Elias Kifle
August 2002
The strategy of forming a “united front” to free our country from the TPLF/EPRDF tyranny needs to be reviewed and adjusted. I believe the current strategy has miserably failed. It’s about time we must admit that and change course. The new strategy should call for Ethiopians to rally around one viable organization that is operating inside the country. We need a “united front” of individual Ethiopians, not a collection of weak political groups. We need to consolidate our scarce resources and support one organization that is ideologically and organizationally equipped to bring about positive political change in our country. We have such an organization, namely, the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP).
EDP is emerging as the most promising political movement in Ethiopia. It is a broad-based political movement that is inclusive of all ethnic backgrounds, languages, religions, and economic classes. EDP’s multi-ethnic character makes it attractive to most Ethiopians. EDP’s ideological “big tent” can accommodate Ethiopians of diverse political views. Those of us who wish to see ethnic apartheid eliminated from our country need to join this organization, which is trying to build a strong foundation to become a powerful force for change in our country.
What EDP accomplished so far
In the 2-1/2 years since EDP was established, it has already been able to make significant impact on Ethiopian politics. Its strategy of peaceful struggle is producing significant results. In the past six months alone, EDP has organized two mass demonstrations in which over one hundred thousand people participated; conducted a petition drive through which 135,000 people signed on a petition letter to the United Nations opposing the Hague Ruling; and held major political rallies in seven cities from the southern city of Awassa to the northern city of Mekele.
EDP’s popularity has forced All Amara People Organization (AAPO) to transform itself from an ethnic party into a national party. It was a wise decision that should be applauded by all Ethiopians who oppose ethnic politics. There may be a great deal of pressure on SEPDC and ONC to do the same, or become fringe political groups soon, leaving the political field only to EDP and AEUO (formerly AAPO). From his latest comment, one can detect that even Meles Zenawi may be considering abandoning his ethnic-based party (TPLF) and form a national party to assure his political survival. Thus EDP, by its existence alone, is contributing to the defeat of TPLF regime’s ethnic politics.
EDP top leaders are now concluding a 17-city tour in North America. As a result of a visit to North America last year by an EDP delegation led by Vice Chairman Dr Hailu Araya, 13 EDP support committees were created. These support committees in North America helped financed two mass demonstrations organized by EDP in Addis Ababa, and EDP leadership’s tour in several cities across Ethiopia, including the historic public meeting in Mekele earlier this year. As a result of this year’s visit by the EDP leaders in the United States and Europe, there will be over 22 EDP committees through out North America and Europe, putting in place a strong source of material and political support for EDP’s upcoming campaigns in Ethiopia, particularly the 2005 parliamentary elections.
The 2005 elections in Ethiopia
I’m focusing on EDP in this piece. However, I’m encouraged by the transformation of AAPO into a multi-ethnic party under a new name (AEUO), and I believe that it presents a viable alternative to EDP. Both EDP and AEUO can be organizationally strong enough to overcome the unfair and fraudulent ways elections are held in Ethiopia under the TPLF regime. In areas where these parties are well organized, the people will prevent the TPLF/EPRDF cadres from stealing votes. This has been demonstrated in some areas of Ethiopia in the 2000 elections, where people protected the ballot boxes and made sure that their votes are counted correctly. In some cases voters paid heavy sacrifices, including losing their lives, to protect their votes. It all depends on how well EDP and AEUO do in organizing their woreda committees. That depends on their financial strength. And that’s where their support committees abroad can play a major role.
Organizing locally
In order to be successful, it’s extremely important that EDP establish its local committees in all of the 556 woredas in Ethiopia. According to the EDP leadership, it takes a monthly budget of $100 to make an EDP woreda committee functional. If EDP can find 556 committed Ethiopians who can contribute $100 per month each, EDP will have the capacity to operate in every woreda of Ethiopia, enabling it to line up candidates who will compete in the upcoming elections in every woreda. This will transform EDP into a powerful political movement that can bring about a desirable political change in our country peacefully. A group of 556 Ethiopians each with $100 to spare every month can make a big difference in the political future of our country.
Cooperating with other opposition parties
Even though I urge EDP to organize in all the woredas through out Ethiopia, I suggest that in some woredas where some opposition parties such as AEUO are more likely to win, EDP withdraw its candidates and reallocate more resources to where EDP candidates are likely to win. This is the kind of cooperation that will lead to victory. Opposition candidates should not compete with each other in any woreda. They all must come together and support one strong candidate in each woreda against a TPLF/EPRDF candidate, since the overriding goal is the defeat of TPLF/EPRDF woreda by woreda, kebele by kebele.
Opposition parties that are currently not operating inside the country can make valuable contributions by creating an alliance with EDP and channel all their resources to helping EDP win the next elections. Each passing day these parties remain in exile, they will become politically more irrelevant. By aligning themselves with EDP, they are ensuring their own political survival. EDP has emerged as a de facto leader of the opposition camp, and the other opposition parties, especially those that do not operate inside the country, need to accept this reality and work with EDP.
There are already alliances in the making around the two parties that are emerging as key players. AEUO is aligning itself with SEPDC, ONC, EPRP, MEISON, and TAND. EDP is attracting EDU, MEDHIN, HibreHizb, as well as some civic groups such as TISJD.
As a supporter of EDP, I would urge MEDHIN, HibreHizb and EDU to merge with EDP or forge a close alliance as soon as possible, and get themselves ready for 2005. It would be a great victory if either of the two camps succeeds in replacing the TPLF regime. However, it would be another disaster for our country if another group financed and armed by external forces, such as TPDM, EPPF, or OLF, takes over the government.
Plan of action
The campaign for election 2005 must start today. The following are some steps that can be taken by EDP immediately.
1) Form a national election campaign committee that will coordinate the election campaigns through out Ethiopia.
2) Launch a worldwide fund raising drive to finance the 2005 election campaign.
3) Start recruiting highly motivated quality candidates that have the potential to win in their respective woredas (districts) and provide them with strong financial assistance.
4) Set up a shadow cabinet composed of the stronger candidates who will articulate EDP’s position on various issues, and if EDP wins, who can immediately take over and run the various governmental departments.
5) Redirect the focus of all the EDP support committees overseas to this campaign.
EDP’s organizing effort in all woredas and kebeles of Ethiopia need to evolve around the election campaign. The woreda committees should work to achieve one, and only one thing–win the upcoming elections.
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Elias Kifle is editor of Ethiopian Review