Ethiopian opposition accuse govt of endangering poll probe

ADDIS ABABA, July 16, 2005 (The Reporter) — Although the conduct of the 15 May national election is now almost two-month long, the end of the whole process and the disclosure of final results of all constituencies does not seem to be near at hand.

Ethiopian opposition leader for the Coalition of Unity and Democracy (CUD) Hailu shawel, casts his vote at a polling station in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa May 15, 2005. (Reuters).

On Thursday 14 July, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) disclosed that the investigation into the massive allegations of fraud lodged by contesting parties, including the incumbent is now nearing completion. The deputy head [of NEBE], Tesfaye Mengesha, told the state-owned ENA [Ethiopian News Agency] that 2 of the 26 Complaints Investigation Panels (CIPs) sent out to the disputed constituencies have already submitted their final report to the board. According to him, the other CIPs involved in the probing process have already covered most of the 140 constituencies under dispute.

Speaking on this state of affairs, the chairman of the opposition United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), Dr Merera Gudina, said the investigation in most of the contested constituencies was manoeuvred by the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and partisan NEBE representatives. Dr Merera pointed out that contrary to the non-violence pact signed between the three major parties, the EPRDF had jeopardized the process by threatening opposition witnesses and pressing CIPs to desist from probing into details submitted by UEDF and opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) . He said CIP members represented from UEDF found it virtually impossible to defend their case in Eteya, Arsi Zone of the Oromiya region, where the very regional president, Junedin Sado, was beaten defeated by a UEDF opponent.

Merera said UEDF has pulled out its representatives from the area as EPRDF cadres put the investigation in danger by demanding re-election only and refusing to consider evidence of defence from the accused party.

Hailu Araya, CUD spokesperson, told The Reporter that the EPRDF was breaching agreements reached between the parties regarding the investigation process. He said instead of hearing the testimonies of five witnesses, as was agreed, the EPRDF insisted on hearing only two witnesses. He added that CUD representatives in the CIPs were not only prevented from getting a copy of discussion minutes and records but also being harassed and intimidated by government officials. He also said contrary to agreed procedures, representatives of NEBE and the EPRDF were deciding matters among themselves and thus sidelining their representatives.

Hailu noted that in places where the CUD had won by a landslide, the EPRDF was asking for a rerun of the election. The spokesperson further said that the CUD was in the process of showing to the public and the international community how undemocratic and lame the country’s so-called “institutions of democracy” were.

Ato Tesfaye Mengesha, however, told The Reporter that the complaints lodged by opposition parties were baseless and the process was going on the right track.

Material, provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.