How is the OLF /AFD different from the TPLF/EPRDF?
"Press Statement May 22, 2006: A historic meeting convened by the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP), the Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front (EPPF), the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), the Sidama Liberation Front (SLF) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), at Utrecht in the Netherlands, from 19 to 22 of May 2006 has successfully completed by forming the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD) and elected its officers. The UEDF supports the formation of the alliance and its objectives and has requested a month to consult its member organizations."
As I have indicated in my recent piece we are going to say one thing about the
AFD in one day and quite the opposite at another day, and largely because we do
not have the information on it. It is an intellectually permissible practice to
provide a scenario and use that scenario, by supporting it or disagreeing with
it, in order to better understand the issues involved in a discussion. Such a
practice is more useful in seeing the AFD objectively, instead of providing
support or rejection based on ones proclivities. The purpose
of discussing by providing scenarios is not necessarily to bring
objections as it is to understand what the issue is.
Item 1. The peasants of
Item 2. By equating itself with ethnic-centered
political parties, has not Kinijit relegated itself
to be an ethnic-party in the OLF/AFD soup? Is not the formation of an
OLF/AFD one of the geniuses of the OLF in countering the growth of non-ethnic-based
politics, and stifling the efforts of Kinijit? In
contrast, the TPLF/EPRDF had at least in the pre-2005 elections allowed the
formation and expansion of non-ethnic based parties though it requires them as
well as ethnic-based parties to be subservient to it.
Item 3. The TPLF/EPRDF invented a "state"
called "Oromia", and they permitted the
writing of the language called Afaan Oromo by using
the Latin script instead of the Ge'ez; the OLF/AFD is
silent on this issue indicating its acquiescence of the conditions invented by
the TPLF/EPRDF.
Item 4. Both TPLF and OLF worked hard to support the
secession of
Item 5. Both TPLF and OLF participated in 1991 in a
five-day so-called "national conference", which gave the TPLF/EPRDF
its charter among other issues. One of the tasks of the OLF/AFD is to
hold a "national conference". Will the TPLF be involved in a second
"national conference" and for what purpose; to make English the
language for writing documents, to use Afaan Oromo,
Amharic, and English as the common languages, and to actively promote good
relations with
Based on the above items, which are extracted from the AFD statute that are
given below, is ita correct scenario to suggest that the OLF/AFD is a second in
a series of arrangements, with TPLF/EPRDF being the first, by which the
EPLF-TPLF dismantle Ethiopia as they work toward the formation Greater Eritrea
with Tigrey province being incorporated in Eritrea?
HG
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Addendum of 5/29/06: Yesterday, I received a telephone call from a lady who asked me what in the Alliance I do not like? I replied to her that we should all unearth any conceivable objections and bring those to the fore so that we can examine the issues. It is significant to view the good, the bad and the ugly that some might perceive could come from the alliance. So, I ask all to the unearthing of any bad thing that the alliance might bring so that I might add it to my collection in http://aboutethiopia.com/c7-OLF-AFD.htm. The hope is that some of those issues will be resolved amicable and quite readily, some of them by simple offering forgiveness to errors recognized by those who made them and seek forgiveness, others are of historical nature and we merely record them and pass along, yet others will be resolved by the maturing of the alliance.
==
Dear all,
Information is power. We need all available information on the AFD so that can
we might make informed discussions. I copied some of the articles and sections
from the bylaws of the AFD and have printed them below. For details point to: http://ethiopianreview.homestead.com/Statutes_of_AFD_May2006.pdf
HG
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Statues of the
Chapter I - Establishment of the
A2.Member organizations shall maintain their respective political programs.
A3. The Parties commit themselves to [..] spare no
effort to assure that the provisions of the agreement are fully respected and
implemented in their letter and spirit..
A4.a. The documents of the
A4.b. The official languages of the AIliance are Afaan Oromo, Amharic and English;
A4.d. The AIliance would strive to ensure that all
languages and the positive aspects of the cultures they embody receive equal
recognition and protection.
Chapter 11 - Aim of the
A1.2- Promotes peace in
Chapter III - Functions of the
A2. Convene an inclusive conference to establish a workable arrangement on the
basis of
the present framework of the Ethiopian constitution;
A8. Actively promote good relations between
Chapter IV - Seat of the
The Alliance
will be established in some city, and may move to other places as necessary.
Chapter V - Membership
A5. 5. Member organizations shall refrain from engaging in activities
directed against each other and in any activity that in any way compromises the
security of a member organization. Violator of this article is subject to
expulsion.
A5.6 Notwithstanding Article 3.5 of this Constitution, member organizations are
not prohibited from expounding their political belief, and recruiting their own
members in accordance with their respective laws, rules and programs.
A5.7. Member organization shall refrain from engaging in any activity that in
any way compromises the security of another member organization.
A.5.8. Without prejudice to Article 3.6, member organizations may
establish bilateral
cooperation to further coordinate their activities.
Chapter VI - Organs of the
A1. The organs of the
.i.. the Governing Council;
and
. ii. the Executive Committee
A2. The Executive Committee may establish other bodies as it deems necessary.
A3. The Governing Council is the highest organ of the
A4. b. Each member organization shall be entitled to three representatives on
the
Governing Council, and each representative shall be entitled to one vote. The
head of a member organization shall be one of the representatives on the
Council.
A4. d. Member organizations may recall their representatives at any time, with
or
without case, by giving written notice.
A8. The Governing Council may be convened in special session, upon the
initiative either of the Chairman or the written request of at least three
member organizations.
Chapter VII - Executive Committee
A4. The Executive Committee shall hold an ordinary meeting once a month.
DONE at (city), this --- the day of May 2006.
2. There shall be a $20,000 annual membership fee.
Chapter XI- Final Provisions
A1. The Statutes may be amended or repealed and new Statutes may be adopted by
a 213 vote of the Governing Council at any regular meeting, or at special
meeting called for this purpose, provided a written notice and intention of the
meeting is conveyed to members.
DONE at (city), this ---