The All-Party Conference: A Step in the Right Direction

Executive Committee Ethiopian National Congress

With a great deal of anticipation and jubilation, the Ethiopian National Congress (ENC) notes the progress that has been made towards convening an All-Party Conference (APC) of Ethiopian opposition political parties. We do so, as the initiator and facilitator of its inception, and after closely following the work of its organizers, the ENC sees an All Party Conference as a step in the right direction. We hold a deep-seated belief that the multi-faceted problems of our country cannot be successfully tackled without a constructive engagement and participation by the broadest possible coalition of political forces in the country. We are convinced that, without such broad-based engagement and participation, our Ethiopian aspirations and dreams for a lasting peace, stability and transition to sustainable democracy and national unity could not be realized. 

Since its founding five years ago, the ENC has been engaged in protracted and painstaking efforts to bring about the unity of Ethiopian opposition political parties. Towards this end, we conducted a series of quiet diplomacy. Particularly at the early stages of our effort, we held discussions with political organizations, one-on-one and in groups, both with those at home and abroad, urging them to engage in democratic politics - to focus more on their commonalities and on the many issues that unite them than on those that divide them, to cultivate relationships and practices that foster and promote trust and amicable rapport among them, and to seek positions of principled compromise. We planned and convened conferences, held workshops, conducted roundtable discussions, drafted working papers, and facilitated conflict-resolution negotiations. 

There were times when our efforts appeared to bear fruits -- for example, when they concluded the Bethesda Agreement of Principles in September 1999. Subsequently, two Gaithersburg framework papers had been accepted to serve as the basis of forming united front. In September 2000, many political parties came to a widely-publicized conference organized for the adoption of "vision" and "structure" documents that would pave the way for the formation of a broad-based united front. Although the documents were adopted, our hopes were dashed when those efforts failed to form the long-anticipated united front. Our unity-formation initiative was stalled, causing disappointments and disillusionment within the membership of our own fledgling civic movement. In turn, this caused us to engage in a critical examination and assessment of our approaches and methods. 

As a means of resuscitating the stalled effort, and after contacts with and invitations to all political organizations, both at home and abroad, we organized and held a series of unpublicized conferences in the Spring of 2001. Open and lengthy discussions on issues of common interest were held, dominated by pragmatic and practical considerations. It was through these deliberations that the idea of an All-Party Conference (APC) was born. Realizing the seriousness of the agreements and understandings reached through these deliberations, and assured by the intensity of work by the APC planning and organizing committee, the ENC consciously relegated itself to activities behind-the-scenes, in support of the APC effort, focusing primarily on convincing those who had not yet responded positively to the APC idea and approaching new and emerging organizations to join the APC. 

We are impressed by the tenacity, commitment, sharpness, intensity and focus to succeed the organizing committee has demonstrated since its inception, to be as all-inclusive as possible. We are encouraged - and excited -- by the progress to-date, especially by the fact that the need for the APC has come to be embraced by almost every political parties in opposition to the ethno-centric dictatorship of the Meles Zenawi regime. As of now, for example, the APC organizing effort has been joined by more than 10 political parties, both those headquartered at home and abroad, including the All Ethiopian Peoples Organization (formerly known as AAPO). We are confident that, by the time that the venue and modalities of the APC are finalized, it will be embraced by all opposition forces. We are cautiously optimistic that the APC has the potential for paving the way for lasting peace, stability and transition to democratic governance in our country. Despite delays and setbacks, we are hopeful that the unity of opposition forces that Ethiopians have been demanding would be realized in the end. 

It is with this cautious optimism and inspiration that we call upon democratic and patriotic Ethiopians world-wide to support this initiative. As much as we continue to be part of this historic effort, we also urge the public to whole-heartedly support this concerted course of action taken by participating political organizations. We call other political organizations to join the APC movement, the road to salvation, peace, democracy, unity and sustainable development in our beloved Ethiopia. While we congratulate the participating political organizations for their commendable and exemplary efforts, we urge them to continue stepping up their efforts to realize the formation of all inclusive and democratic coalition. 

We would like to re-emphasize that our civic organization will continue to support in every possible way, such earnest efforts towards the all-party conference. We would like the public to know the ENC is working towards making the civic movement strong and relevant, at home and abroad. By doing so, we believe the ENC will continue to do its share towards realizing our people's yearning for peace, unity, equality, justice and democracy. 

Landinnet, 

Executive Committee Ethiopian National Congress

Back to main page!