The Soviet Union and its world influence Part V

The Ethiopian People Democratic Movement (EPDM) is an organization that came out of the EPRP. Ever since the EPDM adopted a clear-cut stand on the Eritrean people’s right to self-determination, the EPLF, has worked to consolidate its relation and cooperation between the two organizations has been growing. But reservations have arisen because the EPDM stated that it does not consider the EPLF “a strategic ally”. Unperturbed, the EPLF delegation to the areas the EPDM worked to further clarify the relationship and explore new fields of cooperation.

On the basis of the basic principles, the EPLF’s relationship with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) had been developing. Of all the Ethiopian nationalities, the Oromo people were the most oppressed. The size of the Oromo nationality and the extensive geographical area it covers and the stage of its political development combined with its problem of access to neighboring countries had prevented the OLF from expanding its cooperation with the EPLF.

Long standing emotional ties bind the Western Somali Liberation Front (WSLF) with the Eritrean revolution. In fact, the Eritrean revolution‘s relation with the Somali people go back decades ago. Yet, the steps taken by the EPLF to develop the ties on the basis of clear views and practical cooperation, did not meet the commensurate measures from the WSLF. Therefore, EPLF-WSLF relations had not grown.

The relationship with the organization that was fighting for the right of the Sidama people, the SidamaLiberation Movement (SLM), was at a preliminary stage. Besides the considerable distance that separated Eritrea from the areas in which the SLM operated, and which militates against regular contact, the SLM had reservations on the EPLF’s views on “Ethiopian Unity”. Moreover, the EPLF had been trying to gain a better understanding of the views and practices of the SLM.

The Afar national movement in Ethiopia was complex. Besides the problem posed by the historical, cultural and geographical uniqueness of the nationality, the Ethiopian government and the other outside forces, including Eritreans, had been trying to disorient and use the Afar movement  by trying to arouse sentiments of a “Great Afar Homeland” and intervening to split and weaken it. After following developments closely, the EPLF entered into continuous dialogue with Afar Liberation Front (ALF). On the basis of the mutual understanding reached the EPLF was cooperating with the ALF in its task of uniting the Afar movements.