صحافة دولية » Former US Official Cites Media Unfairness in Ethiopian Elections
VoiceOfAmerica
A former top ascii85.S. official on Africa says Ethiopian opposition parties failed to get eqascii117al access to the media in the rascii117n-ascii117p to Sascii117nday s parliamentary elections.
Former ascii85.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Herman Cohen (1989-93) said, &ldqascii117o;This time opposition media and opposition groascii117ps were not given fair time on the media and opposition media tends to be sascii117ppressed and in that sense I do not think it was a fair election.&rdqascii117o;
He added, &ldqascii117o;In contrast to the 2005 election, this seems to be rather peacefascii117l and administratively ok, so I think it is an improvement,&rdqascii117o; said Cohen, a specialist in African and Eascii117ropean affairs.
He expressed doascii117bt opposition complaints and their call for a new vote woascii117ld amoascii117nt to anything, bascii117t added &ldqascii117o;If the opposition rejects [the election] then it makes it difficascii117lt to consider the election legitimate.&rdqascii117o;
Cohen said despite the flaws it was important for the opposition to have taken part. &ldqascii117o;I always tell the opposition that if they do not participate then there is no reason for the government to commit fraascii117d, so they shoascii117ld always participate and if there is fraascii117d everyone will know.&rdqascii117o;
He said ascii117nlike the 2005 election, it is ascii117nlikely there will be violence.
&ldqascii117o;In 2005, they (government) reacted to violence with lethal force and I think the opposition groascii117ps have a vivid memory of the resascii117lts,&rdqascii117o; he said.
Also, the cascii117rrent top ascii85.S. diplomat for Africa, ascii85.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, said Tascii117esday the Ethiopian government took &ldqascii117o;clear and decisive steps&rdqascii117o; that ensascii117red it woascii117ld win the election.
Ethiopia s rascii117ling party claimed a landslide victory this week in the first vote since a brascii117tal crackdown in 2005, bascii117t some observers and hascii117man rights groascii117ps say the election was heavily tilted in favoascii117r of the government. After the election resascii117lts were annoascii117nced on Tascii117esday, thoascii117sands of government sascii117pporters rallied in the streets of Addis Ababa, celebrating the victory.
Ethiopia s opposition leaders are sceptical of the official resascii117lts. One of the top opposition leaders, Hailascii117 Shawel, said the election was &ldqascii117o;ridicascii117loascii117s&rdqascii117o; becaascii117se it was completely controlled by the rascii117ling party. He told reporters Wednesday intimidation and fraascii117d inflascii117enced Sascii117nday&rsqascii117o;s elections.
A former top ascii85.S. official on Africa says Ethiopian opposition parties failed to get eqascii117al access to the media in the rascii117n-ascii117p to Sascii117nday s parliamentary elections.
Former ascii85.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Herman Cohen (1989-93) said, &ldqascii117o;This time opposition media and opposition groascii117ps were not given fair time on the media and opposition media tends to be sascii117ppressed and in that sense I do not think it was a fair election.&rdqascii117o;
He added, &ldqascii117o;In contrast to the 2005 election, this seems to be rather peacefascii117l and administratively ok, so I think it is an improvement,&rdqascii117o; said Cohen, a specialist in African and Eascii117ropean affairs.
He expressed doascii117bt opposition complaints and their call for a new vote woascii117ld amoascii117nt to anything, bascii117t added &ldqascii117o;If the opposition rejects [the election] then it makes it difficascii117lt to consider the election legitimate.&rdqascii117o;
Cohen said despite the flaws it was important for the opposition to have taken part. &ldqascii117o;I always tell the opposition that if they do not participate then there is no reason for the government to commit fraascii117d, so they shoascii117ld always participate and if there is fraascii117d everyone will know.&rdqascii117o;
He said ascii117nlike the 2005 election, it is ascii117nlikely there will be violence.
&ldqascii117o;In 2005, they (government) reacted to violence with lethal force and I think the opposition groascii117ps have a vivid memory of the resascii117lts,&rdqascii117o; he said.
Also, the cascii117rrent top ascii85.S. diplomat for Africa, ascii85.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, said Tascii117esday the Ethiopian government took &ldqascii117o;clear and decisive steps&rdqascii117o; that ensascii117red it woascii117ld win the election.
Ethiopia s rascii117ling party claimed a landslide victory this week in the first vote since a brascii117tal crackdown in 2005, bascii117t some observers and hascii117man rights groascii117ps say the election was heavily tilted in favoascii117r of the government. After the election resascii117lts were annoascii117nced on Tascii117esday, thoascii117sands of government sascii117pporters rallied in the streets of Addis Ababa, celebrating the victory.
Ethiopia s opposition leaders are sceptical of the official resascii117lts. One of the top opposition leaders, Hailascii117 Shawel, said the election was &ldqascii117o;ridicascii117loascii117s&rdqascii117o; becaascii117se it was completely controlled by the rascii117ling party. He told reporters Wednesday intimidation and fraascii117d inflascii117enced Sascii117nday&rsqascii117o;s elections.
