SOCEPP:  Britain backed the repressive Tigrean Front ruling Ethiopia since 1991 even before it assumed power. Using the famine situation in Tigrai in 1984 as a convenient cover Britain gave millions of pounds worth of aid to the TPLF which expectedly diverted the food aid for its military purposes.

When the Tigrean Front assumed power in 1981 with the support of Britain and the West, Britain took up the role of training intelligence agents and security personnel. The notorious intelligence chief, Kinfe Gebre Medhin, was trained by Britain for a year and the Tigrean police force was equipped by Britain (arms, Land Rovers, tear gas, etc). Recently, Britain has provided the TPLF torturers with a new whip that causes internal bleeding and causes no external wounds. Prisoners and dissidents whipped on the soles of their feet, back, arms and sometimes on private parts.

From 1991 to this day, Britain has aided and supported the human rights violators and predators of the free press who rule in Ethiopia. Tony Blair’s adoration of the late Meles Zenawi cannot be forgotten. We cannot forget that teacher and human rights activist Assefa Maru was gunned down in Addis Abeba by security police using Britain donated Land Rovers and pistols. It is also to be remembered that Britain took no decisive action to assure the freedom of Andargatchew Tsige, a British citizen, who was handed over by Yemen to the Tigrean regime.

SOCEPP calls on all freedom loving people to denounce the unholy support given by Britain to the repressive regime in Ethiopia.