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TPDM on a short leash

Posted on , Updated on by EthiopianReview.com

By Elias Kifle

Some Eritrean friends are asking me why is it necessary for Ethiopian Review to start a public discussion on concerns regarding the disappearance of Ethiopian patriots in Eritrea and problems facing Ethiopian opposition groups. They are urging me to work behind the scene to find solutions. That is also my preference. For over a year, my colleagues and I were engaged in intense behind the scene discussions with Eritrean authorities regarding Ethiopian opposition groups inside Eritrea, and particularly the Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front (EPPF). As a strong advocate of cooperation between the Eritrean government and Ethiopian opposition groups, I would not want to jeopardize the progress that has been made in the past couple of years despite enormous difficulties. However, a corrupt mid-ranking Eritrean official named Col. Fitsum, who is assigned to advise Ethiopian opposition groups, has ran amok and it seems the Eritrean government is unwilling to control him. The rogue colonel has been trying to block the effort to revamp EPPF — an organization that has not moved an inch in its 10 years existence — and when he noticed that he is losing ground, he has launched a disinformation campaign using the Asmara-based EPPF radio and web site. He has also tightened his grip on EPPF more than ever. A few months ago, I and several others had finally decided that locking horn with a rogue, albeit powerful Eritrean intelligence officer in Eritrean territory is not worth it and decided to take a different route. This move seemed to have threatened the colonel even more and he started to take desperate actions, including the arrest of those who are thought to be involved in the new movement. He has also called an urgent meeting and ordered the dismissal of several EPPF central council members, including those who had already withdrawn themselves.

We will take a more in-depth look at EPPF another time. Here, I will try to illustrate that EPPF is not the only organization that is facing difficulties in Eritrea. In Ginbot 7’s case, for example, Col. Fitsum has dispersed most of the soldiers who had defected from the ANDM wing of Woyanne and arrived in Eritrea in early 2009 to join the new movement by turning them against each other. He forced the few who remained in Eritrea to create a new group named Amhara Democratic Force Movement so that they would not join Ginbot 7. With the exception of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), all the other Ethiopian groups are in the same boat. The only reason ONLF is facing little or no problem in Eritrea is that Col. Fitsum cannot get involved in their affairs. As a result, ONLF is the only opposition group that has been able to carry out serious military actions against Woyanne.

One of the Ethiopian armed resistance groups that seems to be by far the strongest is the Tigray People’s Democratic Movement (TPDM). I visited one of the TPDM shelters in Oct. 2009, and I was impressed by the sheer number of its troops. The first question that came to my mind while visiting the TPDM army was, why are we not hearing about any major military offensive by the TPDM forces against Woyanne? TPDM could easily make Tigray ungovernable to Woyanne if it is allowed to fight. ONLF doesn’t have 1/10th the number of fighters TPDM has, and yet it is consistently bleeding Woyanne’s nose until every one in the world knows about it.

I asked the TPDM leadership this very question. They were too afraid to give me an answer, but it was not necessary. I could read the frustration in their faces. Instead of fighting Woyanne, TPDM fighters currently spend their days toiling on farms without pay. The fighters want to fight. The leaders want to fight. But fortunately for Woyanne, they are put on a short leash by their Eritrean “adviser.”

130 thoughts on “TPDM on a short leash”

  1. Hello Elyas do you think that Isayas Afeworki needs a strong and democratic Ethiopia. All what he wants is a weak and ethnically divided Ethiopia. After all both tyrants either Meles or Isayas care less for their people and country they are I never thought, even for a second, that Issayas would want to see a strong Ethiopia. I am not sure why you believe that, Elias! Your article clearly demonstrates what I have suspected for a long time. The main problem is Issayas.The colonel that you describe as rogue would not do any thing without Issayas’s nod. The shabia government will never see a strong Ethiopia insted of helping for those who are orgaized for one Ethiopia the are insised for those who are organized by ethnics.Take as example the action against C/l Tadese Muluneh it is unhuman..

  3. Issayas Afwerki has three objectives to have very strong Tigrayans on his side (TPDM) than other ethnic groups:

    1. Issayas knows that the Eritrean people or the military or combination of both will rise against him one day to topple him from power. For that purpose the Tigrayans are his only trusted allay to defend him and crash the uprising movements and stabilize the situations in Eritrea. The Tigrayans speak the same language as the Eritrean kebessa and knows every inch of Eritrea corridors to fight back effectively either in cities or in the villages of Eritrea and they can pretend as Eritrean kebessa in the eyes of other ethnic Eritreans. The most top trusted leaders in Eritrea are from Tigray origin as Issayas is, also Issayas is a true Tigrayan who can motivate TPDM as their own blood true leader of Tigraway defend him from Eritreans specially from the none Kebessa ethnic Eritreans which are 80% of the population of Eritrea today and the majority of the arm forces are none kebessa Eritreans. Issayas already told the commandos of TPDM what it mean to him the presence and strength of TPDM, he told them he does not trust any General or civilian ministers other than TPDM and he assigned them in every places in the cities of Eritrea where to station and protect every Government installations and kill demonstrators seen in street with out any hesitation. If any uprising to start either from the military or civilians, TPDMS are the first units to be deployed in the street of Asmara, Massawa and other very important places with the help of high position Tigrayan origin like Issayas Eritreans to kill mercilessly Eritrean armies or civilians.

    2. Having strong TPDM within the sight of Issayas is very important for him if there is uprising against Meles/EPRDF in Ethiopia to send TPDM with the help of his military units to control the situation in Tigray region and advance to Addis Ababa and other region of Ethiopia with the help of TPDM to control Ethiopia and install someone his liking person as the leader of Ethiopia and loot Ethiopian wealth to build his dream Eritrea nation in the future. He knows that with out the help of Tigrayans he will not able to cross Tigray and do anything in the Amhara and other part of Ethiopia. Issayas also thinks that TPDM is the only organization can neutralize the strength of Woyane and replace it by his recruited group to serve Eritrea as the sole decider of for all Tigrigna speaking people. Remember Issayas is using the same method to eliminate Woyane as he did to ELF or JIBHA using Woyane on his side and drove ELF from Eritrea soil for good.

    3. Issayas knows that with out the backbone of Tigray people Meles or Woyane could not rule Ethiopia and creating strong army of Tigrayans will scare Woyane and Meles can make concession to Issayas demands and normalize both leaders in the future. Also TPDM and other ethnic Ethiopian groups in Eritrea can be used as bargain cheap to get rid of Issayas opponents from the Ethiopian soil.

    I like to mention that someone posted both Meles and Issayas have opposition groups but both of them have not committed to help fighting effectively against the other is not by design by both sides. In Issayas situation if he pushes like TPDM or EPPF Woyane will decide to go after him once for all and it will be his end of his regime since the majority of Eritreans are begging Meles to start war against Eritrea. Therefore, Issayas rather keep TPDM for the above three options I outlined.

    Where as the main reason Meles does not want to help Kunama, Saho, Afar or Tigre is because it is he against Meles’s sole life long dedication of creating viable independent nation of Eritrea including all the nine ethnics of Eritreans under one unit that includes Assab port as part of Eritrea. If Meles supports Kunama, Saho, Afar, Tigre, all of them will demand to separate from Kebessa Eritreans and all them will join Ethiopia except Tigre and it is going to be the end of Eritrean independent nation which is Meles and Sebhat do not like to see in their lives. I strongly believe and said many times that one of the reason Meles wants to stay in power in Ethiopia is to make sure other Ethiopian leaders will not retake either the whole Eritrea or the Afar region. Meles knows that with out him the Afar region if not all will be part of Ethiopia as soon as he steps down from power. MEDREK already stated that they will not rest until the bring back the Afar region not just Assab but the Afar region up to South of Massaw that may include Saho and if Saho and Afar are gone, I do not see Kunama will remain with Eritrea either.

    The bottom line, any Ethiopian who really concern the plight of the people today and the future of Ethiopia interest and unity should abandoned working with Shaebia and join MEDREK the most realistic and potent organization to lead and resolve all the problems the country is facing at present time, specially the resolving the internal war with OLF, ONLF, Al shebab, Shaebia and most importantly Egypt and using Abay River in the near future in a meaningful way. MEDREK has the capacity to galvanize the entire citizen of Ethiopians and do very big national projects to be self sustained nation and strong united of Ethiopia.

    ABAY TIGRAY = ABAY RIVER

    Some people on this website scared of creating Abay Tigray, in my opinion it should not scare anyone except Shaebia that is way the created map and spreading it and preaching about it day and night to scare mostly Eritreans so that they can stick with Issayas and scare Amhara for the disintegration of Ethiopia unity in the future. I believe that if there is Abay Tigray in the future that includes Eritrean Tigrigna speaking people and the Eritrean region will be under the control of Tigray as one group in the Federal union of Ethiopia which means the stabilization of strong one united Ethiopia from the tip of Ras Kassa Sahel to the Moyale and the end of mercenaries to foreign Ethiopia enemies specially Egypt and Sudan for ever. The stronger Ethiopia unity the better chance of using Abay River with out any one’s threat from foreign countries like Sudan and Egypt. If the current status remains in place, there is a good chance Ethiopia may not use Abay River effectively as it desires due to the threat from Egypt and Sudan via Eritrea cooperation. The Ethiopian people should make strong effort to create Abay Tigray in order to control Eritrea under the Federal Government of Ethiopia, no brainier.

    Do you like to see Eritrea region under the control of Shaebia the mercenaries of all Ethiopian enemies or under the control Tigray as one region and be an Ethiopian Red Sea????

  4. Elias,

    You put it correctly!

    “…a corrupt mid-ranking Eritrean official named Col. Fitsum, who is assigned to advise Ethiopian opposition groups, has ran amok and it seems the Eritrean government is unwilling to control him.”

    Do u still believe that the Eritrean govt. does nothing to do with this? The col. is doing it with the blessing from Esayas and Eritrean govt. Period!

  5. I always take this website and its editors first as journalists in a peculiar situation. I said ‘peculiar’ due to the fact that they are prohibited from being read and seen back home. They may also have been on the ‘wanted’ list by the black ‘Gestapo’ in that sad part of the world. I would like to think and make myself a believer that this dissentience is all the work of one ‘rogue’ mid-level official. If that is the case then that young country has lost its ways and is in governing disarray. But I don’t think so. I think those around EPPF and others in similar predicament should thank the Eritrean authorities for what the good support they have provided them so far and part ways, if that is all possible and not too late. I also don’t think that any opposition group with an ‘Ethiopian’ agenda would go down well with such a political setting that had found success by organizing and launching a protracted brutal war against this very entity known as ‘Ethiopia’. More than what they already learned during their bitter 30-year independence war, the last 1998-2000 war has taught them another bitter lesson. Such united ‘Ethiopia’ will not be a ‘safe’ and ‘soothing’ song for them. It would be a miracle if that is not the case. I also hope and pray that I would be wrong in thinking that those individuals who disappeared or thrown in jail will ever see the sunlight again. I hope I am wrong.

    There is a lot of news to report about the Diaspora here and every where along with what is going on back home.

  6. Elias(hope you post this) people,

    God bless you for this information and not keeping us in the dark. Great intelligence gathering. What seems to happening is several things at once. We must NOT put our eggs in one basket. So those opposing Isaya’s collaboration, I say, you still don’t know how the politics goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Look, U.S befriends secretly with its enemies because there is mutual relationship. To not allow any opposition groups in Ethiopia for any purpose means opening the door for weakening Ethiopia. If it is possible, Ethiopian struggle weather they are staying on enemy’s land or not must take a risk. Ethiopia’s struggle must continue at any cost not only from its neighbors (Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, even to nations that are not surrounding her to strengthen those who are struggling from the Ethiopia’s neighbors) So I understand what Elias is doing. If would have been possible, also to bring genuine peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Apparently, the division between Ethiopia and Eritrea, especially being brainwashed by Shaebia and Weyane, these (Ethiopians and Eritreans) once strong people that were like family are now divided and weakened. In addition, it has now come to the point Eritrea by collaborating with Weyane and outsiders could completely destroy Ethiopia, for ideology that they might unite only the ethnic groups of their interest. What Elias posted above is a clear evidence and many possibilities:
    1. Isayas is probably listening to the Agenda of the West that if he abide by this Meles and Isayas could rule the Horn.
    2. It is possible Weyane and Shaebia are pursuing their long term plan by dividing the people of Ethiopia against eachother and destroying the unity of Ethiopia which is not being done systematically. What Elias posted is very clear that Shaebia under this Fitsum guy do not want a strong Ethiopians opposition army but allows TPDM and ONLF to be stronger. It is because ONLF wishes to break apart from Ethiopia therefore,Shaebia is speeding this up. Weyane might be in kahoots also by pretending it is fighting ONLF but in fact, it does support its secession. So, Shaebia is doing the dirty work for Weyane. Let us not forget also, Arabs and West are talking to ONLF because it has resources. Are they going to support ONLF like they did South Sudan to break Ethiopia apart? That remains to be seen.
    3. Shaebia even though it is not affecting TPDM, it is not breaking or harassing TPDM why is that? It is because it is one ethnic group army that could be by the way not necessarily anti Weyane but anti Meles. It is probably joining Shaebia also for greater Tigray. Why EPPF being harassed? It is obvious because it embraces unity of all Ethiopians. As a result this Fitsum guy is making sure there is no unity that later makes Ethiopia stronger against Eritrea. What does this tells us is that Eritrea has never been honest in making really peace with Ethiopians in the first place and want to continue the divide and conquer of Ethiopians. Little do they know that the division will also affect Eritrea one way or the other. So Shaebia is actually doing the work of Weyane/Meles by weakening our opposition gorup therefore weakening Ethiopia. Why is Kemal Gelchu harassed because he is pro Ethiopia. In sum, we Ethiopians must always know that this is going to happen, those who didn’t must be naive in the first place. However, we got to do what we got to do as I explained above that opposition groups are important to be near Ethiopia against enemies of Ethiopia no matter the risk.

    God bless Ethiopia

  7. The explantation for Ethiopia’s predicament is Eritrea; and beleiving you’re pure white and the other side pitch black is a disease that has no cure among Ethiopia’s intellectuals and pseudo-intellectuals. The evidence? Look at the recent articles of Elias. Conveniently ignoring the accusations that have been levelled on him, he’s been harping the same music about the ‘rogue’ Colonel. Implicitly though he’s telling us, without him, the reformed EPPF is the stooge of the Eritrean government; implicitly he’s telling us he’s the litmus test of Ethiopiawinet. His simplistic and juvenile approaches to complex issues however, are not Elias’ monopoly, it’s a malady among Ethiopians.
    Hey Elias, By the way,I’ve a new name for you to add on your list of people who are missing in action. How about your brave pilot Bezuneh Beyene. Remember him?

  8. አሉላ:

    ሰላም ለሁሉም:

    የገረመኝ ነገር ቢኖር ኤልያስ ለአንድ ዓመት ሙሉ ከመጋረጃው በስተጀርባ ሆኖ በሚስጥር ጥረት ሲያደርግ ለኛ የሚያወራን ግን ውሽት መኆኑን ነው:: ለመሆኑ ሌላው ቢቀር ይህንን ድረ-ገጽ ተዓማኒነት ለመጠበቅ እንኩዋን እውነታውን መግለጽ ለምን አልተፈለገም:: ይህንን ድረ-ገጽ አምኖ ጊዜውን ሰውቶ ለመጣ አንባቢ ወቅቱን የጠበቀ ዕውነታ በማቅረብ ሰብዓዊ ክብሩን የጠበቀ መረጃ ለማግኘት አልታደለም:” ወቅቱን ያልጠበቀ መረጃ, መረጃ መሆኑ ቀርቶ ታሪክ ይሆናል “( ለጊዜው ስሙን የረሳሁት ጋዜጠኛ እንዳለው):: በዚህ ወር ውስጥ ከዚህ ዌብ ሳይት ሁለት ነገሮችን ተምሬአለሁ:: 1. ለኛ የሚተላለፈው መረጃ ሁሉ ዕውነታ ሳይሆን አዘጋጆቹ እንደ መሰላቸው የሚያቀርቡትን ሃተታ ብቻ ይዞ የሚወጣ መሆኑ
    2. ባለፈው ወር መግቢያ ላይ ያቀረባችው ሁለት በፎቶ የታገዙ ጽሁፎች ዕውነት እንዳልሆኑ በሌሎች ሲገለጽ እና ማስረጃ ሲቀርብባቸው ወዲያውኑ ከድረ-ገጹ ማስወገድ ናቸው::
    ጥሎብኝ ለኤልያስ ታልቅ ክብር ነበረኝ, ያላቸውን ሁሉ እያየሁ ለስው ስደስኩር ዓይኔን አላሽም ነበር ሆኖም ዛሬ ማመን ከማይገቡኝ ጥቂት ሰዎች ውስጥ እንደሆነ ተገንዝቤዋለሁኝ:: እስቲ ደሞ ወደሌሎች ድረ-ገጾች ዞር ዞር ልበል::

    ለመሆኑ የዘንድሮው የኢትይጵያ ሪቭው” የዓመቱ ሰው” ማን ይሆን? ፕ/ት ኢሳያስ አፈወርቂ እንደማይሆኑ ተስፋ አደርጋለሁኝ::

    በያለንበት ቸር ይግጠመን

    አሉላ

  9. Elais, TPDM HAS BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST MELES. WATCH IT. http://www.demhit.com. what is wrong with man/ We know col fistum bounced both zewudalem kebede who considered him self as EPPF king, meleke, demise belete and you. for that reason you came out with big stick aganist those who were your year person before. think before and apply in action.

  10. To Wey Gud

    Who told you that Amharas are the only one’s who read Ethiopian Review and write comments? If you want to know the truth most visitors of the Ethiopian Review are Eritreans. You must be either one of those individuals infected by Woyanne tribal policy or a Woyanne cadre who wants to deceive others. Please also note that there are so many tragic stories that take place in our beloved country that do not necessarly invite visitors to a discussion or a debate. Please grow up!

    May God bless Ethiopia and Eritrea
    Kewle

  11. Would any Eritrean think you guys are in Eritrea just because you like us? Nobody would think that. You want something from us and we want something from you. if you don’t like the Eritrea offer then get out. You don’t even hate woyanne because of the way they govern, but because of their ethnicity. Remember, you have never fought a war alongside of us but gains us., so put up or shut-up.

  13. Elias, thank you so much for your detailed analysis of this important issue. My question is, like a number of others above, where is Esayase Afworkie when all these things going on? Is he sleeping or masturbating ??? Let me give the answer myself. Esayase wants a weakened and frustrated opposition forces for Ethiopia .

  14. Elias you are confused now because you have followed a very weird politics for a long time. Even now, you do not want to admit your mistake, and have the gut to say the real culprit is Isayes after all. No, you need a scapegoat, to still keep your idol to remain as is: an idol. But Elias if Esayes is an idol, the worshipers are delusional. I know for a long time that your politics sucks. Very juvenile to be exact. I hoped and said to myself one day this guy will mature, politically I mean, considering the time you have spent concerning Ethiopian politics. But I am losing hope on that aspect rapidly. Do you blame me? You still believe Isayes and Ethiopian opposition parties complement so that replacing EPDRF will be practical. It will never, I repeat, never happen that way. If there will be political change in Ethiopia, it comes from Ethiopians with no support from your idol.

  15. People – listen to what Dr. Bekagn has to say. Don’t just negate one another. To my reading, Dr. Bekagn has given us the whole truth in a plain language that makes sense, logically plausible that’s in the minds of most sensible individuals who follow the situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea. I would probably argue Dr. Bekagn has some insider insight or better understanding of the situation, which otherwise he could not have made such characterizations.

    the EEFF thing could be a far-fetched thing. The thing, however, each of us – north and south of the mereb river – should fight our respective enemy (meles and issays) on our own terms without any support whatsoever from the two regimes in power. if and when we succeed to remove the two tyrants, we can then meet to build a new political architecture that serves the interests of both people. Yes, we can not tell what Eritreans need to do. For us, Ethiopians, however, we need to wake up and come to our senses – get out of Eritrea – don’t seek refugee in Eritrea soil. Use our own valleys and forests and mountains to wage the struggle. If not, we continue to cry foul again and again. We have glorious past and there is so much lesson to draw from it.

  16. Halfai_mengedi,
    I would like to know what type of smoke you are smoking. You belive organization like mederk, which is run by failed states men such as essey aberha will bring any meaningful change? you must be on crack my brother. Those guys had their chance and failed, they can’t even out manuver Melese who played them like a full right on their face. And you think this people have the forsight to be bring change?? are you for real?, I take my chances on US, which are the people who are fade up with this people. Again I still see some poeple not seeing the BIG picture and talking about if war breaks out with ERitrea and Ethiopia, GUYS I WILL TELL YOU, THERE WILL NOT BE A WAR BREAKING OUT BETWEEN ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA AS LONG AS ISSAYS AND MELESE ARE IN POWER. READ MY LIPS, yes this is the fact, no war, they have made a peaceful pact it says NO WAR NO PEACE. This way, issays gets to enslave his people under the banner of national service, this poor people are working for Free, full filling issays’s dream. while Melese keeps robbing the country in broad day light, full filling his whole life time plan of accumalating wealth. you guys are giving this two guys much credit when you think, they plan to keep the country divided this that, their mission is very simple, this are two individulas that have their own agenda. MELESE just wants to make money at any coast, selling land, take part of the aid money, open bussiness under various fictious companies, even steal over 12000 tons of coffee, steal GOLD, heck even sell kids under the name of adaption, him and his wife are in the bussiness of making money at the expense of 80 million people that is the only thing melse cares about. As for Issays, all he cares about is not money, that man is so crazy he does not even care if he wears a soaks, ALL issays, actualy he is alergic to money, he hates any one that is rich, he hates any one that has money, the only thing that gives him pleasure is when he see, people suffer. He gets a kick out of people just digging whole, so he truly belives through his delusional brain that socialism is the way forward and HE and oNLY HE ALONE can show the world that socialism works, so there you have it, this is the driving force for this two leaders that is keeping them in power. Like I said before, it is quite simple they both need each other to do what they are doing, GUYS can’t you see, this two men are 110% succesfful in what they set out to do , they are both happy , becuase in life this two men are doing exactly what they both want. What more can they ask, and here we are arguing about all kind of garabe ideas this that, wake up. The don’t read the script and illusions Melese and Issays have created for us, this people are dangerous to all man kind, they must be dealt with ASAP and ERASED from exsistence to do this Eritreans and Ethiopans must join hands, we have to join hands for both of us are suffering in different ways from this TWO SICK DICTATORS.

  17. I have been wrestling with myself after reading here the story of ‘TPDM’ and another article of the same group on this website a few months ago. I followed the link here and read their program written in English. I read it again and again to make sure I did not miss any important material. My question is why the need to organize as an ethic front when the objectives shown in the political program as ‘Ethiopian? In this day and age after so much rights have been obtained pertinent to oppressed ethnic peoples, the national question has rendered itself superfluous unless the real agenda is the an unannounced objective of destructive ‘country’ making. This is even more true when it comes to the Tigray national question. I am honestly troubled by this. May be brothers Elias and AL G/Mariam would be at mercy to give me an enlightening explanation how it can be justified. Right is right and wrong should be told as wrong.
    N.B. This may not be an issue but their program in English is wrought with grammatical and spelling errors. I am not qualified to critique their programme in Amharic.

  21. It looks like you prefer to keep your friendship with your Eirtrean friends than saving the lives of thousands of Ethiopian patriots in Eirtrea. Let me tell you all something Ethiopia and Eirtrean oficialls dine and wine together in foreign countries and talk on the phone overnight. Their only aim is to rule their respective poor people.

  22. (anten bilo) Elias, … If you blame the colonel for whatever is happening, you are claiming that your “man-of-the-year” is democrat; which makes you the only bone-head in the planet (next to himself) to think so. Wake up and use your “popularity” to do something positive to your country before you die. Geltu.

  23. #64 Dr. Bekagn Alegezam says:

    You must be unemployed and depressed remnants of the DERG regime. Your analysis lucks deep knowledge of the Eritrean people. Please talk about your landlocked country, and leave alone my beloved country Eritrea and its leadership.
    You are funny, join hands with whom? The remnants of the DERG like you? My friend you really underestimate my people. I am in the opposition camp and strongly oppose the Isseyass regime. The main reason why most educated Eritreans in diaspora oppose Isseyass is his handling the war in 2000. He suspends top shaebiya generals during the 2000 war with your country. I was there in the battle unlike you but pissed off with Isseyass after the war and run away from Eritrea in 2004. I am a strong advocator of weak or dead Ethiopia let alone work with you. I would rather serve Isseyass as a slave for the rest of my life rather than work with Amharu. Eventhough Tigrians betray us in the last decade but would prefer than you. Please educate yourself about the Eritrean people. We have no problem with tigray people but with Meles ONLY! UNSEAT MELES is our goal! And substitute with another Tigreans or weak Ethiopia is in the best interest of Eritrea.
    Most Ethiopians think if war broke out with Eritrea, Meles might go after Isseyass and invade Eritrea. First of all, we have 400,000 soldiers inside and 200,000 outside Eritrea; we can easily organize and attack Ethiopia from within and Sudan. Second, most Ethiopians doesn’t know, that war will also be the end of Ethiopia. The main reason is that Ethiopia doesn’t have military in south and is vulnerable to military attack from anywhere. No more defensive strategy. I like this new strategy of the Eritrean government, if he continues like that I might join him sooner than later. This poor doctor of sociology thinks Eritreans will join him. Stop Asseb issue! Period!
    Halafi Mengedi is Abreha Belay from Raya Azebo (10%Tigray and 80%Oromo)! He should support for OLF rather than Tigreans.

  24. Elias,

    As most of the commets point out , please learn from your mistke. All what is happening now in your political world should make you more smarter and stonger as long as you stay geniuen. Please abondon your support for erteria and foucus only about ethiopia. Elias, again as most of the comments point out you still have time and chance to come back but be frank ” It is not the colonel but it is the Ertrian governemnt behined” If you can not see this I don’t know how you can run a poletical web site.As I understand you ( I may be wrong) you work hard to bring peace , freedom and prosperity to the ethiopian peopel but the path you followed was wrong, but you still have time to adjust. Mistakes made peopel smarter if they are cosidered as a lesson. Please turn back be smart and continue doing what you have been doing.

  25. Let me try to be honest but clear, as long as the Ethiopian opposition groups are supported by Eritrea, once in a while they are going to be dictated by Eritrea. I remember in the 1970s the EPLF’s foreign secretary, the late Osman Salih Sabe, was living in Syria and was fully backed by the Syrian government, they were dictating the eritrean revolution from Syria, and they even tried to create Bath’s party inside the Eritrean revolution. The same goes for the Sudenese government who were also trying to dictate the outcome of the revolution. As long as the revolution is in the mercy of some countries, those countries will protect thier interests by manipulating the revolution’s principal. At that time Issayas Afwerki disconnected his relationship with those countries and led the revolution inside Eritrean among his own people eating wedi aker, unlike other Eritrean leaders who tried to lead the revolution while in the arms of other countries. The Eritrean revolution succeeded because Issayas Afwerki never sold the principle of the revolution to other countries. As long as the Ethiopian opposition fighters get their military uniform, weapons, supplies, finiancial support and their leaders enjoy Issayas Afwerki’s lasagna and spaghetti bolegnese in Asmara, of course the Eritrean government is goin to dictate the Ethiopian oppositions parties. If you would like to be independent from Eritrean influence and own your own agenda, you must locate your fighters and leaders inside Ethiopia. And gain the support you need from your own people.
    Long live the friendship between the Eritrean and Ethiopian people. Solidarity forever.

  26. i have writted so many comments on this web stie none which have been posted.elias you are big disgrace who posts only what he wants.
    you should have put that on your editorial policy that we don’t waste our time writing comments.

  28. semu sewoch. ertra motew tenfwaqew new ezi yederesut. egna lememot lemesewat zegeju aydelenim meselegn. weyane b-radio propoganda aywedqim. zare 99% ashenefyalew belwal. nege demo 100% lenen new. mot ande new. hodamochu demo eyateramesu meguress honwal negeru. ere beqa. yebeqal.

  29. #71 Dr Yassin Omer says: Tell them bro. Honestly I don’t know how we can put into their stone head that Eritreans,regardless of their differences, are always ready to defend their nation. Once adgi always adgi. woyanne can not start war because he know what the outcome will be, so do you bluffers .

  30. I think we have problem here, let us stop blaming and counter blaming people. I do have an idea how we can solve this problem as easy as 1,2,3 Just expel all Ethiopian oppositions out of Eritrea and expel all Eritrean oppositions out of Ethiopia.

  31. I appreciate Dr. Bekagn’s statement. Dr. Bekagn knows the hidden story of both dictators(Meless and Esayas).Their hidden secrete was discovered(was taken in memory)by the Weyane security head Kinfe G.medhen when Meless and Esayas met in Saudi Arebia secretely after the war of Badme, But Kinfe has already gone with his secrete story. After his death, all his secrete documents are burned by despot Meless. The other most important thing I understand from Dr. Bekagn writing is the great mistake made by Guenbot-7, that is their members lists given to Shaebia. Because of this our Ethiopian heroes like general Tefera and others are languish in the Weyane prison under false accusation of coupdeta.I am wonderful, how G-7 trusts shaebia? especially Andargachew Tsige may have some knowledge of the two groups because he served as a member with EPRDF for a long time.Please, G-7,don’t trust Shaebia as Dr. Bekagn told us Shaebia and Weyane have hidden agenda that yet known by most innocent Ethiopians.
    Finally, I thanked the editor Elias Kifle for the work you do for all ofus.

  32. Thank you Elias for realizing at last what we Ethiopians have been telling you. The Colonel is driving our people over the cliff. But what you didn’t said was that the Colonel takes order from Esayas to break down the Ethiopian fighters in tribal line and frustrates them to death…

  33. Thank you Elias. I know u r my type of guy – stubbornness. Over all I really like u and I feel sorry for the fact that honesty + stubbornness = misery and I can see u suffering. With out being stubborn I find it hard and I don’t know how u r making it. U r my alula + melaku beyan. I love u but I hate your stubbornness. Well we all got negatives. It is ok. Don’t ever get that dog get u though. You know what I mean though.

  35. Dr. Bekagn, I want to say something about the forming of EEFF. Your idea is awesome, but as we Ethiopians have the ability to form our own fighters there is no need to form with Eritreans. Because eritreans have greater problems than Ethiopians. They are divided in more than ten fronts.And second is it is not our aim to form a new Eritrean front,incase if you try you will never find any one. At this time the only Eritrean oppositions are found in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, simply they are watching their boss meless Zenawi. They don’t have fighters or supporters in Eritrea. There fore, Dr. Bekagn forget the forming of a front with eritreans,but why not we Ethiopians form a united Ethiopian fighters in our soil in four directions of the country? In my opinion,you look like a politically important person, so it is important to exchange ideas with the leaders of G-7 because at this time we all Ethiopians, who live inside and outside the country, are waitng them lead us to fight and throw the facist Weyane regime from our country. Thank you for all your contributions to the Ethiopian people.
    With support of our God Ethiopia will save.

  36. NO. 77

    Is no 77 smoking Ganja? What the hell are you talking about? I have used this nick name for ever. Unless you are smoking the wrong stuff or you got rebbies you should stay away from me. “just like,elias” what does just like Elias means? I am quoting your mentioning of Elias. You may need to see a psychiatrist. If you are a normal person you would not post the manifestation of your bizzar character. No wonder why we have so many lunatics. Back of buddy!!!

  37. I would like to ask Tazabi or Halafi Mengedi (all are from Aigaforum)You can make you a lazy boy if you want like other from Tigria do but you can’t be an Ethiopian just for today abd what you hell are you think you are to lure whole smart Ethiopians you from savage DiDiBit jungal.stop your pitty mouth now.
    forget about Eritrea ,Eritrean are not your level.live your low life as you did before.

  38. Mr. Dr.Bekagn,
    I agree with most of your points, however I’m amazed how you failed to notice the fact that Isayas is as greedy for money or worse.
    Just these 2 points can speak the volume of his greediness
    1, you just remind me the worst story I ever heard in my life, how isayas took off the gold-teeth of eritreans mostly mothers mothers for hard currency during his war with meles. That is beyond greediness to me and make him the greediest of all the greediest to make people toothless for money.
    2, Don’t you think it’s his greediness tha Isayas has made eritrea the only country where every citizen who lives abroad has to pay 2% percent of his income to isayas, in order for him/her to be able to go back to his country? How ridiculously greedy is that ? to force someone pay you money in order to visit his own country and family ? again it is just beyond greediness…

    Another point that I found a little suspicious is, how you described and elevated isayas as an intelligent person and went too far putting him as a main player who even trained meles … Unfortunately this is a song constantly played here by shabias who are 24/7 on the net trying to tell the world that their leader is smart too just by associating him as “meles trainer” which is completely a no-brainer reasoning but understandable as isayas is considered a fool to many of his pears around the world, let alone being a main player.
    I wish you listen to some of isayas’ speeches and tell us if that man really is able to train some one. No need to go 40 yrs back to justify that he is not.

  39. What´s strange is though, why the EPPF leadership inside Ethiopia haven´t come out with a statement about this? I bet they know a lot about what we don´t know and maybe agree with the steps the eri-govt. is taking. Secondly, do we know if these ppl, claimed to be under arrest, are not infiltrated by outside forces like the wey-and or even the USA and that eritrea with the approval of the EPPF inside Ethiopia is taking these measures? The way the people “arrested” are portrayed here, it seems they´re incapable of mistakes or sins. Thirdly, I thought Elias was a kinda “press” for the EPPF and not one of it´s leadership to dare ask the Eri govt. for an explanation as if he´s their equal in strength AND doing it in broad daylight instead of at least asking them in confidence. He says he knows a lot of people of influence in Eritrea, after all. So why not go after this discreetely first? Now that he blew the story out of proportions and offered ultimatums to the Eri govt. he blocked the way forward. I don´t know if he´s an amateur or a flip flopper!

  40. Dr. Yasin,

    You hate Amharu and you still come in Addis as a refugee and take advantage of your Tigrean cousins and act as master. You so called Hamessans have big problem, GURA.

    Your Gura is killing you. Here in the Diaspora you have no one except yourself a freind. Your hate campaign against Amharu is eating you within inside.

    The only crime of Amharu is fighting for Independent Ethiopia not allowing foreign invaders to put their foot on our soil.

    You have been “free” for two decades now, show us your accomplishment, nothing. You are now known for dying escaping “free Eritrea”. With or without Isaias you have big problem, hate of Amharus.

    “Ethiopia Yehulachene Eritrea Yegelachen” is dead, smell the Ethiopian Coffee once you happen to export without shame. Do you guys know shame ?

  41. Dr Yassin Omer , I want to respond to you because, you seem to be living in an illussion filled world. Let me shade some light, I hope you would benfit from this. Frist know that, fact has its own reality you may attempt to deny it, but in the end, Fact is stubborn. Reading your comment, I am rather convinced that you are not ERITREAN. I can almost say that with 100% certaintiy. I arrive at that conclussion becuase you don’t have a centeral theam to what you are saying but you are jumping up and down with an attempt to creat this iedea that Eritreans hate Ethiopians thus you want other readers here to think, badly of ERitrea, that trick comes not from a true ERitrean but from some one that hates Eritrea, and you know who those are, so I am not even going to tell you where you are becuase now you know exactly what am talking about. So just know we know who you are okay, so take it easy, this childish treak won’t work any more. But for the sake of argument let us assume you are Eritrean as you say you are, let me show you the contradictions of your statment, in one breath you talk that you are opposition camp, in another you say you rather be slave to ISSAYS. but yet you have defected from issays. So as a defector of your leader, and as some one who seem to hate melese, where is your opositon movment based from? let me guess at home. you see, Eritrean oppostion if there are any, at the moment are just opportunists, they are not real oppositions, they are parked in addis, eating with melese, they are just a means to an end for Melese. I am not going to waste time talking about if war breaks with eritrea and ethiopia becuase it is not going to. not now, now while melse is in power. You don’t even understand your leader very well, you actually supported my argument with out you even undrestanding what you are saying. You said, you left Issays cause in 2000 war you were disapointed for him firing the GENERALRS. lol that is so lougphable, why do you think he fired them? that is because Issays is not working for you, HIM and melese thought they were just having a skerimish that was suppose to be a pretend war, but the poor generals on both side who didn’t get the real memo of the war, wanted to really fight, so you saw the result, wake up and harnes your self with facts and reality rather than empty bravado, that has only let you to starvation and defeacting the very leader and country you supposedly support and want to salve for, though you have run away from sawa. And as for that war in 2000, if it was not for melese on 11th hr, did you forget the Ethiopian army was in BARENTU. not badme, not zalanmbesa, this are border towns, THEY WERE IN BARENTU WAY DEEP INSIDE ERITREAN LAND, I wonder where the 400,000 thousand solidgers where? The third round war took 3 days to foild ERitrea, my friend it took less than 72 hrs, there is a saying in amharic ” Telba binchacha , Band Mukecha” so that is the fact okay don’t keep deluding your self to something that is not the reason, let me even giving information you have not heard before, on the third round of war, when the Ethiopian solidgers marched on Barentu and when they were with in 40 Killometer from Asamara about to embarck on the city like a christhmass light, there was a frantic phone call from asmara to addis abeba, I will try to summerize the phone call for you: Melese is seating in his office his secertary says there is a call for you sir, coming from a frantic man, he says patch it in. Melese goes” Hello man lebel” issays on tigraya on the other side he said it on tigraye i am translating it in amharic ” Ante sewye menkaha, lechersgn new ende,”he is talking very fast breathing 30 per minute, kuna kuna eye tenfese, what are you doing, asmera legebu eko new. Melese goes” Issays tergaga, Ayzoeh tinsh yene wotaderoch moralachew tenesto ke kuteter ej hedewal, gin ayszho atefera, I will call press conference now and call off the war. Issays goes please do this soon very soon. Melese goes, ayzoeh ende teregaa, I will do that endetengagerenw, now just call UN put some white flag and Meet me in alegeria will finsh the rest there, but aysoezh will end the war now. Rummor has it , issays had to put a diapper then cause he couldn’t even control his bowels, so my friend, that is the fact okay, but you have to understand, even though all kid of ugly things you say, What is important for Ethipians and ERitreans is to work together becuase we are bound to be living in the same corrners of the world. So people have to rise up beyond this simeple hate they have for each other and look at what is most important in order to change the lives of the people they care about. Eritreans are coming by the thousand every year to Ethiopia defecting, for a better life, and I am very happy to see them come home, and even go to university in addis abeba. More eritreans are today defecting eritrea to Ethiopian than any part of the world, becuase they have realized food is in Ethiopia, though it is to sad that it took 20 years of abuse to realize that, we still wellcome you with open arms and will continue to well come you with open arms. I will tell you why we do that, becuase you don’t know what youare doing that is why. when they crucified Jesus on the cross, he looked up to the heavens and said, ” O father, why have you forsaken me, Forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing” and preaty much it is like that. So my friend stop deluding your self with fals reality and the sooner you accept what is and not what is not, the sooner you will be okay.
    Comment by MR. TAZABI. Thank you my brother, And I do know we have to have our own front ofcourse, we are not going to form a new front for Eritrea, that was not my intention, but we have to work together, behind every ones rethoric the realy is very clear, The people of Eritrea are getting screwed by Issays, and the people of Ethipoa are getting screwed by priminster Melese. that is the fact, we are all in pain, the sooner we work togther the sooner we can get rid of our pain once and for all, Guys stop hating each other, becuase I don’t know if you have realized it but both people are amont the most poorest nation on EARTH. hate our lack of education to our people, hate our poverty, hate those who have subjected us to live under sub human conditions, to fire and put your anger on other place, especially on other people that are just suffering like you, is absured to say the least!!!!!!! I hope we all wish for a better understanding in year 2011. Let the poverty of good will, and poverty of understanding comes to an end, and an era of cooperation, coexistance with mutual respect and love comes to our corrner of the world, and may the enmies of Ethiopia and Eritrea (namely Issays and MELESE) be ERRASED from the face of the earth, O LORD let this year be the year.!!!!!! happy new year every one.

  42. #71-Rd Yassin Omer:

    Your silly hatred of Amharas is just that — SILLY. It is the result of shabian propaganda that you were fed over the years. It is also an outcome of a deep-seated and ongoing Eritrean inferiority complex that has been building up within your nefarious Eritrean brain. For all we care, we Amaras hate you back as well, so I have no problem with that. Who would care for an eritrean snake like you and others anyway.

    What you showed in your comment is nothing new but the usual eritrean hate that has been poisoning and burning your little brain over the years. Any hate or any negative comment coming from a known banda and a sworn enemy of Ethiopia, will amount to nothing and will only show how petty and low you are. Therefore, don’t fool yourself thinking that we can’t through your fake chameleon nature. My closing advise is for you not to involve yourself on Ethiopians matters anymore, as you have a poor and a banana republic to look after. Remember, you wanted ‘independence’ and you got it. So, stay away and don’t trespass. Move on banda, and stay away from Ethiopians.

  43. Elias, you are an honest man. You are a patriotic person. I admire your moral strength. Keep up the good job. You are the MAN OF THE YEAR. Thank you very much for you hard work and dedication.

  44. Elias,

    The so-called TPDM is made of Tigringa speaking Eritreans who are disguised as Tigreans to cover up insurgency and guriella warfare in Tigray and other parts of Ethiopia by Eritrean forces. Despite the fact that there are Tigreans who oppose the Woyane regime, it is unlikely that Tigreans will side with the Eritrean government who not only maltreated and abused Tigreans but also committed war crimes by targeting children and other civilian installations in Tigray.

  45. #80, you got it wrong. Eritreans always proud of who they are. They don’t ask for more or less. Aren’t you little derg reminder, who is always crying for Asseb? All we are saying is that we don’t want you; just we want to be a good neighbor. Rather than that, we have our own land you have yours. woyanne and Derg are the same to us, but you guys hate to woyane more than you hate to derg. The reason is simple; woyanne, at least most of the military leaders are Tigreans. I have never thought I would agree this with woyanne, but the fact is, you have more free speech under woyane than under derg. If we, Eritreans, hate woyanne it is because they back stopped us, on the hope of capturing Asseb to please you so that they can stay in power.
    As for Mr. Elias, what he failed to mention on his first report, after he visited the front, was that TPDM is well organized front, have more fighters, and they can execute an effective attack on woyanne troops; instead he said EPPF were most organized, something to that nature. There was not mention of TPDM’s strength then. Suddenly Mr. Elias changed his word and telling us that TPDM have more fighters and are well organized. When I read Elias says TPDM are spending their time working on agriculture without pay, it made me to think what one, with no military experience, would have say had he/she visited Eritrean freedom fighters during our revolution. Would they say Eritrean fighters are spending their time working in agriculture, or like the TPLF said once, Eritreans are stationing in no man’s land with not clear objective? Pay freedom fighters? That is unheard of as they are fighting for cause not for money.
    Mr. Elias said few weeks ago, over 100 thousand woyanne solders are stationing in Tigray. Well, if that is the case, how can TPDM inflect heavy causality on the huge number of solders with sophisticated armors? It is impossible unless Mr. Elias saw over 50 thousand TPDM fighters with heavy military hardware. I suspect this is blackmailing TPDM.

  46. Elias I thank you for presenting the existing internal problem between Shabia and Ethiopian armed groups.We need the truth at all times,and you deserv credit for speaking up.It is interesting to see that most Eritrians who were strong advocates of unity between Shabia and the forces being aided by it are bocming bitterly dis-apponted not for the wrong done by Shabian autorities but for the revelation made of the existence of such behavior.

    Neverthless, the revelation of this matter is absolutly important in our case.For it saves us great pain and heart ache from expecting something good will be turned out of the liberation fronts who in advertently appear to have fallen in to the hands of Shabia & TPLf leadership.In addition,this news is testing the sincerity of the advocats of unity with Shabia who with out making anycoast benefit assesment of the relationship they speak The question now is does any one see any common ground between those forces who demmand democracy,free speech ,and rule of law in Ethiopia/ Eritria on the one hand ,and the politics as represented by TPLF&Shabi on the the other ?The simple answer is no.The inner core of both parties long ago have made intelectual and emotional commitment to the ideology of their reespective parties.Unlike the view expresed by BEKAGN ALEGAEZAM these hard core cadres are not expected to be objective or raise any criticizm against the policy of their leaders.Instead, they will do every thing possible to keep the status quoremain undestrbed.
    Under such circumstancesthe the idea of removing weyane through the assistance obtained from Shabia was a misplaced expectation from the start ,and it needs to be severed now.Granted, that there is some level of friction between the two leaders and that each is training rival political dissidents in its own soil, yet this in itself is not enough reason that lead one to conclude that war between the tow parties is imminent.Beside the business of handling the relationship between the two parties entirely belongs to the two leaders.It becomes apparent then,we are up against not just Melese and I.A but also the represive political machines of Weyane and Shabia in which these leaders are in command.

    On the other hand, the forces for democracy in bothe Ethiopia/Eritria have much in common.They both are fighting to remove the dectatorial regime in their respective home state and need to co-operate their struggle against tyrany.

    More than this Ethiopians now need to look forward to see the need to train a multi national military experts and a small elite force on our own.What is required here is an absolute commitment to finance and train such limited force for self defence.The two leaders are not so much conserned about any force that claims to be opposing their rule being trained in their soil,so long these forces remain pawn to these leaders.By controling the lives of these movments,for this furniosh opportunity to demoralize the aspiration and resolve of the people to fight. The main treat to weyane rule is an independent multi national force trained by Ethiopians some where outside the sphere of weyane’s influence.

    We ask our leaders to take this matter seriously,make inventory of what is in the ground,train experts as well as a small force.In return, the rank need to be willing to make finacial and moral support for such undertaking.

  47. Elias, One visit in 2009 is not going to give you a clear picture nor make you an expert in TPDM.

    TPDM forces have been more lethal than ONLF on many occasions. And if you follow Eritrean media, TPDM continues to bleed woyane to death while PRESERVING its man-power. TPDM is focused on TRAINING and building the same military infrastruture that the EPLF once built before it became a powerful and efficient liberation force.

  49. This is to Genene,

    Who committed atrocities? Woyane or Shaebia? Who unearthed graves in Gash bark…. shaebia or Woyane? who raped old women as old as 60..Who hates our black eye? who bombed Asmara (though futile). Asmara never bombed by Alied Forces during 2nd world war. Asmara never bombed by DERG and Asmara was not bombed by Haile Selasie….. Guess what… Woyane tried to bomb it … is not it attrocities and war crime. Woyane committed more war crimes in Eritrea than in Ogaden…. History will reveal

    HANTI MEALTI ALA (THERE IS ONE DAY FOR REVENGE)… IT MAY TAKE TIME BUT THERE IS ONE DAY……..

  50. Elias, the truth is bitter it is hard to swallow. What the difference between EPPF and All Amhara organization. They don’t want to spill their own blood but they want to be leaders stay on the top by the expense of other ethnic group blood.

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