Ethiopian Somali Democratic League
Encyclopedia
The Ethiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL) was a political party in the Somali Region
of Ethiopia
. It was the ruling EPRDF
's regional partner from 1994 to 1998.
, at a meeting in Hurso
. In the subsequent 1995 elections
, the ESDL won a landslide
victory in the 1995 elections by securing 76 of 139 seats in the regional parliament, and 15 of the 23 seats in the federal parliament
allotted to the Somali Region.
Despite receiving the support of the EPRDF, and initially from non-Ogaden
i clans, the ESDL failed to provide effective administration because of a number of interrelated reasons. One was insurmountable internal divisions and a lack of party discipline; this prevented regular meetings of not only the different organs of the party, but even the regional parliament. Asnake Kefale Adegehe reports he learned from sources in Jijiga
that Iid Tahir Farah, the Regional president, avoided convening regular sessions of the regional parliament out of fear that, were the parliament allowed to meet, that body would have sacked him and his cabinet.
The ESDL finally collapsed in October 1997 when the regional executive committee attempted to remove Regional President Id Tahir from office. The Ethiopian federal government declared this act was a coup, and demanded Id Tahir be reinstalled. Although the regional parliament was not
consulted about the sacking of the president it refused to accept the pressure of the federal government, and instead sacked both the president and the entire executive committee, and elected a new president, Mohammed Ma'alin Ali, from the Ogaden National Liberation Front
(ONLF). The party’s disorder led federal authorities to order the remnants of the ESDL to merge with moderate members of the ONLF. In June 1998, both groups elected 35 members to represent
them at the founding convention of the new Somali People's Democratic Party
.
Somali Region
Somali Region ; is the eastern-most of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is often called Somalia, though it is not to be confused with the independent country of the same name. The capital of Somali State is Jijiga...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. It was the ruling EPRDF
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
's regional partner from 1994 to 1998.
Overview
The ESDL was formed in 1994 through the merger of ten clan-based political parties from the region, including the Issa and Gurgura Liberation FrontIssa and Gurgura Liberation Front
Issa and Gurgura Liberation Front was a political faction in eastern Ethiopia, led by Riyaale Ahmed. IGLF, which is based amongst the Issa and Gurgura clans in northern Hararghe, evolved out of the Iil Tire division of the Western Somali Liberation Front...
, at a meeting in Hurso
Hurso
Hurso is a town in eastern Ethiopia. Located in the Shinile Zone of the Somali Region, it has a longitude and latitude of and an altitude of 1130 meters above sea level. It is one of four towns in Erer woreda....
. In the subsequent 1995 elections
Ethiopian general election, 1995
General elections were held in Ethiopia on 7 and 18 May 1995 for seats in its Council of People's Representatives; elections in the Afar, Somali, and Harari Regions were delayed until 28 June to assign experienced personnel who could solve possible conflicts and irregularities...
, the ESDL won a landslide
victory in the 1995 elections by securing 76 of 139 seats in the regional parliament, and 15 of the 23 seats in the federal parliament
House of Federation
The House of Federation is the upper house of the bicamerial Parliament of Ethiopia of Ethiopia. It has 112 members....
allotted to the Somali Region.
Despite receiving the support of the EPRDF, and initially from non-Ogaden
Ogaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
i clans, the ESDL failed to provide effective administration because of a number of interrelated reasons. One was insurmountable internal divisions and a lack of party discipline; this prevented regular meetings of not only the different organs of the party, but even the regional parliament. Asnake Kefale Adegehe reports he learned from sources in Jijiga
Jijiga
Jijiga is a city in eastern Ethiopia and the capital of the Somali Region of that country. Located in the Jijiga Zone approximately 80 km east of Harar and 60 km west of the border with Somalia, this city has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1,609 meters above sea...
that Iid Tahir Farah, the Regional president, avoided convening regular sessions of the regional parliament out of fear that, were the parliament allowed to meet, that body would have sacked him and his cabinet.
The ESDL finally collapsed in October 1997 when the regional executive committee attempted to remove Regional President Id Tahir from office. The Ethiopian federal government declared this act was a coup, and demanded Id Tahir be reinstalled. Although the regional parliament was not
consulted about the sacking of the president it refused to accept the pressure of the federal government, and instead sacked both the president and the entire executive committee, and elected a new president, Mohammed Ma'alin Ali, from the Ogaden National Liberation Front
Ogaden National Liberation Front
The Ogaden National Liberation Front , is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state...
(ONLF). The party’s disorder led federal authorities to order the remnants of the ESDL to merge with moderate members of the ONLF. In June 1998, both groups elected 35 members to represent
them at the founding convention of the new Somali People's Democratic Party
Somali People's Democratic Party
The Somali People's Democratic Party is a political party in Ethiopia, officially representing the Somali people. It is allied with, but not a member of, the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front ....
.
Further reading
- Abdi Ismail SamatarAbdi Ismail SamatarAbdi Ismail Samatar is Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of An African Miracle published by Heinemann that was a finalist for the 2000 Herskovits Prize.-References:...
(2004): "Ethiopian Federalism: Autonomy versus Control in the Somali Region". Third World Quarterly, Vol. 25/6 - John Markakis (1996): "The Somali in Ethiopia". Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 23, No. 70, pp. 567–570
- John Markakis (1994): "Briefing: Somalia in the New Political Order of Ethiopia". Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 21, No. 59 pp. 71–79