(borkena) Few days after UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a statement demanding clarification on the whereabouts of British National of Ethiopian origin,Andargachew Tsige, who was abducted in Yemen on June 23 2014 and almost immediately after the arrival of UK delegation in Ethiopia, Ethiopian prime minister reportedly confirmed that the abducted Andargachew Tsige is detained in Ethiopia.
According to Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT), Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn is said to have confirmed the detention of Andargachew to Justin Greening, UK Secretary of State for International Development, who was visiting Ethiopia – apparently to find out about the abduction.
Citing unnamed sources, to protect informants, ESAT added that Andargachew Tsige is already subjected to brutal torture.
Andargachew Tsige authored acclaimed book in Amharic entitled “Netsaneten Yemayawuk netsawauchi” literally meaning “A freedom fighter clueless about freedom.” He published the book soon after the ruling TPLF party massacred hundreds of civilians in Addis Ababa following the 2005 election.
Before exiled ,in 20015, to save his life and help find ways to influence democratic changes in Ethiopia,now a country with a reputation for gross human rights violations, Andargachew Tisge was severely tortured so much so that he nearly lost his eye sight.
When Andargachew managed to escape from Ethiopia, the regime -which is now under the ceremonial leadership of Hailemariam Desalege but under a very tight grip of Tigray people’s liberation Front- arrested and tortured his eighty years old father.
All that left Andargachew embittered and determined to fight the brutal regime. Yet, in what looks like a conspiracy project, he was illegally abducted by Yemen securities at Sanna’s in the premises of international Airport during his transit to Asmara.
There are unconfirmed reports that Yemen securities earned millions of dollars out of the abduction. Not much is known as to how and when Andargachew is handed over to the regime in Ethiopia where he is already being tortured.
It remains to be seen if UK government would inform the public details of very inhuman scandals on the part of Yemen authorities, and more importantly if the UK government ,apparently confidant and major donor of the regime in Addis Ababa , would be able to stop the torture.