Message-ID: <35FD7083.25B8A5D1@calumet.purdue.edu>
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 14:37:42 -0500
From: Alan Spector <spector@calumet.purdue.edu>
Reply-To: spector@calumet.purdue.edu
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: PROGRESSIVE SOCIOLOGISTS NETWORK <psn@csf.colorado.edu>,
        revs@csf.colorado.edu
Subject: Labor Rights in the New World Order ?
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The following information is being circulated through the Society for
the Study of Social Problems and the American Association for the
Advancement of Science. (Dr. Taye has been an invited speaker to SSSP
for the past three years. He has been unable to attend because of his
imprisonment.) Human rights groups and teachers' organizations
throughout Europe have passed resolutions calling for humane treatment
of Dr. Taye and even the European Parliament has expressed concern. And
the AAAS is a highly prestigious mainstream organization that is taking
the case of Dr. Taye very seriously. This seems relevant to the concerns
of PSN and REVS as we consider the issues of workers' rights in many
different countries in the New World Order.

Following is a section of that discussion. Any way that you can bring
this up in labor organizations, educational associations, teachers'
unions, or with government officials might help save his life.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>>
>>AAAS issued the attached alert on Thursday, September 3.  I am
currently
>>trying to arrange a meeting with me and the Chair of our Committee on
>>Scientific Freedom and Responsibility with Embassy representatives to
hand
>>deliver a letter from AAAS on Dr. Taye's behalf.  I am trying to
arrange
>>schedule the meeting as early as possible so as to have a chance to
have
>>some impact on the trial.
>>
>>If I am successful, I will let you know.
>>
>>Elisa
>>
>>3 September 1998
>>
>>AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTION
>>NETWORK (AAASHRAN)
>>
>>ETHIOPIA--IMPRISONED SCIENTIST IN DANGER
>>
>>CASE NUMBERS:         ET9613.Wol
>>
>>ISSUES:       the right to life, liberty, and security of person;
freedom
>>from
>>arbitrary arrest and detention; freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman
or
>>degrading treatment or punishment; the right to a fair and public
hearing
>>by an independent and impartial tribunal; freedom of opinion and
>>expression; freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
>>
>>
>>FACTS OF THE CASE: There are new fears for the life of Dr. Taye Wolde
>>Semayat, a political scientist and Chair of the Ethiopian Teachers'
>>Association.  Dr. Taye has been imprisoned since 30 May 1996.  Recent
>>reports indicate that the conditions of his imprisoned have
significantly
>>deteriorated, amounting to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and
that
>>death threats have been made against him by prison guards.
>>
>>Dr. Taye appeared in court on 28 July 1998, at which time he reported
that
>>prison guards had threatened to shoot him.  When the court informed
him
>>that it was not in a position to intercede on his behalf, Dr. Taye
demanded
>>to know to whom he should appeal.  The judge responded by ordering
that Dr.
>>Taye be held in shackles 24 hours a day until his next court
appearance on
>>15 September 1998.  He has also been placed in a "darkness" cell,
which
>>does not have any natural light, but has constant electrical lighting.

>>This is reportedly a severe form of punishment.  There are serious
concerns
>>that harm could come to Dr. Taye prior to his next hearing.
>>
>>Dr. Taye was arrested on fabricated charges of terrorism and
conspiracy to
>>assassinate government officials.  However, the two main witnesses in
the
>>case have retracted their testimony, alleging that it was obtained by
means
>>of torture.  As a result, the government was obliged to dismiss the
most
>>serious charges against Dr. Taye.
>>
>>Dr. Taye is the elected head of the Ethiopian Teachers' Association,
an
>>independent union with 120,000 members, which has been disbanded.  He
also
>>was among 42 professors fired from Addis Ababa University in January
1992
>>for writing a letter of protest against the government's violent
reaction
>>to a student demonstration.
>>
>>Current actions against Dr. Taye are likely linked to a hearing held
on 20
>>July against the Ethiopian Teachers' Association (ETA).  An apparent
>>dispute between the ETA and its rival, government-supported
organization
>>has resulted in raids against ETA offices, the arrest of its executive

>>members, and the transfer of assets from previously frozen ETA
accounts to
>>the rival organization.
>>In 1997, the AAAS passed a resolution calling for the immediate and
>>unconditional release of scientists who are prisoners of conscience in

>>Ethiopia, including Dr. Taye.
>>
>>The imprisonment of Dr. Taye and the conditions under which he is
currently
>>held constitute serious violations of Ethiopia's international
obligations
>>under the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the
>>African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the Constitution of
the
>>Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
>>
>>Under the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ratified
>>by Ethiopia on 11 June 1993):
>>
>>· Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person, and to
freely
>>take part in public affairs and political life (Articles 9 and 25);
and
>>· everyone has the right to freedom of expression (Article 19.2);
>>· everyone has the right to freedom of association and peaceful
assembly
>>(Articles 21 and 22);
>>· all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity
and
>>with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person (Article
10);
>>· everyone has the right to a fair and public hearing by an
independent and
>>impartial tribunal (Article 9); and
>>· no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or
degrading
>>treatment or punishment (Article 7).
>>
>>Under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, adopted by the

>>Organization of African Unity on 17 June 1981:
>>
>>· Freedom from all forms of exploitation, including torture, cruel,
inhuman
>>or degrading punishment and treatment (Article 5);
>>· the right to liberty and security of person, and freedom from
arbitrary
>>arrest or detention (Article 6);
>>· the right to express and disseminate opinions (Article 9); and
>>· the right to free association.
>>
>>Relevant provision of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic
Republic
>>of Ethiopia (FDRE):
>>
>>· All persons in custody, including sentenced prisoners, have the
right to
>>conditions which respect human dignity (Article 21).
>>
>>(Sources of information for this case include Amnesty International
and
>>Education International.)
>>
>>RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telexes, telegrams, faxes, or airmail
letters:
>>
>>· Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Taye on
the
>>grounds that he was imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of
his
>>opinion;
>>· deploring the cruel and inhuman conditions under which Dr. Taye is
held;
>>and
>>· urging the Ethiopian government to uphold its international treaty
>>obligations and to abide by its own constitution and criminal code.
>>
>>APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:
>>
>>Dr. Negaso Gidada
>>President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
>>Office of the President
>>P.O. Box 1031
>>Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
>>Fax:  011-2511-55-07-22
>>(Salutation:  Your Excellency)
>>
>>Meles Zenawi
>>Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
>>Prime Minister's Office
>>P.O. Box 1031
>>Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
>>
>>COPIES TO:
>>
>>Ambassador David H. Shinn
>>Embassy of the United States of America
>>P.O. Box 1014
>>Entoto Street
>>Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
>>Fax:  (251 1  552 191)
>>
>>Ambassador Berhane Gebre-Christos
>>Embassy of Ethiopia
>>2134 Kalorama Road, NW
>>Washington, DC  20008
>>
>>Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive,
or
>>direct any questions you may have to Elisa Munoz, AAAS Science and
Human
>>Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005; tel.
>>202-326-6797; email EMUNOZ@AAAS.ORG; or fax 202-289-4950.
>>
>>The keys to effective appeals are to be courteous and respectful,
accurate
>>and precise, impartial in approach, and as specific as possible
regarding
>>the alleged violation and the international human rights standards and

>>instruments that apply to the situation. Reference to your scientific
>>organization and professional affiliation is always helpful.
>>
>>To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not
continue to
>>write appeals on this case after 90 days from the date of the posting
>>unless an update has been issued.
>>
>>************************************************************************

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>>
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>>
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>

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