Ethiopia’s CUD postpones public protests until the end of Ramadan
Oct 22, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy party (CUD) announced that it has been forced to postpone the series of peaceful demonstrations, strikes and stay-at-homes to protest the killing of six members and detention of hundreds of others due to the fasting season of Ramadan.
According to the Ethiopian Reporter, CUD’s Chairman, Hailu Shawel, said in a press statement “The series of peaceful but large-scale struggles could not be carried on as our Muslim brothers and sisters are undergoing the Holy month of Ramadan.”
Asked why the party chose to postpone of the much-awaited and decisive struggle, Hailu said the CUD needed the unreserved support and cooperation of every segment of the society to kickstart the struggle.
“We believe that our postponement would not give EPRDF (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, ruling coalition) much time to prepare for counterattacks or other measures because this is a struggle popular and nationwide in nature, and there is nothing the government could do to halt it. We can start it any time appropriate for our people,” he said.
CUD’s First Vice Chairperson, Birtukan Mideksa, indicated that her party would announce “relatively light” tactics of peaceful struggle beginning Tuesday. “These would not in any way affect the Ramadan,” she said. Asked to state what the struggle could comprise of she said it could be “strikes, demonstrations and sit-ins,”
Regarding diplomats’ efforts to help CUD and EPRDF come to some terms by urging the former to join parliament and the latter deal with CUD on the eight preconditions, Hailu said “We understand that the international community is doing its level-best to find a remedy to the current standoff between EPRDF and us, but our preconditions are not tenable for discussion or negotiation. They are preconditions and the EPRDF has to meet them. Otherwise no brokering, no amount of arbitration or anything else will at all work,” he said.
CUD’s statement indicated that the “arbitrary arrests, torture, closure of branch offices and intimidation of members has continued unabated in several areas of the country, “adding that the nation has the responsibility to surmount the “illegal attacks” by government agents against peaceful and innocent citizens. It was pointed out that as of yesterday over 837 CUD members have either been jailed, tortured or dragged to unknown locations while 6 members were killed by the government.
Concerning the delay in finalizing CUD’s merger and the possible danger it posed on the legality of the party, Birtukan said the CUD was exerting efforts to finalize the necessary procedures to effect the merger, adding that a legal document validating the merger with the official seals of all the four founding organizations on it would be handed over to the NEB by early next week. Regarding the much-talked-about decline and wavering of EDUP-Medhin members to put their seal on the merger document, Birtukan said the merger was a process agreed upon by all members, adding that it would come to fruition soon.
Hailu found time to reflect on the reported court case against him in line with Prime Minister Meles’ accusation that he was up to committing “treason”. He said, “I have no army, never had and never will. Oldies like me are not at all good at fighting even if we were up to toppling the regime by force. Now I have heard like everyone of you that the government is building a court case against me and I am glad to find my self in court whenever it’s going to be because I am absolutely certain that no credible evidence could be presented against me or my party,” he said.
The CUDP announced that the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) will take part in the peaceful struggle to be launched.
(The Reporter/ST)