Five years from the most contentious election in Ethiopia's History, where the opposition led by Kinjit completely swept all the contested seats in Addis Ababa and convincingly won even in districts represented by high-level TPLF officials, the EPRDF is once again preparing for an 'election' in 2010. However, to the people of Ethiopia, the lessons of 2005 where the winners were sent to prison and the loser rewarded himslef with another 5 years of power are still fresh and no one is under the illusion that TPLF will ever hand power through its fake electoral process. However, in today's Ethiopia, any platform available for expressing the cries of its suppressed citizens yearning for democracy and the rule of law are worth pursuing. In that spirit, MediaETHIOPIA will follow this process and educate the rest of the world that Meles' election exercise is farce and - in the same time - document the struggle of progressive and democratic forces as they work in an impossible environment to give voice to the 80 million people of this great land.
As things stand in 2010, MediaETHIOPIA believes that the hope of 80 million Ethiopians rests in the person of the young, charismatic, and heroic leader, Miss. Birtukan Mideksa who is currently a political prisoner of the TPLF regime. If there is an honest election, the mood in the country indicates that this young lady will lead the opposition to one more triumphant victory over the forces of backwardness, hate, ethnic rivalrly, and massive corruption and plundering.
For the record: Selected articles from MediaETHIOPIA's coverage of the 2005 election
"Bank robbery, uprising, and a 13-year old skinny boy". Short Story based on a true story of a 13-year old boy killed by Agazee Militia in November 2005. Here. Dec 14, 05.
MediaETHIOPIA Editorial, Nov 5, 05. It is time for Meles to go. ....For the Tigrean people, on whose name Meles had come to power, it is important to realize that they have a duty to perform.
It is our belief that the “Mahal Safari’ revolution of 2005 continues to carry the potent potential of throwing out PM Meles’ regime out of office in the very near future in peaceful ways and manners consistent with what we have seen in modern Ethiopia’s History. We are also convinced that the incoming political force will survive and succeed only if it realizes that the major problem in Ethiopia is the transformation of our families in cities and villages to a middle class status with a future that offers hope. MediaETHIOPIA Editorial, Oct 10, 05.
MediaEthiopia Editorial challenges the opposition parties (CUD and UEDF) to honor the millions of votes that went for them to bring a new and hopeful Ethiopia. Here. August 15, 2005.
Death toll from the Sene Lideta (June 8, 05) massacre by TPLF troops reaches 36 with hundreds wounded and almost 3000 arrested.
"For the democratic process in Ethiopia to continue, for hope to see the day of light, for Ethiopians to be assured of a season of progress instead of a continued regress to the ugly days of brutal bloodthirsty dictators who are bent on killing 17 year old children and then demand money in return for their dead bodies, the only option left this late in the process is to call for a new election." MediaEthiopia Editorial 60 days after May 15th Elections. July 15, 05.
In what is the most compelling and powerful analysis of the post-election political atmosphere in Ethiopia, Dr. Solomon Terfa, delivers a 'must-read' article that challenges the opposition, the Ethiopian people, and the quartet of International Community (EU, AU, UN, and US) to do the right thing. Here. June 24, 05.
A model statistical analysis of voter turn out in East Gojjam demonstrates 'large-scale vote tampering'. Dagmawi's analysis further supports the allegation that the ruling party has practiced massive vote rigging in the rural areas. Read report here.
Challenge for Kinijit and Hibret to assume immediate role in administering Addis Ababa - MediaETHIOPIA Editorial - June 9, 2005.
Update from MediaETHIOPIA's Addis Ababa reporter:
June 9, 2005. The city is still in state of shock and high tensions. No gun fires have been heard today. But the police have continued arresting people, particularly youngsters. Almost all private and government workers seem to have stayed at home.
June 8, 2005. 8:00 AM. Today we are in a great trouble. The protest has spread to high schools and colleges. St. Paul and Tegbare'ed were the sites of major protests yesterday. Even other colleges like
Awassa, Alemaya, Jima and Ambo have joined the protest. Today there is no transportation at all in the city. Some buses and some taxis which attempted to work were broken by stone-throwing protesters and the very bad news is we are hearing gun shots here and there and the siren of Ambulances, especially from the side of Merkato. So far nothing has been said from the government side except Ato Arkebe declared the Ministry Examination for Grade 8 will be started at 10 AM (local time) because of transport problem. Yesterday there were flyers everywhere calling for boycott of work and transport. Dr. Brehanu of CUD interviwed by VOA said that this has nothing to do with CUD. Shops and other services are all closed and the tension is really high in the city. We are all anxious and worried.
11:00 AM. The situation in Addis is getting out of hand. Infront of my office, youngsters have started protesting shouting "Wetabelew wetatun Wetabelew" and throwing stones in to the police cars. The Police fired guns but I don't see and casuality so far.
8:00 PM. The protest has cooled down. I mean gun shots have cooled down, but we are learning that a number of people are dead and hundreds are wounded. A friend of mine who is a nurse in Zewditu Hospital told me that he has counted 30 youngsters wounded on the leg and one lady died after reaching the hospital. Tension still is very high. There are reports from unconfirmed sources that there is a call for a complete civil disobedience and stikes all over the city in teh coming days.
MediaETHIOPIA reporter documents a firsthand account report of the post-election student unrest in Addis Ababa. Here. June 7, 2005.
'The Emperor Has No Clothes' - MediaETHIOPIA Editorial - June 1, 2005.
Mass protest against vote rigging, intimidation, and flawed non-transparent vote counting by the EPRDF government is planned by Ethiopians living abroad on May 26, 05. Details.
MediaETHIOPIA reports on the preliminary results of the elections where CUD and Hibret have made significant enough gains that have raised the possibility of an opposition win. Read Report. May 18/22, 05.
Election Facetious: Out of 23 incoming parliamentarians from Addis Ababa, 2 are engineers, 5 are doctors, 1 is a professor, and 1 is a priest.
M. Ashenafi Ze-Shegol Meda writes his first 'Letter from Ethiopia' column focusing on the May 05 elections. "Kardachin Bejachin - Kinijt MirChachen" is one of the slogans at the AAU, writes Memhir Ashenafi as Ethiopia prepares for its Historical elections. Read Letter Here.
MediaETHIOPIA presents a survey of opinion of ordinary Ethiopians regarding the upcoming national elections scheduled for May 2005. We interviewed 25 Ethiopians; 5 outside the country and 20 inside. The opinions documented here are varied with one interviewee commenting 'the land tenure is more of a debate issue for the opposition than the farmers concerned.' How have times changed?
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