Federal High Court has sentenced to death two former senior officials accused of torturing political opponents during the former regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam, local media said on Thursday.

Former National and Public Security Minister Tesfaye Woldeselase and Leggesse Belayneh, former head of criminal investigations, played prominent roles in "the inhuman persecution of political dissidents", the state-run Ethiopian News Agency quoted the court as saying.

The court also gave a life sentence to Teklemichael Armidae, former head of the Anti-Rebellion and Police Special Investigations department, according to the report. Seven other former officials were jailed for between 10 and 22 years.

Mengistu ruled for 17 years after emerging as the most powerful of a group of Marxist military officers who ousted Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974.

He fled to Zimbabwe in 1991 when the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front seized Addis Ababa in 1991.

Since 1994, more than 5,000 have been tried or await trial in Ethiopia on charges of murdering thousands of people during Mengistu's iron-fisted rule and "Red Terror" purges.

What happen to the people who killed 3,000 (HAwezen) innocent people with-in 4 hours, and how ABOUT Hailu Shawel never tried for the crime he committed during red terror. Geberat tell me who is gone to be next?

Gebremenamen Zemeles,

Do you ever use a spell checker? I know the only writing you do is the subject line, the rest being copied and pasted all the time. Don't rush to post all your rubbish articles without checking it once, if not twice. Mentistu for Mengistu? I am sure many will agree with this. Take your time and spell check evenif it is only for the subject. Focus!

God bless Ethiopia!

Email: lehagerandenet@yahoo.com

Yihim Yalfal!


Thank you for your immidate correction. Please do if you find any in future too.

Thank you,

mR bee don’t bring silly staff,you got the idea and that will be enough,....

Gebremeles,
You like to talk about Menegestu’s crime that happened fifteen years ago, how about the current affair? Who is going to punish Meles for his crimes?

These people deserve what they got. Tesfaye W/S and his team are murderers who destroyed Ethiopia's spirit. There will be a day also TPLF and EPRDF murderers will get their day in court. There is God and God is great.

Email: ahaile@yahoo.com

City: TN

Ha Hu!

I DON'T THINK YOU ARE IN YOUR REAL WORLD. DON'T YOU KNOW WORLD SPEAKS AS WE SPEAKS ABOUT 50, 100, EVEN 1000 YEARS HISTORY?

THE OTHER THINK IS MENGISTU'S LOYALISTS ARE IN CREEPING TO TAKE POWER BY ANY MEANS. DR. NEGEDE, MR. HAILU SHAWEL, LEADERS OF MEDIHIN PARTY, AND THE LIKE ARE FEW TO MENTION.

YOU MENTION ABOUT MELESE'S CRIME: I AM NOT SURPISED WHEN YOU ECHO THIS FROM YOUR HIDE OUT FORIEGN COUNTRIES. LEAVE THE MATTER TO THE ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE IN ETHIOPIA. THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF IT IF THEY BELIEVE, CRIME IS COMMITTED BY THE CURRENT LEADERS.

I THINK IT IS CLEAR.

Gebremeles,
As you talk about the past you should compare it to the present. You want to put Meles’s criminal records under the rugs. It is a matter of time; Meles’s true colors will be exposed.

HA HU!

YOU SAID, "Meles’s true colors will be exposed". AS OPPOSTION WITHIN HOME & CONFUSED DIASPORITES FROM FORIEGN COUNTRIES ARE EXPOSING WHATEVER COLOR THEY FIND, THERE WILL BE NO MORE COLORS THAT WILL BE EXPOSED IN THE FUTURE.

Ha Hu, I am despicably the word you put in this forum had it been killed your family member I am very sure you will be number to condemned Mengistu, since it’s not your matter you said “something happen 15 years ago” brother I will not forgot even for a century if my love one killed by tug like Mengistu and co.

Kerfafa,
Atinkerfafa, I never said to forget what Menegestu had done. He has killed my own close family members. As we talked about the past, we shouldn’t ignore what is happening right now. Why is it people like you and Gebremeles never mention about Meles’s crime?

Gebre minamin,
You talk about Hailu shawil as a loyalist for being a technocrat in a dictator regime which he courageously boycotted, lest he would have been in jail. What about you an accomplice and a prime advocate of meles's murder. Have you thought how you are going to be dealt with for you are neither a technocrat nor do you have the gut to see the truth after fourteen years, may be even more in your case? I hope you are not telling us that Meles has found the merciful heart for Hailu which he doesn't have for his dearest comrades, Siye and Tamirat.

You are a laughing stocks!!!

Email: jaduethio@yahoo.com

City: DC area

If Ato Hailu was involved in any criminal activity while he was a minister, Meles would have been happier than ever. But the man is clean, please don't bore us with your communist style probaganda.

Email: ahaile@yahoo.com

City: TN

FORUM PARTICIPANT!


IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD MR. HAILU'S INTERVIEW WITH BBC HARD TALK OR READ HIS SCRIPTS, I AM SURE YOU WOULDN'T DARE TO DEFEND HIM. THE BEST THING IS GO BACK AND DO FOR YOURSELF.

BBC ASKED, "“You were a top official.”

Hailu:- “I have children. To protect your children there are certain things you do, but then, when you reach a certain boundary, you say “sorry I don’t agree with you, you are wrong!” If you are talking of my ambition, you didn’t do any homework on who I am?”

AS YOU CAN READ HE HIMSELF TOLD THE WORLD FOR THE SAKE OF HIS CHILDREN, HE HAS TO DO THINGS CERTAIN THINGS: SERVING THE DERG SILENTLY WHILE ETHIOPIAN CHILDREN ARE CNSUMED AS A RESULT OF RED TERROR. HERE, MR. HAILU MIGHT NOT KILLED ANYBODY BY HIS OWN HAND. BUT, HE BLESSED DERG WHATEVER HE DO FOR HIS CHILDREN. WHAT A SHAME!

THE WORST SHAME DIDN'T STOP RIGHT THERE BUT, PEPOPLE IN THIS FORUM ARE DEFENDING HIM BY TELLING US THAT HE NEVER DID A CRIME. WHAT A SHAME AND SHAMERS ARE MARCHING TO HOLD POWER AT ANY COST.

Jadu,
what a punch, you have knocked out Gebre Selassie Zemariame unconscious.

Gebre Minaminte,
Don't go here and there to find a cut and paste material. Respond to what I have asked you earlier. Are you telling us that you and Meles have been waiting for BBC interview to find out his guilt or are you telling us, I repeat, that Meles is so sympathetic to Hailu Shawil that he loves him more than his life time comrades Siye and Tamirat who are rotting in jail for "corruption". Or is it becuase, Kemal's court which has failed to be full for the nth time refused to accpet order to incrimanate Hailu? Yes, I will tell you hundred times that he is as innocent as any body else, of course much more innocent than advocates of murder and murderers like you. My proof is nothing other than the fact the most vengeful regime in this world (Meles/woyane/TPLF/EPRDF, which are basiccaly one and teh same as far as I am concerned, have failed to find an iota to incrimante a person they loath most!!! Sima, If you happen to have ears which I doubt you have, you and your chronies are people capable of incrimanating and imprisoning a renowned and epitiome of professionals in Ethiopia, Prof Asrat to his death, for the same reason that you are attacking Hailu. Don't dare to open your mouth to tell as your stupid propaganda here. Spare this for the Denver .... association meeting and you will include it in your resolution.

You said I am blinded by hate, Yes I hate killers of all sort, worse, Killers of Meles's kind who preach democracy and commit the worst crimes ever.

Mr G/Minaminte, If you think that Hailu's statement of "you do certain things for your children" is an evidnce for your accusations, I advice you to take it to Kemal's court. He will definitely take it as a very strong evidence. You will have one less head ache to deal with. Enanten min yisanachihual?

It is a blessing that I am not talking to you face to face. I would have defiuntely spat on you, at least...

If you are the prototype of what TPLF cadres are like, I will be absolutely sure that my people are dealing with wild beasts. Oh GOD!

Save us!!

Email: jaduethio@yahoo.com

City: DC area

JADU!

APART FROM TRYING TO DEFEND THE UNDEFENDABLE REALITY, YOU SAID IN YOUR LAST RESPONSE THAT, "It is a blessing that I am not talking to you face to face. I would have defiuntely spat on you, at least..."

THIS SAYING IS NOTHING OTHER THAN YOU ARE PROVING THAT YOU ARE A MEMBER OF GANGSTER: A GANGSTER WHO IS BASICALLY OUTLAWED BY ANY STANDARD.

SHAME ON YOU TO ACT LIKE THIS WHILE YOU ARE LIVING IN UNITED STATES. SHOULD, I SAY YOUR BODY IS WITHOUT SOUL LIKE EMPY POT WITHOUT WATER?

Hailu Shawel didn't commit any crime while serving the Murderer Mengistu regime, hailu shawel escape the danger because he is expert in ass licking he did same to the Monarch. In his own words hailu said he served Mengistu to save his children from Mengistu's killing machine.

Email: kebisha@aol.com

I rather have no soul than having devlish soul like you and your master's.

Email: jaduethio@yahoo.com

City: DC area

JADU!

DEVIL BY ITSELF IS A SOUL.

GEBRE TELL THE FORUM PARTICIPANTS
HAILU SHAWL SERVED THE DERG FROM 1966--1971E.C IN DIFFERENT POSTS AND FROM 1971--1975 E.C AS 'MENGIST ERSHA LIMAT MINISTER' AS A 'TECHNOCRAT'!!!! HAHA HE WAS A MINISTER !!! BY THEN EVEN THE KEBLE ADMINISTRATOR SUPPOSDED WPE MEMBER NOT EVEN TO CHRISTIN HIS BABY IN LAW OF COMMUNISM. BUT HE DENIED IT HE TOLD US THAT HE SERVED FOR ONLY 2 AND 1/2 YEARS. AND ONE OF THE FORUM PARTICIPANTS WROTE IT 1 AND 1/2 YEAR . THESE IS ALL TO BELITTILE HIS SERVICE.
WHY CRIME TO GIVEN FOR MELES. YOU MEAN THE SACRIFICE HE GAVE TO HIS POEPLE STARTING FROM TEENAGE IS CRIME.
THE CRIMINALS ALWAYS TO CONFUSE THINGS . WHEN EVER YOU TELL THEM THEIR DEEDS THEY COME TO SEMANTICS.
THAT IS ALL .

Email: deleted

City: deleted

Ethiopian opposition warns of return to dark days of the Derg
Aug 11, 2005

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia’s opposition, which has rejected election results giving the ruling party victory, warned on Thursday of a return to the dark days of the Derg military dictatorship under Mengistu Haile Mariam.
The opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) has said it would challenge the results from the May 15 poll in the courts and urged a government of national unity to be formed.
"There is a clear and distinct danger that the country may return to the dark days of the Derg regime where the use of force becomes the chosen means of suppressing political dissent or political opposition," the CUD said in a statement.
Unrest over alleged vote-rigging in Ethiopia’s second real multi-party poll led to the police shooting at least 36 people and arresting thousands more in June in Africa’s top coffee producer.
The 53-member African Union has appealed to political parties in Ethiopia to settle any disputes through the courts and through dialogue.
However, the CUD said the major obstacle blocking any resolution was a "complete lack of trust" towards Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
The EPRDF is expected to form a new federal government by the end of next month.

ETHIOMEDIA.COM - ETHIOPIA'S PREMIER NEWS AND VIEWS WEBSITE
© COPYRIGHT 20001-2003 ETHIOMEDIA.COM. EMAIL: webmaster@ethiomedia.com

http://www.ethiomedia.com/fastpress/derg_days_threat.html

QUESTION: THE SAME POLITICAL ORGANIZATION CUD & UEDF HAVE BEEN PREACHING US THAT ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT UNDER EPRDF IS WORST THAN DERG. WHY NOW TWIST AND COME WITH ONTHER VERSION WHEN THEY SAID, "There is a clear and distinct danger that the country may return to the dark days of the Derg regime where the use of force becomes the chosen means of suppressing political dissent or political opposition," the CUD said in a statement."? DON'T YOU GUYS THINK THAT THESE SAME POLITICAL ORGANIZAITON ARE CONFUSED WITH THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES?

IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD ASK THEM FOR ANSWER.

SELAM BETIGIL!

THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER YOU PROVIDE ABOUT MR. HAILU SHAWEL.

Gebre Minamintes:

Yes for you and your masters no technocrat is supposed to take a senior/ministerial position. As our dear Leader comrade Kimm Ill Meles once said on ETV “so long us they serve the party’s interest we will make illiterates ministers”. You can ask your ETV comrades for the record. He said this in relation to a criticism to the current education Minster. The simple question for you G/Minamintes which you are evading is: why did you prefer not to charge him while Meles don't even have the mercy for a lifetime comrades, Siye Abraha. Mr Kemal's court was incomplete for the 28th time. Again you check on your records. Where did you discover this sympathy you never had in your entire existence? Meles, the chairman of EPRDF, ordered his special forces to kill innocent people on the streets of Addis on June 8, 2005: He took the responsibility of heading all security apparatus on those fateful days and gave clear instructions to use bullets on unarmed civilians. I don’t talk gossips. Now, You are shamelessly telling us that this is equivalent to serving as a technocrat Minster for a brutal regime, a post which he has voluntarily resigned as nobody in that era did. Yes, Meles has fought since his childhood. Tamirat and Siye did too, Yet, that didn't save them from rotting in prison for alleged “corruption”. What Tamirat did is mundane to Meles's atrocities. Well, siye’s guilt is still under excavation. Listen, Ethiopians were ready to forgive even the killer Meles for the sake of their nation, but, it isn’t going to be. Meles and TPLF never know forgiveness. It is not in their dictionary. They are mad that they didn’t imprison millions of people who served as public servants and military personnel in the dergue era. When one of them becomes strong enough to threaten their power, they draw their guns.

Yes, for Meles and TPLF, Power is everything including truth! That is what the dictionary of TPLF states, it also adds, The end justifies the means..

Email: jaduethio@yahoo.com

City: DC area

Jadu,

Don't try to avoid the real issue. The point is clear. You were saying that woyane is worst than Dergue.Then, why afraid not to return to the Dergue period? Is that not better than the woyane? Why are the opposition afaid of that period?

The opposition must have clear stand. If they believe woyane is the worst regime in Ethiopia, they should be happy with returning to its days. Or else, they should admit that the woyane is democratic and they are afraid of returning back to a despotic regime.

I need your comment on this specific issue.

Thanks,
Ali

Email: alimodi_akrimodi@yahoo.com

City: Addis Ababa

Ali, I didn't expect questions as answers. I am still awaiting answers to what I posed earlier from the G/M and his groups. As to your question, I have clearly stated in this forum, I took a cross section of the two on their 14th year of reign. One faced a coup by generals who were executed by a military court order and the other was told by the people to leave, who in return responded by killing unarmed people on the streets of Addis. I repeat, looking at them at this point in time (14 years and both told to leave power). Dergue acted better. At the end, you forgot the fact that many of the oppsotion also fought dergue. There is this say my friend, "two wrongs don't make one right". Why is that you jump to make comparisons with dergue? Are you claiming that you are only better than dergue? Having something better wasn't what we aspired. Dergue took us 4-5 decades back, we won't say it is OK for a regime which takes us 2-3 decades back.

Our biggest worry however, is that, dergue acted that way at the face of all those military confrontations . Judging, how the agazis behaved recently when their power is threatend for the first time ever, they might be even worse.

How would you reassure us.

By the way, don't quote this as a CUD/UEDF statement as you are accustomed to.
For the record, I don't yet have any special party affiliation.

Email: jaduethio@yahoo.com

City: DC area

Jadu!

You worte that, "Dergue acted better". Is it a slip of mind for a moment that caused you to say that or you have any other reason?

G/M
Are you sacring me or what? I said,
"I repeat, looking at them at this point in time (14 years and both told to leave power). Dergue acted better".

I am comparing a military Junta which has stayed by force for 14 years by obvious declaration of dictatorship and a group which has ousted this despicable regime to intorduce democracy. On their 14th birth day, the military junta faced generals who orgnaize a coup to overthrow him by force for which they were killed through Militray court. At its 14th birth day, EPRDF, staged a "democratic election" thinking they will not be defeated. when the people told them enough, they massacred them on the streets of Addis.

Don't ask me any more, you make your own judgement!!

Listen, I wouldn't have even considered making comparisons few months back. But, after june 8, I don't see you the way I used to. Do you get it? That is how many people see you however shocking it may look for you. Yigebahal?

My worry now is that you can be worse, when the push comes to shove.

Email: jaduethio@yahoo.com

City: DC area