Meles Zenawi accuses donors of “breach of trust”

By C. Bryson Hull

February 2, 2006

ADDIS ABABA, Feb 1 (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s prime minister on Wednesday accused donors of “a breach of trust” for stopping direct budget aid over a crackdown on opposition supporters, saying his government had held up its end of the bargain.

Meles Zenawi told Reuters Ethiopia’s arrest and trial of opposition leaders on treason and genocide was strictly following principles of law and democracy which his nation was trying to nurture.

Britain said last month it would not give 50 million pounds of direct budget support, instead directing the money to humanitarian aid, because of the trial of 130 opposition leaders it viewed as a “breach of trust”.

Other Western donors have taken similar measures over the violent fallout from Ethiopia’s disputed May 2005 election.

“I agree that there has been a breach of trust but I don’t believe that breach of trust was committed by Ethiopia. It was the reverse,” Meles said in an interview.

Budget support to Ethiopia was conditioned on a number of terms the country had to meet in 2004 and 2005, he said, referring to economic and other criteria.

“We’ve taken those steps and the donors have agreed in good time that we did take those steps … but as far as the current budget is concerned there was a breach of trust and that, in my view, was committed by our development partners,” Meles said.

The trial and a violent crackdown on opposition supporters which killed at least 80 during street protests has damaged Meles’ image as a new kind of African democratic leader.

Announcing the aid withdrawal last month, UK International Development Minister Hilary Benn said London was “seriously concerned” about governance, the opposition prosecution and human rights. Prime Minister Tony Blair had enlisted Meles on his Africa Commission as an example of good governance.

‘BASIS OF DEMOCRACY’

Meles said the opposition’s promises during the election campaign that it would call for a Ukraine-style “people power” revolution was enough reason to arrest and charge them for conspiracy to take power unconstitutionally.

“We didn’t do that. Indeed we opened the floodgates for a peaceful contest,” Meles said.

He said the government had engaged the opposition in dialogue to resolve any differences peacefully.

“That is what we have done for a year, and we failed. Once it fails, then those that have violated the law have to be taken to a court of law.

“That’s the rule of law, and that is the basis of democracy in any country including the U.K. That is why I feel our partners have been engaged in a breach of trust,” he said.

The trial followed two outbreaks of political violence in June and November in the capital Addis Ababa after opposition supporters took to the streets to protest over election results they said were rigged by the government.

The opposition defendants deny any wrongdoing.

Meles’ ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) won last year’s poll to ensure the former guerrilla leader another five-year term at the helm of Africa’s top coffee grower, but the opposition made strong gains.