Ethiopia unrest is an Orange revolution gone wrong — Zenawi

Nov 10, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Wednesday the country’s recent violence was misguided attempt at a Ukrainian-style Orange Revolution and its leaders would be charged with treason, Reuters reported. He also said Ethiopia’s only agenda was to protect its sovereignty and ensure peace.

“This is not your run-of-the-mill demonstration. This is an Orange revolution gone wrong, Meles said, comparing Ethiopia’s unrest with “people power protests that ousted the pro-Moscow government in Ukraine last year.

“The violence has marred the image of Ethiopia. but as far as the process of democratization is concerned I don’t think it has had an impact on the country,” he told reporters in Addis Ababa.

“The CUD leaders are engaged in insurrection–that is an act of treason under Ethiopian law. They be charged and they will appear in court,” Meles said, adding that several news paper editors would also appear in the dock.

“For us, these are not just journalists. They will not be charged for violating the press laws. They will be charged like the CUD leaders, for treason, he added.

Meles said he believed the worst of the violence was over and defended a security crackdown in Addis Ababa saying five hand grenades were thrown at police during the clashes and two AK-47 assault rifles were stolen from police rioters.

He said 100 city buses were attacked while some others were set ablaze by the rioters.

Meles, who has repeatedly accused the opposition of inciting violence and trying topple his government, has ordered an inquiry into both bouts of unrest.

Regarding the violence in Addis Ababa, Meles said “I would have thought this had to more to do with class than ethnicity. We have over 300,000 unemployed youths in Addis. This is combustible material that can be ignited by any group, anytime”.

The May poll was widely regarded as a test of Meless commitment to bringing democracy to the country of 77 million people, still struggling to emerge from centuries of feudalism, followed by nearly 20 years of Marxism under dictator Mengistu Haile-mariam.

Regarding the Ethio-Eritrea situation, Prime Minister Meles said Ethiopia was unlikely to stage a repeat of its two-year border war with Eritrea, despite what he called provocations of the leadership in neighbouring Asmara.

“While I can not rule out the possibility of another round of war, I am not of the opinion that war is just around the corner, “Meles said.

“There is a risk of war in an environment where the leadership of Eritrea has never stopped beating the war drums. What I am saying is that the likelihood of such a war has not increased in the past few weeks,” Meles said.

“This is so, not because Asmara does not want to have war , but because I feel the means at their disposal have not increased significantly over the past three weeks, and while there may be the will, I doubt there is the means, “ he said.

“I can assure (the Eritrean people) than no provocation on the part of the leadership in Asmara, short of a full scale invasion, is going to be reciprocated by Ethiopia, “Meles said. Such a move would be met with force, he added.

“We have had one round of war with Eritrea. If we have another round of war, we will try to make sure that we will not have a third round,” the Prime Minister said.

(ENA)