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Thousands of Ethiopians on May 16, 2006 called on the Bush administration in Washington, DC to see to the heinous crimes being committed by the tyrannical regime of Meles Zenawi. |
Your Excellencies,
I stand in front of you as a one-time official within the EPRDF-led government, now a member of the CUD central council that is accused, in absentia, of the trumped-up charges of treason and genocide. Here I am not only representing CUDP but also the millions of Ethiopians that are left without voice.
In my country all opposition and free press are banned. My experience tells me that EPRDF is not an organization that will allow independent social, civic and political groups if they are genuinely free and a threat to its hold on power. Hence we can not take the opposition and the press touted as free by EPRDF seriously. They are there only because EPRDF want them to be there. There purpose is to soften EPRDF’s tyrannical image and facilitate the flow of funds from donor countries.
The courts, the mass media, the army, the security, the police force and the parliament are subject to the will of a small clique of highly authoritarian and corrupt group of individuals led By Meles Zenawi. In light of this and in the absence of independent opposition and all democratic institutions, we in the CUDP are baffled by the talk of some of the donors group countries about political engagement and the need be involved in the democratic process.
In the absence of independent judiciary, we here about a free and fair trial to those who have become victims of Meles Zenawi tyrannical and arbitrary rule. The Victims include the entire leadership of the main opposition party CUDP, all members of the free press, heads of a number of civic organizations and thousands of innocent citizens whose only crime is to believe in democracy. Noticeably Meles has directed its terror against scholars, human right activists, distinguished academics, in short, against the most enlightened individuals of the nation.
Your Excellencies,
I want to use this opportunity to ask and challenge Europe?
Does Europe recognize an iota of its democratic values upheld by the men in power in Ethiopia?
Does Europe see the existence of any one of its democratic institutions that it deems essential for parliamentary democracy to function, in any form or shape in Ethiopia?
Does Europe actually believe that we Ethiopians share the same passion for the same quality of freedom and democracy that Europe is willing to sacrifice the life of it citizens in defending? Or, do the values of democracy and freedom become devalued as we go across racial groupings and continents?
Does Europe believe that man in Africa and especially in this case in Ethiopia is defined by freedom as man is defined in the same way in Europe?
Which one of the following do you believe? Was the participation of millions of Ethiopians in May 2005 election driven by hate politics as the government of Meles Zenawi tries to convince Europe and America using the most expensive lobbyist with money donated by your own taxpayers.
Or do you believe that the public that was initially reluctant to come out and vote was ultimately inspired by the leaders of CUD and other opposition leaders that were brave enough to challenge the government failed policies in poverty reduction, in health, education and food security? Do you actually know that all Ethiopians, except those in power, share the belief held by the incarcerated CUD leaders that our society’s chronic problems will be solved only through a democratic participation of its citizens not by the billions of dollars in aid given to incompetent and corrupt regimes?
What is wrong, if proud men and women of Ethiopia want to free themselves from aid dependency, to function with out patronage and coercion, in a situation where citizens’ rights are protected and the rule of law reigns supreme to bring lasting peace and development?
Do you believe your own envoys report that the May 2005 election was an event in the history of democracy? Did not Ethiopians desire for democracy and their belief in the right to determine their own destiny, as expressed through their patience and discipline on Election Day prove that it was not poverty or ignorance that is the enemy of freedom and democracy in Ethiopia but corrupt officials that are not prepared to submit to the expressed will of the many?
Your Excellencies,
The May 15 2005 election suffered a massive vote rigging. A state of emergency and human right abuse of the highest magnitude followed. The hope that May 2005 election brought to the people has been extinguished by the men in power.
Did not the opposition understand the need to deal with election related issues with care? Did not the opposition follow all legal routes to solve election related disputes, knowing well the election board and the judiciary was controlled by EPRDF men. Did not the opposition give priority to the entrenchment of the democratic process rather than rushing towards confrontation and power?
Did not the opposition, which knew well that the ruling party would have got no more than 60 seats from a total of 547, had it not committed massive electoral fraud attempted to negotiate in good faith to avert confrontation.
What was the last demand CUDP put on the table? Was it not requesting the government to agree to the creation of state and civic institutions that will insure that no vote stealing will be repeated in future elections? Was it not to allow the ruling party keep the vote it had stolen provided it agreed to work for the fulfillment of this request? Beside this, what further concession was expected from CUDP save consigning the Ethiopian People to perpetual slavery?
CUDP stood its ground on the issue of the creation of independent democratic institutions not because it chose to be intransigent but because it had no other alternative. In fact CUD took a political risk and displayed bold leadership when it expressed its willingness to trade the people’s stolen vote for a dream to see the birth of durable independent democratic institutions become a reality in Ethiopia.
The dilemma for CUD was that it knew that there will not be another democratic election in the manner that May 2005 was, unless the ground work is done now. The democratic opening of May 2005 was an accident. In the words of Meles Zenawi it was based on calculated risk that had severely back fired.
The result of the election had taught EPRDF an unforgettable lesson. The inescapable truth is that EPRDF/TPLF, a nominal multiethnic party, which in realty is a party of a minority ethnic group in Ethiopia, will never, be able to win parliamentary seats outside Tigrai. Even in Tigrai in the context of freely contested election there is no guarantee that it could maintain the seats it acquired in the last election. It has become the victim of ethnic politics of its own making. The results in multi ethnic cities and towns and in all ethnically divided regions of Ethiopia, except Tigray show that EPRDF has no political constituency. As a result the very ethnic politics of EPRDF and the continuance of this organization in power has become an antithesis to democracy. Hence EPRDF rejection of CUDP’s demand to the setting up of democratic institutions to safeguard the fairness of future elections. In short EPRDF does not have any confidence that it can win the peoples vote in a fair and freely contested election. Where does this leave freedom and democracy in Ethiopia.
The people know that what stood between their democratic aspiration and its realization is the tyrannical regime of Meles Zenawi. They can not understand why a regime that has murdered, committed horrendous human right abuses and massively rigged an election is pampered and cajoled by donor countries.
We see Europe and America showing outrage for the slightest of election irregularities in Europe and somewhere else. Even in place where the local population has not risen up in arms, we have seen, as in case of Belarus, ambassadors of the democratic nations marching with a very small number of demonstrators against vote rigging. Europe response to the election irregularity in Belarus was immediate.
Why the double standard when it comes to Ethiopia. Is the life, the right and liberty of an Ethiopian cheaper than a European? What will you do when the people of a nation have advanced political views than those who control political power? Will the people have to wait 100 years until the sons of current tyrants that are groomed to inherit power are ready to pass it to their unborn enlightened grand sons? Or will all free nations stand with the people of Ethiopia who are demanding their rights, without delay, with disarming democratic maturity.
The people of Ethiopia have demanded their rights. Once the march of freedom is in its way no one can stop it. The response of the state in Ethiopia has become indiscriminate killings and imprisonment of opponents. EU parliament had passed a resolution denouncing the acts of terrorism committed by the Ethiopian government against the people of Ethiopia. It had demanded an investigation to the killings. It had asked for the immediate release of all political prisoners.
Your Excellencies,
On the ground in Ethiopia the donor group ambassadors are working with the tyrannical government of Meles Zenawi in organizing pseudo opposition groups to give the one party political order a pluralist face. As if it will be a solution to the impasse they have contributed to create, they have aided and abated the cloning of a new CUD that will be subservient to EPRDF. The repeated attempts by donor group ambassadors to let the administration of Addis Ababa pass into the hands of shady characters, while the first ever democratically elected Mayor languishes in EPRDF jail, has just failed. You all know that CUDP won 137 of the 138 of the city council seats. Yet the city administration has just been passed to hand picked and unelected individuals that will serve EPRDF’s interests. Why the donor ambassadors are so desperate to give the air of normality to the politics of Ethiopia that is seriously sick.
Was this the spirit that the Dec 15 E.U resolution was passed? Why is that the EU parliament decision degenerated, in the hands of those on the ground in Ethiopia, into appeasing a tyrant rather than make him account for the crimes he committed against humanity.
Unless Europe realizes the need to implement it own decisions and put pressure on the government to comeback to the negotiating table, Ethiopia will be heading towards a disaster whose magnitude will be difficult to ponder. Those who are worried in antagonizing the tyrants of Ethiopia, by aligning themselves with the forces of democracy do not realize that this position will bring more chaos to Ethiopia and surrounding areas. Those whose rights have been suppressed are not willing to surrender them quietly. People are losing faith in the teaching of CUDPS peaceful struggle and are resorting to traditional forms of struggle. Armed resistance groups are mushrooming all over the country. Men and women are joining them in droves. The out come of cornering Meles Zenawi to do the right thing has predictable consequences. He will either do it or go Mugabe’s way. But the consequences of not backing the peaceful, just and fair struggle of the people of Ethiopia for freedom and democracy will have far reaching implications. What is needed now is not the weakening of resolve. It is morally right and is in the interest of Ethiopia and Europe that EU parliament moves to the implementation of its Dec 15 2005 resolution.
I thank you.
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