The opportunity to empower the Ethiopian people in choosing the leadership of their choice is at hand. This article is specifically written to remind and stress to the authorities of National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) the major responsibility and key role they have at this historical juncture in making sure that free and fair election are held this May in Ethiopia. These Officials should also understand and realize that nothing less is acceptable and that their commitment should be for the sovereignty of the people of Ethiopia and not to any political party. If the NEBE Officials do not have the backbone to carry this burden they should submit their resignation ahead of this critical time before the damage gets worse. From what is reported so far disturbing scenarios had already taken place that seriously undermined the election and some of the accusations have already been admitted by these Officials. Among the election irregularities that NEBE accepted include the tragic death of AEUP party members in Gojjam, the registration of several children under the age of ten as legitimate voters as well as the issue of multiple voter registration and mass disruption harassments in the countryside.

The following issues are equally disturbing; we strongly believe that they need immediate attention from NEBE:

The recent expulsion of three American democracy-building groups in 48 hours from Ethiopia who were there to educate the public in building Democracy as well as providing support for of the upcoming election. It is reported by BBC and other media outlets that the groups had been working closely with the Ethiopian National Elections Board. It is also believed that the decision to expel these groups was retaliation to the recent US criticism of Ethiopia’s Human Rights record by the US State Department report released in February 2005.

Furthermore, It has been learned that Mr. Pausewang who is one of EU election observer quit after Ethiopian government accused him of bias. He was part of a 159-strong EU mission and one of the largest ever fielded by the EU that arrived in the country on March 19. He had monitored three previous elections in Ethiopia and is the current country expert by the EU. Mr. Pausewang, had also written several books on democracy in Ethiopia in addition to lecturing at the University in Addis Ababa. According to news sources he was accused by Mr. Kemal Bedri, Chairman of Ethiopia’s National Election Board, stating his concerns that Pausewang arrived with “preconceived ideas” about Ethiopia.

What NEBE should do: Is appeal and demand the appropriate authorities of the regime in issuing them accreditation and to allow them to continue the effort of their noble cause immediately and unconditionally. NEBE officials should also recognize that these American groups have been providing NEBE support until the day they were given the notice to leave, and had tried to apply for legal status.
NEBE board should not rush to accuse and belittle other international election experts like Mr. Pausewang employing flimsy excuses. This reckless action will significantly undermine the role International observes play towards having a free and fair election process in Ethiopia. We demand the NEBE in particular the Board Chairman Mr. Kamal Bedri to apologize recognizing this mistake to the appropriate authorities of the EU mission.

A significant number individuals from the list developed by NEBE as non-partisan election officials have been identified at one time or another to have relationship with the incumbent regime. This issue is unacceptable by any standard and promotes conflict of interest since the governing party is also competing. Elections that lack legitimacy breed instability and an environment in which corruption can breed, a government that does not adhere to law and order cannot expect its populace to do so.

What NEBE should do: Throw out all those individuals on the list that have relationships with the ruling regime. The NEBE should also accept and acknowledge the right of the opposition to reject anyone on the list if they strongly believe the person lacks objectivity.

A significant number of the military, police, special guards and supporters of the regime are known to have multiple voter registration cards. High level officials of the ruling regime have also registered as candidates in areas they are not authorized as per the election laws and rules.

What NEBE should do: Investigate all areas where it is reported that multiple registration have occurred and arrest those in violation. NEBE should also pull out illegitimate candidates of the governing party that have registered in Woredas where they do not belong according to the electoral law. A perfect example is the case of current information Minister, Bereket Simon, who has registered as Candidate in Wollo, an area where he was never born nor lived.

The NEBE has been and still is very quick in pointing fingers and calling investigations on the opposition groups with alleged allegations and complaints by the ruling regime; while dragging its feet and providing justifications for serious crimes and abuses committed by the ruling party cadres. A Case in point is the recent prompt action by the electoral officials in accusing the opposition for multiple voter registration while the accused was actually the one that raised the issue first. NEBE on many occasions has turned its face the other way on crimes of much larger proportion by the regime just performing face saving efforts. There have been many instances in various regions of Ethiopia where the ruling regime cadres have killed, tortured and arrested opposition members and their leaders. Some of the ruling party cadres have gone so far to remove the Ethiopian flag from their compound as well as closing the opposition offices.

What NEBE should do: Provide balanced judgment and stay impartial, stop serving the interest of the ruling party, treat all crimes and abuse of the law committed by all the competing parties equally.

NEBE officials should also learn from the recent events in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan where the governing parties had rigged the election in their favor to be later overcome by the power of the people thus getting evicted to wither away for good. It has been reported that the main driving force for the failure of the Kyrgyzstan regime is due to the anger of the people that were driven by poverty. Coming back to Ethiopia, it is the opinion of many including international agencies that there is no nation currently in the world where citizens are suffering as much from famine and health disaster like Ethiopia not to mention the damage and displacement due to the past war, ethnic violence, massacre, corruption, unemployment and the cost of living.

We want the NEBE leadership to be aware in addition to the above the following sad facts of present Ethiopia. We want to remind them that Ethiopia is the leader in the world in children HIV rate and number four (4) in citizens with HIV just below China and India that have a population count of over a billion. We want NEBE authorities to know that our nation is recently identified as the only country with Polio and has the second highest TB infection in Africa. We want to pass to NEBE officials that over seventy (70) percent of our population lacks basic needs for sanitation and our infant mortality has reached its highest compared to the past 20 years. We want to tell NEBE that Ethiopians have the second lowest GDP including the lowest life (living age) in the world. We want NEBE leaders to feel the suffering of the Ethiopian farmers where several millions of Ethiopians starve almost year to year thus becoming a pattern.

This data is not meant to sadden or discourage NEBE officials for being Ethiopians but to remind them of the hard facts of poverty and suffering of our people and the nation has been going through for the last 30 years, that the only way out of this misery is going to be through a democratically elected government of the people and for the people.

We want tell to the NEBE officials in uncompromising manner that their task ahead is by far the most serious responsibility they have undertaken in their life and requires their courage and bravery, and that they should not bend down to the special interest and personal greed. We Ethiopians are expecting the NEBE officials to make us proud by delivering justice and fairness in the upcoming election and nothing short of that is acceptable. We demand from NEBE to go above the blood relationship, business interest as well as personal friendship some of them currently have with the incumbent regime and fulfill their responsibility to the nation by facilitating a fair and free election.

Finally, we want to emphasize for the NEBE officials to realize and swallow deep the fact that we Ethiopians have reached a boiling point where we can no longer afford to be taken for a ride like what happened with the end result of the Algiers’s agreement. We danced in the streets of Addis claiming victory trusting our leaders’ words yet to find out the disastrous political defeat. Our hopes and aspirations have been trampled we can no longer take the burden of betrayal and manipulation.

Your allegiance should be to Ethiopia and its people your responsibility is to make sure:

1) That the election process is pursuant to agreed written procedures and rules by all participants

2) That electoral process is credible.

3) That all prospective candidates have free access to the election process and effectively participate.

4) That all parties and candidates can freely campaign for support of their policies and have a chance to get their messages across through the mass media.

5) That all voters have the opportunity to exercise their vote of their own free will.

6) That no candidate is imposed on the voters, and none is prevailed upon or coerced to withdraw his candidacy.

7) That all political parties are aware of their role in checking the various stages of the polling process and there by playing an essential part in guaranteeing its integrity.

8) That the counting and announcements of the results are conducted in a transparent manner were all concerned are participants to avoid fraud and stuffing of ballot boxes.

If you can’t Deliver Justice you must Relinquish !!!