Tedla Asfaw
I read Elizabeth Blunt piece today (BBC March 3) on the absence of the recently released Kinijit/CUDP leaders from the local election set for spring in Ethiopia. I wonder why she ignored those who were not jailed and have good time in the so called parliament still considered to be as opposition by west and could not be able to go to their constituencies for this so called by-election she is reporting by blatant intimidation and harassment of their supporters by the regime armed thugs.
Elizabeth Blunt should have also mention the fraudulent registration of candidates close to 4.5 million registered as TPLF/EPRDF candidates which shut the so called opposition automatically. How could Elizabeth Blunt cover the coming election without highlighting all these fraudulent preparation of election?
Forget about the media which is the main propaganda tool of the regime deafening our people about the "development" of our country and pray for the regime to rule for infinity because "Ethiopians should focus on their development goal to be a middle income country in the next decade" under the wise leadership of Melese Zenawi's TPLF/EPRDF.
This local election is nothing but preparation to control our people by intimidation and blackmail and Melese Zenawi recently declared that he has more than hundred thousands student members with close to five million farmer members and surely all the members of the Ethiopian army who are now "defending democracy" home and able to export to neighboring Somalia.
It is inappropriate for the British journalist to ignore all these and concentrate on the recently released opposition leaders while the regime show its contempt for the loyal opposition which is now reduced to nothing.
Ethiopians have to organize and challenge this regime by demonstrating for their rights to gather and for free media and without that Ethiopia's election,here incorrectly reported by Elizabeth Blunt, is "China's type of democracy" financed by the west with the help of of reporters like Elizabeth Blunt.
