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Ethiopia: The army is led by a tribal junta

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

Source: The Indian Ocean Newsletter

Since the EPRDF came to power in Addis Ababa in 1991, the Ethiopian army has been dominated by more seasoned Tigrayan officers who are members or sympathizers of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (Woyanne, hard core of the governing coalition). This preeminence was further confirmed by the
promotion of 12 higher officers announced on September 2 by the office of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Two of the three major generals promoted to lieutenant general are Tigrayans (Se’are Mekonnen Yimer and Tadesse Worede Tesfaye). The third, Bacha Debele Buta is a leader of the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO, a member of the governing coalition) suffering from a serious illness. The only brigadier general to be promoted to the rank of major general is the Tigrayan Gebrat Ayele.

Five of the eight colonels promoted to brigadier general are Tigrayans (Kinfe Dagnew Gzebre-Silassie, Gebre-Michael Beyene Tedela, Hintsa Wolde-Giorgis Yohannis, Tekle-Birhan Kahsay Birush and Masho Beyene Desta).

Two others are Amhara (Akele Assaye Asfaw and Wondwosen Teka Agegnew) while a third (Getachew Gidina Wolbana) is from southern Ethiopia.

10 thoughts on “Ethiopia: The army is led by a tribal junta”

  1. What can we expect from an organization that claims a legitimate government of Ethiopia and functions as a organized criminal syndicate like mafias of sicily.Indeed it must give power to its trusted members.Weyane has been ruling Ethiopia through intimidation,blackmale,torture,lies and political prostitution,why WEYANE is a political organization that is exclusively for Tigrayans who can take his orders and put it to action with regard to justice or human rights.Meles,Sibhat Nega(god father of weyane),Siye the trushed one,Gebru Asrat,Abay Tzehaye and the thousands blood suckers residing in Addis who are enforcing weyane orders and pacify opposition groups so that they can not fight.These are the few from who weyane is.So weyane will never give power to anyone that is not from tigray no matter what.

  2. Welcome to “Weyane Armed Forces” of Ethiopia. Woops, excuse me of “Abai Tigrai”. Come on guys and Elias – don’t be silly. Who else can substutute the Weyane grandeous army who has sent human wave after wave of innocent conscripts to their untimely death just to stand up to ShaEwya. We all know that the overwhelming sacrificial lambs were non Tigrean Ethiopians for a war that most observers were dumb founded to comprehend.

  3. Yenatulij:
    What happened to your father, banda? Why don’t you call yourself Tweldino? Fesam! I feel very sorry for mistaking you for a person whom I know in my previous responses to your divisive antiEthiopian unity postings. Now I understand you are one of those who feel proud of being slaves to Graziani of Rome. Waytu teshekami Eetro! How is it Mezgebe Berhe feels inferior to any one? Wisha,yewsha zer! Fertai TeraTi, tedhali! The next time the Ethiopians come you will be shoved to Red Sea and we will put things in prespective. Would it not have been easier to say-the Woyenties died to give you the freedom you asked for? Rikash!

  4. Elias:

    I understand your frustartions, however,who was the majority of the ethiopian army during the previous governments? While I agree with the saying two wrongs do not make it right, I want you to understand that Tigrayans felt the same in the times of those regiems. The more you blame the more you will be proved a liar.

  5. Being at the tip of the pyramid they are fooling themselves thinking they going to rule Ethiopia as Hitlers third Reich for eternity. The Ethiopian armies 90% are constituted of most of Ethiopian nationalities . The divide and rule motto that put a few over the many will crumble. It survives because no due pressure has been put on it, but when that pressure comes the few colonels at the top are not going to hold it together. They would be consumed – and they know it. Time.

  6. Mezgebe Berhe,
    You woyanne guys are not ashamed of lies and you can not change or twist the fact that the previous army was inclusive and represents almost all Ethiopian including persons from Tigray and Eritrea.

  7. Elias
    So what?? These generals have come decimating your Derg and now Shaebya. To your detriment, they will soon be raised to the rank of MARSHALS. Then you will die of your dem bizat.

  8. weyane can call them whatever it wants. But the truth of the matter is they are all enemies of the mother land. When you have the top army officers from one ethnic group only, then the name Ethiopian army doesn’t apply. Instead they will be called war lords. For the time being, the true ethiopian army doesn’t exist. But in due time it will be born out of the people to serve and protect.

  9. you see they are not like mengistu but they learn from him,the programe is not only to rule,may be you foolish think that way.but the programme is to make sure tha they the upper hand for life(win for life).that is the meaning of rigional autonomy is translated in ethiopia at this time.can’t you see the the division of KINIJIT in three parts?from day to day woyane is makinig sure that you are not even close to be together,foreget to be united.good luck.

  10. Kassim: Qesmeh yitfa! Give me the ratio so that I can believe you. Who said the Ethiopian army as of today is not all inclusive? It is! The issue at hand is the ratio. The Tigrayans are the majority. Give us a ration on this one too. Otherwise, it is a baby thinking. Hate and hate and will take you down to the grave before you know it.

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