The increase in the number of arrests of oppositionists in Ethiopia in recent months makes the Norwegian authorities concerned. The regime is becoming more and more authoritarian, says researcher.

Meles Zenawi listened, but rejected the Norwegian criticism of his meeting with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Oslo. (The picture is from 
July 2010.) - We do not want western mix, says Zenawi.

The Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa expressed concern over the human rights situation in Ethiopia. In recent months, the embassy sent more worrying messages home to the Ministry of arrests of dissidents.

Among those arrested, according to Human Rights Watch, more than 200 people from the Oromo ethnic group. BBC reports that 35 people were arrested in April accused of coup attempts. Two Swedish journalists were arrested in July. In August, two members of two opposition parties were arrested after meeting representatives of Amnesty International, then another opposition member. This past year a large number of local journalists have been arrested.

Rejects "interference"

This is probably one of the reasons that Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern over the human rights situation in a meeting with his Ethiopian colleague Meles Zenawi in Oslo on 10October. According to the MFA was the arrest of two Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, and accusations of murder and mistreatment of civilians in Ogaden, among the topics of conversation. Ethiopia's long-standing head of state makes it on the other hand clear that Norway has no right to interfere in the country's internal affairs. It is evident from an interview with newspaper Aftenposten. - Norwegian and other countries' organizations believe that they have the right to engage in the African country's politics. At the same time have I, an Ethiopian, the right to interfere in the Norwegian cases. We have never accepted this double standard, stated Zenawi. He stressed that it often received financial assistance, but that it was unacceptable to accept any interference in the country's own political processes. 
 

 

 

Disturbing

According to the magazine The Economist's democracy index from 2010 holds Ethiopia a little glorious 118-space of 167 countries. The country's government now characterized as an authoritarian regime.Ethiopia has dropped thirteen places in the rankings since 2006. At that time the country was considered a democracy. The reason that the country valleys of the list is that the Ethiopian regime has introduced restrictive laws that limit media and civil society's freedom. In addition, beat Mr. Zenawi Meles regime cracked down on opposition activities, media and civil society ahead of the elections in 2010. The arrests that occurred in conjunction with Amnesty International's visit signifies the Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa as disturbing. It emerges from an internal report from the embassy that Bistandsaktuelt have had access to. Many of the arrests are justified on terrorism charges, according to the embassy. Norway has recently taken over leadership of the donor group on human rights in Ethiopia. 
 

 


 

More and more authoritarian

Researcher at the Christian Michelsen Institute in Bergen, Lovise Aalen, believes that the arrest wave must be viewed in the context of Ethiopia is in the authoritarian direction. This is a trend we have seen since the great riots around the election in 2005. - These arrests are a continuation and reinforcement of the events after the elections in 2005, says Aalen. Aalen believe that it is about preventing the opposition from winning the . - Ethiopian government uses terror law that came after the election in 2005 as an excuse to arrest people who can be accused of any connection to the organizations designated as terrorist organizations, she says. According to Aalen operating authorities with a very broad definition of terror. She believes that it is unlikely that any of these groups have planned specific terrorist acts. - The new discovery is perhaps the more prominent people, as the journalist Eskinder Nega and the two Swedish journalists are arrested. This has a strong signal effect that "we do not tolerate opposition," says Lovise Aalen. But this has gone in waves since 2005, the Ethiopian government has gradually tightened its grip more and more, she concludes. Norway gave in 2010 in excess of 196 million in aid to Ethiopia.