The succinct and comprehensive eight-point set of goals are carefully crafted to serve as the rallying slogans for the looming Ethiopian mass movement. The opposition seems to be fostered and propelled by the successful peaceful mass uprisings of the North African people, kindled in Tunisia and spreading like a wild fire to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain and to Arab world at large. The opposition also witnessed the invincibility of united people’s struggle against tyrants and the importance of providing direction and be the vanguard of the revolution. The demands of the aforementioned opposition groups are quoted as follow:
An immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners. We demand that the prison Maikelawi (central investigation prison), a traditionally established central chamber of torture, mutilation and slaughter house of human beings, be immediately dismantled and closed for ever;
We demand an end to the unofficial emergency law; repeal all illegal legislations that are designed to suppress the civil and political rights of citizens. Repeal the recent Anti-Terrorism, Civil Society and Media Law legislations. ;
We demand that the regime immediately stop the twenty years of continued Military Campaign in Oromia, Ogaden, Amhara and other oppressed areas to forcefully silence the legitimate demands of these people.;
We demand the removal of the recent increment on the price of fuel and call for an immediate supply of basic goods such as sugar, oil and bread for the people by the government while in the meantime the market and all related economic policies be corrected and rectified. We also demand the sale of fertilizer at a monopoly price by TPLF companies be stopped and a moratorium be established to ease the plight of small scale farmers;
We demand for the immediate termination of the widely practiced Land-grabbing-policy of the TPLF regime, and all international agreements made so far be annulled in effect.
We demand that all the so called private properties of Zenawi’s family be confiscated and further investigation be undertaken into the yet unknown level of corruption by the family and close associates;
We demand Prime Minister Meles Zenawi immediately leave his office and relinquish his state power;
We demand that both chambers of parliament be immediately dissolved. We demand the formation of an all inclusive transitional government consisting of all major liberation movements and opposition political organizations, and civil society representatives towards instituting social justice and democracy.
The opposition groups are cognizant of the fact that the ruthless TPLF government will not fulfill the above demands unless cornered in an inescapable condition by a united and incessant mass uprising. The recent spontaneous taxi drivers’ boycott is the worst nightmare for TPLF tyrants and the bright beginning for the Ethiopian people’s revolution. The Ethiopian population; irrespective of class, profession, nationalities, creed, age, sex and other classifications are smoldering in their bellies with pent-up anger and frustration about the skyrocketing cost of living and the dictatorial rule of Meles Zenawi. People may or may not revolt for only ideas or political theories, but they surely will erupt like an active volcano when they are languished in abject economic condition, which is the case in current Ethiopian situation. Not the Marxist theory, but the 1973 Wollo famine was one of the principal factors for the ignition of the 1974 Ethiopian revolution; followed by the resolute taxi drivers boycott and by the unremitting youth demonstrations. History may repeat itself in 2011.
The united action plan listed above is a paramount initial launch. It’s the hope of the Ethiopian people that other political leaders and civil organizations at home and abroad mull over this urgent issue of united action and endorse these demands, or ensue with matching manifesto of rallying slogans tailored to suit their respective organizations. It’s crystal-clear that no single political party alone can lead the revolution and achieve the desired goal in our current political situation. The trust and collaborations of all political parties and civic organizations, at least on the fundamental questions and on an ad-hoc phase, is a sine qua non to topple the tyrant rule of Meles Zenawi. It’s only after these prerequisites are met that the success of the imminent revolution could be guaranteed and an inclusive provision transitional government could be initiated on the ashes of the tyrant TPLF dictatorship. There after, a united and democratic Ethiopia will be established where all Ethiopians, as stakeholders, can participate and benefit equally.
The Ethiopian peaceful mass uprising will start whether or not the opposition parties are united and ready to lead it. We all have observed the current spontaneous revolutions that took place in the Arab countries without hinting ample warnings to the opposition political parties. It was also demonstrated in the 1974 Ethiopian revolution. If the current different political parties, youth associations and civic organizations; abroad or at home, do not work together under a unified leadership (however loose it may be) and guide the mass movement jointly, the revolution will be rudderless and the people will be in chaos when receiving different directions from diverse organizations. The oppositions will be a tail of the movement instead of playing a role as an avant-garde. The revolution could easily be clampdown or high jacked by ruthless and better organized institutions as it had happened in the 1974 usurp of power by the junta.
In the absence of free media at home, limited mobile phone users, jammed media from abroad, blocked internet access and lack of face book communications, some people believe that Tunisian or Egyptian kind of revolution could be difficult to coordinate. Though the assertion is partially true, it will not be totally impossible to guide the imminent revolution in Ethiopia using whatever available and creative means and topple the dictatorial government. History can witness that many revolutions in the past succeeded without the means of the above mentioned technological devices. The opposition can contrive innovative tactics and methods of communications among the demonstrators. It can guide the mass movement methodically and minimize adverse effects; can be vigilant of foolhardy sacrifices that could demoralize the uprising and miscarriage the objective.
Some people are too worried that Meles Zenawi has a ruthless, ethnic based and steadfast army; receives unbridled financial and political support from the US and European countries; the opposition is took weak and disorganized; hence, the call for mass uprising at this juncture is untimely, unjustified and suicidal. However, without denying some of the facts raised, the current uprisings in the Arab world taught us contrary to our probable worry. Before the mass uprisings, the governments of the Arab countries had unbounded support of the US and the European countries; but their support had shifted to the people during and after the revolution. By the same token, the US and the Europeans governments could shit their support from the ruling party to the people of Ethiopia during their fight in unison against the rampant unemployment, the soaring cost of living, and the longstanding denied justice and democracy. The military, historically, has had sided with the people if the overwhelming majority of the population arise against the oppressive government, as demonstrated in the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution and the current situations in Tunisia and Egypt.
The oppositions also must device a convenient way to collect financial contributions from the Diaspora to bolster the mass movement inside Ethiopia and to assist the families who may be subjected to critical financial conditions if their bread winners are fired from their jobs, arrested by the government or hurt in the struggle.
