November 14, 2005
“Any form of violence in Ethiopia cannot be condoned and all parties must come together to end the current political stalemate,” said Lee. “All Ethiopians must recognize the value of multi-party democracy and make an effort to respect the opinions of those in the minority and majority.”
Lee appealed for all parties to show restraint, calling on opposition leaders to refrain from inciting civil disobedience and the Ethiopian government to remove restrictions on political groups, release all political detainees and appoint an independent commission to examine the cause of the violence.
Violence ignited after the May 2005 elections, where President Meles Zenawi was re-elected and the ruling party maintained their majority in Parliament. While opposition parties made significant gains in the parliament, they refused to take their seats in favor of protesting the elections. Approximately 36 people died and hundreds were arrested in the protests.
Over the past three days, several opposition leaders have been imprisoned; violent clashes have killed more than 42 people and injured more than 150 people in the capital and surrounding towns outside of Addis Ababa.
“There is an immediate need for an open and peaceful dialogue in a spirit of political reconciliation to promote a functioning, multi-party parliamentary democracy in Ethiopia.”
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Barbara Lee Calls for End to Violence, Commitment to Democracy in Ethiopia
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) called for an end to violence and a commitment to reconciliation, as violence sparked by protests of the Ethiopian elections in May resumed over the weekend.“Any form of violence in Ethiopia cannot be condoned and all parties must come together to end the current political stalemate,” said Lee. “All Ethiopians must recognize the value of multi-party democracy and make an effort to respect the opinions of those in the minority and majority.”
Lee appealed for all parties to show restraint, calling on opposition leaders to refrain from inciting civil disobedience and the Ethiopian government to remove restrictions on political groups, release all political detainees and appoint an independent commission to examine the cause of the violence.
Violence ignited after the May 2005 elections, where President Meles Zenawi was re-elected and the ruling party maintained their majority in Parliament. While opposition parties made significant gains in the parliament, they refused to take their seats in favor of protesting the elections. Approximately 36 people died and hundreds were arrested in the protests.
Over the past three days, several opposition leaders have been imprisoned; violent clashes have killed more than 42 people and injured more than 150 people in the capital and surrounding towns outside of Addis Ababa.
“There is an immediate need for an open and peaceful dialogue in a spirit of political reconciliation to promote a functioning, multi-party parliamentary democracy in Ethiopia.”