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Humanity before Ethnicity

Prisoner's Plight

March 12, 2009

Hello Mr Obang

Thanks for what you are doing .what I see in Ethiopi is not very much different from what I saw in kaliti prison kalit.now I feel that Ethiopia is not a place to live in .things are now much much worse that they were before the election..the only thing you see on the road is security men watching every activity,the police men patrolling the city pointing their guns in front of the people.

the situation in kaliti prison was awful.I gave my hands to the police after I learned on the media that I was the most wanted criminal attempting to overthrow the government.then I was taken to a very small cell,less than an average man's office, about 3m by 3m size.there were 18 people confined in it.the cell was closed the whole day.we had only 15 minutes to visit toilet. if you want to urinate you should use the the small bucket inside the cell.during the day time the urine evaporate and you seep it..

we didn't have any place to sleep .you had to wait to take nap  until your friend wakes and leaves the place for you.we eat our dish in that urine suffocated cell putting the food on a piece of paper .we were not allowed to see our family in the first wees of detention.but later we were allowed to see them at a distance .

after one month ,we were interrogated by the police officers.the interrogation was torturing .then we were allowed to visit toilets any time and for the first time we saw the sun and got fresh air.we had no medical access .we had one health officer,whose status is ;lower than a nurse.she tried to give us first aid,.seeing a doctor was un thinkable .

after facing the court, we transfered to kaliti prison.all prisoners were divided in to three different compounds. I and 13 journalists were taken to a cell that contained 400 people.the room was so small.there was one toilet and one bathroom.to get turn for toilet you need to wait at least an hour.because the toilet had no door every one can see you fixating. to get bath you need to wait until the night falls since the water comes in the middle of the night and goes in the morning.imagine one shower for 400 people.

we were not allowed to make contacts with other prisoners.if you do so the prisoner will be taken to another cell worse than that.

then after a month we were transfered to another cell made of corrugated sheets of iron.it was a small cell containing 30 people. the room was too hot in the day time and too cold at night.we passed the day time at the veranda.although reading was permitted the contents should be non political.

medication was next to none.you must wait for two months to see a doctor and by chance you see him you need to wait another month until the prison officer permits .

the police officer regularly comes and insults you.he threatens to snatch your life.thanks to the pressure you and the international community put on the government, the officers didn't dare to take deadly measures.had it not been without you we would have died a year ago.

Mr obang.what I am telling you  is the very  tip of the iceberg ,it takes books to narrate the story.I must quit here because I don't have enough money to pay for further email hour.

by the way,today I heard that the prosecutor has  applead to the supreme court against us.I think they are going to incarcerate us again.if God allows I will escape other wise this could be my final email.

if things are ok.i will collect my passport  in a week if not ...

THANK YOU AND BYE.