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Ethiopia (Vol 6, 2009)

in Africa Yearbook Online
Author:
Jon Abbink
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(5,984 words)

All public life continued to be strongly dominated by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). The country started to gear up for the May 2010 elections, with the government becoming nervous about opposition parties and trying to restrict their expansion. EPRDF party organisation was given priority in an effort to co-opt as many people as possible, particularly those in economic and administrative key positions. This was in line with the EPRDF's mission to prevent a repeat of the 2005 elections, which were nearly lost. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi declared himself ready for another term in office. A new opposition coalition, ‘Medrek’ or Forum for Democratic Dialogue, was formed by eight parties and gained support by having a broad spectrum of leaders from various backgrounds. The building of their support base in rural areas was hindered by the EPRDF, which was afraid of competition. Overall, there was little evidence of real progress in democratic consolidation. The human rights record was as disappointing as in 2008 – no fundamental improvements were seen with respect to the rights of opposition political activists, journalists and other media agents. Police and army behaviour was unsatisfactory in many cases. Arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial procedures and abuse were regularly reported. Internet access remained restricted, despite a false announcement in March that access was to be free.

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Africa Yearbook Online

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