G8 urged to censure Ethiopian regime
Irish Times; Jul 01, 2005

G8: Deaglan de Breadun , Foreign Affairs Correspondent, talks to Ethiopian opposition activist Dr Berhanu Nega in Dublin Democratic change

World leaders assembled at the G8 summit in Scotland next week should send a clear message to Ethiopia's prime minister Meles Zenawi that the conduct of his regime is not acceptable to the international community, a senior member of the Ethiopian opposition told The Irish times in Dublin this week.

"It is up to the international community to send a very, very clear message that Meles and his government cannot circumvent the democratic process," said Dr Berhanu Nega (47), campaign manager for the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), Ethiopia's main opposition grouping.

An economist by profession, Nega says he would prefer if the world leaders did not even wait for the G8, but spoke out with "a unified voice" beforehand. "Time is of the essence." Zenawi is a member of British prime minister Tony Blair's Commission for Africa, which is meant to be promoting human rights and better governance.

Likewise Nega says Ireland, which gives substantial aid to Ethiopia (the latest figure available is ?28 million in 2003), should reconsider its relationship with the Zenawi government. "We want Ireland and the rest of the donor community to be committed to Ethiopian democracy, not to any particular regime." He does not want any cuts in food relief, but "the message has to be clear".

Nega acknowledges that the election campaign to the Federal Parliament in his country last May was "OK in many ways". The opposition had access to the media and live television debates were screened between representatives of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and opposition figures. But it "turned a little bit nasty" towards the end of the campaign.

The election took place on May 15th and with count results coming in for almost half the country's 547 parliamentary seats, Nega says the CUD was getting 60-65 per cent of the vote. But the night of the election, Zenawi announced a state of emergency and a ban on demonstrations in Addis Ababa and surrounding areas to counter "havoc" and "fear" created by the opposition, even though the country was peaceful and calm at the time. That declaration, says Nega, was the "first shock".

The following night the EPRDF announced it had won the election. The CUD's election observers were "kicked out" of count-centres. Media access was also denied to CUD representatives. "Then the media started announcing, constituency by constituency, that the EPRDF had won." The election board, a nominally independent body staffed by civil service appointees of the prime minister, started issuing provisional results which generally favoured the incumbent administration. But there were almost 300 complaints about electoral irregularities so the board launched an investigation. The CUD demanded that party representatives and international observers be involved.

Trouble was developing on the streets. Students called for a boycott of classes to force "a credible investigation". Government forces began arresting students in the middle of the night.

"They were beating and arresting masses and masses of students." Leaflets were circulated calling for strike action to secure the release of the students.

Taxi-drivers in Addis Ababa went on strike. The security forces, Dr Nega said, killed at least 36 people.

City: Addis Ababa

I am confued, what is your point?

City: Cambridge, MA

I like to read Dr Berhanu Nega and Dr kesla thesis, I am having problem finding their PHD thesises in economics, my radar needs help!

Kindly help me finding their papers. I was told it is relevant for the condition in Eth.

I like to look at them with my students.

Pls, forward it at ab.resta@mit.edu.org

Thanks

City: Cambridge, MA

Dear Professor Terbu,

I thought the message was clear. My reading of the message is that the G8 should not give Ethiopia debt relief until the government respect the wishes of the people. debt relief comes with conditionality. Transparency, democracy, and the rule f law are some of the conditions. As you may know better than I do, Meles's support primarily come from the West. So drying the source of money from aboad will force him to respect the will of the people. Otherwise, he will take the people hostage by indirectly telling GB countries that he would starve the people and shoot peaceful dmonstrators at will. I understand that blocking the debt relief will have immediate impact on the people. But releasing it would have a much more negative impact over the long term. Wouldn't you agree.

Mamo Qilo aka
Bula Gebredin aka
Cyber Bully

Dear sir,

Overall, I agree with you. The government need to be pressured. However, Eth external debt at 68.7% of export and non-service factor with 16.6% only debt servicing capcity, our condition is dissmal and fragile.(keep it in my mind)

Anyway, I was looking in-depth reading of the above gentlemen writing on poverty reduction program(PRP), Debt sustainability analysis (DSA) and macro-economic liberalization policy. ( Their thesises)

BTW, I am not a professor just a starving Reaserch Assistant, therefore, the adjective(Professor) is too-much and prententious.

I thank you

City: Cambridge, MA