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UNITED NATIONS |
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UNITED NATIONS |
Summary
A total of nine observors participated in the operation, and according to the existing circumstances were assigend the following towns within Region 5 (Ogaden):
UNDP JIJIGA
USA JIJIGA
CANADA JIJIGA
FRANCE JIJIGA
RUSSIA JIJIGA
NORWAY JIJIGA
ITALIA JIJIJA
UK GODE/KALAFO
NETHERLANDS GODE/KALAFO
Apparently the elections in Region 5 were not as well conducted as those which took place in other regions of Ethiopia in June 1994.
An election board for Region 5 was set up in Dire Dawa, whereas during the previous elections in June, seperate election committees had been established in the regional capitals of the country.
Contrary to expectations, elections were not carried out in six areas out of a total twenty two proposed electoral areas within the Region.
Following the resolution of the ONLF party to boycott the election, no candidate was registered. Consequently, the two main contestants were the ESDL and WSDP. However, some independant candidates were also registered but it seems that their tendency was to support the Transitional Government.
Gode/Kalafo
The following was observed in Kalafo and Gode areas during the election procedures:
. Logistics i.e the mis-use or abuse in the processing of registering the electorate; registering books/cards were apparently misused;
. Staff members representing Addis Ababa in the election board were limited to only one person;
. No detailed explanation was provided to the voters regarding election procedures;
. The infrastructure of polling station, comprised of a table and chair placed in the open air, was extremely basic;
. The voting procedure could not be considered as allowing for privacy; however, it seems that this approach was not irritating to the Somali;
. A lack of participation from none Somali tribes was observed, either due to indifference to the process which they consider as a central government/highlander concern, or due to receiving advise not to take part in the elections.
Jijiga:
. Four candidates were listed: two from Ethiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL), one from Western Somali Democratic Party (WSDP), and one independent candidate. The election committee delegates arrived in Jijiga from Dire Dawa on the evening of 26 August. Next day, following reports that the independent candidate was apparently changing the contents of the ballot boxes in his favour, the committee decided to cancel the election. Therefore, elections are pending in four constituencies of Jijiga as well two in Degahabur for the same reason.
. No official administration representatives, with the exception of the town mayor and the Vice Pesident of Region 5, Ahmed Mukahil, were observed during elections. The attending officials did not seem to be involved in the election procedures, and in fact as the cancellation of the elections was reported to them, they seemed to be otherwise preoccupied;
Based on the above observations, it can be assessed that a new attempt should be made to reschedule elections in the six remaining areas in the near future.
Security:
. An incident occured on 27 August in Gode town between Al'Itihad and the EPRDF. After an exchange of fire, a fighter from the Muslim fundamentalist group (Al'Itihad) was executed in the market by the EPRDF. His body remained on the ground for 12 hours or more. According to rumors in town, this incident was related with the election;
. The previous week, heavy shooting took place at night in the periphery
of Gode, lasting several hours before dying out.
SOURCES
The different sources of information for this report are:
Report concerning elections in Region 5 (Gode/Kalafo); as observed by various teams on 28 August, 1994.
Summary of the meetings with Mr. Michael Stead (Embassy of the United Kingdom), Mr. Robert von Lanschlot (Embassy of the Netherlands), Mr. Michel Prom (Embassy of France), Mr. Protassi Butera (UNDP).