Ethiopian Rights Group Presses Charges Over Military Ties

Globalia Mazagine September 26, 2009 Berlin: Ethiopian human rights proponents pressed charges against the German government Ethiopian human rights proponents pressed charges against the German government yesterday, because of Berlin's long term support of the regime in Addis Ababa, accused for years of serious violations of human rights. There are sufficient grounds for a "reasonable suspicion" that the German government has committed "complicity in violations of the Völkerstrafgesetzbuch (VStGB - German international criminal code)" declared the Ethiopian Human Rights Committee - Germany and calls on the Office of the Federal Prosecutor in Karlsruhe to initiate the relevant investigations. In fact, over the past few years, Berlin has even intensified its cooperation with Ethiopia, even though government advisors and organizations engaged in development programs have pointed to the Ethiopian regime's extreme repressive character. German complicity even extends to military support for Ethiopia, which is waging a proxy war in Somalia in support of western interests. Behind this complicity is Ethiopia's high strategic significance for Berlin's foreign policy - expounded upon in detail a few years ago by Germany's ambassador to Addis Ababa. Judicial Inquiry Yesterday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Committee - Germany declared that it had pressed charges against German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier with the Office of the Federal Prosecutor in Karlsruhe. There are sufficient grounds for a "reasonable suspicion" that the German government has committed "complicity in violations of the Völkerstrafgesetzbuch (VStGB - German international criminal code) in connection with its support for the Ethiopian regime" declared the human rights committee. According to the committee "voluminous human rights reports on the Ethiopian government's or the Ethiopian security forces' massive violations of human rights and international law" are available and the German government cannot deny its awareness of these reports. Yet Berlin supports "the Ethiopian regime at the political, technical as well as the police/military levels," allowing therefore "the initiation of a penal judiciary investigation." Special Report In fact, for years Germany has been one of the Ethiopian regime's closest collaborators. In 2006 the German ambassador to Addis Ababa, Claas Dieter Knoop explained why. In a "special report" to the CSU affiliated Hans Seidel Foundation, Knoop wrote that Ethiopia is destined to play a special role in German foreign policy for several reasons. "In light of preliminary, promising discoveries," the country has a considerable potential in "strategically important raw materials (for example gas, oil and minerals)." In addition, because the source of the "Blue Nile," furnishing four-fifths of the Nile water volume, is on Ethiopian territory, the country plays a "strategic role" in the precarious North African water supply. But above all, because the security of maritime routes along the East African coastline is "particularly of German interest," transit from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea is "of eminent importance" to the export-oriented German economy. Even though Ethiopia is not a coastal nation, it is still considered a regional power in East Africa because of its military weight and, through its intervention in Somalia, it has proven that it is prepared to defend western interests along the East African coastline. Advisor At the beginning of 2005, the German government significantly intensified its cooperation with Ethiopia along the lines of Knoop's appraisal. Government negotiations between Berlin and Addis Ababa led at the time to new German support agreements with this East African nation. Germany would send up to 500 "specialists" for "key positions in the Ethiopian industry and administration" declared the GTZ "development" agency at the time. Among these "key positions", one was for an "advisor" to the Ethiopian speaker of parliament, who, according to the announcement profile, in another German "development" agency, was expected to establish "instruments for sharing experiences internationally (contacts to parliamentarians of other federal states)." In 2005, German-Ethiopian cooperation was significantly expanded. The Ethiopian President, Meles Zenawi met with his German counterpart, Horst Koehler, in spite of massive international protests. .... =========================== www.nazrett.com Home of Ethiopian News and Blog Breaking News