July 25, 2012

The Peoples' Alliance for freedom and Democracy (OLF, ONLF, SLF and some candidates of AFD)
The aforementioned peoples' alliances of Ogaden Somalis, Oromo, Sidama and the new candidates of AFD:

After deliberating on the current situation in Ethiopia and carefully observing the level of struggle against the current regime and the apparent confusion created by the sudden disappearance of Meles Zenawi, the "strong man" ruling Ethiopia for the past twenty one years;
Being apprehensive of the current regimes attempts to delude the peoples in Ethiopia regarding Zenawi's fate and their attempt to maintain the status quo in order to continue their ruthless suppression of all peoples in Ethiopia;

After considering, the current disarray and lack of political will of some opposition groups to embrace the political and social changes that Ethiopia has undergone in the last forty years and their archaic adherence to political precepts that are no longer tenable in the 21 century such as negating the rights of nations in Ethiopia to self-determination;

After considering the opportunistic utterances of some sectors of the opposition regarding the aftermath of future change of polity in Ethiopia, which neglects the long struggle of the oppressed peoples in Ethiopia who were subjugated, disenfranchised and virtually enslaved even before the current regime came to power in Ethiopia;

Being cognizant of the fact that some sectors of the opposition are aspiring to reversing the historic acceptance in principle but not in practice by the present regime of the rights of all nations and nationalities under Ethiopian rule for their inalienable right to exercise their self-determination;
Asserting that the oppressed peoples who had fought with their blood and still keeps fighting successive oppressive regimes in Ethiopia will never allow the reversal of their revolutionary gains;

The Peoples' Alliance for Freedom and Democracy re-iterates and reaffirms the following:
A peaceful and orderly transfer of power to the peoples in Ethiopia can only come through a comprehensive conference of representatives of all the different nations, nationalities and those committed to genuine democracy in Ethiopia that hammers out the future of the Ethiopian Empire;
The basis of any future arrangement in Ethiopia must be based on democratic principles, including the exercise of the right of self-determination and the respect of both individual and group rights.
All changes, arrangements and configurations that are intended to end the perennial conflict in Ethiopia must be based on the will and consent of each and every nation and nationality in the Ethiopian empire;

No single group, including the incumbent regime can dictate the future of any of the nations and nationalities in Ethiopia;

The peoples' Alliance for Freedom and Democracy shall intensify its efforts to unite all the oppressed nations under Ethiopian rule to effectively struggle for their right to freedom and democracy;

The international community shall respect the wishes, desires and rights of all the nations and nationalities in Ethiopia in their engagements and understand that the status quo is untenable and a recipe for further disaster;

Finally, the Peoples' Alliance for freedom and Democracy calls on all concerned parties, including the current government of Ethiopia, the representatives of all nations and nationalities in Ethiopia with the facilitation of the international community to seize this opportunity and hold a comprehensive conference to resolve the existing dysfunctional political and social dilemmas confronting the Ethiopian Empire.

ONLF
OLF
SLF
New candidates of AFD
Contact: thepeoplesafd@gmail.com