The European Union’s chief election observer Mr.Tijis Berman’s comments have confirmed other reports coming from Ethiopia that the national elections held on Sunday, May 23rd were neither fair nor free. During a press conference in Addis Ababa, Mr. Tijis Berman stated that last weekend’s poll was conducted on an “uneven playing field” that favored the party of the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Mr. Johnnie Carson, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs in the State Department told the House Foreign committee, “we note with some degree of remorse that the elections were not up to international standards…the government has taken clear and decisive steps that would ensure that it would garner an electoral victory.”
Dr. Merara Gudina, leader of Mederek, the largest opposition coalition, stated in an interview that the Ethiopian 2010 election “doesn’t look like an election even by African standards.” Dr. Negasso Gidada, another Mederek leader added, “…some of his party’s observers had been blocked and arrested in northern Ethiopia, and others had been intimidated.” Similar stories of massive intimidation and harassment of opposition candidates, activists and observers have been heard from most of the leaders of the opposition parties who took part in the elections, including Ato Hailu Shawel, the leader of AEUP, signatory and party to a code of conduct agreement with the ruling party few months ago.
A resident of Addis Ababa told Human Rights Watch “Intimidation to register and to vote for the ruling party is everywhere, if the local administration is against you; they’ll be after you forever. They can come and round you up at will.” Human Rights Watch also reported, “that during April and May, officials and militia (known as tataqi in Amharic) from the local administration went house to house telling citizens to register to vote and to vote for the ruling party or face reprisals from local party officials such as bureaucratic harassment or even losing their homes or jobs…” Human Rights Watch ended its report on the 2010 election by stating, “Ethiopia is an authoritarian state in which the government’s commitment to democracy exists only on paper, the question is not who won these elections, but how can donors justify business as usual with this increasingly repressive government?”
Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE) and Ethiopian American Civic Advocacy (EACA) reject the results of the 2010 elections in Ethiopia. The ruling regime EPRDF, by claiming to have a so -called “landslide” election victory with a margin of over 96%, has put itself in line with other dictators including Mengistu Haile Miriam and Idi Amin of Uganda who all boasted landslide wins of more than 90% votes. Several advocacy and human rights groups have previously expressed their profound concern about the lack of conditions necessary to conduct free and fair elections in Ethiopia. The ruling TPLF/EPRDF has once again failed Ethiopia, Africa and the international community.
With overwhelming evidences of election irregularities as indicated by European elections observers, AFE and EACA therefore, reject a process and outcome that fails far short of being free and fair by all accepted international standards, principles, and norms of holding free and democratic elections. Moreover, Birtukan Mideksa, the leader of UDJ and thousands of other political prisoners still languish in EPRDF’s jails.
AFE and EACE call on the international community to reject the results of the 2010 elections and boycott the charade to crown a brutal dictator for another five years. AFE and EACA call on all who believe in human rights, the rule of law and democracy to be reenergized and intensify the struggle for freedom by charting in unison a national platforum that is inclusive of all those striving for democracy, human rights and the rule of law to prevail in Ethiopia.
Advocacy for Ethiopia
PO Box 892, El Segundo, CA 90245-0892 USA
AdvocacyForEthiopia.org
Tel: 202-386-3037