C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 002629

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: GOE BREAKS UP TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION
CONFERENCE

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES VICKI HUDDLESTON. REASON: 1.4(D)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY A recent attempt by the Ethiopian Teachers
Association (ETA), an organization claiming membership of
three-quarters of Ethiopia's teachers, to hold a national
conference was disrupted by Addis Ababa police. The ETA has
historically been viewed as opposed to the ruling EPRDF, and
has progressively seen its ability to operate diminished.
This latest action may be the sign of GoE,s desire to limit
ETA influence. As the new school year approaches, the
government likely wishes to avoid political unrest such as
that which occurred in 2005 and early 2006, much of which
began in schools. END SUMMARY

--------------
GOE BUSTS UP TEACHERS MEETING
--------------


2. (SBU) On August 30 the Ethiopian Teachers Association
(ETA) convened a three-day conference in Addis Ababa attended
by leadership of the organization. However, during lunch on
the first day, local police occupied the conference hall,
preventing participants from reentering. Organizers were
told by police that the gathering was considered illegal and
that they would not be permitted to finish the remaining a
two-and-a-half days of the conference. Participants,
including several international guests, were prevented from
gathering their effects from the hall. Police confiscated
all materials at the site, including conference materials,
luggage and personal belongings of participants, as well as
an ETA automobile. Though most items were returned within a
week, notes made by participants, photos, and much of the
conference materials were destroyed.

-------------- --
ORIGINAL, ETA AT ODDS WITH EPRDF SINCE DAY ONE
-------------- --


3. (SBU) The ETA is one of the oldest and largest civic or
professional organizations in Ethiopia. It was originally
formed in 1967 during the reign of Emperor Halie Selassie,
and was granted an "indefinite registration." However, when
the Derg regime was overthrown by the current ruling EPRDF, a
new ETA was formed by individuals clo

sely aligned with the
incoming government. The original ETA was instructed to
reregister their organization, but told it could not continue
to use the ETA name. Legal battles between the "new"
pro-EPRDF ETA and the "original" ETA over use of the name
continue today. The original ETA has received favorable
rulings in four consecutive lower court decisions, but the
matter has been appealed all the way to the Supreme Court by
the new ETA and is not yet resolved. The original ETA
maintains that its indefinite registration entitles it to use
of the name.


4. (SBU) Despite the favorable rulings, the original ETA has
faced harassment by the GoE and had property taken on several
occasions. Until 1993, the original ETA received funding
from membership fees automatically withdrawn from member
teachers, salaries. The fees were placed in bank accounts
under the ETA name. After the new ETA was formed, the
original ETA was prohibited from using the bank accounts,
which were turned over the new ETA. Fees continued to be
automatically withdrawn from teachers, salaries, regardless
of whether they were members of the new ETA. The original
ETA now receives financial support from donations from
teachers, the Ethiopian diaspora, as well from the
international community. The office headquarters of the
original ETA have been sealed and property confiscated. The
new ETA is suing the original ETA to have the property
transferred to its control, but prolonged legal battles have
left the offices deserted.


5. (SBU) The original ETA, which estimates its membership to
include 120,000 of Ethiopia's 160,000 teachers, has long been
seen by the GoE as closely aligned with opposition parties.
In fact, the group's president, Dr. Taye Woldesemayat, as
well as a member of the Addis Ababa chapter, Kassahun Kebede,
are two of the defendants in the ongoing trial of Coalition
for Unity and Democracy (CUD) leaders accused of treason and
attempted genocide following the November 2005 unrest in
Addis Ababa. Dr. Taye is being tried in absentia, as he has
taken refuge in the US.

ADDIS ABAB 00002629 002 OF 002




6. (SBU) Schools and universities in Ethiopia have
historically been hotbeds of political opposition. Ethiopian
teachers regularly receive political indoctrination by local
governments in an attempt by the government to counteract the
formation of anti-government student groups. Maintaining
control of the teachers association is key in this effort.

--------------
GOE FEARS STRIKE?
--------------


7. (C) The secretary general of the original ETA, Dr. Gemoraw
Kassa, told Poloff on September 7 that since 2005 his
organization has encountered problems with holding meetings.
They planned to hold a meeting in April 2006 but were told by
the Addis Ababa city administration that, as they didn't
properly notify authorities, the conference was forbidden.
Dr. Gemorwa said that such notification was not actually
necessary according to the law, as professional associations
are not required to file for permission to gather.
Regardless, for the August 2006 conference, they submitted
long in advance a request to the city administration,
together with a planned agenda of the meeting. After the
meeting was broken up on August 30, Dr. Gemoraw was informed
that this was because his organization is "not officially
recognized." He feels the actual reason the meeting was
broken up is that the GoE feared that the original ETA had
plans to call for a boycott of the upcoming academic year, a
fear Dr. Gemoraw said was unfounded.


8. (SBU) On September 22, Poloff also met with the special
advisor to the Director of the Addis Ababa Education Bureau,
Hailemariam Teklewold. (NOTE: The Director declined requests
for a meeting. END NOTE) He said that he heard about the
ETA's conference interruption through reports on the radio,
but knows nothing else about either the situation, or the
original ETA. He claimed the city administration had nothing
to do with it, as it is the federal Ministry of Justice that
handles the registration of civic organizations. Currently,
the two-week, pre-academic year teacher/administration
meetings are wrapping up and, when asked whether the original
ETA had had contact and influence with teachers in Ethiopia
during this period, Hailemariam, himself a teacher, said he
didn't know. He pointed out however, that the city works
only with the officially registered (pro-EPRDF) ETA, with
which it regularly coordinates academic activity.

--------------
COMMENT: OLD ETA AT THE END OF ITS LINE?
--------------


9. (C) Despite international support and the reported
allegiance of the majority of the teachers in Ethiopia, the
ETA formed in 1967 has diminishing space to operate. The
original ETA has traditionally been sympathetic toward
opposition political parties, making it a natural target for
the EPRDF. A large, opposition-oriented group of teachers
poses a potential threat the EPRDF-led government; following
the widespread unrest begun in schools last year in the
post-election period, the GoE is seeking to avoid organized
disruptions as the new school approaches and local elections
loom on the horizon. A decision by the Supreme Court in
favor of the new pro-EPRDF ETA would likely signal the end of
the road for the original ETA in its current form.
HUDDLESTON