Wed 2nd June (London) Hundreds of Ethiopians residing in the UK have condemned the Meles regime for engaging in massive and widespread vote rigging in numerous constituencies throughout remote parts of Ethiopia.

In a peaceful demonstration they staged opposite Downing Street, the hub of the British government, the protesters demanded the TPLF-led government to accept the will and democratic verdict of the people. They called for an immediate end to what they called the �highly orchestrated efforts of the ruling party to reverse and derail the democratic process set in motion by the determination of the people to remove the tyrannical ethnic mafia led by Meles Zenawi.�

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Tony Blair, the protestors urged the British government to exert its influence on the Meles regime, to respect the results of the elections and swallow the bitter pills of defeat. �In the immediate aftermath of the elections, it turned out that the ruling party has completely lost control of the Addis Ababa and other towns. In the event, the ruling party resorted to numerous illegal and criminal activities to forcefully reverse the results of the election in its favor� the letter stated. 

It indicated that Ethiopia is at a historical crossroads. It also noted: �The entire country is now in a state of high tension.� It denounced the state of emergency imposed by Meles Zenawi as a desperate tactic to suppress resistance and opposition to the election fraud. 

The protestors urged the British government and its European partners to support the democratic verdict of the Ethiopian people. �Above all we are demonstrating to demand the British government to uphold its constructive policies of democratic governance in Africa by supporting the democratic voice of the Ethiopian people in the current national elections.�

One of the demonstrators, Andinet Abera, said, � There should never be any double standard in any elections. Elections, be it in the UK, Zimbabwe or Ethiopia should be equally respected. What we are demanding any democratic governments is to support the efforts of the Ethiopian to hold recount or re-election where the TPLF has evidently tapered public votes. 

He emphasized that the international community should intervene positively to stop the rampant harassment, intimidation, illegal detentions and extra judicial killings being committed by the Meles regime across the country against defenseless civilians just because they exercised their voting rights and wanted every vote counted. 

�It seems a frantic to clutch at straws to stop the revolutionary tsunami poised to ferociously sweep out ethnic apartheid that has subjected the people of Ethiopia to third class citizenship, poverty deprivation and humiliation,� Andinet said.

Chanting anti-Meles slogans, which echoed across Downing Street, the protestors demanded the lifting of the state of emergency declared during the elections by Meles in a bid to thwart any resistance and opposition against the well-planned and systematic vote rigging.

Another demonstrator, Selam Ashenafi, said: � TPLF controls the National Election Board, the media, the police, the security and the army, among others. Despite all that they have lost the elections. 
�The only place on earth that Meles can sure to win a truly fair election is Eritrea. He will definitely defeat even the likes of Isayas Afeworki as he is more Eritrean than the most diehard Eritrean nationalists.� 

�As far as Ethiopians are concerned, they have said enough is enough. There is no hiding place for them any more,� she added.
Among the numerous slogans that resonated in Downing Street were: � End to Meles regime, end to ethnic apartheid, lift the illegal state of emergency, no double standards in human rights�.� 

Demonstration co-coordinators briefed the crowed on current developments and availed themselves of the opportunity to call upon Ethiopians in London and other countries to initiate and participate in well-concerted fundraising efforts to support the opposition who are making a great deal sacrifice to restore the dignity and freedom of the people.