Matters of Serious Concern for Normalizing the Political Landscape in Ethiopia

• I.  The task of forming a “United Front” of the peaceful democratic opposition

Forum for Democratic Dialogue in Ethiopia – “Forum”- was formed on June 24, 2008 by 6 opposition political parties (Ethiopian Social Democratic Party, Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement, Oromo Peoples’ Congress,Somali Democratic Alliance Forces, Arena Tigray for Democracy and Sovereignty and Southern Ethiopia Peoples’ Democratic Coalition) operating legally inside the country and 2 individual politicians of great renown. Four out of the 6 parties have seats in the Federal and Regional parliaments. The membership of the “Forum” has now expanded to eight as two additional parties joined it. These are Unity for Democracy and Justice Party and the Ethiopian Democratic Unity Movement. There are also other parties that are in the process of consultation to join.

The formation of the “Forum” was necessitated by the following urgent concerns.

1. Although in the current epoch democracy is rapidly gaining ground globally, in Ethiopia although the feudal imperial rule, and thereafter, the military dictatorship of the Derg regime were eliminated by the relentless struggle of the people and the organized democratic forces; it is a matter of serious concern that  EPRDF, which seized power in the wake of the downfall of the Derg regime has not been able to address the basic questions of the Ethiopian peoples - namely, democracy, justice, equality, development and peace.
2. The chronic problems, i.e., violation of human and democratic rights of citizens, violation of the rule of law by the present state apparatus, lack of independence of the justice system, grave social injustice, stifling of the freedom of expression, and intimidation and harassment targeting  opposition political parties, that prevail in Ethiopia now as ever before, need an immediate solution.
3. Although the legal framework that defines federalism in Ethiopia cannot be considered seriously defective, the  violation of the rights of all Ethiopians to engage in developmental activities and also work and earn their living in areas of   their choice, which is compounded with the lack of job security; and the fact that this is militating against the creation of a vital sense of unity that should prevail among the peoples, and this violation is undermining the peoples’ spirit of ownership of their country and the regions they belong to, is a serious cause for concern;
4. The question of nations and nationalities that had remained unresolved for generations in Ethiopia is still hanging in the balance due to the undemocratic nature, mistaken policies and practices of the EPRDF. It is a matter of serious concern that lack of correct handling of the problem might lead to a far more complicated dire consequences for the country. 
5. The ever increasing complications of outstanding problems of Ethiopia, which are gaining prominence as a result of EPRDF government‘s persistent resistance to the various demands for seeking solutions by involving all stakeholders (i.e., political, civic, professional organizations, etc) are worrying.
6. The unprecedented clashes that have been  taking place between neighboring peoples of adjacent Regions of the country that have been causing heavy losses in human life and property; this compounded with the outrageous inaction of EPRDF’s government to provide solution to the deplorable recurrent carnage are deeply concerning.
7. The inability of the EPRDF government to discharge the responsibility and obligation of upholding the inviolability of Ethiopia’s borders and sovereignty is a matter of serious concern.
8. The ravage of widespread hunger, the sky rocketed prices of food items and other essential commodities, high unemployment and the prevailing abysmal poverty compounded  with the horrid corruption the current government has stooped into,  are threatening the wellbeing of our peoples.
9. It is a longstanding desire of the Ethiopian peoples that various political groups coordinate their activities to create an  atmosphere whereby a culture of respect for each other, tolerance and accommodation would prevail in the political landscape of the country, so that a genuine democratic transition will be possible; under which solutions to the outstanding problems of the country could be realized  through a peaceful competition between alternative agendas that seek to provide solutions.  
10. The inability of various opposition political parties to effectively mobilize the population around a common minimum democratic political agenda; and thus unable to emerge as an alternative force to be reckoned with, has remained a serious shortcoming of the opposition political movement.
11. That most of the concerns listed above are either created or exasperated by the ruling party and its government in violation of the Constitution of the land as well as the Regional and International Accords and Conventions such as:
            a) The 1948 universal Declaration of Human Rights;
            b) The 1976 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
            c) The 1976 International Covenant on Economic, Social and   Cultural Rights;
            d) African Charter on Human and People’s Rights
            e) The Cotounu Agreement
            f) New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), etc, to all of which Ethiopia is a signatory.

• II. Specific Goals of the "Forum”

1. Organize discussion forums to facilitate discourse and debate around fundamental issues that are current in the political landscape of Ethiopia so as to identify common positions that the “Forum” members may be able to adopt jointly.
2. Engage in a coordinated peaceful democratic struggle in order to exert pressure on the ruling party and government to create conducive political environment for free and fair elections and plan a common strategy for the forthcoming local and national elections of 2010, which the “Forum” believes can be a decisive turning point in Ethiopian politics.
3. Jointly act against the illegal pressures and abuses perpetrated by the ruling party on the opposition political parties and their members and supporters, civic society organizations and individuals and the free press, each of which are critically essential for building a democratic system of government.
4. Take common positions on current affairs and issue joint statements in order to seek solutions to the burning issues of public and national concern and engage in legal and peaceful recourse to mobilize public support for the issues. 
5. Launch a concerted diplomatic campaign to garner international support for the common goals laid down above.

III. The need to negotiate the political landscape with the view to leveling the playing field for the upcoming 2010 elections

1. The issue of respect for Constitutional provisions and the Rule of Law by all, including the ruling party and its government.
   
   a)    Put an immediate end to all extra-legal actions and administrative coercions of opposition party members.
   
   b)    Freeing political prisoners and ceasing illegal arrests(particularly Bertukan Mideksa-Chairperson of the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party has been incarcerated in solitary confinement for more than four months, in flagrant disregard of the Court’s decision. Berukan’s pardon which she had been given earlier along with the other leaders of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party of which she was Vice President has been revoked illegally and she has been thrown back in jail to serve life imprisonment. Bertukan along with other political prisoners should be released without further delay and such illegal arrests should cease.)
   
   c) Reaffirm respect for Human Rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the land.
   
   d) Unencumbered respect for democratic rights.
   
   e) Respect for the Constitutional rights of citizens to freely form and operate     CSOs and NGOs and obtain support through legal means from all donor sources (This will require repelling of the recently passed law that curtails these rights).
   
   f) Stop the current practice of recruitment into ruling party membership through coercive tactics.
   
   g) Ensure that employment, job retention, promotion, etc in the civil service as well as in other sectors of the economy are impartial, accessible to all citizens on merit and are not dependent on ruling party allegiance.
2. Political Party financial and material support
     a)    Implementation of the provisions in the Party Law for political party support from public funds must be acted upon immediately.
   
       b)    Tax free privileges must be allowed for political parties.
   
       c)    Tax exemption for public donations to political parties.
   
       d)   The right of donors to remain anonymous must be respected.
3. Access to Mass media
   
   a) Respect for the constitutional rights of opposition political parties for an equitable access to public mass media.
   b) Ensure fair and undistorted coverage of the activities of opposition political parties both in the public domain and in parliament by the public mass media.
   
   c) Respect for the right to launch and operate the print, electronic, radio and television media by private operators and guarantee their freedom.
4. Making the Electoral process transparent and agreeable to all
   
   a) Participation of opposition parties in the process of appointing members of the national Electoral Board (NEB).
   
   b) Ensuring competence in election administration.
        i]    Manpower recruitment must be according to civil service employment procedures;
        ii]    Adequate resource allocation for election administration.
   
   c) Civic education by independent local and international agencies, CSOs and NGOs.
   
   d) Election observation by local and international CSOs and NGOs.
    

• IV. Appeal to the International Donor community

We deeply feel that it is within the context of the Constitutional provisions and the internationally and regionally agreed obligations, that the Ethiopian government must be held accountable. Similarly, the international community and, in particular, the donor countries and organizations must not remain indifferent and silent as the basic Human and democratic rights are violated by the ruling party and its government with impunity. The “Forum” is seriously worried that unless the absolute monopoly of the political landscape by the EPRDF changes and the flagrant violations of the basic rights redressed and justice and equity prevail in the socio-economic livelihood of Ethiopians, the interests of regional security, stability and the effort to uproot terrorism will be compromised in Ethiopia, in particular, and in the Horn Africa, in general. 

Therefore, to begin with, the donor community must persuade the ruling party and its government to: 

1.  improve the political environment by freeing all political prisoners and by allowing opposition parties to open offices and freely operate within their constituencies.
2. enter into honest negotiations with the “Forum” to level the playing field for the upcoming 2010 elections.
3. provide support to political parties through public funding as provided for in the Party Law.
4. allow international CSOs/NGOs to provide pre-election technical support to competing parties and to observe the 2010 electoral process.

If the international donor community succeeds in its efforts at persuasion, facilitating the above would be a critical overture by the ruling party and its government. This will be essential as a confidence building measure to create an atmosphere for an amicably negotiated resolution of outstanding issues that have been obstructing fundamental political developments leading to transfer of state power through competitive free and fair democratic elections in Ethiopia.

Forum for Democratic Dialogue in Ethiopia (“Forum”)  - Finfinne, Ethiopia