FOUNDING CONGRESS OF THE WORKERS ' PARTY OF ETHIOPIA CENTRAL REPORT delivered by MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM CHAIRMAN OF THE PMAC AND OF COPWE COMMANDER -IN -CHIEF OFTHE REVOLUTIONARYARMEDFORCES JQ 3769 W67M46 September 1984 1984 Addis Ababa S E I R A R B I L D R O F N A T S INSTITUTION 1 ETS292PG 9 FOUNDING CONGRESS OF THE WORKERS ' PARTY OF ETHIOPIA CENTRAL REPORT deliveredby MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM CHAIRMAN OF THE PMAC ANDOFCOPWE COMMANDER -IN -CHIEF OFTHE REVOLUTIONARYARMEDFORCES September 1984 J F Addis Ababa Comrade Mengistu Haile Mariam Chairman ofthe PMAC andofCOPWE Commander-in-Chief ofthe RevolutionaryArmedForces Table of Contents Page Introduction 7 ............ The ProcessofBuildingthe New Political System 21 ....................... On Further Guaranteeingthe Equality ofNationalities ...... ......40 The Direction ofOur Economic andSocial Development ..... 48 ........... Ideological Work .... 93 ...... ............. The ProcessofExtendingASocialist Educational System.................99 On Building the New Culture ............... .............. 105 TheInternational Situationand The PolicyofOurRevolution....110 On BuildingA Strong National DefenceForce ....... ....136 The OutcomeofOurStrugglefor Party Formation and the Leadership RoleoftheWPE ............ 141 Esteemed Guests, Dear Comrades, Inthe political process of those countries which have undergone revolutionary changes, there are accomplishments which are truly outstanding and are significant for the historical precedent they set. In our country, too, the conveningof this Founding Congress ofthe Workers' Party of Ethiopia is of such magnitude. Our struggle has indeedconferred on us a great honour now that we have reached this historic day, which opens a new era. For the attainment of this landmark on our historical march, and for this day to be a reality, innumerable cherished sons and daughters of Ethiopia have had to sacrifice their lives. Hundrede of thousands of gallant compatriots sacrificing their blood and lives for the cause of freedom and unity of our Motherland, and for the honour and rights of its people, made it possible for us to reach this day. And so, on this day, and at this very minute, our grateful memories go back to those heroes who throughout the ages dedi cated their lives to the freedom , dignity and unity of the Mother land, and who sparked and protected our Revolution for the progress, prosperity, justice and equality of its people; to all those heroes who fought and died for the cause of socialism . As the history of a people or a country is not viewed as a setof isolatedfacts arranged in periods but rather as a dialectical process, it is only proper to note that we could not have held this Founding Congress of the Workers' Party of Ethiopia without the resolute effort, patriotism and sacrifice of the galaxy of heroes who have emerged in different periods through out our history. Therefore, we view this historic day of achieve ment as a confirmation that the history of the fallen combatants still lives on. 7 The banner of struggle has been handed down from one generation to another since the dawn of our history. The Work ers' Party of Ethiopia has become today the inheritor and custo dian ofthisbannerof struggle, and alongsidethis historic banner of liberty and unity, it holds aloft the glorious banner of our times, the banner of revolution. It would be difficult to proceed with this Congress, and impossible to appreciate its historical significance, without reliving, if only in passing, our glorious history, rendered crimson by the blood of heroes and fighters. It is obvious that desire alone cannot bring about the victorious march of a popular revolution. It demands not only determination, but also perspicacity; not only scientific understanding but also tactical execution. In general, the clear formulation of objectives, the devising of correct tactics and the implementationof appropriate measuresare imperative for theon wardmarchofa revolution.Accordingly,inorder toreach thepre sent stage, we had to give priority to gaining a correct knowledge of the general laws of revolution, and to have a proper under standing of the specific conditions prevailing in our country, and the various historical phases of our Revolution. As all these tasks had to be carried out in the absence of a revolutionary party, it is not difficult to see the extremely difficult and trying times we had to pass through. Although we had to make great sacrifices in order to pass through this complex and difficult period, we feel great pride, and we are indeed fortunate to be accorded the signal honour of being the custodians of the revolutionary phase in the life of our beloved Motherland. We are beholden to the sacrifices of the suc cessive generations of our nation who made it possible for us to reach this historical phase. Our sentiments of gratitude and in debtedness to all those gallant compatriots who fell throughout the centuries of our history for the honour and survival of the national sovereignty of our beloved Motherland remind us vividly of their exemplary heroic deeds. The indomitable patriotism nurtured by our people over the centuries through their gallant struggles against foreign invaders has contributed immensely to 8