THE OROMO PEOPLES CONGRESS (OPC)

                                THE OPC Support Group in Europe

                                      SUPPORT THE OROMO PEOPLE’S CONGRESS!!

As you may all know, a decade has past, since the creation of the Oromo National Congress (the name has been changed to The Oromo Peoples Congress-OPC since November 2007 because of coercive political reasons).  The main objectives of the organisation as enshrined in its political program are to:

-create a democratic system of government in Ethiopia;

- organise the Oromo nation politically and give its proper leadership;  

-protect and promote the cultural, economic and political rights of the Oromo’s and that of other oppressed peoples;

- enable the Oromo’s to become the beneficiaries of the products of their natural resources and the outcome of the products of that of their physical and intellectual labour;

- ensure that the Oromo language, their traditions and the various custom that they have inherited from previous generations are protected and preserved in order to benefit both the present and the coming generations.

 Since its creation in April, 1996, the leadership and its Members have been labouring hard to ensure that the objectives of the organisation as provided in the political program are implemented. Despite challenges, that are ultra various, significant political and organisational measures had been taken to this effect, and great tasks had been accomplished in order to reach every corner of the Oromo society, and thereby getting the people politically mobilized.

The Oromo mass, inter alia, the peasant, the worker, Oromo students (high school and University students), teachers, the business community were consulted. Youth and cultural associations had been created. Offices had been opened in different regions, and constructive political works had been promoted both among the Oromos and among other peoples that inhabit Oromo territories or Ethiopia. Moreover, political contacts had been initiated and different forms of inter-organisational co-operations promoted. Continues efforts have been made to create and further develop different forms of co-operations with opposition political organisation that are operating both inside, and outside the country. The constructive role that the ONC played during the famously known Paris Peace Conference (opposition parties political conference), during the signing of tri-party agreement known as Joint Action for Democracy, and last but not list during that of the creation of the Union of Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) are symbolic to amplify the constructive co-operation that  the organisation exercised with the opposition political parties. Such undertakings by the ONC, no doubt, assert the organisationscommitment to further promote the struggles that it has embarked on, i.e. the struggle  to create and promote a democratic system of government and that of ensuring the respect of human rights through out Ethiopia.

Today, ONC enjoys a strong support among millions of peoples. The support has become obvious among the Oromos and the rest of the Ethiopian peoples. It just worth mentioning that more than 4 million Oromos voted in support of ONC during the May election and in spite of all the obstacles that had been created by the regime, ONC could win 150 sits in the state election and 40 sits in the Federal Election.  Election 2005 is a landmark in Oromo’s political history, for the Oromo people in a democratic way could unseat three leading government officials (Girma Biru- Woliso-southern shoa,  Aba-dulla Gamada and Junedin Sado Arsi zone-Iteya)- all of them Oromo nationals, that execute the exploitation of Oromo resources and that of the Oromo people by an alien force. If these gangs of three are still on power, it is not because they have won the support of the Oromo people, but for selling their loyalty to the TPLF/EPRDF group at a cheaper price

The victories recorded by the organisation rather tells nothing, but the existing full and strong support that the organisation enjoys among its people and the support that the people gives to the organisation’s political program.

 Today, the strong support that the organisation enjoys among its people has become a pain on the neck for the ruling party and as it is widely known by every body, both inside the country itself and to the outside world, ONC Members, its supporters and sympathizers are daily harassed, bitten, tortured and many of them are thrown into prison on several occasions. People including those who are elected to represent their voters in the parliament were subjected to assassination and several offices, including the ones in Fin fine (Addis Abeba)) were seized and subjected to illegal closure. Moreover, attempts were made to unseat the legally elected ONC leadership by individual’s who are proven to be puppets to the ruling party and last but not list, the name of the organisation was subjected to change forcefully from Oromo National Congress to Oromo Peoples Congress (OPC). This is pure political robbery!!

The warnings directed against our organisation by the countries prime minister during the October parliamentary session was nothing, but just a groundless allegation, and its motive of course is nothing less nothing more, but to threaten our people and our members in order not to actively participation in the coming local and district elections due to take place in January 2008.

 Despite all forms of repression, the support for the organisation grows tremendously, making the leadership and the Members like a fish in the ocean. It would have been clear by now to the EPRDF/TPLF leadership that the ONC is a brain child of independent Oromo intellectuals. It is an organisation created by Oromos for Oromos, in order to liberate them from all forms oppressions, but not to serve dictators or its opressors. It is created in the heart of the Oromos; -lives with and operates among its people and with its people.

Thus, presenting the aims that the organisation is created for, providing the progresses made and the obstacles faced thereto, we remain convinced that the Oromos in Diaspora can play a significant role in order to promote the task that the organisation has embarked on, that of liberating our people against all forms of operation. At this moment it worth mentioning that despite all forms of challenges, specially political and financial challenges the organisations work is in progress, the best example being its determination to open 77 offices-both zone and kebele offices for the coming election due to take place in January 2008.

It is a high time that the Oromos in Diaspora keep their petty differences aside and work together in order to liberate their people against the most exploitative and repressive regime that the Oromo history has ever known.