Ethiopians voice their outrage after Yemen hands over political activist to Ethiopia

ESAT News

July 9, 2014

After Yemeni authorities have handed over Ethiopian-British rights activist and leader of the opposition Ginbot 7 Movement, Andargachew Tsige, to the “brutality and torture acclaimed” Ethiopian regime from its Sanaa airport two weeks ago, the angers and outrages of Ethiopians has been pouring. Those living in Ethiopia are calling to be shown the “the road to join the struggle for freedom” while Diaspora Ethiopians are organising and holding protests outside British and Yemeni Embassies.

ESAT has been receiving calls from inside and outside Ethiopia by angered fans, supporters and audiences since Andargachew’s arrest saying that they are ready to pay their souls as Andargachew did.

Most of them ask how they can join the struggle while others plead the Ginbot 7 leadership to inform them what kinds of measures they could take against the regime.

Last week Ginbot 7 stated that the struggle has grown to a new chapter called “We are all Andargachew Tsige”. The Movement said being Andargachew means “being humble and determined, being patient and bitter, being smart, wise and action orientated as him”.

Ginbot 7 said one of the main reasons that the regime focused on Andargachew is that he had been able to sterilise Woyane’s ethnic politics by forming action orientated cooperation with Oromo, Afar, Gambella, Ogaden and other ethnic organisations and movements.

It also stated that the main contributions in the efforts of removing this regime comes from people who have decided to give their lives, wrestle with them neck to neck and the actions of the people and forces; thus called on the youth to join the Movement.

Meanwhile, Ethiopians living in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and many other cities have protested outside Yemeni and British embassies. They have condemned Yemen for cooperating and handing over a sentenced human rights activist trespassing international law. The protesters also called on the U.K. government to press the Ethiopian regime to immediately release its citizen. Similar protests are scheduled to be held in other cities in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

There is an increasing call for opposition parties, groups and organisations to narrow their differences and stand together for change.