Ethiopian Review Readers Forum
The May 15, 2005 Ethiopian Election: a retrospective analysis
By: Seifeselassie Sibhatu, PhD
July 8, 2005
As is often said by many observers and writers, the May 15 2005 Ethiopian Election has brought the country to a different stage. We can argue about the level and nature of the stage the country has reached from whichever perspective we are observing. In Ethiopian political landscape, today more than ever one thing has become as clear as day light; Ethiopian and Ethiopian will never be the same again. The level and nature of the stage the country found itself became a make or break situation.
The initial assumption, at least of mine, prior to the election date was the election would be more of idea, dialogue and discussion about the current and future political, social, economical and other issues Ethiopia faces. However, contrary to this assumption we have been forced to discuss the political, social, and economic and other issues of the country’s past. Once again we are forced to review the question of ethnicity and diversity and the form of the Ethiopian unity. We thought these were dealt fourteen years ago and became things of the past. The May 15, 2005 Election prove us other wise.
Since the day of the election, we have been saying the May 15, Election by any standard was the most open, freest and fairest election. International observers and international media also made similar positive comments. On the other hand CUD has denounced the outcome of the election even before it started. Even they were condemning former US president Mr. Carter and others who gave positive assessment of the election. These days however, the opposition is showing a shift in their stand. For no reason now they are forced to accept at least the openness, freeness and fairness of the election process though still they denounce the outcome of the election. Here are the recent tone of comments given by some opposition leaders and supporters regarding the election.
Hailu Shawel on BBC hardtalk with Mr. Sacker. “It was the first time in our history, we had access to our people. At least we could tell most of the people what we stand for and what we have a dream for Ethiopia.” 
Addressing the so-called global Ethiopian Democratic Resistance against Mr. Meles Zenawi Prof. Getachew Haile on July 8, 2005 said the following “To begin with, it must be acknowledged that Mr. Meles Zenawi, whatever his motives, did permit the freest elections in our history. He allowed opposition candidates to travel to big cities and campaign unmolested, and allowed the free press to cover the election with a freedom previously unknown in Ethiopia... debates that gave voters a clear sense of the differences between the competing parties.” 
The Network of Ethiopian Schoars (NES)-Scandevian Chapter also wrote the following “Ethiopia has had no record of effecting a peaceful transition in its history. For the first time in this country’s history, the people of Ethiopia freely came forward after hearing the debates in the election to vote for the party of their choice on May 15, 2005. We consider this to prove a historical landmark in the country’s long history.” 
But what did foreign observers said to deserve petition and demonstration. For example here how the Carter Center made its assessment about the whole election “The May 2005 elections, the third to be held under the current constitution, showed great promise in the deepening of Ethiopian democracy. For the first time in history the majority of Ethiopian voters were presented with choices when they went to the polls. We believe that Ethiopia has made tremendous strides toward democracy in the last several months, including more open debate, greater political participation, large rallies, and enormously high voter turnout on election day."
These statements by opposition and their supporters have come closer in acknowledging the openness, fairness and freeness of the election to that of the international observers. So if CUD admits the election was free and fair, why then it refused to accept the final outcome of the election? In my view, there are few factors that contributed to this end so that CUD and its supporters not to able accept the verdict of the people. Here are the factors:
1. EPRDF vs. the Ethiopian people
There is a general feeling among the CUD and its supporters that the Ethiopian people do not want to be governed by EPRDF any more. For example here is what on July 8, 2005 Prof. Getachew said in regard to this “And, based on all that I have heard and read, both about this election and about the last 14 years under the TPLF, I believe with all my heart that the true will of the people is to rid Ethiopia of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his TPLF, and to move Ethiopia forward under the fresh leadership of the opposition.” . That is one of the problem, one can not conclude the feeling of the people solely based on information derived from hearsay and some private paper. Such kind of assessment of the true will of the people require more than reading and hearing while sitting in Minneapolis about the Ethiopian people.
A leader from minority ethnic group
Most CUD members and their leaders have found it hard to swallow the fact that Ethiopia has been lead by a leader from Tigray, which they considered a minority. The same Prof. Getachew explained in this way “you can choose Mr. Meles Zenawi, and his minority party, or you can choose the friendship of the vast majority of Ethiopian citizens. Ethiopians know that a free Ethiopia led by the opposition will be a stable democracy that is a good friend to both the United Kingdom and the United States.” . The deliberate mistake people like Prof. Getachew are making is that Ethiopia should always be governed by one ethnic group. In end analysis they will be our leader forever and will be their folks for ever.
3. Ethiopia under colonization
CUD and its supporters are trying to portray that the current Ethiopia is under colonisation and the land and its people should be freed. They are arguing that while the rest of Ethiopia is left undeveloped, the resources of the country are diverted to develop the region of Tigray and its people. Prof. Getachew has put it in the following way “to support and respect the people of Ethiopia in their fight to regain control of their country.” Therefore according to him at the present Ethiopians are not control by its people and the current rulers of Ethiopia are colonisers. Even in one article he went further to mix politics and religion and wrote the following “EPRDF while it is Ethiopian in origin it is a colonizer in administration and son of evil in origin” 
. The main reason behind portraying the current government as a coloniser according to them is that TPLF has moved the resources of the country to the region of Tigray. And according Dr. Getachew “The TPLF has literally given away the country's economic resources to itself, to its allies and to its home province of Tigray, at the expense of all of the rest of Ethiopia.” 
. They are trying hard to convince the Ethiopian people that even students sent to foreign countries for training are entirely Tigreans. Prof. Getachew elaborate this idea in one of his article as follows “A friend who teaches at a medical school in an African country wrote me last month that he was recently approached by the registrar of the school who requested that my friend help him in identifying the girls from the boys from a list of names of Ethiopian students who would be coming on government scholarship to study medicine in that school, for the purpose of assigning the students to dormitories. According to my friend, the names appeared to be all Tigrean. While this is anecdotal evidence, it is not isolated; I have received similar reports from several countries. The aim of TPLF's Ethiopian education is to training Tigreans rather than all Ethiopians.” . Therefore, according CUD its supporters the May 15 election in more than an election but a fight for the freedom of Ethiopia and its people from its colonizers.
4. EPRDF a government to be removed by any means
Well before the May 15, Ethiopian election there was strategy to remove the current government by any means possible. The only difference during the May 15 election is that this option was reserved as plan B. First they would try to remove the government through election, other wise they will resort to writing petition, demonstration and country wide demonstration. They argue that TPLF must go by any means possible because it is degrading. One of the means they devised is to make the people of Ethiopia not to be governed by EPRDF. Almost nine years ago Prof. Getachew wrote the following “The TPLF must go by all means, it degraded us… We must prepare the people to be ungovernable” . And now today July 8, 2005 he is repeating he same rhetoric as follows “Our job, as Ethiopian-Americans and Ethiopians living in Europe, is to keep the pressure up – through demonstrations such as today's, through letter writing and e-mail campaigns and telephone calls.”
While CUD and its supporters are admitting the May 15 election was the most open, free and fair election they will not be ready to accept the verdict of the people for the reason I have outline above. They are under the false impression that the Ethiopia people are no more willing to be governed by EPRDF. This assumption of the CUD and its supporters is not true and unfounded. Yes there are problems with this government, but we think the government of PM Meles is on the right track. CUD and its supporters will not ready to accept the May 15 final result because; it means living under the leadership of a man whom they considered from a minority group. CUD and its supporters will not accept the verdict of the people because they feel they are not feeling free from colonisation of Ethiopia by minority. Therefore, they fear the government will continue to move Ethiopian resources to develop Tigray.
References:
. http://www.waltainfo.com/Conflict/Interview/2005/July/article1.htm
. http://www.ethiomedia.com/newpress/getachew_haile_address.html
. http://www.aeup.org/new/static/Letter_G8.htm
. http://www.cartercenter.org/doc2097.htm
. http://www.aeup.org/new/static/Getachew_061605.pdf
. http://www.ethiopians.com/getachew.html
