Ato Siye Abraha has complained that the EPRDF is conducting a campaign against him by showing Haile Gerima’s film “Teza” to the public, Addis Admass reported on May 8.

He said the EPRDF is showing the film in the town of Tembien where he is running for the election and telling the residents that he is collaborating with politicians of the Derg era. Asked about the complaint, Government Whip Ato Haile Mariam Desalegn said that Ato Siye was described as having the same view as the Derg because he said that Ethiopia is a sack of nationalities.

Ato Siye, who said that he had gone to his consistency on Thursday and was trying to talk to the residents, stated when he arrived in the town he found that the residents were shown “Teza”

May 7 (Bloomberg) -- Ethiopia’s ruling party has increased harassment of opposition supporters before a May 23 election in the Horn of Africa country, opposition coalition leader Merara Gudina said.

Activists loyal to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front have thrown stones at his car, breaking its windows and puncturing its tires over various occasions while campaigning in the Oromiya region in the past two weeks, said Merara, who is a parliamentary candidate.

“It looks like sort of a war, not an election,” Merara said in a phone interview from the capital, Addis Ababa, today.

Public meetings for Medrek, an alliance of opposition parties, are often blocked by local officials in Oromiya, Merara said. Medrek leaders have been barred from hotels and from buying fuel in some areas of the region, he said. The ruling alliance is defending a majority of 400 seats in the 537-seat parliament.

In many ways the Revolutionary Democrats are more than a political grouping. Yes, they have transformed the Ethiopian political landscape over the past 19 years, bringing it to a point of no return. But they are as much a force of transformation in society as they are in politics, whether or not one likes their philosophies. This may only be seen from a perspective free of partisan inclinations.

Much to their credit, the Revolutionary Democrats started as young rebel fighters with a vision and developed themselves in the wilderness in line with the beliefs that they stood for. Not fearing to die for what they believed, the youth of yesterday and the leaders of today owe it all to the active political consciousness they had so many years ago.

The involvement of youngsters in Ethiopian politics is not something new. For instance, the students’ movement in the 70s led to the dethroning of Haile Selassie I and the end of the Imperial Regime.

Addis Ababa, May 3, 2010 (Addis Ababa) - OLF and Al-shabab Terrorists, who were trained and assigned by the Eritrean Government to hamper the 4th national elections, were put under control, said the National Intelligence and Security Service and Federal Police Joint Anti-Terrorist Taskforce.

In a press statement it issued here on Saturday, the mercenaries (the terrorists) of the Eritrean government were put under control while attempting to enter to Ethiopia via Somalia border.

Other terrorists, also sent by the Eritrean government, along with their arms were caught while preparing for an attack in Addis Ababa City by security forces and the city residents.

TPLF/EPRDF called Arena/Forum to refrain from tarnishing the image of the 4th national elections.

In a statement it issued here on Saturday by TPLF Central Committee, TPLF said Arena/Forum is engaged in tarnishing the election with an intention of not to make the election credible.

The statement said Forum’s allegation that a candidate from Arena known by the name of Aregawi Gebre-yohannes was murdered was absolutely fabricated.

According to the statement, the allegation was intended to tarnish the image of the election.

The statement said the investigation carried out by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission confirmed that the death of the candidate was not related to either politics or elections.

Accusations of candidate killings and attempts to kill between the EPRDF and the Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum (Forum), a coalition of eight parties, continued this week.

In the latest allegation, Forum said motivation the bombing residence Ayalew Beyene, a candidate running in the regional state of Tigray for Arena Tigray, which is part of the coalition, was political motivated.

Asrat Abreham, head of public relations for Arena, told The Reporter that two bombs were thrown at the residence of the candidate during the night at the beginning of the week.

Gobezaye Woldearegaye, the head of Communication Bureau of Tigray Region, dismissed the accusation as being suspicious and that the matter was under investigation and said that so far there have not been any indication of political motivation.

Addis Ababa, April 30, 2010 (Addis Ababa) - The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia announced that the beginning of transporting election logistics to different parts of the country as of Thursday.

In a news conference he gave here on Friday, Operation Planning Expert with the Board, Biruk Wondosen said the logistics are expected to reach in Southeast and Eastern Tigray Zones.

Voice of America announced Wednesday the start-up of a new satellite transmission of many of its Africa language broadcasts, giving the Horn of Africa broadcasts in Afan Oromo, Amharic and Tigrigna prime evening listening time on the 24-hour schedule.

Ethiopians and Eritreans with access to satellite television on Arabsat, the region`s most popular satellite, can now hear the clear and complete broadcast of daily news from our reporters on the ground, and from our international broadcasters in Washington, D.C. This audio transmission of VOA's shortwave air shows will display as VOA Africa 24 in a list of available channels.

Listeners can tune into the audio of VOA's regular live Monday-through-Friday broadcasts of Afan Oromo at 8:30 p.m., Amharic at 9 p.m. and Tigrigna at 10 p.m. and the Amharic Breakfast Show at 6 a.m. These evening broadcasts will be repeated immediately following the live broadcasts. The Breakfast Show will be repeated at 7 a.m. On weekends, you will also hear the regular broadcasts on Saturday at 9 p.m. of the Amharic broadcast of the popular Ya Musica Qana and featured panel discussions and live broadcast of Radio Magazine at 9 p.m. on Sundays.

Woldiya, April 29, 2010 (Woldiya) - Amhara State’s officials held discussions with Lalibela town residents on upcoming national elections as well as on development, peace, and democratization programs of the state.

The delegation of the regional government officials, led by chief of the state’s administration Ayalew Gobezie, held fruitful discussion with representatives of the town dwellers during the last two days.

The two parties confer thoroughly as to how to foster sustainable development and ensure good-governance in the area, which is one of the renowned tourist destinations of the nation.

The officials reiterated to town residents that the town has been benefiting best from fruits of development during the last few years owing to the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM/EPRDF) leadership.

Today I was reading this a while ago:

"Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam wrote a letter asking the Andinet leadership to hand over any and all legal documents, seal and legal certificate of the Party. Apparently Professor Mesfin had called on a meeting one week ago. He was elected vice chair retaining Weizerit Birtukan Mideksa as the President of Andinet Party..." And you know what happens today? there was a real fight in the office of UDJ and police arrested severals.

Here is the report from AFP

A Fight breaks out when splinter group attempted take over the UDJ's headquarters

In a political move reminiscent of the 2008 Obama election campaign in the U.S., Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has adopted an open access policy.

During the run up to Ethiopia’s 4th national election Regional governments, regular citizens, and members of the Diaspora will be able to pose questions directly to the prime minister via telephone and email. All are actively encouraged to take advantage of this rare opportunity.

According to the press release issued today by the EPRDF office, the contact details are:

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has sent congratulatory messages to Sudanese President Omar Hassen Ahmed Al-Beshir on his re-election as president of the country.

The premier in his congratulatory message expressed delight on behalf of the people, federal government of Ethiopia and on his own . He said the re-election of president Al-Beshir will ensure the continuity of the peace and development of the country and the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement(CPA).

Meles expressed his conviction that the able leadership of the Al-Bashir will benefit the people of Sudan from the continued development in the country. Meles said the re-election of Al-Bashir will address the challenges of progress of Sudan and peace and stability of the region.

The European Union Election Observation Mission to Ethiopia (EU EOM) deployed 90 Long Term Observers (LTOs) to every region of the country on Tuesday April 27, it was learnt.

These groups of observers arrived in Ethiopia on April 24 and stayed in the capital city for three days to undergo a series of briefings on various aspects of the electoral process. Out of the total number, 81 were deployed by car while the rest flew to their destination. The mission is working hard to contribute to the democratic nature of the election, Tony Reis, Deputy Chief Observer of EU EOM told The Reporter.

Prior to election day, the LTOs will forge contact with local electoral officials, candidates, party representatives, civil society organizations as well as voters. They will also follow election campaigns and preparations for the election. On election day May - 23 - they will observe all phases of the election, from the opening of polling stations to voting, closing and counting. Their findings will be part of the overall evaluation and assessment of the process by the EU EOM, according to a press release issued by the mission.

Ethiopia’s decision to go to war against Eretria was said a big mistake. The war costs the lives of Ten Thousands Ethiopians and Eritrean. It was even said preventable conflict. Ato Sebhat Nega, one of the founding members and senior official of TPLF pointes his fingers at his former comrades in arms including Ato Seye Aberha the latter was former Minster of Defense. However, Seye denies all the accusation against him self his other friends.

Ato W/Selassie Nega( Commonly known as Aboye Sebhat ) recently told one local radio talk show that he personally regrets for the decision aimed “in favor” of to go to the Ethio-Eritrea war where his former colleagues influenced it. Aboye Sebhat says:” Hadn’t been the powerfulness of Ato Twelde Ato seye and the like the war could have been prevented. I could imagine that using some Technical arrangements between Ethiopia and Eritrea might have been the best solution to stop the war. Because of the back ward and narrow minded views of the splinters ( former TPLF members, who walked away from their party ) we were forced to engage in to war against Eritrea.

ADDIS ABABA, April 22 (Reuters) – An Ethiopian opposition activist has been bludgeoned to death with a gun butt in the second politically motivated murder in the run-up to national elections on May 23, an opposition leader said on Thursday.

Bulcha Demeksa, a leader of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), told Reuters the activist, Biyansa Daba, was attacked at home by members of the ruling party.

“Biyansa Daba was beaten on April 7 with the butt of a gun,” Bulcha said. “He died in hospital on April 16. He was a very strong up and coming figure.”

“Of course it was political,” Bulcha said. “They asked him to stop converting people to OFC, they warned him many times. Why else would anyone beat him?”