Ethiopian CUDP denounces postponement of opposition leaders trial

Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (Kinijit)

http://www.kinijitethiopia.org e-mail kil@kinijitinternational
orgVoice Mail/Fax 1-206-203-3974

Press Release

Justice cannot be served in the absence of an Independent Court

February 19, 2007 — The long awaited ruling on the trumped up charges against Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP) leaders, civil society advocates and human rights defenders has been postponed once again. In a Press Release issued a week ago, CUDP had warned the Ethiopian people that a political decision has already been made by Meles Zenaw’s inner circle to postpone the decision and the hand picked judges will be rubberstamping that decision today.

True to form, the presiding kangaroo court Judge Adil Mohamed adjourned the court until March 5thand ordered for the following documents:

1. The translation into Amharic of the press conference, given by Engineer Hailu Shawel shortly after the elections, at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.

2. The translation of written documents into Amharic from websites, apparently to be provided to all defendants at the next hearing .

3. The final May 2005 election reports from the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) The long running sham trial and today’s ruling provides us with an incontrovertible evidence that thedictatorial regime of Meles Zenawi is making a mockery of the justice system in Ethiopia.

To replace this corrupt dictatorial system with a system in which the rule of law reigns supreme in Ethiopia isthe long bitter struggle ahead of us. It is a foregone conclusion that justice will never be served in Ethiopia and that prisoners of conscience will languish in EPRDF/TPLF jails, so long as dictators and judges who carry out their diktats are part and parcel of the corrupt system.

The tyrannical regime of Meles Zenawi has a long and sordid history not only with miscarriage of justice, but with litigating political opponents for years and years so that they will either languish in jail or die of ill health. And Ethiopians are very much aware of this time tested TPLF modusoperandi. Thus, it is the moral imperative of the Ethiopian people to dismantle this evil conspiracy against its elected representatives, the free press journalists who have worked relentlessly and heroically as the” people’s voice” and human rights defenders who have incessantly advocated respect for the rule of law.

Ethiopians at home and in the Diaspora have no other choice but to continue the struggle with renewed commitment and determination to free all prisoners of conscience and to free themselves as
well from the iron grip of EPRDF/TPLF’s dictatorship. It is each and every Ethiopian’s solemn duty and historic responsibility to reject dictatorship in all its virulent forms and to embrace democracy.

We appeal to the international community to be on the side of the Ethiopian people in their struggle for the release of the political prisoners and do whatever is in their reach to pressurize EPRDF/TPLF government.

The struggle for peace, democracy, the rule of law and reconciliation will continue! Justice will prevail in Ethiopia one day soon!

Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party Kinijit International Political Leadership Secretariat, P.O.Box 14701 Silver Spring MD, 20911 USAFax / Voice Mail. +1-206-203-3974 www.kinijitethiopia.org