Lobby warns of chaos in Ethiopia

NAIROBI, Sunday

The International Crisis Group has warned Ethiopia to guard against violence during its next June elections.

The ICG called on Ethiopia’s governing coalition to improve democratic practices or risk violence that could further destabilise the Horn of Africa region.

The lobby group’s latest background report examines the potential for a violent eruption of conflict in Ethiopia ahead of the June 2010 elections, amidst rising ethnic tensions and dissent.

ICG further calls on the international community to encourage more meaningful democratic governance in the country.

“Donors must convince Ethiopia to improve current standards of governance and promote democratic reform or risk future waves of violence and new destabilisation in the Horn of Africa,” reads part of the report.

“The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, transformed the previously centralised state into the Federal Democratic Republic in the 1990s, redefining citizenship, politics and identity on ethnic grounds. The stated intent was to create a more prosperous, just and representative state for all citizens,” says ICG.

However, says the group, ethnic federalism has not dampened conflict, but rather increased competition among groups