Ethiopia's leading Opposition Party Cautious in European tour

The Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), Ethiopia's leading opposition party, has been cautious during its European Tour since early November, according to sources and Jimma Times correspondent in Sweden.

Born out of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) which challenged the EPRDF ruling party during the 2005 national elections, UDJ and its Chairwoman, Judge Birtukan Mideksa, face tough challenges from other CUD factions in Ethiopia as well as from some of their own supporters. Particularly, the party has stayed away from tackling controversial issues and concerns about the 8 points proposal the party made three years ago to the goverment. Some of these points declared that the opposition party will not participate in Ethiopia unless the government makes the Election Board impartial, mass media accessible to all, armed forces non-partisan and the judiciary independent. Many of UDJ's supporters are asking if the party is abandoning some its own principles and the 8 points proposal.

According to sources, UDJ and its leaders have already rejected interview and other requests from four different Diaspora media outlets. Supporters say such media blackouts have harmed UDJ's European tour to attract enough supporters and energy as well as to introduce its objectives and answer critical questions. Around 90 supporters attended the main event in Sweden by the UDJ delegation.

Latest attempts by Jimma Times correspondent to collect information about UDJ's plans were also unsuccessful. Particularly, media inquiries were made about UDJ's plan to join the 2010 national election without the 8 points proposal being met as well as about UDJ party's positions on the Ethiopian government's policies regarding the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and Eritrea.

"Smart and justified"

According to some UDJ supporters contacted, Birtukan Mideksa's cautious approach to her party's interaction with media outlets, particularly in the Diaspora, is "smart and justified." They say this shows her experience and her party's aim to avoid the same problems they faced last year after CUD leaders, including Birtukan, were released from jail.

In 2007, the internal divisions in CUD worsened following their trips to North America, particularly after their exposure to warring CUD branches and associated media outlets.

Birtukan's supporters thus claim the European tour displays her positive leadership qualities. Meanwhile, her party's backers also say that peaceful struggle should be the only means to establish democracy in Ethiopia and suggest that her new UDJ party should not be confined by the old CUD's statements and positions, including by the 8 points proposal.

However, some Ethiopians and Ana Gomes, the European Union's head of election observing team, say the Meles government is a dictatorship that will not transfer power through elections. In an interview with Jimma Times's Yeroo paper, Ana Gomes stated that Meles Zenawi's government is not capable of organizing a free and fair elections in Ethiopia.

"Until the Meles regime will be in power, I will never believe in an election in Ethiopia. I think the experience in 2005 shows that despite all the commitment, despite all the rhetoric, clearly Mr. Meles Zenawi did not hesitate to manipulate the election and to steal the election,"  said Ms. Gomes. [Read Full Interview]