Elections observers say expulsion broke promise AP, April 1, 2005

Elections observers say expulsion broke promise

AP, April 1, 2005

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WASHINGTON 2005 (AP) — Three U.S. democracy organizations whose representatives had been expelled from Ethiopia for having the wrong visas said they had received assurances that their personnel would receive full working credentials.

The expulsions of representatives of the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute and IFES, formerly the International Foundation of Election Systems, marked the first time in 20 years that a government had taken collective action against all three.

In a joint statement, the three said they regret the expulsions and hope the government in Addis Ababa lets their people back in.

Ethiopia , a poor country of 68 million in the Horn of Africa, has national elections scheduled May 15, only the third time its people will have participated in democratic voting. The previous elections, in 1995 and 2000, were won by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, a rebel movement that overthrew dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government expelled the U.S. representatives of the three organizations. The reason given was that they were in Ethiopia on tourist visas, not as representatives of nongovernmental organiza

tions.

“All three of our organizations have been making good-faith efforts to gain registration in accordance with established laws and procedures. We had been assured that our registration would be approved expeditiously,” the Washington-based groups said in Friday’s statement.

Their delegates were given no warning, it said.

“Representatives from the three organizations were asked to attend a meeting at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the statement said.

“At the meeting the director-general for Europe and America informed the representatives that all programming must cease and all foreign nationals working for the organizations must leave Ethiopia within 48 hours.”

The three were working in Ethiopia under contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development under a $1.69 million grant. Congress has devoted $10 million to promoting democracy in Ethiopia through training voters and election observers and promoting cooperation among political parties.

Meles’ government is considered friendly to the West and has made a major part of its program the reduction of poverty. The latest U.S. State Department survey of human rights conditions worldwide said, however, that while Ethiopia had made progress toward respecting basic rights in 2004, some freedoms were restricted and police continued to use excessive force.

In the statement, the three democracy organizations said their programs support no political parties in the coming elections.

“We are surprised by this move, particularly as it comes at a time when the government of Ethiopia has stated its intention to organize an open a democratic election process,” the statement said. “We continue to support the democratic aspirations of the Ethiopian people and hope that the government of Ethiopia will reverse its decision.”

Ethiopia orders U.S. workers’ expulsion

By Anthony Mitchell (AP), March 31, 2005

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Ethiopia ordered the expulsion of three Americans who were helping prepare the Horn of Africa country for elections in May, alleging Thursday that they entered the country illegally.

But the expulsions ordered Wednesday — the Americans are still in Ethiopia and have until Friday to leave — followed a critical U.S. report about human rights in the country.

The May 15 elections in this country of 25.6 million would be only the third democratic ballot in its history. All the elections have been won by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.

As a rebel movement, the now ruling party ousted dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991. The opposition said it fears the vote won’t be free and fair and has accused the party of using supporters to intimidate and attack opposition backers.

The Americans from the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute and IFES, which was formerly known as the International Foundation For Electoral Systems, were called to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday and told by Ethiopian authorities they had two days to leave, officials from two of the groups said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Solomon Abebe, said Thursday the workers had initially entered improperly on tourist visas, “without getting any authority or without making any agreement with the concerned bodies.”

Some of the workers, though, said they believed they were being expelled in retaliation for U.S. criticism of Ethiopia’s human rights record.

The most recent State Department update on human rights on every country said Ethiopia had made progress in respecting human rights in 2004, but stressed that police continued to use excessive force and freedom and freedom of the press was restricted.

The Washington-based groups were working under a $1.69 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development — part of a $10 million congressional package to promote democracy in Ethiopia through training voters, election observers and promoting cooperation between political parties.

Tesfaye Mengesha, deputy head of the National Election Board, said he did not believe the expulsions were permanent.

“As far as I am aware, they have not been asked to leave permanently. They can come back,” Mengesha said.

The U.S. Embassy said it hoped the problem would soon be resolved.