Ethiopian Marxist–Leninist Revolutionary Organization
The Ethiopian Marxist–Leninist Revolutionary Organization (Amharic: ማርክሳዊ ሌኒናዊ ሪቮሊሽናዊ ድርጅትን), commonly known by its Amharic acronyms Malered or Emelared (Amharic: ማሌሪድ), was a communist organization in Ethiopia active from 1974 to the late 1970s.[1][2]
Ethiopian Marxist–Leninist Revolutionary Organization Malered Emelared | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1974 |
| Dissolved | 1979 |
| Merger of | EPRP |
| Ideology | Communism Marxist–Leninism |
| National affiliation | Imaledih |
Formation
editAccording to Bahru Zewde, the organization was formed through the merger of a domestic faction and an exiled splinter group of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP).[3] According to Christopher Clapham, Malered could have been formed by EPRP members who wished to cooperate with the Derg military junta.[4] Andargachew Tiruneh, on the other hand, states that Malered could have emerged as an offshoot of the All-Ethiopian Socialist Movement (Meison) Youth League.[5] Fred Halliday supports the theory that Malered originated in Meison.[6]
The organization
editMalered was led by Gulilat.[1] Politically, Malered was close to Meison.[5] Malered gave support to the Derg military junta, and the group was represented in the Provisional Office for Mass Organizational Affairs (POMOA).[7] Malered supported the entry of Seded (the new political organization formed by Derg militaries schooled in Marxism-Leninism) into POMOA.[8] When the National Democratic Revolutionary Programme of Ethiopia was declared in April 1976, Malered expressed its support to it and its willingness to join a common front with other groups supporting the revolution.[9] In December 1976, Malered published its own programme.[5]
In 1977, Malered took part in forming the Union of Ethiopian Marxist-Leninist Organizations together with four other groups (Meison, Seded, Echat and Waz League).[10] Malered was the smallest of these five parties.[4]
Events that led to its end
editAfter the split between the Derg and Meison, the Derg would eventually begin crushing the smaller leftist groups like Malered.[11] Malered was eliminated from POMOA.[12] As of July 1979, there were reports that member of Malered had been arrested. At the time, Malered was the sole civilian political group still aligned with the Derg.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Holcomb, Bonnie K., and Sisai Ibssa. The Invention of Ethiopia. Trenton, NJ: Red Sea Press, 1990. p. 373
- ^ a b Halliday, F., and M. Molyneux. The Ethiopian revolution. 1983. p. 131
- ^ Bahru Zewde. A History of Modern Ethiopia: 1855 - 1991. Oxford: Currey [u.a.], 2002. p. 245
- ^ a b Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 54
- ^ a b c Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 132
- ^ Halliday, F., and M. Molyneux. The Ethiopian revolution. 1983. p. 129
- ^ Wubneh, Mulatu, and Yohannis Abate. Ethiopia: Transition and Development in the Horn of Africa. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press, 1988. p. 57
- ^ Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 67
- ^ Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 178
- ^ Harjinder Singh. Agricultural Problems in Ethiopia. Delhi, India: Gian Pub. House, 1987. p. 187
- ^ Milkias, Paulos. Haile Selassie, Western Education, and Political Revolution in Ethiopia. Youngstown, N.Y.: Cambria Press, 2006. p. 266
- ^ Lefort, René. Ethiopia, an Heretical Revolution? London: Zed, 1983. p. 253