Amhara National Democratic Movement

The Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) is a political party in Ethiopia. At the last legislative elections, 15 May 2005, the party was part of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, that won 327 out of 527 seats.^[1] The party chairman is Addisu Legesse, and the Deputy Chairman is Tefera Walwa.^[2]

History

Originally named the Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement, the ANDM was founded in 1982.^[3] In the August 2005 Regional assembly elections, the party won 188 out of 294 seats in the Amhara Region.^[4]

Brief history of ANDM

The Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (EPDM) the precursor of ANDM was found on Nov 1980 IN Tigray, at a place known as Tekrarwuha. The founding fathers were the former members of the EPRP who splintered themselves from the party for various reasons. After organizing itself under a democratic program for three months, the movement waged an armed struggle against the Derg from the Waghimra province of Wollo region. With in a limited time span, the movement managed to liberate the broad masses of Waghimra from the Yoke of Derg rule. When celebrating its first anniversary, it had controlled the entire North-Eastern Wollo but Korem.the Derg officials who wrongly assumed the collapse of EPRP as the end of multi-ethnic struggle, were highly disturbed by the establishment of EPDM,they thus left no stone unturned to nip the movement in the bud. EPD, however, succeeded in keeping itself alive and vibrant following all attempts by the Derg to crack it. After three years in their struggle that witnessed a number of positive developments both with in the movement and in the lives of the people, EPDM convened its first organizational conference in Waghimra province, at a place named Jerba Yohannes. This was in Nov 1983. The eight-day conference reviews the movements’ previous political activities and passed major decisions that were instrumental for the success of its future move. After appraising its allover organizational activities through extensive seminars and conferences (between February 1989 and June 1989), EPDM convened its second organizational conference in June 1989 at a cave known as Taba. At this conference the EPDM come out as a strong revolutionary Democratic force. The conference held a very strong position on the need for the coordination of all capacities to overthrow the Derg once and for all. After 13 years in a multinational name, the movement convened its third organizational conference at Bahir Dar in January 1994 and with out changing its revolutionary democratic stance it changed its name to Amhara National Democratic Movemnt. The movement conducted eight organizational conferences. At present, a number of vibrant revolutionary individuals joined the movement and the movement is effectively leading the Amhara nations and the region at all and bringing fundamental changes to the lives of the people.

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