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792 Documents & Resolutions of the 2nd COPWE Congress JQ 3769 A45 C66 ADDIS ABABA 1983 January, 1983 S E I R A R D L O O H I M O L O F N A T S Documents & Resolutions of the 2nd COPWE Congress ADDIS ABABA January, 1983 Comrade Mengistu Haile-Mariam Chairman of the PMAC and of COPWE and Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army !!!,, e ! ,: ICI .1 ,!!!!? ( CONTENTS Central Report to 2nd COPWE Congress Presented by Comrade Mengistu Haile-Mariam Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council and of COPWE and Commander-in -Chief of the Revolutionary Army of Socialist Ethiopia Introduction 7 On Organization 11 On Ideological Work .. 26 On Economic and Social Activities 35 On Foreign Relation and International Issues .. 65 On the Defence of the Motherland and the Revolution .. 75 On Party Construction and the Tasks Ahead .... 81 * Declaration of the 2nd Congress of the Commission for Organizing the Party of the Working People of Ethiopia, COPWE 87 * Resolutions of the Second Congress of COPWE .. 93 * Closing Statement of 2nd COPWE Congress Delivered by Comrade Mengistu Haile-Mariam Chairman of the PMAC and of COPWE and Commander-in -Chief of the Revolutionary Army 107 1 Central Report to 2nd COPWE Congress Presented by Comradle Mengistu Haile-Mariam Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council and of COPWE and Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army of Socialist Ethiopia Introduction Esteemed comrade members of the Congress and participants, It was more than two and a half years ago at this same place and hall that we declared officially the launching of the activities of the Commission for Org anizing the Party of the Working People of Ethiopia (COPWE) which occupies a prominent place in the revolutionary life of our nation. The First Congress of COPWE was indeed historic in that it was a forum at which a single vanguard political organization in our society officially started work. Not only that, it was an important forum where we assessed the then prevailing general national and international situations and mapped out the correct line and programme of action which has made possible the convening of this Second Congress of our Organization. As COPWE is responsible for opening a chapter for the official establish ment of a single vanguard political organization in this country, its historic signi ficance was proved by the correct realization of its plan of action and the should ering of the heavy responsibilities it has been entrusted with. This was because its mission was not only unique and the first of its kind in our country but was also multiple. COPWE organizes itself, provides the necessary political leader ship to the socitty and creates favourable conditions within its own process in order to ensure the establishment of the working peoples party. Theseare all tasks it undertakes simultaneously. COPWE has proved itself equal to the task of drawing up a correct political line and in the implementation of its programmes not only on national but also on international issues. At the national level, it gives leadership to the revolution ary camp for properly assessing the prevailing characteristics of the struggle so as to adopt a correct strategy of action; on the international level, it provides the necessary leadership for the consolidation of our relations with the socialist and progressive forces and promotes the principle of peaceful co-existence among peoples. If we look back from the forum of this Second Congress of our Organiza tion upon the road traversed and ask ourselves what was planned, what was ac complished, and what results were obtained, we realize that we have registered -7 progress in the lightofour strategicobjectives. However, there is no gainsay that we face problems that must be surmounted immediately, and in the long run, guarantee the continuity of our progress. Although this Congress is to ex amine in detail the path traversed in the struggle waged in the past, particularly the tasks undertaken and the problemsencountered since the First Congress of our Organization, its main objective is not to focus on howrewarding theresults we have achieved thus far, have been, but rather, to chart out properly the future path on the basis of the correct perception to be gained from an analytical exam inationofourdeliberations. px 345 ,,!" 2 As we have made it clear to all and as it can also be deduced from our deeds, the objective of ourRevolution is to build a prosperous new society based on equality wherein the working people are completely emancipated from explo itation. As Marxist-Leninist theoryprofoundly indicates and the objective under taking of our Revolution demonsirate, the leadership of the vanguard Leninist Party is decisive for guaranteeing to a popular revolution the fulfilment of its immense historic mission.In order to proceed confidently, leadership is the basic issue, beginning from the overthrow ofthe old political order tothe organizing of the new system and building socialism. To co-ordinate the very complicated task of socialist construction in particular, namely economic, administrative, military andcultural affairs as well as foreign policy and the like, and torun them correctly, there is no alternative to the leadership of a yanguard party in Itis to be recalled that the obstacles surmountedby our Revolution, which crupted in the absence of this decisive body were very taxing. However, it has been possible to register aseries of victories through the leadership of the Pro visional Military Administrative Council, through the heroic struggle of genuine revolutionariesand through the precious sacrifices the entire masses had to pay. Comparing these proud outcomes with what remains to be done, we see that the need for the party is more pressing now than ever before. Accordingly, passing through complicated situations where the objective realities were very difficult, it has been possible, through the unity of genuine revolutionaries to establish COPWE, thesole political organization which will lead to the formation of the party of the working people. This was a great and historic step forward which has wonthe whole-hearted support of theranks ofthe Revolution and theentiremasses alike. Thus, wide-ranging activities had been undertaken to lay the structure of COPWE and, on the whole, to create favourable conditions for the formation of theparty. And after thisCongress we shall proceed to the last phases of COPWE's activitywhichwillseeusthrough totheformation of the Party. The establishment of the party of the workingpeople commands our singular attention notbecause it is our ultimate goal but because party leadership isthe guarantee for the attainment of the lasting objective of the working people, Dame