June 16, 2015
Ethiopian American Council | ethioamericans@gmail.com | www.eacouncil.org
San Jose CA June 12, 2015 – The ruling Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF)/ Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has once again pulled off one of the more spectacular scams on the global political scene – the Ethiopian national elections. In elections held on May 24, it has claimed landslides, near-100-percent victories, throughout the country, allowing it to seat party members in every single parliamentary seat. In the 2000 elections EPRDF allowed the opposition to occupy at least one seat in the parliament.
No Western Observers
Western nations were not invited to attend or, more probably, did not wish to be associated with what has become a delirious attempt by the TPLF/EPRDF to convince the world and the Ethiopian people that the government is loved by one and all.
The African Union Election Observation Mission, the only international organization present to observe the elections, did point out some areas needing improvement, but the mission receives support money from the TPLF/EPRDF government. They observed erratic opening times and failure to display some ballot boxes. The elections were peaceful and organized, but there were reports of harassment, intimidation, and fraud.
Election Results Humanly Impossible
Democratic nations that truly ensure free speech and open elections for their citizens never deign to report landslide victories approaching 100 percent during national voting. Results like that are humanly impossible in a truly democratic society. Does the TPLF/EPRDF want the world to believe that they have perfected human governance almost to the ultimate degree, that they have won the hearts and minds of all the Ethiopian people? A column in International Business Times quoted a 28-year-old student at Addis Ababa University as saying, “This election is just so we can tell Western governments we are a democratic country.”
Opposition Voices
Preliminary results (final results will be released later in June) had TPLF/EPRDF Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn declaring party victory for all of the 442 parliamentary seats up for grabs. The AFP, reporting from Addis Ababa, quoted a spokesman from the Blue Party, the nation’s foremost opposition party. Yonatan Tesfaye told reporters, “”We don’t think there is an independent justice system to deal with our complaints. We’ll continue our peaceful struggle. The Blue Party does not accept the process as free and fair and does not accept the outcome of unhealthy and undemocratic elections. This 100-percent win by the regime is a message of disgrace” and indicates that a “multi-party system is over in Ethiopia.”
Enigmatic Election
The landslide election results favoring the ruling TPLF/EPRDF and its allies may not be a true indicator of the voices of the Ethiopian people, but they are indicative of something. Landslides of this magnitude can only be engineered by intimidating voters and stifling opposition voices. The elections were not free and fair and votes were stolen or discarded. It could even be a message to the people telling them that if they don’t like the government, there is nothing they can do about it. Columnist Messay Kebede calls Ethiopian national elections “periodical rituals displaying the submission of the people.”
Population Control
In rural areas where the majority of the population resides, dissent is dealt with using a 5:1 system of grassroots surveillance whereby one individual is responsible for monitoring the activities of five households. This allows officials to clamp down on dissent before it spreads. Also, government cadre are in rural areas implementing modern farming techniques so most villagers only see government officials at work in the community. Cadre also teach “voting classes” for the people.
“Oppositions are not getting a fair proportion of time and location, financing, things like that. Not only that, there are tremendous repressions,” said Yonatan Tesfaye, a Blue Party spokesman, indicating that about 50 party members had been arrested in Addis Ababa alone. Telephone surveillance is commonplace, and the ongoing trial of a group of bloggers called Zone 9 has resulted in online users facing self-censorship or arrest.
Merara Gudina, deputy chairperson of the opposition Medrek coalition told Reuters that security personnel had launched a “witch-hunt” on the eve of the vote by arresting his group’s observers. He also said ballot boxes had been stolen in his constituency. Protesters and organizers have frequently been arrested and harassed, their equipment has been confiscated, and permits unfairly denied. One Blue Party leader is on trial on trumped-up terrorism charges.
American Hypocrisy
The United States government, in a tepid letter from the State Department, congratulated the Ethiopians on a peaceful election. The American government has many agreements with the present Ethiopian government. However, the lavish praise for the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi by a State Department spokesperson at his funeral services was embarrassing. Columnist Messay Kebede, mentioned earlier, called to task Wendy Sherman, State Department Under Secretary for Political Affairs (since resigned), for her endorsement of the Ethiopian election results.
It’s odd to consider that the American government, renowned for its war on terror, could look the other way while a partner nation proceeds to terrorize its own citizens. It’s odd to consider that the American president, himself an African-American, could be so innocuous about the human rights violations of the people of Africa’s second most populous nation. It’s no secret that U.S. military allies in Africa have often used security forces, pumped with American hardware and other support, against their own critics at home.
Deplorable Future
Unless true political expression is allowed, the Ethiopian people face two sad prospects. These trumped-up elections will continue to raise the hope for change and then pull them down with unbelievable election results, and the people’s resignation will deepen. The other alternative is open rebellion and armed conflict.
The TPLF/EPRDF credits it electoral success with the economic progress and Ethiopia’s economy has been one of the fastest growing in Africa and beyond. But the people experience no benefit. The TPLF/EPRDF will not be able to manage a surging economy resting on a populace that is a hotbed of discontent. The TPLF/EPRDF has been inflating election returns since 1995, when it did at least allow a good number of opposition members to be seated. Results have only worsened, culminating in this election with the TPLF/EPRDF sweeping the entire parliament. Fake elections only turn up the heat.
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