Tegbar League issues advisory to foreign companies and nationals in Ethiopia

From: Tegbar League Central Executive Committee, Addis Ababa

Attn: All foreign companies operating in Ethiopia

Date: June 12, 2007

Re: Ethiopian millennium

Tegbar League-Ethiopia is calling on all foreign companies that are operating in Ethiopia to cease their operations in the country from August 20 until September 12, 2007, as preparation are underway for nationwide protests to demand the release of opposition leaders, journalists and all other political prisoners.

As you know well, the jailed opposition leaders are elected by the people of Ethiopia in a landslide victory in May 2005.

Following its defeat at the ballot box, the losing party, the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), carried out a massive crackdown in order to rule by force, disregarding the will of the people.

All major international organizations, the European Parliament, and the U.S. Congress have condemned the TPLF atrocities.

The opposition leaders made repeated calls for dialogue and all-inclusive talks to resolve the crisis peacefully. But the TPLF leaders refused, and instead threw all the opposition leaders, and tens of thousands of peaceful protesters in concentration camp-like jails.

After two years of appeals and calls for dialogue, we have ran out of options. We will not allow our elected leaders to languish and die in jail.

We therefore have decided to use the upcoming Ethiopian millennium to launch massive nationwide peaceful civil disobedience campaigns.

We will take extreme care to protect foreign nationals and companies. But knowing the past deeds of the TPLF regime, we are worried that they will attack foreigners and civilians and blame it on the opposition.

So we believe that it is a wise thing for us to issue this advisory in advance. The best thing for every foreign national to do is to stay away from the country during the days leading up to September 11, 2007.

For further info:
[email protected]