(JT) Several leaders of the eight-party coalition group "Medrek" reiterated their vision for Ethiopia during a large meeting in the US capital Washington D.C. Former Minister of Defense Siye Abraha, Engineer Gizachew Shiferaw, Dr. Negasso Gidada and Gebru Asrat were among the leaders of the delegation who visited several North American cities to speak with the Ethiopian Diaspora.

Dr. Negasso attracted one of the loudest cheers from the diverse Ethiopian crowd when he described the growing thirst for change among the people of  Ethiopia, particularly in Tigray, the base of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s 19-year rule. According to Dr. Negasso, his recent visits in the Tigray capital city of Mekelle showed that Tigrayan-Ethiopians are ready for a “third Weyane,” referring to the word’s translation to a “revolution.”

The “first Weyane” revolution was in the 1940s when people of the former Tigray province, both ethnic Tigrayans and Raya-Azebo Oromo residents of the north, revolted against the feudal rule of Emperor Haile Selassie.  Dr. Negasso said the “second Weyane” was the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) movement that removed Mengistu Hailemariam’s communist government. Medrek’s vice-president Gebru Asrat, who used to be an executive member of the TPLF, gave detailed report on the undemocratic nature of the “Revolutionary Democracy” ideology of the current TPLF/EPRDF ruling party. The new opposition movement in Ethiopia, led by the Medrek coalition and its northern branch sub-party ARENA Tigray, is the “third Weyane” for Tigrayans, said Dr. Negasso.

Medrek is the largest opposition group participating in the upcoming 2010 national election. Alongside the Arena Tigray party, Medrek includes the main parties: Dr. Merera Gudina’s Oromo People’s Congress (OPC), Judge Birtukan Mideksa’s Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), Professor Beyene Petros Ethiopian Social Democratic Party (ESDP) and Bulcha Demeksa’s Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM). During the DC meeting, Medrek leaders took several challenging questions from the audience who asked why Medrek is ignoring the imprisoned opposition leader Judge Birtukan Mideksa and legitimizing Meles Zenawi’s rule by participating in the upcoming election. The Medrek leaders answered that their campaigns nationwide in Ethiopia have helped to spread more awareness about the Birtukan cause and there is no alternative option from continuing the peaceful struggle in order to bring grassroots popular change for democracy in Ethiopia. The Medrek officials also vowed to use all means necessary to return Ethiopia’s Asseb port which is currently under Eritrean occupation.

The Medrek delegation has enjoyed massive and diverse support during its recent Diaspora tour, including at Seattle, Atlanta and California. The Medrek opposition coalition embraces parties who believe both in the “individual rights” and “group rights” concepts which correspond to contrasting brands of federalism structure, sparking concerns among hardline supporters of the two ideologies. However Siye Abraha, who was selected for the 2009 “Person of the Year” honors by the premier Oromo media Gadaa.com, stressed the need for a new and inclusive democratic political culture in Ethiopia that legitimizes and recognizes the local aspirations of diverse Ethiopian communities from all sides of the political spectrum.