Five more years for EPRDF means total collapse of nation: Lidetu Ayalew
By Wondimu Mekonnen: July 19, 2004

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LONDON – Ethiopia is sagging beneath a plethora of monumental social and political problems, and another five more years to the regime that has dimmed Ethiopia’s hope for a better future means pushing the country toward total collapse, a leading opposition leader told Ethiopians in London Sunday.

Details from Wondimu Mekonnen in London:

“People are still starving while
the
regime’s chosen cadres are enriching themselves. Malaria is eradicating
a
significant proportion of the people throughout the country, but the
regime
is doing nothing to tackle it. With millions infected, AIDS is killing our people in hundreds
of
thousands, and the regime seems to love it as an
ally. The economic hardship has become too much of a burden.
Street
children roam the streets for food. Meles’s EPRDF is doing nothing
to
avert the scourge afflicting the young. The education policy seems to be designed to produce
a
generation of illiterates. Another five years of the regime

means total collapse of Ethiopia,” Lidetu told the gathering.

Ato Lidetu called all to do their best for the use of
existing opportunities to remove this regime, which is the national
disgrace. Ato Lidetu is of the opinion that all opposition parties
should
work hand in hand to save Ethiopia. Although he indicated some
procedural
problems the EUDF is facing currently, EUDP is determined to remain
part of
the Front and work harder to make the coalition work. Ato Lidetu spelt
out
the decisive role of EUDP in the current rally that brought out a
massive
protest gathering at Mesqel Square. He vowed to work to the end to make
the
coalition of 15 political parties that had been formed last August in
Maryland, USA. If there is any misunderstanding, Ato Lidetu expected to
sort
out in the coming General Assembly and march on against the regime in
power
hand in hand to remove it.

EUDP has planned to cover 75% of the electoral stations. It has drafted
its
electoral Manifesto and has been reaching out. Money is needed for that
to
cover all of these places. People should be taught how to use their
rights.
At least 1.5 million is needed to do the minimum job. That is where
the
Diaspora comes in.

Lidetu
said his party together with the rest would fight for fair and free
election and demands the replacement of the Electoral Board, freedom of
movement, access to the media, the presence of international
independent
observers and other issues, but it would not be a good idea to give up
early. He said the campaign period should be used up to show the shortfalls of the regime, and its damaging effects on the wellbeing of the country. If
the regime refuses to bow to popular demand of fair and free election,
then
on the last day people may boycott the election. That way, the regime
has no
ground to declare 99% victory. However, early departure mean, missing
the
opportunity to campaign and prepare the people for eventualities, like
in
Georgia or the Philippines, and missing the opportunity to show the
international community what kind of dictators are ruling Ethiopia.

Ato Kifle Tigneh of the EUDP on his part explained mainly why the proposed merger between EUDP and AEUP did not work out. There were no
differences in matters concerning Ethiopia and the EPRDF. In short, the difference was related to naming of the merger party, and how power could be shared between the two parties.

The public discussion was followed up by a fund-raising event designed to help EUDP cruise through the daunting task of beating the ruling regime in the 2005 national elections.