I am not in a position to explain my points at length, but these are well known issues to a lot of people. The democratic resistance is passing through a transition (phase). We must use the available time wisely. Where do we go from here?

First: The national leadership question. The Ethiopian democratic (resisance) has needed and still needs a national leadership council consisting of party and civic organization leaders as well as non-affiliated individuals of divese views and skills.

Second: The National Organizing Question - Party Politics and Civic Movements. Unification and merger of parties must be carried out as soon as possible if we want to win. CUD must become a single unitary party. Hibret has to become a single party. Party unity will define party strucure and the structure of the national democratic resistance as well as the structure of the electoral geography. Civic organization need to take their central position in the democratic revolution. The national civic movement also needs to be built into a coordinated resistance as soon as possible.

Three: 'Unite To Win' - Unity of the People Power. A peaceful democratic resisance can not win without a huge nation-wide unity, unity at many levels - unity of purpose, program, unity of strategy and methods, unity of party organization, unity of civic groups and civic movements, unity of resistance, and national unity of the people under one color, under one flag.

Four: Planned Action: Sure, the essence of the democratic resistance is people power - actions and strikes by the people - but it is always planned and organized action. The naional leadership, party leadeship, and civic leadership needs to make sure popular resistance actions are planned and lead with clearly known oucome. Every mass action does not have to be organized and led by a party or a group, but every act must be a part of the national resistance.

Five: Persistence, Consistency and Integrity. Party and civic leaders must have integrity and live according to their words. If they hold a non-violent method of struggle, then they must state their views as such and stick to their plan. Firm and compelling leadership is a must. We hold leaders to practice what they preach. People like firm leaders.

In my view, winning election is only part of the fight. We could win election and end up with a messy political situaion. We now have time to build a truly unified, national, and successful democratic revolution. But, the core mantra must be 'Unite to Win'......