SOCEPP (18 January 2018) –  The repressive regime in Addis Abeba is adept at duping international opinion and hiding the real reasons of discontent of Ethiopians. And it has enjoyed the support of Western supporters and donors in its duplicity. The continuing struggle of the Ethiopian people for their rights at the cost of some 3000 lives was not mainly for the release of some hundreds of political prisoners (the regime has been denying it is even holding one political prisoner) but for democracy, good governance an end to one ethnic rule and extensive and cruel oppression.

However, the regime that still imagines it can trick and confuse the whole world declares that it was ready to release some political prisoners to encourage dialogue and the Western media, as expected, knowingly or otherwise swallowed the bait and proclaimed the regime was about to release political prisoners in Ethiopia. Which was blatantly false of course. There are more than 45,000 political prisoners in Ethiopia and not a few hundreds. There have been numerous prisoners who had died in detention and dozens have been disappeared. Torture centers are more than one–the Maekelawi- where both the previous regime and the present one have mutilated prisoners and committed crimes against hundreds and thousands of dissidents. More than three years of protests in Ethiopia were for basic and fundamental issues concerning good governance, justice, an end to despotism, the release of ALL political prisoners, democratic transition to and end of the existing regime. They were not for the release of a handful of prisoners jailed for other issues.

We have to admit the repressive regime’s ploy has worked and not only the BBC but many others have been tricked to declare the regime in Ethiopia is freeing prisoners.