I’m pleased to present another original translation of a leaflet from the revolutionary Ethiopian student diaspora of 1970s West Germany. The leaflet was produced for May Day 1975 by the Ethiopian Student Union of West Berlin. Unlike the broader Ethiopian Students Union in Europe, which was dominated by Meison supporters, the West Berlin organization is clearly in the camp of what was shortly to be declared as the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP). The leaflet presents a snapshot of both the events in Ethiopia at a pivotal moment, and the sense of participation in a global, revolutionary anti-imperialist movement. 1975 was the first year when Ethiopia saw legal observations of the traditional world-wide socialist and workers holiday; revolutionary opponents of the military regime including contingents from the radicalized Confederation of Ethiopian Labour Unions made a strong showing.
The logo at the top of the flyer is the logo of the Ethiopian student movement; it shows a red flag, a rifle, a pick, the yoke from a plough, and a pen. The German-language original of this leaflet is from the MAO-Projekt archive of German radical materials. Many sincere thanks to comrade LM for the original translation. I’ve made some minor edits to the translation and added some paragraph breaks for readability.—ISH
1 MAY 1975
The first of May is the day on which the whole working class of the whole world stands up and shows their solidarity against the international bourgeoisie, and demonstrates their unity in their common struggle for democracy, freedom and equality.
Before and after February 1974
The history of struggle of the Ethiopian people against its enemies, feudalism and imperialism, is characterized by peasant uprisings, national movements, demonstrations of students, strikes of local trade unions and open violence. The hard struggle of the working masses began long time before February of last year. The long-term struggle of the people and its growing consciousness, the deepening crisis of international capital and the disintegration of the ruling classes connected to it and the famine in Wollo and Tigre and environs were the direct and structural reasons for the revolutionary movement in February of last year.
This revolutionary movement has the greatest historic importance in the history of the struggle of the Ethiopian masses. The whole struggle against the feudal-fascist regime of Haile Selassie and imperialism was not led with petitions, but with strikes, demonstrations, mutiny and revolutionary violence. The oppressed masses stood together, by smashing the reactionary repressive mechanisms, firmly behind the principles of equality, justice and democracy. Concretely, it found its expression in the successful 4-day general strike, with which the working class made its enemies tremble. The heroic Eritrean people supported with its 14-day armed struggle, by going from victory to victory, essential to the fall of the absolute ruler.
The Ethiopian workers, peasants, students, teachers and all oppressed parts of the society struggled untiringly and smashed the three bureaucratic governments of Aklilu, Endalkachew and Imru and finally deposed the autocratic Haile Selassie. The military committee, which was founded in February ’74 during the uprising and fulfilled to an extent the demands of the people, abused its power and undemocratically declared itself the “Provisional Military Government” and resisted the demand of the people for an “Provisional People’s Government”. The Ethiopian working class shows again class consciousness, by manifesting its role as vanguard of revolution by its historic resolution and by concluding the creation of an Provisional People’s Government and determined their duties. The junta continued its anti-people-directed politics, with backing of American imperialism. It abolished all democratic rights, used the students as alibi for their interests, massacred democratic elements among the army and air force and murdered unemployed. It hunted down, tortured and murdered before the military court militant student leaders like Melese Tekle, Rezene Hagos and Giday. Hundreds and thousands of proletarians are imprisoned in the worst jail of the world, the “Alem Bekagn”. Just to name some of many: Eshetu Chole, Zewde Badads, Melese Gugsa, Yohanes Admasu, Aboma Mitiku and Tibebe. The junta has executed leaders of the national movement like TADESSE BIRU and others, who demanded self-determination for the OROMO people.
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| Back of the flyer |
The junta collaborates with the USA: during the regime of the murdered Aman Andom a deal was made which decided the selling of weapons to Ethiopia for 100 million US dollars. Another example is the latest decision by highest authorities, to ship military aid to Ethiopia. All this proves the collaboration of American and Ethiopian government, to strength the counter-revolution.
The politics of the junta in context of the national question is openly fascist: in January and February 1974 they declared open war on Eritrea. Villages like Umhajjar, Adi Keih Adi Quala were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of Eritreans are forced to go to exile in Sudan. Despite all repression the Eritrean masses show, that the chauvinist, fascist junta and their American lords are paper tigers.
The Ethiopian working class struggles untiringly against the fascist junta. Their leaders, who rejected in a resolution collaboration with the fascists, are in jail. The junta already dismissed a local trade union federation and is dismissing the Confederation of Ethiopian Labour Unions as a whole.
On the political side, the setting back of the February Revolution came from the lack of proletarian party. The Ethiopian working class urges its construction. But the junta, which liquidates all proletarian elements, and calls itself socialist, prepares the forming of a united “national and socialist party”, which is in reality a fascist party for their own interests. The Ethiopian working class struggles steadily for the fall of the fascist military dictatorship and for the creation of a PROVISIONAL PEOPLE’S GOVERNMENT, which guarantees all civil rights and democratic rights and a constitutional assembly, in a struggle for a democratic republic. Therefore the Ethiopian working class calls all democratic and progressive forces of the world to morally and also materially support the struggle of the working class against the fascist junta and imperialism, for the cause of the oppressed masses, especially for the buildup of their party in the struggle for the PROVISIONAL PEOPLE’S GOVERNMENT.
To the importance of this day: We are in a historic phase, in which the working masses gain victory by victory. The example of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Guinea Bissau, Eritrea, Oman and Dhofar, Palestine, the unity of the Arabs and the defeat of Kissinger, the defeat of fascism in Greece and in Portugal, the intensive struggle of the working class in Italy, Spain and other capitalist and absolutist countries show all the great achievements of glorious socialism towards the death struggle of ailing imperialism. The more united and cohesive the world proletariat struggles, the closer comes the death of the international bourgeoisie.
LONG LIVE THE PARTY OF THE REVOLUTIONARY PROLETARIAT!
LONG LIVE THE UNITY OF THE PROLETARIAT OF ALL COUNTRIES!
DOWN WITH THE FASCIST MILITARY JUNTA!
DOWN WITH INTERNATIONAL IMPERIALISM AND ITS LACKEYS!
UP WITH INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!
ETHIOPIAN STUDENT UNION BERLIN – WEST
Responsible: Ernst A. Kraft
1 Berlin 41, Handjerystr. 24
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