Now living in Haarlem, Holland; political refugee Mesfin Aman (31) continues his fight against the rulers of his motherland Ethiopia. He writes critical opinion pieces, makes pirate radio and raises funds from the Ethiopian diaspora. An interview BY RNW's Africa desk.

In 2006, The Dutch government granted Mesfin political asylum. Mesfin, a political scientist and economist, fled from Ethiopia in 2005. In the aftermath of the disputed elections of that same year, security forces killed almost 200 people. Thousands more were imprisoned.
 
As a student Mesfin was involved in the founding of Ginbot 7, a political movement named after the day the elections derailed. The cost of this involvement: his freedom. Mesfin was harassed, arrested and tortured.
 
Late last year, Mesfin learned the verdict the Ethiopian court pronounced against him: capital punishment for involvement in a coup attempt.
 
Now, Ethiopia prepares for new elections, scheduled for May 23. Prime minister Meles Zenawi has been ruling the East African country since ousting the former military regime in 1991. His government holds the Ethiopian civil society in a firm grasp.
 
Mesfin has lost all hope he had left for democratic change: "This government can only be expelled with weapons."
 
Those are quite radical thoughts...
"It's not very civilized, I know. But there's no alternative. We tried the peaceful way, which didn't work. If you ask me those days are over now. I believe this government has to be expelled immediately, by any means. Even if doing so involves violence."
 
You were a politically active student. What happened after the 2005 election?
"I lost everything that year. I got kicked out of university and lost my job at the United Nations. I ended up in jail and got beaten badly. Fortunately, my university teachers got me released."
 
And that's when you fled?
"No. I stayed, actually. But I got busted again when drinking coffee with a friend in a local bar. A man came into the bar and told me to come outside for a chat. I refused, but had no choice. Outside a group of men were waiting for me. I tried escaping but they grabbed me, beat me, and dragged me into their car. My glasses got broken in half. They took me to a remote building, which certainly wasn't a police office."
 
What happened there?
"I was interrogated. At one point the officer grabbed my hand and asked if I wrote critically about the government. I confirmed. That's when he grabbed an awl and jabbed it through my hand. Blood spurted everywhere. In the beatings that followed I was knocked unconscious"
 
Did you end up back in jail?
"No. That night I woke up in the woods outside of Addis Ababa. I guess they wanted to get rid of me this way. There are many hyenas out there, you see. I managed to get up and reach a house. The people there took care of me. They took me to a hospital where I was treated for my injured kidneys. The beatings shattered them."
 
When did you decide to run?
"In the hospital, I listened to the radio and watched television. I knew the situation was getting worse. The authorities arrested many of their opponents, such as journalists and opposition leaders. I thought: I have got to get out of here. I managed to reach northern Kenya by foot and riding on top of trucks. There, the United Nations picked me up and took me to Nairobi. Eventually, the Dutch government was willing to grant me asylum."
 
From that moment on you were safe. What about your family?
"I'm worried sick about them. They're in hiding. I know that they are at risk: the father of one of my fellow party members - who lives in exile in Britain - recently got arrested. Fortunately, my father lives in Washington. But my brother lives in Ethiopia. He's in constant fear. The worst thing is: my family is not politically active at all. I am the one who's responsible."