By Neamin Zelleke
I have been following like many the great interests generated by “የጋዜጠኛው ማስታወሻ” (The Journalists Memoir), a book written by Tesfaye Gebreab. While many have raised legitimate points regarding the Tesfaye Gebreab’s past and his role as a press/propaganda official within the TPLF dominated ethnocentric regime, others have hammered on his book Ye Burka Zimeta, an apparently “inflammatory” work written by Tesfaye Gebreab more than a decade ago. As argued by few with an intent to incite the Oromo ethnic group against the Amhara, as part of the grand conspiracy of the TPLF to perpetuate its rule by pitting one ethnic group against the other. I have not read “Ye Burka Zimeta”. Therefore, I will limit myself to commenting on the relevance and importance of “የጋዜጠኛው ማስታወሻ”, the very book he wrote recently and the cause for continued interest and heated debate in countless circles in Ethiopia and outside.
Pundits of propaganda and public relations often argue that the power of a literary piece is measured by the level of noise it creates in the enemy’s camp. If we gauge the value of Tesfaye’s book by such yardsticks, i.e., by the degree with which it has created much anger, significant discontent, and much wailing and yelling that we hear from the quarters of the ruling Tigrayan elite and its supporters worldwide, it could well be compared to a surprise military blitzkrieg by a guerrilla force right at the heart of TPLF’s power center and its leaders, somehow caught by surprise as they slumber due to their blotted hubris. The TPLF ruling gang and their cronies everywhere are indeed fuming left and right, both inside and outside of Ethiopia. Why in deed are they raving and ranting everywhere?
Although his language and style are very powerful and enticing, the power of Tesfaye Gebreab’s book stems from its vivid and picturesque storytelling with a Chekhovian streak, realistic assessment, and expositions of the nature and culture of the ruling TPLF and its leaders. It gives an insight in to what has come to dominate the nature and character of the Ethiopian state. It tells stories about the personalities, the culture and mentality of the leaders of the ruling TPLF/EPRDF and their cadres. These features of the book give us the clue as regard to the reasons for the TPLF gang and their supporters raving and ranting.
They are furious because he unveiled them. They are now naked more than ever. Much of their pretensions have been debunked, shown for what they are. Some make believe stories, others delusions and illusions. As the saying goes in Amharic “Ye mayinega meslwat bequat”. They are exposed for what they are — noting but a bunch of crooks that have no vision that goes beyond their nose. Their only agenda and vision if that is worthy of being called a “vision” is the hegemony of the TPLF/Tigrayan elite in perpetuity by all means at the expense of any and all things in and of Ethiopia. This too has come out loud and clear in the book.
Their dirty laundry is out there for Ethiopians to see. The degree of deceit and treachery that infests the ruling cadres of TPLF, all their banality, all their crooked and vindictive personalities are laid bare. Think of characters like Bereket Simon and others who emerge from the book. Top it all with a glimpse of the deeply hidden plethora secrets of crimes committed against the Ethiopian people. Recall OPDO’s General Abadula Gemeda’s conspiracy and the operation he lead, ending up to the tragic assassination of a respected Oromo elder named Ato Derara in Ambo. We now have the tip of the ice berg as to who committed what crimes during the last seventeen years of TPLF’s tenure.
A small thank you is due to Tesfaye Gebreab just for bringing to the fore such vital pieces of information and clues to their criminality and massive corruption. I would argue that Tesfaye has done us a favor compared to others who defected from the TPLF camp in the past. That the TPLF and its cronies are wasting oceans of inks and tons of paper in a futile attempt to kill the message by attempting to kill the messenger should not be surprising. An all out rampage to paint him with all sorts of narrow and broad brushes should not deter from his expose’. Hence, great care should be taken by all those within the opposition camp not to follow suit by endlessly harping on blunders of those who were once working for the enemy camp like Tesfaye.
We find in Tesfaye’s book what we otherwise knew at rumor and hearsay levels. There is also much that he has told us we did not know. Aside from the hilarious incidents and episodes scattered all over his book, the book has given us an additional knowledge as regard to the inner working of the regime, the mind set of leading cadres, how they think and what they think behind the appearance of their public persona.
The books also tells much about the relentless quest for power and hegemony, the TPLF/Tigrayan elite enjoy in all aspects of the Ethiopian state machinery and the public sphere at large–economy, politics, military, foreign affairs, security; and the list goes on and on. It was Voltaire, the French thinker and political satirist of the Enlightenment era, who once said that the Holy Roman Empire is neither Holy nor Roman nor Empire, quipping as regard to the impotence of the byzantine edifice that once stretched across the Mediterranean. By the same token, no political piece of work coming from a once time insider of the TPLF regime has affirmed without a shadow of doubt–with so many incidents and data found in the book– to the fact that the so-called EPRDF claiming to be the ruling “Front” is nothing but a zombie that is used by the TPLF at will and whim. In short, the so-called EPRDF is none other than a bunch of stooges and a Trojan horse under the mercy of their creator, The TPLF, the Tigrayan organization ruling over Ethiopia under the guise of being a member of a front of other “Ethiopain organizations” constituting the “EPRDF”. Here too their stale and utterly cruel joke has been busted once again and big time.
All the information, personal experiences, daily encounters , observations packed and recounted in Tesfay’s book, are first hand accounts coming from a person who was a one time insider and official of the TPLF/EPRDF regime. That is the difference and the reasons for its vital relevance. Even the higher ups like Gebru Asrat, Seye Abraha, and many higher or mid level officials who dismounted the TPLF horse–for one reason or another and at one time or another–have not given us the kind of insight, information, into the inner working and relationship that exist among the leading cadres and officials of the TPLF and so called EPRDF. They did not provide us with what exactly went on within the TPLF and its satellite organizations like the ANDM, OPDO at various sages during the course of the past decades. But Tesfaye Gebereab has filled in many blanks for us.
He has confirmed what many in the opposition have been saying all along buttressed by hitherto unavailable data and valuable information. It is for sure and by all means, not a complete picture and information. But it is a very good and promising start where others like him coming from the Intelligence, the foreign affairs, the military and others sectors of the TPLF regime can fill in the gaps.
Prudence dictates that one should encourage such individuals who choose to leave the ruling ethnic party and its coterie of appendages parties to write and expose what they know like Tesfaye Gebreab did in his work. We should accord them due welcome while urging them to also apologize if they indeed engaged in acts that were once harmful to the people of Ethiopia.
I find it utterly disagreeable; both from tactical and strategic considerations, the urge by some of our compatriots in engaging to demonize and pound on ad infintum against individuals like to Tesfaye who dared to write a piece of themselves, availing their historical memory and recounting their personal encounters. Perhaps, we may expect more that they did not tell us, but we should welcome their writing forays as a good start for more to come. In the past, there we have witnessed many who defected from, or had a fall out with the TPLF and the so-called EPRDF, but have not heard nor read what went on while they were part of the political system. Save for few exceptions that left at very early stages.
We should therefore give credit where it is due. For Tesfaye has opened at least one door among the gates of the flood. If managed wisely the discontented and disconcerted middle and lower echelons of the TPLF/EPRDF regime may defect in droves. Such happenings will further expose and bankrupt the decaying and ethnocentric Tigrayan gang ruling over Ethiopia.
On the flip side of the coin, the path of endless demonization for what one did once as part of an oppressive system does not give incentive for others to follow suit. Such acts do not encourage many discontented individuals in the enemy’s camp to leave the TPLF regime, and leave it for once and for all, followed by publicly exposing it for its many crimes of human rights abuse stemming from the ethno-terrorist features and political culture of the Tigrayan dominated ethnocentric gang. Such a trend is surely not a strategically wise move if viewed from our political objectives of exposing, weakening, and further exacerbating the contradictions and bankruptcy of an already decaying regime at the brink of collapse. It suffices to recall that the Derg regime was further weakened and the moral of the then Ethiopian army declined when heavy weight officials and functionaries such as Col Goshu Wolde, the then Foreign Minster Maj. Dawit Wolde Girogis, the then Commissioner of Relief and Rehabilitation, and scores of others to abandon and expose much of Col. Mengistu’s and his regime’s misguided policies, human rights abuse, and other excesses.
However legitimate the criticism leveled against Tesfaye for being a willing participant of TPLF’s ploy to pit one ethnic group against the other by writing the book under the title “Ye Burka Zimita”, I find his current book infused with a very good vision for Ethiopia and the Ethiopain people. Foremost, the recognition of lack of freedom and justice. Freedom for the writer, the journalist, the civil servant, businessman, peasant, etc to realize their potential. For self expression unhindered and unburdened by either the custom of the land or the powers that be ruling/miruling the land.
Indeed “የጋዜጠኛው ማስታወሻ” is pervaded by a deep recognition the lack of freedom and an arrested and stultified development the human mind and spirit, and in this case the Ethiopian personality. The glaring lack of it in Ethiopia during the successive regimes, including the TPLF, the very regime the author served close to a decade even from the authors early ordeals of life starting from his inability to find a work as a journalist, his passion, despite his demonstrated talent and abilities as a writer.
Contrary to what many impute to him, we also see the author’ s deep love for Ethiopia and an umbilical love and attachment to Bishoftu/Debrezeit, his place of birth and coming of age. His love of people and places extends to far away place like Gondar and other regions too. Writers and poets are artists after all, they have a unique angle with which they see and envision humanity, nature, and the world. Tesfaye has shared a piece of himself, including deeply personal matters with the world in his own attractive use of language and poetic style. One can argue that as far as what is expected of writers and poets; he has fulfilled his role of literary creativity in a work meant as a true story, a journal cum memoir. This argument does not mean that we have to agree with all his ideas and assertions, including characterization of individuals who have established a long and consistent track record in the struggle fro Human rights and democracy in Ethiopia, like for instance, Ato Abraha Belay of Ethiomedia. We take what we think are important when it comes to such assertions and “revelations” about personalities as well as events.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])
17 thoughts on “Reflections on Tesfaye Gebreab’s “The Journalists Memoir””
I read Tesfay Gebreab’s (Yegazetegnaw mastawesha) book twice. And I tell you, I enjoyed it. It is not only because of the information stated in the book but it is also its language fluency and wonderful writing style.
I tried to read this above comment but I did not finish because I can’t undersand what the writer is talking or writing about.
So those of you wo wants to react, please make yor comment as clear and undarsandable as possible. Otherwise do not kill our time. Secondly, try to be timely and try also to say some thing new and worthy.
Thanks!
Excellent commentary!
Tesfay Gebreab is really the best Journalist in Ethiopia.I appreciated him a lot.You book is interesting and your word selection ,your writting skill is really excellent.
Please write other book if you can.
Thanks!
A fair assessment by Neamin Zelleke.
However, its literature overrides the point. I am wondering why some writers like Mr. Zelleke
Loves to make the language complex and losing the point.
“engaging to demonize and pound on ad infintum” What is all these jargons?
Please, look to the readers not to your own intellect.
Thanks
It is a great review Neamin. You really amplified and complemented the points Tesfaye Gebreab raised. Indeed, Tesfaye raised and deeply exposed the Tigrean ruling gang- especially the group’s obsessive drive to grab land, money and power from from anywhere and everywhere by creating its clones using mindlees individuals from every ethenic group. As Neamin also highlighted that the information we got from Tesfaye has exposed the very limited display of straightforwardness and truth from the likes of Siye and Gebru Asrat whose writings usually give the impression that the EPDRF is a genuine front- and it is disgusting that Gebru Asrat and his friends have come up with another TPLF as if we had not enough of one.
Finally, I am surprised by the comment of Alula. Either ato Alula is light on the English language or he is part of the Tigrian elite gang and thus evading it deliberately. if the former, of course there is nothing Neamin can do- but if the later then I advise Ato Alula to come out of your closet and declare the truth as the peace loving of the world are closing on the dictator Meles.
Tiga
Tesfaye did a very wonderful job in writing the evil deeds of the ethnocentric Tigrean warlords/rulers. I wish all who have something to share should write it down even if they don`t have the literary ability like Tesfaye.
I have a serious problem with Elias Kifle”s stubborn personality. But I do admire his knowledge of politics and his non-wishy washy personality and honest principles. I can’t imagine Elias allowing such kind of garbage article. Elias, are you running out of people who send you good articles.
First of all what is the writer talking about Tesfaye’s “literary creativity”. This is a man who has written one of the rare books during TPLF’s rule that critically contributed to divide Ethiopian College students into Amhara and Oromo camp to the point of killing each other. By the way this divide requires a lot of work to mend. Again he is trying to lecture us about the innocence of Ethiomedia’s owner and his Ethiopianess. Who said this former TPLF journalist is not Ethioipian. No one is saying any of this criminals are not Ethiopians. The owner of Ethio-media is not a defensible personality because he is one that is hard to understand and it is not worth counting him in. What is the writer trying to do. Is this supposed to be a tactical move to win over government stooges or what. I think either the writer lacks political shrewdness or he has some hidden agenda. Let alone an enemy of Ethiopian, even among freinds a reconsiled friendship is always dangerous. This is not about politics, this is about country. Mulugeta Lule is a respected journalist. Tesfaye has tried to divide Oromo and Amahara’s and now he is talking about Gojames and others systematically trying to divide Ethiopians like TPLF. I smell EPRP (TPLF in amharic).
WeTa WeTana endeshembeQo….Ato Neamin, did you really have to end your little hoch-poch by exonerating Ato Abraha Belai whose sole mission has been to pit groups in the diaspora opposition one against the other? In fact, was this the sole purpose of your article? Why did you do it? Just to show your personal loyalty to Aite Abraha?, or because you yourself are part of a grand and sinister design for diaspora politics. When an ever increasing number of Ethiopians are convinced that the theatrics of Seye Abraha and Company’s “fall out” with the TPLF several years ago, as well as the activities of the likes of Abraha Belay, Burtukan Mideqsa….etc are all nothing but make-believe drama, your defense of this questionable character is noteworthy.
Addition to comment No. 4
The writer of this article is following the foot steps of Prof. Alemayehu Gebremariam(Al Mariam). The similarity between Mr. Zeleke and Prof. Al is their effort on how they practice diction in their writings. They both try to articulate their articles by using jargons, heavy weight words and quoting known personalities from the west. One can easily identify their weakness of not understanding their society. How many of the internet browsing crowd know most of this heavy words.
I can somehow sympathize with a Prof. who is day in day out engaged with this types of vocabularies, and the same with Mr. Zeleke who sound like a book worm. But they both need to Tezibt college and correct these eroneous misunderstanding of the majority of our society. It is a very well known phenomenon in the west and particularly in the U.S. that “simplicity adds beauty to your substance in the story” means you have to write in the simplest way possible. One can look into New york times, The Post and amny other News papers editorials.
While I consider myself a fairly educated person. What education has done to me is, it allowed me to know that I don’t know any thing that I have to open my mind to continually learn, let alone be arrogant about it. What I have observed about Some educated Ethiopians is that they want to prove that they are better or they are well read, by the vocabularies they use. If you already earned your Phd or MA that is good enough for me, though I really have to know what kind of grades you made in college. There is no need to try to look like you know it all. I don’t have to look far. Though I don’t agree half the time, Elias does write some times and it is understandable to any person above ninth grade student. To understand the writings of both mentioned writers, you have to know some of the latin used by phylosophers and lawyers. To really have the grasp of thier articles, one has to be above the MA Degree level.
Not to go around the bush, I can say that this is typical arrogance. I am not going to put percentage because most of us know how many percent of our educated has this type of arrogance. But the really genius educated person with confidence wouldn’t worry about using elegant and complicated words but great ideas. My advice again is read popular editorials in famous news papers and you will understand what I am talking about. I hope this would do it because it is my first time to see some one bring this issue for discussion. This is good to impress westerners, like Meles does. Meles doesn’t have to worry about the substance as long as he keeps studying his vocabulary. That makes up for his jerky ideas. Most like him do use the vocabulary as an intimidation tactic. Though I know vocabulary is the sign of expanded critical thinking, it has no merit in this type of situation. I don’t think people would carry dictionary to read stuff like this. Simplified, short and to the point articles will be the choice of readers. Unless the subject is written for few elits or as a tit for tat type of war among the know it all types.
Comment from “Girmachew says:” is short but great. I really love the way he put it. Mr. Zeleke is really detached from reality. Have you ever heard of the saying “if it quacks like a duck its a duck”. The same goes to Mr.Abraha Belay, and also to Mr. Zeleke himself. I can visualize Mr. Zeleke dancing with Meles Zenawi after the later writes a book and apologizes to Ethiopians when some power group throws him out of his throne. Are you preparing yourself for that Mr. Genius. If you are not suffering from some type of paranoia, you must be member of the fake EPRP or some group like the one that belongs to Mr. Hailu Shewid or you may have your own one man lunatic party in your basement.
Tesfaye tryed his best to creat disput b/n amhara and oromo.he tryed also to make happy woyane by explaining theire vangardness of the war example YBURKA ZMITA tryed to exajurate Hyelom and Kinfe as the sametime he tryed to crppyness of Atse Minilik.all are were false.when he thrown from woyane he is trying to sims like a jeniune person.by the way I didn,t expect good things from shabia.
for me Tamirat & Tesfa are the same
God save ETHIOPIA
The way Tesfaye writes reflects how much the late Bealu Girma left his way of writing on this young writer.
He also tries to use some ways from Maxim Gorki. Good Tesfaye, you are on the right truck! please write more. Except “ye burka zimita” which is a very funny book ( i don’t even understand what you were talking about – a lot of nonsense in that book ) “Yaltemelesew babur” was a great work. Take care of yourself from those stupid weyanes.
Why are some people fixated on accusing others and refusing to focus on the issue at hand.Why are you bothered about the writing style and the diction of the writers. if you find some words to understand, there such a thing as called a dictionary.
Should our politics be guided by emotional tantrums to the wrong doings of Ex-TPLF cadres & sympathisers OR tactical and strategic considerations as Neamin and Dr. Getachew Haile correctly stated? What is wrong with opposition activists? How do you think we can win the struggle against ruthless enemy? By ranting, barking and attacking like rabid dogs or be being part of strong confident movement capable of accomodating contributions to the struggle from defectors such as Tesfaye. I think our movement should send messages to the likes of Tesfaye or would be Tesfayes in the future that
1. The prodemocray movement is a strong movement with tested leadership, the notion that it would be led by these once TPLF/EPRDF honchos is way overblown. The struggle can accommodate the contributions of these defectors with no fear that they would be able to manipulate the struggle. Actually, the role for the likes of Tesfaye would be to bringing more and more of their earlier comrades to defect from enemy camp. Their future redemption infront of the Ethiopian public would be by the number of their ex-comrades they have helped defect.
For that to happen opposition activists should help by lowering the emotional tantrum which would not help the desired goal.
2. The prodemocracy movement is surefooted movement or a tsunami (MAEBEL) with its eyes focused on the prize and the time to jump from the sinking TPLF-navigated-ship is now with no fear of retributions, while those who waited would not escape the wrath.
3. Counter the message that TPLF wants to convey i.e defiance to the regime or being in the opposition camp would bring only miseries to your personal life or your family members (the case of Birtukan and Teddy Afro being current example) while those who are on its side would prosper and would have power over others. It is true it has been that way because we particularly in the diaspora did not use our financial muscle and abandoned those who have defied to their own fate. The way to counter this powerful message is the diaspora using its financial muscle and compensate/reward those who dare to defy. NOTE that I am not proposing MITSIWAT. Nobody likes our MITSIWAT to their family out of pity. What they need is our AGARNET. The way to show it is, when the regime crackdown and jail editor inorder to closedown or silence a newspaper, reward the newspaper from the ‘defiance’ fund so that it can hire another editor with higher salary and keep on publishing. The kind of message residents of FERENSAY LEGASION sent when they contributed money and awarded Birtukan a new car. These are the kind of messages the prodemocractic opposition has to covey in order to shorten the the days of Meles’s regime.
Such messages:
YE SEWUN LIB YADENEDINALU
QETLOM
KE ATR LAI YEQOMEWN KE TELAT CAMP WEDE WEGEN GORA INDIGEBA YAREGALU
ALEYAM
YELEYELET TELATN YASDENEGETALU
Honesty speaking, the book does not tell us anything that we already do not know. I was hoping to get revelation of behind-the-scene events that Tesfaye might know. I was hugely disappointed because he wrote nothing that we do not know about Woyanne and its mafia family. Which one do already not know – TPLF’s hegemony of its satellite organizations, Meles’s power-greed and mercilessness, TPLF’s split…? We have more than enough of Tesfaye’s love stories, though. He writes with style and that is it. I say it lacks real substance. What is more perplexing to me is that Tesfaye never discussed the fundamental problem with TPLF and what might be Ethiopia’s future! He makes the issue and the book about personalities – Bereket, Abreha Belai,etc. I say – give me substance!
As any ordinary Ethiopian, I have read the book. It doesn’t really tell us much about the woyane wrong-doings. It is all about some minor informations here and there.
Rather, I found the book very entertaining. I admire his selection of poems for each paragraph… Well narrted following the style of the Late Bealu Girma.
It is surprising that, he didn’t write a single chapter (Not even a single page) about Shabia. Ethiopia was under the control of Shabia during the first 10 years of the woyane regime. Isn’t it a public secret.? Who were the first beneficairies? what were Shabians doing at that time? What was their intention? out of many to be mentioned, Tesfaye lacks the gut to say few about them. Why ?????????
I have also read the book “Ye Burka Zimta” a couple of years ago. Genuine Ethiopian were very upset while few overjoyed. The book was not a big deal other than its intention to provoke conflict between two major ethnics. It is not as he tried to promote in his current book. He is a good salesman!. (Ewnetim Negade!).
Tesfaye, You are not Genuine. You didn’t say a word about Shabians and Eritreans. Big Question for you. Credibility Lost..
I have read Tesfaye’s book called Yegazetegnaw Mastawesh , the book was really amazing he just told us who is Woyane and how they tricked the people, even if we all know something about Woyane and their decedents political attitude towards Ethiopian and it’s people, this book can also give us more a solid information.