Addis Ababa – Ethiopia on Tuesday dismissed as “lies” a highly critical report from a leading human rights watchdog accusing the government of suppresing alternative voices and committing numerous abuses.
“These are the same old stories, this report is a bunch of lies that is politically motivated,” information minister Berekat Simon said of the findings presented by the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
“It is not a credible organisation,” said Berekat, who also serves as spokesperson for the campaign of the ruling Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) in Sunday’s upcoming general election.
Earlier on Tuesday, five days before the polls, HRW accused the Ethiopian government and ruling party of muzzling dissent and harassing and detaining people perceived as political foes in the country’s southern Oromia state.
The 44-page report accused the government of having intensified its clampdown during the run-up to the election.
The country’s main opposition umbrella group, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), has also criticised the government for failing to uphold the rule of law by intimidating, torturing and even killing its supporters.
Washington – It is hard to see democracy expanding throughout Africa if a populous nation like Ethiopia — a country of enormous political and strategic importance for the African continent — drifts toward “corrupt authoritarianism,” says Dave Peterson, Africa program director of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Peterson told a May 5 hearing of the House Subcommittee on Africa that is looking into political stability in the Horn of Africa region that with parliamentary elections set for May 15, “democracy is in Ethiopia’s own best interest and the U.S. needs to help.”
Peterson said NED is doing its part by funding initiatives to train people at the grassroots level in democracy issues. “So far this year we have made $312,213 in grants for projects in Ethiopia, and we intend to allocate an additional $160,000 by the end of the year with special funds approved by the Congress,” he said.
He told lawmakers, “There can be no doubt that Ethiopia is far better off in terms of respect for human rights, political pluralism, free press and economic policies than – at any other time in its history.” But the expulsion just before the elections of three other democracy NGOs — the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) — was an unjustified and arbitrary act that is cause for concern, he said.
Time is running out for the institutes that specialize in training election officials at the grassroots level, Peterson said, adding, “We hope the Ethiopian government will soon reverse its decision.”
In general, Peterson said, “I think it is worthwhile for the United States to continue to press Ethiopia to allow greater openness. I do not think Ethiopia can afford the luxury of taking a lot of time in its democratic development. Nor do I believe that its poverty should be considered an insuperable obstacle to freedom.”
Peterson contradicted the argument by some officials that Ethiopians do not want or need reforms: “On the contrary, our experience in Ethiopia has suggested that its citizens understand and desire democracy, and that many of the country’s political and economic problems may be more readily addressed in a more open and democratic system.”
With Ethiopia on the verge of either joining the community of democratic nations or stagnating into a kind of corrupt authoritarianism, reform is critical in this second most populous nation in Africa, Peterson said. “It becomes so important now to invest strategically in the country and tip the balance in the right direction,” he said.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamamoto also said the fate of the NGOs was “troubling and confusing, especially since it is the first time these organizations have been expelled from any country.”
He told lawmakers: “Their expulsion on the eve of parliamentary elections raises questions about that process. It also raises questions about the government’s commitment to real, meaningful democratic reforms and the development of truly democratic institutions.”
Contrary to the claim by the Ethiopian government that the NGOs did not follow proper procedures for registration, Yamamoto said the U.S. government made a formal response to the Ethiopian government “noting in detail the actions of these organizations to file the appropriate documents with various Ethiopian governmental authorities.”
“These organizations did not enter into Ethiopia surreptitiously,” Yamamoto said. “They acted with the full knowledge and in full sight of the government.” Therefore, “we have asked the government to allow these reputable organizations to return to Ethiopia to continue their important capacity-building work in advance of the election.”
Asked by Representative Donald Payne (Democrat of New Jersey) why the Ethiopian government was allowing The Carter Center to monitor the election and not the others, Yamamoto said he could not answer that question. But Subcommittee Chairman Christopher Smith (Republican of New Jersey) jumped in to say that it might be a belief that The Carter Center would be less critical in its evaluation of the electoral process.
Referring to the expulsions, Smith told the hearing: “Today, a number of colleagues joined me in sending a letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, urging him to rescind the expulsion of three American NGOs helping to build democracy. … For the sake of continuing democratic progress in Ethiopia, we hope the prime minister will respond positively to our request.”
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Source: United States Department of State
The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov
Democracy endowment’s Peterson tells Congress U.S. should press for change
By Jim Fisher-Thompson, Washington File Staff Writer
Washington – It is hard to see democracy expanding throughout Africa if a populous nation like Ethiopia — a country of enormous political and strategic importance for the African continent — drifts toward “corrupt authoritarianism,” says Dave Peterson, Africa program director of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Peterson told a May 5 hearing of the House Subcommittee on Africa that is looking into political stability in the Horn of Africa region that with parliamentary elections set for May 15, “democracy is in Ethiopia’s own best interest and the U.S. needs to help.”
Peterson said NED is doing its part by funding initiatives to train people at the grassroots level in democracy issues. “So far this year we have made $312,213 in grants for projects in Ethiopia, and we intend to allocate an additional $160,000 by the end of the year with special funds approved by the Congress,” he said.
He told lawmakers, “There can be no doubt that Ethiopia is far better off in terms of respect for human rights, political pluralism, free press and economic policies than – at any other time in its history.” But the expulsion just before the elections of three other democracy NGOs — the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) — was an unjustified and arbitrary act that is cause for concern, he said.
Time is running out for the institutes that specialize in training election officials at the grassroots level, Peterson said, adding, “We hope the Ethiopian government will soon reverse its decision.”
In general, Peterson said, “I think it is worthwhile for the United States to continue to press Ethiopia to allow greater openness. I do not think Ethiopia can afford the luxury of taking a lot of time in its democratic development. Nor do I believe that its poverty should be considered an insuperable obstacle to freedom.”
Peterson contradicted the argument by some officials that Ethiopians do not want or need reforms: “On the contrary, our experience in Ethiopia has suggested that its citizens understand and desire democracy, and that many of the country’s political and economic problems may be more readily addressed in a more open and democratic system.”
With Ethiopia on the verge of either joining the community of democratic nations or stagnating into a kind of corrupt authoritarianism, reform is critical in this second most populous nation in Africa, Peterson said. “It becomes so important now to invest strategically in the country and tip the balance in the right direction,” he said.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamamoto also said the fate of the NGOs was “troubling and confusing, especially since it is the first time these organizations have been expelled from any country.”
He told lawmakers: “Their expulsion on the eve of parliamentary elections raises questions about that process. It also raises questions about the government’s commitment to real, meaningful democratic reforms and the development of truly democratic institutions.”
Contrary to the claim by the Ethiopian government that the NGOs did not follow proper procedures for registration, Yamamoto said the U.S. government made a formal response to the Ethiopian government “noting in detail the actions of these organizations to file the appropriate documents with various Ethiopian governmental authorities.”
“These organizations did not enter into Ethiopia surreptitiously,” Yamamoto said. “They acted with the full knowledge and in full sight of the government.” Therefore, “we have asked the government to allow these reputable organizations to return to Ethiopia to continue their important capacity-building work in advance of the election.”
Asked by Representative Donald Payne (Democrat of New Jersey) why the Ethiopian government was allowing The Carter Center to monitor the election and not the others, Yamamoto said he could not answer that question. But Subcommittee Chairman Christopher Smith (Republican of New Jersey) jumped in to say that it might be a belief that The Carter Center would be less critical in its evaluation of the electoral process.
Referring to the expulsions, Smith told the hearing: “Today, a number of colleagues joined me in sending a letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, urging him to rescind the expulsion of three American NGOs helping to build democracy. … For the sake of continuing democratic progress in Ethiopia, we hope the prime minister will respond positively to our request.”
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
The chairman of Ethiopia’s national election board says thousands of voters will be re-registered for upcoming parliamentary polls after the discovery of serious abuses.
Kemal Bedri said Monday that officials will re-register voters in 15 polling stations in Ethiopia’s northeastern Afar region and in three stations in Sidama in the south.
Mr. Bedri said the decision was made after investigators found underage voters and people who had multiple ballots.
Nearly 27-million people have registered to cast ballots in the May 15 parliamentary elections.
The election chief also said some 320 foreign observers are expected to monitor the poll. They include observers from the United States, African Union, European Union, and the Arab League.
Opposition parties have already accused the Ethiopian government of jailing, torturing, and even killing its members ahead of the vote.
ADDIS ABABA (Xinhuanet) — A total of 319 foreign observers will be deployed to various parts of Ethiopia to observe the upcoming May 15 national elections, the state-appointed National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said Monday.
NEBE Chairman Kemal Bedri told journalists that the observers are drawn from the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the Arab League, the US-based Carter Center and embassies of other countries.
The chairman said diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa, including the American, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Turkish embassies to Ethiopia, have requested the board to allow them to assign their own election observers in the forthcoming national elections.
According to the chairman, only three local religious institutions have so far been allowed to assign their election observers. Non-governmental organizations and civil societies would not be allowed to assign their observers.
Referring to the issue of journalists covering the elections, Kemal said the board would provide IDs to only those journalists acknowledged by the Ministry of Information.
Thirty-six political parties will contest places in the 547-seat federal parliament in the elections, which the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) is strongly favored to win.
Up to 25.6 million people have registered to vote at 38,000 polling stations, according to the board.
ASBE TEFERI, Ethiopia (ENA) — The West Harerge Zone in eastern Ethiopia police force says it has arrested five people carrying weapons, as well as leaflets and logo of the opposition Oromo National Congress (ONC) in Taisi and Kurfa-Roka kebeles neighbourhoods of the Bokae Woreda district.
Zonal police public relations department head, Deputy Inspector Hailu Fekedu, said among the five people, two were arrested while travelling to Kurfa-Roka kebele with a vehicle loaded with weapons, leaflets and ONC logo.
The head added that other three people were similarly caught red-handed in Kurfa-Roka kebele with 10 weapons, ONC electoral symbols and leaflets, acting on public tip off. The deputy inspector said police have continued investigations.
