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Tadewos G • 9 years ago

The intention of the author of this article is good, but
terribly naive. He seems to imply that
underlying the human rights violations problems in Ethiopia is ignorance of the
majority members of the police.

It is very unfortunate that the author also, I hope
inadvertently, seems to limit abuses and violations of human rights in Ethiopia
a prison phenomena. Under the TPLF regime, all over the country, across the
spectrum Ethiopians have suffered one or another form of violation of their
human rights.

If you ask me, when as a nation the TPLF feeds us false
propaganda on television and radio we finance with our tax birr, we are being
violated by the denial of truthful information. When Hailemariam pounds his
chest in parliament and claims the right of his party to use public money as it
sees fit is another robbery and violation of the human rights of Ethiopian
people.

It is not only violence, like the killings in the stadium or
Gedeb Asassa or beatings of Ethiopian church leaders, or massacre of Oromia University
students or the rape by the security forces of leaders of opposition parties is
a crime, especially males raping males – newest phenomenon in the Ethiopia
under the TPLF; or when homes are demolished without the residents being given
alternative places is criminal and a demonstration of the arrogance of power.

Recall, what former mayor Kuma Demeksa said, when he was
told about Addis Abebans’ complaints about his policy of home demolishing. He told his staff, “Keep on. When you face resistance operate your dozers!”

Over the years, I have learned through observations and
analysis of the words coming out of the mouth of Ethiopian officials. The
conclusion I have reached is that our leaders desires and worship of power lies
at the heart of the vexing human rights problems in Ethiopia.

Recall how the hooligan language Meles Zenawi constantly
employed, when he wanted to make negative remarks about the opposition. He did
this to anyone critical or opposed to him. Ethiopia has been very unlucky in
many respects. Worse is his successor, who is an embodiment of lies and vulgarity,
as if same parents and teachers have raised both. It is this similar
embarrassing and criminal behavior that has now been passed to officials at the
lower rungs of power.

One should know better what happens, when top leadership
nods and remunerates citizens’ beaters – the police, cadre or the army– like a Pavlovian
dog such people would salivate to beat, torture and kill or engage in
eliminating critics of the system, which now is our country’s reality.

No matter how sound the alibis the author has assembled to
rationalize the very bad human rights situation in our country, the TPLF
leaders and their handiworks are the criminals. The law has provisions to look
into in precedent setting, aiding and abetting crimes; it goes without saying,
therefore, Ethiopian officials are the primary causes of human rights
violations, disappearances, the tortures and countless deaths of innocent Ethiopians.