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Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Breaking news:A top Ministry of Justice official defects to the US

Alemayehu Zemedkun who refused Meles Zenawi's order to institute a civil action against the imprisoned Kinijit leaders to ruin them financially left Ethiopia to America yesterday. A former friend and classmate of Shimeles kemal, the chief prosecutor against the kinijit leaders, Alemayehu was the head of the ministry's civil division and one of the best bench prosecutors in the country.
Just after the November 1 massacre and the imprisonment of the CUDP leaders, journalist and social justice advocates, the State Minster of Justice, Dr. Hashim Mohammed, asked Alemayehu to help them bring criminal charges against the jailed men and women. Alemayehu objected to the request claiming that he was a head of civil division and bringing criminal charges wasn't part of his job. Three weeks later, Dr, Hashim told Alemayehu to institute a civil action against the Kinijit leaders for the material damage and the loss of life caused on the November 1 and 2. The state minister of justice confided to Alemayehu that the prime minister had ordered him to obtain an injunction order against the asset of the leaders and prepare a civil case against them. The amount of damage was estimated to be a billion birr.
Alemayehu was adamant that he couldn't do that because the material damage and loss of life was caused after the kinijit leaders were arrested and there was no relationship between cause and effect. Hashim warned him that he better do what he was asked to do. The minister latter served him with a term of reference summarizing what actions the prime minister wanted him to take. Convinced that it was better to join the jailed leaders in prison than collaborate in ruining them financially, Alemayehu and his inspired staff wrote back to the minister a letter explaining the reasons for the impossibility of instituting a civil case. On November 26, Alemayehu presented his resignation request to Dr. Hashim. Three days latter, the minister appointed an acting head for the division Alemayehu was in charge of without accepting the resignation request. The next day he was contacted by Shimeles kemal and was warned by his friend that if he would resign, dire consequences might result. Shimeles also told Alemayehu that they would themselves institute the civil action and, therefore, he shouldn't bother about it. Alemayehu stayed on but he was under constant surveillance by security personnel.
Angry with what Alemayehu did, Meles Zenawi was said to have given a serious dressing down to the minister of justice, Ato Assfa Kesito, during a cabinet meeting. On July 7, the minister appointed Ato markeneh, former prosecutor at the Southern region, to replace Alemayehu and the later was ordered to hand over the materials he had received from the ministry. The talk of the organization had been that Alemayehu would fall pray to the vengeance of the EPRDF machinery. Alemayehu who had a two years American visa decided he had to leave the country, and leave fast. Yesterday was the right time. Keeping his profile low and helped by security personnel at Bole, Alemayehu managed to escape. It was one more brave and competent guy leaving the country. But he had to.
By refusing to accept Meles Zenawi's order, Alemayehu may nott have totally saved the Kinijit leaders from the financial ruin the Prime Minister wanted to bring upon them. Many people in the ministry feel that it was only a matter of time before someone less brave would do what Alemayehu refused to do. Many members of Alemayehu's staff who supported the decision of their boss and stood with him have already been cleared out of the civil division and replaced by others. Yet his decision is an example to civil servants who are being used as a tool of oppression by this government. I salute you, Alemayehu!
...Coming up tomorrow....What does Alemayehu Zemedkun think of the case against CUDP leaders, civil society members and journalists. What he makes of Shimeles Kemal, the chief prosecutor?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cool Z - Thanks for the update. I hope, Ato Alemayehu, "as a head of the ministry's civil division and best bench prosecutors" would be able to expose the deeds of Prime sinister Meles and his cangaroo court system, in different and aggressive scale.

Anonymous said...

Ethio-Zagol, God bless you for updating with this intersting news

Still woyane is being disintegrated from time to time

God bless Ethiopia

Anonymous said...

I do not see why running away from the frontline is considered such a courageous thing. This guy was putting a good fight - why run away? And why is it such a good news?

Anonymous said...

ethio-Zagol, this indeed is good news. You have been able to obtain priceless and timely information and may God bless you and keep you safe. Like the anonymous above, my hope is that Alemayehu will join the opposition and do his best at unmasking the EPRDF’s corrupt legal system.


Regards,

Anonymous said...

Maximum Respect to Ato Alemayehu Zemedkun!

Dil Le_Ethiopia Hizb

Shiftaw Kibreet

Anonymous said...

Zagol,

You take my breath away!

It is incredibly gratifying to learn that when betrayal has become the new culture of Ethiopia it is indeed refreshing to know that men like Alemayehu are still
around.
I SALUTE HIM TOO!

Anonymous said...

God Bless this official. Unlike Kihidetu (Lidetu) who came all the way to America to Tell us the Kinijit leaders were on the wrong path, from the comfort of his Ethiopian Taxpayer paid position, working against them (Blood sucker), this individual risked his life to expose woyane conispiracy. God speed

Anonymous said...

Take Alemayehu to US Congress...let them here what is going on behind the scene....Alemayehu ..I am sure you have some info about the fate of the brave leaders in prison......please expose expose expose..........

Yes Ethiopian has many brave children..... it is just a question of time.

Anonymous said...

the anonyomous above who said why is Alemayehu running away ia a Banda of Woyane working for running an underground mission of disrupting the opposition. What else price do you want Alemayehu to pay? or you are made he is not incarcerated.
Alemayehu You made history and you are already a hero.

Anonymous said...

Dendir,

Thanks to the heroes like Alemayehu, we sure will soon say "that guy, Meles, was the PM of Ethiopia and he is now a convicted criminal. Ayasdestim!"

Anonymous said...

wonderful alemayehu,ethiopia despartley wants such a genuine person like you.

Anonymous said...

Good job Alex!!!

Anonymous said...

The anonymous who said why is Alemayehu running is Weyanae. You must be a retarded bastard to say such a word. Alemayehy has paid the ultimate price of leaving his beloved Ethiopia, his well-paid job and his family. Unlike Lidetu - Kihedetu he is willing to leave everything for the sake of truth. We admire his courage. May God be with you Alemayehu. May Ethiopia give birth to brave men like Alemayehu.

Anonymous said...

typical asylum application fabrication.

"Keeping his profile low and helped by security personnel at Bole, Alemayehu managed to escape." what a crap. first thing he can't keep his profile low as he is too big and loud:) there are opposition members who pose more political threat to EPRDF. for god's sake the former president is still there as an independent MP. the reason for alemayehu's departure, only alemayehu knows. as for his well paid job? come on he is going to the US. he could earn 100X than that even working as car park attendant let alone as in the legal profession. he defection (is it?) is his right. one has to say things to get refugee status. guys leave him alone to live the life he choose. don't make him a justification for your cause. may be he has his own personal selfish reason (absolutely justified) for his departure.

Anonymous said...

"Traitors who sold Ethiopia to Somalia."


Hmmm, sounds like a co-ordinated effort from the home office (Meles' office) to slander the political prisoners in order to enflame and cause tension with other non-political prisoners.

Anonymous said...

Beware of these so called defectors, TPLF soliders pretended as if they were fed up angry with their leaders and asked to join OLF to fight EPRDF in 1991, when OLF trusted and took them in, the TPLF soliders massacred OLF fighters at night, theses people are ruthless, so i hope the opposition does not just take in these so called defectors and share with them sensitive info.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing juicy other than talking about people whether about their dirty underwear or stinky socks. Seminawork (Ethiozagol) is the best blog for that and I come again and again to read such juicy stuff because I am a coward anonymous who get satisfaction and feel great as if I liberated the country, better yet as if I fed one hungry child, or treat on sick woman or gave shelter to one orphan. Better yet as if I conforted a mother that lost only child last June and last November. Shame on me.

Anonymous said...

Dendir
i agree with you when you say we have to be careful not elevate this person beyond what he really is. However i found your scepticism somewhat misplaced, i trust you have been to Bole and given the chaos in that place you only need one or two officials to turn a blind eye for him to leave the country except if EPRDF did not want him to leave and circulated his details to all ports and i don't think that is what this chap is saying, there were ppl who managed to escape from the most sophisticated inteligence service like the KGB so i don't think it is beyond him to do so, as for the visa well in my experience whenever you apply for US visa as a visitor you are granted 2 years so maybe the visa was granted before he was asked to bring the charges against our leaders, i suspect with the approval of teh EPRDF. I think the issue for me is not how he left and his motives but to ask him to contribute to the struggle by exposing the inner workings of the EPRDF and the way the sham legal machinery works as his briefing would carry more weight before opinion formers compared to you and I.

long live agere

Anonymous said...

why say all this about Alex. can't we wait to hear what he has to say. all this praise and condemnation is so COMMON IN OUR CULTURE. TO SPEAK WITH CERTAINTY WITH OUT THE FACTS. someone said the scientist believes in proof without certainty, the bigot in certainty without proof. does it make sense?