Thousands protest in Brussels, 80 arrested in Netherlands

Ethiopian Media Forum
November 11, 2005

BRUSSELS - Thousands of Ethiopians on Friday protested to European Union (EU) in Brussels, Belgium to condemn government killings of civilians in Ethiopia. The protesters also called on the EU to seriously consider the message of Anna Gomez, chief of EU Election Obsever Mission to Ethiopia, who urged EU to act swiftly on the brutal murders being carried out by the ruthless anti-Ethiopia tyrant, Meles Zenawi. Meanwhile in The Hague, Netherlands, police arrested about 80 Ethiopian protesters who denounced the silence of European governments over the atrocities in Ethiopia. Following is a report by the Ethiopian Media Forum - a website of Ethiopian journalists in exile:

The protestors were chanting; "Meles Zenawi is a mass murderer!"; "Meles Zenawi must be brought to justice!"; "EU Stop supporting for the killings of children!" and; "Condemn the atrocities of Meles Zenawi! ... "

Those angry and very emotional Ethiopians demonstrators tried to enter the European Community office at Brussels but they were halted by special EU security forces. Most of them were dressed in dark clothes and weeping for their brothers and sisters who lost their lives by the brutal dictator Meles Zenawi.

Members of the Ethiopian Community and friends of Ethiopia in Europe have expressed their voices to the European Union to take punitive measures against the Ethiopian dictator who is the largest recipient of aid from EU in Africa, and using the funds to buy arms for killing children and women.

Meawhile in The Hague, the Netherlands, hundreds of Ethiopians gathered on Friday at the EPRDF Embassy to condemn the mass murder of civilians by the brutal Meles regime. The protestors marked the Consular office with red paint to represent the blood of civilians murdered by the regime in Addis. They also shut down the Consular office in the morning today. The Consular bureau at The Hague is operating under intense security presence now.

The Dutch Telegraf newspaper said some police agents were wounded during the incident.

In a statement they issued to the EU commission and Member in Brussels, the Ethiopians said it is regrettable that the European Union, which is providing about 500 million in aid to the Meles regime, couldn’t threaten the regime by cutting aid. They stressed that the government of Meles Zenawi is using the funds provided by the European Union, to buy bullets to kill his own citizens.

Delegates of the protesters talked to The European Commission, The European parliament and the European Council about the bloodbaths banning of the free press and mass arrest which is taking place in Ethiopia.

The European Union office of foreign policy Chief Javier Solana expressed its concern on the situation unfolding in the country and said it will send strong message to the authorities in Ethiopia. The office of the EU council stressed that in addition to the eight points it put forward to the regime in Ethiopia, an international investigation team should be established to investigate the atrocities committed by Meles’ “Agazi” forces. The European Union member states are also discussing on cutting aid unless Meles accepts its proposals.

Meles tries to deceive the international communities saying the killings are the result of the attacks launched by rioters by gunshots and hand grenades during the CUD-instigated violence. "He couldn’t deceive us again with his usual lies by killing innocent children and women." EU parliamentarians said, "It is just an insult on our intelligence." They added.

Finally, an Ethiopian priest residing in Germany prayed for the country and said quoting from the bible (Jeremiah 31:15) that “In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” He compared the carnage being perpetrated in Ethiopia today with the Israelites under King Herod of Egypt where Herod ordered the slauhtering of all children under two years of age. But King Herod killed no single woman. “In the history of man kind Meles Zenawi is the first to brutally slaughter women and children.” The priest added.