Saturday, November 10, 2012

Ethiopia Opposition Parties Demand Fair Elections

Unified Ethiopian Opposition Demands Fair Elections

By Martha van der Wolf

VOA News

ADDIS ABABA
— Thirty-four Ethiopian opposition parties have signed a petition to demand the elections next April - on the district, regional and city levels - be free and fair.
Opposition parties were invited by the Election Board last week to discuss the schedule of the polls. When the parties asked to discuss irregularities that occurred during previous elections, the meeting was adjourned.

Alessa Mengesha, chairman of the Gedeo People’s Democratic Organization opposition party, says several issues need to be discussed in depth.

“We have seen elections in Ethiopia in the past couple of years and decades, and those elections have always been marked by irregularities. And those irregularities include irregularities during voting registration, irregularities during election campaigns, irregularities during vote-counting and even post-election irregularities," he said. "We have witnessed all those.”
Thirty-four of Ethiopia's 75 opposition parties have signed a petition demanding the next vote be free and fair.
The petition lays out 18 points of how the Election Board can ensure a better process. Among other things, the parties say they want to be involved in the election administration, and request equal access to government media.

Asrat Tassie, secretary-general of the Unity for Democracy and Justice party, the only opposition party that holds a seat in parliament, says it is very important that the opposition can freely name and put in place their own election observers.
“A candidate has its own observers. So what happens is they ask the names of those observers 10 days before the election. So as soon as the election board receives the names of those observers, the government harasses them," he said. "Some will be arrested; some will be chased out of the town and so on. So we don’t want to give them the names of our observers.”
European Union observers said the previous election in 2010 fell short of international standards. They said resources of the state were used to support the campaign of ruling party EPRDF, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front. The ruling party and its allies won all but one seat in the 546-member parliament.

The elections of 2005 resulted in mass demonstrations against the government. Nearly 200 people were killed in election-related violence, and dozens of people, including prominent opposition leaders, are still imprisoned.

The Election Board said it has received the opposition parties' petition but needs more time to respond to the demands

22 comments:

  1. I think this is among the most significant info for me.
    And i am glad reading your article. But should remark on few general things,
    The site style is great, the articles is really great :
    D. Good job, cheers
    Here is my homepage : sex movies

    ReplyDelete
  2. Its not my first time to pay a quick visit this site, i am browsing this web
    page dailly and get nice data from here everyday.
    Have a look at my page : Free Porn

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey! I could have sworn I've been to this site before but after reading through some of the post I realized it's new to me.
    Anyways, I'm definitely happy I found it and I'll be book-marking and checking
    back often!
    Also visit my webpage ... naked teens porn

    ReplyDelete
  4. all the time i used to read smaller content that also clear their motive, and that is also happening with this article which I am reading at this
    place.
    Feel free to surf my page :: nude teens porn

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice weblog right here! Also your website rather a lot up very fast!
    What host are you the use of? Can I get your affiliate link on
    your host? I wish my site loaded up as fast as yours lol
    Here is my blog Free Teen Porn

    ReplyDelete
  6. I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I'm not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You are incredible! Thanks!
    Here is my web site free sex

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi I am so delighted I found your web site, I really found you
    by accident, while I was looking on Digg for something else,
    Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a incredible post and a all round entertaining blog (I also
    love the theme/design), I don't have time to go through it all at the moment but I have bookmarked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the excellent job.
    Here is my site ; nude porn gallery

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tremendous issues here. I'm very happy to see your article. Thank you a lot and I am looking ahead to touch you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
    Feel free to surf my blog - porntube

    ReplyDelete
  9. whoah this blog is excellent i love studying your posts.
    Keep up the great work! You understand, many people are searching around for this information, you can help
    them greatly.
    Also visit my web blog ; Daily XXX Video Fix of teen porn with naked girls sex movies

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is a very good tip especially to those new to the blogosphere.

    Short but very accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one.
    A must read article!
    Here is my website ; teen Hardcore

    ReplyDelete
  11. First of all I would like to say great blog! I had a quick
    question that I'd like to ask if you don't mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself
    and clear your head before writing. I've had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out. I do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips? Thank you!
    Also visit my weblog - 2 Hot Striper Girls Getting Dirty

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's actually a nice and useful piece of information. I'm satisfied that you just shared this useful
    info with us. Please stay us informed like this.
    Thanks for sharing.
    My web-site ... freeporn

    ReplyDelete
  13. Greetings from Florida! I'm bored at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I love the info you present here and can't wait to take a look when I get home.
    I'm amazed at how fast your blog loaded on my phone .. I'm not even using WIFI, just 3G .
    . Anyways, wonderful site!
    My blog :: teen porn

    ReplyDelete
  14. Greetings from Florida! I'm bored at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I love the info you present here and can't wait to
    take a look when I get home. I'm amazed at how fast your blog loaded on my phone .. I'm not even
    using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, wonderful site!
    my web page > teen porn

    ReplyDelete
  15. The other day, while I was at work, my cousin stole my apple
    ipad and tested to see if it can survive a 30 foot drop, just
    so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and she has 83 views.
    I know this is totally off topic but I had to share it with someone!
    My webpage :: lanautica

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection
    of volunteers and starting a new initiative
    in a community in the same niche. Your blog
    provided us useful information to work on. You have done a marvellous job!
    Also visit my site - hookah in Orlando fl

    ReplyDelete
  17. I really love your blog.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you create this web site yourself?
    Please reply back as I'm planning to create my very own blog and want to know where you got this from or exactly what the theme is named. Thanks!
    Also see my web site - wendy's shifting castle gameplay

    ReplyDelete
  18. It's impressive that you are getting thoughts from this post as well as from our discussion made at this time.
    Feel free to surf my web blog :: Photography Tricks

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi, I log on to your blog like every week.
    Your writing style is witty, keep it up!
    Feel free to surf my web site - visit the next page

    ReplyDelete
  20. Its such as you learn my mind! You appear to grasp a lot approximately this, like
    you wrote the book in it or something. I believe that you simply could do with some p.
    c. to pressure the message house a bit, but other than that, this is magnificent blog.
    A great read. I'll definitely be back.

    Also visit my web-site BMW Z4 Windscreen

    ReplyDelete
  21. Have you ever thought about including a little bit more than
    just your articles? I mean, what you say is important and all.
    But think about if you added some great images or videos to give your posts more,
    "pop"! Your content is excellent but with pics and videos, this site could undeniably be one of the most beneficial
    in its field. Awesome blog!

    Here is my blog :: iklan gratis

    ReplyDelete
  22. I read this paragraph completely about the resemblance of most recent and previous technologies, it's remarkable article.

    Look into my website :: Hot little teen lesbians

    ReplyDelete

Please select "Anonymous" below to post your comment