Ethiopia’s EPRDF the ruling party and the election

By Ibrahim A. Ibrahim

March 27, 2010 — The minority regime in Ethiopia is claiming to hold elections in about two months. This election as the election of 2005, which was disputed by the participating parties, that brought a blood shade in the streets of Addis Ababa and other cities, was given a green light to imprison the leaders of the opposition and use any means to control the situation. In fact some countries went beyond that to excuse the killings on behalf of the minority regime by saying “there was lack of well trained police officers to tackle the demonstration, and are provided with a trainers, training materials, and funds.” All the victims have gone just like that without any accountability.

It is the same regime that is claiming to have fair and free elections on one hand, and attacking and oppressing the oppositions on the other hand.

It is very common and old tactic to associate the opposition to Eritrea, as if Eritrea and Eritreans are the awful wishers for the Ethiopians.

Unlike other countries in the so called third world, the minority regime is not under any pressure by the financiers of the election and the so called observers, and friends of Ethiopia. Some openly or behind the seen seems to support the current regime for the purpose that the regime is still “serving their interest at the cost of the poor Ethiopians”. As is done in the last election, if they win they will die and still will be oppressed by the same regime. “So what is the benefit for going to cast your vote if it is going to bring you more misery?” says one Ethiopian who still does not believe that the minority regime is to hand over the power to the democratically elected body.

Another systemic denigration by the regime is, employing the socio-cultural and ethnic diversity of the country. It is said there are more than 29million people who are eligible to vote. The minority regime is from the less than 5% ethnicity of Ethiopia. Knowing that this will undermine their chance to win, they created a vertical line based on ethno centric parties. With in the party there are many cracks in contradiction to the need of the voters. Those who seem to lead the parties are either weakened systematically or they are incapable to lead. They can not even raise issues of National and International interest of Ethiopia.

So long the regime is unconditionally serving the interest of western countries, it is clearly demonstrated there will not be any demand of any kind that benefits the Ethiopian citizens. In fact the VOA radio jamming by the regime was taken lightly by the state department of USA. This is a fact that the regime is okay to do what might think harms its interest. Here the common denominator is the interest of the entity that guards my interest is okay, and then by virtue I will be okay. In this case if Weyane is okay, then the masters will be okay.

Weyane might pursue with the election, however, expecting a fair and free election is still a dream that is far far away!

* The author is the Former Bank of Eritrea Administrator currently resides in United States of America. He can be reached at [email protected]