What is the alliance for democracy
Last Friday, I wrote that there would be an earth quake in ethiopian politics in a few days. I had a day before learnt that OLF and Kinjit had agreed to form an alliance for democracy. That day invitation was extended to other groups and parties and I had to wait until the others also join the alliance to write about it. For me and some of my friends who were following the developments closely at home, the formation of the alliance between Kinijit and OLF was more than a pleasant surprise. It is a new chapter in Ethiopian politics.
At the current state of things, some ethiopians have two major worries.
-What will happen post-Meles? Can a transitional government be formed without the various political groupings having to go at each other?
-What is the role of OLF in such government? Will it press on for secession immediately?
I think the alliance with its undertakings is the begning of the answer for these two basic questions. OLF has now accepted that it is a majot political force in Ethiopia. Kinijit has accepted the necessity of working with OLF. Further, both are now looking beyond the current state of things in Ethiopia.
My contacts in the Ethiopian Army usually note that both OLF and Kinijit have massive support in the rank and file members of the army. The problem is there is a deep suspicion between the two groups. The success of the alliance will definitely have reverbrations in the army.
Kinijit and OLF still have a differnce in strategy(the former supporting peacful struggle while the other having an army). It is great that such and other ideological differences haven't forbidden them to join hands on things they can work together.
It is now the responsiblity of the new substitue kinijit leadership and the veteran OLF leaders to work hard and make the alliance a success. The Ethiopian people deserve it!