The election that took place in Ethiopia on Sunday, May 23, 2010 could be characterized as an election for naught. In any Communist-styled system, elections are a dress rehearsal for the party boss. Ethiopia is no exception.
In many Communist countries such as China, North Korea, Cuba, and a number of African countries from Sudan, Egypt, Libya and others, any intelligent person inside the country and outside the country knows who is going to be in power not only a day before, but also a day after election, and indefinitely.
Unfortunately, in Ethiopian case, the African Union (AU), and the European Union under the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown unwittingly became a cheerleader for the Ethiopian dictator by sending observers.
To his credit, President Jimmy Carter stayed out, as well as the U.S. government after a humiliating experience five years ago, when its election observers were unceremoniously kicked out, and some of its journalists were charged for treason for exercised their craft. To add insult to injury, the self-styled prime minister or dictator characterized the U.S. government as a country that promotes Rwandan type genocide in Ethiopia for providing access to Ethiopian opposition through its Voice America Radio program. Currently, Voice of America and other independent voices including Internet access from opposition website are blocked.
This year, the democratic space for freedom of expression, movement, assembly for Ethiopian opposition and civil society has been summarily decapitated using anti-terrorist laws and other mechanism in a rubber stamped parliament dominated by the ruling party, like any other Communist run state.
Ethiopians throughout their existence have not known democratic election and know who is going to be their boss before the election and after an election. It is the party that controls the resources and the armed forces. In Ethiopia, the ruling party controls the armed forces, television, telecommunication, the Internet and major industries through its affiliate. This style of leadership has become a roadblock to economic development and any possibility to avert perennial famine that has characterized Ethiopia for a long time.
Worse than a Communist state, where the dictators devise a strategy pitting the have and have-nots, in Ethiopia, Prime Minister Meles has taken it a notch higher by another Machiavellian tool, tribalism adopted from European colonial masters and the Afrikaners from South Africa. In Ethiopia, tribes are forcefully segregated and are given a semblance of autonomy just to keep them at each others throat and at bay, thus resulting untold tribal genocide unprecedented in Ethiopia’s long history.
Five years ago Ana Gomes, then head of the European delegation described 2005 election rigged and stolen. Five years later, thanks to Gordon Brown, EU and AU, they will try to make an election for naught more palatable to the world, if not to the Ethiopian people.
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Abdu, is a freelance writer, business and real estate consultant and free market proponent for Africa’s development. Currently, he is an adjunct professor of economics at HCCs in Houston.
