18 December 2007
Addis Ababa — By starting rivalry among themselves and promoting divisionism in the party, senior members of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) Party have let down their party thereby putting it in a limbo, the party's newly elected Chairman lamented on Monday.
"Former CUD leaders didn't live up to our expectations after they were released from prison," Ayele Chamiso told a news conference.
"They are now divided in to two groups. We call for all groups to stop this and resolve their internal problems in dialogue." The CUDP, torn by the worst rift in its history, has now found itself in a precarious political situation.
Accusations between the moderate Birhanu Nega and hardliner Hailu Shawel for starting the split has deeply divided the once strong part which nearly won the May 2005 General elections.
Reflecting the concern of party veterans, Ayele called on the senior party leaders to refrain from such acts of divisionism and work for the unity and success of the party for the benefit of the supporters they fought for.
He said all senior members of the party who were recently released from prison, including those at the Parliament must now work together for unity for the next election in April 2008.
A party statement distributed during the press conference, urged former party Chairman Engineer Hailu Showel and Dr. Birhanu Nega to "stop from taking destabilizing actions against one another." The CUDP also called for the public, elders and intelligentsia to take all the necessary steps to face these dangerous maneuvers that surly threatens the existence of the party.
Ayele claims the party he leads is the only one legally recognized CUDP.
"It is the CUDP under the leadership of Ayele Chamiso," a party member said during the press conference with Ayele.
"All activities undertaken in the name of the CUDP must come to a halt. Because all others don't have recognition by the Election Commission expects that of ours," Ayele remarked.
The press release also called for all party members to work together until all the prisoners who are behind bars by the name of the CUDP are released and regain the strength of the party that it enjoyed at the time of the 2005 national election.
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