Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is in a position to make a statement on the continued detention of opposition leaders in Ethiopia. [13328/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am very concerned over the continued detention of Ms Birtukan Midekssa a prominent opposition figure in Ethiopian politics. Ms Midekssa was among the opposition leaders who were imprisoned following the 2005 elections in Ethiopia and the ensuing violence. Almost all of these detainees were pardoned and released in 2007, on condition that they admitted to errors in the post-election period. However, in December 2008, Ms Midekssa, then leader of a new opposition party called Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), was re-arrested and re-imprisoned because statements which she had made about the 2007 pardon process were regarded as having violated the terms of her pardon.

Our Embassy in Addis Ababa continues to monitor closely her situation and, together with our EU partners, to raise regularly our interest in her case with the Ethiopian authorities. Ireland's concerns were also raised by my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for Development Cooperation, when he visited Ethiopia last year.

As a long-standing development partner of Ethiopia, Ireland believes that the strengthening of democracy is an essential element of the development process. Although positive progress was made in this regard following the introduction of Ethiopia's first Constitution in 1995, a number of developments in recent years, such as legislation introduced in relation to civil society and media, have given rise to some concerns about the Ethiopian Government's commitment to democratic freedoms. An integral aspect of Ireland's relations with Ethiopia is working with all parties to address these concerns.

These concerns are all the more pressing in view of the preparations which are now underway in Ethiopia for elections in May 2010. Ensuring that the forthcoming elections are fair, free and peaceful will be an important test of the democratic commitment of the Ethiopian Government and of wider society. Creating an environment which encourages the widest possible participation in the democratic process is essential to this. In this regard, I welcome the fact that an electoral Code of Conduct which meets best international practices is now enshrined in legislation. I encourage all parties to implement this Code fully. In the period ahead, we will continue to avail of all opportunities to assist in the strengthening of democracy in Ethiopia and to voice our concerns about threats to the latter, such as the detention of opposition representatives.