With the ruling party once again stealing the elections back in May and putting down an impending uprising, the people of Ethiopia aren’t ready to give up that quickly. The opposition has called for a boycott of companies and products controlled by the government. It has also called for popular protests. Of course, the government won’t be having any of that, and has continued its campaign of harassment, detention, and even murder of opposition supporters.
ADDIS ABABA, 1 November (IRIN) – Ethiopia’s largest opposition party on Monday called for a consumer boycott of products controlled and sold by the ruling party, officials said.
The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) also called for protests against what it decribed as continued harassment of its members and vote rigging, according to Gizachew Shiferaw, party spokesman.
Berhan Hailu, information minister and member of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), told reporters that the opposition was planning to undermine law and order in the country.
“This is the continuation of unlawful behaviour and acts of the CUD,” he said. “The government will not tolerate these actions, and it will take whatever measures Äare necessaryÅ to keep law and order.”
The protests will include strikes and a boycott of government-run breweries and state-media. Gizachew said that the CUD plans to extend the boycott if harassment of its members continued.
“The ruling party runs construction firms and printing companies, which will also be targeted,” he added. “The ruling party is by far the largest procurer and employer in the economy, so these measures would hit them.”
The CUD also asked drivers to hoot their horns for three days starting on Monday and to stay at home for five days, beginning 14 November.
Tensions between the CUD and the EPRDF have been increasing since bitterly contested elections in May.
On Sunday security forces and police surrounded the party offices. At least two officials were beaten as they left their workplace, according to eyewitnesses. Around 10 other members were taken away, although it was not clear if they had been arrested.
Late on Saturday armed police and security forces carried out a major stop-and-search of vehicles and their passengers across the city ahead of the planned protests.
The protests quickly materialized, yet just as rapidly, police forces moved in and began beating nearby protestors with sticks while shooting those who tried to run away.
Six people have been killed and at least 36 wounded in clashes between riot police and opposition supporters in Ethiopia’s capital, a sign of persistent political tension in Africa’s top coffee grower.
Riot police in Addis Ababa firing at stone-throwing protesters killed five people and wounded 18, hospital sources said, in a new backlash against a disputed May election.
Government officials said one police officer was killed in the clashes and 18 wounded. They gave no further details.
The violence broke out three days after Ethiopia’s main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) called for fresh protests over election results it says were rigged.
The appeal prompted the government to warn it would not accept any threat to security in the country of 77 million.
CUD officials said police arrested their leader Hailu Shawel and Berhanu Nega, a senior figure in the party, in the hours following Tuesday’s disturbances.
Ambulances rushed casualties to two hospitals in Addis Ababa as police armoured personnel carriers patrolled the central Mercato market area.
The clashes saw demonstrators set up makeshift roadblocks of burning tyres and smash in the windscreens of several cars.
Many of the wounded said the police attacked first.
They then went as far as arresting the most of the leaders of the opposition party.
(UPDATE – Police have arrested most CUD leaders, including CUD President Hailu Shawel, Engineer Gizachew Shiferaw, Dr Yacob Hailemariam, Dr Berhanu Nega, Dr Hailu Araia, Dr Befekadu Degifie, Tamru Gulilat, Major Melaku Admassie and others. The number of those killed has reached eight. Dozens are injured.
Ethiopia’s civic organization leaders – the veteran Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) and the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association (EFJA) – are being hunted down. Some have been thrown into jail, while others are in hiding.
That the Ethiopian government can get away with this now more than ever alludes to a major problem with western foreign policy with regards to democracy promotion in Africa. The international eye was on Ethiopia in May, but the limelight subsided to other issues quickly afterward. When dealing with a small, authoritarian government that has no regard for the popular will but not enough international standing put up with international pressure, the West could do a lot to prevent the Ethiopian government from committing such acts. The only reason they can get away with it is because nobody important is pointing it out and telling them to cut it out.
Weichegud! ET Politics has a well-written post on this, in which she starts: “Wonqville????????s patented ???????Meles Terror Alert??????? has been raised from Lily-Livered Yellow to ???????Its???????? time to clean house??????? Red??????? The situation is fluid????????we might have to raise the level to ???????I????????m On a Killing Spree??????? Burgundy in a matter of hours.”
Ethiopundit talks about the government’s talking points, which include inane rants about the country possibly becoming another Rwanda.