June 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Ethiopia: State Department: RPCV Chris Albin-Lackey was positive in his assessment of recent elections in Ethiopia: "I agree the elections were an incredible achievement" for Ethiopia.
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June 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Ethiopia: State Department: RPCV Chris Albin-Lackey was positive in his assessment of recent elections in Ethiopia: "I agree the elections were an incredible achievement" for Ethiopia.
RPCV Chris Albin-Lackey was positive in his assessment of recent elections in Ethiopia: "I agree the elections were an incredible achievement" for Ethiopia.
RPCV Chris Albin-Lackey was positive in his assessment of recent elections in Ethiopia: "I agree the elections were an incredible achievement" for Ethiopia.
Africa Panel Finds Ethiopia's Elections Extraordinarily Open
But condemns tampering, post-election violence, use of force by government
By Jim Fisher-Thompson
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington – A panel of African experts meeting June 15 displayed striking unanimity in its assessment of Ethiopia's recent parliamentary elections as having been extraordinarily open and free of violence. However, panel members expressed concern over the charges of tampering and condemned the post-election violence.
The way forward, they agreed, must include greater restraint by the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and opposition leaders to prevent another outbreak of the kind of disturbances that led to numerous deaths.
Jane Gaffney, State Department director for East Africa, told a meeting on "Ethiopia's Elections and the Aftermath," sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, that the May 15 national elections were "very impressive," in part, because of the absence of violence; an all too common occurrence in some emerging nations.
Joining her on the CSIS panel were: Professor Terrance Lyons, an Ethiopia expert with the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, Ethiopian Ambassador Kassahun Ayele, and Chris Albin-Lackey, an Africa program officer with Human Rights Watch.
[Excerpt]
Human Rights Watch's Albin-Lackey was also positive in his assessment: "I agree the elections were an incredible achievement" for Ethiopia. However, he said he was disturbed at the number of opposition members who had been arrested and detained since the elections. "I know people in Addis Ababa who have disappeared in the last week," he said.
But he acknowledged the opposition had been provoking the government. "CUD's rhetoric has been inflammatory over the past few weeks," he stated.
The former Peace Corps volunteer also said he was concerned the Meles government had put down demonstrations "by an excessive amount of force." At the same time, he commended the judicial system. One hears over and over again about judges releasing people from detention and most Ethiopians believe the courts are "a bright spot" in an otherwise politically oppressive system, he said, recommending donors should provide more aid for the judiciary.
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Story Source: State Department
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ethiopia
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