Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ADDISABABA53
2010-01-14 04:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:
ETHIOPIAN OPPOSITION ALLEGES HARASSMENT OF CANDIDATE
how-toVZCZCXRO7555 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHDS #0053 0140446 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 140446Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7396 INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE RUEPADJ/CJTF HOA
UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 000053
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIAN OPPOSITION ALLEGES HARASSMENT OF CANDIDATE
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 000053
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIAN OPPOSITION ALLEGES HARASSMENT OF CANDIDATE
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) Qinati Abdisa, a leader of the Oromo Federalist Democratic
Movement (OFDM),was arrested on weapons charges after he organized
a public meeting to announce the merger of two Oromo political
parties in the Oromiya Region of Ethiopia. Qinati was sentenced to
three months in prison and will accordingly be technically unable to
register as a candidate in the May parliamentary elections as he had
intended. His political colleagues insist he has been framed by a
ruling party unable to accept even a minimally organized opposition.
End Summary.
Merger Meeting Makes Local Officials Uneasy
--------------
2. (U) Qinati Abdisa, a local leader of the Oromo Federalist
Democratic Movement (OFDM),and Gemechu Wedajo, a member of the
Oromia Regional Parliament and local leader of the Oromo Peoples'
Congress (OPC),organized a public meeting on December 20 to launch
the merger of OFDM and OPC to form the Oromo Federalist Congress
(OFC). The two successfully staged the public meeting after they
received authorization from local officials in the East Wellega Zone
of Oromiya Region. Merera Gudina, Co-Chairman and Bekele Jirata
executive committee member of OFC, explained the advantages of the
merger to the more than 5,000 participants and asked them to support
OFC in the May parliamentary election. (NOTE: Merera is also
Chairman of the Forum opposition coalition of eight parties. END
NOTE.)
OFC says Public Meeting Organizer Was Framed
--------------
3. (U) According to Bekele Jirata of the OFC, who traveled from
Addis Ababa to East Wellega to attend the meeting, local police and
security forces with a warrant from the Wereda (district) court
searched Qinati's house. Eyewitnesses told POL LES that policemen
searched the house and couldn't find anything suspicious. The
policemen left the house but remained in the vicinity. Soon
thereafter one policeman re-entered the house and came out with a
pistol, announcing he found it hidden between the cushions of a
sofa. Qinati protested in front of everyone present that he had
never owned a pistol in his life. Despite his protests, the
policemen took him to Kebele 07 Police Station in Nekemte and
detained him there until he appeared in court on January 4. Goto
Gida Wereda Court charged Qinati with possession of a pistol without
a license and sentenced him to three months in jail and a fine of
300 Birr (USD 24). Qinati is serving his time in Nekemte Prison.
According to OFC sources, Gemechu Wedajo, the second organizer of
the meeting, was not charged because he has immunity as a member of
the Oromiya Regional Council (Parliament). However, Gemechu
complained to the Embassy of constant harassment and intimidation by
the local police and security forces, particularly during the two
weeks since this incident occurred.
OFC Says Sentence is a Ploy
--------------
4. (SBU) Bulcha Demeksa, Co-Chair of OFC, told POL LES that Qinati
was their strongest candidate for the upcoming national election.
Bulcha said OFC members in Nekemte are angered by the incident and
argue that Qinati was sentenced so that he would remain in jail
until registration of candidates ends on February 2. (NOTE:
Ethiopian regulation requires registering candidates to appear in
person at a local office of the National Elections Board of Ethiopia
(NEBE). END NOTE.) Local OFC leaders appealed to the NEBE office
in Nekemte without result. They also appealed to East Wellega Zone
Administration, but were told Qinati was found guilty by a competent
court and that the administration could not interfere in court
matters.
5. (SBU) Comment: Local and regional officials from the ruling
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, largely hidden
from media and the international community, appear to be threatened
by even a minimally organized political opposition. It is unclear
in this case whether local officials were acting under orders from
the center to clamp down on opposition organizing or registration
activities. End Comment.
MUSHINGI
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIAN OPPOSITION ALLEGES HARASSMENT OF CANDIDATE
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) Qinati Abdisa, a leader of the Oromo Federalist Democratic
Movement (OFDM),was arrested on weapons charges after he organized
a public meeting to announce the merger of two Oromo political
parties in the Oromiya Region of Ethiopia. Qinati was sentenced to
three months in prison and will accordingly be technically unable to
register as a candidate in the May parliamentary elections as he had
intended. His political colleagues insist he has been framed by a
ruling party unable to accept even a minimally organized opposition.
End Summary.
Merger Meeting Makes Local Officials Uneasy
--------------
2. (U) Qinati Abdisa, a local leader of the Oromo Federalist
Democratic Movement (OFDM),and Gemechu Wedajo, a member of the
Oromia Regional Parliament and local leader of the Oromo Peoples'
Congress (OPC),organized a public meeting on December 20 to launch
the merger of OFDM and OPC to form the Oromo Federalist Congress
(OFC). The two successfully staged the public meeting after they
received authorization from local officials in the East Wellega Zone
of Oromiya Region. Merera Gudina, Co-Chairman and Bekele Jirata
executive committee member of OFC, explained the advantages of the
merger to the more than 5,000 participants and asked them to support
OFC in the May parliamentary election. (NOTE: Merera is also
Chairman of the Forum opposition coalition of eight parties. END
NOTE.)
OFC says Public Meeting Organizer Was Framed
--------------
3. (U) According to Bekele Jirata of the OFC, who traveled from
Addis Ababa to East Wellega to attend the meeting, local police and
security forces with a warrant from the Wereda (district) court
searched Qinati's house. Eyewitnesses told POL LES that policemen
searched the house and couldn't find anything suspicious. The
policemen left the house but remained in the vicinity. Soon
thereafter one policeman re-entered the house and came out with a
pistol, announcing he found it hidden between the cushions of a
sofa. Qinati protested in front of everyone present that he had
never owned a pistol in his life. Despite his protests, the
policemen took him to Kebele 07 Police Station in Nekemte and
detained him there until he appeared in court on January 4. Goto
Gida Wereda Court charged Qinati with possession of a pistol without
a license and sentenced him to three months in jail and a fine of
300 Birr (USD 24). Qinati is serving his time in Nekemte Prison.
According to OFC sources, Gemechu Wedajo, the second organizer of
the meeting, was not charged because he has immunity as a member of
the Oromiya Regional Council (Parliament). However, Gemechu
complained to the Embassy of constant harassment and intimidation by
the local police and security forces, particularly during the two
weeks since this incident occurred.
OFC Says Sentence is a Ploy
--------------
4. (SBU) Bulcha Demeksa, Co-Chair of OFC, told POL LES that Qinati
was their strongest candidate for the upcoming national election.
Bulcha said OFC members in Nekemte are angered by the incident and
argue that Qinati was sentenced so that he would remain in jail
until registration of candidates ends on February 2. (NOTE:
Ethiopian regulation requires registering candidates to appear in
person at a local office of the National Elections Board of Ethiopia
(NEBE). END NOTE.) Local OFC leaders appealed to the NEBE office
in Nekemte without result. They also appealed to East Wellega Zone
Administration, but were told Qinati was found guilty by a competent
court and that the administration could not interfere in court
matters.
5. (SBU) Comment: Local and regional officials from the ruling
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, largely hidden
from media and the international community, appear to be threatened
by even a minimally organized political opposition. It is unclear
in this case whether local officials were acting under orders from
the center to clamp down on opposition organizing or registration
activities. End Comment.
MUSHINGI