The executive committee of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (Kinijit) is increasingly leaning toward the idea of not participating in the local elections in April, 2008. The April elections are also intended to fill the seats in the federal parliament left vacant by Kinijit members.
Kinijit is expected to make a decision in the coming few days on whether to take part in the elections. It is not that it has a choice. According to members of the executive committee, the Woyanne regime is making it difficult for Kinijit to exist as a political party, let alone to participate in elections.
The big question then is, what will Kinijit do if it cannot — or decides not — to participate in the April elections?
Ethiopian Review recommends that Kinijit calls a nationwide boycott of the April elections.
Kinijit can also intensify its worldwide diplomatic effort, such as urging donor countries, the WorldBank and the U.N. to withdraw all assistances until Woyanne allows all opposition parties are equally represented in the electoral board, have access to the media, and freely operate throughout the country. For this purpose, it may be a good idea for the executive committee to send delegations to Europe and North America led by high profile Kinijit council members. The U.S. Senate should also be urged to expedite the process of approving H.R. 2003, which will put tremendous pressure on the Woyanne junta.
April is also an opportune time for armed groups such as OLF, EPPF, ONLF and others to intensify their military activities.
16 thoughts on “Kinijit is leaning toward not participating in the upcoming elections”
boycotting the April 2008 by all opposition parties is a good idea. Howeever, what about those who are already in parliament, should they not protest the april 2008 and boycott parliament altogther to show their solidarity and disconent? unless all boycott the election at the same time, i dont think it will have effect. Forget EU and US it is the people of Ethiopia who can do the real job and only them can bring change. The major mistake of kinijit and all opposition has been the reliance on these foreign parasites. What is the use of OLF and ONLF armed struggle by themselves for their own agenda that exclude Ethiopian vision except causing pain and chaos to the people they say they stand for? Why should Ethiopians depende on on secessionist freaks who have never learnt from the past 17 years. aight.
KURAT april is the best time for arm struggle,evryone know EPPF is blooming inside ethiopia.May god bless them.
There is no need to participate until the election process is fully, and adequately democratic, free and fair. I am sure that wont happen, this april. Its compulsary for kinjit to bring together its efforts in the following pressing Issues, if they care about the future of ethiopia:
1. at this very moment, kinjiy shld continue to work with the locals intensively. Woyane is attacking kinjit by targeting its low level adminstration people. Kinjit (top level leaders)should work hard at this level of the adminstration hairarchy so that thy can resist woyane’s financial and political temptations.
2. Furthermore helding discussions with residents of differnt cities, towns, and kebeles through out the country shld be a priority. The majority of ethiopians by now are despair of kinjit’s political saga, i think its time to go down to the people and reinstate kinjit’s promises of democracy,justice and economic wealth to the people. Mass support of ethiopians, will ensure kinjits revival faster more than anything.
3.Kinjit should also decide their role in AFD. I think this is a golden political platform for kinjit to create tie with major political players in ethiopia such as OLF( remember OLF has the support of the majority oromos).
4.last but not least, i think it is very important to force kinjit council members that are abroad right now, to return to ethiopia and fume the peaceful political struggle. Their return will be of a great help to accelarate the struggle.
May God Help Ethiopia!
I suggest the following
a)The April 2008 fony election should be boycotted by all Opposition parties
b)Kinijit shall call for Civil Disobidience
c)Kinijit shall support armed strugle against TPLF tyrany
Woyane will never give up power with election or peacefull process.We have to fight TPLF Mafia man to man
Long Live Ethiopia
Election under such difficult circumstances is a farce, so delay the 2008 local elections until everything is propitious for Kinijit to participate fully, confidentially, and without fear and intimidation from Meles and Hailu Shawel. Close the Hailu Shawel case as soon as possible.
I agree with you. Kinijit should call for nation wide boycott of any election under this dictatorship. Also, Ethiopians should be encouraged to provide material and moral support to any and all enemies of woyane. WE should support the Eritreans, ONLF, OLF, EPPF and others in their fight against woyane dictatorship. The greatest evil facing Ethiopia is woyane.
There is no election under dictatorship. The only thing left to do now is throw the woyane cabal out by any means
necessary.
Mary
Amen to that Sister
There is not fair and true Election under TPLF Mafia contorl we need to get remove Woyane and their cadres by any means necessary
2008 Victory for Democracy in Ethioia
Dear All,
Regarding the 2008 “Ellection” I suggest these:
1) ALL opposition parties should withdraw from the election as soon as possible AT THE SAME TIME and UNANIMOUSLY.
2) ALL Armed political parties should decide to act at one time, for the moment in their respective area/sites of struggle. But should be reading each other what, where and what and when to do things.The armed forces should be able to quit or at least disturbed in their respective struggle areas.
3)The struggle should focus on targeting KEY GOVERNMENT Figures to force them retreat from their actions in relation to the “election”.
4) Ethiopians at Diaspora should flag demonstrations and push for the HR 2003.
5) Mass media, especially those in abroad should focus their broadcast on the :election and its nominaliness, etc.
You know what, if this election is implemented peacefully, the Wayannes will tend to guage the capacity and status of our struggle and also any opposition party in bush.
Finaly, pls every body learn that Wayanne will never leave its seat peacefully and therefore armed struggle should be intensified ever.
Participating in woyanees` election is undermining and jocking with the Ethiopian people. We have to stand together afresh to intensify the already started struggle to overthrough woyanne ganges.
AFD is the way. Kinijit council members currently outside Ethiopia should go for Kinijit-in Exile without delay, and then work with other AFD member organizations.
Wayanne is ready tc invade Eritrea.The election will be postpond.What is the use anyway people vote we saw no result.except killing of Innocent people and all great Ethiopians thrown in hell.The worst of all Hailu and his gang are crippling Kinjit.Nobody is willing to take a stand against his Majesty.The only thing to do is let Tegbar call civil disobedience.and all political org support and encourage the Ethiopian people.Freedom is not free.We have a balance left to close.
I don’t advice those outside the country to rush into the country and fall victim of the daily harassment. I would rather like them to organize and intensify the struggle by appealing to the international community and the Diaspora. They should be the strong arm of the party in case Woyane imprison those in the country already. There are lots of things that can be done by being outside.
May be Woyane is waiting for such a time when everybody it thinks a threat is within reach – in the country. Creating a charge and throwing them in prison is not a problem for a dictator.
Don’t forget what Wayane did after the election and the role played by those outside the country. I can’t imagine what the picture will look like now if there was no voice from the people outside. So let us continue to pressure the regime by all means.
The movement within Ethiopia may not be as easy as some suggest. How can Kinijit officials call a meeting when they can’t even find a place for a press conference? The situation is dire.
Election is not something we can even talk about. There is no legal Kinjit (Kinjjit as we know). So there is no legal ground to participate in the first place. Second, the election will not be free and fair given the situation.
CALL FOR BOYCOTE THE ELECTION IS THE ONLY VIABLE OPTION AT THE MOMENT.
Election? There was no and will not any election under TPLF’S REGIME. our people elected their leader in may 2005, but weyanes responded aggressively and have done everything against the wish of the ppl.
I agree with Elias and many of the commentators but I agree more with Kibret Hagos’s view, all oppositions should boycott it because it will give us a very good idea which one is for the people and which is a pappet of Woyanay.(Be Melles melas tetefto yetesera)
I would suggest to ALL CUD leaders (meaning the genuine democrats, not the diehard aristocratic fools) to stand as independents for the federal seats to recover some of the lost ground as they work to register the party under a new name. They should also encourage young members and sympathizers to do the same for the qebelie and woreda elections.
WE HAVE NO TIME TO LOSE!!! How long can we sleep while Melles is ruthlessly (and, sorry to say it, somewhat effectively) working to destroy our movement?