Gadala kinijit- and the questions

Began a couple of years ago, a group of seasoned, cultured, highly educated Ethiopians many of whom had been schooled by folks that knew Ethiopia before the invasion of Ethiopia by fascist Italy, run for election under the Kinijit (the Coalition for Unity and Democracy- CUD). At the May 15, 2005 election they received 49% of the vote to 34% for the TPLF/EPRDF and other parties allied to it, and 17% to UEDF and other parties (http://www.aboutethiopia.com/2Ed.htm). The tyrannical TPLF placed the elected leaders in jail on trumped up charges of treason and genocide.

Because the Kinijit leaders were elected by an overwhelming majority of the voters they are the leaders of Ethiopia, in addition to being the leaders of the Kinijit party (CUDP). It is the leaders of Ethiopia that the tyrannical TPLF has placed in jail. The question becomes how is that possible? How do the Ethiopians allow that to happen? "Men nekan?" was a question asked by Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam, a well-known civil rights leader, who is placed in jail among other leaders. Recently, Dr. Maru Gubena (http://www.debteraw.com/Looking%20_at_Forgotten_Recent_Events_and_Future_Strategies.htm) simply said that the generation of my father and I are different from the Ethiopians of our forebears. Reading Dr. Maru's piece permits asking questions that might help understand what hppened to Ethiopians of our immediate fathers and us. If we succeed in asking the correct questions we might arrive at solutions that could help us regain the indomitable Ethiopian spirit for freedom. Below I raise some questions, and I solicit others from the readers, and I also solicit possible answers to the questions.

Question 1. A) When Ethiopians marched to Adwa and routed the invading Italian forces, how were Ethiopians organized?

B) Did Menilik have a party to which all Ethiopians belonged or were asked to belong?

C) What is a party any way?

D) After victory, did Ethiopians stay within their organizations or were they disbanded into unorganized individuals?

Question 2. A) What happened to Ethiopian organizations after the Italian invasion?

B) What political order did our leaders, upon returning from exile to Europe, impose on Ethiopia pursuant to the departure of Italian forces?

C) Which political institutions (or orders) did they eviscerate?

Question 3. A) I want to join with Dr. Maru, who asked for documentary evidence that would show how the cabinet of Ato Akluilu Habte Wolde resigned?

B) How did we behave, and what were our organizations the ushered the resigniantion and/or replacement of the Aklilu cabinet?

C) With respect to the well being of Ethiopians how useful are cadres and murder squads of ethnic parties such as the security forces of the TPLF/EPRDF?

D )What are the differences between Ethiopian organizations of our forebears and the murder squads organized by the ethnic-parties such as the TPLF/EPRDF?

Question 4. A)What did the seasoned and cultured Kinijit leaders do?

B) Within the nonviolent line of movement that they championed what could Kinijit have done differently?

I like to touch upon some points that might help provide answers to question 4A, and also point to related issues. On the topic of "gadala" Kinijit, as also described by Dr. Maru, the kinijit leaders had consulted with Ethiopians on what actions they should take before they provided the famous eight-point principles for democratizing Ethiopia (http://www.aboutethiopia.com/k3-Eight-point-principles.htm) that however resulted in their being jailed by the TPLF tyrannical regime. What TPLF does not fathom is that they have placed Ethiopia's leaders in jail, and the longer the leaders stay in jail the greater the fame of the leaders and the greater their appeal to a greater number of Ethiopians. Let me list evidence that supports the depth and reach of the Ethiopian leaders who are languishing the TPLF jail at Kaliti.

1.The leaked message of TPLF's ambassador to the USA, Ato Kassahun Ayele, demonstrate the preoccupation of the embassy on Kinijit and the role of its supporters. For details point to URL http://www.aboutethiopia.com/k6-1-Gadala-Kinijit-629-06.htm.

2. Examine the fact that ethnic-centered parties such as the OLF, ONLC, and SLF are demanding for the release of the elected Ethiopian leaders, leaders that espouse pan-Ethiopian causes. For details point to URL: http://www.ethiomedia.com/carepress/kil_pr1.pdf. These ethnic parties formed an Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD) with the pan-Ethiopian Kinijit party (CUDP) and the Ethiopian Patriotic Front. Many comments have been made regarding the AFD, some that I wish to mention here include the call for the OLF to think outside the box of being enamored by the Oromia state that the TPLF created as an Oromo homeland but rather to consider the whole of Ethiopia as the place where the Oromo Ethiopians can better develop their culture. For details, point to URL: http://www.aboutethiopia.com/k4-4-KIL'd-PR.htm, and URL: GETZ#8-Oromo Options-07-06.rtf. The AFD might well have a very constructive role to play if it seriously considered the following two issues. The first one is to make Ato Hailu Showel and W/o Bertukan Mideksa chair and vice chair of the AFD. An alliance or coalition without a recognized leader is not worth pursuing. The AFD will be well-advised to accept as its leaders the leaders that were elected by Ethiopians. The second one is to rescind the memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the Statutes and replace them by knowable and measurable activities that would allow all parties and civic organization to become members of the AFD.

3. Examine the several calls that UEDF made not only in demanding the release of the jailed leaders but also in speaking on behalf of the Kinijt leaders and what they stood for when criticizing the MOU and the Statutes of the AFD (http://hebret.com/).

4. Civic organizations such as the Ethiopian National Congress (ENC) have called for the release of the elected leaders of Ethiopia and for all parties to work together.

5. Not surprisingly the Kinijit support groups in the Diaspora as well as in Ethiopia are working to secure the release of the jailed leaders.

I want to conclude by making one point. Since the Kinijit leaders were elected as leaders of Ethiopia by the voters of Ethiopia, those leaders are not only the leaders of Kinijit (senso stricto) but also they are the leaders of all law-abiding and would-be law-abiding parties (Senso lato). It is very crucial for the Kinijt party (senso stricto) support groups to recognize that their leaders are also leaders of other Ethiopians that belong to different parties, civic organizations as well as unaffiliated individuals. The greatest thing to do is to organize, and organize in ways that appeal to the memebers. When a national cause such as working under the elected leaders of the people is called for, then all organized entities such as paraties, civic organization, religious organization should pull together. If done correctly, as suggested above, the AFD could become a unifying structure that could liberate Ethiopia from TPLF tyranny.

May God give all wisdom.

May God bless Ethiopia.

HG: 7/7/06