It is an open secret that the Ethiopian government has been using food aid to control people. Every Ethiopian know this as well as the American Embassy in Addis. If one is to give the benefit of doubt as to the embassy is actually investigating this sham by the government then the whole embassy personnel should be fired and replace them with able people. Because it is such an open thing for everyone to see. The Ethiopian government did not even try to hide it. Perhaps now they would be told to do it covertly. The state department should stop insulting our intelligence. Enough is enough. The Ethiopian people are well aware that the US government will support Meles no matter how brutal the regime gets. Does the carnage in Ogaden, Oromia, Addis ababa and Gambela e.t.c come to mind.
by Daniel
Ethiopia's Meles Says Aid Allegations 'Outrageous and Stupid'
By Jason McLure
(Bloomberg) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi denied allegations by opponents that
his government has kept foreign food aid from people who refuse to support his ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front.
"If they are saying the system is designed in such a way that people who are
hungry will be allowed to die or continue to be hungry if they are not
members of the party, that is outrageous and stupid," he said in a press
conference today in the capital, Addis Ababa. "There is no such system.
There will never be such a system."
Members of Ethiopia's opposition including Beyene Petros of the United
Ethiopian Democratic Forces and Gizachew Shiferaw of the Unity for Democracy
and Justice party have accused the government of withholding food aid given
by the U.S. and other donors from opposition supporters.
The prime minister also turned aside U.S. State Department concerns
expressed yesterday about press freedom and a law restricting foreign
funding of human rights and pro-democracy groups ahead of national elections
scheduled for May.
Earlier this month, the country's largest private newspaper, Addis Neger,
closed after its top editors fled the country, accusing the government of
using a new anti-terror law to silence the press. That led the U.S. Embassy
to issue a statement today expressing concern that such moves "contribute to
a perception that space for independent media in Ethiopia is constrained."
'Last Word'
"We don't take this institution seriously because they have proven to us
over and over again they take any accusation against the government as the
last word in the Bible," Meles said of the shuttered publication.
The prime minister said the human rights law, which limits organizations
that lobby for democracy, good governance and women's rights from getting
more than 10 percent of their funds from foreign sources, was consistent
with practices in industrialized democracies.
He also said his ruling party would not negotiate with the opposition over
the release of jailed UDJ leader Birtukan Mideksa, who was imprisoned in
December 2008 after the government accused her of violating terms of a 2007
pardon that temporarily released her from a life sentence.
supporters say she was jailed for building a party with the potential to
beat Meles' EPRDF in a free and fair election.
"There will never be an agreement with anybody to release Birtukan," he
said. "Ever. Full stop. That's a dead issue."
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