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Embassies in Ethiopia warn citizens ahead of election

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Afrigue en ligne) — Western diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa have sent out warning messages to their citizens in Ethiopia or those planning to travel there, as tension builds in the Horn of Africa country ahead of the 23 May polls.

The French Embassy, in an email sent to the country’s citizens Thursday Morning, advised them to avoid public places, public transportation systems and stay away from any demonstrations and public gatherings by Ethiopians.

The Embassy also warned the citizens to prepare stocks of food, water, electricity sources and fuel ahead of the polling day.

For those out of the capital, Addis Ababa, the Embassy has also announced a 24-hour-ready telephone service through which that they can contact the diplomatic mission in case of trouble.

Few days earlier, the U.S. Embassy had sent out a similar message to U.S. citizens in Ethiopia and those planning to travel to Addis in the coming weeks.

Amid fear of violence, tension is rising in Ethiopia ahead of the national elections, with accusations and counter-accusations of harassment and killings by the opposition and the government.

Already, violence has erupted among students in the countries major public universities.

Though government said a conflict last Saturday among Addis Ababa University students of the Oromo and Tigre ethnic groups was due to mobile phones theft, its spokesperson Wednesday admitted that it later took an ethnic dimension and blamed it on two opposition parties under the largest opposition coalition, Medrek.

‘Starting points might be the mobiles,’ Bereket Simon, chief of Government Communication Affairs Office, said Wednesday. ‘But hard core supporters of Arena and OPC trying to rally each other have had their hands adding fuel to the fire’.

Reports indicate that conflicts have expanded to Haromaya and Mekele ” public universities in the hearts of Oromia and Tigray regions, home to Arena and OPC, respectively â” but Bereket said he was not aware of such incidents.

Government said on Saturday a grenade thrown into a meeting of the Oromo People’s Democratic Organisation (OPDO), part of the ruling coalition, killed two and injured 14.

On Sunday, a policeman was stabbed to death by OPC members following an order by an officer of the party, government alleged. On Monday, the ruling party accused opposition members of killing one of its candidates.

The coalition of eight opposition parties, Medrek, said three of its members have been killed since campaigning began over two months ago.

Medrek is fielding the second-highest number of candidates after the ruling Ethiopian Peoples’ Democratic Front (EPRDF).

A 24 March Human Rights Watch reports accused Ethiopian government of waging a coordinated and sustained attack on political opponents, journalists and rights activists ahead of the elections.

In the midst of the growing tension, however, government said its security forces would not use live ammunition or lethal weapons if violence occur during the elections.

Though it said it expected peaceful elections this time, the government has also warned that the police are prepared to handle any outbreak of violence ‘professionally’.

4 thoughts on “Embassies in Ethiopia warn citizens ahead of election

  1. Elias,
    Woyane is also warning the people in the Diaspora (for the first time, as far as I remember except at the last election period. Then the threat was to those who leased land from the govt) not to go against the elections, that is express their views.
    In an article, published at Aiga, entitled, “Diaspora’s Role…” the so called Consulate officer says ‘we know who these people are…who openly oppose…’. He threatens people who do not support the regime (Be zimita teminaybet ghizie abqitoal. Hmmmm
    I wonder what sort of crime can he commit here in the West and think he can get away with it?

    If the threat will stop people from expressing their opinions in the West where that particular right is respected, the Ambassador in waiting at the Consulate in Los Angeles is in fantasy land.

  2. To all foreign Embassy and their personnels,

    There is nothing to fear about the Ethiopian people. There million concoted crimes by the current regime in Ethiopia. Becareful of Meles Zenawi and his agents, for they’re the sources of all crimes taking place in the country. Meles has the weapons, the powers, the street smarts to whip up scenarios, to frame up his rivals. What you hear and see in Ethiopia are samples of his handi-works in action to frighten, subdue, the voters, to annahillate the opposition candidate and charge them with crimes, Meles Zenawi and Abbay Tsehaye and cliques create. I call your attentions to carefully monitor and judge for yourself. There is long known saying in Ethiopia, IF YOU WANT TO EAT, FOOL A WHITE MAN” for it is an easy job to do so. Meles Zenawi is fooling the world communities in the name of fake elections. What sorts of elections are being held in Ethiopia last 18 years? One that the incombent can threaten, intimmidiate, kill any legit ravals. In such treaks the west was fooled in 1992, 2000, 2005, here we go again in 2010. Meles Zenawi is getting your blessings that he does not deserve by any means.Ethiopian people are betrayed, sold, short changed by Zenawi regime so many times. Furthermore continue to languish under such parasital regime that have sucked every resources out of hungry homes, enriching the mass killers, converting them multi-millioners.

    Dear honorable Embassies and diplomats, stand on the side of the yearing people of Ethiopia. Denounce tyrannical regime of Meles Zenawi and clear your democratic consceouses.

    God bless you.

  3. If the invironment was condusive election was free and democratic.There wouldn’t be a blood shade so, the West ern Nations wouldn’t be worried about the safty of it’s citizens.In my opinion they really do not care about the voiceless and helpless.I strongly believe that The Ethiopian people are ready to take their government back from the dictator through non violance means.

    05\2010

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