September 28, 2006
Mr. Chairman,
Mr. President,
Current and past esteemed members of the Academy and members of the Committee on the Human Rights of Scientists
Members of the Board of Governors,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thank you very much for having bestowed this honor on Professor Mesfin and thus allowed the delivery of this message, which I hope will serve to expose a very small part of an extraordinary reality, in another part of the world. During a trip he recently made to Ethiopia, Congressman Donald Payne of New Jersey was kind enough to deliver the certificate to my father when he visited the prisoners of conscience. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Congressman Payne.
My father, Mesfin Wolde Mariam has been in detention for the last 10 and half months. He therefore has asked me to accept this award on his behalf. I can only hope that I will do justice to what he would say, had he been able to be with you today.
In order to deliver the message as best I can, I would like to provide some context.
1. Let me share some insight into Mesfin's thinking and broader assessment of the problem, as described by a talk delivered at Duke University, in 2001.
"Democracy is not a luxury for any people. It is a desideratum for any people. If the major powers in the world are guided by international morality rather than by expediency we can make it a safer world through democracy.
"If the peoples of the world desire to live in a condition of peace and security in freedom, it will be necessary to realize that we are in the twenty-first century and not at the beginning of the twentieth century. In this age of information technology relationships between countries have to be based on new foundations consistent with instant transmission of all kinds of knowledge and travel. Knowledge without morality like power without morality can be dangerous. When despair squeezes the joy of life out of most individuals under dictatorial regimes, the common good, morality and human values may seem the luxury of the affluent and the contented. We have to redefine sovereignty. We have to redefine national self-interest. We have to redefine intervention or interference. We have to formulate, as Senator Fulbright suggested nearly half a century ago, rules of conduct that are universally accepted and enforceable. ...The achievements of Europe and America, not only in science and technology, but also more importantly in the enjoyment of freedoms and in the security that generate creativity, are the aspirations of humanity. Our vision of the future, therefore, is that no part of the stream of humanity may be dammed or polluted, because it will certainly have an effect on the movement and direction of the rest. This is the reality of the present era. That is the reason for my plea for international morality. Humanity can achieve peace and security in freedom when international relations are based on moral principles that transcend all differences."
2. Here is a background to the current standoff.
The 2005 Parliamentary elections in Ethiopia were by any account the most free and open elections in the country. It is significant that for a country where elections historically had no meaning, that 90% of registered voters showed up! The majority voted for the, pro-democracy and national unity opposition party. I will not get into the details of the contestations, robbing of ballots by the bagful, the litigation, the investigation that became too risky for witnesses etc. The grassroots resistance grew to a week of civil disobedience that culminated in the massacre of scores, if not hundreds of people as well as the arrest of my father and his colleagues. In a posture to appease the international community by feigning "due process", the regime eventually charged them with things like "outrage against the constitution", "genocide", and "attempt to overthrow the government". Professor Mesfin says, "The government is accusing us of committing genocide. I do not understand how one can be accused of such crime yet a few months prior the people that are in prison today were participating in televised political debate."
My father, like many others expect the so called trial to go on indefinitely. This is a deliberate design to wear out any stakeholder, be they donor nations, the restless population, or human rights groups. To provide some insight to the degree of tension and the level of repression, I share the following with you. September 26 marks a very popular religious festival that takes place in major city squares throughout the country. The event draws thousands of people, and is a major tourist draw as well. So, only on Tuesday, thousands of soldiers and armed police officers swarmed MesQel Square in Addis Ababa, and the area was blocked off, in spite of which, hundreds came out and expressed solidarity with the prisoners of conscience, in place of the regular rituals. Since the election of 2005, these religious events have allowed the opportunity for a public show of solidarity with the prisoners of conscience, since no other type of assembly is allowed. Each event has resulted in a standoff or a confrontation, and the rounding up of hundreds of people, as it did just this week.
My father says to inform you that the road that these rulers have taken is a rocky one, and that the regime has eliminated people who could have helped them and the country. He states that now, "They are doing things with a vengeance". However, he says, "Most people are ready to forget the past and go the South Africa way". He says, "There is a spiritual bankruptcy [within the ruling regime] and these people have no moral authority to judge us. These people have completely lost the confidence of the Ethiopian people and I am not sure if they know what they are doing"
He is also conveying to you that he is concerned about U.S. foreign policy with regards to Ethiopia, although he appreciates the active role that the U.S. Congress is playing in support of institutionalizing the democratic process, the rule of law and respect for human rights in Ethiopia, particularly through a bipartisan pending legislation, HR 5680 and other efforts in general.
The last time I saw my father was in July 2005. He now looks more frail and much older, and walks with a cane. What is most important however is that he is in great spirits, and from what I gather, is as jovial and gregarious as he has always been. He would like for you to know that the regime that has imprisoned him and caused the suffering of countless others is morally and spiritually bankrupt. He says, "They are trying to silence us through intimidation and imprisonment. They will never succeed."
The non violent movement that Mesfin introduced AND is leading has been enjoyed phenomenal achievements.
Now, there is a real concern that the current level of repression could lead to the rise of armed insurgencies. This is the other point that he has asked of me to make to you—that he is worried about further strife. He says, "We have a government that kills and maims innocent civilians, imprison human rights advocates, and elected officials. This country has seen a lot of violence and bloodshed. It is time to bring an end to the madness. This country is entering a very dangerous phase. People are fed up. I am concerned about another civil war".
In closing, my father expresses his immense gratitude to the staff and members of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, without whose dedication, commitment and many times, sacrifices these achievements would not have been possible.
Thank you all very much.
Endnotes
Press Release
Past Winners
2006 Annual Meeting Program [PDF 500KB]
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