The Demands of Qeerroo Oromia. National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy /May 2011

The Demands of Qeerroo Oromia. National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy

1. Whereas the TPLF/EPRDF regime has been ethno-centric both in its Stalinist organizational structure and the socio-political agendas it promotes; Whereas its loudly self eulogised federal structure of the country has become nothing but only a divide and rule system; Whereas it has mainly been targeting the oppressed nations and nationalities like the Oromo, Ogaden, Sidama and other peoples of the south as its primary enemies.

Therefore, we demand that the regime immediately stop the twenty years of continued Military Campaign in Oromia, Ogaden and other oppressed areas to forcefully silence the legitimate demands of these peoples.

2. Whereas Meles Zenawi has managed to cling on to power for the last two decades only through mass repression and oppression; Whereas Mr. Zenawi’s system of rule has been marked by unparalleled massive and persistent human rights violations (mass harassment, displacement, torture, imprisonment and killing of citizens); Whereas there are still tens of thousands of individuals languishing in Meles Zenawi’s prison as prisoners of conscience.

Therefore, we urge for an immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners. We demand that especially the prison Maikelawi (central investigation prison), a traditionally established central chamber of torture, mutilation and slaughtering of human beings, be immediately dismantled and closed for ever.

3. Whereas Meles zenawi’s government continues to be bragging about an unseen rate of economic growth, sheer existence has virtually become impossible for the majority of Ethiopians. Whereas today inflation and scarcity have become acute to the extent of making life impossible even for the so called urban middle class society as a result of misguided economic policy of the regime; Whereas disease, illiteracy, hunger and famine remain to be the mark of Ethiopian overall social economic life.

Hence, we urge for an immediate supply of basic goods such as sugar, oil and bread for the people by the government while in the meantime the market and all related economic policies be corrected and rectified.

4. Whereas there is no a sphere of social life that Mr. Zenawi’s regime didn’t encroach into, more is so with the economy; Whereas it is a public secret that virtually all major economic institutions are owned by TPLF’s oligarchy known as EFFORT and controlled by Azeb Mesfin, the wife of the Prime minister.

We demand that all the so called private properties of Zenawi’s family be confiscated and further investigation be undertaken into the yet unknown level of corruption by the family and close associates.

5. Whereas Ethiopia is an agrarian society where more than 90% of the population earn their means of life through farming; Whereas the motto “Land to the Tiller” has been the major rallying and unifying political demand of the entire Ethiopian peoples in the 1960s and early 70s that culminated in the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution and hence brought about the demise of emperor Haile-Sillasie and his dynasty; Whereas once again we are in a Zero-sum-Game situation as the TPLF regime started pursuing what is known as the Land-Grabbing-Policy; Whereas the currently and widely practiced Land-grabbing-policy of the TPLF regime would lead to mass dispossession, displacement, unemployment, socio-economic alienation and modern slavery by global economic powers.

Therefore, we demand that the policy immediately be stopped and that all international agreements made so far be annulled in effect.

6. Whereas Ethiopia has been downing from bad to worst in it’s over all political, social and economic system for the last 20 years; Whereas the political system is marked by a Stalinist conception of a holistic state, where power division is utterly absent and hence no real distinction between the legislative, judiciary and the executive bodies; Whereas Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is the melting pot of all those powers as a person, as the case has always been with all Stalinist regimes; Whereas Meles Zenawi has never been elected but only selected by the Stalinist state apparatus he himself created.

Therefore, we demand Prime Minister Meles Zenawi immediately leave his office and relinquish his state power.

7. Whereas the TPLF/EPRDF ruling party claimed in the last May 2010 election a landslide victory with 99.6% in a country where there have been more than 90 legally registered and competed opposition parties; Whereas the election board is just an extended hand of the ruling party; Whereas the national treasury, the Media, the federal police and security forces have always been directly used by the ruling party for facilitating the landslide victory the regime claimed; Whereas, in the face of all these, electoral politics have been nothing but a mockery and sham.

Therefore, we demand that both chambers of parliament be immediately dissolved. We want a transitional government be constituted from all major liberation movements and opposition political organizations towards instituting social justice and democracy.

Freedom, Liberty and democracy shall prevail!

2011