EPRDF accuses Medrek of member's murder

By Kirubel Tadesse

A member of the ruling EPRDF was killed by members of the opposition coalition Medrek, a senior EPRDF official said on Friday, April 30. The opposition Medrek parliamentary candidate, former president Negasso Gidada (PhD), rejected the charges, stating that Medrek members themselves are enduring violence in Oromia Regional State.

Zelalem Jemaneh, executive member of the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization (OPDO), member party of the EPRDF, said OPDO member Etana Edosa, in Deno Woreda of Oromia, lost his life after being attacked by Medrek members who followed him home after he spoke at a meeting on current affairs.

Zelalem also said in a press conference at the party's headquarters on Friday that the violence his party members are enduring in Oromia is more than just a single incident: "In Elo Gelan Woreda of West Shoa Zone of Oromia, Medrek members, who went after one of our young members, at his own house, ended up beating his family when they did not get him.

"His family members are now receiving medical treatment in Ambo hospital," A former OPDO member himself, Dr. Negasso responded that let alone attacking ruling party members, Medrek members themselves have been the victims: "It is a very difficult situation we are faced with in Oromia.

"In some of the latest incidents the ruling party cadres are putting cameras in front of meeting halls, intimidating people who want to attend by threatening to press charges using the footage they are taking.

"It is also to be recalled that one of our activists was killed a few weeks ago after he was beaten with a rifle.

"We gave clear directions to our members not to engage in any kind violence. We told them to give the other side of their face when beaten on the other," Dr. Negasso said, rejecting EPRDF's charges that Medrek members were involved in the latest crime.

The EPRDF said while its members are the ones enduring the crimes, Medrek is using some ordinary deaths, including an EPRDF member's, as a strategy to try to have the election process discredited and stir up violence after the poll.

For Muktar Kedir, EPRDF headquarters head and executive member, the main purpose of the latest Medrek statements is about painting a picture about the country's democratic progress: "They are releasing these fabricated allegations to feed to those so called international human rights activist organisations and media who will propagate it without any verification of any sort."

Muktar adds Medrek's leadership is also partly trying to do ground work for post-polling violence and discredit the electoral process by throwing every accusation of abuse it can think of.

The Medrek leadership on their part say they are receiving EPRDF criticism only because they are contesting the ruling party with strong candidates, including in Tigray region, where EPRDF member party the TPLF won the last three national polls without any opposition.
"It is wrong to think the TPLF and the people are the same now. Let there be free and fair elections - we can test the theory. But TPLF knows it, so it will not allow that to happen," Gebru Asrat, a former TPLF figure himself who is now standing in the election for a parliament seat in Tigray for Medrek, said.

"They left the negotiation that resulted in the landmark code of conduct for political parties by saying the same thing that they are the strong opposition out there and we should close our door on others and negotiate only with them.

"We say you are as big as your democratic aspiration to the nation. It is them that opposed the international accredited legislation to govern parties' activities in elections so the poll goes peacefully, fairly and democratically," Muktar countered.

Source: Capital