EU Parliament Resolution: Anna Gomez’s Promise to the CUD

Alula Nega
13 Oct 2005 (AigaForum)

In response to Dr.Yacob Hailemariam of the CUD’s appeal for the commission to advice EPRDF to accept national unity Anna Gomez, in her EOM report conference, said doing so is beyond her mandate as head of the EU-EOM. But she added she would address it as a politician in the European Parliament after September 23.

Fortunately Anna Gomez and her report were not to be heard, thanks to the Prime Minister’s slum dunk exposé that outlined the contradiction, lies of the EOM report and above all the ulterior motive of the Head of the Mission that was peddling the issue of Government of National Unity. While Anna Gomez was discredited it seems she has not ceased her job behind the scene of grinding an ax on the government of Ethiopia .

The current joint motion for resolution by the European Parliament was sponsored, among others Anders Wijkman (chair), Mario Mantovani, Rainer Wieland and Valdis Dombrovskis, who were the team members of the EU-EOM in 2005 Ethiopian election. These are the very people, who in collaboration with Anna Gomez doctored a shoddy report, whose lies were so blatant that the PM dubbed it as an amateurish job.

True to their track record of presenting a scenario that is far form reality the EU-EOM group in its capacity as member of the European Parliament has come again, as promised, with lies and distortions in the form of a resolution to support CUD, an opposition that is devoid of consistency, reasonability and that has blatantly refused to be part of the democratization process in Ethiopia.

The EU-EOM group in its current incarnation as members of parliament, in a self serving way quotes its own shoddy report to justify the current resolution. Not only that, they try to justify the resolution by asserting that the Carter Report has come to the same conclusion as they did. Far from it, the Carter report, while finding some irregularities, has stated that the EPRDF has won and the only way forward is through the courts or to accept the NEB ’s certification of the election. While the Carter Center Report is clear as to how the election is to get a finality the EU-EOM group wants to add a log to the fire chamber of the CUD which is turning into ashes day by day.

The EU-EOM group wants to continue the election saga by using the negotiation that came into being when CUD promised to work through parliamentary process and legal mechanism only. The EU-EOM group in a self serving way puts the fault for the break up of the negotiation on the government while in reality CUD was the culprit when it brought a non negotiable issue to the table long after an agreement was reached on how to continue the negotiation. CUD brought a non negotiable issue to the table after all parties agreed on the eight point agenda and have convened a press conference to tell the world the opposition and the government has reached an agreement. As a matter of fact, the issues that the EU-EOM group, the current parliamentarian incarnate, raised as a concern was in fact issues that the ruling party was willing to discuss with the opposition. As stated by the Prime Minster in the parliament, issue of the imprisonment of members of the opposition, the issue of use of the media by the opposition and the parliamentary rules which the opposition raised for negotiation are still open for discussion with other loyal oppositions that have taken their seat. Unlike the EU-EOM’s group assertion, the negotiation was broken down because CUD’s insistence that the non negotiable items that directly affect the integrity and constitutional order of the county be included.

Ethiopia has moved on with the establishment of a new parliament. The new parliament has many opposition groups who opted to abide by the constitution and the parliamentary process. As witnessed during the first session, the parliament is going to be colorful. The CUD is free to join parliament, however with every day passing; CUD is inching to illegality by refusing to abide to the parliamentary process.

The EU-EOM group wants to rehash issues and wants humanitarian aid to be used as a tool to pressure the Ethiopian government to accommodate a group that has openly stood not to abide by the rule of the country and the established legal institution.

It would be hard to believe that the European Union would fall to this discredited group in its call to hinder the Ethiopian government’s effort to bring about change to the destitute and impoverished country. The European Community has been one staunch supporter of Ethiopia ’s democratization and development and it should put a stop to Anna Gomez’s machination to help an unruly opposition that does not want to accept the responsibility of governing. Ethiopia is the main anchor for the security and stability of the Horn region. After holding an election that is widely praised, save its minor irregularities, Ethiopia and Ethiopians are ready to move on to maintain a stable and safe region. The International Community should help Ethiopia in this regard.

Deutsche Welle