Kinijit for Unity and Democracy

        Kinijit Sacramento Support Chapter

Dr, Bezabih Demissie, member of central committee of Kinijit party, elected member of Ethiopian Parliament, and the lead of

mediator of the team designated by Kinijit party to Diaspora. Shaleka Admassu Melaku, member of central committee of

Kinijit party, elected member of Ethiopian Parliament, and member of mediator team that was appointed by Kinijit party to

Diaspora, and Dr. Taye Woldsemayat Chairman of Kinijit International Council (KIC) were in Sacramento as part of West

Coast tour launched by KIC and the Kinijit party and upon the invitation of Kinijit Sacramento Support Chapter.

Sacramento was the delegates’ first stop after Kinijit leadership, civic organization leaders and human right activists were

released from prison. After the usual welcome and brief introduction of the invited guests, Dr. Bezabih Demissie opened his

speech by sharing the good news that the leadership of Kinijit, civic organizations and human right activists have been released

from jail. The audiences expressed their happiness and delight by big applause and standing ovation. Dr. Bezabih then went on

transmitting the message he just received from Ato Hailu Shawel, the Chairman of Kinijit Party. He told the audience that

Ato Hailu Shawel and members of Kinijit party are so grateful to Diaspora community for standing alongside the prisoners and

the Ethiopian people and for sharing the agony of the people of Ethiopia in the trying times. He strongly believes that the Diaspora

community commitment to free Ethiopians from poverty and keep territorial integrity of Ethiopia will continue unabated. The

commitment he added should continue until genuine democracy and justice are established in Ethiopia. Similar opening speeches

have been delivered by Shaleka Admassu Melaku and Dr. Taye Woldesemayat.

The delgates emphasized that the debacle in which the Diaspora Kinijit Support chapters and the Kinijit International have been into

are resolved upon the release of the Kinijit leadership from prison. All agree that the discourse of discussion has drastically changed

since the delegates have been in Seattle for similar mission. The delegates assured the audience that the released leaders will give

clear directives and all confusions will be cleared as soon as the Kinijit party resumes work in Ethiopia. Shaleka Admassu assured the

audience that the people of Ethiopia are still fully behind Kinijit party. The party will un-doubtly raise itself up from the level where it is

now, to the level where it has been two years back. He is confident that in a couple of months, the party can open all ransacked and

closed Kinijit offices in all zones and Woredas. He assured the audience that the leadership moral integrity and quality, as well as their

burning desire to establish democracy and freedom and ignite the engine of prosperity in Ethiopia is still running high.

Dr Taye Woldesemayat, the Chairman of KIC also emphasized that the Diaspora community has to renew its commitment to support

the struggle for democracy, freedom and justice in Ethiopia. He reminded the audience that Ethiopians in homeland have been unduely

suffering from poverty and injustice when we Ethiopians indulge ourselves with unnecessary bickering among ourselves. He underscored

that this unwarranted and destructive trend has to change. He vowed that he will continue to actively participate and help move the

struggle forward in any position and at any capacity he finds himself in.

With no further ado, the floor was open to the audience to discuss issues that matters most to the struggle and how the Diaspora

community could support the struggle in Ethiopia with the new political development. All unanimously agree not to lament about the

ugly past. Little to no references were made to the past unfortunate incidences during the discussion.

Below are summaries of discussed issues:

• Ethiopia’s political stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity is in great danger because of the volatile political situation of the horn

of Africa and bad foreign policy Woyane chose to follow. The audience emphasized this danger has to be reversed and recommended

that Kinijit make saving Ethiopia its priority.

• Ethiopia’s problems are too many and complex. No single organization can solve problems of such huge magnitude. Therefore, Kinijit

should work in collaboration with other sister organizations to intensify and expand the struggle for democratic Ethiopia.

• Diaspora community should double its commitment in supporting the struggle for democracy, freedom, and justice in Ethiopia.
• The audience emphasized that Kinijit should thoroughly evaluate the circumstances that caused the division among Kinijit support

groups in Diaspora so that past mistakes should not be repeated. Not only corrective measures but also preventive tools should be in

place immediately to avoid infighting and division among Kinijit supporters.

• The audience emphasized that directives from Kinijit leadership in Ethiopia to Diaspora Kinijit party representatives should be through

clearly identified chain of command. The chain of command should be clearly communicated to Kinijit supporters so that the supporters themselves could actively guard from unscrupulous groups.

• The audience cautions the public to guard itself from false propaganda and mis-information in the internet. There are too many websites

that bear the name of Kinijit and the information they carry are at times conflicting and confusing. Therefore, Kinijit should urgently put in place single officially recognized news and information outlet for the public.

• The role of Kinijit party and Kinijit support chapters should be clearly identified and defined. It was emphasized that some of the causes

of the unwarranted dispute among Kinijit supporters was the transgression of the support chapters with the party duties.

Ethiopia shall survive!!