By
Zenebe G. Tamirat,
PRO-KSA-America
Close to 600 delegates
from all walk of life in Ethiopia
assembled in Addis Ababa yesterday (night in the Western hemisphere) to attend the historic 2nd
Congress of the General Assembly of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party
(CUDP) better known as “Kinijit.”
Since the first
General Assembly took place in 2005 our struggle has traveled extra miles of
ups and downs to prevail peace and democracy in Ethiopia. The party has applied
“peaceful struggle” as its means of attaining its goals so that democracy and
civility replace guns and machineguns that are the traditional means of coming
to political power in Ethiopia.
In lieu with this Kinijit had stretched itself deep into the boroughs and
villages of the farmer with its cadres preaching democracy, the rule of law and
fair election.
Unfortunately
peace cannot be attained only by the wish of one party unless the countering
ones also cooperate in the same manner. In the case of our country the
incumbent party that lost the election did not come on the concurrent line on
which Kinijit stood. It was provocative, aggressive and war-mongering. Because
of such behavior of the TPLF led EPRDF the election that was started peacefully
ended in bloody massacres. Peaceful contenders of EPRDF that represented
Kinijit in the election were intimidated, imprisoned, tortured and killed in
broad day light. Supporters of Kinijit were bitten in the streets of Addis,
clubbed and forced to climb Military vehicles and driven miles and miles away
in the jungle and imprisoned in hostile weather military garrisons. Leaders of
the party including the most peaceful and law-abiding President, Hailu Shawel
were thrown into cells the sanitary of which were and still are incredibly
nasty. There the President was exposed
to incurable disease that paralyzed his spinal core. If it were not for the
blessing of modern science and the genius of his doctors coupled with the help
of God the President could have suffered permanent disability. Thank God and
modern science however, he was able to stand up and start allover again.
The people in
the assembly who are today around the president were also victims of the same
blind justice. Many of them were jailed in stinking narrow cells, many beaten
to forcefully change their political believes and change their party, many lost
limbs, sights and hearings and yet they are here to day under one roof to
restart the long way to freedom.. Addressing the convention tonight none of
these compatriots complained about their personal sufferance but rather the
pains that the ordinary people in their constituents suffered. Nor did they
accuse TPLF/EPRDF for its barbaric and inhuman actions. They only look forward
for the future to be bright. Their slogan is “forward and never, never backward,”
therefore they never look backward to rehearse what happened in the past. Their goals are attaining democracy, peace and
stability so that development works could be started as soon as possible; hence
they go forward in a new spirit to build our historic nation.
. What makes the
convention different tonight is that IT IS HELD IN A TENT because the TPLF led
government wouldn’t allow Kinijit to convene its meeting in a hotel hall
convenient for assembling. There under a roof of a tent they gather together in
the spirit of building a democratic nation that would elevate our country from
ignorance, hunger and poverty. Congratulation, Kinijit!
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