Some of the leaders of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (Kinijit) have gathered 300 people and formally created a new party named Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) today in Addis Ababa. See details at Kinijit North America’s web site here.
Let’s go straight to the crux of the matter: UDJ by its actions and positions had demonstrated itself to be a political party without a popular base. It is a fake party without popular constituency — like Beyene Petros’s UEDF, Lidetu Ayalew’s EUDP, and the many other useless political groupings whose only benefit is to make Woyanne look legitimate or democrat.
UDJ, in particular, is a great disappointment, because it had a potential to position itself as a genuine opposition party by doing things such as:
1) Keeping its former name Kinijit.
2) Not accepting the legitimacy of the Woyanne-dominated Election Board.
3) Ignoring Woyanne’s ban on public meetings.
4) Speaking out against Woyanne atrocities through out Ethiopia, particularly the wholesale massacres of Ethiopians in Ogaden.
5) Demanding the resignation of Meles Zenawi and all Woyanne top leaders…
They may risk arrest and other dangers by doing the things mentioned above. But if they present themselves as leaders, what else do they expect? If they are afraid of arrest, they should stay home. How many times other leaders of ‘peaceful struggle’ were jailed, beaten up, and killed? How many times Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Mandela, San Suu Kyi, and others were arrested, beaten up, and assassinated because they refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the tyrannical system that brutalized and enslaved their people. San Suu Kyi of Burma gets arrested almost every other week. On the other hand, take a look at what the UDJ leaders are doing:
1) When Woyanne told them that they cannot use Kinijit as their name, they said, ‘yes, master’ and changed their name, submitting themselves to the illegitimate regime.
2) After they changed their name, Woyanne still refused to give them legal status. But they continued to beg the dictatorship through Western diplomats.
3) When Woyanne security agents banned their meeting, they run to U.S. and U.K. ambassadors for help. Woyanne said yes to its puppet masters, U.S. and U.K. diplomats, and allowed UDJ to meet, but only inside their office. Without any hint of resistance, they accepted Woyanne’s condition and held their meeting in their office today.
4) In the past 10 months, when millions of our people faced death from starvation as result of Woyanne’s mismanagement of the country’s resources, when tens of thousands of fellow Ethiopians were slaughtered in Ogaden, when a neighboring country, Somalia, was pillaged by Woyanne occupation forces in the name of Ethiopia, when high commodity prices caused so much suffering, when large tracts of land were given away to Sudan in a secret deal, not a word of concern was expressed by the UDJ leaders. The only criticism we hear coming out of the mouths of UDJ leaders these days is directed at freedom fighters who raised arms to defend themselves and their people from the Woyanne brutal dictatorship.
It is because of all these reasons and more that Ethiopian Review believes UDJ is another fake party by any measurement.
Let’s call a spade ‘spade’. UDJ is Fake.
NOTE TO KINIJIT NORTH AMERICA: Not a penny of the money collected in the name of Kinijit from Ethiopians in the Diaspora should be given to UDJ, because UDJ is not Kinijit and doesn’t stand for the principles that Kinijit upheld. It would be a betrayal of public trust on the part of Kinijit North America to give any of the money under its controls to UDJ.
38 thoughts on “UDJ – a party without popular constituency”
We dont want UDJ to pretend for fear whatever. They have to be themselves. The list against them tell us nothing except your own imagination. Only time can tell whether they are to serve Meles or not. And besides working in a peaceful way in Ethiopia doesnt mean being fake. Let alone UDJ, Beyene is not fake! Merara is not fake! This is your opinion, the ideology in your head.
Why too impatient and too judgemental, too one-sided? politics is not play ground game. Calm down!
When are we learning from our past mistakes? How on earth woyane allows a genuine opposition party to function in Ethiopia? Woyane created UDJ today so that it can deceive the Diaspora once again. Tomorrow woyane will order the UDJ to condemen Berhnau Nega!! What a drama!!
Elias, come on ahunes abezahehw…
What do you need from them? These individuals are trying all their best to fight weyane in the struggle method they believe in. they have gone though so many difficulties and decided to continue their path using peaceful struggle. You know the name don’t make no change it’s all about bringing the ultimate goal along with strong principles. You have to know that these people are getting too much harassment everyday from weyane cadres. It is hard to feel it unless you see it. You also have to know that these leaders are ready to face weyane since weyane would do anything on them at any time. We don’t know what is going to come on them tomorrow from weyane in terms of abuse and extreme harassment, however I guarantee you these leaders are still ready to tooth and nail wayene that can be seen practically. Just because they say no they wouldn’t bring nothing, how can some one who is restricted from gathering the public and who don’t have no access to the media can collaborate any civil disobedience or demonstration against weyane. The first thing should be getting the chance to reachout the public then all the things can be done. Your suggestions are just don’t match with the real current situation in Ethiopia. In addition to that I wouldn’t expect this kind of response from you against UDJ, what about ethiolion and debeteraw did you join them? I know they are working on their article to post it tomorrow morning against UDJ while they are sitting in their cave for over 35 years. You can support any thing but don’t force people to come along your way. It is time for unity, either by working together or working separte but focus on weyane. For example I support both UDJ and G7….since I believe both parties have great leaders which can bring the democracy we need through gradual process. So elias for god sack leave UDJ ….let them work….anuhes istun yichalu….ye ne debeteraw sigermanen ante techemerk….weay mealti…
Guys guys …we all know that weyanes wont leave power peacefuly but let burtukan medksa and others try to challnege him in his own constitution and here ethiopian should support armed struggle ….even though in effective, by UDJ could at least deny meles sleep in the parliament that is why he is so scared and harrasing them…weyane has learned from kinjit’s success so it will never take chance gain…have u seen the local election? that is what is going to happen for the national too….but by having UDJ thereit is better than nothing!
Sir, I admire your strong opposition to the TPLF government,
but some of your demand on UDJ leadership is immature and laughable. They can not do (even if they want) what you are asking them for the same reason you can not go back to Ethiopia – torture and murder by the government.
Please be rasonable and don’t ask others what you are not willing to do yourself
Elias you are the only truth teller left in Diaspora. Good for you! As the saying goes “We conquer our enemies by becoming lovers of the truth”.
Those of us who love the truth are always behind you! Forget those cheerleader gangsters of the diaspora, for they are either clueless or driven by peer presures.
Even though I understand your concerns and frustrations with regard to UDJ becoming a political tool for Woyane, I think you should refrain from attacking UDJ. Remember the leaders of UDJ were once the leaders of Kinijit, a political party which played a significant role in Ethiopian politics than any other opposition parties combined. Demonizing this important party and its leaders at this moment without having a viable force to bring change to Ethiopian politics would just result in perpetuating the present repression by Woyane. Even though it may seem quite difficut to bring change from within, I think it is very important to have people who provide leadership and inspiration from home. Even though our situation is different, we may learn a bit from the experiences of Kenya and Zimbabwe. No one would suggest that that Ralia Odinga or Morgan Tsvangari shoulld stop engaging in any form of political activity in Kenya or Zimbabwe. To bring change, we need leaders, writers, journalists, civic groups, and all sorts of movements not just one party or movement from abroad. I urge you to continue doing what you are doing best (reporting and organizing) and encourage the UDJ leadrrship, Birtukan and coleagues, to do what they can in this time of adversity.
Elias kifile!
Many of UDJ leaders tell us peacefull strugle is not started yet. do shibre dessaleng and other young ppl. killed while jocking? do most of oromo and ogaden folk massacared for jock ??? why many oromo farmers and intelectuals kept in prison for more than a decade??
bravo, bravo, bravo….. keep up constructive criticism.
I learned u are realy reflected individual regarding the fact on the ground.
Yes we 100% belive UDJ is fake.
You are just a conffused basstard!!
Prof. Merara is not fake
There is little benefit for the existance of UDJ, if there is one. UDJ’s cost outweights its benefit. UDJ like other teletafi parties promotes Meles’ fake democracy, UDJ promotes laziness, UDJ promotes submissiveness, UDJ promotes the age old superstious beleif that say one day things will be alright.
The future of Ethiopian people is on their hand. Either to sit down and witness the catastrophic disastor of the Ethiopian nation on the hands of Meles/Sebehat cliqe, or to forsee that disaster and act now by illiminating the number one Enemy of Ethiopians which is the TPLF. The only way Ethiopians can remove TPLF is once they call TPLF with its right name i.e ENEMY and deal with it how enemies deal to each other.
Elias,
I do admire your position and your courage to say spade is spade. I got your point, that is to hinder any sort of legitimacy for a claim of Weyane to be democrat. OFDM and UEDF took very good step by boycotting the last fake election. I think UDJP is not different from these two. But let them move in the country using the space they do have. I am sensing that OFDM, UEDF and UDJP will work together or will forge certain allinace in the coming years. G7M trying to make allinace with the “illegal” fronts like OLF, ONLF, EPPF and TPDM is very good step. I think the opposition must be smart and use both “legal” and “illegal” forums to bring ALL Ethiopians together and fight against the EVIL aka Weyane. You can prefer G7M to UdJ, but your campaign to villify the latter is usefull only to Weyane! Stop to be emotional and add to your hitherto reasoning and to your well seasoned journalistic analysis. Thanks (Galatomi)!!
ER
“Let’s call a spade by it’s name”, what a wonderful statement.
Elias you are amazing many of your readers. Brave and
most of the time sensible with strong messages for friends
or foes.
We need more of your type for the cultural revolution of
our outmoded and background behaviour to bring change,
real changes, in that unfortunate region of full of deceit,
divisive and hateful elements.
One more, try to reflect & reassess your views on those
who bring positive changes on the economic aspect that
is essential for changes, even under difficult circumstances.
Cheers
They even dont have public base.
They just need the name and group themselves and loyal to the government.
Brtukan mideksa is another looser. Afterall she joined Kinjit without being elected. Thanks to Eng. Hailu who supported her to join Kinijit giving her high ranking position. Being too young and without experience, she is now plannng to work with TPLF without any preconditions. That is a SHAME!
True, why do we be judgemental so soon. Just Think of the people who are in charge of UDJ. I don’t think all our worries are hidden for these renowned politicians. That is the way they believe will bring the right change. We shouldn’t condemn that. That is even the best way to build public resistance for the eminent struggle. There are other folks who are for armed struggle. We shouldn’t condemn this either. Let’s just STRENGTHEN OUR OWN SIDE rather than trying TO WEAKEN THE OTHER. That is how we can move forward. Elias, it is not fair to undermine the effort of these leaders.
God Bless All.
one can understand your comments about Lidetu or Beyene,cause this are individuals whom betrayed the people time again.But it is too early to label UDJ as woyyane.
Well said it is a fact the UDJ is a facade for Meles to look a democrat – but the whole world knows his street smart games and have given up with him and his pretentions -the Burtukans and the gang are nothing but political puppets – they don’t have no stand and Meles has exposed them to be usless – even their supporters here are making a living out of it – Meles is trying to make it look that they are real opposition by denying them this and that – it is all part of the game – the Beyenes, and other teletafies.
HI Elias,
I am one of your admierers, though I don’t agree with your
view on UDJ. The last thing we need is to give a bullet to
Woyanes to attack our heros. Please give them a chance and if they are the same sort of people as the rest then at least you will be forgiven for your highly cahrged critisisem.
AFDist and most of you i share ur comments. Myself and the people i know all support both G7 and UDJ. The UDJ leaders are within Eth fighting woyane. They just formed a party today, let us give them time. I trust them from the bottom of my heart that these brave ethiopians will surley bring change in Ethiopia. Those of us in the diaspora let us stand together and supprot UDJ and G7. Please let us refrain saying negative things about them. Elias, ur comment today is really baseless. Please be patient. Understand that they are not playing games, but they are playing politicis and they have to play it well. Please Ethiopians now is the time for all of us to STAND TOGETHER; WE NEED NO MORE DIVISION. GOD BLESS ETHIOPIA. “YES WE CAN”
Make some noise and when the going gets tough, change course. That seems to be the guideline of all opposition parties in Ethiopia today.The Ethiopian society as a whole is gutless.No balls(hamotebis).Its leaders are worthless.It is like a country full of zombis.People are blowing themselves up for what they believe in,everywhere in the world.All we do is talk.Talk as we know it is cheap.
Elias Poletics is not as easy as to write anything with out looking the current situation of ethiopia.You can write or say what ever you want by being out of ethiopia. But can’t say what ever you like if you were there.Please don’t try to split a hair.
Hey Elias, don’t you think they need to organize first in order to do some of your demands?
Selam all,
CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!
UDJP General Assembly elects the following Executive Members.
1 Wzt. Birtukan Mideksa – Chairwomen
2 Eng. Gizachew Shifferaw – Vice Chairman and Organizational Affairs
3 Dr. Hailu Arraya – Vice Chairman – Public Relations
4 Prof. Yacob Hailemariam – Vice Chairman , Head of Foreign Relations
5 Ato Temsgen Zewdie – Vice Chairman, Head of Finance and Administration
6 Ato Asrat Tassie Secretary
7 Dr. Shimelis Tekletsadik –
8 Ato Aklog Girgirie
9 Ato Sileshi Tena
10 Ato Mohamed Ali
11 Ato Dibaba Mensisa
12 Ato Bilala Tezera
13 Ato Kifle Tigineh
14 Aschalew Ketema
15 Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam
16 Wzro. Lakech Degefa
17 Ato Mullugeta Wordi
18 Ato Mikias Abayaneh
19 Ato Fetene Teshome
20 Ato Yeneneh Mulat
21 Dr. Abdu Mengesha
When did We Ethiopian Learn from the past mistakes? especially after the 2005 election. Today we have another degese malete newe for the next election?, and once again the poor people will die and pay the ultmate price for it. Why not rather than kissing Meles’feet to get power. Meles told us OVER AND OVER AND OVER that no one will not going to get it in power…as he said ” chaka gebu ena tewagune” So why wast time now? with the fake Democracy or the so called tekawame is going to be Made of Honor for the up coming meles’s wedding/National election.? What a shame…..
Weldone Elias:
You raised a good question here. It is shame for UDJ to keep begging meles to join his fake parliament and sit there to listen his nonesense. They should have known better since they wittnessed the Beyenes and Merraras haven’t moved an inch by joining the fake parliament since the entire Kinijit leadership went to jail.
I Don’t think the people in UDJ miss the inner thinking and functioning of TPLF. They know TPLF wouldn’t cede power to the people or democratize itself through peacefull struggle. They are fooling poor Ethiopians either for their ego, investment interest or blood/family ties with TPLFites. The entire leadership of UDJ is under the above category i.e either they have family ties with TPLF core members(such as Birtukan, Mesfin, Hailu araya etc), have invested a lot of money in Ethiopia (Yacob, Gizachew, etc), or they just want to remain respected by poor Ethiopians by the name of Gandhi, mandela(the rest of them who are poor or no family ties with TPLF core members).
Truth need to be told to the people if they refuse to tell it. Ethiopians need to be told that the only way they will win the TPLF Racist Tyranny is by dissasociating theselves from Woyannes. Woyanne should be seen the same as fashist Italy for the people to fight it with full force. otherwise, the poor millions of Ethiopian farmers will pay dearly in the form of famine, disease and starvation. and we don’t want to see that.
Needless to say the bad culture we have that sticks us with who ever we loved or respected once upon a time, some die hards UDJ leadership advocates and Hailu-shawel advocates react in a funny way when their leaders get some critics. This individauls are difficult people who are there just to accept orders from their leaders. They are the same as the Derg-Mengistu Abiot-tebaqi (Revolution Gaurd) who don’t think for themselves but will get angry if their leader is critcized. they should learn that the respect they have for some one shouldn’t be binding. They should be able to ask question to their leaders rather than sit like a duke and contribute money for nonesense.
HI Elias,
I appreciate your view but I don’t agree with your
view on UDJ. To be like Mandela or other they have to be organized. All of the things that you mentioned to be implemented by them are good. But you have to understand and act with the current context. Poltics is not like going to fight saying ‘zerafe’ I will not do or accept this. You have to do it in a politically correct way. And there is a need to struggel from inside, challenging Melles and co using their own rabish ‘constitution’.
” The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just ”
Lincoln, President Abraham
Hagos Arya ,
PLEASE stop arguing nonsensically; LEAST OF ALL not AGAINST ELIAS : A POLITICAL SCIENTIST WHO TO THIS DAY, HAS PREDICTED, almost EVERYTHING quite accurately if not precisely, CORRECTLY. What do you want from him? Hey stop daydreaming.
My Ethiopian brothers and sisters, don’t fool yourselves into thinking that somehow Woyanne will allow any parties that oppose them to participate in their rigged political process openly and honestly, it will never happen. This drama being played in Addis by the new UDJ is nothing but a rubber stamp for Woyane to legitimate themselves. Also don’t forget this game now being played is orchestrated by the US embassy in Addis. The masters of Woyanne need some kind of fake opposition to make their puppet look like he is democrat so they need willing fake opposition and of course report on it in their media if they think it will help their cause. As brother Elias is suggesting the Ethiopian people should tighten their belt and confront Woyanne by any means necessary until they are thrown into the trash bin of history, that is easier said than done because it will require sacrifice, courage and commitment by all peace loving Ethiopians.
I wonder when we learn not to judge from the beginning of any thing my god give me a break it is not nice to say all that about UDJ I think it is a nice move with bertukan and all her supporters they will challenge woyane in their own constitution lets be positive any body who wants peaceful struggle they will contribute a lot for the armed struggle by the way woyane will be out before the next election.
viva udj lat’s bring down the woyyane,
Hi Dear Elias Many thanks for you
I sher your fear and your idea what you mean but we have to see what is next by parking our pen in the proper spot before any body give a tiket as I saw on the screen of your window. Some times you your editors are so quik to critsise some one for not doing no thing ps Elie try to stablize not to put fuel on the burning.
Thanks
W>M
Hi!
I recently came from Ethiopia. May be, if not as you do, I know little politics. And I questioned my self “did kifle knew politics?” “did he knows what political strategy is godd to the benefits of the people of Ethiopia – not to the diaspora who have been enjoying the freedom of doing everything?” I think you do not know much about political struggle than writting on news letter. You should come back home, if have that courage, and see what peoples are doing for their political right, if not, please have an open heart to see what will work and what will not.
As an editor in chief, you should either ask someone to post your idea so that the general public may fight on it. I don’t mean that the editor should not express his/her stand, but should not totally condemen and block ideas to move against his taught.
Be fare, even to listen from Meles Zenawi, yiu might have chance to catch-up some important points, though you think the person speaking is not some one you expect.
Open-up you mind to listen and learn from others, ask UDJ leaders, if you are afraid to talk to a woman like one of our athlet was responding some times bak “Be-set -seat”. Talk to her and ask what political struggle they choose and its effectiveness.
Cher were amta ebakih!
Elias,
They said :
You have no understanding of the dynamics of politics
All your comments can not be verified
statistically or using any other means
You have a feudal mentality, anybody against you
must be destroyed
Your goals and the goals of the democratic parties
are diverse; and you are fighting for yours alone
You do not value divese ideas
You do not know youself and your limitations
The list is endless, what do you say about all these
With Regards,
A Concerned Ethiopia
Elias;
One of the major weakness of you and your friends is to underestimate and belittle the political forces in Ethiopia. You claim to know better than local people. You think armed struggle is the only option. You think colliding head to head with woyane is the best strategy.
Had this been the only option, the people have done so long ago. You have to think that people are tired of such agitations for crisis. The reason CUD got such a big support was not because armed struggle or coercive approach was the motto.
Yes, you are safe in here. It is easy to say “stand up … go to war”. The funny thing is none of you have dared to go and take such a leadership. What you need is the crisis in back home, so that you would have a fountain of news, so that you would get higher income through the higher number of visitors to your website.
Please give due respect to activists who are trying to do their best with in the fact on the ground.
It is very recently I left Ethiopia. I assure you that the respect and eagerness by local people to you people in the diaspora as a problem solver and critical thinker has started to fade. The consciousness of local people have bypassed your primordially fossilized archaic form of thinking. Pointing fingers on individuals who are in the middle of real problem would rather be discouraging.
I would appreciate if you could post it
Sincerely,
Kulfo
I never expected this kind of poor judgment from you. Do you want to impress Meles and compoany in the expense of Ethiopians and UDJP.
Please let them use their democratic right to choise their way to struggle against this dictator regime. We should support rather than discouragging them. We need exploite all option to bring a reall change in our political system. Let us learn to respect everybody’s opinion.
Personally I want congratulate UDJ for their contribution on our democratic movment.
God bless you to succed in your struggle!!!