CUD says uprisings in Ukraine and Georgia were constitutional

July 4, 2005
ethiopianreview.com

A top leader of the Coalition for Unity & Democracy (CUD), Ato Gizachew Shiferaw, said that the peaceful popular uprisings in Ukraine and Georgia were legitimate and constitutional methods people used to assert their democratic rights.

Ato Gizachew said this yesterday at a teleconference organized by Ethiopian Review. Representatives from Tensae Radio, Mestawet Newspaper, Radio Voice of Ethiopia Unity, and Voices of Ethiopia, as well as individuals took part in the 90-minute Q & A session.

Ato Gizachew, who is in charge of CUD's election results probing efforts, said that the Meles regime is throwing every obstacles it can find to derail the investigation process.

EPRDF has already violated many parts of the agreements it signed, including the continued mass arrest of people, denial of radio and TV access to the opposition parties, and harassing members of the investigative teams, Ato Gizachew said. In some cases, security forces were preventing team members from leaving their hotel rooms.

Following the European Union-mediated agreement between the opposition parties and the government, 26 investigative teams have been created to investigate complaints. The agreement requires each team to be composed of representatives from the opposition parties, the EPRDF, the Election Board, and the international observers group. But the government is restricting the movement of some of the team members.

So far only one CUD member, Ato Gebrekristos Hailselassie, has been release from prison. Hundreds of CUD staff and members are still being detained under inhumane conditions at Ziway and other prison camps.

Ato Gizachew said CUD will continue to use all available peaceful and constitutional means to make sure that the people's choice through their May 15 vote is respected.

Regarding the recent news about the merger of CUD members parties, Ato Gizachew said that an agreement has been reached to make CUD one party. He said that the agreement will be signed shortly.

Asked about why CUD is not calling for revote in the entire Tigray region since the people of Tigray were not allowed to have genuine elections, Ato Gizachew said that CUD made a mistake of not aggressively campaigning in the region before the election. Due to lack of resources, CUD was forced to concentrate on areas where it can win. Regarding revote, since UEDF was more involved in Tigray, it can give a better answer to this question, Ato Gizachew said.

CUD spokesperson Dr Hailu Araya was not able to participate in the teleconference due to phone problem.

Of Course they are constitutional. Government is the servant of the people and that is what civilized people think and live. Meles and his cohorts beleive that government is their hereditary possession. The civilized people come to the statemanship to become "civil servants" - the servants of the people. In our case, the government is and has been the "geta" of the people.

The constitution is the paper where people state that they would "employ" a bunch of people to take care of their social, security, economic, political....needs and could "fire" the ones in power as anyone could fire his servants. But to tell for Meles the constitutionality of the people's action would be like telling a deaf people that a catastrophe is impending. I would and will not bow to the wanton voices of "educated" and "intellecyalu" peoples who would like to justify these wild accusationas and assertions of Meles and cohorts who attempt to teach us about constitutionality while they have proved that they are lying dictators and tyrants deep inside.

We will not waver nor falter until we triumph.

City: Addis Ababa

Ladies and Gentelemen,have you seen Melese on BBC interview?he tried to calm but his ego looked like wish to kill the interviwer too bad he allowed it the rest is cake.

Email: DillingerJ1@aol.com

City: DC

Dear True Ethiopia of 1991:
Our honorable PM Meles has told to the BBC jounalist that he did not want to arrest the thugs who are pretending to be opposition party.
In addition, he informed the journalist that the leftover of Negede Gobeze wanted to destroy the Ethiopian constitution.
Bravo Mr. Meles Zenawi and we , Somali Ethiopian, are with you until we achieve our goal which is NEW DEMOCRATIC ETHIOPIA where all ethnic live in peace and on equal footing

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

Ibrahim,one word for you a coward.

Email: DillingerJ1@aol.com

City: DC

Just don't respond to Gebresselasie and Ibrahim. Let them say anything but keep on denying them any reply. This is the best way to keep them away. They may use different names but they can be easily identified by the intent of their message.

Regards

City: Addis

Dilinger,
I couldn't stop laughing seeing him (Meles Zarkawi) so annoyed (red eyed). I wanted to kiss Stephen!

Thank You Stephen

Email: rachel_br@yahoo.com

There is no question that those events were constitutional. I have only one thing to add. What should be the color of our peaceful revolution? Some people have suggested 'Green-Yellow-Red Revolution'. I think the concept is excellent but it is a bit impractical. The word is too long. Here is my suggestion. We are not going to stop before this democratic revolution removes the Woyane Regime. And, we will be using peace as our method of doing the job. The green leaf is the sign of peace. So, while the glorious Ethiopian flag is what we use to cover heaven and earth at our rallies and protests, let us call this Ethiopian democratic revolution - 'GREEN REVOLUTION.' Got an idea? YICHALAL!

Askale, that name has already been taken by the notorious Mohammar Gadafi of libya.

just thought of an idea: how about rainbow revolution?

Dear Members,
The revolution that is going on in Ethiopia which has included all Ethiopian is green.That is why, Mr. Meles, the best leader in Horn of Africa, promises that he has to see Ethiopian family having three meals every day instead of starving the people as the previousregimes have done. CUD is working hard to bring back those blooody regimes and we are saying on our died body.

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

Ibrahim:

Are you an agent of Satan? By applauding Meles, you are condoning the killing of innocent people. Do you realize what a disservice you do to your cause when you make such comments? You think Meles cares about your people? HA! You poor fool, you are so blinded by hate, you've mistaken Satan (i.e., Meles) for The Savior.

Ibrahim is looking for a job. Ibrahim, you must be desperate to sell your soul in public for some leftover assignment. I believe it was Ethiopia McCarthy who felt sorry for your miseducation. I fell sorry for your tendency to degenerate below the level that would be considered low even by Gebreselassie's standard, which is too low to start with.

You and I debated and you surendered and agreed tonever use the term Amhara in a bad way, but soon degenerated to your natural position. You come less as a moron and more as a desperate soul who put his soul for sale on clearnace price.

Cyber Bully aka
Mamo QIlo

Dear Brother Mamo,
Once we like a person , we will love him/her forever. That is Somali culture and whatever you say or call me will not make me to budge an inch what I have already decided which is to grant you a green card as I have done for many Ethiopian including Amhara that some people might think I dislike when I was in Djibouti. I never dislike a person because of his or her genetic, but I can not stand due to his deeds. Negede Gobeze is fascit and murder that I will never forgive until I die. That is based upon a principle.
In addition, if you and I were in Ethiopia, I can aussure you that you will be among the people that I can trust and struggle side by side as those martyr who were killed when they were fihting for a better Ethiopia. I am sometimes saddened to read the words that I hate one ethnic when I recalled fano and Asbiha arm struggle.
I do not have to describe a word how much I am disappointed with the elites in Diaspora. For example, yesteday I was talking on the phone with young Ethiopia lady whom I secured from the bush during the red terror. She leaves with my sister in Djibouti and she is Amahra by the way. She is in medecine and lives in North America. As one Somali elder used to say tribalism is cooked in the city and they feed us in the rural area. No enemy exists among Ethiopian people.
As I said before, I will say again, in case I see CUD champion to betterment the life of Ethiopian people I will support them ; saddly, they are not working for Ethiopian people let alone the Amhara they are misleading.
Moreover, let me tell you that I am a man who makes six figure and I do not need the small salary of Ethiopian government, but I support the objectives and goals that they are aim at achieving them.
In addition, I support Meles whom I think is the right man to rule Ethiopian at this crossroad of Ethiopian history.
As my sister Ethiopia, tell her that I only learned English in the last ten years and I studied in French in my undergraduate and master. currently, I can give you a phone number to call and verify that I teach a class and work on my Law to write a second these on the queston of indegenous law comparing to the Western one. Therefore, pass me this message to my beloved sister Ethiopia that I did not gratuate from the school of animals which is in the first place miseducaton in a real definition.

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

Thanks Ibrahim,

I like your message. I, too, like you and feel that I could tust you. I really mean this in the most sincere way. I also feel that you are an educated person. I do not like Negede Gobeze at all. As you can tell I do not care much for CUD politics. Where you and I disagree is that I believe CUD had won in a free election. You seem to be ready to deny them the chance to govern. Meles lost big time because of his economic and political agenda. He murdered close to 40 people and yet you wish to support his effort to stay in power. So when ever I red that I unleash Cyber Bully on you. Other wise mamo Qilo and you can respect eachother.
Ibrahim,

What is the story with this Gebremedehin guy. Do you understand why he posted Meles's meeting with Bush thatis embarrassing. I think he is a moron. I know you do too. What can you and I do to help him.
Mamo Qilo

Ibrahim,

I don’t believe you are speaking for the Ethiopian Somali ethnic group. You just admitted that there is no democracy in Ethiopia and that Somalis don’t live in peace and are not in equal footing with other ethnic groups and support Mr. Meles precisely BECAUSE of that.

You said and I quote “Bravo Mr. Meles Zenawi and we , Somali Ethiopian, are with you UNTIL we achieve our goal which is NEW DEMOCRATIC ETHIOPIA where all ethnic live in peace and on equal footing”

What you are effectively saying is that you will support Mr. Meles because you don’t have democracy, peace and prosperity now. It has been 14 years and you are still satisfied that none of these have yet to happen. This is the stupidest comment I have ever heard. Just read what you said above. Doesn’t stupidity or numbness ring in your brain when you read your own comment?

Why would you support a government who hasn’t provided you with the democracy you aspire and the peace and prosperity you yearn for in 14 years? Why are you against others who want democracy, peace and prosperity NOW? What is it that you don’t understand? Are you STONED?


Getahun

Email: samuel_van@hotmail.com

City: Vancouver, Canada

Dear Getahun:
I will repeat again and again as I used to repeat the koran verses so as to memorize them as long as you are living in the dard room of not seeing that Somali region is hundred percent better off than 14 years ago when Haile and Derg were rulling. Simple as that. I have many evidences to bolser my arguments.
To name a few Somali Ethiopian are currently in the driver seat of their affair and CUD does not have a single Somali Ethiopian. Then how on earth they claim to represent the people of Ethiopia when they do not have a person from that region.
On top of that, they are determined to destroy article 39 to give you a simple picture of the shortcoming of the socalled opposition group.
Furthermore, tt seems that Ethiopian elites are only trained to view ideas , opinions and thoughts fron one angle. No wonder, the so-called oppositions web site are disseminating "fictitious report" that could not be substantiated by credible evidence.
In other words, they are very good at undermine public peace and incite violence and conflict so as to go back behind the door and snatch the power seat.
That will never happen and you have every right to dream. it might realize in hereafter.
Cud is shedding crocodile tears and claiming that the ruling party rigged its way to victory in the landmark election; however, what will they deliver in case they are elected. The answer to this question is that they will field the murders and thugs cnadidates such as Negede Gobeze and Haile Goshu to name a few. These thieves have failed the country because they were dishonest, insincere, selfish, tribalistic, lacking any ideology, having no political stand, being ignorant of rule of law and pitting the poor ethnic group one agaisnt the other.
That is why, the frengi such as Ethiopia is claiming to educate us with their taxpayers and the children of settlers are applauding her. She must echoing the ideas of Toni Blair and Bush who are thinking Africa are genetically corrupt and childlike people. This is taboo and myth to exploit poor and innocent African. That is why, we are better off with Meles Zenawi; however, if you are determined to move Ethiopia to right direction ; then we can talk and dialogue and agree on consensus on the tools to overcome poverty and backwardness.
Otherwise, let the socalled opposition sing in the Western capital and Meles has already divided them by throwing a peice of meat to welcomethem in the palace of power.

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

How good it is to read others' dream. Particularly that of self made heroes who are dreaming of toppling a government using remote control, and then placing Hailu, mesfin, and the other reminants of the feaudal system and known killers during the dergue regime.

Oh? How bad it is to have been born in a country that also bred its own enemy.

Email: kebenura@gmail.com

City: Addis Ababa

I and my fellow Ethiopians at home have been puzzled by the behavior of the diaspora. Compare them with Eritreans ans soon you see that most of them have never made any contribution to the developmnet of this poor country.

Now all of a sudden, they became heroes and revolutionnary. They fell in love with a bunch of selfish feudals whose background is blood stained. They daily dennounce the government, and announce to the world that Ethiopia has become another Somalia, and EPRDF is exterminating the people. What a shame.

It is true that innocent people, who were deceived by CUD leadrs lost their lives. I as a lay man should tell you that the action taken by the governmnet was the last but bitter resort that had to be taken to rescue the people. Otherwise, the country would have been in a state of turmoil and your dreams would habe become true.

Don't mistaken me as a 100% pro EPRDF. In the absence of a better choice, we the true Ethiopian at home, choose the lesser Evil. I don't think the non Amhara nationalities can no longer afford the type of government they they used to have and that is what CUD leaders have for us.

One more thing, Please stop trying to convince the world by creating fabrications. The people and authorities you cry to have better information about Ethiopia and so may laugh at you behind your back.

Email: girmaaab@yahoo.com

City: Addis Ababa

Girma,

Do you understad why Gebreselassie posted he minutes of Mele's meeting with Bush in which Bush tells mistakes Meles to President Moi. When Meles said he is an Ethiopian PM, Bush looked at one of his assistnts and the assistant came to Meles and told him not to speak unless spoken to. It was what you would cll a Kodak Moment.

My fear is that the way you are going, you would post the minutes of Meles's meeting with Tonly Balair. Do not do that they Poor tribal Moron has already been humiliated by BBC. BBC told him in front of 5 million TV audiance that he was lying.

What do you think went wrong for the Ethiopian people to send Dawit Yohanes packing and Meles licking his wounds in defeat.

Mamo Qilo