If you can't Rose Revolutionize Addis Ababans, 'Rose Unionize' EPDRF

By Mulugeta Aserate Kassa

London 5th August 2005


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In a yet another sign of shifting the goal post, if not a departure from its previous stand, the politically verdant CUD, has now come up with the novel proposition of joining with the very EPDRF it continues to accuse of rigging the May 2005 Election in a Government of National Unity. This, indeed, constitutes a fine example of - to paraphrase a popular cliché – if you can't 'rose beat' them 'rose join' them. Sadly, however, in democratic elections world-wide the sharing of power can only be contemplated in the event of a hung parliament i.e. a parliament in which no political party has more elected representatives than the others added together. Judging from official figures released thus far by the NEBE- whose conduct of the investigations of alleged fraud was praised by none other than the EU Head of Mission- there indeed has emerged a clear winner of the May 2005 Ethiopian Election. EPDRF's seat in the new parliament would be greater by a long chalk from the combined seats of CUD and UDEF, thus rendering the idea of power sharing not only superfluous but down-right untenable. CUD's proposition was contained in an Amharic consultative paper under the rubric "The May Election and Ethiopia on the horns of a dilemma" ( my own rendition) and presented this week to a gathering of what looked like CUD's think tank at the Ibex Hotel – the crème de la crème of academia and Addis Ababa's socialites. The report indicated that the consultative group was summoned to advise CUD's leadership on the sort of response CUD must give to the no nonsense stand taken by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi at last week's EU brokered meeting between the ruling EPDRF, CUD and UDEF. It was at that meeting that a seemingly sick and tired with the Opposition's yo yoing and moaning Prime Minister, is reputed to have read the riot act to the Opposition with an ultimatum that the Opposition makes it known to the Government within 10-15 days whether it is in or out of the electoral process.

Whatever conclusion one tends to arrive at after reading the consultative paper, one factor remains undisputed. CUD will not exercise its statutory right of challenging NEBE's official result in a court of law. This must be a prudent decision as the judicial process is bound to be time consuming thereby purveying unwelcome news to millions of Ethiopians who have reached the end of their endurance with election fever. Besides, allegations that failed to produce a leg to stand on at CIPs are less likely to succeed in a court of law.

One thing one is bound to find puzzling is whether or not CUD has formally abjured its flirtation with the so-called Rose Revolution - a stealth task, in the Ethiopian context, of mugging the vote of the countryside. Page 3 of the consultative paper attempts to distance CUD from all forms of association with those who took to the streets of Addis. This I-have-nothing-to-do-with-them attitude is bound to be viewed by many Homeland and Diaspora Ethiopians as an insult to the memory of those who had sacrificed their precious lives after having participated in the Opposition nudged, not to say goaded, civil unrest. What did CUD expect its followers to do when its leadership proudly proclaimed that votes had been stolen? Weep or ululate? The last page of the same paper, on the other hand, talks about the possibility of an unknown terrorising people's movement emerging that could place the democratic process in jeopardy. Such analysis, unfortunately, has all the hallmarks of a veiled threat as well as providing spurious justification for the need to have CUD on board at the helm of government.

The consultative paper is right, however, in concluding that there must be an end to hate politics which had reached fever pitch during the Election. But to suggest that the panacea for hate politics, as well as the means of bridge-building between societies rests with the formation of a Government of National Unity is neither here or there. Hate politics, by nature, is the preoccupation of those with a paranoid obsession with a belief that they, and there likes, are the epitome of an Ethiopian, the rest are what you might regard as hyphenated Ethiopians. Under the prevalence of such a psyche, therefore, precious little can be achieved by taking a detour of the election process. The people of Ethiopia have spoken, and their voice should be respected without ifs and buts by all contending parties. The answer to hate politics, on the other hand, resides inside each and every one of us. Without sounding too paternalistic, therefore, if only we armed ourselves with a sense of humility and engage in a thrilling exercise of introspection, what a freedom of thought and action we would reap. Let us, therefore, prune ourselves from Amharophobia, Tigranophobia, Afarophobia, etc.

Last but not least, CUD must garner the courage and realise the flaws inherent in its now-or-never approach to politics and opt for taking up its seat in the new parliament as a proud and loyal Opposition of the Ethiopian People. It owes it to the millions who voted CUD. Its proposition of 'rose uniting' with the EPDRF, on the other hand, is destined to be laughed at by a government that would not tolerate any hesitation or deviation from the Constitution and the electoral process. CUD ought to realise that sometimes a loss is a win.

When the headline is dull and wrong, how come the content becomes meaningful and substantive.