http://www.voanews.com/a/ethiopia-opposition-protests/3549270.html
Africa
Ethiopian Opposition Wants 'Real Change' But Views on Tactics Differ
October 13, 2016 1:58 PM
Jill Craig
NAIROBI —
Insisting the demonstrations in Ethiopia’s Oromia region during the
past year are a mass movement, not just two or three protest groups,
Merera Gudina, the chairman of Ethiopia’s opposition Oromo Federalist
Congress, is calling for the government to listen to the people's
demands.
“Our struggle, until a democratic state is created in the country, a
political system that accommodates for all the citizens in the
country, is created, we continue our struggle,” said Gudina. “Whatever
the cost may be.”
He says the government has been using "carrot and stick" tactics.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has promised political reforms,
which Gudina says are “too little, too late." Desalegn also announced
a six-month national state of emergency to restore order.
Recent violent protests have targeted mostly foreign-owned businesses,
burning and damaging almost a dozen factories and flower farms, and an
estimated 60 vehicles across the Oromia region. An American researcher
was killed near Addis Ababa when her car was attacked.
Rights groups such as Amnesty International have accused security
forces of using excessive force to put down the protests.
Men walk past a bus that was torched during protests in the town of
Sebeta, Oromia region, Ethiopia, Oct. 8, 2016.
During the recent thanksgiving celebration in early October at least
55 people were killed in a stampede when police fired tear gas and
shots into the air. In August, protests in the Oromia and Amhara
regions left dozens dead and hundreds injured after Ethiopian security
forces allegedly opened fire on unarmed anti-government protesters.
Several requests by VOA for a response from the Ethiopian
communications minister were not answered.
Disagreement on credibility
Rashid Abdi, Horn of Africa analyst for the International Crisis
Group, says violence is counterproductive to the protest movement.
“Yes, I think, in these kind of protests, you know, more militant
elements tend to take actions necessary without the interests of
others, and I think the turn of events in probably the last three
weeks, has really dented the image of the protest movement and
undermined their credibility,” said Abdi.
Gudina disagrees.
“I don’t think that it is losing credibility. It is probably the
fabrication of the government and some Western media. Otherwise,
really, it is a popular movement; across the country people are
refusing to be ruled in the old way,” said Gudina. “I don’t think it
is losing any credibility in the eyes of the people of Ethiopia.”
FILE - Ethiopian opposition leader Merera Gudina (L), seen here in a
July 2015, photo, says claims that violent protests cause his movement
to lose credibility losing credibility are "probably the fabrication
of the government and some Western media."
Elise Dufief is the research and monitoring manager at transparency
group Publish What You Fund, who did her PhD work on Ethiopia. Dufief
said political and opposition parties have a role to play in turning
frustrations into a constructive political force.
“Because whenever violence occurs in that way, it gives another reason
to the government to say, ‘You see, these are distracting forces. We
cannot really have a discussion or a dialogue with them. We cannot
have a constructive discussion to see how we can identify the way
forward. All we can do is reassert our authority and make sure that
these people do not have a voice in the political sphere of the
country.’ So that is not helping their case,” said Dufief.
Dufief added the protesters are trying these different tactics in an
attempt to make their voices heard.
But regardless of tactics, Gudina said protesters know what they want
in the end.
“Now people want real change, you know, real change on the ground,
real change in the tangible things, but not empty promises,” said
Gudina.
The protests began in November 2015 over a government plan to expand
the boundaries of the capital, Addis Ababa. Issues have since expanded
to include human rights, political representation, and political
participation.
Received on Thu Oct 13 2016 - 14:43:17 EDT