Violations of Academic Freedom In Ethiopia
In the early months of 2001, tension mounted among students at Addis Ababa University. Their principal complaints were threefold: they wanted to publish a student newspaper that the administration had blocked; they wanted freedom to organize a student union without university interference; and they wanted armed uniformed police removed from the campus. The university administration and the ministry of education failed to respond to the students’ satisfaction, transforming the situation into a standoff by the beginning of April. In response, large segments of the AAU student body, as well as high school and university students and others around the country, mobilized to strike for academic freedom.
The day before, hundreds of students had attended a public meeting led by former AAU professors Dr Berhanu Nega and Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, former members of the executive committee of the Ethiopian Human Rights council. At the meeting, students resolved to stand up for their human rights and academic freedom. When the university administration resisted, increasing numbers decided to boycott class, leading to large-scale student strike that soon became fatal.
Special Police Forces opened fire on a peaceful protest organized by students at Addis Ababa University (AAU) on April 18 2001, killing at least 51 people and wounding 250. Most of those who died were students and unemployed youth who had joined the demonstration in support of the university students’ demands.
Genocideer Meles’ regime had managed to massacre a total of over 110 Ethiopian students/protesters and wounded hundreds nation wide. Todate no one has been charged for all the Ethiopian massacres of 2001.
Abbay Media calls all Ethiopians around the world to pray for and remember the Ethiopian victims of April 2001 Weyane massacres for this coming week.
…………………………………..
For further information please read below reports by International Media of the events in 2001:
…………………………………..
Ethiopian police charge against students
BBC News, 12th April 2001
The students want greater freedom of speech.
Anarchy descends on Addis Ababa
BBC News, 18th April 2001
Students sought refuge in churches and mosques
Police have responded heavy-handedly
‘Unity is strength’ is the students’ slogan
Ethiopia: Students killed in brutal police attack
World Socialist Web Site, 27th April 2001
…………………………………..
Anger over Ethiopian detainees
BBC News, 30th April 2001
Hundreds of relatives are waiting anxiously for news
Police raid Addis campus
BBC News, 30th April 2001
Signs of recent riots in Addis Ababa are still evident
…………………………………..
Ethiopian academics arrested
BBC News, 8th May 2001
Thirty died in Addis’s worst riots for 10 years
…………………………………..
Thousands ‘languish’ in Ethiopian camp
BBC News, 12th July 2001
Mothers anxiously await the release of their sons
In the early months of 2001, tension mounted among students at Addis Ababa University. Their principal complaints were threefold: they wanted to publish a student newspaper that the administration had blocked; they wanted freedom to organize a student union without university interference; and they wanted armed uniformed police removed from the campus. The university administration and the ministry of education failed to respond to the students’ satisfaction, transforming the situation into a standoff by the beginning of April. In response, large segments of the AAU student body, as well as high school and university students and others around the country, mobilized to strike for academic freedom.
The day before, hundreds of students had attended a public meeting led by former AAU professors Dr Berhanu Nega and Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, former members of the executive committee of the Ethiopian Human Rights council. At the meeting, students resolved to stand up for their human rights and academic freedom. When the university administration resisted, increasing numbers decided to boycott class, leading to large-scale student strike that soon became fatal.
Special Police Forces opened fire on a peaceful protest organized by students at Addis Ababa University (AAU) on April 18 2001, killing at least 51 people and wounding 250. Most of those who died were students and unemployed youth who had joined the demonstration in support of the university students’ demands.
Genocideer Meles’ regime had managed to massacre a total of over 110 Ethiopian students/protesters and wounded hundreds nation wide. Todate no one has been charged for all the Ethiopian massacres of 2001.
Abbay Media calls all Ethiopians around the world to pray for and remember the Ethiopian victims of April 2001 Weyane massacres for this coming week.
…………………………………..
For further information please read below reports by International Media of the events in 2001:
…………………………………..
Ethiopian police charge against studentsBBC News, 12th April 2001
The students want greater freedom of speech.
“We have great minds and we want to use our minds”…………………………………..
University student
Anarchy descends on Addis AbabaBBC News, 18th April 2001
Students sought refuge in churches and mosques
Police have responded heavy-handedly
‘Unity is strength’ is the students’ slogan
Addis Ababa looked like a city under siege…………………………………..
Ethiopia: Students killed in brutal police attackWorld Socialist Web Site, 27th April 2001
…………………………………..
Anger over Ethiopian detaineesBBC News, 30th April 2001
Hundreds of relatives are waiting anxiously for news
What are they doing to our sons? They are starving…………………………………..
detainee’s mother
Police raid Addis campusBBC News, 30th April 2001
Signs of recent riots in Addis Ababa are still evident
…………………………………..
Ethiopian academics arrestedBBC News, 8th May 2001
Thirty died in Addis’s worst riots for 10 years
…………………………………..
Thousands ‘languish’ in Ethiopian campBBC News, 12th July 2001
Mothers anxiously await the release of their sons
April , 2001
Abbay Media.
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