June 30, 2005
ethiopianreview.com

Investigative team #25 is one of the 26 teams that were created to probe complaints of election fraud. The teams are created based on the recent European Union-mediated agreement between the opposition parties and EPRDF.

Each team is required by the agreement to have representatives from CUD, UEDF, EPRDF, the Election Board and the international community's election observers group.

Today, the 26 teams were sent out to various election constituencies (woredas) through out the country to investigate complaints of election fraud.

Investigative team #25's first assignment was to look into EPRDF-OPDO's complaint filed against the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) in the Oromiya region's Adea 1 and Adea 2 woredas (Debre Zeit).

At the heart of the problem is EPRDF's refusal to accept the CUD landslide victories at the two woredas. CUD's candidates Ato Biru Biremeji Chikual won 79% of the votes in Adea 1, while Ato Kefele Birebo Gudeta defeated the EPRDF-OPDO candidate with 61% of the votes.

The final vote counts at both woredas were approved and signed off by the EPRDF representatives. In spite of that fact, EPRDF contested the results and filed complaints against the two elected officials accusing them of election fraud.

In accordance with the agreement, CUD and UEDF each delegated two representatives to join Investigative Team #25 to look into the allegations at Adea 1 and Adea 2.

Upon leaving Addis Abebe for Debre Zeit, the CUD and UEDF representatives were notified that the Election Board representative will meet them there. The Election Board also informed them that there will be no international observer.

The four representatives from CUD and UEDF arrived in Debre Zeit, and after waiting there for several hours, they were told that the election board representative would not come. Instead, they met with a local EPRDF representative and asked him about EPRDF's complaints.

To their surprise, the EPRDF representative told them that his party did not file any complaint in both Adea 1 and Adea 2.

He said that as far as EPRDF is concerned, CUD's candidates have won in both woredas.

When pressed further, the EPRDF representative told them that it could be UEDF that filed complaints against CUD.

After realizing that they were sent all the way to Debre Zeit in a wild-goose chase, the CUD and UEDF representatives drove back to Addis Ababa.

One of the Team #25 members, Ato Tefera Mengistie, told Ethiopian Review that his group's next assignment is to investigate CUD's complaints in Harar. They will arrive there Saturday.

I want to know what Zenawi is going to say about the 'election' in Tigrai? He is a dead duck in other parts of Ethiopia. WE SHOULD INSIST ON A RE-RUN OF THE ELECTION IN TIGRAI. Tigrai is part of Ethiopia and the same rule should apply. It is not a little feifdom for zenawi and his cadres where they can flaut the rules and abuse the democratic process.

Folks,

TPLS/Melse has let it be known to the rest of the country according to Melese (Defacto President of Republic of Tigraye) the sovereign nation state of Tigraye is exempt and devoid of the constitutional laws of Ethiopia. That, Tigraye is immune to any standard that apply to Ethiopia, and that Tigraye, according to Meles, is only e neighboring country to Ethiopia. Hence, no Ethiopian national is permitted to run for any public office in Melese's "Republic of Tigraye".

Folks, this is not a bizarre and wild speculation, It is what Melse/TPLF mindset has been grappling with since the end of the honeymoon with ELF/Issayas. Do you wonder what the peoples of Tigraye are thinking? Their silence indicates innate acceptance of TPLF/Melse grand hallucination, i.e. that Tigraye is a sovereign nation state, and perhaps day perhaps will form an autonomous sovereign federation with its neighboring country Ethiopia.

My friends, this is what Melese and the TPLF remnants are grappling with night and day.

Why is it that Tigran Solidarity and other Tigrean groups abroad keep quite about the brutal repression and tyranny in Tigray by Meles Zenawi? Why don't they demand reelection Tigray?

It wouldn't amaze us! This seems a joke but the politics in Ethiopia was and is so, if not in the future. A joke politics at the expense of human life.

Email: kinfuassefa@gmail.com

City: Amsterdam

WAW!

We knew all along the oppositions have a very legitimate point in complaining on vote fraud and more.
However, To clear the air we need to press on the woredas that the electoral board is not willing to investigate. The voice of these woredas people deserve the respect that it deserves.

Please be aware that EPDRF is capable of planning even the unthinkable and we need to guard the people vote in unison where ever we may live as not doing so will help the germ to re-establish it self.

Keep it up brothers and sisters!

TA| S.

Email: Semachewa@yahoo.co.uk

City: London

I think the investigation ment to be carried out by the joint CUD/UEDF & "e.p.r.d.f" with the participation of the International observers,which took place in Debre Zeit, was another trick made by "e.p.r.d.f"-To bring differences betwin CUD & UEDF by using "o.p.d.o" the loyal dogs of meles. We shouldn't fall in to their traps! No krack-downs by illiterate, 6th-grade incomplite cadres !! The oposition parties on the contrary are broad minded people wich are composed of highly qualified personel. My advice to the oposition parties is-to not let any hyenas to disentegrate You!!! UNITY is the way to defeat meles,the way to bring our country out of misery!! LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA

Email: h.y.paulos@wp.pl

City: WLOCLAWEK

Thank you for exposing this yet another cruel joke on the Ethiopian people by the Meles regime. This all will add up until one day, hopefully soon, that the financial backers of Meles say "get out."

Hi Everybody

The election board has some explaining to do. There is no doubt in mind that the election board deliberately sent the CUD and UEDF representatives on a wild goose chase in regard to the so called election fraud investigation in Debre Zeit (Bishoftu).The reason why they did not send their representative along with the CUD and UEDF representatives was because they knew there was nothing to investigate in Debre Zeit. They are such dishonest and biased bunch of people who are unworthy to be trusted with responsibilities of their office. Actually the spot light of investigation should be on them first and foremost. If there is any decency left in them, each should plan on submitting a letter of investigation before they do any more damage.

Sible

Let's give credit where credit is due.

If it was not for the combined efforts of the courageous and astute people like Professor Mesfin, Prof Beyene, Ato Lidetu, Dr Merara, and Dr Birhanu the election victory would not have been possible.

To say those who do not advocate armed struggle are less committed to see the end of Meles' regime suggests lack of appreciation for the cost of violence and the power of peaceful struggle. I understand that Meles and his gang need to be pushed out as they are not willing to respect the wishes of the people. But I do not see violence as a viable solution.

The argument that Dr Birehanu was once this or that and cannot be trusted is very dangerous. Such line of argument disqualifies most from taking active role in Ethiopian politics. Some were "banda" others "anarchists" others "mehal sefari" and yet others "freedom fighters". Just as in religion where people claim only followers of their particular faith go to heaven, if we start disqualifying people from Ethiopian politics because they once belonged to a group other than ours, none of us will see the kind of Ethiopia – the land of free and prosperous people - we aspire to see. Because there will be no one left to fight the good fight to bring democracy and justice to the country.

Finally, ask where people stand today and do not praise or condemn them based exclusively on what they did or did not do yesterday. People learn.

With EPRDF, always expect the unexpected. Many of the complaints will end up this way. It is utter failure on the part of this discredited Party.

Email: Ageyuka@yahoo.com

City: TX

First, I want to say, ER is doing a fantastic job in exposing such fraud. Why don't the BBC, Reuters, Associated Press and others report on this kind of story? I'm fed up with their lame reports from Sheraton and Hilton.

Elias Wondimu

You are lying again. The complaint in those localities were made by UEDF. EPRDF won those seats.

http://www.electionsethiopia.org/PDF/Complaints/constituencies%20recommedned%20Amharic.pdf

CUD won the seats in Adea1 and Adea 2. The complaints were made by UEDF.

Provisional results

http://www.electionsethiopia.org/PDF/results/HPR%20summary%20result.pdf

Complaints by constituencies

http://www.electionsethiopia.org/PDF/Complaints/constituencies%20recommedned%20Amharic.pdf

I got you with your pants down bro. I will send this info to aigaforum and hambasha.

Tarek, ahaha you caught your own mistake. Now appologize to Elias.

I love Ethiopia and the true Ethiopians. Ethiopians by history fought with patient. The final victory is "ETHIOPIANS" The true Ethiopians who love to live together they stick together. There will be more to come, the people voice will be heard and Ethiopians will celebrete the victory. Let us work together with respect.

love you all.....

Apologize to who? Get lost! This guy is a pathetic liar.

Dear EthioianReview,

This is a fantastic job you are doing - documenting meticulusly the social history of the birth of democratic Ethiopia. Don't stop. YICHALAL!

This is Yoseph again. I want to make some correction in my last posting. I am referring to the last statement of the posting under discussion. please read "letter of resignation" instead of "letter of investigation". Sorry about the mistake.

Dear Members,
Meles regime has allowed the investigation of the election.

HEADLINE: Ethiopia: Electoral body starts investigating complaints in two states

SOURCE: ENA website, Addis Ababa, in English 30 Jun 05

BODY:
Text of report in English by Ethiopian news agency ENA website

Addis Ababa, 30 June: The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said the Complaint Investigation Body (CIB) began hearing complaints that had been rejected earlier for lacking evidences.

The CIB began reconsidering the complaints concerning alleged irregularities in Tigray and Afar states, board office press and information section told Ethiopian News Agency on Thursday [30 June].

The complaints were submitted by some of the parties that contended in the reported states in the 15 May elections, it said, adding the complaints earlier submitted failed to qualify eligibility.

Now that the parties have applied again for investigations saying they can produce sufficient evidences, the CIB has thus begun hearing the cases, it indicated.

In a closed hearing before noon on Thursday, the CIB heard the complaints of the CUD [opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy] that complained of alleged irregularities in 16 constituencies in Tigray State where it had contended.

After hearing the complaints, the CIB requested the reported party to immediately submit its evidences, it indicated.

The other case is pertinent to the complaint submitted by the Afar Liberation Front Party concerning the election in Zone 5.

The CIB will inform the parties in question its decision after looking into their applications for investigations.

The CIB also heard the application for investigation of the CUD which complained for irregularities in five constituencies in Afar [State]. This hearing was held in the afternoon.

The CIB also heard applications in the presence of representatives of EPRDF [ruling coalition Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front], ANDP as well as international observers.

LOAD-DATE: July 1, 2005

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

Ibrahim/Kedri you led the CUD on wild chase but your tail were not there while CUD officials were there,it should have been the other way round.

Email: DillingerJ1@aol.com

City: DC

tatari, wake up Tigrians' love Tigray. That is why they don't demand another election. They just ask ethiopians help when they start war with Eritierians.