The six hours of conversation by the Ethiopian People Revolutionary Party/EPRP aged/wised leaders, Iyasu Alemayehu and Fasika Belete, with Ethiopians will all take us back in time to shed light to the crisis in Ethiopia now. It seems nothing has changed except some of us are getting older/wiser. Some get richer and arrogant !!!!
The present rulers of Ethiopia TPLFwith their followers and EPRP likewise fought in arms and on paper/Democracia, four decades ago in Gonder and Tigray, when there was no social medias and satellite television. For those who wanted to go back in time and see what has not changed since then it is fascinating to follow the audio posted at www.assimba.org.
As a young high school student like most of my age youth EPRP was the first party we know. I remember in the 1968 or 69 summer we got EPRP first declaration as a party from Kiosk operated in our neighborhood.
I marched in most of EPRP led rallies and read its “Democracia” and other leftist leaflets by Chairman Mao, Lenin, Stalin etc. We were young Ethiopians Dreaming Change, a government led by the proletarian. It was unfulfilled dream !!!
EPRP members and supporters were patriots who love Ethiopia. Yes, we rejected our elders as product of feudal Ethiopia. We carry a placard “Meret LeArashu” , “Land to the Tillers”. We stood for Ethiopian tenants against landlords some of us fight against our own parents.
EPRP fought from its inception a battle with TPLF on the same issue today the people in Gonder, Gojam, Shoa, Afar, Arussi, Bale, Ogaden etc are fighting for. The land issue and “Kilil” was the major issue then as it is now.
Had EPRP won that battle, Ethiopia would have been different now. For TPLF, its victory against EPRP led building “Kilil” for “NewTigrai” then and the rest of Ethiopia after 1991. The present conflict in Welkait, Armacheho, Goner/Ethiopia and Sudan can be traced back four decades ago.
The young generation born after TPLF controlled Ethiopia can only learn about EPRP from friends and families who are still alive. EPRP as a party still exists and as was said on the discussion it lost many of its brightest fighting both Derg and TPLF.
The youth today in Ethiopia has shown their love for Ethiopia after 25 years of Ethnic Ideology supported by Ethic “Kilil“. That is a great Victory for EPRP martyrs and those who are still struggling. Diaspora Ethiopians of my age who grew up with EPRP no one can put us in any Ethnic Basket as some are suggesting now. As Iyasu said clearly our Ethnicity is “Ethiopian”.
It is an insult for many of us to be asked join any ethnic organization or institutions. Are you Amhara, Oromo, Sidama, Tigrai, Somali, Gurage etc ? TPLF answered that question by drawing nine zones to satisfy the 80 plus ethnic compositions of Ethiopia. Dividing us into Ethnic Zones has not solved our problem, in fact, it is endangering our country Ethiopia and 90 millions of Ethiopians. History is going to give its verdict way after we left this earth. We have still time to influence positive change for our people and country.
Bringing the same ethnic model here in the Diaspora to solve our problems after 25 years of failed experiment back home is a nonstarter.The popular demand in Ethiopia can only be solved if we see it within Ethiopia and as Ethiopians only. It is time for Ethiopian People Revolutionary Party to play its part as Ethiopian People Patriotic Party/EPPP. The Ethiopian people have spoken loud and clear !!!
Long Live Ethiopia and Ethiopians !!!!