Mesfin Woldemariam

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Professor Mesfin Woldemariam (also spelled Mesfin Wolde Mariam; born 1930) is an Ethiopian peace activist who was active during the Meles Zenawi era. He is a founding member of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRC), and later founded the Rainbow Ethiopia: Movement for Democracy and Social Justice.

Born in Addis Ababa, Mesfin received his earliest education at Tafari Mekonnen High School, and was a student of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, receiving ordination as a deacon in 1946. He completed his further education in London in 1951, and won a scholarship to study abroad. He received his B.A. from Punjab University, Chandigarh in 1955 and his M.S. from Clark University in the United States in 1957.

Mesfin was professor of geography at Haile Sellassie University (now Addis Ababa University or AAU), and for a time the head of the geography department. He was also a senior Fullbright scholar in 1971, 1986 and 1987. However according to Africa Action, he was fired in 1991 from AAU.

Responding to a student petition, on 8 April 2001 Professor Mesfin and Dr. Berhanu Nega held a day-long panel discussion at the hall of the National Lottery on academic freedom. They were arrested on the allegations that this panel incited a student protest at AAU the next day, but released on bail 5 June and neither were ever tried.[1]

In December 2005, the government of Ethiopia detained Mesfin on charges of treason, genocide, and outrage against the constitution, along with other leading members of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy.

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