Tunisia-Style Revolt feared inside Ethiopia: State Minister

Published 01/20/2011 - 7:36 a.m. GMT

Ethiopian Minister Ahmed Tusa (L) and PM Meles Zenawi

(JT) Ethiopian Minister of State for Trade Ahmed Tusa said he is concerned about Tunisia-style revolt happening in Ethiopia that would overthrow the one-party rule of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Last week, the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Trade (MoT) set price ceilings for major food and non-food items in Ethiopia’s market.

The state minister said the price of food items "was blowing up beyond the capacity of Ethiopia’s lower and middle classes’ purchasing power." Similar economic problems, corruption and joblessness led to widespread street protests in the small north African country of Tunisia and forced President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali to leave the country.

"What happened in Tunisia should not happen in Ethiopia" declared Mr. Tusa, according to the weekly newspaper Reporter." Meles Zenawi said he "fears the worst" if the business community keeps on hoarding and keeps on playing with price fixing.

Like the family of the Tunisian leader President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, Ethiopian PM Zenawi's wife has allegedly accumulated wealth through corruption and manages the largest business conglomerate monopoly known as the Endowment Fund For Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT). A recent national election in Ethiopia has also been condemned by international observers, as the largest opposition party "Medrek" claimed it was cheated out of a victory. Meles Zenawi said his ruling party won over 99 percent of the seats in parliament. Despite the economic and political crisis in Ethiopia, opposition leaders have failed to mobilize the public toward change.

One of Ethiopia's opposition parties, Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), said the recent Meles Zenawi's government action will have a dangerous long-term impact on the business community's trust of free market in Ethiopia.

Analysts say Tunisia-style revolts could happen in other African and Arab countries like Egypt, where economic and political freedoms are restricted. Over a hundred people have died and over a thousand people wounded in Tunisia during the month-long uprising in the country.