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A
good step against terrorism
Editorial
Ethiopian Observer
The
legal systems of many countries and intergovernmental agreements
make it possible to extradite felons, human right abusers,
torturers, dictators, etc. to where they belong. Some of these
brutish people are/were given sanctuary in some authoritarian
countries or to the exasperation of many, travel to the West and
make a good living without being identified for the terrible
crimes they have committed in their respective countries. The
Nazis after losing the war were dispersed throughout the world,
especially in Latin America, with faked identities to get
protection from facing trials for their atrocities during the
Holocaust. Simon Wiesenthal, whose exemplary and tireless effort
brought Adolf Eichmann to justice, was instrumental in hunting
down many more Nazi criminals. However, in the case of Africa and
other less industrialized countries, due to lack of
internal/external opinions and outright involvement from the
international community, dictators, such as Mengistu, Mobutu, Idi
Amin, Bokassa, Marcos, Baby Doc, etc. and their associates
were/are allowed to enjoy full freedom in luxurious mansions
bought for looted money. Mengistu and his notorious red-terror
groups, who terrorized Ethiopia with extreme barbarity, are still
on free foot far from the court of justice.
Ethiopians
and all those who were victims of the fascist derg regime, cannot
forget the terrible years of murder, angst, torture, arbitrary
detentions, suffering, fear, exile, etc. The derg and its cadres
are responsible for crime against humanity during the 17 years of
systematic terror. People like Kelbessa Negewo, a henchman of the
system and torturer who is awaiting extradition from the USA to
serve a life sentence in Ethiopia. These are the type of men, who
make their living in the West by lying and imposture. They have
killed and tortured thousands and thousands of our compatriots and
as such all countries ought to cooperate so that these criminals
are handed over to Ethiopia must be brought to justice. There are
thousands of Kelbessas mingling in many cities of the world,
ranging from Canada, England, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Holland to
France. We have Mengistu Hailemariam, the head of the terror
regime, Negede Gobeze, the architect of the red-terror, Kassa
Kebede, the party leader of the worker’s party in exile, some
website owners and propagandists as well as some of their
supporters. Thanks to our courageous Ethiopian sister who exposed
the evildoer, Kelbessa, the USA has made precedence of law and
order before personal integrity of a criminal. Therefore, we
Ethiopians must work together so that the officials and cadres of
murderous derg regime are arraigned and extradited to Ethiopia.
In a similar move a Seattle imam, who used to
collect money to terrorist groups was deported to Kenya by the US.
It is a highly appreciative decision and should be hailed by all
peace loving people. We have also in our earlier editorial
demanded reciprocity in actions in the fight against terrorism.
However, the terrorist should have been deported to Ethiopia as
the criminal offence was directed against Ethiopia. The US and all
the countries that have joined hands against the evils of terror
should also consider uprooting those potential terror groups now
organized under the name of Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD)
and condemn Eritrea for sponsoring and harboring such nefarious
groups. Exploiting the democratic rights, enshrined in many
countries the AFD, whose members are terrorist organizations, such
as the ONLF (known for cooperation with Al Ithad Al-Islamiya and
the Islamic groups in Somalia), OLF (known for bomb blasts in the
Ethiopian capital and elsewhere) have entered an agreement with
the so called Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) to unleash
terrorist activities in Ethiopia. The case in point for such
activity is the several explosions, which did take place in Jijiga,
maiming and killing several people. Therefore, the US and EU need
to intensify their actions against these criminals and terrorist
organizations by banning them from operating from their countries.
At the same time the UN should denounce the Issaias regime that is
responsible for arming the Islamist groups in Somalia in direct
violation of the resolution by the UN on arms embargo against
Somalia. The Ethiopian government has to conclude concrete
agreements with the governments of the various nations on
extradition of those forces of evil, wanted for crimes against
humanity, illicit activities, wanton destruction and acts of
terrorism.
Editorial Ethiopian Observer
June
18, 2006
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