Opposition, EPRDF, Supporters and Critics 
By: Abegaz Bellete (July1, 2005)

I am one of the admirers of Professor Tecola Hagos for the numerous instructive ideas he advanced to teach us on issues concerning Ethiopia and I second most of his writings except few areas where judgment of past Ethiopian rulers requires understanding of the then collective mentality and socio-economic makeup. I am most importantly impressed by the love the Professor has to his country, Ethiopia and his openness for constructive criticism.  His website and Ethiomedia fought the cyber war against the Meles Regime no less than any body or political party within Ethiopia.  His constructive criticism of the opposition; the EPRDF and supporters� baseless allegations against the opposition is worth for discussion here.

Professor Tecola�s recent article, �Forget the �Opposition� with Negede Gobeze� is instructive although it looks a bit heavy-handed criticism. We know that Negede�s party (MEISON) is a member of UEDF and we know that no one opposed it at the time of formation of UEDF. As a member of UEDF, Negede may have the right to be represented in UEDF�s activity.  Yet, the main issue I think the professor wanted to show has been that people that are not clean (obviously destructive) during the past regimes should hold low profile within the opposition. This is a positive comment and the opposition should learn from it. We know that the UEDF representative from Ethiopia did not get the permission from Ethiopian immigration authorities to travel to Brussels to hold its meetings with the EU. But they should have made efforts to get representative other than Negede from Europe. On the other hand, Professor Tecola Hagos�s criticism of the CUD is a bit unfair. The CUD and the UEDF are two different parties as the brutal EPRDF is different from CUD.  But I take the Professor�s reaction due to his anger for observing the unimaginable. I think the CUD, judging from its manifesto, is the most development friendly political party Ethiopia has ever had. Let us not be carried by perceived individual character of few persons within the organization but rather evaluate the governing principles of the party. I am particularly attracted to two things from their manifesto: proportional representation and the proposal to limit the terms of the service of the prime minister. I do not want to see a PM for more than ten years on power, particularly in an election, which is not free and fair. There must be accountability and that can only happen when we limit the service of a prime minister.

There are many, including the ruling party, who make flawed statements again and again on the composition of the opposition; there is a tendency or real motive to label everybody that worked under the Derg regime as reactionary, leftovers, anti-people and all other bad names we name it. Every Ethiopian has advanced the policies of Derg willingly or unwillingly as long as they were employees of the government or even residing citizens for that matter. Even EPRDF has many people that served under the Derg and the King including the now president of Ethiopia. It does not make sense to criticize those people in opposition who shook the Meles regime like never before, simply on account of their service to the previous regime. In fact most of these people in opposition were strong critics of the Derg despite their service to the then government. By any measure, these people cannot be criminal more than Meles and his TPLF that fought along with Ethiopian enemies.

I take this opportunity to comment on one other point.  Many in Aiga, Walta, and recently a flood of articles on Ethiopia First have tried to tarnish the image of the opposition declaring the EPRDF as a God given party and the sole winner of the May 2005 election. However, there is one fundamental issue every one of us should understand. If the EPRDF government believes in the �ethnic identity first� ideology, then it is sensible to conclude that most people in Ethiopia go for their own ethnic enclave in this election. Ethnic Amharas, Oromos and Southern Ethiopian people under EPRDF have no prospect of being elected, in a free and fair election process, for they are perceived to be dominated by TPLF � a party that worked hard against the national interest of Ethiopia and led by a treasonous PM. In my view, the 2005 Election is just a procedure to give legitimacy to the opposition that won the contest through the people�s forgone decision. I myself do not appreciate this kind of segregation. I hold a view that every brilliant Ethiopian should be given the opportunity to be elected to the highest office for the benefit of the country. Yet what else can be done when Meles Zenawi insists in an election based on ethnicity?

Principally, there are two options in structuring the sate of Ethiopia: encouraging multi-ethnic party formation and reorganization of the countries administrative regions based on economic feasibility, geographic setting, language and cultural ties; the other option is maintaining the current make up � ethnically divided regions and a number of ethnically structured parties. In the first option any talented Ethiopians can assume executive power regardless of ethnicity. In the second option only those people from ethnic Oromos or Amharas can assume executive power � the obvious population criteria. Now, the ball is in the EPRDF and supporters court. EPRDF cannot be elected democratically as long as it remains an ethnic coalition party and hence the party and its supporters inside and outside Ethiopia should accept defeat.  I have a view that investigation into alleged vote frauds is not even necessary except for the sake of completing procedures.

In conclusion, Professor Tecola�s criticism on the part of UEDF was justified. So far, the CUD is one of the most progressive parties Ethiopia has ever had. Both the UEDF and CUD are commendable for thinking the unthinkable, rallying the people, and shaking and exposing the disguised decorators of TPLF/EPRDF. Labeling the courageous opposition parties, by EPRDF and company, as reactionary, leftovers of Derg and imperial regimes, anti-people, ISEPA and EPRP is meaningless in current Ethiopian politics. There have never been any criminal state and state functionaries as that of EPRDF�s in the entire Ethiopian history. The EPRDF lost the May 2005 election and hence the party and supporters should gracefully accept it. The main reasons behind its defeat are: EPRDF structured itself ethnically, divided the country ethnically, compromised the country�s national interest and it did not score ant tangible economic progress after a decade and a half stay on power. The electorates that favored this record of EPRDF are far less in number than those disapproving. END

Abegaz Bellete (July1, 2005)