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THE ANTI-IMPERIALIST TRIANGLE Publication of the All-Ethiopian Communist League
CONTINENTS IN MOTION
Monthly Bulletin of News on the WORLD-WIDE Anti-Imperialist Struggle
RE-PRINT SERIES NO. 2 - FEBRUARY- 2011
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THE COMMEMORATION OF THE ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION OF FEBRUARY 1974 THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT IS REPRODUCED FROM THE FEBRUARY 2008 ISSUE OF
THE ANTI-IMPERIALIST TRIANGLE
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MILESTONES OF THE UNFINISHED FEBRUARY REVOLUTION OF 1974-1977 >>>>> PART - I
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THE FEBRUARY REVOLUTION OF 1974-1977 AND ITS MAJOR POPULAR GAINS CHRONOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTIONARY OFFENSIVE (1974-77)
THE UPRISING 1974 12 JANUARY- Mutiny in an Army base in Sidamo. file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (4 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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10-13 FEBRUARY- Mutiny in the base at Debre Zeit; Formation of the FIRST broad-based Soldiers' Committee composed of NCOs and Junior Officers 13 FEBRUARY- Announcement of an increase in the price of petrol. 14 FEBRUARY- Student Demonstration. 18 FEBRUARY- Ethiopian Teachers went on Strike in opposition to the proposed Education Sector Review; Taxi drivers went on strike against the unreasonable increase in the price of petrol. 20 FEBRUARY-WORKERS and STUDENTS staged peaceful demonstration in Addis Abeba against the Government and made several political as well as sectional socio-economic DEMANDS. 23 FEBRUARY- FIRST CONCESSION SPEECH was made by the Emperor. The Government announced the cancellation of the Petrol price increase. 25 FEBRUARY- REVOLT by the Second Division in Eritrea. 27-28 FEBRUARY-THE AKLILU CABINET is forced to Resign and Endalkatchew Mekonen becomes the new (provisional) Prime Minister. 5 MARCH- Second Concession Speech was made by the Emperor; the First Soldiers' Committee breaks up, followed by the Formation of a Second Soldiers' Committee headed by the Reformist and proEndalkatchew Colonel Alem Zewde. This Committee will later evolve into what became the Co-ordinating Committe of the Armed Forces and the Police (DERGUE). 7 MARCH- FIRST GENERAL STRIKE of Ethiopian WORKERS takes file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (5 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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place. 25 MARCH- The ARMY led by pro-Endalkachew officers occupies Debre Zeit to Bring "radical soldiers" into LINE; 8 APRIL -Endalkachew (the new Prime Minister) issues his so-called WHITE PAPER on Planned Reforms. 18 APRIL - About 150,000 Muslims March in the Ethiopian Capital (Addis Abeba) Demanding EQUAL TREATMENT. 19 APRIL-The EMPEROR refuses request from the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces to ARREST those directly RESPONSIBLE for the FAMINE of 1973-1974. 26 APRIL- The Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces arrests about 200 key former government officials and dignitaries. 30 APRIL- The pro-Endalkatchew and counter-revolutionary National Security Commission headed by General Abiye is set up to put a STOP to the ever-increasing RADICALIZATION of the Grass-root Popular Movement for fundamental change. 26 JUNE- A Delegation of Counter-revolutionary Parliamentary "Deputies" Requests the Release of the Detained Government Officials. 27-28 JUNE- The Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, the Police and the National Guard (known as the Dergue) formalizes its establishment by holding its first meeting; the Army takes control of the main strategic points in Addis Abeba; Mengistu Haile Mariam is elected Chairman of the Derg and Atnafu Abate vice-Chairman. 8 JULY- The Dergue issued its 13-Point Program of Ethiopia Tikdem file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (6 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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(Ethiopia FIRST). 9 JULY- Ethiopian political Refugees were formally invited by the Dergue to return home from abroad. 22 JULY- The Provisional Cabinet headed by Endalkachew was disbanded and replaced by the appointment of Michael Imiru as the new Prime Minister. 15-16 AUGUST- The Dergue abolishes the Monarchist institutions of the Ministry of the Pen, the Crown Council, the Imperial Court of Justice (Chilot); and transfers the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Emperor's "Private Cabinet" to the Ministry of Defense. 27 August- The EXPROPRIATION of the property of the COMPANIES (the ANBESSA BUS TRANSPORT company included) previously owned by the CROWN was ordered. The latter Company had (for the previous 21 years) served as a source of UN-EARNED INCOME for the Royal Oligarchy. 5 September- The Crown-owned St. George Brewery and the Haile Selassie Prize Trust were transferred to the Ministry of Finance. The Emperor had POCKETED more than 11 million birr in DIVIDENDS from the EXPROPRIATED St. George Brewery. 11 September- The Dergue requests the Emperor to bring back to the country FORTUNES he had AMASSED in FOREIGN BANKS so that the MONEY could be UTILIZED to HELP mitigate the country's grave economic CRISIS.; the DERGUE invites the Emperor to WATCH (with the Public) a televised FILM on the gruesome FAMINE, "The Hidden Hunger" made by the British Journalist Jonathan Dimbleby. 12 September- Emperor Haile Selassie was formally and finally file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (7 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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DEPOSED from POWER. The 1955 Constitution was SUSPENDED. The PUPPET Parliament of Haile Selassie was DISSOLVED. Guidelines for Ethiopian FOREIGN POLICY was ISSUED.
Post-September 12, 1974 THE REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS DEEPENS: FURTHER POLITICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC RADICALIZATION FOLLOWS 16 September- STUDENTS confused by COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES opposed to the RADICALIZATION process hold a PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION. 22 September- The Counter-revolutionary leaders of the former CIAfile:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (8 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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infiltrated CELU (Confederation of Ethiopian LABOR UNIONS) were arrested. 18 October- The Policy to launch the National Work Campaign for Development Through Cooperation (YESSIRANA GINBATTA ZEMECHA) was issued . 23-24 November- the Bonapartist political schemer Aman Andom and his two other counter-revolutionary associates as well as 57 former Ministers, Generals, and high-level Haile Selassie era officials were EXECUTED by the DERGUE for CRIMES committed against the interest of the PEOPLE. 2 December- Counter-revolutionaries EXPLODE bombs in Addis Abeba, SIGNALING the advent of WHITE TERROR by the ENEMIES of the ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS. 20 December- The Dergue declares a 10-Point Programme on what it called "Ethiopian Socialism". 21 December - The Dergue launches the National Work Campaign for Development Through Cooperation (Zemecha). 27 December- Radio Ethiopia BEGAN (for the first time) nation-wide BROADCASTS in the OROMIGNA language.
1975 1 JANUARY- 3 Commercial BANKS, 3 other FINANCIAL file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (9 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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INSTITUTIONS and 14 INSURANCE COMPANIES were NATIONALIZED. 3 FEBRUARY- 72 Privately-owned INDUSTRIAL and COMMERCIAL enterprises were NATIONALIZED. 4 MARCH- ALL RURAL LAND was NATIONALIZED thereby BREAKING the ECONOMIC BACKBONE of Ethiopian FEUDALISM, dealing a DEADLY BLOW against parasitic RURAL LANDLORDISM throughout Ethiopia. From Then on, SUPPORT for, or OPPOSITION against, the LAND REFORM Proclamation and its IMPLEMENTATION became the KEY political DIVIDING LINE between the REVOLUTIONARY and COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY camps. It was mainly from then on that the PSEUDOREVOLUTIONARY leaders of the EPRP ceased to be part of the Ethiopian "left", and STARTED to be the OBJECTIVE counterrevolutionary "tailist" TOOLS of the old PARASITIC order of RURAL and URBAN LANDLORDISM.
5 MARCH- Close to 800,000 citizens participated in a mammoth MASS RALLY in the nation's capital (Addis Abeba) SUPPORTING the NATIONALIZATION of ALL RURAL LAND. 6-31 March- Shortly following the Proclamation of the Nationalization of Rural Land, the PARASITIC and BLOOD-SUCKING remnants of the OLD ORDER re-grouped and formed (in London) the counterrevolutionary outfit which called itself the Ethiopian Democratic (???) Union (E.D.U.), the subsequent political ALLY and PARTNER of the EPRP right-wing LEADERS. 21 MARCH- The MONARCHY as an institution as well as all ROYAL file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (10 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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TITLES were ABOLISHED. 1st of MAY- MAY DAY (the International WORKERS holiday) was OBSERVED for the FIRST time in Ethiopia. 19 MAY- The Old and CIA-manipulated Confederation of Ethiopian Labor Unions (CELU) was DISSOLVED. 26 JULY- ALL URBAN LAND AND EXTRA HOUSES in the URBAN centers of Ethiopia were NATIONALIZED effective from August 7, 1975. The latter REVOLUTIONARY measure COMPLETED what the RURAL LAND NATIONALIZATION proclamation STARTED, namely, the SMASHING of the old pre-1974 PARASITIC order of RURAL as well as URBAN LANDLORDISM. From then on, the PARTY of the BIG LANDLORDS ( the EDU, and later the EPDA) and that of the SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS (the EPRP, etc) were "up in arms" against the PROGRESS and RADICALIZATION of the ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTIONARY process. Their TRUE political COLOR came to the FOREGROUND from then on. Their subsequent RESORT to the counter-revolutionary campaign of WHITE TERROR stemmed from their increasing political ISOLATION and DESPERATION. 23 August- The WORK and DEVELOPMENT Zemecha CAMPAIGN was EXTENDED for ANOTHER YEAR. 27 August- The former AUTOCRAT, Haile Selassie DIES in DETENTION before being TRIED for CRIMES against the Ethiopian PEOPLE. 29 SEPTEMBER- Private SCHOOLS were brought under Government Control. 6 December- A New Revolutionary Labor Law was enacted establishing file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (11 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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the All-Ethiopian Trade Unions (AETU), replacing the old CELU, and with a far-broader MASS MEMBERSHIP BASE; the law extended the SCOPE and BREADTH of PROTECTIONS provided to Ethiopian WORKERS employed in BIG as well as MEDIUM and SMALL public as well as private enterprises. 13-14 December- A Revolutionary Proclamation Strengthening PEASANT ASSOCIATIONS in RURAL Ethiopia was issued. 29 December- A Proclamation Providing a REGULATORY REGIME for PRIVATE CAPITAL was enacted.
1976 THE REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS TAKES A PROGRAMMATICALLY-COHERENT DIRECTION WITH DEFINED CONTOURS AND A CLEARER LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE (UNLIKE THE EARLIER PERIOD OF INCOHERENT IMPROVISATION BY THE DERGUE)
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20 APRIL- The Program of the NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION Program was ENDORSED formally and officially thanks to the concerted INFLUENCE of the FIRST genuine LEFT BLOC composed of, among others, MEISON, WOZ LEAGUE, MALERID, ECHIAT, as well as the then LEFT-LEANING elements in what subsequently became SEDED (later formalized into an official LEFT BLOC "quintet"). From then on, the CONFUSED era of "Ethiopian socialism" and some such NONSENSE was cast aside. 20 April- The PROVISIONAL OFFICE for MASS ORGANIZATIONAL AFFAIRS (POMOA) was established through which the FIRST revolutionary LEFT BLOC of 5 progressive organizations was able to function as a CATALYST for MOBILIZING the WORKERS, PEASANTS, and URBAN DWELLERS of Ethiopia in the extremely FRUITFUL political work of BROADENING and DEEPENING the ongoing Ethiopian Revolutionary Process. 18 May- A 9-point policy Declaration was issued for the PEACEFUL resolution of the Eritrean Problem. 10-13 July- The Sisay Habte-led right-wing and counter-revolutionary conspiracy was CRUSHED. 25 July- The counter-revolutionary plot led by Lt. Colonel Berhanu Haile and Lt. Haile Mariam Hassan was SMASHED. 23 September- The Perpetrators of WHITE TERROR initiated the counter-revolutionary campaign of cold-blooded MURDER by launching an ASSASSINATION attempt on the life of Mengistu Haile Mariam, then STILL an INTEGRAL PART of the LEFT BLOC and the REVOLUTIONARY camp. THOSE who INITIATED that WHITE TERROR (the EDU-EPRP counter-revolutionary camp) could only blame THEMSELVES for the RED TERROR "onslaught" which was to file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (13 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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FOLLOW. Those who "sowed" the "wind" of WHITE TERROR out of DESPERATION were inevitably INVITING (on themselves) the subsequent unleashing of the "whirl wind" of the RED TERROR against them. Those who "sowed" the "wind" of WHITE TERROR had to "reap" the COUNTER-BLOWS of the "whirl wind" of the RED TERROR that followed in the footsteps of their WHITE TERROR. 26 September- A Revolutionary Proclamation was enacted to provide for the DEMOCRATIZATION of the ADMINISTRATION of the Ethiopian SCHOOL SYSTEM by allowing the WORKING PEOPLE of the URBAN centers as well as RURAL areas the exercise of DEMOCRATIC CONTROL and SUPERVISION over Ethiopian SCHOOLS. 9 October- A Revolutionary Proclamation providing for the Strengthening of Kebele (neighborhood) Association of Urban Dwellers as politico-administrative Organs of Urban local government was enacted. 20 October- The EPRP counter-revolutionary leadership headed by Tesfaye Debessaie DREW UP a LIST and ORDERED their RECRUITS to CARRY OUT the ASSASSINATION (among others) of the revolutionary intellectual FIKRE MERED, a leading member of MEISON, and a CO-LEADER of POMOA (the Provisional Office for Mass Organizational Affairs). By this CRIMINAL action, the EPRP counter-revolutionaries were SIGNALING the INTENSIFICATION of the WHITE TERROR they INITIATED already a month earlier on September 23, 1976. From then on, and by their own CRIMINAL action, the EPRP counter-revolutionary leaders were INVITING the LEGITIMATE and revolutionary COUNTER-BLOWS of the subsequent campaign of RED TERROR conducted and led by the LEFT BLOC with the active participation of the WORKERS and PEASANTS of Ethiopia, both in the URBAN centers as well as in the COUNTRYSIDE.
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26 November- A Proclamation establishing a new Road Transport Authority to promote an expanded, efficient, and economical road transport system throughout the country was enacted. 29 DECEMBER- A Proclamation establishing a Higher Education Commission and laying down the broad revolutionary objectives of Higher Educational Institutions in Ethiopia was enacted. 29 December - Under the GUISE of a so-called "Reform" of the Dergue Internal Structure, the counter-revolutionary agents of the EPRP inside the DEGUE, namely, the Alemayehu Haile-Mogus Wolde Michael sneaky and snaky CLIQUE carried out what the Ethiopian LEFT at the time characterized as a "Silent Coup d'etat" whose objective was the "shoving aside" of MENGISTU HAILEMARIAM (the then spokesperson of the LEFTIST elements inside the Dergue) from key position inside the Dergue, thereby CONCENTRATING power in the hands of that snaky ANTI-PEOPLE clique.
1977 1-15 JANUARY- Aided from behind by the CIA and the Sadat-Numerie gang, the so-called Ethiopian Democratic (?) Union (EDU) launched a counter-revolutionary ARMED OFFENSIVE in the rural areas of NorthWestern Ethiopia to DESTABILIZE and DERAIL the Ethiopian Revolutionary process, culminating in the temporary CAPTURE of HUMERA. 30 January- A Mammoth Mass Rally was held in Addis Abeba CONDEMNING the CIA-SADAT-NUMERIE meddling in Ethiopian file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (15 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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internal Affairs by financing ARMED CONTRAS of the EDU variety. 1-3 FEBRUARY- the hitherto informal LEFT BLOC of 5 revolutionary organizations, namely, MEISON, WOZ LEAGUE, MALERID, ECHIAT, and SEDED is formalized into a structured COMMON REVOLUTIONARY LEFT FRONT of the quintet. 3 February - The then LEFTIST elements inside the Dergue headed by Mengistu Haile Mariam and Daniel Asfaw (the Head of Intelligence) carried out a bold COUNTER-COUP against the December 29 rightwing COUP LEADERS inside the Dergue, and LIQUIDATED the EPRP agents, the Alemayehu Haile- Mogus Wolde Michael counterrevolutionary CLIQUE. 4 February- The LEFT BLOC and the REVOLUTIONARY CAMP Launches a COUNTER-OFFENSIVE against the CRIMINAL perpetrators of the WHITE TERROR. 26 FEBRUARY-JIMMY CARTER, THE WASHINGTON "GOD FATHER" of COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY "DESTABILIZATION" against the ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION, decided to "end" all preexisting "US military aid" to Ethiopia as PART of the CAMPAIGN to DISARM and CRUSH the Ethiopian Revolution. 6 MARCH-- WORKERS and URBAN DWELLERS were ARMED to DEFEND the GAINS of the Ethiopian REVOLUTION from the increasingly intensifying WHITE TERROR being perpetrated by the EDU-EPRP counter-revolutionary camp. 8 MARCH- INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY is celebrated across Ethiopia for the first time thanks to the concerted INFLUENCE of the LEFT BLOC.
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12 MARCH - The former "Radio Voice of the Gospel" was NATIONALIZED and re-named "Radio Voice of Revolutionary Ethiopia". 14 MARCH- Cuban Revolutionary Leader Fidel Castro arrived in Ethiopia on an official visit and as a show of SOLIDARITY with the Ethiopian Revolution. 25 MARCH- President of the ALL-ETHIOPIAN TRADE UNIONS (AETU), Tewodros Bekele, was ASSASSINATED by the EPRP counterrevolutionary perpetrators of the criminal WHITE TERROR. 2 April- Retreating from the REVOLUTIONARY COURSE of the moment and VACILLATING between the camp of the revolutionary LEFT and counter-revolutionary RIGHT, the Mengistu-led SEDED openly BEGINS to undermine the COMMON FRONT of the LEFT BLOC by ordering the EXECUTION of Kebele leader GIRMA KEBEDE for the "crime" of IMPLEMENTING the policy of the RED TERROR already APPROVED by the COMMON FRONT of the the LEFT BLOC in order to COUNTER the WHITE TERROR, thereby signaling the beginning of a political FRICTION between the genuine LEFT on the one hand, and the political "chameleon" Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam on the other. 14 April- A Huge Mass Rally was held in Addis Abeba URGING a renewed COUNTER-OFFENSIVE to DEFEND the GAINS of the REVOLUTION from the mounting AUDACITY of the perpetrators of the WHITE TERROR who in fact "up scaled" their CRIMINAL campaign of ASSASSINATION even MORE, believing that the "execution" of Kebele Leader Girma Kebede on April 2, 1977 by the order of the snakyChameleon Mengistu Haile Mariam was indeed a "moral booster" in their favor. file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (17 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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22-23 April- The espionage centres of the United States (the Kagnew base in Asmara and 3 other establishments) were CLOSED DOWN. 1st of MAY- MAY DAY 1977 was celebrated WARMLY and enthusiastically by WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES throughout Ethiopia for the SECOND TIME thanks again to the strong INFLUENCE and MASS MOBILIZATION work of the LEFT BLOC 8 May- The LEFT BLOC launched the RED TERROR counter-offensive to stem the tide of the WHITE TERROR, and thousands of ARMED WORKERS and ARMED revolutionary URBAN DWELLERS participated in the CAMPAIGN to put a STOP to the NEST of counterrevolutionary EPRP ARMED BRIGANDS and HIRED ASSASSINS trained and "remote-controlled" by ISSAYAS AFEWORKI through the AGENCY of NOTORIOUS anti-people CRIMINAL EPRP "leaders" like TESFAYE DEBESSAI. 29 May-The EXPULSION of American and British MILITARY ATTACHES was ordered. 14 JULY- Under the "guise" of "reforming" POMOA, snaky-chameleon Mengistu Haile Mariam PLACED his CRONIES in key POSITION in POMOA and tried to "elbow out" and "dislodge" the MEISON-led LEFT BLOC which he "accused" of "dominating" POMOA. By thus provoking an untimely MESON-SEDED "friction", the snaky COLONEL (who was already SLIDING to the RIGHT on a number of key LIFE and DEATH issues for the Ethiopian Revolution) further DISRUPTED the UNITY of the LEFT BLOC at a CRUCIAL moment when LEFT UNITY was needed the MOST. 21 JULY- The Governments of the United States and Britain announced openly that they would "deliver defensive weapons" to SAID BARRE, and that, at a time when it was Said BARRE who was PREPARING to file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (18 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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INVADE Ethiopia, "egged on" from behind by the Anglo-American IMPERIALIST sinister INTRIGUERS. 23 JULY- Having Secured a "green light" from Washington, London, Cairo, and Khartoum, Said Barre of Somalia launched the criminal INVASION of Ethiopia and seized substantial Ethiopian territory as PART of a LARGER Washington-orchestrated DESTABILIZATION agenda which found the EDU-EPRP campaign of WHITE TERROR "from within" as an "added bonanza" AIDING the Mogadishuspearheaded ATTACK "from without" in order to "finish off" the Ethiopian Revolution at its INFANCY.
23 JULY-19 AUGUST, 1977 The Month following the Somali invasion of Ethiopia brought to a head the SIMMERING "friction" WITHIN the LEFT BLOC and WIDENED the GULF between the MEISON-led genuine LEFT on the one hand, and the snaky Colonel on the other . The DISAGREEMENT on HOW to DEFEND the country from the FOREIGN INVADERS without COMPROMISING the GAINS of the REVOLUTION became one of the BURNING and CENTRAL issues of the moment. The DIFFERENCE in approach on that issue as well as Mengistu Haile Mariam's treacherous ATTEMPT to ORGANIZE and DEPLOY "parallel death squads" to ASSASSINATE key CADRES of MEISON and then cleverly "put" the BLAME for those DIRTY DEEDS at the door of the EPRP counter-revolutionary assassins, FORCED Meison to DISSOCIATE from a COMMON FRONT of the LEFT BLOC hereafter "dominated" by Mengistu's "Seded". Following Meison's forced DEPARTURE from the ALLIANCE controlled by SEDED by August 19, file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (19 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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1977, the open REPRESSION unleashed by Colonel Mengistu against MEISON went hand in hand with Mengistu Haile Mariam's increasing SLIDE further to the RIGHT on a broad front of DOMESTIC and FOREIGN POLICY issues. Between August 1977 and 1979, SEDED's "friction" with the REMAINING 3 progressive organizations in the former COMMON FRONT of the LEFT BLOC, namely, WOZ LEAGUE, MALERID, and ECHIAT, worsened bit by bit, ending in a counter-revolutionary campaign of "liquidation" directed against ALL of THEM. Once that was completed, the Snaky chameleon and "the tin pot Colonel" came to see himself and his RIGHTIST cohorts as "the sole captains" of a SINKING SHIP; Rhetorically they saw themselves (with DELUSIONAL pretense) as "builders" of a SHAM "socialist Ethiopia" without genuine and authentic socialist leaders and cadres. Once the snaky chameleon, Mengistu Haile Mariam "broke" with the GENUINE LEFT between August 1977 and 1979, he was "embraced" by "the types" of Colonel Goshu Wolde and Hailu Shaul (the future "stars" of "kinijjit"), who "flooded" his so-called "Workers' Party" "en masse" back in the early 1980s, only to "ditch it" at the earliest "opportune moment". The "fissure" of the LEFT BLOC of August 1977 was, in a nutshell, the key PIVOTAL point, after which the Ethiopian Revolution began to GO DOWNHILL, until the DEGENERATION process culminated in Mengistu Haile Mariam's final ignominious and forced EXIT from POWER by May 1991.
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WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMEMORATION OF THE ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION OF 1974
RURAL LAND ON THE EVE OF THE ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION "Prior to the February Revolution, members of the ROYAL FAMILY, the FEUDAL LANDLORDS, ARISTOCRATS, and the UPPER CLERGY of the Ethiopian ORTHODOX CHURCH owned and controlled MOST of the FERTILE LAND with 60 percent of the CULTIVATED LAND belonging to LESS THAN 1,000 families. The POLITICAL POWER exercised by the FEUDAL AUTOCRACY had its BASE in the OWNERSHIP of LAND, the EXCESSIVE EXPLOITATION of the PEASANTS and its DEPENDANT LINKS with WORLD IMPERIALISM, particularly, US IMPERIALISM"
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***** URBAN LAND AND EXTRA HOUSES ON THE EVE OF THE ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION "Before the OVERTHROW of Emperor Haile Selassie, 0.005 per cent of the POPULATION, that is, just 50 members of the RULING CLASS owned 8 percent of the LAND in Addis Abeba. More than 85 per cent of the PEOPLE living in the city paid RENT to LANDLORDS." (Excerpt from: Workers World (USA), "THE ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION AND THE STRUGGLE AGAINST US IMPERIALISM: A WEEK-by-WEEK ANALYSIS FROM WORKERS WORLD Newspaper", New York, World View Publishers,1978, at pp.54-55)
***** PART - II REMEMBERING file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (22 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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THE REVOLUTIONARY MARTYRS WHO DIED FIGHTING FOR, AND DEFENDING, THE POPULAR GAINS OF THE HALF-FINISHED AND YET UN-FINISHED ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION >>>>> WHY WE IN THE ETHIOPIAN LEFT HAVE file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (23 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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RESOLVED TO FIGHT IN DEFENSE OF THE VERY SAME REVOLUTIONARY GAINS FOR THE DEFENSE OF WHICH THE MARTYRS DIED, AND WHY WE WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY THE STRUGGLE FOR THE RESTORATION, CONSOLIDATION AND EXTENSION OF THE POPULAR GAINS WHICH WERE UNDERMINED AND REVERSED , FIRST BY COLONEL MENGISTU BETWEEN 1978 AND 1991, AND LATER, BY IMPERIALIST QUISLING AND NOTORIOUS COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY, MELES ZENAWI SINCE 1991.
>>>>> THE FOLLOWING PARTIAL LIST OF REVOLUTIONARY MARTYRS INCLUDES: MARTYRED VICTIMS OF THE WHITE TERROR PERPETRATED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1976 AND 1979 BY THE COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY LEADERS OF THE EPRP AND THE EDU ANTI-PEOPLE CAMP ; THOSE WHO WERE MURDERED DURING THE SAME PERIOD BY MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM'S DEATH SQUADS; AS WELL AS THOSE PROMINENT POLITICAL CADRES WHO FELL IN BATTLE DURING THE WAR AGAINST THE ERITREAN SEPARATISTS.
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1. MARYRED WORKERS AND TRADE UNION LEADERS Alemu Wolde Gabriel Kassahun Ambaye Kebede Gebre Michael Kinfe Habte Mariam Temesgen Madebo Tewodros Bekele Tsegaye Yehuwalaw Zerihun Gebrehot ... and many more
2. MARTYRED REVOLUTIONARY WOMEN POLITICAL ACTIVISTS Alemeshet Tefera Atnaf Alem Yemane Etalemahu Araaya Dr. Nigist Adane (MD) Siriyu (Enanu) Mengistu Woyineshet Haile Selassie ... and many MORE file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/mr/My%20Documents/ANSWERS.htm (25 of 30) [2/2/2011 8:13:40 AM]
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3. MARTYRED REVOLUTIONARY INTELLECTUALS, ARTISTS, AND PROFESSIONALS, AS WELL AS REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS, AIRMEN, SAILORS, AND POLICEMEN Abdulahi Yusuf Alemayehu Biru Alemayehu Ketema Ambachew Negash Ayele Gurr Berhane Tekle Mariam Bezabih Fikre Channee Workineh Dagnew Abera Damte Meshesha (MARINE FORCE) DANIEL ASFAW (NATIONAL SECURITY) Daniel Ayele DANIEL TADESSE Demeke Alemneh (AIR FORCE)
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Demeke Haregewoyin Demissie Worku Denbi Dissassa Dereje Lema Desta Tadesse Dinku Gurmu (MARINE FORCE) Eshetu Alemu (AIR FORCE) Eyob Tadesse Fanta Abera Fekadu Chernet Fikireu Yohannes Fikirree Ganchi Fikirree Merid Gebre Egziabher Hagos Gessesse Belaye Getachew Agide (POLICE FORCE) Getachew Tadesse (AIR FORCE) Getahun Tamene Getnet Zewde
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Girma Kebede Girma Work Alemayehu (AIR FORCE) Gulilat Gebre Mariam Guta Sernessa Habtamu Mitiku Haile-Eyessus Aba-Hassen Haile Fida Hailu Berhanu Hailu Gerbaba Ibrahim Abdurkadir Jemal Ahmed Kassaye Shiferaw (MARINE FORCE) Kebede Demissie Kebede Deriba Dr. Kebede Mengesha Kedir Mohammed Lema Kebede Dr. Mekonen Jottee Mekuwanint Girma
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Mengesha Geleta Mengistu Yimenu Mesfin Kassu Mitiku Terfassa Mulugeta Dejene Negash Teshome (MARINE FORCE) Negash Yeshitila (POLICE FORCE) Negussie Negassa Said Abera Dr. Senaye Likkee Seyoum Alemu (AIR FORCE) Shimelis Olana Shitaye Desta (AIR FORCE) Sissay Bezu Solomon Haile Tadesse Edda-aa Tadesse Gizaw Takele Lemlemu Tariku Lema
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Dr. Taye Abegaz Dr. Tefera Wolde Tsadick Tesfaye Gelan Tesfaye Tadesse Tigistu Senaye (Police Force) Tsegaye Debalkie Wolde Mariam Haile (GROUND FORCES) Yohannes Mesfin Yonas Lema Zewde Bogale ... and many, many, more
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NOTE The Above list was originally published in A.E.C.L's main organ: KEYI ADMASS/RED HORIZON, vol.13 no.4 Miazia 23, 1984 (May 1st 1992 Issue) pp. 112-116.
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