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August 21, 2008
Hon. Seyoum Mesfin
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Via facsimile
Hon. Assefa Kesito
Minister of Justice
P.O. Box 1370
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Via facsimile
Dear Mr. Mesfin and Mr. Kesito:
We are writing to request information about several individuals who we believe were transferred to Ethiopian custody in early 2007 and whose whereabouts are now unknown.
As you know, at least 85 individuals were deported from Nairobi, Kenya, to either Baidoa or Mogadishu, Somalia, in January and February 2007. We understand that Ethiopian military forces then operating in Mogadishu and Baidoa took custody of all of these men, women, and children, and ultimately transported them to Ethiopia. In April 2007, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that Ethiopia was holding at least 41 individuals in its custody and we welcome the fact that all the women and children, and a number of men, were released between April and June 2007.
However, many of the individuals rendered from Kenya and Somalia continue to be held in Ethiopian prisons, without access to independent, international monitors, such as delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The whereabouts of many others remain unknown.
We request that you provide information about the following men, who either continue to be held in Ethiopian custody or whose whereabouts are unknown:
- Bashir Makhtal rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (Canadian)
- Tafara Basisa rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Ethiopian)
- Lama Takal rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Ethiopian)
- Badada Lami rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Ethiopian)
- Tesfale Kidane rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Eritrean)
- Osman Mohammad Badran rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Eritrean)
- Saleh Idris Salim rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Eritrean)
- Saidi Shifa rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Salama Ngama rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Hussein Ali Said rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Tsumu Solomon Adan Ayila rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Salim Awadh Salim rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Abdulrashid Mohammed rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Swaleh Ali Tunza rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Hassan Shaban Mwazume rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Bashir Hussein Chirag Mohammed Sader rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Said Hamisi Mohammad rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Abdallah Halfan Tondwe rendered 2/10/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Kenyan)
- Kasim Musa Mwarusa rendered 2/10/07 to Baidoa (reportedly Kenyan)
- Ali Musa Mwarusi rendered 2/10/07 to Baidoa (reportedly Kenyan)
- Abdi Kadir Maalin rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (reportedly Somali)
- Mugeta Tasiifa rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Nur Mohammad Zain rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Mohammad Hassan rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Abdullahi Mohammad rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Sakata Sakare rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Shariff Jamal rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Jamal Abdal rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Ahmed Hassan rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Mohammad Abdullah rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Abdijani Ahmed rendered 1/20/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Mohammad Abushir Salim rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Hassan Shaban rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
- Yusuf Ali Haitagi rendered 1/27/07 to Mogadishu (nationality unknown)
Specifically, we would like the following information about each of the men: (i) is he being detained and, if so, where and on what grounds?; (ii) has he been charged with a crime and, if so, what are the charges, has he had a trial, what was the outcome, and has he had access to a lawyer?; (iii) has he been released and, if so, when, where, and into whose custody?
We plan to issue a short report detailing the results of our investigation into the whereabouts and well-being of these men. We hope to hear back from you by September 30, 2008, so that we can include your perspective in that report.
Finally, we urge you to immediately allow the relevant consular representatives, as well as independent international monitors such as ICRC delegates, to visit all persons held in connection with the conflict in Somalia.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Daskal
Senior Counterterrorism Counsel
Human Rights Watch
cc: H.E. Samuel Assefa, Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States