Ethiopia’s Zenawi says negotiating with parliamentary opposition
April 11, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said the government has been holding talks with opposition in parliament. In an interview with BBC Focus on Africa on Sunday, Prime Minister Meles said “We are in talks with parliamentary opposition.”
“We have reaffirmed our commitment to the rule of law, which means that we as a government also play by the rules. And if there are…issues on our side or in their side whoever violated that has to be brought before a proper judicial process”, Meles said
“That is now understood and agreed up on. We need to act on it in the coming years. It isn’t going to be easy. There are bound to be hiccups here and there but I think as far as the principles are concerned, they are agreed,” he added.
Referring to the situation of the opposition leaders who are in prison, Meles said “These group of people has been openly and publicly called before end of the elections for an Orange Revolution.”
Ethiopian authorities arrested thousands of opposition leaders, journalists, students and others in protests before, during, and after the May 2005 elections.
May polls were initially regarded as the country’s most open. But after opposition groups made unprecedented gains, the post-election process was marred by “intimidation, mass arrests, killing of demonstrators and opposition personnel”, the EU observer mission said in its final election report.
Yesterday 10 April an African delegation of religious and civil leaders urged the Kenyan government to pressure Ethiopia to release thousands of people jailed for protesting last year’s elections. Delegation member Hellen Tombo said the Kenyan government provided leadership in the peace processes of Somalia and Sudan, and should also take a similar interest in Ethiopia’s human-rights situation.
Prime Minister Meles assured the group that he will ensure that trials will be carried out quickly and fairly, but he did not commit himself to unconditional releases.
(ST/ENA)