Major Ethiopian opposition parties again boycotted a meeting called by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The meeting began on Sunday in Sululta town near Addis Ababa. Adem Farah, Prosperity Party Vice Chairman, opened the meeting. On Monday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed joined.
“Earlier in April, I met with political party representatives to discuss cooperation on national issues. A direction was set for discussions to continue at various levels. Today, we met again as a continuation of the April meeting, working toward forging a consensus on national issues of importance for all,” the Prime Minister said after the meeting.
Major opposition parties did not attend the meeting. Oromo Federalist Congress, Oromo Liberation Front, Ogaden National Liberation Front and other main opposition parties refused to participate in talks with the government. They boycotted an earlier meeting too held in April. Most of these parties did not join the ongoing national dialogue. They are of the view that the national dialogue is not genuine and sincere; government is not committed to national dialogue; it merely wants to show to the international community that it believes in dialogue and reconciliation.
Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) chairman Professor Merera Gudina last week accused Ethiopian government of denying political space to opposition parties. He said that hundreds of his party offices were closed and party workers in prisons. Political activities are not allowed, OFC said.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018 on the slogan of change. He was supposed to steer the country through democratic transition. In the initial year, he freed hundreds of dissidents. Leaders in exile returned home. Armed group laid down arms.
In November 2020, war broke out between Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the federal government. Since then political parties have been complaining that federal government was denying them their due political rights.
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