Dr. Beyene, Chairman of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), said the predicament Ethiopia finds itself in would only be resolved through a determined joint effort of its people at home and in diaspora.

Dr Beyene arrived in Perth on 14 February 2004 on his first-leg tour of Australian States and addressed the Ethiopians, who turned out in unprecedented huge numbers, on 15 February at a public meeting organized by the Ethiopian Democratic Forum - UEDF Support Group in Western Australia.

Dr Beyene underlined in his address that with a determined support of the Ethiopian people the UEDF could unseat the present regime in a free and fair election under the existing Constitution. He urged the participants to rally behind the UEDF for the forthcoming election and beyond.

When asked how the Eritrean issue could be solved, Dr Beyene answered that democratization both in Ethiopia and Eritrea as well as people-to-people joint efforts would bring the remedy.

Among the various speakers in the audience former TPLF members G/Medhin Araya (who exposed the TPLF's hidden agenda with Abraham Yayeh in the late 1980s) and G/Medhin Sibuh, (a.k.a. Tertaraw) who fled TPLF recently pointed out that popular resistance against the Meles’ regime was strengthening in Tigray as well as other parts of the nation and emphasized the need to bolster the support for the UEDF.

In the words of the participants the meeting was a huge success, which demonstrated a glimpse of the strength and reliability of the leadership of the UEDF. The participants vowed to give moral, political and financial support to the UEDF in its struggle to achieve its minimum political agenda of ousting the EPRDF dictatorial regime through the upcoming election.

The meeting was followed by a dinner in honor of Dr Beyene. At this occasion, members of the Ethiopian Democratic Forum – UEDF Support Group and invited guests presented the Ethiopian flag to Dr Beyene to express their trust in the leadership and to symbolize their pledge to support the UEDF.

Ato Aregawi Berhe, member of the Executive Committee of the UEDF, was scheduled to address the Perth meeting, but he was unable to attend due to some unforeseen delays in his trip. However, it is now confirmed that he would join Dr Beyene in Perth and meet the UEDF Support Group and then will travel to other Australian States to address subsequent meetings.