Ethiopian Students Kidnapped By Security Forces For Protesting

The Contamination Of Local Rivers

Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE) is concerned about the safety of three Ethiopian students abducted by Ethiopian government security forces. The three students Nagga Gezaw, Jatani Wario and Dhaba Girre are students at Awasa University.  According to sources inside Ethiopia, the abduction and kidnapping of the three students is related to the students’ involvement in protesting the contamination of local rivers and streams from waste products of the gold mining industry at Lega Danbi.

The three students were kidnapped and taken away from the university campus by members of the security and police forces of the Federal Government of Ethiopia in early part of January 2010.  To date, the whereabouts of the three students are not known.

In past years, international human rights organizations have repeatedly documented the harsh treatments that Ethiopian security forces commit on detainees. Past human rights violations also show a pattern of detainees being beaten, food and medical treatments denied.

Advocacy for Ethiopia is concerned about the safety and well being of the three students and urgently demands their release. Advocacy for Ethiopia condemns these types of kidnappings and arrests, and calls on all who believe in the rule of law to call for the immediate halt to these kinds of violations of human rights.

Furthermore, to facilitate an environment that is free of oppression and intimidation; Advocacy for Ethiopia demands the release of all political prisoners prior to the upcoming general elections to be held in Ethiopia in May 2010.

Advocacy for Ethiopia is a global coalition of civic groups that advances  human rights,  the rule of law, good governance, the protection of the environment and socially and ecologically sustainable development in Ethiopia. Contact: info@advocacyforethiopia.org