Disir
Platinum Member
- Sep 30, 2011
- 28,003
- 9,608
- 910
When the Ethiopian government released thousands of prisoners this year, Hannah Tesemma hoped that her three brothers and sisters, and her cousin, arrested on the streets of the capital 24 years ago, would be among them.
They were not, so Hannah and her sister marched with a banner demanding their release during a rally in support of the new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa, and even stayed there despite a grenade attack that disrupted the public meeting.
“We are not living, so why should we hide?” said Hannah, who still doesn’t know where her missing family is.
Since coming to power in April, Mr. Abiy has implemented a vigorous reform programme that includes correcting the mistakes made by his party, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). He released dozens of dissidents and publicly admitted that security forces were torturing detainees.
But he still has to deal with the fate of all Ethiopians, opposed to the omnipotent EPRDF, who have never been seen again.
“Our family has been torn apart,” Hannah told AFP with tears in her eyes. “Why do we have to suffer like this?”
Denials
The EPRDF took power in 1991 after militarily defeating the Derg junta and overthrowing Mengistu, and established itself as the sole ruling power in the second most populous African country.
Menelik Tesemma, 19 at the time and Hannah’s brother, was active in an opposition party, the All-Amhara People’s Organisation.
Shortly after delivering a powerful speech at a party meeting in 1994, plainclothes police officers in an unmarked car arrested Menelik and his cousin. That same evening, Hannah’s 21-year-old twin brothers left to look for their loved ones before they were also arrested.
None have been reviewed since: there has been no court appearance, no record to the police of their arrests.
Families continue search for Ethiopia's disappeared | Africanews
They are likely dead.
They were not, so Hannah and her sister marched with a banner demanding their release during a rally in support of the new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa, and even stayed there despite a grenade attack that disrupted the public meeting.
“We are not living, so why should we hide?” said Hannah, who still doesn’t know where her missing family is.
Since coming to power in April, Mr. Abiy has implemented a vigorous reform programme that includes correcting the mistakes made by his party, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). He released dozens of dissidents and publicly admitted that security forces were torturing detainees.
But he still has to deal with the fate of all Ethiopians, opposed to the omnipotent EPRDF, who have never been seen again.
“Our family has been torn apart,” Hannah told AFP with tears in her eyes. “Why do we have to suffer like this?”
Denials
The EPRDF took power in 1991 after militarily defeating the Derg junta and overthrowing Mengistu, and established itself as the sole ruling power in the second most populous African country.
Menelik Tesemma, 19 at the time and Hannah’s brother, was active in an opposition party, the All-Amhara People’s Organisation.
Shortly after delivering a powerful speech at a party meeting in 1994, plainclothes police officers in an unmarked car arrested Menelik and his cousin. That same evening, Hannah’s 21-year-old twin brothers left to look for their loved ones before they were also arrested.
None have been reviewed since: there has been no court appearance, no record to the police of their arrests.
Families continue search for Ethiopia's disappeared | Africanews
They are likely dead.
you are funny ....I have to admit that!
