All opposition parties in Ethiopia have decided to boycott the off-term elections that is scheduled for the end of this month. The elections will be held to fill vacant seats in the rubber-stamp parliament and regional assemblies, according to Ethiopian Review sources.
Medrek, a coalition of 8 opposition parties, informed the election board, which is controlled by the ruling party Woyanne, that it will not participate in the elections since the outcome is predetermined as in the previous elections.
Voter registration has also been minimal, prompting the election committee today to extend the deadline for registering by one more week.
Meanwhile, a Medrek official (who wishes to remain anonymous for his safety) told Ethiopian Review that he is dismayed by the U.S. diplomats’ assessment of the opposition parties in Ethiopia. A U.S. diplomatic cable that is released to Wikileaks.org describes the Ethiopian political opposition as “weak , disunited, and out of touch with the average Ethiopian.” [read here] The Medrek official argued that the opposition parties in Ethiopia remain weak primarily because of the brutal repression they are subjected to by Meles Zenawi’s regime that is getting over $1 billion in assistance and loans from the U.S., EU, IMF and World Bank.
Indeed the U.S. and EU support to Meles Zenawi, one of the most blood thirsty and corrupt dictators in the world, is a great injustice against the people of Ethiopia. The Meles regime is the kind of dictatorship that steals 9 million kilograms of coffee (valued at over $100 million) and says let’s forget about it, as shown here.