Ethiopian opposition to hold mass rally for national unity govt
Sept 22, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s two main opposition groups are set to hold a mass rally next week to demand the formation of a national unity government in the wake of deadly electoral violence.
Allegations of fraud surrounded the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front’s (EPRDF) victory in elections held in May.
The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) said they would stage a demonstration on October 2 to press their already rejected call for an interim coalition government to oversee new polls.
“We plan to hold a public meeting on October 2 to ask the government to accept a government of national unity and restart a dialogue and negotiations,” said CUD vice president Berhanu Nega.
“The purpose is to pressure the government to accept a peaceful resolution of the election process,” he told reporters in Addis Ababa late Wednesday.
“There is a need for a national consensus in this country to bring back on the track the democratic process which has been frozen,” said UEDF chairman Merara Gudina.
Protests over alleged fraud in the May 15 polls turned violent in June when police opened fire on crowds in the capital killing at least 36 and as many as 42 people during demonstrations after preliminary results showed the EPRDF to have won the elections.
Despite international criticism over the investigation of fraud complaints, those results were later confirmed and despite substantial gains, the opposition is now threatening to boycott parliament unless a unity government is formed.
Their initial calls for a transitional power-sharing administration were flatly rejected last month by the EPRDF, which accused the opposition of trying to subvert democracy.
On Thursday, Ethiopian Information Minister Berekat Simon repeated the government stance and, along with police officials, warned the opposition against violating any laws with its planned demonstration.
“We have told them that there is not going to be any negotiation to form a national unity government,” Berekat said.
“Before they organise this type of demonstration, they have to express their willingness to abide by the constitution,” he told AFP.
Addis Ababa deputy police comissioner Tefaye Meresa warned that the opposition against any repeat of rioting that it says caused the June violence.
“Anybody who organises demonstrations with the objective of instigating violence and riot and without fulfilling legal procedure will be undoubtedly held liable for any damages,” he said.
According to final election results, the EPRDF — which has ruled Ethiopia for the past 14 years — and allied parties won 370 of the 547 seats in parliament.
The opposition, which held only 12 seats before, picked up 175, but insists that it won the election outright and has repeatedly accused the EPRDF of massive fraud and vote-rigging to steal the polls.
(AFP/ST)