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The National Palace hosted a dinner reception for
the 65 political parties including the Ethiopian
People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) that
reached a consensus on the electoral code of conduct
on Friday, November 27, 2009.
In a statement they made, representatives of the
parties pronounced that the code of conduct is
instrumental to enable the realisation of a free and
fair election.
In attendance at the reception were Bereket Simone,
public relations advisor to Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi, and other EPRDF top officials. On the
opposition side, Hailu Shawel (Eng.) of the All
Ethiopia Unity Party (AEUP), Lidetu Ayalew of the
Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), Ayele Chamisso of
the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and
representatives of the rest of the parties were
there as well as ambassadors and other invited
dignitaries.
The Forum for Justice and Democratic Dialogue (FJDD)
led by Merera Gudina (PhD), was not present.
In a remark he made to Fortune regarding
parties not in participation, Addisu Gebregziabher
(PhD), vice president of the electoral board, said
that "the rest have either fallen apart, or they are
nonexistent."
It was learnt that the FJDD had held a lunch
gathering at the Ghion Hotel on November 26, 2009,
in the presence of party members and foreign
ambassadors.
In an unforeseen turn of events, the gathering
highlighted former Ethiopian President Negasso
Gidada(PhD), and former EPRDF top executive Siye
Abraha who both revealed their joining of one of the
FJDD member parties, the Unity for Democracy and
Justice (UDJ).
In an apologetic speech he addressed to the
Ethiopian people, Negasso touched on this subject
saying, "I fought alongside Oromo organisations, and
change never came. I was a member of the OPDO [Oromo
People's Democratic Organisation], a member party of
the EPRDF, and struggled, but change was far from
realised - not for the Oromo, not for anyone else."
Former Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF)
combatant, Siye, accounted for his move by saying
that, "In accordance with an earlier conclusion I
reached for myself, any political organisation must
be a multinational party if I am going to be part of
it."
"With respect to the existing political situation in
the country, challenging the EPRDF is as dangerous
as walking on a blade," said Siye. "However, because
my conscience could not accept to leave organised
politics before the march I started in my childhood
has been achieved, it is my pleasure to announce my
decision to bear all responisbilitis and
consequences with you."
Both Negasso and Siye summoned up the issue of the
imprisoned leader of UDJ, Birtukan Mideksa and
requested for her release.
This request for Birtukan's release brings the
number of the political prisoners whose pardon was
called for by the All Ethiopia Unity Party (AEUP) to
232.
The issue with regard to FJDD, however, has made it
a topic of discussion whenever there are parties
gathered at one venue or another.
The 64 parties that were invited to dinner at the
National Palace expect to benefit from the deal they
made with EPRDF.
Especially the four parties, considered to be major
actors (EPRDF, AEUP, EDP and CUD) had been
negotiating with the Prime Minister from August 31
to October 27, 2009.
"Although the negotiation was challenging, it was
fruitful in the end," one of the key participants of
the proceedings and delegate of AEUP Mamushet Amare,
told Fortune. His party had requested the
release of 232 political prisoners immediately after
the conclusion of the negotiations, and was agreed
upon by EPRDF.
Further in-depth conciliation on this agenda was
held from November 4 to 9, 2009 when the EPRDF
denied the existence of such prisoners, but later
agreed to include the issue in the negotiations.
"According to the consensus reached, and if in fact
they exist," Sekoture Getachew, the EPRDF public
relations head, told Fortune. "The cases of
political prisoners shall be handled by an
investigative committee and a deliberating council
that the parties will jointly establish."
"We have presented Birtukan's case for negotiations
as a case that concerns us. If people from her party
had come, they would have benefited a lot," Mamushet
said.
The veteran party leaders of the EPRDF and the
opposition were not given the opportunity to address
this gathering. Instead, it was those
representatives from within the 65 parties
unbeknownst to the public that made statements at
the dinner.
In the coming weeks of further negotiations, theses
parties are expected to attend to 16 issues.
Taking centre stage are the cases of political
prisoners, the use of the public media during the
election, and campaign financing issues.
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