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Press Release
Honorable
Chairperson, Esteemed Lawmakers and Invited Guests :
Thank you for hol=
ding
these important hearings
My name is Hassan Hussein, head of Foreign Relations with th=
e OLF.
Today I speak not=
only
on behalf of OLF but also ONLF and SLF. To the extent that the yearning=
for
these ideals is universal, I speak for all who yearn for freedom and
democracy in Eth=
iopia.
It is an understa=
tement
to say that Ethi=
opia
is at a crossroads. The next year is likely to determine whether =
we
are able, at long last, to overcome the bitter legacy of the past in wh=
ich
small cliques have ruled and the majority suffered and whether Ethiopia
becomes a source of regional stability or instability. If Ethiopia descends into chaos, it will =
be Somalia on
steroid.
Over the past yea=
r, in
consultation with our constituencies inside the country and around the
world, we have given much thought to finding ways to resolve the current
crisis. After sober analysis and soul searching, we have concluded
that dialogue offers the only way to achieve a lasting solution.
Honorable
Chairperson and Your Excellencies ,
In order to get s=
uch a
process started, we need the support of the international
community. It is for that reason that we welcome this heari=
ng.
The international
community has long played a crucial role in Ethiopian politics.
Unfortunately, rather than supporting democracy, it has usually chosen =
to
back whichever group happened to be in control of the state.=
In 1992, interim
elections were held which could have led to the creation of a government
that represented all of the diverse groups that live within the politic=
al
boundaries of the Ethiopian state. Instead, the EPRDF chose to use
the tactics of intimidation to prevent other parties--and the OLF, ONLF=
and
SLF in particular--from freely and fairly contesting those elections, m=
aking
that and all subsequent elections hollow exercises in futility for their
respective populations. In the 14 years since, as Human Rights Wa=
tch
has documented, the government has systematically and often brutally
repressed political activity in Oromia, wit=
h rampant
violation of human rights.
If the internatio=
nal
community had taken a strong stand in support of free and fair election=
s in
1992, it would have given us a reason to remain in the political process
and perhaps avert years of mayhem. Instead, however, it implicitly
sanctioned the EPRDF’s monopolization=
of
power.
As a result of la=
st
May’s elections, the international community now has a new
opportunity to support the struggle for freedom and democracy.
Those elections
demonstrated that the peoples are unwilling to be ruled as they have be=
en
for the last fifteen years. It should now be clear that the present rul=
ers
cannot continue to monopolize power without resorting to increasingly
draconian measures, instigating more instability.
Fuelled by frustr=
ation
by the absence of real choices in the elections and lack of political
settlement to legitimate political demands, a popular uprising has been
underway in Oromia since November. As=
in
apartheid South =
Africa
of the early 1970s, students have been in the forefront. In respo=
nse,
the ruling party has stepped up repression. Many have been killed. =
; As
I speak, thousands are being detained without trial. A military
confrontation is ongoing in Ogaden. The Sidama face heightened suppression. Repression is
fuelling tension all over the country. Unfortunately, these violations =
are
taking place in the countryside - away from the watchful eyes of the me=
dia.
Events in Oromia, Somali state and Sid=
ama
demonstrate that the people are no longer willing to endure their
traditional status as second-class citizens. The experiment in democrac=
y in
Ethiopia needs the
meaningful participation of historically marginalized groups--who make =
up
the majority population in Ethiopia--
to be successful; else the problem would simply be postponed.
Your Excellenc=
ies ,
We believe now is=
an
opportune time to launch an all-inclusive process that would afford us =
all
a new beginning. It gives me a great pleasure to inform you that we are
currently talking to various parties on how to initiate such a new
beginning. Charting this new course requires the participation of
all--including the ruling party and the international community.
An extraordinary
situation now prevails--demanding extraordinary solutions. We sincerely
believe that the only way out of the quagmire is dialogue.
It is my hope tha=
t the
EU would partner with us in the search for just peace and a genuine
transition to freedom and democracy.
Thank you. <=
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