Ethiopia dismisses opposition’s mass arrest, killing claims

Tesfa Alem Tekle

November 7, 2009 (ADDS ABABA) — Ethiopian authorities have rejected accusation by four position groups that hundreds of their members are allegedly been jailed by the ruling party to prevent them from running in Next year’s general electron.

Few weeks ago, Gebru Asrat, vice president of FDDE, Ethiopia’s biggest opposition Coalition, told Sudan tribune that 450 opposition members, including potential candidates as having been arrested by the ruling EPRDF Party to secure victory in the upcoming election.

Now the opposition groups have supported the claim listing names of arrested opposition members, day arrested and jails where they are being held. In the latest accusation, one party, the All Ethiopian unity organization (AEUO), has recorded seven murders of members over the last 12 month which it said were politically motivated.

“No body has been arrested or killed for political activity to my knowledge” Bereket Simon, Ethiopian government communication minister told Reuters “Authorities will investigate the documented names.”

“Our preliminary investigation indicates that these people are in real crime” he said adding “we can’t release criminals because they are opposition members”
EPRDF spokesman Seku Toure to his side said that the opposition parties have yet to present grievances through established channels.

“We don’t have any information about this. If any party has got any kind of issue regarding this they can present to the EPRDF. We do have a common council of the four negotiating parties. We have agreed to review any kind of allegations and give some kind of remedy for that,” he said.

Toure said the ruling party will support an investigation into the opposition’s imprisonment claims.

“Yes for sure. If you have seen the code of conduct it says that if there are any kinds of allegations, any kind of abuses, all political parties including the EPRDF have agreed to investigate and take measures about them,” he said.

Seku said the code of conduct agreed to by all political parties will ensure a level playing field ahead of the elections.

Ethiopian officials have dismissed the latest accusations saying it is intent to discredit the electoral process but said that the government will look into it based on the recently reached agreement between government and opposition groups on electoral code of conduced

Reached by phone Gebru Asrat, former alley of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told Sudan tribune that the mass arrests mostly intensified in Oromiya and Amhara region, according to him, were are ruling EPRDF party’s on going strategy to weaken opponents and Secure land slide victory – a charge the ruling party denies.

A number of political Analyst agree that PM Meles zwnawi – led ruling party well easily win the general election scheduled for may 2010, But opposition groups say that this is because government harassment will cripple them from contesting effectively.

Despite the growing opposition claims, the Ethiopia government has repeatedly reassured that it will conduct a fair democratic and free election.

(ST)