Oromia/Ethiopia: OLF Outlines People's Demands, Call for Zenawi to Step Down Immediately Among Demands

May 22, 2011 at 2:02 pm · Gadaa.com

The following is a press release from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).

Date: May 20, 2011
Press Release

Unity of Purpose and Unity of Action, a Tested Antidote to Deflate Overblown Tyrannical Regimes

In the light of the imminent rise of the people of Ethiopia against tyranny, the demand for a common set of goals, defining the target of the revolution, has been growing. Lessons drawn from countries like Tunisia and Egypt, whose people had scored spectacular victory over tyranny, instruct us that the success of people’s led revolutions are inexorably tied up with fostering and maintaining the unity of the anti-tyranny camp. Such unity, as in the case of Tunisia and Egypt, was maintained by making the goals of the revolution free of sectarianism and divisiveness. Taking the lessons learned from the Jasmine and Nile revolutions into account, a number of political groups, civic organisations and youth movements have been suggesting a set of goals that the revolution in Ethiopia should target. Having looked into and recognising the merits of many similar sets of goals suggested by many bodies, the Oromo Liberation Front has decided to put forward the following list of demands that should be the rallying slogans for the anti-tyranny people’s revolt. We call upon all pro-democracy forces to rally behind the following demands:

1. An immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners. We demand that the prison Maikelawi (central investigation prison), a traditionally established central chamber of torture, mutilation and slaughter house of human beings, be immediately dismantled and closed forever;
2. We demand an end to the unofficial emergency law; repeal all illegal legislation that are designed to suppress the civil and political rights of citizens. Repeal the recent Anti-Terrorism, Civil Society and Media Law legislation;
3. We demand that the regime immediately stop the twenty years of continued military campaigns in Oromia, Ogaden, Amhara and other oppressed areas to forcefully silence the legitimate demands of these people;
4. We demand the removal of the recent increment on the price of fuel and call 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. We also demand the sale of fertilizer at a monopoly price by TPLF companies be stopped and a moratorium be established to ease the plight of small-scale farmers;
5. We demand for the immediate termination of the widely practiced land-grabbing policy of the TPLF regime, and all international agreements made so far be annulled in effect;
6. 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;
7. We demand Prime Minister Meles Zenawi immediately leave his office and relinquish his state power;
8. We demand that both chambers of parliament be immediately dissolved. We demand the formation of an all inclusive transitional government consisting of all major liberation movements and opposition political organizations, and civil society representatives towards instituting social justice and democracy;

Let us rise up in Unison to end Injustice and Tyranny!
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- Source: OromooLiberationFront.org