Mr. Dawit Kebede and Woubeshet Taye [the executive editor and editor-in-chief of the Amharic weekly Awramba Times, respectively] say that one of the bases of democracy is the right of people to express their political views through peaceful demonstrations and the large number of people who demonstrated in Meskel Square five years ago was to prove this democratic principle.
However, Mr. Dawit and Mr. Webeshete are asking about the whereabouts of these people.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was born in Adwa, Northern Ethiopia 55 years ago and while he was celebrating his 50th anniversary five years ago the main PO Party that highly opposed EPRDF called for a peaceful demonstration and the number of people who came in support of this PO Party CUD filled all the 6 junctions of Meskel Square. The fact that the demonstration date and PM Meles’s birthday failed on the same date might have a special significance.
Five years after, on this same day this was not observed. Apart from being busy by the daily traffic jams Meskel Square was calm and was not the same as the event which was referred to be ‘People’s Sunami’ five years ago. An elderly person who observed this situation says that it is hard to believe that political situations moved in such a manner throughout these five years.
It is said that “May 8” is a day when Ethiopians showed their intense desire for democracy”. Yet, how many of you know that this day is also PM Meles’s birthday. According to government media information five years ago the number of people EPRDF called for peaceful demonstration on the PM’s birthday eve (May 7) was 1.2 million; however, many ask why these 1.2 million people did not make an influence on EPRDF’s number of vote? One day after the election one of the feature writers interviewed one of the MPs who assumed that “on May 7 if the claimed number of demonstrators who showed their support to EPRDF voted for this party EPRDF would have won more than half of the city’s seats”. Yet, why did this failed from occurring? This should be left to historians who will one day write on this issue. Opposition Parties say that EPRDF’s May 7th demonstrators showed up on the streets because they were bribed and the same people came back the following day to show their support to the opposition party.
This article’s aim is not to weigh the supporters of the two parties.
Why was the awakened political participation of the people who demonstrated on May 7 &8 disrupted today? Why are the streets empty during this election period where democracy is claimed to be important? This article is to examine the cause for this.
The Special Day
Many people agree that the large number of demonstrators who filled the streets five years ago proved the existence of democracy.
In describing the Election event of 2005, Eng. Gizachew Sheferaw, UDJ Deputy President said “A day that marked Ethiopia’s political history; a history which I will never forget”. Eng. Gizachew remembers that at that time the EU-EOM’s Deputy chief, taking the event into consideration said “I have never seen this kind of demonstrate in my entire life”. Eng. Gizachew said that “the event should have been recorded on the ‘Genius Books of Record’ and it is the first in Africa”.
Ethiopia’s former President and the current External Relation’s Director of Forum, Dr. Negasso Gidada regarding the May 7 & 8 demonstration remembers watching the event on TV from his home town Dembidolo and said to “Awramba” that “the event was incredible and there were many facilities that made this possible”. Dr. Negasso adds that this demonstration was made possible because at that time EPRDF was overconfident and did not edit any material that was broadcasted and people were able to obtain sufficient information. As a result, without any fear the people were able to freely illustrate their views.
On his recent book, Agetuni, Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam points that “when the election campaign started the work load was heavier on Dr. Birhanu and Eng. Gizachew Shiferaw … when seen from the organization’s not well developed background these two people’s work was amazing. Debebe Eshetu was also one of the personalities who played an important role during the election campaign … he played a considerable role in transmitting CUD’s message to the people”. Prof. Mesfin who says that CUD was not successful and Ethiopians also are not defeated; however, EPRDF even though it did not lose the competition it was politically defeated. Eng. The former president of CUD who called for the then demonstration Hailu Shawel, who preferred to be silent after the May 8 event, said to this article’s journalists that “May 8th is the beginning and end of my joyful day”. It is said that the party Eng. Hailu leads today AEUO will be celebrating May 8. However, when we demanded an interview with the engineer he has replied that “he is unable to meet us.”
Solipsistic Interaction and Social Development
The former American Ambassador of the United Nations, John Kirk Patrick had said that peaceful demonstration that illustrates people’s opposition to the ruling party is one of the features of democratic election.
The Ambassador explains that one of the methods conducted to measure democracy through peaceful demonstration is the sufficient information gained by the electors and their participation applied without any pressure. Dr. Fetehanegest Kassa, former administrator of African history in Khartoum from 2001-2006, in his article “The Debates and the Grand Demonstration” indicates that the demonstration which took place on May 7 & 8, 2005 are events that marked the country’s history.
In his article Dr. Fetehanegest explains that these demonstrations that occurred during these 2 days illustrate different behaviors of nations that can help them generate their right over the Ruling Party. Moreover, the article explains that the success of the social status reached by Ethiopians was not considered by the /ruling Party which tries to improve limit on its nation. The Social Development which was not considered by the Ruling Party and the Opposition Parties which were lost in the Solipsistic Interaction were unable to observe that the people had rose above them.
The doctor’s article supported by a number of information illustrates that Political Parties were lost in Solipsistic Interaction when one sees the peaceful & decent demonstration that occurred on May 7 & 8. The Doctor says that the question on: where did these people come from and how did they come has no connection and the information obtained cannot explain this.
The then Demonstration Committee Member who did not want his name be mentioned said that neither the Ruling Party nor the Opposition Parties understood the depth of the democratic behavior the demonstrators showed on May 8.
This person says that during the demonstration, the societies’ political understanding was not well developed. Therefore, the leaders have taken into consideration the situation and have tried to lighten up the event using their techniques and prepare it to the Election Day.
This person indicates that “According to the law the campaign was scheduled to be completed 48 hours before the Election Day. The number of people expected was 120 thousand”. This person added that surprisingly EPRDF organized a large demonstration one day before the Opposition Parties’ scheduled demonstration which was to take place on May 8. Therefore the Opposition modified its demonstration event.
Furthermore, in describing the new beginning of the 11th hour direction, the Committee’s Member states that “the May 7 2005, peoples’ flow was an amazing event and if the competition balanced on the side of the Ruling Party the Opposition Party’s fate would have changed for Addis Ababa which was an important political arena”.
In describing the historical event, Vanderbilt University’s professor Chester, Fin Jayne said that “… democracy’s principle are not formed in respect of elapsed time and cannot be sustained accordingly. On the contrary democracy’s thoughts can be acquired successfully; however, applying this might be difficult”.
Engineer Gizachew also agrees on the point said by former CUD’s Committee Member about the balance of election results in Addis Ababa. In describing this, the engineer says “On the evening of May 7 I was very scared. My fear was not due to the large number of people who demonstrated in support of EPRDF but I was scared that ‘we would be unable to obtain more demonstrators who can exceed EPRDF’s supporters the following day’. To tell you the truth the T-Shirts we prepared with our emblem were only 3 thousand. However, on May 8 three million demonstrators came in our support!”
In comparing the election event with EPRDF’s coming to power in May 1991, PM Meles Zenawi during the 3rd Election in 2005, said that “The 3rd Election is equivalent to May 1991” in one of the Front’s article. The PM referred the May 7 demonstration as a ‘Flow’ of people and added that ‘cheating’ is not needed. This statement can be similar to Dr. Fetehanegest’s point which indicated the emergence and development of political views of developing states.
The “flow” and “Sunami” Ownership Crises
State owned Medias, which claimed it will be 1.2 million people who flooded Meskel Square, has raised Democratic Motivation. Following this PM Meles Zenawi named it the “people’s flow”. On the other hand, some leaders of the opposition parties mentioned the event as “the fruit of fourteen years of democratic struggle”. Political experts’ debates on these two same sayings have their own problem.
“What is seen in the next day should be recorded in Guinness Books of world records” said Eng. Gizachew Shiferaw what his supporters called it “The Sunami”. He can’t further express the event than “Great People”. This is not what happened though after certain times, according to one member who resigned from the opposition party. He explains that “They did not have a personality that could win their individualism; instead they find their separate ways and de-motivate the society”.
On the other hand, parties that are sited abroad were racing to declare that people belongs to them in different medias. “Finote democracy”, voice of the EPRP from Los Angeles was the first to mention its vast basement in the society and to say “this is our people”. There were many parties who wanted to take the lion share.
Dr. Fekadu, an economist who resides in Germany says “our country’s politicians are well known in hiding their mistakes and they can’t win their ego. This political tradition started three thousand years ago and has been a cause for our failure” comparing to the 2005 post election. He explains the then opportunity demands self-confidence, avoiding emotionality, led by principle and giving priority for country’s interest. This is what political moral and ethics should follow.
EUDO president, Admasu Hailu on his part says the May 9, 2005 event has left its own democratic and liberal finger print. He also added that “We all should understand and give priority on how the democratization and liberalization is developed. This understanding will help to find a solution for the current narrowness of the political circumstance and to know the exact cause of the narrowness. To understand the issue as fourteen years of struggle and democratic structure is not correct and it shows that they are not ready to and willing to change, he said.
Admasu said that there were five round of elections in the Imperial regime. But there were repressions against farmers, working class and business society and on others. Because of this, the society was totally against the regime and the revolution was erupted in 1974. He recalls that the 1974 revolution happened not because the military and member of the Derg reigme had had the skill of leadership. Then, the demonstration of 2005 is the result of “the situation that growing up for half a century and the public exploded as they believed that was the right time”.
Increased number of Law & Democracy’s Fate
In his research “Law’s Rule” and “Man’s Rule” that he presented in 20 consecutive parts, Mr. Richard Rolls who spent 35 years learning about world’s history and especially that of America points that rulers who claim to be democratic when they start to implement various rules different questions arise. He states that “You may have laws … you may have an infinite number of laws, you may have big law books that fill libraries. However, you may still be under the rule of man. Having law does not mean being above the law” in this he points that implementing numerous laws cannot insure law’s superiority. After the 2005 Election, many laws have been passed and several opposition parties say that the increasing numbers of laws cannot guarantee law’s superiority.
Political scientist Robert Dehall argues that trying to apply multi party democracy through election can disturb the democratic process if several laws are passed and do not consider PO Parties- that play key role in the democratic process-, Press Agencies, and Civil Associations. Moreover, in fearing what is behind the law nations can fear to have their political and civil rights respected.
In presenting the requirements of election, Professor Donald Levin, philosophy professor specialized in Ethiopia’s studies says “… when internal understanding is mostly needed governments should refrain from considering oppositions as traitors. Can few simple steps convince their plan’s critics?” in support of this he has indicated two points:
NEBE should be neutral and unbiased;
Judge Birtukan Demekssa’s case must be considered;
Strengthen and commence Ombudsman’s Bureau and National Human Rights commission
Moreover Opposition Parties also have a heavy burden and they have:
To conduct non-violent and civilized discussion and maintain their political belief;
Show their respect to the Ruling Party;
Instead of concentrating on their misunderstanding they ought to focus on their party’s program
To present themselves with confidence and without hiding
Calculation of Confused Understanding
Political Parties have divided into two due to minor problems and the extreme convictions of Opposition Parties towards the Ruling Party have led the population away from politics. This by itself has its own influence on the election.
According to the information obtained from the NEBE the number of people registered for the 2010 Election has increased from the 2005 election. Based on this information and concluding in this respect can be making the same uncalculated mistake as that of the 2005 Election. Close watchers of Ethiopian Politics said that due to this, miscalculated societal understandings could be repeated.
Mr. Tesfaye Habisso who has worked as an Ambassador to Ethiopia in South Africa and Uganda, in his article “The Ups and Downs in Building Democracy” the problem of accusing each other could be that “most of the frequent elections be not free of guilt pointing” the elections have resulted in societal unstableness and conflict.
As a result conducting the occasional, neutral, judicious, trustworthy election, and respecting civil rights are crucial to elections.
The wasted Golden Opportunity
Studies indicate that the demonstration of May 8, 2005 was not only conducted by people living in Addis Ababa but also by those who lived around the capital. By being present at Meskel Square during this demonstration this feature’s journalist’s have witnessed that people had come from Sebeta, Sendafa, and Debrezeit using various means of transportation.
However, today this might not be the case and Eng. Gizachew have mentioned 3 points:
Despite the 2005 demonstration the people thought that they have not brought enormous change;
The parties which the supporters had their hope on failed from maintaining their strength;
The Ruling Party has used several methods to weaken the PO Parties and intimidate the population
During the 2005 Election one of the Civic Associations who observed the election said to Awramba Times that CUD had high support. However, some of the party’s officials changed their strategy, fled, or returned to their previous party (like AEUO and EDP). Therefore, currently people do not know which party to support.
Eng. Gizachew Shiferaw says that he is “full of hope”. Until today during the meetings Forum conducted it had gained a considerable amount of supporters and that the 2005 Election feeling is still there. Moreover, he added that in the next coming few weeks this could be proved.
Dr. Negasso’s point of view is different from that of Eng. Gizachew. Dr. Negasso says that the election process has calmed and he said, “I do not expect that the 2005 demonstration would be repeated,” and he noted that he regrets the wasted golden opportunity. He added that fixing this situation does not depend on lack but on thorough investigation that can able to return the event.
—- (The document, which first appeared in Amharic in Awramba Times, was translated into English under the auspices of the EU Observer Mission to Ethiopian Election 2010)
