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Democracy was so sweet: Kinijit EU
delegation
Dr. Yacob Hailemariam conducted interviews
with several Dutch Media on his visit to the Netherlands. Here is an
interview with Sybilla Claus, International editor of the Daily popular News
paper, Trouw. (Conceptual English translation by Abiy Ashenafi)
 Dr.
Yacob Hailemariam conducted interviews with several Dutch Media on his visit
to the Netherlands. Here is an interview with Sybilla Claus, International
editor of the Daily popular News paper, Trouw. (Conceptual English
translation by Abiy Ashenafi)
Photo: Ato Hailu Shawel leader of the CUD addresses hundreds of thousand
supporters in Addis. Also Hailu Shawel is imprisoned for twenty months on
the same charges. Listen also: [ Interview with VOA Amharic] [Interview with
Radio Netherlands international]
He was incarcerated for twenty months in prison in Addis Abeba. “When you
realize the reason of your struggle, you can bear it.” Says lawyer Yacob
Hailemariam during his visit to The Netherlands. For long time he taught at
Norkfolk State University. He had to flee out of his country because of the
Red terror. In 1996 he became prosecutor at the Ruwanda tribunal. After two
years he went back to the State until Prime Meles Zenawi announced in 2005
that Ethiopia would hold its first free and fair elections. Dr. Yacob
decided to be part of it. "It is my turn to do something for my country".
"My study is paid by many poor peasants. I had to pay back and do something
for my country" said dr. Yacob remembering his enthusiasm. He joined CUD and
campaigned around his birth place Gurage. “It was a very exiting time, with
a free and lively press and interesting debate. The government pulled his
‘topguns’ and we did too. We tasted democracy and it was so sweet” says dr
Yacob.
Could the illiterate peasants follow the discussion? “We intellectuals
underestimate them often. They understand the issues very well, they want to
own the land, and not leas it. They want to sell their products on the
market instead of being forced to sell to the government”.
The 250,000 voters in Gurage area were very involved to let a fraud happen.
“young people were waiting under the trees guarding the election bureaus.”
Dr Yacob won with 97%. The government candidate was crashed. The opposition
won all the 24 sits in Addis Ababa and according to Dr Yacob the CUD won in
the villages and other cities. But Meles appeared to be addicted at the
power and claimed to have won the election. By massive citizen protests
against this, the police killed 193 citizens. The new members of parliament
and the chosen MPs and mayor of Addis Abeba refused to take their seats,
when the government refused to negotiate.
Dr. Yacob Hailemariam conducted interviews with several Dutch Media on his
visit to the Netherlands. Here is an interview with Sybilla Claus,
International editor of the Daily popular News paper, Trouw. (Conceptual
English translation by Abiy Ashenafi)
Photo: Ato Hailu Shawel leader of the CUD addresses hundreds of thousand
supporters in Addis. Also Hailu Shawel is imprisoned for twenty months on
the same charges. Listen also: [ Interview with VOA Amharic] [Interview with
Radio Netherlands international]
He was incarcerated for twenty months in prison in Addis Abeba. “When you
realize the reason of your struggle, you can bear it.” Says lawyer Yacob
Hailemariam during his visit to The Netherlands. For long time he taught at
Norkfolk State University. He had to flee out of his country because of the
Red terror. In 1996 he became prosecutor at the Ruwanda tribunal. After two
years he went back to the State until Prime Meles Zenawi announced in 2005
that Ethiopia would hold its first free and fair elections. Dr. Yacob
decided to be part of it. "It is my turn to do something for my country".
"My study is paid by many poor peasants. I had to pay back and do something
for my country" said dr. Yacob remembering his enthusiasm. He joined CUD and
campaigned around his birth place Gurage. “It was a very exiting time, with
a free and lively press and interesting debate. The government pulled his
‘topguns’ and we did too. We tasted democracy and it was so sweet” says dr
Yacob.
Could the illiterate peasants follow the discussion? “We intellectuals
underestimate them often. They understand the issues very well, they want to
own the land, and not leas it. They want to sell their products on the
market instead of being forced to sell to the government”.
The 250,000 voters in Gurage area were very involved to let a fraud happen.
“young people were waiting under the trees guarding the election bureaus.”
Dr Yacob won with 97%. The government candidate was crashed. The opposition
won all the 24 sits in Addis Ababa and according to Dr Yacob the CUD won in
the villages and other cities. But Meles appeared to be addicted at the
power and claimed to have won the election. By massive citizen protests
against this, the police killed 193 citizens. The new members of parliament
and the chosen MPs and mayor of Addis Abeba refused to take their seats,
when the government refused to negotiate.
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