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The Washington agenda of CUD will not work in Ethiopia

By: concerned Ethiopians in Addis Ababa
ruth21 Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Middle east

The people of Ethiopia exercised their citizenship rights for the third time now since the ruling party came to power in a rather historic and unprecedented manner. The Ethiopian people participated before and during the electoral process in a way unseen and unheard in the history of this country. They debated, commented, argued and at times ferociously discussed the electoral process. This opened the eyes and ears of millions of people unmatched in the history of this country. Different opposition parties again unseen and unheard of in the history of this country came up some with what may look like an agenda and others with few programs and certainly not with full fledged policies and programs.

The current government provided ample air time and media coverage to all opposition parties and all had the chance to introduce themselves and their respective parties without any restriction what so ever. This has never been tried before. Only the current government can take credit for the existence of such an unprecedented openness and transparency. Also, many international observers were engaged and observed for themselves the whole pre and post election process. The observers include, among others, the well known Carter Center and the European Union. Further, millions went out in Addis Ababa's Mesquel Square to rally and demonstrate in support of the current government and the opposition parties respectively. When all this happened, everything was peaceful, transparent and in accordance with the rules, regulations and directions put forward by the electoral board-the committee that heads the electoral process with full powers and responsibilities.

On the Election Day, millions of Ethiopians lined up in a rather historic manner as early as four o'clock in the morning to cast their vote to the party they support. The Election Day without any doubt marked the most historic and the most monumental day in the history of this country and the Ethiopian people and this government should be proud of such an event. When this whole process was conducted in a peaceful and civilized manner, the electoral board has discharged its duties in a manner of independence, impartiality and responsibility. As a result, no one complained, instead, domestic and international observers praised the electoral process. Here, it should be noted that after the ballot, all parties must wait for the final result to be announced by the electoral board.

When results continue to surface, it became quite evident that the ruling party was gaining the upper hand on the country side where over 80% of the Ethiopian people reside, where as the CUD party gained ultimate success particularly in Addis and other few main cities.

When the preliminary results continue to add up, it became quite evident that the ruling party had maintained enough seats to form a government. It seemed that this was the beginning of the trouble for the opposition. Here is where the Washington agenda came to the scene. The Washington agenda architected by Dr. Negede Gobeze among others stipulates that since it will be difficult, if not impossible to defeat the ruling party in a fair and peaceful and democratic election and as the opposition did not secure ground particularly on the rural areas of the country, it will be necessary to hold power by any means necessary and that includes using violence. This agenda was written and publicly circulated as a manual to the CUD party for use. This simply means that CUD will accept results only when it wins and rejects results when it looses. This is simply a double standard and never worked anywhere and certainly can not work in Ethiopia.

When the CUD party realized that the result is not in the party's favor, it opted for the Washington agenda. The party started to undermine the legality of the electoral board, dispatched some of its supporters to robe banks, stop services particularly the transport section and go on to the street in order to paralyze the economy of the country. This resulted in a clash with the police and unfortunately lives were lost. Such an unfortunate incidence could have been avoided had there been restraint on the part of the CUD party and had it waited patiently until the end result is declared by the authority all parties gave their consent to i.e. the electoral board. Instead, the CUD party opted for the Washington agenda: disturbing the electoral process, provoking the public, confusing the public both from within and the Diaspora and ultimately ceasing power by any means necessary. That is Dr. Negede's Washington agenda used by the CUD party and that can not and will not be acceptable in Ethiopia because it is an old, obsolete and destructive agenda.

It is a game of the past with no validity. Now, one wonders what is left in the box of the Washington agenda since the first tactic has failed. Here is the next in the box, and that is to continue black mailing the electoral process in Ethiopia, negatively portray the image of the country by using tactics such as: writing letters to different foreign government officials, members of parliament, members of the senate, UN agencies, development agencies, Aid Agencies etc.

Based on the preliminary results, CUD should have been happy for winning big in Addis and other cities. It has won significant seats at the federal parliament that will enable it to forward important legislations .Since the people who voted for CUD expect much from it, CUD should work hard to improve the lives of the people.

The CUD is spreading the confusion to many hard working Ethiopians in the Diaspora via the internet, newspaper, radio and other media in order to persuade them to stop investing in their own country on the one hand, and persuade major aid donor countries to stop helping Ethiopia on the other. The intention of course is to come to power by economically punishing the country since to come to power through the ballot box became impossible to realize. This is also an old trick with no fruits to bear. The people of Ethiopia have been deprived of the fruits of democracy, good governance and human rights during successive regimes. It is during the last fourteen years of the current government that the people of Ethiopia started to harvest the fruits of democracy and transparency.

For the first time in the history of this country there are more than seventy independent newspapers openly functioning in the country even though they have not contributed much to the democratization process. For the first time in the history of this country, there are different political parties openly computing for political power in the country. For the first time in the history of this country different nations and nationalities enjoy regional rights and responsibilities with full constitutional rights and responsibilities. This is democracy at its best. No nation or nationality in Ethiopia is over the other. They are all equal under the law and live with equal status. Ethiopians have started to see the fruits of peace and stability for the first time in their very long history during this current regime. They are now on the right track to development and therefore have the intention to continue to live in peace and work very hard to fight poverty and secure sustainable development because that is the number one priority of the Ethiopian people in the future as well.

Much has been accomplished during the time of the current government although the opposition will knowingly like to ignore. Instead they want to embark on the negative and have to blame the government for anything and everything as long as they are not in power. Ethiopia needs peace and stability more than any country on earth. More importantly, Ethiopians need to work very hard in order to make a living. Political Parties have a major role to play in maintaining peace and stability. Among others, all parties have to be tolerant, prudent and responsible. The only way of doing so is to respect the on going electoral process, wait patiently until the official result is declared by the electoral board. Any party must accept the official result with dignity and honor. Any party can put its grievances within the legal framework of the country. This is the only option and this is the only right option and this should be the stand of every contesting party of the nation. To do otherwise is undemocratic and illegal. It is also like committing a crime on the people and the country. It is obvious that one party will win and others will lose in any election. However, taking the national interest of the country into account, there is no winner or looser in this election. It should be considered as a win- win situation for the people and the democratic process. Everyone must accept the final result and put the nation to work

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