17 years in power, Ethiopia's rogue regime tightens repression
Ethiomedia | February 2, 2008
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Dr. Bulcha Demeksa
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It is an era of multi-party democracy, and no government likes to look like a one-party behemoth. In this regard, Ethiopia under Meles Zenawi is no exception.
A few real and sham opposition MPs are allowed to make noise, though the noise is drowned in a sea of ruling party MPs. However, making the little noise over the media accomplishes one important service for the ruling party: It sends out a deceptive message that the engine of functional democracy in Ethiopia is roaring at full throttle.
How misleading.
"The repression in the country is so much the few of us opposition party leaders are not even allowed to meet with foreign dignitaries," says Dr. Bulcha Demeksa, leader of the opposition Oromo Democratic Federalist Movement (ODFM). "We have to first seek permission from the Foreign Ministry."
In an Internet Radio interview with Elias Kifle of Ethiopian Review, the fatherly figure Bulcha says conditions in the country border on hopelessness. The government spreads fear and threats that haunt opposition members and their supporters. Conditions are getting worse particularly as the countdown begins to major elections in March.
"Opposition members and supporters face many threats. Some candidates are ignored to be registered, and others are thrown into jail at will. For instance, 27 OFDM candidates were arrested in the last three weeks from the Gohazion and Kuyou weredas in Oromia region. Four others were arrested in Agaro, and later released. They arrest, and then they release. If they release five opposition candidates here, they (the government) make sure seven or nine opposition candidates are placed behind bars somewhere. It is very difficult to describe the magnitude of the challenges we are facing as opposition party members," Bulcha tells ER.
Boycott the elections?
"Those who tell us to stay out of elections are people who may not have good intentions," says Dr. Bulcha. If we pull out of the elections, what other alternatives do we have to stay in the game? If the ruling party wants, it can go into elections with other phoney opposition candidates, and declare itself a winner. If the ruling party wants, it can arrest us at whim, just like what it did to Kinijit (CUD) in 2005. What are we going to gain from this situation?" Bulcha asks.
"Though the results of elections are in principle unknown until the votes are counted, here we can predict who is going to win. If the ruling party expels opposition candidates, it is no brainer to know who is going to win the elections," he says.
The OFDM chief attributes the political turmoil to the ruling EPRDF regime, and not the national electoral board, which he dismissed as too mid-level to have any executive powers to affect the politics of the country.
"This party - EPRDF- makes sure opposition candidates that understand and very well articulate the problems of their constituencies, candidates that have earned the respect of the society, candidates that are qualified to be elected are singled out for arrest, and the government makes sure they wouldn't be registered in the first place," Bulcha said, adding EPRDF also hastens to register candidates that are very likely to lose the elections because the society has a low regard for them.
Mr. Bulcha says the elections for kebele, woreda, and city council seats in March would be held without the presence of international observers.
"Nepad, which is part of Africa Union, has what they call a Peer Review Mechanism, which states that when one country holds elections it should invite observers from other countries that would help monitor the conduct of the elections. This didn't happen in our case, and wouldn't happen this time. Therefore, the current elections in Ethiopia would be held without observers," the opposition MP says.