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Ethiopian opposition reports mass detention of its supporters

By Jason McLure | Bloomberg.com

Ethiopia’s government ruling junta has detained about 1,000 opposition activists in the country’s Oromia region since May 22, the day before national elections, a leader of the Medrek opposition alliance said.

While most of those held have been released, supporter intimidation hasn’t stopped, Merara Gudina, a leader of the ethnic Oromo wing of Medrek, said in a phone interview today.

“Beatings have continued, people are still being arrested and receiving instant sentences of five or six months,” said Merara. “Including the eve of election day, about 1,000 of our party poll watchers have been detained.”

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front and its allies won 545 of 547 parliamentary seats in the May 23 poll, according to provisional results posted to the website of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia. A European Union observer mission declared the campaign failed to meet certain “international commitments.”

Ethiopia’s government denied the opposition claims. “This is an outrageous allegation,” said Shimeles Kemal, a government spokesman, in a phone interview today. “The government doesn’twish to pursue the perpetrators of any infringements or irregularities.”

Medrek filed a complaint with the country’s electoral board yesterday, calling for the elections to be re-run. Both Medrek and the smaller All Ethiopia Unity Party have accused the ruling party of a widespread campaign of rigging and voter intimidation, including withholding food aid from opposition supporters.

Negasso Gidada, a leader of Medrek, says that four people were arrested in western Ethiopia in the days following the election after they reported finding ballots marked for Medrek stuffed in a latrine. He also said a Medrek activist had been “disappeared” near the eastern city of Harar. “The relatives don’t know where he is, whether he lives or not,” Negasso said in a phone interview from Addis Ababa. Shimeles said he was unaware of the incidents and would look into the allegations.

2 thoughts on “Ethiopian opposition reports mass detention of its supporters

  1. Continues…

    The numbers of killed and injured is tripling each day, post this fake election, in which Meles won by 100%. Here are specifically documented killings,

    On 5/30/2010, In Oromia zone, a young lady’s body was found in the river in Ambo town. She was active member of MEDRAK party, we with held her name.

    On 5/29/2010, post such celeberated election, young man body was discovered by locals hunging of a tree. This man has been imprisoned numerous times, accused of sympathising with the opposition party.

    On, 5/28/2010, 2 individuals were killed by Meles Zenawi’s security personnels, in Ginchi, Oromia Zone. Over 10 were injured heavily.

    On 5/28/2010 again, in Gindeberet Shewa,4 Medrk members were shot and killed. Among them
    were Tesfaye Wolde, Eshetu Gurmessa were killed.
    On same date many individuals were disappeared without traces.

    Throughout Ethiopia, currently thousands of opposition supporters are being disppeared and many are being killed, brutalized.

    Is this how the incombent regime, who alleges winning the fake election 100% celeberates?

    Fishy and more fishier, winnings!

  2. To Elias Kifle,

    Woyanes full fledged war against the people who voted for MEDRAK is in its second week. People are being butchered right and left. Please listen to Oromia radio broadcasts of 5/30/ 2010 and 6/02/2010. mass killings, Ambo, Sodo, Gudar, all over Shewa, Jima, Jijiga, Dedar, are few of.

    This is crazy, the Meles Zenawi vs voter population has started facing each other. Meles was not elected, boxes were stollen according witnesses. Please, report from OLF radio, with names, crimes, places being reported. War on the people are going on, if we do not report this what is the value of ER?
    DO NOT DELEATE MY POST.

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