Exiled Ethiopian journalist decries ’outrageously ludicrous’ elections

Visiting scholar Abebe Gellaw says the United States has traded silence for security and military cooperation by ignoring Ethiopia's "appalling human rights record." He exhorts the United States to live up to promises to support democratic reform: "There must be no exceptions." On May 23, Ethiopia's incumbent Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was reelected in a landslide. Despite claims of fraud and coercion, Zenawi said: "We have no regrets and we offer no apologies." Ethiopian journalist and democracy activist Abebe Gellaw has worked for the Ethiopian Herald , the only English daily in the country, and is a founding editor of Addis Voice , an online journal in English and Amharic that focuses on Ethiopia. The visiting scholar at Stanford is currently working on a book, Ethiopia Under Meles: Why the Transition from Military Rule to Democracy Failed . It is a serious setback. The reason why this 99.6 percent election victory is outrageously ludicrous is due to the fact that it can simply be interpreted as if Ethiopians have unanimously endorsed their suffering and abuse under the Meles regime. This can't happen anywhere. Supporters of Ethiopia's opposition coalition have been beaten, harassed and jailed, and one of the country's last independent newspapers closed in December after its senior staff fled the country for fear of arrest. One opposition parliamentary candidate was stabbed to death, although the government denied involvement. A candidate was arrested while campaigning and sentenced to six months in prison on a contempt charge. Despite government claims, isn't that evidence of fraud?