From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Wed Apr 15 2009 - 11:51:46 EDT
Ethiopia Dismisses Calls for UN Investigation of Rights Abuses
By James Butty
Washington, DC
15 April 2009
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission says Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's
government has designed good governance programs aimed at respect and
protection for human rights. Commissioner Kassa Gebrehiwot reportedly
said the commission has been striving to raise public awareness about
human rights through the use of the mass media.
He spoke Monday in Addis Ababa during a seminar on the role of members
of parliament in the respect and protection of human rights.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government is denying
allegations it committed human rights abuses against the Anuaks in the
Gambella region of western Ethiopia and ethic Somalis in the Ogaden. In
a letter, the organization "Genocide Watch" has asked the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees to investigate the alleged crimes which
it said fit the definition of genocide.
Woindimu Asamnew, spokesman for the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington told
VOA his government considers the allegations as lies.
"We don't take seriously their allegations and fabrications. They are
totally unfounded, fabricated lies," he said.
In his letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
Genocide Watch President Gregory Stanton said Ethiopian Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi and others in his government were probably aware that they
too could one day be brought before the International Criminal Court for
crimes against humanity.
Asamnew said the Ethiopian government does not take such comments
seriously. He also said there was no need for an independent outside
investigation as was being requested by Genocide Watch.
"We don't take this kind of idea seriously. We have a parliament; they
do take care of these kinds of issues. There is no any need of inviting
international body for this purpose because of unfounded allegations. An
outside investigation is unnecessary and unacceptable," Asamnew said.
Genocide Watch said the atrocities allegedly committed in Gambella
against the Anuaks in 2005 fit the definitions of genocide and crimes
against humanity. But Asamnew said the allegations are false.
"We have investigated the matter and taken corrective measures,
otherwise this kind of exaggerated and unfounded lies are not taken
seriously by our government," he said.
He also denied Genocide Watch's claims of a "culture of impunity" within
the Ethiopian government.
"What I'm saying is that any individual can say whatever he wants, but
alleging something and the realities on the ground are totally different
matter," Asamnew said.
<http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-04-15-voa2.cfm>
http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-04-15-voa2.cfm
Related topic;
Weyane Dismisses Calls for UN Investigation of Rights Abuses
<http://abbaymedia.com/News/?p=2352> http://abbaymedia.com/News/?p=2352
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