Aregawi Berhe Reinforces Support for UEDF in Western Australia
By UEDF-Perth Support Committee
March 12, 2004

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PERTH, Australia – Ato Aregwi Berhe, UEDF Executive Committee Member, Political Affairs Head, and leader of Tigrean Alliance for National Democracy, told Perth resident Ethiopians at a seven-hour long meeting to overcome differences based on ethnicity and other factors to quicken the collapse of the dictatorial Meles regime. Western Australia’s UEDF Support Group, the Ethiopian Democratic Forum, called the meeting, which brought together Ethiopians of diverse nationalities and political views, on 7 March 2004.

Ato Berhe reminded the participants that the TPLF/EPRDF regime was able to prolong its retention of power due to a lack of a united struggle in the ranks of the opposition and underlined that the pressing task of all Ethiopians around the world was to actively support the UEDF to save Ethiopia and then make it a democratic nation.

He pointed out how the promotion of ethnic politics by the Meles regime brought the country to a disastrous course and showed that it was necessary to revoke Article 39 of the current Constitution. Berhe told his audience that the Article’s provision of secession, as a solution to the nation’s ethnic problems was misguided and destructive. He said that it would be more appropriate to describe the existing constitution as a political program of the TPLF/EPRDF rather than a constitution, because it did not embody all the interests and positions in the Ethiopian society, particularly in relation to the issues of the right of nations to self-determination and land ownership. He said that this document needed to be replaced with a genuine constitution, which will guarantee basic and universal rights in general for all sections of society.

Ato Berhe noted also that one-sided interpretation of past events and history was exploited by the present regime and other cynical forces to undermine the cohesion of the nation. He explained that Menelik’s expansion to southern Ethiopia, for instance, was regarded as subjugation and an act of a great nation building at the time. Also, he illustrated that Yodit Gudit’s destruction of the Axumite Christians in the 10th century, Gragn Ahmed’s war against the highland Christians in the 16th century and Emperor Yohannes’ conversion of Muslims to Christianity in the 19th century all have opposing interpretations. In relation to these and other similar cases, Berhe recommended that Ethiopians accept all the opposing views, beliefs and positions in each case as part of their general history if they wanted to exist as a nation.

Asked whether internal conflicts existed in the UEDF, Berhe answered that it was not surprising to find these things even within a single party let alone in a coalition of 15 different political organizations. Also he assured the audience that the coalition member organisations will focus on the common objective to ensure victory. He also underlined that unstinted effort will be made to encourage non-coalition member organizations to join the coalition.

The audience was extremely excited about the unreserved and constructive exchange of comments, opinions and questions that followed Berhe’s extensive and highly appreciated briefing. Most participants have vowed to redouble support for the UEDF and have signed membership with Support Group, the Ethiopian Democratic Forum.

Meanwhile, the outgoing TPLF/ EPRDF ambassador to China, Addisalem Balema, was staying in Perth according to eyewitnesses. Rumours abounded that he was arranging his defection in Western Australia, but reliable sources later confirmed that he traveled to Melbourne and attempted to arrange a public meeting. Reportedly, it was a humiliating failure.