In view of the following extracts that reappeared several times in media of the G8 countries since the May 15 parliamentary elections in Ethiopia, would you say that these countries including China are bent to re-impose Meles as Prime Minister against the wish & will of the Ethiopian people?
"According to provisional election results, the ruling Front (EPRDF) and its allies have won 320 seats so far, giving it a majority in the 547-member parliament. The opposition have, however, won almost 200 seats - a huge gain from the 12 they had in the previous parliament."
"It is 14 years since Meles and his rebel army ended the 17-year reign of Mengistu Haile Mariam's Soviet-backed junta."
" Provisional results gave the opposition parties, which shared a platform that promoted economic liberalization, sweeping gains. They claimed almost 200 out of the 524 contested seats. They won 12 seats in 2000."
"The government claims the protesters who were killed planned to storm government buildings. Lethal force was needed to prevent the country sliding into anarchy, Information Minister Bereket Simon says."
"Feted by Western leaders, Meles, currently attending a summit in Scotland with leaders of the Group of Eight industrialised nations, was one of two African leaders invited to join the UK-sponsored Africa Commission giving advice to the G8."
"We note the announcement by the National Electoral Board on 8 July of the first set of final election results,..we expect all political parties to respect and continue the political process with the National Electoral Board...."
"The ruling EPRDF and its smaller political allies have won 158 seats to 148 seats for the opposition coalitions in the 547-seat parliament."
"The ruling party,EPRDF, has won 139 seats while the main opposition groups, CUD & UEDF have secured 93 seats and 42 seats respectively."
For all intents and purposes "The elections were seen as a key test of Meles' commitment to greater democratic reform in the country he has ruled for 14 years." ...and no more

Bale Adera,
Here is a statement from the US government which leaves not a shred of doubt that America is re-endersoing Meles to lead Ethiopia for the next 5 years. So don't make a fool of yourself and think that the G8 will support the free and democratic choice of the Ethiopian masses. Stop dreaming and come to your senses. Even our smallest neigbour Djibouti has sold our patriots for a kilo of chatt. When will we ever learn to stand on our own feet?

"U.S. State Information on the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia By U.S. State Department
Jul 24, 2005, 06:49

"Under the present government, Ethiopians enjoy wider, albeit circumscribed, political freedom than ever before in Ethiopia’s history.""

Astewaye,
Well maybe Bush and Blair have not yet got back their return on investement and maybe that is why they will not drop Meles dead right away. But it is a question of time before their turn loose on him their hound dogs as they did on a similar dictator, namely Sadam Housien. On the other hand, I do expect the EU to split paths with the US/UK and will stand by the Ethiopian people. I look forward for the EU to come out clean and clear and denounce the day-light robbery of the people's vote by Meles the brigand.

Bale Adera,

G8 and US/UK may split decision on Ethiopia without any consequence to Meles and his junta. The most EU would do is threaten to withhold monetary grants to support the national budget. On the other hand the worst the US/UK would do is give lip service that will amount to nothing. Meles is well aware of the minimal consequences on his regime. Melese is most fearful of the uprising of the Ethiopian people with eyes of the international community particularly EU, UK, and USA focused are on Meles, and how he wil react to a massive insurgency.

You can’t have freedom without sacrifice anymore than you can make omelets without breaking a few eggs. Freedom and Democracy will never come by wishing them. The opposition leaders must be committed enough to die for it and mobilize the people to stand up and challenge the oppressors.

Meles' biggest fear is not the west, but the determination of the Ethiopian people to sacrifice and die for freedom. According to Israeli political intelligence assessment of the current situation in Ethiopia, Meles and his hard line supporters are more fearful of people uprising and confronting the regime than the lack of support from the west. Israel should know, and would have a more credible assessment than US/UK, and even EU about Ethiopians and the mindset of the dictator!

In that respect, the current opposition “leaders” leave much to be desired. Simply said, the opposition leadership is not committed to sacrifice and martyrdom. Their wishful dream is for the west to step in hand them the power. That, my fellow Ethios, will never, ever happen and Melese, Bereket, Sebhat Nega, and Arekebe Kurkubay know it very, very well indeed.

So, do you agree with my conclusion? If you do, then start writing to the opposition leaders and urge them to do what must be done, or stop giving lip service and reciting their hollow wishful thinking.

Beheg-Amlack

You are right Astewaye. It seems US have decided to stay with Melese for the next five years. It is discouraging to know that the opposition leaders are unable to convince the US about their ablities to rule Ethiopia and secure the borders. The opposition leaders should and must have a strong PR committee. This should have been done from the get go. Melese with his fast tongue has convinced the US and Britian on his side.

Here the latest from the US government:

Top US general visits Ethiopia
Monday July 25th, 2005 07:42.

ADDIS ABABA, July 23, 2005 (Xinhua) -- The military ties between Ethiopia and the United States would be further enhanced, said a US general on Saturday.

After talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on the prevention of terrorism and regional security, John Abizaid, head of the US Central Command, told journalists that there is an excellent cooperation between Ethiopia and the United States in the fight against terrorism in the whole of Africa.

He said the United States and Ethiopia have been engaged in undertaking joint military training aimed at fighting terrorism. This cooperation would further be strengthened, he added.

During his current visit to the Horn of Africa, Abizaid will hold similar talks with various leaders in the region, according to the US embassy.

Ethiopia has been central to US anti-terrorism efforts in the Horn of Africa on both the security and fiscal fronts. Ethiopia has stepped up its border control efforts and helped the US freeze financial assets of suspected terrorists.

BALE ADERA

I am inclined to conclude that US will side with the current regime, not because the opposition is incapable of governing the country or protecting the border. The US has traditionally supported tyrants and dictators over promoting democracy to secure an alliance with the people. What one needs to understand about the USA & UK is that they don't believe africans can be goverened effectively under a democracy. Given the idecyncracies of Africans, the West believs that African state could only be governed by dictators, tyrnats and despotic rlers. This arrangement provides the west a more reliable stanility for pursuing their own interest in Africa. This is not America's new foreign policy doctrine but a doctrine that has been implement in south and ceentral america goir decades and still is.

What is clear to the west however, is that Melese did not earn support from the west bbased on the merits of his sociaql, politicalm and economic successes in Ethiopia. Rather it is based on his tyranical one man rule that cirumvents the law at will in order to accomodate its supporters, in this case USA.Primarily for that reason alone, the USA would rather stick with Melese inpite that fact that he is anti democratic dictator and inspite of the fact that Melese has impoverished the population of Ethiopia for longer than a decade with every year being worse failure thatn the previous years. To thw USA and other western powers, the only way of governing African is by this means, therefore, it goes without saying that Melese is a preferred partner than the opposition they know nothng about. On the other hand what the USA fails to see in their miopic wisdom, is that countries like Ethiopia and others who are deprived of democracy and forced to live under dictatorial opresion, will eventually become radicalized and become anti Americans or anti westerners by embrassing a strong anti foreigners nationalistic posture.

Beheg-Amlack

Beheg Amlak,
While awaiting Bale Adera to respond to the message you sent him, I take this opportunity to request you to clarify to me some points.
I still hope that the position of the EU is not yet lost on the Ethiopian people. Having said that, however, I would like to go along your line of thoughts and explore with you the practicality of an insurgency. You said it yourself ; - "the opposition leadership is not committed to sacrifice and martyrdom." So how can you or me or us turn the situation around and create an atmosphere condusive to sacrifice and martyrdom? What is the final objective or expected outcome? what is the expected percentage of success of such an action in the cities and in the rural areas? and what is the maximum price to be paid in terms of lives in case US decides to lend its anti-terrorist firepower to the SS Agazi? In short what is the scenario you have in mind during & after the insurgency, the sacrifice & the martyrdom? When should the mobilization of the people to stand up and challenge the oppressors take place? Before or after termination of the current false election process? Looking forward to your response. Thank you. Teferi

Teferi,

US and EU have one and the same foreign policy regarding Africa.This has been agreed long time a ago.this is what I have read in the state department site.Now, why do think they want to have the same foreign policy regarding our contient?

Teferri
I do not know on why you base your hope on the EU to salvage the fraudulent election process. EU chief observer Anna Gomez has been deafeningly silent ever since the investigations on fraud started. Even the EU Ambassador Timothy Clarke residing in Addis has stopped to speak out. The last time I have heared from the EU or seen any mention of the EU is in the July 14 joint Statement by the United States and by the European Union jointly calling for "CUD & UEDF to respect the political process with the National Electoral Board and for all sides to dedicate their efforts to ensure that the electoral process continues to be carried out in a transparent and fully open manner". This means that US & EU consider the current investigations on fraud to be fraudless.
Now, are you so much so blindfolded that you do not see that ??? Can't you see that US/UK have let the EU play the role a sling rope in the famous Ethiopian parable "doron sidelelwat bemechagna talwat" EU's Gomez and Clark are simply fulfilling the role of "mechagna" and I think this fact is now downing on CUD & UEDF leaders who have started to express their disillusionment.

Teferri,

Beheg –Amlack

While I am not privy to all the intelligenzia and the day to day situations on the ground, I do appreciate your concerns therein. Perhaps the short answer to your question would be to put it the context of the following facts so far as what CUD and EUDF had asserted in maintaining full and unwavering support of their constituents: (A) CUD and EUDF espousing to have majority support of the electorate and the Ethiopian people, (B) 90% turn out of the electorate signifying the peoples determination for change and ousting the ruling party through the opposition or otherwise, (C) The dismal failures of the ruling party in alleviating the nation from perpetual abject poverty, (D) Failure of the ruling patry in the past fourteen year to implement flourishing and sustainable economic development programs, (E) Glaring failure of the existing constitution that polarized the nation creating instability and despair among nationalities of Ethiopians, (F) The dysfunctional judicial system that is systematically used by the ruling party as an instrument of repression, (G) Overall absence of democratic institution, human rights, civil rights, free speech, the right to own real property, i.e. land tenure policy, (H) Tyranical and ethnocentric rule of the regime…etc. These are only a few components and mitigating factors that I believe would mobile the people to peacefully and non-violently demonstrate their “People Power”(e.g. Philippine’s Corazone Aquino, who mobilized the people in Manila alone to oust Ferdinand Marcos, the Dictator and staunch ally of the USA). The Ethiopian masses who have a similar opportunity have indeed expressed their will and determination for new leadership and democratic governance that would be uniquely Ethiopian.

The opposition and the coalition partners have asserted and pronounced their confidence and conviction in the full faith and support of the Ethiopian people. Given the world’s focused attention on the failed democratic development and electoral process noted by EU, US, and UK’s expressed disapproval of the use of excessive force by the ruling party resulting in the deaths of some forty youths and hundreds more fatally wounded, given the recent condemnation by the US House of Representatives regarding Meles’ uncivilized and undemocratic conduct of waging state sponsored violence, given the fact Melese and his regime have been served notice by his client states and supporter, It would be highly improbable that Melese would unleash his flaunted brutal violence upon a peaceful and non-violent protestors sit-ins, general strike by business and labor, transportation…etc.

Sacrifice takes many forms and methods, beside violent clashes and confrontation with the military. Given the highly kept secret of large numbers of high ranking military officers and rank and file, there is a better than 50/50 probability that the military will stand down in the face of a final order to open fire and annihilate million of its peaceful citizens.

I am convinced that neither EU/US/UK will hand democracy over to the opposition party and neither would Melese step down and hand the government over to the people. As The former Mayor of Addis boated in public, they will not hand over power they gained through their blood, and will fight to the last man and the last bullets. Putting aside TPLF’s superficial and daring audacity, they are deeply fearful and aware of the prospect of being overwhelmed by a massive human wave. You may or may know be aware that during the three days of siege on June 8, 9, and 10, Melse and his key lieutenant were hustled to DZ-Air force base for an emergency exit. My own cousin who was in the air transport squadron until recently as lieutenant confirmed this. Then, there is also the question of whether Melese is absolutely certain and confident that the military will remain loyal, except for the Agazi-SS whose number is less than what is inflated to be. Even if Agazzi-SS were to remain loyal, how many places can they be deployed all at the same time to effectively control four million people in the city of Addis and the metropolitan area, much less the country sides and the “Kellils”? Meles who is well aware of all these factors is constrained not to test the will of the people and the armed forces obedience if called upon to turn their weapons of mass destruction (MOD) against their own citizens. Not knowing which way the uncertainty might turn, Melse’s best hope is to buy as much time to defuse the peoples passion and avoid an uprising. I believe this is the most critical and opportune time for the opposition and their coalition allies to “strike the iron while it is glaring hot”, or lose the momentum and miss the window of opportunity that is rapidly closing.