Historic Opposition alliance "Medrek" to finalize manifesto in Ethiopia

Jimma Times

After dozens of meetings and months of discussions on a wide range of topics by the largest opposition alliance in Ethiopia, the Forum (Medrek) for Democratic Dialogue (FDD), the group is in the process of endorsing its manifesto, according to JT sources. Some of its objectives and statements in the document declared support for democracy and that regions in Ethiopia should get full autonomy, Afan Oromo should become Ethiopia's official language and Ethiopia should regain Assab port from Eritrea.

The Forum (Medrek) for Democratic Dialogue (FDD) coalition group is made up of the opposition parties Oromo People's Congress (OPC) and its United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) alliance led by Dr. Merera Gudina, Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) party of Judge Birtukan Mideksa, Arena Tigray for Democracy and Sovereignty (Arena), Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), Ethiopian Democratic Unity Movement (EDUM) and Somali Democratic Alliance Forces (SDAF). Independent participants in the FDD/Medrek include dissidents and former President Dr. Negasso Gidada and former Defence Minister Siye Abraha, who had joined opposition forces.  

The historic alliance brought together deeply contradicting sides of the opposition who have been ideologically fragmented since the Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) led Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) of Meles Zenawi came to power in 1991. During the deliberations, all members of the opposition alliance made concessions which led to some groups adopting the policies of the other or reaching a middle ground in order to compromise. 

According to JT sources, the manifesto is going to seek implementation of federalism which members said was violated by the TPLF and regions would get more autonomy to achieve real decentralization of power. In compromise with the diverse groups in the alliance, FDD's members negotiated to remove Article 39 of the Ethiopian constitution which allows for secession of states. The FDD manifesto has also put ending Ethiopia's status as one of the biggest landlocked country in the world by regaining the Assab port as one of its objectives. The current Meles government says Assab port belongs to Eritrea despite this being one of the many top reasons why the opposition won significant seats during the last election in 2005.

Another part of the FDD/Medrek mission seeks to make Afan Oromo the official language of Ethiopia alongside Amharic, similar to the status of English and French languages in Canada.  Oromo is the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, though Amharic is currently the most widely spoken language in the country largely due to it being the main language of the 15 million people of the SNNPR.

The FDD is believed to be the first time in Ethiopia's modern history that political groups with disparate doctrines from different corners of the country united and formulated a common manifesto. Observers say the ideological conflict in the past between opposition forces from different parts of Ethiopia has allowed the Meles ruling party to remain in power both militarily and ideologically while it has weakened opposition movements, both peaceful and armed, during the past years.  While opposition's military alliances often come and go over the last 18 years, many believe the FDD bringing diverse opposition groups around a table to set a foundational ideological alliance is a precedent that can eventually solve the decades old political predicament of the country.

Throughout the period of deliberation between members of FDD, witnesses told JT that the government was harassing representatives and broadcasting propaganda to divide members of FDD/Medrek. In some cases, the state-run media broadcasted false information about FDD while some pro-government private newspapers published out-of-context comments to divide the opposition members, particularly to create animosity between Oromos and Amharas.

On other topics, the FDD manifesto opposed the government policy that keeps land fully in the hands of the state. The FDD supported land privatization but one than can accomodate communal ownership in unique cases, as proposed by Bulcha Demeksa's OFDM who referred to land ownership in the Oromo Gadaa system. The FDD alliance manifesto also seeks to improve the electoral system, reduce executive powers and set term limits while it set forth a new educational policy to change the current general education that ends in grade 10 to the old curriculum, similar to the one in the Unites States.

Though some FDD members are undecided about participating in the upcoming 2010 national election, all the opposition parties inside FDD are widely expected to contest the election under the "Medrek" banner while keeping their own structures. Despite its leader Judge Birtukan Mideksa being in prison, the UDJ opposition party has opened the most offices in Ethiopia during the last ten months, with around five dozen new party offices. UDJ's vice-Presidents have meanwhile called for Ethiopians to remember Birtukan on Sunday by holding a candlelight vigil to commemorate her sixth month in prison.

In other development, an Ethiopian court will be hearing from several witnesses presented by the prosecutor this coming week, regarding the 46 alleged members of the illegal Ginbot 7 organization arrested in April. The Meles government has meanwhile accused Voice of America (VOA) and Deutsche Welle (DW) radio stations for allegedly harming development of democracy and peace in Ethiopia by giving platform for supporters of armed movement. The government complained about an alleged "double standard" by the West regarding "war on terrorism." Ginbot 7 is founded by the US-based Berhanu Nega who has reportedly called for an armed struggle to overthrow the Meles government.