Hiiraan Online

HIIRAAN ONLINE
EDITORIAL
Monday, June 09, 2008

Bashir Makhtal

Mr. Bashir’s nightmare began on December 31, 2006, after he fled from Somalia and arrived at the Somalia-Kenyan border. Ethiopia invaded Somalia on December 25, 2006. Instead of assisting this distressed Canadian citizen, Kenyan authorities arrested Bashir and secretly rendered him to Ethiopia. Since then, Mr.Bashir Makhtal disappeared into the darkness of Ethiopian dungeons. For 16 months, neither the officials of the Canadian embassy in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, nor Bashir Makhtal’s family or able lawyer Mr. Lorne Waldman  had heard from him.

It was the Canadian media, particularly Toronto Star and CBC, and not the Harper government, who questioned Ethiopia’s inhumane 16 months-long detention of Mr. Makhtal. The media also provided the needed platform for those who challenged the rendition and detention of Mr. Makhtal. The case however took an ominous turn when The Current (CBC Radio program) broadcasted a three-part documentary titled Into the Darkness, chronicling the plight of Bashir Makhtal. Canadian officials particularly the Foreign Ministry official in charge of Mr. Makhtal’s file, repeatedly avoided to speak with the producer of the Documentary Mr. John Chipman.

 After the CBC reporter relentlessly pursued them, some Canadian officials reluctantly answered some basic questions about the whereabouts and the wellbeing of Bashir Makhtal. The few and far apart comments of the Canadian officials were, “the Ethiopian assured us that Mr. Makhtal is fine” These officials however, were not able to secure, for more than a year and half, a simple consular visit. Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations gives Canada the right to see its detained citizens.      

On Friday, The Current producer, Mr. John Chipman reported that a diplomat with the Ethiopian embassy in Ottawa informed him that Mr. Makhtal was charged with “terrorism” activities and could be executed. Ethiopia is not a model country in human rights issues, due process and the rights of those in its custody.

Commenting on the state of Ethiopian human rights record, the US Department of State reports, in Ethiopia there are “limitation on citizens' right to change their government during the most recent elections; unlawful killings, and beating, abuse, and mistreatment of detainees and opposition supporters by security forces… arbitrary arrest and detention …detention of thousands without charge and lengthy pretrial detention …. use of excessive force by security services in an internal conflict and counter- insurgency operations; restrictions on freedom of the press; arrest… limitations on freedom of association; … government interference in union activities, including killing and harassment of union leaders.”

The disregard of the fundamental rights of Canadian citizens as well as outright duplicity of some Canadian officials facilitated and prolonged the torture and suffering of Maher Arar in Syrian torture chambers. The Harper government’s spinelessness in the face of the blatant Ethiopian abuse of the rights Mr. Makhtal has the déjà vu feeling of the Maher Arar case.

Mr. Bashir Makhtal is a victim of en extraordinary rendition. He was denied consular access as well as legal representation. His family has not heard from him for16 months. The Conservative Government failed to assist this imprisoned citizen. It also failed to stand up to the Ethiopians. The Conservatives were, however, able to dole out over hundred million dollars to the Addis regime.

In light of the new development where the Ethiopians are now reporting that they have been conducting a secret trial, and that they could kill Mr. Makhtal anytime, the opposition parties seem to be Bashir Makhtal’s only remaining hope.

The leaders of the opposition parties, namely Mr. Gilles Duceppe, Mr. Stéphane Dion, Mr. Jack Layton and Mr. Michael Ignatieff – a human rights scholar -should uphold the law and stand up for the rights of Mr. Makhtal, that is: if being a Canadian citizen really means being a Canadian citizen.