ETHIOPIA: WAR CRIMES TRIAL

(14 Dec 1994) English/Nat

In the biggest war-crimes trial in Africa's history, 46 government officials of Ethiopia's former Mengistu regime have appeared in court, accused of genocide and crimes against humanity.

They face charges arising from the massacre of supporters of the late Emperor Haile Selassie in the mid 1970's.

High security surrounded the makeshift courtroom in Addis Ababa as hundreds queued to witness Ethiopia begin to cleanse itself of a recent history of bloodshed, known as the Red Terror.

Manacled at the wrist, Ethiopia's former Prime Minister and 45 of his colleagues who ruled the country with an iron fist for 17 years were brought to court to face justice.

They face charges relating to the murder of more than 1800 victims.

Dozens battled to get into the heavily-secured compound while about 100 victims and defendants' family members entered with special passes.

The three judges spent more than an hour taking a roll call of the defendants who have been in custody for three years.

At least 22 are believed to be in exile and three have sought sanctuary in the Italian Embassy in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Accused number one, former dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam was not in court today. He has refugee status in Zimbabwe and lives there in luxury.

He and others who have fled Ethiopia will be tried 'in absentia'.

Mengistu faces the death sentence if found guilty for ordering the executions of his predecessor, Emperor Haile Selassie and his 60 cabinet ministers.

Almost the entire public gallery was filled by relatives of the estimated 150,000 victims of Mengistu's regime. It will be their harrowing testimony over the coming months which will influence the eventual outcome of the trial.

The Ethiopian Transitional Government is insisting on a fair trial. Lawyers have been hired for most of the defendants and foreign attorneys have been drafted in to help set up the country's first public defender's office.

The trial will provide the victims and their families with some relief and a sense that justice may be done.

SOUNDBITE: "I feel very happy. This is what we dreamed for a long time. Because these butchers, these criminals should have to come to court democratically and on a free and fair court. Because it is not for the sake of the living but it should have to be a lesson for the next generation, for the coming generations. Therefore I feel very
happy really."


SUPER CAPTION: Astateke Chaka, Chairman Anti-Red Terror Committee

But the victims hope this test case will be more than just a moral victory.

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