Washington DC–Hundreds of Ethiopian-Americans gathered outside the US State Department yesterday to voice their anger and concern over the unjust incarceration of journalists, activists and opposition party leaders. The protesters condemned Meles Zenawi for terrorizing, oppressing and abusing innocent civilians with arrogance and impunity.

"Meles is a terrorist. Bereket is a terrorist. Not Eskinder, not Andualem, not Woubishet, not Reeyot…” chanted the protesters. "Meles is a dictator. Free all political prisoners in Ethiopia,” the crowd vented out their anger at what they called an evil terrorist regime.

Famed artiste and activist Tamagn Beyene said in a brief speech that Ethiopians of all stripes have to stand up in unison against the oppressive TPLF regime. He said people have to overcome their fear to mobilize and rise up to dismantle the Meles regime which has been terrorizing, killing, torturing and maiming innocent civilians for the last twenty years.

Tamagn also called on leaders of opposition parties to set aside their differences and unite under the holly cause of liberating Ethiopia from the grips of the TPLF. "If you do not heed to our appeals, the time has come to tell you to step aside,” he said referring to divided and bickering opposition leaders.

Ephrem Madebo, an activist and a top leader of Ginbot 7, also noted that Ethiopians are enduring untold suffering under the oppressive regime. He said that TPLF’s leadership has been deliberately dividing and antagonizing not only the present generation but also small kids who are witnessing the brutality and atrocities being committed against their loved ones. He urged Ethiopians to intensify their struggle against the Meles regime that has been trampling on Ethiopia’s heritages as well as the dignity and liberty of its people.

Ephrem noted that there is only a thin line between staying alive and dying as the Ethiopian people are dying alive with indignity. He said that Ethiopians have to get organized and mount an effective resistance against oppression and brutality they are suffering at the hands of Meles and his cronies.

One of the protesters, Teodros Mekib, said he joined the protest to condemn the "terrorist regime for jailing ordinary individuals, journalists and opposition party leaders.” He noted that the Obama administration should stop backing the Meles regime which has been terrorizing Ethiopians but accuse innocent and peaceful civilians of committing acts of terrorism.

He also echoed the sentiment of the crowd in calling for a united front against the oppressive and tyrannical rule of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Teodros accused TPLF of imposing a "racist” system where only people from one region have dominated the country while terrorizing, exploiting and abusing the people of Ethiopia. He mentioned the multibillion dollars business conglomerate, the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray, as an example of economic exploitation, domination and discriminatory nature of the regime. He said the time has come to say enough is enough to the brutal rule of Meles Zenawi as popular discontent has reached a climax. Teodros underlined that  the naked dominance and racism of the TPLF must end sooner rather than later.

In a letter addressed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the protesters demanded the Obama Administration stand with the people of Ethiopia.  "We are gathered here in front of the U.S. Department of State, in the wake of a wave of politically-targeted arrest of many Ethiopians, by the despotic regime of Meles Zenawi, under the guise of fighting terrorism.  We are here today to condemn the regime’s atrocities and to voice our extreme concerns to the U.S. Government and seek its allegiance to the people of Ethiopia during this trying time in our country’s history,” the letter said.

The protesters also noted that the narcissistic evil dictator Meles Zenawi is only obsession with power and the longevity of his misrule rather promoting and protecting the national interests of Ethiopia.

"We believe that the antidote for the complex problems that our country faces currently is "a government of the people, by the people, and for the people” of Ethiopia.  The Ethiopian people deserve democracy, freedom, justice, and equality.  Inspired by the Arab Spring, the Ethiopian people will undoubtedly rise up against the dictatorial regime of Meles Zenawi any time soon,” the protesters told Clinton in their letter and urged the US government to support the struggle of the Ethiopian people to be masters of their own destiny.

Attended by over 300 people mainly from Washington DC and the surrounding areas, the protest rally dispersed on time without any incident.