MELES ON DETAINEES AND WAY AHEAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002224

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR DAS DON YAMAMOTO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ET
SUBJECT: MELES ON DETAINEES AND WAY AHEAD

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES VICKI HUDDLESTON. REASON: 1.4(D)


1. (C) Summary. Charge met with Prime Minister Meles August
14 to discuss her visit with CUD detainees Dr. Yacob
Haile-Mariam, Biruk Kebede, Birtukan Mideksa and Muluneh
Eyoel. Pastor Daniel Gebresalasie and Charge spoke for two
hours with Yacob who said that he had drafted a letter that
he would give to us when the executive committee of the CUD
signed, specifically, mentioning Hailu Shawel and Berhanu
Nega. Yacob said that the point of the letter was to
reaffirm the CUD's rejection of violent action; its
acceptance of the constitution unconditionally; and its
readiness to cooperate with the EPRDF. In sum, he and others
were ready for dialogue and concerned about the problems
facing the country. Biruk, another key CUD member, reflected
Yacob's view. Birtukan and Muluneh were younger and
feistier. Charge also showed Meles the article on the web
that claimed that she had met with the prisoners and asked
for reconciliation. According to the piece the prisoners had
refused the government's offer because it was not
unconditional. End Summary.


2. (C) Meles acknowledged that Yacob and Biruk seemed to have
had a change in attitude. But they also should admit that
they were wrong. According to Meles if might be ok to be
outrageous if you cross the line - assuming that the courts
agree -- but you can't get off free if you don't admit your
mistake. Meles said that he is looking for the detainees to
say, "we were wrong, we regret it, and we will not do it
again." Charge explained that the judicial process had thus
far not convinced the embassy nor the international community
that the defendants were guilty. There was nothing in the
video portion, some possible evidence against one individual
in the audio portion, and unless there was evidence in the
900 pages of written testimony the prosecution had not made
its case. Meles countered that there is evidence in the 900
pages as well as in the video and the audio. Some of the
evidence he said was in English. For example, when Hailu
Shawel called for the change in institutions such as the
National Electoral Board, the courts, he was calling for the
overthrow of the constitution. I pointed out that it was not
clear that Hailu's words could be considered illegal. Meles
said that it was clear that he intended to use violence.


3. (C) Charge also suggested to Meles he consider Yacob's
formula of suspending the sentence if the defendants were
found guilty and returning them to jail if they violated the
law. Meles turned that down saying that the courts decide on
the sentence. He had never heard of a suspended sentence. I
then ask if he would review the conditions of the two
detainees in solitary confinement because according to
Muluneh it was completely dark in the solitary cell. Rather
like the conditions of the count of Monte Cristo suffered,
Charge said. Meles replied that the jails in Addis Ababa are
not like the Count's; but he would check. He implied that we
all believe too many stories from the detainees.


4. (C) Charge then asked Meles to meet with UEDF/OFDM leaders
Beyene Petros, Bulcha Demeksa, and Merera Gudina because
problems had arisen in the joint EPRDF/UEDF/OFDM visit to
Ambo. Meles said he would consider my request, but that he
was increasingly concerned that Merera was allowing the Oromo
Liberation Front (OLF) to use and expand the Oromo National
Congress (ONC) constituency. Charge said all the better
reason to meet with Merera and warn him of his concerns.
Meles said that he will meet with CUDP leaders Temesgen and
Ayele as well as with Lidetu Ayalew of the UEDP-Medhin.
Although he disagrees with their philosophy -- in fact his
political position is closer to Merera's -- they had now
proven that they were prepared to respect the rule of law.


5. (C) Comment: No more can be done on the detainee issue for
the moment. Hopefully in the fall, Pastor Daniel and Charge
will be able to continue our conversation with Yacob and
others. It was unfortunate that despite Charge's agreement
with Yacob, only a few days later a misconstrued version of
our meeting was on the internet. This demonstrates that some
of the CUD detained leaders are not interested in dialogue,
perhaps hoping that if they are found guilty the government
will be forced by domestic and/or international events to
pardon them. This is quite unlikely because Meles believes
that the worst that can happen is for the domestic public
perception to be that it doesn't matter what is done outside
the law. Meles feels strongly -- despite what seems to us as
lack of evidence -- that they are guilty. We are not aware
of whether Merera is fronting for the ONC, but if the
government becomes convinced that this is the case, there is
trouble ahead for him. End Comment.
HUDDLESTON