The Ethiopian Unity People’s Voice Congress Political Party (EUPVCPP), formerly known as the Ethiopian Women for Peace and Democracy Political Party, was founded by a young woman on September 15, 1986, in Dallas, Texas. Ms. Yeharerwerk (Yeharer) Gashaw is the first African and Ethiopian woman in the history of Africa that took the initiative to establish a political party consisting of both men and women working equally without the influence of the traditional chauvinistic mindset. In 1994, Yeharerwerk was the first person to declare her running for president of Ethiopia in order to save the unity and freedom of the nation, but the Transitional Government of Ethiopia and its leader Meles banned her from entering the country due to her popularity and contributions of support to Ethiopia’s unity and patriotism. In 2008, Ms. Gashaw formed the Ethiopian National Government in Exile, for which she became the first and the only woman in the world for forming a government outside of her country. Currently, Ms. Yeharerwerk Gashaw is the President of the Ethiopian National Government in exile.
The ENGIE is dedicated and determined to remove the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and abolish the ethnic apartheid that now exists, removing the current government through democratic election, replacing current officials with those that are democratically elected by the people, and restoring the Ethiopian unity under one flag (green, yellow, and red) and to establish a fair democracy that is for the people.
Achievements: Since 1986, we are the first Ethiopian organizational party inclusive of women that has successfully contributed to enlightening the nation’s political, educational and social well being in the history of Ethiopia. We have been destroying the barriers of political party leadership, which are designated only for men, by advocating the rights of Ethiopian women to be inclusive in all political leadership and decision-making. Due to the TPLF’s division and release of part of north Ethiopia to Sudan, a quick decision was put in place by our party to reunite Ethiopia under its original flag. This party has played a major role in positively enhancing the political arena. Representatives from each oppositional party have been invited to different conferences where they have been able to speak and introduce their programs with the help of our organization. We have organized and fund raised to fulfill these political conquests that are based in Ethiopia and in the Diaspora. Due to our reputation, positive image, credentials, and knowledge of human rights, we were able to open many doors which Ethiopian male politicians wouldn’t have been able to accomplish. We women also took the initiative to introduce and promote human rights bills to the United States congress and Senate. We have been able to educate Ethiopian, male politicians the importance of the inclusion of women in all aspects of leadership in order to achieve political democracy and stability in Ethiopia. As a result of the 2005 election fraud by TPLF leader Meles Zenawi, 3 million supporters of the Kinijit unity party went out and demonstrated against the fraudulent vote. Many young supporters were killed in their attempts to support Kinijit (All Ethiopian Party). As a result of the division and fragmenting of political party leaders, we the Ethiopian women have moved beyond the gender barriers and instilled optimism, vision, and inspiration for one people and one country in order to attain this incentive. On October 6, 2008, the EUPVCPP became the Ethiopian National Government in Exile, an oppositional party outside of the country to finally challenge the TPLF government on behalf of the Ethiopian people. Since we declared the formation of the government to our people, we restored hope and motivated the political leaders to leave their differences aside and focus on the priority, to free Ethiopia and its people from TPLF in order to restore the unity and its people under one banner. The Ethiopian women are the first women in the world to form an exile government to save our nation.
Among the many contributions of Yeharerwerk Gashaw:
The beginning of Rescuing Ethiopian Refugees in Paris, France
Yeharerwerk Gashaw is professionally recognized as the first Ethiopian international model ever advertised out side of Africa and as an Actress, but spends the majority of time using her celebrity status to aid and advocate for Ethiopian immigrants and African-American causes. Her humanitarian efforts began in 1978 while she was a teenager in Paris, France, where many Ethiopian refugees were to be deported back to Ethiopia. This young, newly discovered model became responsible for advocating for the Ethiopian immigrants, while at the same time she didn't even have enough money to take pay for her own school payments. She even shared her small, one room apartment with a few of the refugees. Because Yeharerwerk lost her parents at a young age, she was continually faced with the responsibility of taking care of herself as well as her younger siblings. This experience helped her to handle every difficult situation and hardship she came across, such as this. Yeharerwerk aided the Ethiopian refugees on her own, never asking support or financial aid from any individuals or organizations, but invested her own money, time and energy in helping them. Instead of using her fame for personal gain or self benefit, she used her connections in support of her humanitarian causes.
In 1978, with the help of oppositional party members within Ethiopia, the Somali forces entered the cities of Dire-dewa and Harer in Ethiopia. Yeharerwerk, only a teenager and newly discovered international model at the time, played a grand role by organizing a multicultural event at UNSCO in Paris, France, working with the Embassy of Ethiopia to raise money to support the civilians in the two cities that were victimized by the forces. She also appealed to and united all ambassadors that were serving their countries in Paris, France to support and participate in the fundraiser.
In 1990, when the TPLF, EPLF and OLF rebel groups, in addition to the Somalia military powers, were at the brink of overthrowing the Ethiopian military and government, and dividing and conquering the country, Yeharerwerk left her comfortable life, her husband, and her glamorous job to travel back to Ethiopia to stand in support of the Ethiopian people and military, who were attempting to protect the citizens and keep the country unified. She was the first Ethiopian in diaspora to return to her country in those harsh times. She was also the first Ethiopian concerned citizen that met and discussed the situation with Col. Meningitis Hailemariam, the President of Ethiopia.While in Addis Abeba, she founded Congressman Mickey Leland Orphan Children Home, in honor of the Late Congressman Mickey Leland, which, sadly, has now been abolished by the TPLF leader Meles Zenawi. For her acts of patriotism, in 1990 the Ethiopian people named her "YeEthiopiawerk" (Gold Of Ethiopia.)
Rescuing the Former Ethiopians Solders:
On 12-18-04, the following was stated by military commander Matthew Mckonnen, an Ethiopian naval hero of the battle between the Ethiopian naval forces and the TPLF and EPLF groups at Massawa (the Red Sea), in regard to Yeharerwerk efforts and initiative to liberate and bring the former Ethiopian Navy members from the Yemen Republic to the United States through negotiation with the U.S. Government, which secured their resettlement in the U.S.
“From the very onset I would like to reiterate on the great admiration and respect I have have for ms. Yeharerwerk Gashaw. She has been the very great traditional Ethiopian women example who had followed their men in every battle field for national preservation. Her courage, commitments, motherly sincere concerns for the abused Ethiopians who gave their only life for national interest, is to say the least, consistent and endearing characteristics that shaped her person. In this age of information, Ms. Yeharerwerk Gashaw had carried the traditional Ethiopian Women challenges to the frontiers of modernized battle fields of reshaping opinions, influencing thoughts and endeavor in the forming accomodative policies where it really counts.”
In 1999. Yeharerwerk is the first and only Ethiopian humanitarian to have traveled to the war fields of Eritrea to advocate the freedom of Ethiopian forgotten soldiers, as well as the children soldiers ,ranging from age 12-17, and rescue them from POW's prison. Yeharerwerk also met and appealed to Eritreans leader Isaias Afewerki in Asmara, Eritrea. Yeharerwerk's efforts were a success, and after twenty two years of being denied by the Eritrean People Liberation Front, the Red Cross International was, for the first time, aloud to visit and assist the POWs. While in Eritrea, she was honored by the POWs for being the only Ethiopian to visit them as family and humanitarian and wearing the Ethiopian flag during meeting with them and the Eritrean leader Isaias Afewerki.
Honored
Yeharerwerk is the first Ethiopian ever to be honored by former Ethiopian POWs and the former Ethiopian military and Navy with military protocol as the “Mother and Father of Ethiopians in uniform” in 1999. In 2009, she was honored by the navy association in Dallas Texas for her “diligent efforts and unmatched contributions” in liberating the naval members from Yemeni prison and their families, who were political refugees in Yemen, as well as the civilians that worked under the them, negotiating their resettlement with the United States government in order for them to permanently resettlement within the U.S.
The attempted defamation of the good name of Yeharerwerk Gashaw
In 2008, in backlash against her exposing of undercover agents under the direction of the so called prime minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, and exposing their ethnic apartheid system as well as their mission to eliminate all oppositional parties in opposition of Meles Zenawi, in diaspora, the prime minister's undercover agents and supporters came together in a hotel in Dallas, Texas to sentence Yeharerwerk (without her presence or knowledge) with charges against her for exposing the true nature of their actions and occupations and presence within the Ethiopian community. Yeharerwerk had to stay strong as she underwent many threats and much name defamation in the DFW area, as well as other cities where similar agents are working, for her exposure and confronting of their work in the United States under the direction of the Ethiopian government with a mission to penetrate Ethiopian community in the diaspora, oppositional political parties, and non-profit organizations in order to dismantle and sabotage these groups which were created by the Ethiopian people in attempt to bring unity and democracy to Ethiopia. Today, these agents working under Meles Zenawi continue to attempt to defame the name of Yeharerwerk Gashaw in every opportunity given.
To God is the glory
Copyright 2008-2012. Ethiopian National Government in exile. All rights reserved.
