Black News - Freedom Archives

Ethiopian Foreign ; Minister Speaks
on Revolutionary Struggle
On January 25 the Ethiopian Mission to the
United Nations held a press conference, led by its
Foreign Minister Major Dawit Wolde Giorgis .
Major Giorgis had arrived in the West primarily
to observe the 29th anniversary of the Cuban
revolution, and made a stopover in the United
States .
He began by pointing out the crises that
Ethiopia faced last year . Somalia had invaded
Ethiopia at two key points claiming northern
Ethiopia as a part of "Greater Somalia." The
Eritrean movement is attempting a secession
from Ethiopia and last year launched major offensives
against the Ethiopian forces . At this_
point however, Ethiopia has forced the Somalis
out of the country, while not retaliating to seize
Somali territories and respecting established
borders . MajorGiorgis stated that Ethiopia as
well "has been struck very hard-. . .85% of the
territory is under complete control of the
revolutionary (Ethiopian) forces."
Regarding the Eritrean situation, the Foreign
Minister put forth that the secessionist
movement was illegitimate because the territory
is actually a province and not a country .
by Segun Shabaka & Susan Giles
Ethiopia is made up of seven different tribal
groupings, each with their own language and
culture, and Eritreans are one of those groups .
Prior to independence the revolutionaries had
supported the Eritreans as a tactic utilized to
facilitate the destruction of the oppressive feudal
system which was then in power . He further
explained that the 'Eritrean problem must be
resolved from a class perspective as opposed to a
colonial or a national one . After the National
Democratic Revolution was declared, the
Eritreans continued with their plans for secession
and the Ethiopian forces undertook a strong
politicization campaign to counter those forces .
Socialism was declared as a "national program"
and the people were called upon to come together
and support the new structure . In response to a
question, Major Giorgis emphasized that there
could be no reconciliation with Eritrea if they
didn't go along with the socialist program of the
National Democratic Revolution .
It was further explained that one of the aims of
the revolution was "to improve the standard of
living of the Ethiopian people ." Because of the
internal and external struggles of that Ethiopia
'has waged over the last four years it has been
unable to concentrate on domestic production
and development . Now that the reactionary,
forces have been for the most part defeated, they
will be moving into the next phase, that of
economic development . The second phase
economic campaign will increase production in
the agricultural and industrial areas . But Giorgis
stressed, they will "work within the context of
our capabilities ."
The foreign minister said that the National
Democratic Revolution was using all available
resources to eliminate illiteracy, poverty,
prostitution, and unemployment . And through
the consolidation of the mass organizations of
the women, workers, and youth associations
Ethiopia would achieve this goal .
Fundamental contradictions have been resolved
and the revolutionary groups are in the process
of forming a party .
The Foreign Minister said that nine countries,
including Nigeria, Tanzania, and seven non-
African socialist countries, had been visited for,