By Robele Ababya,
The new OLF’s reversal of its secession policy has no doubt sent a shockwave in the camp of Old OLF’s faction linked to the pariah dictator of Eritrea supporting the terrorist Al Shabab.
The outpouring support to the new OLF has eclipsed the cry in the wilderness of the few abusive remnant disciples of the bankrupt political premise which was wrong from the start. Forty years have been wasted and precious lives have been lost all owing to intransigence to change course.
Inflation is at 39.8% in Ethiopia where the TPLF propaganda machine is deafening the people by its power of monopoly over the media that the country is ranked as one of the five fastest growing economies in the world – which makes no sense to the increasingly hungry and angry masses. Therefore addressing the multiple plights of the Ethiopian people is top priority. But few turncoat Oromos, having run out of ideas, are greeting progressive options with insults.
The new OLF’s reversal of policy to embrace unity is therefore most welcome to address multiple draconian problems unleashed by the repressive ruling regime. The bold move is a reminder of the stand on the question of national unity taken by the Marxist-Leninist Organization established in the aftermath of the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution. Vide paragraphs below meant to serve as a lesson to the few turncoat leaders stuck with secessionist policy of the old OLF with their main office in Asmara.
The Marxist-Leninist Organization during the Derg regime
The Organization formulated its policy on the unity of Ethiopia after in-depth analysis of the history of Ethiopia. It clearly understood that there were hierarchies of ruthless exploiters in each ethnic group fleecing the masses to their bones. The aristocracy, provincial warlords and the Balabats (local officials with large land ownership) mercilessly suppressing social justice were identified as the main target for elimination. In short feudalism was the main problem. So the Organization agreed and declared that the right way forward was to unleash class struggle and emancipate the masses in a united Ethiopia. It was a laudable wise move for that time of bitter ideological Cold War era given that the Carter Administration had abandoned Ethiopia.
The Organization in caption comprised the following five leftist entities working with the Provisional Military Government. As their names clearly tell all the five groups below are national political entities inclusive of all ethnic groups that opt to become members:-
1. All Ethiopia Socialist Movement: Dr. Haile Fida was the leader of this Movement commonly known by its acronym MESON;
2. Ethiopian oppressed people’s Revolutionary Struggle led by Baro Tumsa;
3. Sedede (Conflagration): Mengistu Hailemariam was the leader of this group, which finally devoured all the rest like a forest fire;
4. Revolution was reputed to be a collection of communist hardliners. I have forgotten the name of its leader; and
5. Woz League under the leadership of Senay Lekie was a close ally of Mengistu’s Sedede, but the alliance fell apart shortly after the death of Senay resulting in the annihilation of thousands of educated members of the Woz League by Sedede.
Readers are invited to note that the leaders named above at 1, 2, and 5 were Oromos; Mengistu also spoke of his Oromo ancestry through his father. Bravo for their all inclusivity!
It would be pertinent to recall at this juncture that in sharp contrast to the nationwide all ethnic groups inclusive character of the above list comprising Marxist- Leninist Organization, the Marxist Leninist League of Tigray (MLLT) at that time wore its tribal garb; its offshoot the TPLF is still doing the same using divide and rule along ethnic lines as its last ditch weapon to remain in power. The assertion that tyrant Meles Zenawi had a secret agenda of creating Greater Tigray has a good basis to believe.
Notwithstanding my chilly attitude towards communist ideology, I commend the Marxist-Leninist Organization for its all ethnic group inclusive national agenda, uncompromising stand on the unity of Ethiopia, articulating the principles of self-reliance and autonomous administrative region.
Untimely death the founder of Woz League
The founder of Woz League, Dr. Senay Lekie, was an Oromo originating from Illubabor. I met the brilliant intellectual in 1973. He held a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the famous Barkley University in California. He was politically active to the extent that he became a renowned member of the Communist Party in the USA.
When the 1974 Ethiopian revolution broke out we got to know each other better. He knew my utter dislike for a military government to the point of nauseating in view of the then profuse takeover of state power by the gun in Latin America, Africa and Asia. But we concurred that the military was the only armed organized institution capable of provisionally stabilizing the disorderly political atmosphere in Ethiopia at the time. He appreciated my staunch support for “land to the tiller.” He knew of my cold attitude towards communism but did not hide his own reverence for Stalin and contempt for Lenin. He was of the view that socialism is a very distant dream for Ethiopia, stressing that much needed to be done to strengthen unity and economic growth in order to lay down the foundation for the envisaged transformation to socialism. We saw eye to eye on the vital question of a united and strong Ethiopia. I was impressed with his ability and charming character; his capacity to make inroad into the military establishment and recruit elite members to Woz League was amazing.
Senay had predicted his death in the course of the revolution. His untimely death in a Palace coup at his the prime age of 33 shocked me and I wept standing beside his Oromo mother in deep grief during his burial at the Saint Joseph Cemetery reserved for communists in accordance with his wish . Regardless of our difference in ideology, what mattered to me was his passionate exemplary fight for the unity of Ethiopia and.
Conclusion
In what can be characterized as a plebiscite in the election of 2005, the Ethiopian people outvoted the TPLF thugs thus dealing a heavy blow to the satanic ambition of tyrant Zenawi to balkanize the country and its people along ethnic lines or creed. The mammoth demonstration of the Ethiopian people in support of the (Kinijit – Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) – is a living witness that ethnicity or creed could not eclipse the quest for unity because the support accorded to CUD is an objective reflection of common history and cultural interaction of the Ethiopian people the overwhelming majority of which are joined by marriage across ethnic lines. There is nothing that the tiny minority of the old OLF faction or anyone else can do to change this reality. Respect for the universal right of the individual is the ultimate panacea for fostering racial harmony in a united, strong, democratic and prosperous Ethiopia under the rule of law.
In a free democratic society:-
• The universal values of freedom, liberty, equality, dignity and pursuit of happiness of all individuals shall be sacred and inviolable guaranteed by the constitution of the people by the people for the people and rigorously upheld by law;
• There shall be no political prisoners and no torturing of prisoners; persecution for one’s political cannot occur; private land ownership is quintessential to avoid enslavement by brutal regime; and
• No individual or vital national interest shall be on offer for sale.
The leaders of the myopic minority of the old OLF faction have to explain what in return they had agreed to offer for sale to the internationally ostracized dictator of the pariah state of Eritrea, Isaias Afeworqui, for his support of secession.
I congratulate the new leaders of OLF for their change of mind and heart and come on board as Ethiopians to join genuine opposition forces to end tyranny in the country and solve the myriad problems confronting the people. I extol the brilliant article written by Messay Dejene titled “Rejoicing the return of the prodigal son” dated 07 January 2012 (posted on Ethiomedia website) and urge renegade detractors of my consistent vantage point to read the article objectively. I am elated that something like a call for “All Ethiopia Liberation Action” (AELA) is gathering momentum.
Ethiopian democrats must intensify the struggle for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including: Andualem Aragie, Asamnew Birhanu, Bekele Gerba, Eskinder Nega, Nathnael Mekonnen, Olbana Lelisa, Reeyot Alemu, Woubshet Taye, and Zemenu Molla. Terrorist Zenawi has no legitimate or moral right to hold prisoners of conscience in his filthy and congested jails
LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA!!!
robele@ababya@yahoo.com