AN URGENT LETTER TO ALL INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS!!

Dear Sirs & Madams:

We Ethiopians around the world are here taking an opportunity to call on you to stop immediately the atrocities that are going on in Ethiopia, a repressed nation whose people are unable to stand for their own God-given rights. It is imperative that the global community including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR),United Nations High Commissioner for Status of Woman, International Red Cross, Amnesty International, Save the Children, Human Rights Watch and UNICEF to take some action immediately where is still time to save thousands of lives. The slightest delay can mean death to people tortured,killed, and punished with HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Yellow fever viruses under the oppressive regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

The Ethiopian government committed a crime against its own people, unlawfully detaining at least 50,000 civilians, all opposition leaders, independent journalists and academics,throwing them into concentration camps where they are kept against their will and without due process of law. Most are being taken to a very secluded area, where death is inevitable due to the malaria and yellow fever infested jungle, and to the area where the HIV prevalence is 12%.

 We also want to bring to your attention that these are not ‘regular’ government violations to which the world has become unfortunately become used. The Ethiopian authorities not only keep people on a roll of bread a day, they also expose them to risk of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS by shaving off their hair with shared razor blades. This is happening in a nation that has the highest prevalence rate of AIDS in Africa. In an unprecedented display of cruelty, prisoners are made to crawl on their bleeding knees on gravel together, increasing the risk that they will be infected with HIV. These atrocities are only comparable to the crimes of the Nazi regime – and in our deepest conviction the world will suffer from shame for years unless some action is taken now.

We urge you to take some action immediately so that Rwanda-type genocide is stopped in Africa at least this time. The government does not only put innocent civilians in concentration camps: its special criminal soldiers kill unarmed people in the streets, chasing the innocent citizens house to house like hunting police Dogs, and beating them until left with severe bodily injuries. This is the fact confirmed by the publication in the pro-government newspaper "Ethiopian Reporter" – serious proof that the killings and detentions are not imaginary. There is virtually nothing ordinary Ethiopians can do against the horrifying government machine, because almost all the opposition leaders, the independent journalists and academics that, in the Prime Minister's words, are "violently undermining constitutional order in the country", are detained unlawfully in concentration camps. We write with a strong hope and trust that you can help these innocent people get free immediately and restore the freedom of speech and God-given human rights in the nation that sees violent deaths every day. We urge you to add your voice for the release of all opposition leaders held on the basis of their political opinions, and the release of all independent journalists, academics and civilians held for no crimes and violations they committed.

 We earnestly hope that this letter can become a turning point in your attitude to the events that mean shattered future for so many Ethiopians. Please take an urgent effort to stop illegal tortures, mass killings,arrests and violence in the nation that proved powerless to defend itself from inhuman treatment. We strongly believe that the world community, specially the human right groups and international organizations around the world have the moral and duty obligation; strength and resources to protect the innocent Ethiopians from the authorities that see no other way to preserve their immoral regime. There are millions of  children, elderly, adults and innocent prisoners waiting for immediate help and attention from the outside, millions who do not want to die from brutal soldiers’ guns, starvation and devastating diseases (HIV/AIDS), Malaria and Yellow fever. Please do not waste this chance to stand up for humanity and justice; do not waste this chance to stand up for the voiceless, innocent and underprivileged citizens.

Respectfully & truly,

All Ethiopians around the world