The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia regrets it is unable to accept the invitation to participate in the hearing organized by the European Parliament on human rights and democratization in Ethiopia.   

Notwithstanding the invitation to the Government of Ethiopia, the requested attendance of this hearing suggests a continuation of the same agenda that has predominated in the recent comments and activities of some members of the European Parliament. The list of invited speakers to this hearing does not indicate any intention to try and reach a balanced or accurate assessment of the stage of democratization in Ethiopia today. Rather the aim appears to be to provide a forum for a number of individuals, including self-exiled members of the opposition, whose expertise on the current situation in Ethiopia must be in doubt.  

In 2005, at the request of the Ethiopian government, the European Commission sent an Observer Mission to the elections, the first effective multi-party elections to be held in Ethiopia. As a result of interference by the mission, headed by Mrs. Gomes, a member of the European Parliament, and the substantial bias in favor of one opposition party conspicuously displayed in its preliminary report, the Government of Ethiopia was forced to make a formal complaint to the European Commission. This itemized details of Mrs. Gomes’ failure to fulfill her mandate as an impartial electoral observer, her violations of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Commission and the Ethiopian Government, and her refusal to abide by either the EU or the Ethiopian National Electoral Board’s Code of Conduct for Electoral Observation.  

There has been no attempt to refute these comments. Indeed, the Government of Ethiopia has yet to receive either a reply, or any acknowledgment of its observations about Mrs. Gomes’ activities.  

Since then, Mrs. Gomes has continued her efforts to discredit Ethiopia’s progress in democratization. Her activities, and those of some of her colleagues, include speaking at external opposition rallies and meetings in Europe and the US, which can only be described as a deliberate attempt to undermine the unity and democratization of Ethiopia. In a few months, Ethiopia will be holding its next set of elections, at local and district level. The destructive, and fallacious, criticisms of Mrs. Gomes and others once again appear designed to try and affect the outcome.  

The Government of Ethiopia has clearly demonstrated its firm commitment to building a democratic system, to ensuring good governance, to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the fight against poverty. The setting up of the office of an Ombudsman and the creation of a Human Rights Commission have underlined this commitment, and recent economic progress offers the opportunity for real socio-economic take-off. Equally, the Government of Ethiopia is aware that all this is a work in progress, and there is much to do.  

The Government of Ethiopia does not believe that a parliamentary hearing of this kind, organized for political reasons, can offer any real contribution to the democratization process in Ethiopia. The Government of Ethiopia genuinely feels that participation in a charade of this nature is neither proper nor useful.    

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

       4.6.2007