Professor Merera’s meeting with Oromo community in DC metro-area wound up with pledge to full support.
At the meeting held on 11/14/09 at unification church Dr. Merera Gudina briefed the audience on the following issues.
- The good news of the formal establishment of Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). The Election Board approved the merger after 8 months of lingering process.
- That a strong unified Oromo party is underway to participate in all 180 Oromia Weredas in the upcoming election
- that FDD is a formidable coalition of eight all-inclusive parties and the finalization of 65 pages program and
- The benefits of working with different nations and parties from all corners of the country under FDD-Medrek.
In responding to different questions raised by participants from different direction, he explained:
- Regarding the jailed Birtukan Medeksa, he said ‘she is going to be Mandela of Ethiopia,
- Regarding Oromo prisoners and the possibility of working with other Oromo Organizations like OPDO and OLF, for big nation like Oromo difference is expected and welcome. Small Israel has about 30 parties and that Oromo can raise two or three children at a time without throwing stone on each other. But divided elite cannot lead the same nation. He added that currently around 90% of detained Oromos are due to alleged connection with OLF.
- Regarding the recently signed election code of conduct, he said the main issue, the make and break, lies in the 200,000 election monitors (5 persons at 40,000 polling stations) that would be appointed by election commission. The fairness of the election depends on these people.
After remarks and comments, the meeting ended with participants pledging to fully support both OFC and FDD-Medrek in the upcoming election.
- Note: The Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) - which is created by the union of Merera Gudina's Oromo People's Congress (OPC) and Bulcha Demeksa's Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) - was recently registered by the election board of Ethiopia.
