On the Release of the Prisoners of Conscience

The release of the 38 prisoners of conscience today marks a very special event in the history of Ethiopia. Today justice prevailed over injustice in Ethiopia. Truth became victorious over falsehood. Democracy overcame tyranny. Light shone over the darkness that had enveloped Ethiopia over the past two years. Todat, men and women of peace defeated the Lord of War on the Battlefield of Democracy! Ethiopia shall never be the same again!

I want to express my deepest respect and appreciation to the 38 heroes who suffered untold misery and indignities at the hands of Zenawi so that Ethiopia can join the family of free nations of the world. I thank them for their sacrifices. I honor them for standing up for freedom, democracy and human rights. I admire them for not selling their souls to the Devil for 30 pieces of silver. I pay them my highest tribute for their faith in God. I appreciate them for being good shepards to our people.

I also express my deepst thanks to their families who suffered along with them. I honor them for the days they spent in Kangaroo Kourt watching injusctice being practiced against their loved ones. I admire their tenacity in supporting the prisoners in Kality prison. I have no doubut that it is their support and encouragement that sustained the prisoners of conscience through the countless months of imprisonment. Thank you families!!

I have two messages for the free prisoners of conscience. I ask them to pardon Zenawi for he knows not what he does. He is a man totally repudiated by his own people, and now he is a man condemned by the entire international community as a merciless tyrant. He can rescue himself from his evil ways only if the prisoners of consceince pardon and forgive him. It is in the tradition of all the great religions and philosophies that the innocent pardon and forgive the sinner and the doer of evil. I beg you to pardon Zenawi for all of the evil he has done to you because you are men and women of peace and good will.

I further ask you to join us in the Diaspora as we struggle to help bring freedom and accountability in Ethiopia. We have a bill in the U.S. Congress that will help prevent the injustice that happened to you from ever happening to any other Ethiopian. H.R. 2003, a bill authored by Ethiopia´s greatest friend in the U.S. Congress, Donald Payne, will deny nonessential aid to any Ethiopian government that violates the human rights of its citizens. American taxpayers will never allow their their tax dollars to be used by dictators and tyrants who will grossly abuse the human rights of Ethiopians. Join the thousands of us in the Diaspora and support our July 4th Declaration to Uphold Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia.

Let us not rest until every political prisoner and prisoner of conscience in Ethiopia is rescued from Zenawi´s prisons and dungeons. Let´s grab our flashlights and kuraz, and search every hamlet and neighborhood, town and city throughout Ethiopia, for we are missing thousands of our brothers and sisters!

CONGRATULATIONS, GREAT PATRIOTS. WE ARE ALL PROUD OF YOU.

May God Bless You and Your Families. May God Bless Ethiopia.

Al Mariam