Press Release: A crack down and campaign of mass imprisonment can never stop the struggle for freedom and Self Determination

Qeerroo Press Release Sep 17,2011

The bitter struggle for freedom, democracy and self determination have come a long way from the day of the empire formation while to the contrary the response from the consecutive Ethiopian regimes happens to be mass imprisonment, looting, exiling and killing. What is special about the current regime is that, the life of these imprisoned and the other individuals, who are in principle free, are almost the same. It became customary to imprison, kill and confiscate the property of the people who have come up with legitimate discontent and spoke about their rights.

The reality dictates uniting efforts to topple the two decades long Woyane dictatorship as the only option on the ground. It is also the will of every nation in the country to join hands to erode the unspeakable tragedy of the people and to see the country on right path to development and equality. The clear goal after the days of the current dictatorship should also be to unchain the people and to open a new path of history whereby the people of the country decides freely on their future.  The Oromo people is working for a system and a government that respects its rights and aspirations. It is against the other version of dictatorship whereby the Oromo continues to serve the interest of other hidden agendas and all sort of marginalization. The youth and people of Oromo is keenly and actively working to rebuff any sort of fake and ungrounded partnership even if we are open to democratic and  credible partnership which is in line with the aspiration our people.

Having said that, we have not yet seen any credible support for our people ongoing struggle for freedom and democracy from these organizations who claims to have been fighting against Woyane regime. At a time when the Oromo people is suffering from mass imprisonment, killing, looting and land grabbing, not a single Pro Ethiopian organization have voiced against the injustice going on. Even if these things are all unfortunate, the Youth movement of Qeerroo still believes in the necessity of partnership and solidarity in the struggle that can secure the freedom all peoples in Ethiopia.

Just to point one, like the Woyane regime did in the past; we are observing organizations like Ginbot 7 are trying to take the invalid short cut to their own goal. At a time when the imprisonment and killing in the country was intensified not only against the Oromo but also against other nations who started to say NO to the regime on power, avoiding the real way of dealing with the issue and engaging in a political game and show-off for simple political consumption is very disappointing.

As we all remember, the regimes on power have been doing all nasty tricks to divide the opposition camps. These tricks have brought nothing but intensified the problem in the country. It is a recent memory how the regime in power used individuals like Asefa Chamisso to divide and weaken the opposition camp on the CUD. Likewise the Ginbot 7 leaders look as if they are big fun of this nasty game. Rather than putting a credible and tangible struggle on the ground, they are busy to show the face of some individuals who have been proved to lack organizational discipline but claims to represent the Oromo people. This is not a fashion show and the Oromo clearly understand the terrible agenda behind the scene. This old and ugly way of struggle, which is the main reason for the failure of the Ethiopian politics so far; can never stand to the current need and aspiration of the people. The right answer is to engage in a serious and credible partnership in a bid to topple the dictatorship in Ethiopia once and for all and to work for freedom, democracy and self determination. It is the defining moment for these type of organization to clearly spell and tell their stand on solidarity, partnership and their understanding of right to self-determination in the country.

 It is important to note that the objective of partnership is not to install new form of dictatorship which disregards the right to self-determination on empire mentality but to realise it and build the country on a democratic, justified and equal footing. By eroding the dictatorship in Ethiopia, we should be able to address the plight of the different peoples in Ethiopia, underline the unalienable right to self determination and open new era of bright future. There is no short cut to the realization of self determination but to accept and to deal with it. But if there are still some organizations that are not ready to accept the unalienable right to self determination in any form, they can not be seen different from the Woyane regime on power.

Qeerroo believes in the potential of new generation to realise freedom, democracy and justice in a sustained struggle against dictatorship. What is more, Qeerroo would like to assure that it will work for struggle that take all stake holders on board that can come up with a convincing and preferred option to solve the problems in the country.

Finally, the usual way of Woyane regime mass arrest and violence against people who raises a legitimate right, in a bid to take its regime forward can not work anymore. As we can understand from history Imprisonment and killing have never answered a clear political problem. Likewise the current unspeakable violence and inhuman treatment against people with legitimate demands can not stop us from struggle and can never deter us from realising self determination and democracy in Ethiopia.

Victory for the subjugated people

Freedom and Democracy Shall Prevail!!!

National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (NYMFD)

 17^th of September 2011

Adama

Qeerroo Press Release Sep 17,2011