“I clearly understand that I may be imprisoned, but my conscience will still be free. I also know that they may kill me, but this is a price that must be paid for freedom. I am passing the torch and I appeal to people of my generation to carry the torch to the gates of freedom”
These were the words of Samuel Aweke, the latest victim of the ever brutal regime in Ethiopia.
Patriotic Ginbot 7, Movement for Unity and Democracy is deeply saddened by yet another brutal assassination of Samuel Aweke and Tadesse Abraha by the TPLF regime. The 29 years old lawyer, Samuel Aweke was a Blue Party member who ran in the May 24 election in his home town of Debre Markos. His political carrier started at the tender age of 19 when he joined Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) in 2005. Samuel Aweke, a young man revered and loved by many, was a proven leader who had endless love for freedom and justice.
Samuel was a community organizer and a columnist for one of the local online newspapers who was in the radar of the TPLF regime for a long time. Days before the May 2015 election, Samuels was brutally beaten by the ruling party cadres in an attempt to deter his candidacy representing the Blue party. During the Beating, the brute cadres repeatedly told Samuel that he can no more practice law in Ethiopia and he may also lose his life if he does not refrain himself from any kind of opposition activities. The courageous Samuel clearly knew that his days on earth were numbered, but he never gave up his struggle for justice and democracy.
Mr. Abraha was a member of the Arena- Medrek party who like Mr. Aweke repeatedly received warnings and death threats from the ruling party cadres. Mr. Abraha, who was choked to death by three plain closed security officers was a true ambassador of freedom and justice. We strongly believe that, it is the love and trust these two heroes earned from millions of Ethiopians and the passion they have for freedom and justice that eventually brought their young and unfulfilled life to a shockingly sad and sudden end.
With a continuously growing financial aid and diplomatic cover by the US, UK and EU, the TPLF regime has been arresting, torturing, and killing innocent Ethiopians for almost a quarter of a century. The Ethiopian people have patiently waited for 24 years hoping that the regime will come to its senses and improve political conditions, but five elections latter, the brutal TPLF regime has 100% control of the parliament and the political space has been totally closed for opposition politics. In the meantime, the arrest, the torture and the killing has continued unabated.
Patriotic Ginbot 7 condemn the brutal killing of these two political activists in its strongest term and to bring such politically motivated killings to an end, we call upon all Ethiopians to rise united against tyranny. Patriotic Ginbot7 believes that the Ethiopian people have the inalienable right to defend themselves from tyranny. This right is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the constitution of many democratic countries. The Ethiopian people are patient, but it should be understood that patience is not to endlessly wait for something to happen. Patience is how we behave and what alternatives we look while we’re waiting. Patriotic Ginbot 7 strongly believes now the wait is over and the time has come to exercise our inalienable right to rebel against tyranny and oppression. We also believe that the international community will stand with us in our struggle for freedom, justice and democracy.
We shall prevail !
Category: English, Press Release
