Ethiopians are eagerly counting down the date for the upcoming Ethiopian national elections. However, the context in which the Ethiopian government is focused committed by the people and political forces is controversial. Conflicts and displacements in some parts of the country, in particular, are a key question of how likely it is to hold the elections in a peaceful manner and to be peaceful and democratic. With this in mind, our todays guest, the Prime Minister’s Security Adviser, Ato Gedu Andargachew, acknowledged that it is important to discuss with the relevant government body for clarification. He had a brief stay with Zemen Magazine recently and explained the governments preparations to conduct the upcoming national general election with utmost safety. Excerpts
What is the government’s view of the current security situation in Ethiopia in order to conduct the upcoming Ethiopian national elections at the required level?
The government is working to create a conducive environment for the general election to be peaceful so that the general public can choose what they want without fear or favor. Not only did the election take place, but months after the election, an attempt was made to assess the security situation in the country. Since the current Ethiopian election is a transitional one, preparations have been made to take into account that it may face various security challenges. Places may experience security problems. We have already assessed that the majority of the people in the area are desperate for a peaceful election and that the realities of this election will be better.
Assessing the situation in each region to conduct the election with state and federal officials at all levels, we did not see that there are areas where there are security problems, but from the point of view of the country, it does not have such a negative impact. Given the current situation in the pockets of various parts of the country, the situation in Benishangul-Gumuz is improving in some parts of the country, but it is difficult to hold elections.
In the western parts of the country, there are significant security challenges, though not all. Security problems are reported in some woredas between Oromia Zone and North Shoa Zone of Amhara State. There are areas of security in the pockets of the southern border of Oromia. These security problems are being identified and work is underway. In most parts of the country, however, there is no problem with the election. To this end, the people want the election to be peaceful. The security forces are also working to solve the problem in the troubled areas.
Is there anything being done to ensure that people can participate in the national elections safely in areas that are considered problematic?
The Defense Forces, the Federal Police, and the regional security forces are working extensively on these areas. It is known that the Metekel area has a command post. Despite the damage done so far, the command post is working hard to prevent further problems and restore peace in the area. There are also results. In his work, however, the threat to security has not been completely eliminated, and lives and property are occasionally lost. Coordinated work continues until such conditions are completely eliminated.
Similarly, in western Oromia, the regional security forces, in collaboration with the federal police, are working to dismantle the OLF and create a stable environment for the people to live in peace and stability. There are broad results. This is not to say that the work is finished, but that the work is being done. There are still occasional problems, and the work has been intensified until this problem is completely reversed and a full-fledged daily life is restored.
There were clashes in other pockets, such as Gurafarda, Omo, and Amaro. The clashes have caused panic and displacement. There is work to be done to change that. Similarly, there is a security crisis in the Afar and Somali border areas. When we look at all these problems, they are expected to be an obstacle in the area of the national election, but their nationwide impact is expected to be low. In these areas too, efforts are underway to address the problem. There are security incidents along the Addis Ababa Dessie road in the Oromo Nationality Zone and North Shoa border woredas of Amhara State. There are also guidelines for what to do in these areas. It is being done that way.
Have you assessed the influence of local and foreign political forces, which have distanced themselves from the election through various legal and voluntary processes?
When we look at our political culture as a whole, it is very backward. While there are many parties that have chosen the path of peace, some may resort to violence. This can be done through the cooperation of two parties to ensure security. The first is by ensuring that the public is free to participate in the elections from beginning to end in a secure environment in the pre-election,
by-elections and post-election. As long as he believes that “this election is mine, I can express my opinion freely without pressure,” as long as the public is able to express the election on the card, it will not succeed, even if there are those who want violence. In that sense, it is possible for a society to be free to choose what it wants to do, from the beginning to the end. The dream of violent forces cannot be realized by the main stakeholders, the community and then law enforcement agencies, the federal and state security forces. This means that special attention must be paid to this.
Top-down training on law enforcement has been provided; Organizations have been developed from the bottom up based on the training and orientation provided. Efforts have been made to prepare the organizations for problem solving as much as possible. This is a great opportunity as the society is peaceful and wants the country to be stable, despite the activities of various interest groups following the election. The other party, which is currently contesting, wants the election to end peacefully. They are also contributing to a peaceful election. The enthusiasm of the parties and their desire to work with the government for a successful election will also serve as a great potential. In general, I believe that the election will end peacefully because the forces that are interested in a peaceful end to the election will weigh in on the scales, even if there are some problems.
How reliable is the security forces’ preparation and coordination in managing pre-election and post-election security problems?
The security forces are responsible for enforcing the election law. This means that political parties can freely express their views anywhere, at home and abroad, without fear of reprisals, and without hindrance in their efforts to win and run on behalf of the party they represent. The security forces have a key role to play in creating a conducive environment for law enforcement agencies to act on the basis of the rule of law. The Code of Conduct has been developed and discussed by law enforcement agencies to ensure that they do not exert influence over law enforcement. There are also instances up to the kebele level. Due to the important role played by the Federal Police in each of the institutions, necessary arrangements have been made to fulfill the responsibility of escorting all the election materials to the destination.
This is a work done at the level of thinking and understanding, but the work does not come as a result of work done separately by each institution. Therefore, federal and state security forces need to be coordinated in each area. At the national level, the security committee is not limited to the federal government.
The state security forces (commissioners), prosecutors, prosecutors, etc. have been organized together. That is, they are members of the Security Committee. Similarly, it is a committee composed of state security forces and is coordinated with the defense and federal police forces to carry out their duties. In order to prevent these problems, even if they do occur, there is an organized way to solve them.
How committed is the security forces to accountability if they take action?
Whom should the election be free from? It must be independent of government bodies. It means that the security forces would not be intimidated by any unwanted political force or by any form of influence. Therefore, the security forces that prevent this election from being legitimate and peaceful, and that prevent credible elections from being held, are hurting the country and the people. That is why, for example, the Federal Police has clearly stated its responsibilities. There are situations in which the security forces have to decide what to do and what not to do. These transgressors must be held accountable for their actions.
This is an election in which we practice democracy sincerely. If this election is not held legally and fairly, there will be no loyalty to our people in the first place. Unreliable election can lead to other problems. Second, a free election will open the door for our country’s image. For a number of reasons, when elections are supposed to be free and fair, the security forces must carry out their mandate only on the basis of law. Moreover, if they engage in illegal activity, they will be held accountable.
What is the government doing to ensure that the community has a positive role in the election process and the outcome?
The community needs to make a positive contribution. Therefore, the security forces must work for the peace of the people. Above all, I believe that the people, political parties, candidates and media professionals should play a major role in the peaceful conduct of this election. This is because if a peaceful election is held, society will benefit. It is a common issue. It is a common agenda. All parties must be involved in this matter. For this election to be peaceful, it must be done by all stakeholders, the media, the government and the private media. There is no such thing as security without security. As a result, security forces are working with the community at all levels.
The international community is confused about the law enforcement in the north. What is the government already doing to prevent the same from happening in the run-up to the upcoming elections?
The first step in making the election democratic and peaceful is to make the international community be aware of it. It is the society that is crucial to making the election peaceful and democratic. It is the situation in the country. Is there an environment conducive to peaceful elections? Is there a limit to what people can choose? Is the rule of law guaranteed? Are political parties operating without restriction? The questions are up to you.
Despite this, the international community has been supporting the election board in various ways, starting with the capacity building of the Electoral Board. It is open to the government to understand not only the capacity building but also the election process from start to finish. Various bodies, including the Electoral Board, are working to explain. I hope that our society is primarily free and fair and that others will bear witness to this. From this I believe that the international community will have a positive view of our electoral process and results.
On this occasion, is there any message for stakeholders in this round of election process?
This is an election in which many competing parties are running. Although our politics is backward and our democracy is weak, there are strong political parties coming forward. Elections are based on competition and there are many options available to the public. So society is the main owner of this choice.
Therefore, it must do its part to ensure that the election is peaceful and democratic. This is not a voluntary right. It is a natural right of society. It is also a constitutional right. In order to exercise this right, they must participate in this election competently. They have to deal with problems that limit their ability to participate. In this regard, I believe they must play part in ending it peacefully.
Second, it is an election in which political parties are actively participating. This election is where the parties compete to say, “I am better, I am better.” A country will be better off when there is a peaceful situation. In order for a peaceful election to take place, parties need to educate their members and supporters at all levels of the importance of peaceful elections and stand for peace.
Third, law enforcement is on their shoulders. Fulfilling this responsibility has become more important than ever. To carry out their mission, they must be vigilant and coordinated. It is an honor for them to be able to conduct this election peacefully and legally.
In addition, there is a large structure of the Electoral Board that oversees the election, with thousands of executives. This force can play its part in ensuring that elections are free and fair. All in all, all Ethiopians must do their part to ensure that this election is peaceful and democratic.
Thank you for your cooperation
Thank you
BY STAFF REPORTER
The Ethiopian Herald May 8/2021
