#UPDATE: On August 22nd, Prosperity Party regime forces physically assaulted a visually-impaired student of law in Gonder city (Central Gonder Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia) leaving him unable to walk with several bodily injuries. The victim whose identity has been hidden for his protection describes the incident in a rare video interview.
#መረጃ: ነሃሴ 16 ቀን የብልጽግና ፓርቲ አገዛዝ ኃይሎች በጎንደር ከተማ (በአማራ ክልል መዓከላዊ ጎንደር ዞን) በአንድ ማየት የተሳነው የህግ ተማሪ ላይ መራመድ እስከማይቻለው አካላዊ ጥቃት በማድረስ ከፍተኛ የአካል ጉዳት አድርሰዋል። ለጥንቃቄ ሲባል ማንነቱ የተደበቀው ተጎጂ በቪዲዮ ቃለ መጠይቅ ላይ ሁኔታውን ገልጿል።
Transcript of Interview:
Ok - on the afternoon of August 22 (Nehase 16) there were more than 8 members of the militias and riot dispursal forces.
They told me to come to them as they wanted to speak with me.
As I went with them speaking to them they began striking me with a blunt weapon and rubber one.
They struck me by my teeth, they dragged me like a dog along the streets saying "let Fano save you now."
They said "you are a spokesperson for Fano."
All relevant observers and the international community should condemn this Satanic ideology or this group.
I am asking that they act on this.
What kind of bodily injuries did they cause on you?
They struck me near my neck and my teeth and in the lower part of my body on my legs.
They caused me great pain all of my teeth are bleeding.
I also have a wound on my head.
My leg is also badly swollen.
And I haven't been able to move since Thursday (August 22nd).
I even need assistance to use the washroom.
I haven't been able to move at all.
It is evident that you are visually impaired so how could they leverage such an accusation against you?
I have been confused about this myself.
One of them asked me saying he was a Fano member.
- What did he ask you?
- He said he was a Fano member.
Then he asked me what I thought of the Fano resistance.
I said I think they are approaching on the Belessa side.
He said it was the [state] militias that were us causing problems.
I said you are right it the militias but what can they do without barley to eat.
Then he blamed the riot dispursal forces and I agreed as we talked.
Then after a while they begin taking turns striking me like I was a ball.
Did you break anything or sustain any other injuries on your leg?
I can't move for the time being so I am instructed to lie down.
I haven't been able to move around, moving is very difficult for me.
It won't let me move, it is very difficult for me to even stand.
And this is my current state.
Afterwards they left me on the asphalt near Debre Birhan Selassie.
They left me there so I would either be eaten by hyenas or run over by some motorized vehicle.
After a long period I was seen by people and taken away.
As it is known you are a university student but after they beat you where did you find yourself?
It was near Debre Birhan Selassie - on the road.
- At the time you didn't know where you were?
- Yes I didn't know at all where I was.
I didn't know where I was as they beat me and insulted me calling me a dead dog.
They grabbed me by my legs and dragged me on the asphalt as they insulted me.
They dragged me along over a distance of about 10 minutes.
But God is good and must have decided it was enough.
Commentaires