Ethiopia’s opposition today accused
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government of using its access to
foreign-funded, anti-poverty programs to gain support for the
ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.
Members of the opposition are routinely denied benefits to
relief food, microfinance loans and access to civil service
jobs, the Forum for Democratic Dialogue, a coalition of eight
political parties said.
“Our members, regardless of qualifying to benefit from
these services, are by and large denied access,” Beyene Petros,
a member of parliament from the FDD-affiliated United Ethiopian
Democratic Forces, said in a phone interview today. “What they
say is this is the EPRDF’s and let Beyene Petros get it for you.
That’s the kind of challenge our members are facing.”
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"Our members can't get on the food-for-work scheme," Gebru Asrat,
spokesman for the opposition coalition Medrek, told Reuters. "Only
ruling party members can now join the programme, so it forces desperate
people to leave the opposition."
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