VZCZCXRO6180
RR RUEHPT
DE RUEHBN #0035/01 0610513
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020513Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL MELBOURNE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4899
INFO RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3554
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0001
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0026
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0008
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0001
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0001
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0001
RUEHMZ/AMCONSUL MUNICH 0001
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 2068
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1541

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MELBOURNE 000035 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/TIA/ITA; DS/IP/EAP; AF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ET AS
SUBJECT: Ethiopians Rally at Consulate Seeking Release of "Political 
Prisoners" 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Approximately 55 Ethiopian nationals rallied in front of 
the U.S. Consulate General in Melbourne protesting against the 
"despotic" regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawai and calling for 
the release of "political prisoners."  The rally was peaceful and 
organized by "Australian Ethiopians for the Support of Democracy in 
Ethiopia."  The group presented a letter to the President (excerpted 
below) asking that the U.S. halt all forms of direct assistance to 
the Zenawai regime.  End Summary. 
 
Peaceful Protest 
---------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Approximately 55 mainly Ethiopian nationals rallied 
peacefully in front of the U.S. Consulate General in Melbourne on 
March 2.  Media did not cover the event and police made no arrests. 
The "Australian Ethiopians for the Support of Democracy in Ethiopia" 
group organized the event and stated that the rally was intended to 
build support for the release of "political prisoners" in Ethiopia 
and to influence U.S. policy vis-a-vis the Zenawai government in 
Ethiopia. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Protesters chanted: "stop the murder" and "what do we want 
- justice!"  Banners demanded the release of Tewodros Kassahun 
(Teddy Afro), Birtukan Mideska, and Abera Yemaneab.  One banner read 
"Obama!! We hope you stand with Ethiopian people."  The Melbourne 
rally was the Australian iteration of similar protests planned in 
Washington, D.C., and at the U.S. missions in London, Berne, Oslo, 
Munich, Rome, and Stockholm on March 2. 
 
Excerpts of a Letter to the President 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Pol/econ off accepted a letter dated March 2, 2009 
addressed to the President, several excerpts of which have been 
provided below.  A full copy of the letter has been sent to the 
EAP/ANP desk at State. 
 
Begin excerpts: 
 
-- "We Australian-Ethiopians call for your new administration to 
apply direct and indirect pressure on the despotic Ethiopian regime 
of Prime Minister Meles Zenawai in order to force change from the 
distractive course it has locked the Ethiopian people and itself 
into." 
 
-- "We especially plead with the US for it to halt all forms of 
direct assistance to the regime and limit itself only to 
humanitarian aid delivered through non-governmental channels." 
 
-- "Such an act by the United States, which will be supported by a 
number of other democratic nations, some of whom have similar 
measures already in place, will greatly help in bringing about an 
end to the nightmarish existence the Ethiopian people have been 
subjected to by this brutal regime for so long." 
 
-- The letter lists "flagrant human rights abuses past and present 
perpetuated by the Meles Zenawai regime" such as "systematically 
harassing and abusing members of opposition parties, journalists, 
human rights advocates, members and leaders of civil societies" as 
well as "continued extrajudicial killing, abduction, imprisonment 
and torture of opponents of the regime." 
 
-- "Incomprehensively, however, all the appalling records of the 
Meles Zenawai regime and his criminal gang were not a deterrent to 
the previous US administration of George Bush who still recruited it 
for its indirect intervention in Somalia.  The intervention was to 
stop that country from becoming a hotbed of terrorism and other such 
criminalities by restoring law and order and encouraging 
moderations." 
 
End excerpts. 
 
Comment 
 
MELBOURNE 00000035  002 OF 002 
 
 
------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) This is the first demonstration held at the U.S. Consulate 
in Melbourne since the President's inauguration.  Organizers of the 
rally told pol/econ off that they see this as a "time of change" and 
an opportunity to influence U.S. policy.  The participants were 
polite and said that they were "very grateful" for the chance to 
express their views to the new administration. 
 
THURSTON