ETHIOPIA: Ruling party celebrates but EU observers criticise Ethiopia election results

Record ID: 212494

  • Title: ETHIOPIA: Ruling party celebrates but EU observers criticise Ethiopia election results
  • Date: 26th May 2010
  • Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (MAY 25, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS PEOPLE'S REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRATIC FRONT (EPRDF) SUPPORTERS RALLYING IN ADDIS ABABA VARIOUS PEOPLE HOLDING PLACARDS
  • Embargoed: 10th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ethiopia
  • Country: Ethiopia
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4BAO57TI3S4VORQ50PN0XKLXY
  • Story Text: Ruling party supporters streamed into a square in Ethiopia's capital on Tuesday (May 25) to celebrate the election victory for Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and reject opposition and rights groups accusations of vote rigging.
    Waving Ethiopian flags, wearing ruling party T-shirts and baseball caps, and holding photographs of Meles aloft, supporters sang and danced with joy as the candidate they supported led in preliminary results.
    Placards in the national colours of green, yellow and red were handed out as people massed in Meskel Square to praise the landslide victory by the former bush guerrilla leader, with many written in English as well as the Amharic language.
    "I'm very unhappy because it is we who decide on our country. We elect our leaders, not human rights watch," said an anonymous ruling party supporter.
    Results released by Ethiopia's electoral board on Monday, showed that the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and allies won an overwhelming number of votes in nine out of 11 regions and cities to declare so far.
    Some opposition leaders began complaining the election was flawed before polling booths closed, saying the EPRDF had routinely intimidated and harassed critics in the days and months ahead of the election.
    New York-based Human Rights Watch said on Monday that observers should condemn voter intimidation, drawing a sharp response from the government which said the group was an instrument of those wanting to interfere in independent states.
    "The human rights (watch) are lying, lying, respect our vote, respect our vote," said another anonymous ruling party supporter.
    Ethiopian Prime Minister thanked his supporters for voting for his party and said all those who lost during the election needs to accept the will of the people and promised not to bow to any external forces.
    "As we saw during the partial declaration of the election results, the parties who have been denied votes need to recognize the decision of this proud nation and its people, and I advise them not to attempt to override this vote because I will not bow to pressure from foreign forces," said Ethiopia Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
    === The 2005 poll descended into riots that killed 193 protesters and seven policemen when a different opposition coalition said it was cheated of victory after a campaign which captured the imagination of many Ethiopians.
    While nearly 10 percent of the population relied on emergency food aid last year, the government has invested heavily in infrastructure and Meles now wants to step up power production, improve telecommunications and develop industry.
    A European Union observer mission in Ethiopia said on Tuesday (May 25), elections there had been spoilt by reports of violence and intimidation, and an uneven playing field.
    "The European Union observation mission considers that the playing field for the 2010 election was not sufficiently balanced, leaning in favour of ruling party in many areas," European Union chief observer Thijs Berman told a news conference.
    Some opposition leaders began complaining the election was flawed before polling booths closed, saying the EPRDF had routinely intimated and harassed critics in the days and months ahead of the election, a point which EU observer noted.
    "There were reports of harassment and intimidation, including cases of violence voiced both by the opposition and to a lesser extent by the ruling party. The sheer volume and consistency of these complaints is a matter of concern that has to be taken into consideration in the overall appreciation of the electoral process," EU chief observer Thijs Berman said.
    He added that the shortcomings in the pre-election process likely had an impact but they did not mean the outcome was not valid.
    "These shortcomings lead us to the conclusion that this electoral process falls short of certain international principles, certain international commitments and we will continue to work and hope with the recommendations that we will issue at the end of this process that the government of this beautiful country will work with us, with the European Union to improve this," Berman added.
    The use of state resources to help the ruling party campaign was against the code of conduct, the EU said.
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