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Provisional Office for Mass Organizational Affairs

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POMOA (Template:Lang-am) was a political organization in Ethiopia. POMOA functioned as a forum to involve different Marxist-Leninist organizations in the revolutionary process and to politicize and organize the masses.[1][2]

POMOA was set up through a decree of the Derg military junta in December 1975.[3][4] The existence of POMOA was publicly declared on April 21, 1976 following the announcement of the National Democratic Revolution Programme. Initially the organization was known as the People's Organizing Provisional Office.[5] The organization was conceptualized not as a political party, but as a 'popular revolutionary front'.[5] POMOA functioned as a government department, receiving allocations from the state treasury.[6] According to Kiflu Tadesse, POMOA had an annual budget of 7 million Birr.[7]

The leading body in POMOA was a 15-member committee. Its full name was the Mass Political Education and Co-ordinating Committee.[6] Its was commonly refered to a the 'Politburo'.[8] The Politburo was dominated by Meison.[9] Haile Fida, the leader of Meison, was the chairman of POMOA.[1][5] Sennai Likkai of the Waz League served as the vice chairman of the organization.[5]

Five political groups were active inside POMOA; Meison, Waz League, the Ethiopian Marxist-Leninist Revolutionary Organization (Malerid), Echat and Seded.[10] Mengistu Haile Mariam employed tactics of playing out different POMOA factions against each other. The entry of Seded (the political faction started by the Derg military officers) caused controversy within the coalition. Two factions (Meison and Echat) opposed the entry of Seded into the alliance (seeing Seded as a threat to their influence in POMOA) whilst the other two (Malerid and Waz League) supported the integration of Seded.[11] The coalition was shaken by the power struggle between Meison and Seded.[10]

POMOA built up organizational structures in the regions and provinces, and sometimes in the districts.[5] The organization developed a network of some 4,000 political cadres in cells across the country.[10] POMOA took control of the kebeles (urban dwellers associations), and turned them into vigilante bodies.[12][13]

On September 26, 1976, EPRP unleashed a campaign of assassinations against POMOA cadres.[14] The first prominent victim of the EPRP assassination spree was Fikre Merid (Meison leader and POMOA Committee member), who was shot in his car in Addis Abeba.[15] The campaign of Red Terror began in March 1977, as POMOA militia squads and the army attacked the EPRP.[12]

AFter Seded's takeover more of a military organization.[10]


Yusuf killed.[14]

Yusuf belonged to Meison, killed by Derg. July 14, 1977, Derg take control of POMOA in order to counter influence of Meison. Meison break with derg in August 1977.[8]

July 1977, POMOA reorganized, 15 to 5 members in cc.[16]

POMOA declared on April 21, 1976 initially known as People's Organizing Provisional Office. Functioned as govt department, budgetary allocation from the state treasury. 15 member Mass Political Education and Co-ordinating Committee leading organ. Newspaper Revolutionary Ethiopia.[6]

POMOA supervised by Supreme Organizing Committee, chaired by Mengistu.[1]

SOC abolished, POMOA directly under Derg control.[17]

proclamation 108/1976 brough POMOA directly under Derg standing committee. retained by proclamations in Feb and July 1977[18]

pomoa under derg control Dec 1976.[19]

set up by Derg in December 1975, along with the Yekatit '66 Political School. Meison formed the core of POMOA structures.[3]

In July 1977 Derg issued a proclamation calling for POMOA to be put more strictly under its control. This move signaled a divide between Derg and Meison.[20]

POMOA was publicly declared with the NDRPE in April 1976. POMOA conceptualized not as a political party, but as a 'popular revolutionary front'. Haile Fida, Meison leader, chairman of POMOA. Sennai Likkai of Waz League vice chairman of POMOA. 15-member CC. Many academics. Membership in POMOA secret, largely to confuse EPRP for assassinations. POMOA had ideology, organization and Yekatit committes. POMOA had region and provincial, and sometimes district, units. The different member organizations of POMOA conspired against each other, trying to move forward their own positions within POMOA.[21]

Haile and Sennai competed over power in POMOA. Out of original 15, only 2 remained in active politics in 1984. Through POMOA Derg received a political backing (in the face of attacks by EPRP), especially through the building of organizational structures in the provinces. Yekatit, under POMOA's supervision, educated political cadres. Mengistu sought to play out different POMOA factions against each other. July 1977 declaration final warning. Purge of Meison, Seded moved into positions in institutions like Yekatit.[11]

POMOA continued to exist after Meison's departure, but now under military control. Seded cadre Lt. Desta Tadesse new general secretary of POMOA. Several regional POMOA leaders now militaries. POMOA dissolved in december 1979, as COPWE was formed. One after one, POMOA member organization were purged.[22]

Leader of POMOA in Hararghe was Abdullahi Yusuf. He disarmed Shoan Christian settlers and implemented land reform. He was killed during an Addis visit in August 1977.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b c Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 181
  2. ^ Haile-Selassie, Teferra. The Ethiopian Revolution, 1974-1991: From a Monarchical Autocracy to a Military Oligarchy. London [u.a.]: Kegan Paul Internat, 1997. p. 230
  3. ^ a b Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 53
  4. ^ Eide, Øyvind M. Revolution and Religion in Ethiopia: A Study of Church and Politics with Special Reference to the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus 1974-1985. Uppsala: [Svenska institutet för missionsforskning], Univ, 1996. p. 137
  5. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference c66 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 162
  7. ^ Tadesse, Kiflu. Ethiopia Transformation and Conflict. Silver Spring, Md: K & S Distributors [u.a.], 1998. p. 56
  8. ^ a b Bulcha, Mekuria. Flight and Integration: Causes of Mass Exodus from Ethiopia and Problems of Integration in the Sudan. Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African Studies [Nordiska Afrikainstitutet], 1988. pp. 65-66
  9. ^ Abraham, Kinfe. Ethiopia, from Bullets to the Ballot Box: The Bumpy Road to Democracy and the Political Economy of Transition. Lawrenceville, NJ: Red Sea Press, 1994. p. 80
  10. ^ a b c d Shinn, David H., and Thomas P. Ofcansky. Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2004. pp. 336-337
  11. ^ a b Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 67
  12. ^ a b Markakis, John, and Michael Waller. Military Marxist Regimes in Africa. London, England: F. Cass, 1986. p. 33
  13. ^ Katsikas, Suzanne J. The Arc of Socialist Revolutions: Angola to Afghanistan. Cambridge, Mass: Schenkman, 1982. p. 139
  14. ^ a b Uhlig, Siegbert. Encyclopaedia Aethiopica 3 He - N. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2007. 668
  15. ^ Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 186
  16. ^ Aliboni, Roberto. The Red Sea Region: Local Actors and Superpowers. London: Sydney, 1985. p. 52
  17. ^ Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 188
  18. ^ Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 194
  19. ^ Tiruneh, Andargachew. The Ethiopian Revolution 1974-1987 : a Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 1995. p. 209
  20. ^ Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 57
  21. ^ Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 66
  22. ^ Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 68
  23. ^ >Clapham Christopher. Transformation and Continuity in Revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. p. 203, 216
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