Ethiopians to hear result soon

2005-07-08 14:54

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian election authorities were set on Friday to release final official returns from the country's disputed May elections, amid an opposition threat to pull out of a panel investigating polling day fraud claims.

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) was preparing to issue results from between 250 and 300 of the 524 constituencies contested in the May 15 polls with the remaining counts due within three weeks pending probes into alleged fraud.

Controversy over preliminary results showing a ruling party victory sparked protests in which at least 36 people were killed in the capital when police opened fire on crowds during demonstrations on June 8.

As the election board prepared to issue the partial final results, Ethiopia's main opposition group, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), said it had threatened to pull out of a joint committee investigating fraud claims.

Protesting alleged fraud

But, a senior official with the group, which had been the most vocal in protesting alleged fraud by the government and ruling party, denied earlier reports that they had already decided to leave the body.

CUD executive member Gizachew Shiferaw said: "We have not pulled out across the board.

"We told the national election board that if it does not act against the unlawful acts of the ruling party cadres, particularly in the Amhara regional state, we would be forced to pull out."

Debebe Eshetu of the CUD had said late on Thursday that the group had withdrawn from the committee due to threats against its members in various parts of the country after the post-election violence.

Fraud investigations

He said: "There is no need for CUD to be part of the team and it is withdrawing", alleging that its members on the committee had been harassed and intimidated during fraud investigations that were being carried out in 135 constituencies.

Ethiopian Information Minister Bereket Simon dismissed the allegations out of hand, calling them "a mere excuse for the opposition to shy away from the facts on the ground".

Getahun Amogne of NEBE had cast doubt on Debebe's blanket statement, noting that the CUD had informed the board only that it planned to pull out if the investigations were not concluded to its satisfaction.

At the same time, he said there was no justification for such a move because the fraud probe panel's decisions could be appealed.

Getahun said: "The board has made it clear that if their representatives have any reservation or disagreement, they could register their differences in the team's minutes, which the board would review for its final decision."

- AFP