As we in the NES are not members of CUDP, we have perhaps no right to comment on how they should handle the internal organisational disputes they may or may not have. Our right to speak comes from our support to CUDP when it was under attack, and even more from our desire to see a system of competitive parties with a shared and inviolateable rule of the game to usher in an enduring Ethiopian democratic society. Along many other compatriots and people of good will and justice, we in the NES spent endless energy voluntarily to get the prisoners released and we trust whatever we say will be taken by those affected by it to come from the best of intentions to see right prevail over wrong so that, in the end and the long run, the best possible course for opposition, alienated and ruling parties competitive electoral game could be forged.
We repeat it is those organisational members of CUDP that must solve their own problems by setting up regulatory procedures, disciplinary and other steps to build the authority of the organisation by solving any inter-personal and inter-organisational disputes. Outside advice by its very nature even the best one can and is often limited since there is much we do not know why KIL and KIC split and fight so viciously against one another, and even more elected MPs coming out of jail do not wish to appear on the same platform when they were expected to hold hands and greet their supporters who did not discriminate amongst them when they were in jail. Why impose and inflict so foolishly on a very mobilised and vibrant Diaspora doubt and sadness that the people and forces that helped bring the 2005 election degrade to such a position to act and to undo this great achievement? It is a true puzzle that has confounded not only sympathisers even those who opposed CUDP.
When the MPs were in jail KIL/AFD came. UEDF refused to join AFD and we were all exposed and treated to rather casual conversations that the AFD was sponsored by external actors who were perceived to have undermined Ethiopian unity in the past. And soon after, KIL also split. And before the MPs release, KIC was formed. All these developments did confuse all of us. At least we in the NES did not know what to say for a while bewildered by what continued to happen and appear. We did hope for a task force to be organised involving civil society with others to get the journalists, the NGO activists and the elected MPs. There was a strange practice where those in Kaliti sent messages and list of people who should lead on their behalf. That in itself was not a problem except they keep sending different names when the split took place. Then wild allegations start flying. People must have been hurt because the accusations were all over the press. The split must have been widened owing to all these accusations and counter accusations.
What we believe is that these divisions did impact to slow down the broadest momentum outside until the HR 2003 rescued the democratic movement. If it were not for HR2003, there was danger that the democratic movement could have slowed down further and may even have gone to sleep.
Now we have civil society pushing and supporting the elected MPs of CUDP and also struggling to push the HR2003 bill. The problems may be formidable. But the democratic movement is even more formidable.
What we can say for sure is that in spite of all the problems the arrow of the democratic movement is moving gradually and surely forward. It will accelerate further if most of these problems that tend to be divisive can be removed. Our fear is that long after the MPs are gone from USA and Europe, the divisions may linger on. Those who wish to have the MPs move together may be upset when their own communities set ad hoc communities to invite the MPs without making sure all can join together. Let us hope once the MPs are gone all will concentrate on the larger task of building a strong and credible democratic opposition with toleration and forgiveness and not nurse the hurt of being sidelined that some of the statements that came out showed immediately prior to the visits especially of those led by the vice- chair of CUDP. Our suggestion is that once a wrong is done, let us stop dwelling on it. Let us say the unity of the democratic opposition is more important than any real or imagined wrong that may have occurred. This maturity is to be expected from all the MPs in the larger reason of embedding a democratic dynamics and energy in Ethiopia. It is not much to ask. They ought to all those who struggled both inside and outside Ethiopia… continued on next page