(ASMARA, Eritrea) — Four Ethiopian opposition forces have formed a new alliance called Unity of Ethiopians for Democratic Change (UEDC) is a bid to reunite the efforts of the opposition groups in Ethiopia.
The members of the UEDC are Tigray People’s Democratic Movement (TPDM), the Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front (EPPF), the Southern Ethiopia People’s Front for Justice and Equality (SEPFJE), and the Benishangul People’s Movement (BPM).
All these opposition forces are waging an armed struggle to remove the ruling from power. The TPDM is operating in northern Ethiopia, the EPPF is operating mainly in northwestern Ethiopia, the SEPFJE operates in southern Ethiopia, and the BPM operates in western Ethiopia.
In a joint communiqué issued today in the Eritrean capital Asmara, the organizations said that they would further enhance their military, political, propaganda and cultural activities under the leadership of UEDC.
The organizations called on Ethiopians living in the country and abroad, opposition groups and the Ethiopian soldiers to stand alongside the alliance and give their support in the struggle against the ruling coalition in Ethiopian.
The main opposition groups like the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) or Kinijit with its different factions and The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) are not part in this new armed opposition alliance.
Source: Sudan Tribune
26 thoughts on “Four Ethiopian opposition groups create new structure”
Why OLF and ONLF didn’t join this allaince? The reason is that those two fronts are fighting for self-detrmination while the four that formed the new allaince are fighting for unity and democracy and willing to keep the status-qo.
This is what we need
This is a very opportune time for all opposition parties to cooperate with coalition’s like the recent one and the AFD.
However this will not come overnight,they have to set aside thier differnce and work for the common cause i.e Liberating Ethiopia and its misearable people from the hands of the tyranny.Otherwise it will always be a zero sum game for the oppostions as well for the people who sacrficed a lot for the reign of democracy in our beloved country.And at the end of the day the tyranny will harvest its thirst for power because of our meaningless differences.Be aware that the current tyranny’s hands was/is full of bloody crimes and it haunts its officials and (non-cooperating oppostions to the common cause) down up until its grave.And please get unite and give victory to your improvished,sad,agonized,dying people for your own sake and the comming generation otherwise you will be held responsilbe like the present day tyranny in the course of history,Ethiopia will never forgive you,never,never.
Ethiopia will reign again.
let’s see their result first then we will support them if they struggle for one Ethiopia.
This is an interesting and timely move to cover areas that could not be covered by OLF and ONLF.
So, who said Shabiya is for the disintegration of Ethiopia? We better support this group and help our Eritrean brothers to hasten the demise of the Nazis in Ethiopia aka Woyanne!
All the movements with separetion agenda should drop the separation issue and join the democratic forces that are struggling for liberty, democracy, rule of the law, equality under the framework of ethiopian unity. Then they can get the support of ethiopian people. Separation never help us. Eritrea is a good example. What the Eritrea people got is change of one dictator with another brutal dictator who terrorizes its citzens day and night.
I wonder which group of EPPF joined this new alliance. Is it the group supported by Asmara regime or the breakaway group (http://www.eppf.info ). I strongly suspect the former might have been the concealed clandestine.
If the Asmara regime was genuine with its intention….. well this momentum would have laid the ground for the perfect storm opportunity to help the cause of the oppositions core objective
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!
the people of ethioland will be free ,
we need justice,peace,development,freedom,
viva uedc
viva afd
viva hornfrica
some coalitions are so controvertial they become rather a liability than asset to some sronger parties such as CUD. It is not wise to join every alliance and coalition that pops up. Until more is known about it, CUD has done a good job not joining it. Good luck everybody.
whatever the way, woyanne is number 1 enemy of the Ethiopian people and must be illiminated from power. The other issues are secondary.
It is about time that we have united front to fight Weyane.
thanx
Hello elias,
As alliances are coming up with new names, although may be out of subject, your search for a new name for the forum deserves an editorial on its own.
The next thing you know your ER’s “current affair forum” will be disecting the new alliance. It is a good idea that you want to make the forum independent of ethiopianreview.com specially considering the recent take off with your version of politics. The current forum has been steady with the usual names and the idea of editorial board is good. You might be aware that some of us have refrained from commenting on your web site the last several months as you part from some %of Ethiopians in your views and approach to certain political party….
You might want to get suggestions from out siders looking into the current forum who read it regardless of ethioianreview’s roler coster. The forum is at its height with consistent and matured participants, each confering on a thrade with their conviction. It has also filtered down to less spinning and more dialogue. Please remember that some of those participnts who are persistent with their stand on the forum happen to reprent the % that had with drawn from reading ER, and that makes the forum unique with a sense of freedom of speech. Some people have challenged you if you really practice freedom speech lately.
If I may suggest a name, it will be
ethio-nebelbal forum
ethio-wugagan forum
ethio-view forum
ethio-central forum
ethio-kibrit (as in matches). A person strikes (starts) a a thrade and the rest follows as in the anology of what happens next. fire, disappears, flame, fight, arsen etc.
As soon as you post the stiky, what crossed my mind was, ethio-freedom
In truth, participants of Ethiopia’s neighbours drop in at times. So ethio-horn forum might be another suggestion.
Regards,
Former participant on ER’s bravenet forum ( six months experiment).
———————————————————–
PS: As far as UEDM, there will be too many questions to ask.
To all Ethiopians,
This is the right call to get rid off Woyane, I know some of you don’t like Eritrea is involving but tell me how in the hell you can fight Woyane and we should all thank Eritrea for giving their land and money to support the struggle, mind you Sudan is getting free land from Woyane and peaceful struggle is dead because CUD is falling a part,so tell me, how we will get rid of Woyane.
Woyane told us we are not brave enough to fight them and if we continue act like a chicken they will be in power for 30 more years.
Stop everything and support the struggle.
Any movement that is created by Asmara’s involvment is dangruos for Ethiopia.Unless we Ethiopians try to change the status-quo by participating in the democratical process,even though not perfect,Ethiopia will get worse and we will never have a country that we call home. Even the leaders in Addis Ababa know that their days are numbered and the reality is sinking in.So We Ethiopians need a strong party which represents the fabric of Ethiopia to take over the power.
When a present is given, not from good will but to achieve some other result rather than a salient end, one should scrutinize the motif of the giver and the consequences of accepting it. Is eritrea doing this because she cares about Ethiopia? or she wants to take Ethiopia to the abyss with her? Does eritrea really care about ethiopia? I doubt it. All the previous encounters do not suggest to accept that there is a good will on eritrean side. A reasonable person will caution himself or herself before supporting any gift coming from eritrea.
This is the wrong call. Peaceful struggle is the way to go. Don’t take us back to that vicious cycle of war.I believe Meles and co. are afraid of peaceful struggle more than armed struggle. Kinijit should not be involved in such activities.
This makes sense. That is how you can defeat woyane fast. The Eritrian governemnet should understand that Ethiopians don’t like to see tribal orginizations running their own armies. The psyche of the avergae Ethiopian reject that. Running tribal armies is too dangerous in the end. This new unity of Ethiopian freedom fighters is very good news indeed. Now go ahead and disolve the tribal organizations and create one Ethiopian miltary command under UEDC!
When the first peacefull demonstration took place in India as a former British colony,led by the Great Mahtma Gandhi,the British rule was shocked to its foundation.This first demonstration against the British rule was held by couple hundred people quietely marching.So what makes the Mighty Britons to shake?.It was the fact that they knew how powerful a peacful struggle was.One of the current officials explaind the moment by saying ” Indians are ready to take power”. You know the rest of the story.If we are not able to lead a peacefull movement we are not able to rule Ethioipia.Period.I will not say anything else to explain my point ,but trust me this Allience will shatter itself at no cost to woyane,because it is artificial.True leaders of Ethiopia start the job do the job and finish the job in Ethiopia,with Ethipians ,with dignity,decency,and high moral.If you think it takes a bravery to go for an armed struggle,I would say it takes twce the bravery to wage a peacful struggle.If you are afraid of a prison you wouldn’t brave to pickup a gun.
KINIGIT NEVER GOES TO ANY FORM OF VIOLENCE BUT USE THE NARROW OPPOTUNUTY TO CONTINUE THE MORE RESPONSIBLE AND LEGIBLE FORM OF STRUGGLE.
How many lives of peaceful demonstrators it will cost to get the political will of heavily armed ‘woyane’ for democratic governance through the so called peaceful struggle alone? How many generations it will take?
I think the current situation demands for every Ethiopian to act in every possible way, from wherever he/she is. Whenever possible, joining hands would be more effective. Therefore, we should support every initiative to fight ‘Woyane’ dictatorship. It would not be reasonable to refrain from supporting each other due to limitations and challenges one may face. Instead, the right thing to do would be to stand up to complement initiatives by counter acting challenges when they happen. The type of support and collaboration we render each other could be different depending on many factors; and it doesn’t necessary require being part of a group. Therefore, we should not discourage a person let alone a group of Ethiopians determined to stand against dictatorship risking their lives.
Groups that prefer peaceful struggle let them do it; and those who believe that they will be more effective in armed struggle let them move. These groups weather they have officially formed alliance or not, the sum effect of their actions will facilitate the downfall of dictatorship.
Only if we act together we will make a difference.
Kebede,You are right when you said that the OLF and ONLF are fighting against the status quo.My question to you is are you happy with the existing political condition and the state of affairs of Ethiopia?The Oromas And Ogadenis feel that the Status quo is unacceptable.There is`t any hope for the Woyanne-led Ethiopia.It`s not for all Ethiopians but rather,it`s a Government of the Woyanne by the Woyanne and for the Woyanne.
Notice the heart of the matter:
EUDC:
“All these opposition forces are waging an armed struggle to remove the ruling from power.” ER’s statement above
AFD:
“The new Alliance Freedom and Democracy (AFD) says it will focus on peaceful struggle against the government but the armed groups will still stage attacks.” source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5005980.stm
The rest is a matter of personal opinion.
Yenantew,
Elias,
Can you find the founding documents of the new alliance? What are its objectives? How do those objectives fit with goals of the Kinijit party?
Personally, I agree with Mike,Shafi, ulfata, and Binyam. Eritea has her own intention and she is using Ethiopian groups as proxy and to advance its own final goal. We must support those movements that are Ethiopia-centered and rely on Ethiopian resources and work to bring peace to Ethiopia. Weyane and EPLF are the 2-headed hydra that destroyed Ethiopia. Never forget this fact.
Are you concerned as I’m?
Sometimes it bothers me personally when I see various political organizations suddenly explode in Ethiopia at different times perhaps for the same or unrelated reasons.
Which one of these political organizations through Meles’ tough and unlawful scrutinizing will finally triumph to overthrow his ruthless régime and bring democracy and the rule of law to Ethiopia, and especially to the lawless class of Meles, is everyone’s speculation, considering all the blockades put by Meles to impede the prospective success of these organizations are just at their inceptions while the others, like Kinijit, have been around for quite sometime. I would like, however, to see all of these new and as well as the old Ethiopian political organizations to come into one political entity with fully developed organs where in St Paul’s words: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you?’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’” To me all theses political organizations should work together as one body, under one name – Kinijit – in order to achieve their sublime political goals – to bring down Meles, to devastate the whole political structures of his political chronics, to crush the spread of rampant nepotism embraced and practiced by Meles and his groups, to bring normalcy to Ethiopia, and to subdue all the enemies of Ethiopia abroad and at home.
Once these political entities have proffered their political allegiance and full support to Kinijit, and once they have accepted that Kinijit is the supreme head of all the new as well as the old political organizations in Ethiopia, then Kinijit, having assumed such an awesome power, a supreme power, will, with tact, transparency, and with a motto: “Ethiopia for the Ethiopians,” be the harbinger of good news – democracy in Ethiopia. Empowered by such powerful political organizations abroad and at home, Kinijit should not rest until it brings Meles and his criminal cadre to court to face justice for the persecution, imprisonment, torture, and murder of thousands of innocent Ethiopians, should confiscate the money Meles and his wife took illegally by selling Ethiopian lands, should froze all their assets in the foreign banks, and prevent Meles and his wife from asking asylum in the United States or for that mater in any other country. At present, however, Kinijit should not be deterred by Meles’ intimidation and by his vapid and fruitless political schemes.
After the fall of Meles from power, Kinijit must assign the writing of a new constitution to the best minds Ethiopia has ever produced. Among the numerous good and positive terms, the new constitution must have, like the American Constitution, a preamble which states: We the people of Ethiopia, in order to have a democratic country where Christians, Muslims, Felashas, and people of other faiths could live together, exercise their faiths freely without disparaging each other’s, share the wealth of the country equally, ordain that all Ethiopians who live abroad are welcome without any questions asked …..
I think I’m dreaming or having a strong desire to go back to my country. Dream or homesickness, I honestly encourage all the Ethiopian political organizations, whatever ethnicity they belong to, to come together and bring a lasting peace and a deeper feeling of belongingness to the Ethiopian people. We better have one powerful and effective stick than hundreds of sticks; we better have one powerful, effective, and functional political organization rather than several of them scattered all over the country. We can learn something important from an old Ethiopian adage: “yeferi saw betiru bizunaw” – a cowardly man’s sticks are too many – He carries them with him to frighten his opponents but never use one of them because he is so scared to use them. I’m afraid Meles may not be frightened by the multiplicity of different political organizations against him, but for sure he will be intimidated by a more powerful and sophisticated organizations like Kinijit.
In the long run, however, Meles, for all the crimes he has committed, for all his plans to destroy his political opponents at home and abroad, is going to stew in his own juice.
What is the difference between being supported by Eritrea and being supported by America? Beware that no government gives support without expecting a return. So, if Eritrea believes that it will benefit from regime change in Ethiopia why should we worry about it?
The wish for one party rule to maintain ‘unity’ of Ethiopia is a nightmare that can not work in Ethiopia; and I believe that CUDP is well aware of that. We should not forget that Ethiopia is ours and we are many. St Paul (as quoted above by Assta) did not ignore the unique functions and importance of the many different parts of the body. Rather his emphasis was on the need for respect and love so that the entire body benefits from the service of each and every part of the body. Likewise, while different political parties reflect our diversity and the unique importance of each party, true love and respect will bind them together to maintain unity of Ethiopia.
well it is fine to thise guop united and it is the only choice to chalenge woyanne. We hould not dream that woyane will hand over its power with peaceful way of stugle