JANUARY 20/2005

The EPRDF led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has refused to adopt the free and fair election provisions and passed as law an election law that violates the rights of the people to freely elect their representatives and rulers. The EPRDF has also refused to change the election board controlled by the ruling party/TPLF-EPRDF/ and to set up a neutral election board instead.

This means that the coming May 2005 general election will be as flawed and as rigged as the two previous ones assuring the EPRDF total control. In the last election thousands were jailed and hundreds killed as the ruling party let loose its security agents and police against those favoring opposition parties. The presence of foreign observers and their negative judgement on the proceedings did not affect the regime one bit. In the last months, the EPRDF had been negotiating with the opposition United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) on the need to change the electoral law and the electoral commission and there was some hope in some quarters that the ruling front had finally decided to end the restriction of the right of the people.However, such hopes have now been dashed and there is absolutely no doubt that the EPRDF will practically run against itself and win. This is an injustice done on the right of the Ethiopian people to freely elect their representatives.

Already, hundreds of people have been jailed on the convenient charge of "dangerous vagrancy" while their detention stems only from the fact that they are supporters of the opposition parties. Peasants are warned that they would lose their land and get imprisoned on charges of unpaid dues for purchased fertilizers if they vote for the opposition.The government is the biggest employer and job security is dependent on loyalty shown to the ruling front. Election officials and vote counters who had not shown due enthusiasm in supporting the ruling front have been sent way from their jobs and their recent complaint to the Ministry of Justice has been denied thereby making them wary of being non partisan.

The denial of the basic right of the people to freely vote for the organizaztions and representatives of their choice is a serious violation. Demagogy to the contrary notwithstanding, it is proper to conclude that the EPRDF has trampled on the basic tenet of good governance and violated again the right of the people.