Ena
22 August 2005
AThe Chairman of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) Eng. Hailu Shawl said EU's draft report concerning last May's National Elections had fallen into his hands, though it is said to be confidential. He had also downgraded the official report of the African Union (AU) which says the election was fair and free.
Some observers on their part said the handing over of the draft report in advance by EU to opposition parties clandestinely rather than giving it to an authorized body before the official announcement in accordance with its commitment, will put into question the impartiality of the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission and EU Election Observation Mission.
In an interview with Radio Tensae recently, Eng. Hailu said "though EU's draft report about the election is confidential, we (CUD) have received and looked into it"
He said he had no doubt that EU would unfold all the problems regarding the elections when its report is made public finally.
Eng. Hailu said AU's official report concerning the May 15 national elections on its part was sketchy, which he said, shows that the Union is desirous of continuing as a club of dictators. It is the EU's Observer Mission's report that will expose the incorrectness of AU's report.
AU either with friendly relations or with its desire not to ensure democracy in Africa or with unknown motives had issued the report saying the election was successful, Engineer Hailu said, adding that, "This (AU's position) seems a conspiracy targeted against opposition parties."
However, he said, the opposition parties have to tell the AU about its real identity when EU's final report is made public.
Indicating that he understands that a lot of confusions are unfolding not in the end but in the middle of the process, the Chairman told the radio that the members of the international community had held a number of discussions with opposition parties for the peaceful transition by accepting that they had won the elections previously.
However, Eng. Hailu said, the members of the international community all of a sudden changed their stance either on their own will or under the influence of their diplomats.
He said a lot of confusions were also disseminated about the need that the incumbent government has to continue while opposition parties have to be weakened after the change of the position of the international community.
The Chairman also said officials of foreign governments had also attempted to hold talks on related issues by coming to Addis Ababa.
He said some of the officials were from America and added that their visits were related to the interest of their countries.
According to observers who monitor the process of the election, it would be doubtful that the EU Election Observer Mission and Head of the Delegation of European Commission in Ethiopia, who have clandestine relations with opposition parties, have the commitment to the development of democracy in Ethiopia.
A memorandum of understanding was signed last April between the EU Election Observer Mission Chief and the government of Ethiopia in which the former will respect the rules and the regulations of the country, including its electoral law.
Eng. Hailu said in his opening remark during the general assembly of the All Ethiopia Unity Party that the Chief of EU Election Observer Mission had forged closer ties with opposition parties and had seen the confidential draft report prepared by the Mission.
The disclosure by CUD's Chairman that the Mission had confirmed that opposition parties had won the election after making visits in Addis Ababa city and rural parts of the country can make questionable the impartiality of the Chief of the Observer Mission and the Head of the Delegation, according to the observers.
They also said the Observer Mission Chief and the Head need to undertake their duty with out partisanship.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2005 The Ethiopian Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
