Ethiopia’s Zenawi warns opposition about mass rally

Sept 24, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Saturday urged opposition parties not to play with fire, saying that his government will not allow "any actions that endanger the lives, property and stability of the public."

In a televised nationwide address, Meles said his government will undoubtedly take legal measures against such acts, referring to a mass rally to be organized by opposition parties on October 2.

Earlier this week, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), the country’s two major opposition parties, announced plans for the October 2 demonstration to protest the May 15 parliamentary election.

Meles said the May parliamentary election was an occasion when a great achievement has been registered in the democratization process.

"The election process is already concluded, results were declared and there are both who are satisfied and dissatisfied with the results of the election," Meles said.

The nature of democratic principle is providing equal opportunity, but not satisfying all, he said.

Though the government has ample evidences that indicate opposition parties, their leaders and members have been involved in criminal activities prior to staging the so-called mass demonstration, it did not take appropriate legal measures in a bid to peacefully resolve problems and enter to development activities, Meles said.

According to final election results, the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Party (EPRDF), which has ruled the country for the past 14 years, has won 327 seats of the 547- seat lower House of People’s Representatives, enough to form the federal government.

CUD and UEDF were in second and third places with 109 and 52 seats respectively. They held only 12 seats before.

Ethiopians went to poll on May 15 in the country’s two separate elections to elect representatives to the House of People’s Representatives and regional councils.

Ethiopia has a two-house parliament: the 110-seat upper House of the Federation and the 547-seat lower House of People’s Representatives.

(Xinhua/ST)