December 4, 2009

Press Release

No Blank Checks for African Despots at Copenhagen Climate Conference!

The Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, we hope, will help bring about decisions that are significantly important to the well being of our planet.  As we look forward to a positive outcome of the conference, we would like to take this opportunity to also note the importance of Human rights, good governance, and poverty reduction for a sustainable protection of our planet.

Recognizing the fact those who are most affected by ongoing damaging climate change are the people of developing nations, particularly those living in Africa; we urge the participants to take  extreme care in decision making  to help the continent from the catastrophic destabilization of global climate.

We believe the Conference in Copenhagen must recognize the roles and limitations of unelected and undemocratic representatives in making important decisions on behalf of the continent and in achieving our common goals of protecting the planet. We are particularly concerned because we have learned that Africa is to be represented by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia in Copenhagen. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s abysmal record in environmental protection, human rights and governance; and corruption of his regime are however summarily incompatible to the conference’s goals. Thus, he lacks the true mandate of the people of Africa to function as their representative.

Therefore, in order to help Africa and our common goals, we urge all participants:

-          to emphasize the crucial roles of a representative’s records in environmental protection ,social justice, good governance, human rights, and the rule of law that are important in shaping and averting Global crisis in climate change.

-          to precondition and ensure the appropriate use of any climate finance package that may be provided to nations with non representative leaders with bad track records on environment, human rights, good governance, and social justice.

Enclosed please find more detailed information on environmental degradations in Ethiopia and our objections to the selection of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia as Africa’s representative to the summit in Copenhagen.

This Press release is also endorsed by the following organizations:

Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE)

All Ethiopian People’s Organization (AEPO)

Ethiopian American Civic Advocacy (EACA)

Ethiopian Civic Consortium in UK:

Ethiopian Teachers Association Support Group (UK)
Ethiopian Human Rights Support Group (UK)
Ethiopian Journalists Support Group (UK)

Concerned Ethiopians (UK)

Ethiopian National Priorities Consultative Process (ENPCP):

Dejen Le Democracy,

Ethiopian forum for Peace, Democracy, and Development (EFPDD),

Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Associations (EFPJA)

Ethiopian National Congress (ENC)

International Ethiopian Women Organization (IEWO)

Network of Ethiopian Scholars (NES),

Solidarity committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners (SOCEPP-C)

Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE)

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP-D)

Ethiopian Women’s Human Rights Alliance

Gasha for Ethiopians Civic Association

Ginbot 7: Movement for Justice, Freedom and Democracy

International Network of Ethiopians for Justice and Democracy (INEJD

March 4 Freedom

The Oromo-American Citizens Council (OACC)

United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF)

Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) North America Support Groups

To read the document in PDF, Click Here.