Hailu Shawul
Encyclopedia
Hailu Shawul (Amharic: ሃእሉ ሻዉል; born 1936) is an Ethiopia
n engineer and the chairman of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy
(CUD). He was born in Northern Shewa
.
Hailu Shawul was the chairman of Kinijit and succeeded Professor Asrat Woldeyes
as the head of the All-Amhara People's Organization
(AAPO). However some sources dispute his presidency and show that the AAPO's split into two factions - the All Ethiopian Unity Party
(AEUP) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Party-Medhin
- was due to Hailu Shawel not gaining the presidency and thus creating his own party. Many believe that the division was tactically mediated by the EPRDF government interference. He contributed to the transformation of the AAPO into the multi-ethnic AEUP, which was one of several that united October 2004 in the CUD, with the goal of fielding candidates in the May 15, 2005 general elections
.
As a result of the protests that followed the general elections, the government placed Hailu Shawul under house arrest for a period. When the CUD held an initially peaceful protest the highly armed government security forces augmented the situation by using excessive forces which turned it violent, leading to the deaths of more than 200 peaceful demonstrators in the capital alone and unknown number in countryside in October 2005. The government claimed death of four police officers. Hailu Shawel and 23 other CUD leaders were arrested and imprisoned on charges of treason and genocide
. Still imprisoned in December, Hailu Shawul joined with other CUD prisoners on a hunger strike
, which has aggravated his diabetes and threatens his vision. As a result of the hunger strike, Hailu Shawul has lost much of his sight, and gained access to medical care only after being visited by foreign diplomats. On December 2007 the Ethiopian Federal Supreme Court pardoned all twenty-four of the CUD members after they pled guilty and made public apologies; his fellow CUD member, Birtukan Mideksa
, who was imprisoned and pardoned with him, claims that their pleas and apologies were coerced.
After being freed from prison, Hailu Shawul traveled to America in January 2008 to get medical care for his diabetes.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n engineer and the chairman of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy
Coalition for Unity and Democracy
The Coalition for Unity and Democracy is a coalition of four existing political parties of Ethiopia which combined to compete for seats in the Ethiopian General Elections held on May 15, 2005. Its leader is Dr...
(CUD). He was born in Northern Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
.
Hailu Shawul was the chairman of Kinijit and succeeded Professor Asrat Woldeyes
Asrat Woldeyes
Asrat Woldeyes was an Ethiopian surgeon, a Professor of Medicine at Addis Ababa University, and the founder and leader of the All-Amhara People's Organization , as well as a political figure who was jailed by the Derg and later by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front .Professor...
as the head of the All-Amhara People's Organization
All-Amhara People's Organization
The All-Amhara People's Organization is an ethnic based political party in Ethiopia, whose leader was the late Asrat Woldeyes.At the last legislative elections, 15 May 2005, the party was part of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, that won 52 out of 527 seats in the Council of People's...
(AAPO). However some sources dispute his presidency and show that the AAPO's split into two factions - the All Ethiopian Unity Party
All Ethiopian Unity Party
The All Ethiopian Unity Party is a political party in Ethiopia.At the last legislative elections on 15 May 2005, the party was part of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy that won 109 out of 527 seats....
(AEUP) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Party-Medhin
United Ethiopian Democratic Party-Medhin Party
The Ethiopian Democratic Party is a political party in Ethiopia.At the last legislative elections, 15 May 2005, the party was part of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy , that won 109 out of 527 seats in the Council of People's Representatives. However, in October 2005 the party central...
- was due to Hailu Shawel not gaining the presidency and thus creating his own party. Many believe that the division was tactically mediated by the EPRDF government interference. He contributed to the transformation of the AAPO into the multi-ethnic AEUP, which was one of several that united October 2004 in the CUD, with the goal of fielding candidates in the May 15, 2005 general elections
Ethiopian general elections, 2005
Ethiopia held general elections on May 15, 2005, for seats in both its national and in four regional government councils. Under pressure from the international community, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi promised that this election would be proof that more democracy would come in this multi-ethnic...
.
As a result of the protests that followed the general elections, the government placed Hailu Shawul under house arrest for a period. When the CUD held an initially peaceful protest the highly armed government security forces augmented the situation by using excessive forces which turned it violent, leading to the deaths of more than 200 peaceful demonstrators in the capital alone and unknown number in countryside in October 2005. The government claimed death of four police officers. Hailu Shawel and 23 other CUD leaders were arrested and imprisoned on charges of treason and genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
. Still imprisoned in December, Hailu Shawul joined with other CUD prisoners on a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
, which has aggravated his diabetes and threatens his vision. As a result of the hunger strike, Hailu Shawul has lost much of his sight, and gained access to medical care only after being visited by foreign diplomats. On December 2007 the Ethiopian Federal Supreme Court pardoned all twenty-four of the CUD members after they pled guilty and made public apologies; his fellow CUD member, Birtukan Mideksa
Birtukan Mideksa
Birtukan Mideksa is an Ethiopian politician and former judge. She is the leader of the opposition Unity for Democracy and Justice party. The English equivalent of Birtukan is "orange."-Early life:...
, who was imprisoned and pardoned with him, claims that their pleas and apologies were coerced.
After being freed from prison, Hailu Shawul traveled to America in January 2008 to get medical care for his diabetes.
External links
- Interview with Hailu Shawul
- BBC:Ethiopia opposition treason move
- http://www.dekialula.com/articles/a_tesfu_august_15_2005.html