Piles of letters exalting Premier’s response to the EU-EOM report

The opposition should have overreacted

to the EU-EOM report



I am a regular reader of the “opinions, views and facts” page of the Ethiopian Herald since the past several months. It was with keen interest that I have read the unusual letter written by Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi over the weekend following the announcement of preliminary report of Head of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM), Ana Gomes on the post May 15 election investigation, re-run of the election and election in the Somali region.

As far as I am concerned, the swift response of the Prime Minster to EU-EOM preliminary report of 25 August 2005 was appropriate in light if the potential and inherent danger that the report may bring to the general essence of the May 15 election which many observers including EU-EOM dubbed it “fair and free.”

Moreover, I presume that the Prime Minister’s reaction to the EU-EOM report was not motivated by the need to defend his party against any allegation made by the EU-EOM report; it was rather a bold move to redress the blunder stuffed in the report. More importantly, the Prime Minster’s letter would serve all actors involved in the election process including the European Union to have balanced view of the post election process in the country before the final report of the EU-EOM was made official on 23rd of September 2005.

On the other hand, the Prime Minster has gone through every detail of the EU-EOM report and made necessary rectification on the bases of what I believe “facts on the ground”.

I was hoping that the opposition parties would have over reacted to the EU-EOM report that their cases to the complaints investigation panel were based on “poor evidence, inconsistent testimonies, weak arguing etc.” Instead they expressed their satisfaction over the report right at the spot. There are some other phrases in the report that would be difficult for the opposition to swallow. But, they preferred to shun it in the speculation that the preliminary report would do more harm to EPRDF than to them. The response of the Prime Minister on the other hand emanates from responsibility to maintain and protect the good conduct of the May 15 National Election and the momentum of the democratization process against those trying to give it unhappy ending.

In many occasions the EU-EOM report seemed to target the ruling party. For instance, EU-EOM report talks about the presence of police, militia and members of the armed forces around the polling stations during the re-run of the elections. Again the report indicates that it is only less than 3 percent of the cases of all polling stations. The funny part of the report is while it magnified the presence of the police, militia and security forces it failed to substantiate how it affected the operation of the re-run (mind you only less than three per cent cases!?) Again the report attempted throughout the pages to discolor the conduct of the re-election, which at the same time the report reckoned it 88% satisfactory.

I hope the final report of EU-EOM, which would be made official to the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) by the 23rd of next September, would help contribute to the development of democracy in the country and ensure the credibility, impartiality as well as the professional ethics of the EU-EOM.

Zeleke Aata (Jimma University)




It speaks volumes for her evil intents

Dear editor,

Our leader, his Excellency Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, has written you a very interesting letter. The most amazing story is the contrast he makes between Ana Gomes’ recent report and the reality on the ground about the rerun of elections. Allow me to quote briefly from his illuminative story: “ The rerun of elections were good or very good in 88% of the cases according to the EU EOM. While I am sure this underrates the reruns, even the EU EOM rating shows that the reruns were basically free and fair. The fact that the preliminary results of the election show that the EPRDF won a11 31 seats is a clear indication that it retains the trust of the people”.

I cannot understand why the EU EOM chief dwells much on the heresy than the facts on the ground in her conclusions. If the reruns are good and very good in 88% of the cases then the logical conclusion must be it is an election that significantly meets international standards. But why did she report otherwise? This simply speaks volumes for her evil intents.

Bezabih Tesfa (Addis Ababa)



A frank voice of a pro-poor leader

Dear editor,

When I read the letter of the prime minister published on the Ethiopian Herald, I can hear the voice in his classic and factual arguments against the EU EOM’s fabricated preliminary report. I can hear and join hands to his determination to bring about the development of democracy and economic growth in Ethiopia despite all the challenges.

“ The main question facing us Ethiopians, is where do we go from here? Whenever I am faced with difficult challenges, challenges that could potentially be of existential significance, the first question I ask is what would the average Ethiopian peasant do under such circumstances? I ask this question not for sentimental reasons but because I know of no other Ethiopians who are better masters of the art of overcoming existential challenges.”

From this quote the Prime Minister is explicitly reasserting as to what type of social order he is in favor of building. That is a social order where 85% of the population is a poor peasant. It is just for the system to give the poor to rise to a position of superiority. One can also hear the confidence of the Prime Minister in the indigenous knowledge of the poor peasant to overcome problems. So how can it be strange for anybody to comprehend the mystery of the winning by EPRDF in the great majority of the rural areas? It is the incumbent government that turns the tide of Ethiopia’s fortunes in the New Ethiopian Millennium.

Aseffa Degefa (Bishoftu)



Was it a fault-finding mission?



Dear editor,

Having gone through the preliminary report by the European Union Election Observation mission (EU-EOM) one can only have misgivings about the elections and what followed in its wake. Thanks to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s response one could have a much clearer picture of the situation.

Considering the background against which such a standard of election took place, one can only admire the such a historic moment in life of the country. Unfortunately, the accusations and charges that swarmed the arena after May 15 came very close to overshadowing the achievements of the elections. Of course, at the end of the day the truth shall be known.

I was moved to write this letter inspired by the strength of the Prime Minister’s arguments. I felt very sorry for the EU-EOM for taking such a position and doing to an infant democracy something even the older ones would find hard to handle easily – not in such away as the EU-EOM seem to like any way.

The list of weaknesses the EU-EOM came up with in its report could make one wonder if it isn’t advisable to undertake the whole election all over again! A flawed investigation intimidation and arrest, inconsistence in the applications of rules of procedures, questionable impartiality of evaluation of complaints, the presence of armed forces around the location of the hearing, etc. How frequently do the claimed problems occur? How much do they affect the process or the result? Does each one of the claims have bearing on the result of the election? These and others are not issues worth considering for the EU-EOM.

The EU-EOM even goes further than misreading the reality. Even simple facts of broad daylight are missed. Or are they?

The EU-EOM seems to behave on the premises that “throw enough mud, some of it will stick.” It is a shame that such an institution as the EU-EOM could lower itself to such a low level just to soil the recognition the election has bestowed on the country and its people.

I am grateful to the Prime Minister for letting us arm ourselves with facts against the dangerous propaganda from which the country is under attack. For me the EU-EOM is more of a fault finding mission than its official declared role.

Yehualashet Zerihun

(Addis Ababa)