Ethiopia Govt calls Opposition MP Bulcha a "criminal"

Jimma Times

Ethiopian government spokesman Ermias Legesse called MP Bulcha Demeksa a "criminal" after the opposition MP doubted the government's allegations of assassination plots by the Ginbot 7 organization. 

Last week, Ethiopia arrested 40 army personnel and members of the opposition group Ginbot 7 after accusing them of planning to assassinate government officials. Some family members of the Ginbot 7 leadership were also arrested for allegedly smuggling money fundraised by Diaspora officials of the group. The exiled founder of the Ginbot 7 organization, Berhanu Nega, denied that his group was involved in the plot but Berhanu said he supported any means, including military, to overthrow the current government.

Opposition MP and chairman of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), Bulcha said he does not believe there was any plot by the Ginbot 7 group. Bulcha asserted he will not believe the government accusations unless "third party and international" observers are allowed to investigate. He said such government tactics are not new because suspected Oromo supporters of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) have been facing similar harassment for many years, including 16 Oromos that Bulcha said were recently imprisoned for the same reason.

The government allegations might be made up by the ruling party for an excuse to arrest more opposition supporters, added Bulcha in an interview. One of those recently arrested was General Tefera Mamo from the Amhara region and the opposition expects the government to use Ginbot 7 to arrest more ethnic Amhara supporters of legal opposition groups, similar to the arrest of ethnic Oromos suspected of supporting the OLF.

Both OLF and Ginbot 7 organizations are illegal opposition groups in Ethiopia.

Government official Ermias Legesse said he can't give a statement on this matter because it is currently in the hands of the court. He said Bulcha is a criminal for commenting on a case held by the court. But the opposition and international human rights organizations have often complained about the lack of independent judiciary in the country.

Bulcha also commented about the upcoming national election scheduled for May 2010. He said the EPRDF ruling party controls three quarters of the parliament but the opposition will not be able to successfully compete in the upcoming election. He said the ruling party has been preparing extensively by organizing workshops, monopolizing the media and forcing millions of people to sign on a letter promising they will vote for the EPRDF ruling party next year.

According to Bulcha, otherthan few OFDM offices in the capital city and some towns, most other opposition party offices have been closed and many opposition supporters are being intimidated and harassed.