Alternative 1: To make clear to all concerned that UEDF is determined to struggle for the legal conclusion of the complaint investigation process so as to protect the victory of the public from being stolen.

Alternative 2: To call on oppositions and the ruling EPRDF to come together and form a TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT, while accepting the results of the election after the completion of the investigation.

Alternative 3: To call for EPRDF, UEDF and CUD to sign a document stating their agreements to form a national unity government on the basis of national reconciliation without awaiting the results of the investigation.

Alternative 4: To call on the international community to agree with this idea and to do its level best to influence the signatories to abide by the agreement.

Unless those alternatives are accepted by the ruling party, however, he said, UEDF would discuss with its members on what the future peaceful struggle of the party should be.

The Yilmas of this forum, can you show us "the white Flag" you said you are seeing to accept EPRDF as a winner and working as a loyal opposition. You seem to be good in reading into or reading out of the proposal what you wish to read. Let us see where you see surrender line.

UEDF and CUD has proposed an alternative that avoids direct confrontation and blood shade without allowing Meles to steal the election. You can even tell by gebremenanens title to this thread. Geberemenamen is fuming again and hyperventilating. I told you he is our barometer to gauge Meles's political temperature.

Mamo Qilo

Selam Mamo

Below is what I posted under the Moderator's posting. I tried copy and paste and it looks like it worked. I think it would answer at least some of your questions. I spent the last 45 minutes reading, and re reading the UEDF-led proposal. The more I read it, the more I dont like it.
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Selam everyone

Mamo,

I read your reply to my posting. Rest assured that it was not “a wishful thinking”. That said, if you really believe the things you said in your reply,I think one of us is from a different planet, and I hope it is not me.

For now though, I just want to re write a couple of sentences from the proposal you so admiringly considered a brilliant work of political genius. I will leave the judgment to you.

1, “The most recent attempt to clear the election irregularities through CIPs have clearly faltered …. Because of lack of neutrality... by NEB” Mamo, what ever happened to “the massive vote rigging” allegations against EPRDF? Election irregularities happen all the time, even in places where you live. If the opposition’s claim is only “irregularities”, then the process had to be fair and there fore it has no case to invite international mediators.

2. Page 2 reads … “the first and probably key task is to develop trust on the basis of mutual respect”. One does not need a portfolio in a cabinet to develop trust. A very twisted argument, I might add.

3. As you read page 4, the mystery thickens, and it reads” according to the overall result of May 15 elections, it is EPRDF, CUD, and UEDF that are the chief political forces”. In addition, the paragraph below talks about cabinet post distributions, which would be “in accordance to the proportion of the votes they received at the May 15 election”. Further reading of this proposal reveals even more contradictions.

The more I read this political “magnum opus”, the more I am becoming skeptical about its rationale. It sounds like the old “Peoples’ Transitional Government” that once caused the death of several thousand Ethiopians. I am beginning to see why UEDF is the “pallbearer” of this proposal. CUD needs to disassociate itself and go back to the real issues before it is too late. The issues are Fair and Transparent count of the peoples vote. If EPRDF wins under a transparent process, I have no problem to tip my hat and accept it for the next 5 years. Mamo should do the same too.

Selam Mamo

You wrote "If EPRDF wins under a transparent process, I will be among the first to accept the wishes of the people and recognize it as a legitimate government."

If so, why jump to demand "transitional government" in mid course and in total disregard to the wishes of the Ethiopian voters? Shouldnt that process come first before dumping the voices of the people? Dont you see some degree of intellectual dishonesty in this latest saga?

With Love

Yelema I posted the message below in reply to your reply. I think you are runing away from me. I think you are also becoming less then honest. I found your last question "why ask for a transitional government, before the process is complete" s a very deceitful reply. You have read two ress releases from CUD and UEDF rejecting the process as flawed and unacceptable. They are providing a way out. The more I read you the more you sound like Ethiopian. The question is why adopt Ethiopian's position when he is running away from it?

====== read my reply for your questions ===========


Selam Ato Yilma:

Let us first agree on the premise of our discussion. Your latest posting dwells on the form and presentation of the proposal than on its substance. For example, you try to establish a case by making a pint that the proposal uses the term “election irregularities” rather than “vote rigging?” Ato Yilma, when you are writing a proposal to break an impasse, you do not use strong word. You avoid such words, with out compromising o the principles. For example, if there were minor irregularities, the proposal would not have asked for re-election. It is massive vote rigging that justifies re-election. So Ato Yilma, let us not focus on the form or presentation of the proposal let us see the substance and the objective it is trying to achieve.

What is wrong with the line that reads … “the first and probably key task is to develop trust on the basis of mutual respect”

Your next line that suggests “One does not need a portfolio in a cabinet to develop trust, is a distortion and deliberate misrepresentation of the proposal. In general an interim government is to ensure that the preparation for the next election is designed and carried out in an impartial manner. Do you see, anything wrong with this?

The proposal is designed and well developed to correct what went wrong, without compromising on principal positions and in the meantime giving peace a chance. I really do not understand why people fail to understand the problem that some of the supporters of CUD and UEDF are having. It is an excellent proposal that gives the opposition an upper hand in providing a meaningful way out of the crisis caused by the government’s vote rigging and by NEB’s failure to correct the wrong. Time of negotiation. If EPRDF agrees to the general framework, the details of the matter is to be hammered out by a committee representing EPRDF, CUD, and UEDF.

You were also right in pointing that UEDF seems to be the one spearheading this proposal. I would not use Pallbearer. You need to realize that CUD cannot form a government without the support and participation of UEDF. If UED goes to form a government with EPRD that would be the beginning of the end of CUD, not only for this election, but for the next election. The Coalition of UEDF (with moderate and pragmatic position on the question of nations and nationalities) and CUD (with strong centralist tendency is a winning combination for Ethiopia. We need to be careful not to disturb this chemistry. And CUD supporters cannot attack UEDF. Remember UEDF is an independent party with its own objectives and goals. Its constituencies are different from CUD’s constituencies. So the proposal is a strike of a genius both in terms of keeping the balance between CUD’s and UEDF’s positions, again without giving in any of the principal positions. Your suggestion or recommendation to CUD to leave UEDF aside and stick to CUD’s previous position fails to understand that CUD without UEDF is a minority party and cannot form a majority government. This is bad both in the short and long term.

I agree with you on one more point. If EPRDF wins under a transparent process, I will be among the first to accept the wishes of the people and recognize it as a legitimate government.

Mamo Qilo aka
Ankassa Doro