Ethiopian Election is a Farce, Senior Opposition Leaders declare

Ethiopian Election is a Farce, Senior Opposition Leaders declare

Ethiopian Satellite Television and Radio (ESAT) interviewed Dr. Merera Gudina and Dr. Beyene Petros, senior opposition leaders of Medrek coalition [Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum], about Sunday’s general election in Ethiopia. The opposition party leaders said that the election held on May 24, 2015 was highly flawed; EPRDF, as all authoritarian regimes do, used an extremely coordinated vote-rigging tactics and massive human rights abuse during the Election Day throughout the regions. Dr. Beyene said that the atrocities committed during this election by the regime security forces and cadres had not been observed in the past 24 years. Dr. Merera said that the 2015 “election” is not election per se; it is a vote rigging and stealing in broad daylight and total disrespect of the voting populace.

Massive Human Rights Abuses

It was reported that two Medrek members were killed in Oromia Region. An accredited observer was shot to death by the regime security forces at Mida-kegne Wereda in the vicinity of Ambo, Oromia region of Ethiopia. Another election observer appointed by Medrek was killed at Kofele Wereda at night on the eve of election. In Hadiya Zone, Southern Nations and Nationalities Region (SNNP), Medrek representatives were severely beaten by the EPRDF cadres. Some of those who sustained injuries were reportedly admitted to a Zontal Hospital.

Clear and Pervasive Electoral Fraud and Irregularities

Electoral fraud and irregularities were observed in most polling stations throughout the country. According to Dr. Merera and Dr. Beyene, a fair and free election did not take place on May 25, 2015 in Ethiopia; the regime cadres simply rigged the votes using the federal police and local militia as instruments of coercion, intimidation, and persecution.

There were reports of several incidences that the ballot boxes were stuffed with EPRDF votes on the eve of the election. Observers and witnesses who requested the ballot box to be emptied before the polling begins in the morning were intimidated and beaten. In Hadya, for instance, several people were injured during the clash. Some people were refused treatment at the Zonal clinics.

Moreover, polling agents, counting agents, and accredited observers were all harassed, chased away from the polling stations, intimidated, or were forced to sign that the vote count was free and fair, Dr. Merera and Dr. Beyene disclosed.

At Ambo polling stations where Dr. Merara contested, federal police and local militia took the ballot boxes away; and the whereabouts of the ballot boxes remain unknown. In twenty polling stations, Dr. Merera said Medrek secured majority votes. However, nothing is known how the votes are counted since Medrek representatives and observers are absent due to the massive coercion and intimidation. Accordingly, it is likely that Medrek may lose the constituency it won. Dr. Merera added that only in five or six polling stations the Medrek representative and members were able to stop vote rigging. People at Ambo area said that they would not allow their votes stolen.

The vote rigging and electoral fraud is similar and with a discerned pattern in all other constituencies where Medrek participated. In Sidama, people found ballot boxes in restrooms. In all other constituencies, nothing is known how much votes Medrek had secured, Dr. Merera said. Dr. Beyene Pertros, another the senior leaders of the coalition opposition Medrek, said that the election drama was conducted in a way EPRDF wanted. It did not conform to the laws and regulations of the electoral process. Hence, the election is far from free and fair.

Dr. Merera and Dr. Beyene emphasized that the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia had never been independent. In polling stations that Medrek participated, Federal Police, Special Force, and Militia members campaigned for EPRDF to the extent of intimidating the voters to mark on EPRDF symbol which is a bee. In several instances, the security personnel were seen snatching ballots from voters and told to go home. They rigged the vote at a gun point, Dr. Beyene added.

The veteran opposition political party leaders said that the voters in general and the opposition party members in particular not only underwent ordeals of physical abuse but also received psychological trauma that really hurt citizens more than the physical attack.

The election process was not conducted in accord to the rule of law. However, the ruling party may allow some seats for the opposition members to join the parliament depending on the feelings of the voters, the leaders commented. Medrek leaders said nothing was disclosed so far as how many seats the regime would allow them to secure in the parliament.

Asked about the measures Medrek would take, Dr. Merera said, “Medrek members will discuss and reach to some decision; we will keep on fighting for justice and democracy”

The two senior politicians say that Medrek has traversed a very long way to bring democracy and freedom to the people of Ethiopia peacefully. Dr. Merera and Dr. Beyene said Medrek’s supporters and sympathizers did all they could to bring peaceful change in effect. However, people are met with challenging tasks and are asking what their further actions can be. The veteran politicians called on their supporters in particular and Ethiopian people in general not to feel desperate in their endeavor of waging the struggle peacefully as a means of changing the regime. They joined the struggle against EPRDF in the hope of change the political conditions in the country though the incumbent leadership refusing to allow a meaningful free, fair, and competitive election since and in the aftermath of 2005 election where the EPRDF massively stole the election and declared itself a winner, and where hundreds of protesters were killed, and thousands were imprisoned. The two leaders further called on the fragmented opposition parties to struggle in unison for lasting peace and democracy. Dr. Beyene Petros in particular called on those Ethiopians in the Diaspora to support them in their effort to bring democracy and freedom in Ethiopia.

The absence of both European Union and the United States from observing the electoral process has given the ruling party another incentive to commit massive fraud and vote rigging, Dr. Beyene also said. In 2005 election, the European Union reported that the election held in Ethiopia was flawed; and the government had a degree of restraint from rigging votes on a massive scale as has been the case during the election held this past weekend.

The Charities and Societies Proclamation and Anti-Terrorism Laws introduced after 2005 election were intentionally meant to weaken the participation of NGOs and Journalists in the democratic process, human rights monitoring and advocacy, and observing the electoral process in the country. Unless the Ethiopian regime abrogates this law, it would be difficult for the country to move forward.

The European Union, the United States and other donor organizations need to pressure the Ethiopian government to widen the democratic space. It was dismaying to know the United States’ double standard policy of nurturing dictatorial regimes in the pretext of fighting terrorism, the leaders said. Both Dr. Merera and Dr. Beyene called on US Congress and Senate to put pressure the US Administration to revise its Foreign policy on Ethiopia and put it on the right track, as the Foreign Policy pursued by both current and past US Administrations has helped to increasingly embolden an authoritarian regime to further its repressive acts and tactics to stifle freedom and liberties of the people, thus forcing people to resort to all forms of measures and alternatives for a regime change, which the country cannot afford. An extensive campaign in the US and Europe is needed to create awareness of human rights atrocities in Ethiopia, both leaders have added during the interview.

Coverage of the Election on the International Media

Several international media and organizations reported the Ethiopian National election was not free and fair. The Guardian stated that the election held on May 24, 2015 was marred by harassment claims. Human Rights Watch says the election drama as “the culmination of the government’s five-year strategy of systematically closing down space for political dissent and independent criticism”. Euronews documented rights groups accusations of the ruling Front’s cracking down on critics. The New York Times re-counted Ethiopians’ disillusionment with the ruling party’s tight control over the political sphere, harassment and arbitrary detentions. All Africa depicted how Ethiopians were left in dark in the absence of free press. The Voice of America questioned the credibility of the national election in the absence of western observers. 

ESAT