84. However, the response for this legitimate quest was brute, excessive and savage killings.

Human right groups were actively involved in uncovering the numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant and wanton human right abuses inflicted up on the Sidamas and other nationalities in Ethiopia. This year’s May 24, 2004 marks the second year commemoration of this sheer, unadulterated murder of innocent civilians. Sidamas and likeminded Ethiopians remember these killings with a saddened heart and request the end for the reign of impunity, the truth to be established, and told.

Since May 24, 2002 abuses, torture, mass imprisonment and cruel treatments of prisoners are the orders of the day in Sidama. To hoodwink the international donor community, the killings were presented by Meles Zenawi as a mistake by overzealous political cadres, however, these atrocities are premeditated acts, in fact woven into the very political fabric of the fundamental policy choices maintained by the ruling TPLF/EPRDF government to create a sense of subordination and domination, to cause maximum offence to the Sidamas and other opposition sensibilities. As such, in the aftermath of the May 24 incident, 1,300 people were imprisoned and tortured for alleged participation in the march. Due to intense international outcry reverberated around the world; most of the prisoners were released on bail, with a possible detention in the future.

As impunity breeds itself and leads into great catastrophe, recent scourges of genocide that is being perpetrated against the Anuaks, the Oromos and the many other oppressed nations of Ethiopia, reveal the true nature of the Ethiopian regime and its reckless disregard to all human right standards. Now, two years after Locke massacre, no one ever charged with the killings. The killers and those who ordered the killings in cold blood; the likes of the president and vice-presidents of the Southern region are enjoying impunity. More so, innocent Sidamas are paying a heavy price for their dissent.

All local and international human rights groups have campaigned assiduously since May 24, 2002 for full independent, judicial public inquiry into the killings and bring those responsible to justice. And once again we call peace loving members of the international community, human right institutions and Ethiopians in all walks of life to compel the despotic Ethiopian regime to commence a public inquiry into the killings of innocent civilians and bring all responsible to justice.

Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere!!!

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