Human Rights Report by the US - in which it does not include itself

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and LaborMarch 8, 2006

Ethiopia continued its transition from a unitary to a federal system of government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition. The country's population was approximately 74 million. On September 5, the government certified the results of the May 15 national parliamentary elections, in which the EPRDF won a third consecutive five-year term. Domestic and international observers reported that polling throughout the country was generally credible, although irregularities and intimidation of voters and election observers marred polling in many areas. Although political parties predominantly were ethnically based, opposition parties engaged in a steady process of consolidation. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were instances in which elements within those forces acted independently of government authority.
After the May elections, serious human rights abuses occurred, when the opposition parties refused to accept the announced results, and in November after the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) called for civil disobedience, which resulted in widespread riots and excessive use of force by the police and military. Although there were some improvements, the government's human rights record remained poor and worsened in some areas. In the period leading up to the May national elections, campaigning was open and debates were televised. The Carter Center described this period as credible and commendable. However, in the period following the elections, authorities arbitrarily detained, beat, and killed opposition members, ethnic minorities, NGO workers, and members of the press. Authorities also imposed additional restrictions on civil liberties, including freedom of the press and freedom of assembly. The following human rights problems were reported:

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61569.htm

CUD, happy to be working with the incumbent? why are they abandoning the call to boycott by their supporters?

Its Amazing that only 6 are left out. CUD seems to finally accept its fate and has decided to work along with the gov't.
Why are their supporters still sceaming until their tonsils hurt?
If Lidetu was the enemy of the people according to the so called CUD fans, it would only be logical that the rest of CUD members face the same criticism since ALL but 6 have joined parliament and are trying to finalize their troubled merger. They seem to finally understand what Lidetu was saying all along and are now jumping on the same path that he carved!

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FROM The Reporter:

A group of electees representing the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) in both the Addis Ababa City Council and the federal parliament this week started attempts at reviving the stalled process of legalization of their party.

CUD, which used to constitute four parties, decided on September 24,2005 to merge into one unitary party. But the merger was put on hold when one of its constituting party, EDUP-Medhin, leadership declined to give full support and put preconditions to go ahead with a complete merger.


Though some of the EDUP leadership gave their consent to the merger, the faction led by its Secretary General Lidetu Ayalew, challenged the merger agreement.

Although with the election of Lidetu to the chairpersonship EDUP has formally distanced itself from the merger, other notable personalities of the party, such as Dr. Admassu Gebeyehu, and others from the rest of the three CUD constituting parties, have decided to revive the merger process.

Dr. Admassu told The Reporter that they are trying to have their party registered by the National Electoral Board (NEB) in accordance with the decision reached on September 24, 2005.

"The unified CUD had faced obstacles to complete the merger and get legal recognitation by the electoral board. We want to go ahead from where we stopped," Dr. Admassu said.

As to how to deal with the challenges they were going to face Admassu indicated that there could be several problems but that they intended to tackle them one by one. "We will try to iron out the details in the future. We will discuss them with the board and get solutions," he said.

CUD's parliamentarian caucus whip, Temesgen Zewide, also told The Reporter that they had contacted people at the electoral board and the response they had got so far was positive.

"There are some details and requirements that we have to first fulfill. And we are trying to do that at the moment," Temesgen said.
By Bruck Shewareged

http://www.ethiopianreporter.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3659

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