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The May 15, 2005 Ethiopian Election: a retrospective analysis
Seifeselassie Sibhatu
July 8, 2005
As
is often said by many observers and writers, the May 15 2005
Ethiopian Election has brought the country to a different stage. We
can argue about the level and nature of the stage the country has
reached from whichever perspective we are observing. In Ethiopian
political landscape, today more than ever one thing has become as
clear as day light; Ethiopian and Ethiopian will never be the same
again. The level and nature of the stage the country found itself
became a make or break situation.
The
initial assumption, at least of mine, prior to the election date was
the election would be more of idea, dialogue and discussion about
the current and future political, social, economical and other
issues Ethiopia faces. However, contrary to this assumption we have
been forced to discuss the political, social, and economic and other
issues of the country�s past. Once again we are forced to review
the question of ethnicity and diversity and the form of the
Ethiopian unity. We thought these were dealt fourteen years ago and
became things of the past. The May 15, 2005 Election prove us other
wise.
Since
the day of the election, we have been saying the May 15, Election by
any standard was the most open, freest and fairest election.
International observers and international media also made similar
positive comments. On the other hand CUD has denounced the outcome
of the election even before it started. Even they were condemning
former US president Mr. Carter and others who gave positive
assessment of the election. These days however, the opposition is
showing a shift in their stand. For no reason now they are forced to
accept at least the openness, freeness and fairness of the election
process though still they denounce the outcome of the election. Here
are the recent tone of comments given by some opposition leaders and
supporters regarding the election.
Hailu
Shawel on BBC hardtalk with Mr. Sacker.
�It was the first time in our history, we had access to our
people. At least we could tell most of the people what we stand for
and what we have a dream for Ethiopia.� [See
Ref. 1]
Addressing
the so-called global Ethiopian Democratic Resistance against Mr.
Meles Zenawi Prof. Getachew Haile on July 8, 2005 said the following
�To begin with, it must be
acknowledged that Mr. Meles Zenawi, whatever his motives, did permit
the freest elections in our history. He allowed opposition
candidates to travel to big cities and campaign unmolested, and
allowed the free press to cover the election with a freedom
previously unknown in Ethiopia...
debates
that gave voters a clear sense of the differences between the
competing parties.�
[See Ref. 2]
The
Network of Ethiopian Scholars (NES)-Scandinavian Chapter also wrote
the following �Ethiopia has
had no record of effecting a peaceful transition in its history. For
the first time in this country�s history, the people of Ethiopia
freely came forward after hearing the debates in the election to
vote for the party of their choice on May 15, 2005. We consider this
to prove a historical landmark in the country�s long history.� [See
Ref. 3]
But
what did foreign observers said to deserve petition and
demonstration. For example here how the Carter Center made its
assessment about the whole election �The
May 2005 elections, the third to be held under the current
constitution, showed great promise in the deepening of Ethiopian
democracy. For the first time in history the majority of Ethiopian
voters were presented with choices when they went to the polls. We
believe that Ethiopia has made tremendous strides toward democracy
in the last several months, including more open debate, greater
political participation, large rallies, and enormously high voter
turnout on election day."[See
Ref. 4]
These
statements by opposition and their supporters have come closer in
acknowledging the openness, fairness and freeness of the election to
that of the international observers. So if CUD admits the election
was free and fair, why then it refused to accept the final outcome
of the election? In my view, there are few factors that contributed
to this end so that CUD and its supporters not to able accept the
verdict of the people. Here are the factors:
1. EPRDF vs. the Ethiopian people
There
is a general feeling among the CUD and its supporters that the
Ethiopian people do not want to be governed by EPRDF any more. For
example here is what on July 8, 2005 Prof. Getachew said in regard
to this �And, based on all
that I have heard and read, both about this election and about the
last 14 years under the TPLF, I believe with all my heart that the
true will of the people is to rid Ethiopia of Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi and his TPLF, and to move Ethiopia forward under the fresh
leadership of the opposition.� [See
Ref. 2].
That is one of the problem, one can not conclude the feeling of the
people solely based on information derived from hearsay and some
private paper. Such kind of assessment of the
true will of the people require more than reading and hearing
while sitting in Minneapolis about the Ethiopian people.
-
A
leader from minority ethnic group
Most
CUD members and their leaders have found it hard to swallow the fact
that Ethiopia has been lead by a leader from Tigray, which they
considered a minority. The same Prof. Getachew explained in this way
�you can choose Mr. Meles
Zenawi, and his minority party, or you can choose the friendship of
the vast majority of Ethiopian citizens. Ethiopians know that a free
Ethiopia led by the opposition will be a stable democracy that is a
good friend to both the United Kingdom and the United States.�[See
Ref. 2]. The
deliberate mistake people like Prof. Getachew are making is that
Ethiopia should always be governed by one ethnic group. In end
analysis they will be our leader forever and will be their folks for
ever.
3.
Ethiopia
under colonization
CUD
and its supporters are trying to portray that the current Ethiopia
is under colonisation and the land and its people should be freed.
They are arguing that while the rest of Ethiopia is left
undeveloped, the resources of the country are diverted to develop
the region of Tigray and its people. Prof. Getachew has put it in
the following way �to
support and respect the people of Ethiopia in their fight to regain
control of their country.� [See
Ref. 2]
Therefore
according to him at the present Ethiopians are not control by its
people and the current rulers of Ethiopia are colonisers. Even in
one article he went further to mix politics and religion and wrote
the following �EPRDF while it is Ethiopian in origin it is a colonizer in
administration and son of evil in origin�
[See Ref. 5].
The main reason behind portraying the current government as a
coloniser according to them is that TPLF has moved the resources of
the country to the region of Tigray. And according Dr. Getachew �The
TPLF has literally given away the country's economic resources to
itself, to its allies and to its home province of Tigray, at the
expense of all of the rest of Ethiopia.� [See
Ref. 6].
They are trying hard to convince the Ethiopian people that even
students sent to foreign countries for training are entirely
Tigreans. Prof. Getachew elaborate this idea in one of his article as
follows �A friend who
teaches at a medical school in an African country wrote me last
month that he was recently approached by the registrar of the school
who requested that my friend help him in identifying the girls from
the boys from a list of names of Ethiopian students who would be
coming on government scholarship to study medicine in that school,
for the purpose of assigning the students to dormitories. According
to my friend, the names appeared to be all Tigrean. While this is
anecdotal evidence, it is not isolated; I have received similar
reports from several countries. The aim of TPLF's Ethiopian
education is to training Tigreans rather than all Ethiopians.�
[See Ref.
6].
Therefore, according CUD its supporters the May 15 election in more
than an election but a fight for the freedom of Ethiopia and its
people from its colonizers.
4.
EPRDF a government to be removed by any means
Well
before the May 15, Ethiopian election there was strategy to remove
the current government by any means possible. The only difference
during the May 15 election is that this option was reserved as plan
B. First they would try to remove the government through election,
other wise they will resort to writing petition, demonstration and
country wide demonstration. They argue that TPLF must go by any
means possible because it is degrading. One of the means they
devised is to make the people of Ethiopia not to be governed by
EPRDF. Almost nine years ago Prof. Getachew wrote the following �The TPLF must go by all means, it degraded us� We must prepare the
people to be ungovernable�
[See Ref. 6].
And now today July 8, 2005 he is repeating he same rhetoric as
follows �Our job, as
Ethiopian-Americans and Ethiopians living in Europe, is to keep the
pressure up � through demonstrations such as today's, through
letter writing and e-mail campaigns and telephone calls.�[See
Ref. 2]
While
CUD and its supporters are admitting is the fact that the May 15
election was the most open, free and fair election they will not be
ready to accept the verdict of the people for the reason I have
outlined above. They are under the false impression that the
Ethiopia people are no more willing to be governed by EPRDF. This
assumption of the CUD and its supporters is not true and unfounded.
Yes, there are problems with this government, but we think the
government of PM Meles is on the right track. CUD and its supporters
are not ready to accept the May 15 final result because it means
living under the leadership of a man whom they considered from a
minority group. CUD and its supporters will not accept the verdict
of the people because they feel they are not feeling free from
colonisation of Ethiopia by a minority. Therefore, they fear the
government will continue to move Ethiopian resources to develop
Tigray. END
Seifeselassie
Sibhatu, PhD
July
8, 2005
References:
[1]. https://www.waltainfo.com/Conflict/Interview/2005/July/article1.htm
[2]. https://www.ethiomedia.com/newpress/getachew_haile_address.html
[3]. https://www.aeup.org/new/static/Letter_G8.htm
[4]. https://www.cartercenter.org/doc2097.htm
[5]. https://www.aeup.org/new/static/Getachew_061605.pdf
[6]. https://www.ethiopians.com/getachew.html
Editor's
Note: We have posted the Article by
Seifeselassie Sibhatu, PhD, as a point of view that is critically
different from those expressed by most individuals posted
in this Website and other websites. Unlike the author of the posted
article, we strongly believe Meles Zenawi has failed in his duties
to the people of Ethiopia. In fact, we believe that he has violated
individual human rights of millions of Ethiopians by his erratic and
brutal governance, and he had committed also numerous crimes
against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ethiopia due to
his several illegal international agreements he had entered, such as
the Algiers Agreement of 2000. Even just for that, Meles Zenawi
should not be allowed to lead Ethiopia. However, on the issue of
discriminatory development, we do not believe Meles Zenawi had done
anything even remotely close to the magnitude that Haile
Selassie and Mengistu did by diverting and concentrating the
scarce resources of the rest of Ethiopia for a combined period of
almost sixty years in order to develop Addis Ababa and vicinity.
Literally millions of Ethiopians paid with their lives in Tygraei,
Wollo, Begemder, Harrar, Bali, Sidamo et cetera due to hunger,
disease, and occasional famine while Haile Selassie and Mengistu
were building universities/colleges, luxury hotels, skyscrapers and
modern airports et cetera in Addis Ababa and vicinity.
What is alleged
to have been done in Tygreai is nothing compared to the exploitation
suffered by most Ethiopians in the effort to develop Addis Ababa and
vicinity. It is this form of mentality and rhetoric whether it is
stated by a respected professor such as Prof. Getachew Haile or some
former WPE member in the role of a simple street agitator
propagating the myth of Tygrean development that is bothersome
to us, which we find divisive and opening a door for the
disintegration of Ethiopia. At any rate all the business
organizations, foreign bank accounts in the names of handful of TPLF
leaders has nothing to do with the people of Tygreai. If one cannot
make such distinction, it is no different from labeling all Italians
as Mafioso just because there are some Mafias that are Italians.
Moreover, it is silly for anyone to argue that either the Opposition
or the EPRDF represents the interest of the Ethiopian people.
We
believe that at this stage of the political and economic development
of Ethiopia, claims of representation of any sort is a myth. Members
of the EPRDF have no one else to blame for the type of political
predicament they find themselves. They backed the wrong leader that
led them and the nation to the edge of the abyss. Let others save
Ethiopia from certain destruction in the hands of Meles Zenawi, thus
EPRDF members ought to reconsider their position in the present
situation and get rid of Meles and his associates and start new
dialogue with CUD and others. There are certain steps that need be
taken before we can speak of meaningful elections, voting processes,
political participation et cetera. The first step is to have a
new set of leaders not because of their democratic disposition or
commitment, but because change in anyone is preferable than the
continued leadership of Meles Zenawi. Let us not confuse the change
taking place with democracy. TH
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