Ethiopia finalizes plans on action against opposition CUD – minister
Oct 30, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian Information Minister Berhan Hailu said that the government has finalized preparation to take appropriate measures on masterminds and ringleaders of the violence, as it would not allow the instigation of violence in any part of the country from now onwards, the state-run ENA news agency reported.
The Ethiopia’s opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) announces its programme enabling it to mobilize street protest beginning 31 October 2005.
CUD had also officially declared the Amharic programmes of the Voice of America (VOA) and Deutsche Welle Radio as well as certain private newspapers as its main propaganda tools, the ENA said.
According to the same source, the CUD called on its followers, while announcing its programme here on Saturday 29 October, to listen only to the stated media, including Tinsae Radio — a clandestine opposition radio — it said, are its main propaganda outlets.
Berhan said, on his part, that it is long ago that the stated media which, he said, are mouthpieces of CUD contravening the principles and ethics of journalism, have begun airing false propaganda bent on destabilizing the peace and stability of the country.
Indicating that even today, the stated media will not refrain from echoing the call of the violence by the extreme executives of the CUD, Berhan said this shows that they (the reported media) and the leaderships of CUD share the same objectives.
He said the stated media need to make remedies by taking into account that their existing practice does not contribute to ensuring peace, democracy and development.
The call made by CUD to incite violence at a time when the nation has finalized to host the extraordinary summit of the African Union on Monday 31 October shows how CUD is bent on satisfying its thrust of power through violence. It also shows that the executives of the CUD are negligent for peace and stability of the nation, the official news agency said.
(ENA/ST)