By Kallacha Dubbi
In my previous writing entitled “TPLF and Tigrean Identity Politics” dated May 25, 2007, I expressed a view that Tigrean nationalism is overtly discriminatory, and it is therefore distinguished by negative manifestations of the Ethiopian integrative power. Instead of uniting multi-ethnic Ethiopia, the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) leadership has antagonized them, and as such, it has excluded even Tigreans from mainstream Ethiopian political discourse. In this follow up, necessitated by email feedbacks I received, I intend to provide some evidence without encumbering the reader with too much detail that such data would otherwise require.
My previous argument leads to a conclusion that the negative identity formation in which a group (TPLF) defines itself and also others in terms of what it is not, according to a famous sociologist, tends to lead into a “pathological situation of internal violence.” This has occurred on a large scale in the Balkans, Sri Lanka, or the Middle East. The situation in Ethiopia is an even more fitting example with acutely rising consequences. Tigrean discrimination ignores individual merits based on the victim’s ethnic background, and this serves as a stifling factor for development, killing ideas in a poor country that requires mobilizing all its brain capacities to get rid of the ravaging poverty.
My previous view also suggests that Tigrean discrimination has paradoxically played a very important role of coalescing the discriminated people, pulling together victims who share the same abuse to a united powerhouse capable of undermining or perhaps even toppling the discriminator. Oromos, Somalis, Sidamas, and Amharas, etc. are united in wanting to dethrone the TPLF. In other words, even a negative integration, integration that is achieved for a reason of shared abuse – threats, hatred, tortures, arrests, and killings is integration of some sort. This natural coalition of the oppressed is as strong as it can effectively resist political opportunism as well as TPLF’s corruptive infiltration. There is tangible evidence, that creation of a country-wide united national opposition front to this Tigrean domination is targeted by infiltrators from the TPLF dominated regime. But the creation of a broad-based unity has its own weak points that expose it to such manipulations.
The weakest link
The Ethiopian political intolerance, exceptionally violent and intense in its makeup, is nourished by delusional tradition that borders with compulsive disorder. By and large, it assumes that every human being with opposing opinion, every political group with a dissenting view, is an enemy. This intolerance characterizes the individual activist’s manner so profoundly, that one can observe its manifestations in coffee bar debates, at community gatherings, and even at scholarly meetings. This is in major part the legacy of the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (EPRP), the weakest link in the creation of a broad-based opposition against Tigrean domination, i.e., a hazard for political progress in the country.
In a familiarly condescending tone whose authorship must have a thing or two to do with EPRP mentality, one wrote, ‘The theory of the nation which decomposes Ethiopia by weaving the myths (emphasis mine) of Tigreanism, Eritreanism, Oromoism and so on goes counter to the core experience of the people…’
After reclaiming Eritrea and replacing the well established Ethiopian myth with his own, the author attempts to guard the mythical ‘framework’ by delivering another punch to its contents: “There can be no compromise on the Ethiopian and African framework for citizen expression and engagement.”
The author forces all the Ethiopian cultural and ethnic diversities to either become Ethiopians or Africans of his personal definition of certainly chauvinistic preeminence, or face a wrath of his verdict and imagination — no compromise, we are told in no uncertain terms.
So, vaguely articulated malice of EPRP’s ideology still permeates through the deeds and words of the now senior or middle-aged activists who commenced politics in the 70s as infantile children. Their politics never stopped growing, but it grew crook!
In the 1970s, in a bizarre combination of feudal tradition with Marxism, the EPRP offered nothing else to the Ethiopian political roundtable other than winning by killing or dying, even when in its opposition stood a well-armed national army pronouncing its sure demise.
There was no compromise then as now. Blinded by emotional ambition, traits of which are still glaring among its rank and file, the children were too young to fathom the essence of a military balance and too confused to comprehend the impact of a generation’s death.
The military junta was driven insane by their obnoxious and unflinching ambition, and as a result, the junta passed a collective death verdict on the generation.
This in part allowed the military to keep political power for one more decade, leaving behind a scar of historical magnitude.
In this sense, the EPRP and the TPLF have little to distinguish them from Khmer Rouge, except that the TPLF, also a teen army that grew to power without growing to the society, is now terrorizing Ethiopia whereas the EPRP resides in old Diaspora minds as a political paranoia. They do share concealed hate and love for each other; they can’t go against each other, they can’t go for each other either. It is sad to see that neither the politics nor the social evolution of the last thirty years offered any cure to the survivors of the lost generation of Ethiopia that continue diffusing discord throughout all the political establishments of the region.
There is little doubt that most of the destructive vectors and inward fighters in all political fronts and organizations can be traced to this futile ideology in a resistive or adaptive form. Their relentless propaganda for the unity of Ethiopia, on one hand, and equally relentless objection to the unity of Oromos, Amharas, Somalis etc. when not on their own sadistic terms on the other, their objection to the very idea of the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD), is a synopsis of their fixation on winning, with extremely poor judgment of their capacity that would enable them to win. By betraying its own mission and stated goals, the EPRP is acclaimed to be the weakest link of the Ethiopian political opposition against Tigrean domination, and therefore the creation of a better tomorrow for the region.
TPLF’s Strength
Facing a disgruntled Ethiopian opposition forces is the TPLF, an organization that has an exceptional talent in further disgruntling opposition forces. The TPLF has two strong suits that link it to the Ethiopian political power and shape its capacity to destabilize the opposition. They are: a) military, and b) economy.
The military
Strictly speaking, the Ethiopian armed forces are Tigrean no less than the TPLF is Tigrean. The following list makes this argument abundantly clear.
Ministry of Defense
* Commander of Ethiopian armed forces – Melles Zenawi (Tigrean)
* Defense Minister is a non-Tigrean, but this position is constitutionally manned by a civilian, not a military person
* Chief of Staff – Samora (Mohamed) Yunis (Tigrean)
* Department of Training – Major General Taddese Wored- (Tigrean)
* Department of Logistics and Administration – Major General Gezahi Abera – (Tigrean)
* Department of Operations – Brigadier General Gebrzgiabher Mebrhatu (Tigrean)
* Department of Military Intelligence- Brigadier General Yohannes (John) Gebre Meskel – (Tigrean) …. Recently appointed as Deputy Commander of Central Command. This Department will also be commanded by head of operations Brigadier General Gebrezgiabher Mebrhatu (Tigrean).
* Commander of the Air Force – Brigadier Molla H. Mariam (Tigirean)
Under the Ministry of Defense there are 5 Ethiopian Army Commanders.
* Northern Command (HQ Mekele) – Major General Seare Mekonnen (Tigrean)
* North Western Command (HQ Baher Dar) – Brigadier General Abraham Gebre Mariam (Tigrean)
* Special Army Command (HQ Dessie-Bure Front) – Birgadier General Teklai Ashebir (Tigrean)
* South Eastern Army Command (HQ Harar) – Brigadier General Seyum Hagos (Tigrean)
* Central Army Command (HQ Shire Indasilassie) – Major General Taddese Wored (Tigirean – Agaw). Recently, Brigadier General Yohannes G. Meskel also Tigrean.
The Ministry of Defense has 28 Division Commanders.
* All but one are Tigreans
Division Commands have 106 Regiments.
* 98% of the Regiment Commanders are Tigireans
It can be safely argued therefore, that there is no Ethiopian national army but Tigrean.
b) The economy: The Ethiopian economy is controlled by two large conglomerates:
l The Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT)
l The Ethio-Saudi AI-Amudi-family – Midroc Ethiopia
Of interest to my ongoing argument is EFFORT. We will return to Midroc at another opportune time.
In 1978, the TPLF created the Relief Society of Tigray (REST), a financial umbrella organization of the TPLF which acted as an NGO despite headed by a TPLF Central Committee member. It collected donations from the international community and channeled it to the TPLF, playing a key role in the survival and ultimate victory of TPLF over the Derg.
After the rise of the TPLF to power in 1991, REST was formally registered with the governmental Relief & Rehabilitation Commission in Ethiopia as an NGO. As the TPLF’s financial backbone, it continued enjoying the state protection, and the restructured organization emerged as the richest “NGO” in the continent. In the summer of 1995, about four years after it took control of central power in Ethiopia, the TPLF established a stronger peer for REST – the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT). Sources suggest that EFFORT started its business venture with a lofty investment volume of about 2.7 billion birr — then just under US $1 billion (currently $1 US is about 9 birr).
Through EFFORT, the TPLF has considerably diversified its economic activities and expanded its outreach even to foreign countries. The European financial maneuver of the TPLF is based in UK where family members are trained and placed in key areas of Ethiopia’s financial institutions. In some cases, they are assigned to a now growing number of internationalized affiliates co-owned or owned by EFFORT, such as the Tower Trading Company (TTC) – a London-based TPLF owned company mandated with money laundering.
New companies continue to emerge, fully or partly owned by EFFORT through an intricate system of shares and investments. By controlling key growth areas, EFFORT has become the soul of the country’s economy: agriculture (Hiwot Mechanized Agriculture), industry (Almeda Textiles Manufacturing Sc., Mesfin Industrial Engineering SC.), import-export (Guna Trading House), transport (Trans-Ethiopia SC.), insurance (Africa Insurance SC.), mining (Meskerem Investment SC.), communications (Mega-Net Corporation), banking (Wegagen Bank), just to mention some. Clearly, TPLF’s business enterprises cover numerous activities including textile, chemicals, pharmaceutical, and food industries. They also cover major service industries such as banking, insurance, transportation, printing, advertising, land developing, import/export, construction, mining, leather products, and farming.
EFFORT is divided into several sectors directed by members of the TPLF Central Committee, like Abadi Zemo for industrial activities, Arkebe Oqubay Mitiku for construction and transportation, and Tewodros Hagos for mining. The individuals may be moved around, but no non-Tigrean is appointed to EFFORT. In fact, no non-TPLF Tigrean is appointed to the ranks of EFFORT. Strategic positions of the Federal government that generate large amounts of cash are also led by Tigreans of EFFORT who hold multiple offices. For example, Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin is chairman of Ethiopian Air Lines, chairman of the Mugher Cement Factory, chairman of the Ambo Water Factory, chairman of EFFORT, and deputy-chairman of the TPLF at the same time. The more trusted individuals are usually offered the more strategic positions.
Although EFFORT is strictly controlled by the TPLF, it is not the only entity owned or controlled by high-ranking TPLF officials or favored Tigrean citizens. For example, although EFFORT controls WEGAGEN Bank, the TPLF encouraged the creation of DEDEBIT Credit and Savings Institution, headquartered in Meqele and administered by the local government of Tigray. The bank has numerous financial links with other TPLF controlled businesses of the country. DEDEBIT, as an extension of Rural Credit Program, acquired a near total monopoly over credit to rural areas, mostly farmers. The financial monopoly over rural Ethiopia has serious political ramifications. In the early 2000s, the main source of the bank was interest from fertilizer. Farmers were identified, registered, and forced to make a down payment of 25% on the price for the amount of fertilizer. The Bank estimated the amount of fertilizer the farmer supposedly needed. A credit agreement was written with each farmer, and after six months, the bank collected the debt from the farmers with 15% interest.
Business in Tigray is completely closed to non-Tigreans, and all walks of Tigrean businesses are exclusively owned by EFFORT or the local Tigrean government. For example, the trading company GUNA has a near monopoly in sesame and incense wholesale in Tigray whereas TRANS Ethiopia carries all goods designated as relief.
The TPLF also benefits EFFORT by ordering free transfer of funds from government accounts, often under a bogus claim of services that TPLF institutions offered to the public. It allows free flow of goods in the name of EFFORT, without customs and taxes, but EFFORT is allowed to compete with for-profit businesses of the country through its tentacle bureaus. Thus, Moseb Cement factory was built with public expenditure at a cost of 1.5 billion birr, and a Textile factory in Adwa at 1.2 billion. However, the incomes from these public investments are fully controlled by the TPLF through EFFORT.
EFFORT also makes extensive use of the credit opportunities offered by the state-owned Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) and other financial institutions controlled by the government. The generous provision of credits by CBE to EFFORT is clearly politically influenced and based upon directives issued by the TPLF controlled government of Ethiopia. When EFFORT defaults in the payment of loans CBE provides relieving credit, obviously upon directives from the Ethiopian government. In some cases, millions of birr loans obtained by EFFORT are unlawfully delayed or even cancelled. In a widely publicized case a few years ago, the Vice-Governor of CBE overruled an earlier decision by the credit department of CBE not to grant 40 million birr credit to SUR Construction, a subsidiary of EFFORT. There is no way escaping the conclusion that the loan was made possible by political intervention from the TPLF regime.
As an almost sole beneficiary of state contracts, EFFORT’s income continues to grow exponentially. For example, during the Ethio-Eritrean war, EFFORT became the financial wing of the war. MESFIN Engineering supplied water, fuel, and vehicles. TRANS-Ethiopia supplied trucks, and SELAM Bus was in charge of transporting militia. The income from the war propelled these companies to powerful monopolies of the country in their respective business domains.
EFFORT has now become a self-contained economic state operating on the call of the official government, formally serving the personal appetite of state officials, a phenomena witnessed nowhere in the world. Its assets are protected federally, and its under-the-table contracts are enforced by TPLF’s iron fisted militias. It has a favored access to government as well as to foreign aid contracts with profitable niches, dominating joint ventures with domestic and foreign investors. One of the strategic alliances is with Amoudi’s Midroc which supplies the TPLF with billions of birr through investments. Midroc buys natural resources of the South including gold and other precious stones from the TPLF with cash, and service contracts at these sites go back to EFFORT.
At a policy level, the Financial Sector Steering Committee (FSSC) serves as an umbrella institute for justification of fund transfers, creating the legal framework for supporting even poorly performing EFFORT auxiliaries, or channeling funds to the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) cash institutes. EPRDF is a bogus amalgam of Fronts populated with non-Tigrean renegades, created and dominated by the TPLF. FSSC defines policies and strategies for banks, appoints board of directors and executives for the banks, and routinely monitors their operations. Thus, the FSSC oversees all government banks, and has full power over their activities. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi chairs this committee. It is a public knowledge that he personally mandated EPRDF companies: Guna, Ambassael, Dinsho, and Wando to take over the sugar company when the plant was privatized. Interestingly Ato Sebhat who owns Guna, Ato Bereket who owns Ambassel, Ato Girma who owns Dinsho, and Ato Kassu who owns Wando are members of FSSC, and some of these same individuals seat on the Board of CBE that financed these companies. As a result, all privately owned enterprises competing for the privatization of the plant, Star, Abeba co. etc. were shut out of the competition.
The EFFORT companies are reported to owe billions of birr to Ethiopian banks. In fact, most of the EFFORT companies would not survive without government protection. In one case, CBE, the Construction and Business Bank, and the Ethiopian Development Bank collectively loaned 1.7 billion birr to EFFORT. According to insiders, the loan has not been paid to date. The 1.7 billion birr was distributed to Adigrat Pharmaceutical Factory, Adwa Textile Factory, Dashen Brewery, and Mesebo Cement Factory. These and other EFFORT or EPRDF affiliates including TESCO, Tikure Abay, Dansho Transport are constantly in deep financial crisis.
Although the main focus of this paper is private business ventures of the TPLF, it must be noted that Tigray, the TPLF’s home region has inequitably benefited from federal funds. For example, a recently published paper presents comparative welfare analysis of four Ethiopian regions: Oromia, Amhara, Southern States, and Tigray. A 2001/2002 data of these regions shows that 42% of children in Tigray are fully vaccinated, where as the percentage is – 10% for Oromia, 15% for Amhara, and 11% for Southern States. Population to physician ratio is 28,600 for Tigray. This jumps to 60,800 for Oromia,, 60,700 for Amhara, and 44,000 for Southern States. Secondary education enrollment for Tigray is about 25% (a six-fold increase in just a decade), but Oromia has 11.6%, Amhara 9%, and Southern States 11%. According to World Bank report “Ethiopia Public Expenditure review” the Federal government never transferred more than 6% of the country’s cash revenue to the states, which leaves more than 94% of the federal budget at the discretion of the TPLF, appropriation of which is apparent from the above numbers.
In conclusion, the TPLF has clearly violated international business rules and practices, and as a ruling political party, it not only owns large amounts of properties and engages in commercial and trading activities whereby it places competing private sectors in a hopeless situation, but it also uses this economic dominance to incarcerate, harass, dominate, and control political opposition forces to stay in power. This injustice justifies continued armed struggle of the people against the TPLF domination, and rejection of foreign expeditions to exploit natural resources of the country on behalf of the TPLF.
71 thoughts on “The threat of Tigrean Nationalism”
…..some in the opposition were asserting that the TPLF was looting Ethiopia and transferring the wealth to Tigray. According to this stupid propaganda, Tigreans were living lives of unimaginable luxury while the non-Tigrean majority was stuck in grinding poverty and being exploited by Tigreans. This odious propaganda has done so much damage to Ethiopia, the lies and stupid rumors that were being spread.
http://www.geocities.com/~dagmawi/Zebenya/08/Preface.html
Thank you for the realistic article
The TPLF strength is its organization chain. From cell to EPRDF. Has strict command. Members are recruited based on ethnicity and criteria. There are three or multiple level of membership Type A, B, C, D. They have strict organizational discipline at each level secretes and strategies are different, so they are not easily infiltrated. None of the members betrays for money reason. They have enough resource and members are convinced, they live better only if their party exists. Even Tigray people know that TPLF is better for them. If not killing or heavy punishment is the subsequent. Take for Example Gebru Asrat, he never talks top secrets, in fact their split was strategic, it is a sort of animation (Now he speaks about the return of Asab to win the hearts and Minds of Ethiopians). Their main income is not party owned investment. Now each and every TPLF member invests on private or share (Which is a party investment). Take real estate in Addis, through pretext of modernization, natives are forced to leave their habitual place and land is given to TPLF members each TPLF is an investor now controling Bole and Piassa.
Member’s sphere of influence determines their economic share. If a member is influential, his economic share will be high and it is shared to grass root level to the farmer level through money grants, aid allocation, gifts coffee, sugar farm implements etc.(Like mafia) So no body goes against them. In order to achieve their goals (To destroy Ethiopia) they are supported by the West and Arabs.
The Other groups are “hod ader” like the Amhara and Oromo, once they are bribed they betray the people
In fact TPLF knows well the mentality of other ethnic elites they are “like a child who does not know which shoe is right or left”. That is the level of consciousness it is too low. All other ethnic groups are useless
For example look the number of Diaspora who will travel for millennium to Obtain Land. Once TPLF advertised it will issue land then many people abandoned CUD.
The present uprise is marginalization of other groups. who were rich or poor before 15 years are now poor. It is only TPLF getting richer. Now they want to create pupet parties on their image, but as TPLF takes a lions share the antagonism may continue. Tigray with no resource is exploting cofee and that is not enough they want the oil in the Ogaden and Gambella. All petrolium companies are TPLF.The worst marginalization is a Tigrian farmer produces seasame through irrigation for export while Amhara and oromo farmers have to produce teff through rainfed to feed the tigray farmer!
I think it will be too late to save Ethiopia, we are not able to live as before after injecting with their poison for 15 years. Now through pretext of Road renovation, they are building new asphal road from Shire to Adwa, Adigrat Zalambessa, Adwa is in progress, Mekelle Adigrat is completed, This is in preparation to use port sudan (They are giving land to Sudan now) and Massawa (After selling Eritrea) in case if Ethiopia is destroyed. Mengistu has destroyed Ethiopia but there was hope. The worst destruction is done now.Some of the TPLF resistance during last election is 1) to pay debts of endowment fund if not they will be buncrupt 2) Complete Tekeze and other projects 3) Destroy Ethiopia more
Adios
NB: Not to be posted)
All what has been is true. we Ethiopians are living in a system which is not occurred eve in the era of south Africa aphartide.it is worst than that.bu,Ethiopians are also famous in carrying unbearable load. We are unique creature. The so called intellectuals are the symbols of sham. They do not have dedication and determination to advance the struggle.TPLF had said correctly about them. If” you fill full the belly and the pocket of Ethiopian intellectuals, you can gallop them as horse”. This is true.
Ethiopia is full of natural resource. But we are poor, because we are infantile, who only thinks bread and SHIRO.
Thank you very much for your relevant inforamtion and analysis. It is an information that every Ethiopian should know. Please provide us such important information for those denies access to information.
I wish all the best to my country,Ethiopia
Thanks, this is an excellent article. Keep up the good work; keep exposing tplf crime against Mother Ethiopia.
Listen Dagmawi
Not only some, all opposition parties/Ethiopians assert that the TPLF has been looting Ethiopia and partly transferring the wealth to Tigray. Many go to foreign banks. It is true.
The writer doesnt say as you Dagmawi put it, “Tigreans were living lives of unimaginable luxury while the non-Tigrean majority was stuck in grinding poverty and being exploited by Tigreans.” In fact the author says even in Tigray the businesses are dominated by the TPLF. You misquoted the author God knows why.
The truth is that TPLF has evolved from a humble begining of freedom fighters into a mighty army and business men who are sucking the blood of Ethiopian today. To ensure the survival of few TPLF gold diggers, it formulated a strategy of Tigrayan domination. This is why the oppositon against this tendency is gaining momentum. Ethiopians of all nations and nationalities will never accept second class citizenship in their own country! Never!
Dagmawi you and tigrayan dissidents like you have not yet come up with anything tangible and convincing. You are still like the ostrich that buried its head in the sand. Primarily because you are todate unable to shed your narrow-minded mentality, you are still opposing the opposition parties/authors like the above with too much emotion and swearing and shifting the blame on them. Emotional freaking is not the answer. The answer lies in facing the reality as it is and not only be just critical without wanting to remove it from power and helps resuscitate the TPLF gang every time it is going down but to join the opposition wholeheartedly and fight the demons amongst you to bring equality, justice and democracy in our beloved country.
very good intelegence!gebru asrat has to tell us more if he is to be taken sriously.majority of tigtreans are not part of the schem of TPLF.i agree that it is too late to dismantle TPLF in a traditional way we need to weave together and block the damage so far.all we hear now has been said before TPLF came to power it is our own ignorance that gave TPLF the life line.”negresh nebere batir tenteltye,tigre wushima inji bal ayhonm biye” TPLF is not a protective husband but destructive and parsitic husband. that is my say.TPLF is like the stranglig feeg tree that will gradually kill the host tree then itself die.
A wonderful work of research!
Hi Elias and Others,
What a paradox! Let us be consistent please!
On one hand we condemn ethnicity as if we are totally against it and on the other hand we say this-that is Tigrean,Half Tigrean, Half Agew etc.We assert ethnicity is killer for the greater Ethiopia bla, bla….
To tell you the truth the TPLF it self is less ethnic than those who boast of standing against ethnicity-as most of you call it “Gosegninet”.
Rather the best way to solve the issue of “Gosegninet” is to clearly share resources, positions, development projects etc based on the proportion of each “Gossa” by clearly putting it high on the ajenda-nothing less.
When we point our index finger up on the other let us not forget that at least three of our fingers do point towards us. If we describe one as Tigre, Agew…then by default we are at the same time describing our selves as Amharas, Gurages etc.
Clearly the TPLF-Army composed to about 80% of the national army in the beginning of the ninty’s as they come from the jungle. Nevertheless the politicians at the top regulated the ordinary troops to the proportion Tigreans are in Ethiopia. This is fact of the time we are in. It was not that difficult to do so as replacing ordinary fighters only required six months training.
However, replacing army high commanders is not that simple to do it in a decade or two. Moreover, the country has been fighting huge scale wars up until few years back. and we have been in a situation war would broke at any second that, let alone to dispose off experienced Generals out right, maintaining them alone is not enough to protect our extensive border at present. In other words I am of the view that while maintaining them as battle leaders we need ten fold of them to recruit to the high military positions Ethiopia should have.
By the way even in the relatively lower officers level say up to “Shambel” the politicians have successfully proportioning army positions to the proportion the people they came from are in Ethiopia. What is left now is the proportioning of “Shalekas”, Colnels and Generals. Let us also be proud with all the so far achieved military triumph with the present army setting that you guys criticize too much. After all there is no any sort of incompetence to complain with in the Army. All what we see is an efficiency far beyond expectation from poor country’s army. For that matter if we were “non-Gosegna” we would not have spoken of proportioning.
Very interesting article specially showing the inofficial “alliance” of TPLF and EPRP. Now let’s unite against the two. AFD is the best umberella Organization to bring all opposition groups together. Thanks to the farsighted leaders of CUD and OLF, the very polarized two big nations (Amharas and Oromos) are coming closer to think and talk about a common denominator to fight together against Weyane. That was a very good start and I hope now it will be strengthened!!!!
While I appeciate the author, I don’t think readers went with correct message. Yes, the beneficiary wasn’t tigrean people as most oposition were openly speaking. It had nothing with the people who lives with no alternative. The presence of ‘lemagnoch’ all over addis ababa’s street may testify the fact. Tigreans by these days are beaten both by TPLF and the rest of Ethiopian people who are victims of ethinic based politics. No choice guys for the tigreans instead becoming hopeful for the days to come. It is pitty sad the problem of hate politics is contageous, it has damaged many diaspora minds. wake up guys, it is time to librate for the people who bled badly for its nation.
While our beloved country is dying from home grown bactreria, why some respected intellects preached us about peaceful struggle. This only benift the tplf and its finacial backer( not the people of ethiopia.). Lets start believe in armed struggle too.
Sir;your article is a counter-productive because it sows the seed of hate .Why didn’t you mention that there are more Oromos and Amhara in the Parlament than Tigreans?Why weren’t you open enough to point out that there are more Oromos and Amharas at the Ministry level than Tigreans?Why do you ommit facts?Your message is a poision that brewes hate,you are one of those people who want to recycle the past ,please get it over Ethiopians know the reality.
Best Regards
Al
Hi friends!
This is the inconvinent truth about the present Ethiopia. nothing will slowdown the train, and change this truth forever.
“Qedem terifu” Yilal Tigre Sitert
This author, whoever he is, has put forward hard facts that can be easily verified. Personally, I know for a fact, th personalities he mentioned as head of the various army divisions, is a true statement. Reagrding how EFFORT is being run is also true for I know for a fact again the names and the positions are correct. I have no knowledge of the streeing committee but others may do and corroborate or refute what the author stated. It is also true Bereket, Girma and Kassu are active participants in these. Girma for example has sent his daughter for High School education to the States at a cost of $20,000/year. Where would one get such amount of money on a Minsiter’s Salary unless they have started to pay 3 times that as salary and that in hard currency?
So, my suggestions to the author is you are doing an exemplary work. Keep it up! For the rest of us, let us dig into such evidences and expose the shame but always based on truth and facts.
It is very true documentation. They are in nightmare, they will not have the many, they will vomit pretty soon. All the many they own will either be paid to world bank debt or be wasted in foreign bank as Haila selessie did millions of dollars.
Tell to fool ethiopians who are pro-TPLF aganist ONLF role that they are just fool who wants to nourish blood TPLF pocket.
The problem is not luck of knowlege about TPLF, it is luck of wisdom and effort to over throw these poeple form thier post.
keep up your good work. A very good information .
God bless you.
What the author said are all obvious and known by most of the so called educated Ethiopians if not the majority farmers. Woyannes are determined to plunder all resources and life of Ethiopia by chewing like sugarcane and throw away when dried up. The problem is not that we don’t know what TPLF is doing but how to forge unity and save ourselves and the generation to come from such shameless woyanne’s destruction. we are fighting each other divided by ethnic groups as designed by Shabia and woyanne. Look what the so called OLF supports are moaning as if they were exploited Amhara before and now librated by Shabia and woyanne. We all are caught in ethnic trap set to fall us victims of divide and rule.
Why mention EPRP? Why distract your readers with something that no one is interested in except the very same people you would like to expose? TPLF and EPRP
The attempt to blame the EPRP for the CUDP disaster will not fly.The AFD was stillborn,a big blunder and it should be buried.Leave others alone.The argument on etnicity is nothing but crude anti Tigreanism
Well written article and it is true to my and many others knowledge.
The information are very clear; however, we have been told long time ago if you want to stay peaceful we would govern you for the purpose of our economic advantage if not we will dismantle your country and will go our way.
But we are stupid enough again and again start to surprise what is going on. Today’s Ethiopian generation cannot do any thing we have serious problem unless we call previous generation from the grave
Every time when facts are spelling the TPLF’s overwhelming dominancy in the lives of today’s Ethiopians, its defenders respond as if these facts are anti Tigrian propagandas. Money and power, these are the controlling system of operation the TPLF able to rule Ethiopians under. Can any of TPLF lobbyists bring any logic to tell the world TPLF is heading in the right direction to build democracy in Ethiopia?
Money can buy the world. IMF and World Bank are the funding institutions that are created and controlled by the rich and ‘famous’, the West to install more wealth in the hands of a few. All Mr. Meles has to do is scare Ethiopians by any means. For instance, in Mr. Meles’s scare tactic, the West is good only to help us with money and armament but not with democracy. If the West is helping us to facilitate democracy in Ethiopia, it will be a risk for Ethiopian national interest and pride and dignity. The West’s support with money and military logistics to influencing the government to bow to its terrorism policy is not a threat to Ethiopia’s national security but assuming democracy is being facilitated by the West in Ethiopia at the same time, it will bring instability among Ethiopians because Ethiopians are not ready yet. Where as the fact is Ethiopians are ready may be more than ready to choose their leaders and live in a democratic society of 21stcentury.
The 2005 election in the country showed millions were out on the streets to vote and to denounce against the unfair vote counts. If public demonstrators in the West burn tires and destroy public properties out of anger, Police and Public Security Forces will not allowed to sharp shoot to kill. Whereas in Ethiopia, the so called Public Security Forces were outlawed on the streets instead they were replaced with government special forces to quill the demonstration that shocked and scared the Meles government in every major city around the country.
Therefore, the West is good when it helps and supports the Meles regime but it will not be good if it asks Meles to be accountable for its own action and reaction is like saying ‘ the Ethiopian people are good when supporting TPLF policy but they are bad when they are demonstrating against the government. Is any action against the government of Meles is against Ethiopia, without any question to mention? This is an enemy of Ethiopia. This is a pure power my fellow Ethiopians.
Why are Ethiopians allowing Meles to cow them? He only telling them either gun me down or else shut up. He has money and power in his right hand, the West’s and his economic partners support on the other hand and some of the cows and the scares under his shoes. The rest of them he thinks are bla blas.
The Bla Blas have their own concern and scare from each other to come together against Meles. This is the only means that Mr. Meles knows for sure that there is no a real threat to his power. There is no more bla blas after the Mengistu regime as far as Meles is concerned. TPLF is the ‘My way is the highway’, the road to freedom, in these political gangs’ mind, but for sure, for Ethiopia and the Ethiopian people, it is the road to hell!
A day the Bla Blas becoming united, the day it will be the real threat of Meles’s power survival, remember, I did not say Meles’s economic survival. Peaceful demonstration under unity against the Meles regime would not result to bring chaos or economic destruction! Chaos and economic and human destruction will only occur when Meles thinks he can quill this freedom march by force!
The day the Bla Blas are united, the day Mr. Meles will realize that there will be no more divide and rule and no more special forces to save him!
May God help the Bla Blas to get together and end tyrannical government system like TPLF of Meles in the Ethiopian soil for once and for all!
This is not far from the true and the writer should shed some light also on the money well spent to divide the Diaspora oppositions and we should not go too far its effect.
Church divided not by doctrine but by bought church leaders are mushrooming in the Diaspora. Division we see in all Diaspora oppositions and the money spent on Internet and many radios are one way or the other is the TPLF money power by monopolizing the Ethiopian economy.
I hope time will tell us who is paid directly or indirectly to serve TPLF by posting as opposition in the Diaspora.
We are now ruled by TPLF gun and money the money in the Diaspora is well spent for TPLF and one thing that scared Melese and his buddies are armed movements like OLF and ONLF and the rest will be neutralized and flushed out.
There is no one Ethiopians from the Mesfin industry Management Personnel. They all are Ertreans or Adwaertreans.
1. Manpower
1.1 Management Personnel
Name Position Education
Tewolde Asfaw General Manager M.Sc (Mech. Engineering), M.A (Economics)
Habte Hadish Deputy General Manager B.Sc. (Mech. Engineering)
Getachew Oqubay Manufacturing & metal construction plant Manager B.Sc. (Elect. Engineering)
W/Kiros Asfaw Automotive & equipment assembly plant Manager M.Sc. (Mech. Engineering)
Dr.Tesfahunegn B. Industrial maintenance & EM erection services Manager PHD (Mech. Engineering)
Awol Mohammed Quality Ass. Manager B.Sc. (Mech. Engineering)
Hadera Tesfay Finance Manager B.A (Accounting)
K/Mariam Ataklti HRD Manager M.A (Management)
Tsegaye W/Yesus Procurement & Supply Manager B.A (Accounting)
Tamerat Yohannes Customer Support Manager M.Sc. (Mech. Engineering)
Fasil Gessesew Sales Manager B.Sc. (Mech. Engineering)
http://www.mie-ethiopia.com/companypro.htm
http://www.ethiomarket.com/effort/effort_companies.htm
For the response # 24. I don’t know why it could not show there.
Every body knows that EPRP operates as a TPLF’s ambassador in diaspora. Both these anti ethiopia’s groups are working hand in hand to kick our the popular ethiopian’s party CUDP.EPRP has done all what they could to disable CUDP in diaspora , but they failed to do that.Now everybody knows that EPRP is even the worst enemy ethiopia and it’s unity.Strong ethiopiawi party like CUDP is their [TPLF’S AND EPRP’S ] common enemy, for that reason they have been working together by exchanging information via our honorable president ato Girma w/ giworgis from TPLF’S side and his daugther w/ro Genet Girma from EPRP’s side.When concerned ethiopians sat together, and discussed the current ethiopia’s problem and have formed AFD as a platform for futher discussion, very surprisingly EPRP was the first to denounce AFD.THANK to God now we, ethiopians know very well who is who, who is the first and the wordt enemy of ethiopia’s ppl struggle for freedom and democracy at home. EPRP got the first A+ grade by it’s anti ethiopiawinet hidden movement.
This article is the most series and truthful and well articulated one. Could the writer be able to translate it in Amharic and other languages so that all Ethiopians can read it. Thank you the writer and Ethiopian Review, the most talented jounalist.
You cannot change history by demonizing EPRP for the sacrifies it paid for the welfare of Ethiopians and integration of the country. It is an easy task to write about the struggle from the confort of your house, from the bar or from abroad just like this writer.
AFDist, you says — (On Aug 15th, 2007 at 5:27 am)
“Very interesting article specially showing the inofficial “alliance” of TPLF and EPRP. Now let’s unite against the two. AFD is the best umberella Organization to bring all opposition groups together. Thanks to the farsighted leaders of CUD and OLF, the very polarized two big nations (Amharas and Oromos) are coming closer to think and talk about a common denominator to fight together against Weyane. That was a very good start and I hope now it will be strengthened!!!”
In other words, you says CUD = Amhara & OLF = Oromos. What a joke?! Are u saying that Ms Birtukan Medeksa, Dr Birhanu NNega, Prof Yaqob, Dr Hailu Araya and a lot more are from the Amharic speaking population of Ethiopia?! For me CUD is an Ethiopian organisation and doesn’t reperesent a particular ethnic group but all Ethiopians.
ሙከራ
Do not denounce EPRP. TPLF fears more EPRP than OLF or DERG. EPRP was destroyed by KGB through red terror by DERG, chased by TPLF and EPLF, because they were super for Ethiopia. Read or confess before commenting. We are here to witness. Do not throw banana, infiltrating mysteriously this discussion. You people we are not like a child who does not now which shoe is for the right or left. Do you think so?
AFD will never amount to anything unless all member organizations commit to a united Ethiopia. No sane Ethiopian of any ethnic group can rightly alli themselves with those who are preparing to eliminate their alliance members as soon as AFD wins victory. Therefore, if Ato Kallacha wants to speak as an Ethiopian nationalist he would have vehmently oppose AFD as it is now constituted. If not, Ato Kallacha’s discussion here only address’s the “how to” make fragmentation of Ethiopia happen. It may or may not be true that EPDRF is suspected of plotting secretly the disintigration of Ethiopia. I don’t know. However, we do not have to seek proof that OLF and ONLF are for disintigration because they openly say so. For both, Ethiopians are imperialst invaders of Oromo and Somali people and land. The back bone of ADF is OLF and the legs and arms of ADM is ONLF. Angry Amharas and and some angry people are there plotting with them believing “LET US KILL THE TIGREANS NO MATTER THE CONSIQUENCE”. Some say “Amharas and Oromos are intermarried and we will remain together no matter what because we are insepareble.” I have many family members who are Oromos close to OLF and they are waiting for a chance for payback time against Amharas more than any body else. Let us not forget that there are many political organizations in Ethiopia and abroad today that consider themselves strtegists that want the type of alliance that the HITLER and STALIN formed. We know the result of that. IT WAS DOG EAT DOG as soon as they finishing the Donkey. We don’t need that. We need alliance of all democratic forces committed to unity. Any other is worse than a house built on a foundation of Sand. A house built over a founadtion of explosives maybe a more appropriate description. On the matter of EPRP’s history, please note that they were no worse than MESON which allied with the DERG (pact with the devil) and committed atrocities worse than we will ever see in our lifetime. As bad as they are, TPLF will never be Cumer rouge. We have seen the DERG and MESON alliance which was much like Cumer rouge.If EPRP was tolerant to the DURG it would have been another MESON which is a much worse thing to be.
LET US UNITE AGAINST FRAGMENTATION AND FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY WITHOUT BUILDING ANOTHER PACT WITH THE DEVIL. I BELIEVE WE ARE ETHIOPIANS. IF WE AREE, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH UNITY AND JUSTICE TOGETHER FOR ALL ETHIOPIANS. INTELECTUALS ARE SCARING ALL OF US WITH THEIR MAD IDEAS OF HOW WE MAY DEMONIZE ONE GROUP TO JOIN FORCES WITH THE OTHER.
Very interesting. When things are not going well with your disorganized kinijit finding someone to blame is habitual practice. I don’t think the author of this article anything about the political dynamics of Ethiopia during the last 40 years. First of all, there has been never a single day agreement between EPRP and Woyanne. The truth is woyanne and dergue had undeclared millitary alliance agaisnt EPRP, becuase they both feared it. Secondly, author has no idea that EPRP is still at war with woyanne becuase hundreds of its members and several leaders are still in prison. Thirdly, unlike kinijit, EPRP refuses to accept woyanne consitution and therefore it is not able to openly as kinijit did. Fourthly, this baseless proganda of putting EPRP and woayann together is oldage and dead propaganda that never worked for dergue. Fifthly, the current on and off negotiation between kinijit and woyanne is characterstics of unoffical alliance dergue and woyanne and one can only wait and see a similar outcome of dergue and woyanne relationship.
Please be reminded the time demands us towork together and fight agaisnt woyanne.
The writer is contradicting him self by mentioning that if the government is strong in military EPRP should not fight against it.Then why do you want to fight against strong Weyane army.EPRP can not be a friend with WEYANE.Most likely AFD with leader ship of OLF can be aweak link to the Ethiopian opposition.EPRP can not be part of AFD blender against his beloved country.AFD is dead and it is not going no where, our people in Ethiopia have been aware of this Shabias work
In conclusion the writer is one of the Derg officer who lost his post with the loosing of the Derge army
No more talking what TPLF is doing and how they built their business empire by expelling other Ethiopian from the business channel as they did against Gebryes Begna and others.
Dear friends, there is nothing what we do not know what the last targets of TPLF is.
There is no new fact that are going to be told for each of us how the armed robber of TPLf are voraciously steal from poor Ethiopians.
What it should be done for such devastation should be our discussion when ever we raise the issues of our country.
Lets only and only discus only our weakness, how we become a victim of such wicked politicians.
Let’s determine what we should do in relation to avoidance of TPL from the lands of Ethiopia. The first thing what each of us has to do is alienation of their member. Let’s stop pretext; I read the comments of somebody in the above about the sabotage of EPRP.
Gobez we say EPRP is dead and weak, if so the truth how they became strong to obstacle our struggle. We have to be reasonable first for our self.
Let’s identify to whom we must support in terms of finance and moral.
In conclusion, let’s stop assisting these who follow the so called peaceful struggle against the invaders of Ethiopia. Let’s only assist only these who waged armed struggle.
Kallachi is not only a fool and a reactionary right-winger, but first and foremost a rascist.
Your ranting about EPRP is pathetic, coming for a propagandist of a really spent force: the CUDP. While EPRPs leaders died for their people and their beliefs, your “leaders” begged their way out of prison.
Now, your ranting against Tigreans is repulsive. Unlike you, I do not believe that the crimes of the current government has anything to do with it’s “ethnic” affiliation.
Thank you for good information. Please leave this on web site for a while so that let many people read it
i am finding it diificult to use the geez font. any suugestions, on easy way of doing it?
Good writing,
I have read some responses here saying ‘this writing inflames Ethnic hostility’
Idiot. The Ethnic hostility is already there after it came with TPLF from dedebit. It is the way TPLF rules the nation. The reason why they are looting the country, holding financial resources, political power and security by themselves is the worst act inflaming Ethnic hostility. The so called Effort is 100% an Ethiopian company. Each and every financial resources used to build it as the biggest business empire came in the name of the Ethiopian people in the form of AID, loan, debt relief not Tigry. When the truth to the matters look like this, why Effort is being totally associated with Tigry and only tigrians are holding all positions and benefits?
I’m also hearing that Tigrians are not benefiting because of TPLF. Fool your self. The construction Tigry is getting for the last 17 years, no a single African region ever seen. It was/is all and every good things to Tigry. ‘Tigry endilema Ethiopia Tidma’. Ordinary tigrians are getting job, schools, medical facilities, infrastructures, houses and many other benefits millions times than the rest of the Ethiopian people do.
We have to talk about Ethnicity. Because the country is living under Ethnic policy. Tigrian Ethnicism is ruining Ethiopia while benefiting only Tigry.
The leaders of the CUDP beged for mercy.The leaders of the EPRP paid the ultimate sacrifice.The AFD is a big crime against Ethiopian unity.Who singed on with the OLF and ONLF?Not the EPRP but the CUDP! VCould you just shut up please?
Dear LABADER,your leadres are hero.but they are alone.their followrs are nobody.they don ot deserve to be called the followers of these hero whose whereabuot is uknown.
It is not crime to talk and have attitude on ethnicity at this critical time. During the Second World War the Israeli was organized to protect themselves, from ethnic oriented attack of Nazism.the same is true what Ethiopian faced by TPLF.they are attacking us because we belong to the wrong and guilty ethnic by birth in the eyes of them. they are robbing our resource because Ethiopia is non of their business.so,it is time and proper to talk about ethnicity.
All said is not new. And to my knowledge , it is absolutely true.I believe most of us know those institutions and their leareds by name. After all they are not afraid of duing it in broad day light, ain’t they son’s of the “goalden” people?
I read few remarks that the Tigrean people are not any better off than the rest of the Etyhiopian people.Well, all Tigrean people may not have villas, or wear shoes, or finished high school, BUT the issue here is one of equity.Do Tigreans preferentially benefited under TPLF than does Amharas, or Ormos, or Afars, or Sidamas?WHAT A SANE PERSON DOUBTS THIS IF I TELL HIM/HER THAT THE NUMBER OF TECHNIQUE COLLEGES IN TIGRAI IS ALMOST THE SAME AS THOSE IN AMHARA WHERE THE LATTER HAS 6-7X THE POPULATION OF THE FORMER?
I believe everyone has to be informed about this pure armed robbery whether TPLFites like it or not.
“Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall save you”
I think what we have to do is to know what we may do for the advancement of the struggle.
A/ know the solution of our country problem meaning to say, is it possible to bring democracy and justice in Ethiopia through non violence method?
B/how and under what circumstance non violence method works?
For instance,ANC was trying to bring peace and justice in south Africa by non violence methods for about 51 years(till the periods of Nelson Mandela imprisonment).Mandela and his comrade were able to change their mode of struggle after they saw non violence methods was not effective for fifty one years.
C/ know that dictatorship does not come from the non living gun or armed struggle.
Dictatorship comes from political and philosophical, as well as social factors. For instance, any groups who have the elements of dictatorship may come on power in peace full way; but, as long as the element and the factor of tyranny may have the group, they will be a dictator when they hold the gun. Gun is a means to accomplish the interest of the dictator. It is not a source of dictatorship.
D/it is wise to know that our economic institutions are not convenient for non violence struggle. Because the owner of the economy and means of production is the repressive regime. as you recall the civil disobediences of kinijit was not successful as a results of this fact.
So, based on the above fact, peace full struggle is unimaginable.
E/know for whom you must finance and support.
F/fill the rest by yourself.
The article has some truth, yes woyane is a monopoly political & economic, it’s a fanciest government ready to do any thing goes against its goal which’s the destruction of Ethiopia. the same goes to OLF ONLF, they stand to be free from the Ethiopian nation nothing else. So how come we praise these two enemy forces as a savior? Second, isn’t OLF a part & parcel of crafting the woyane constitution? Sixteen years not to far for Ethiopians to remember what happen at Asebot Gedam, Bedeno, Arba gugu.
Elias you are shameful insulting the very people resisted any kind of deal with the fasciest woyane, EPRP formed CODEF to fight the joint government of OLF, TPLF, EPLF, hw come you allow such smear campaign? It it EPRP join the may election unconditionally or kinijit? Is that the EPRP leaders Tsegaye & his comrades make a deal to live in peace? I know you work for outside forces still working to scrap our country from the world map, shame again on you. EPRP shall win with the Ethiopian people.
ይህ ጽሁፍ ስለስልጣን እና ሃብት ያልውን ወደር የለሽ የትግርይ ዘር አጥፊዎች ደባ በሚገባ አስቅምጦታል::
ችግሩ ግን ከዚህም የከፋ እና እጅግ ዘግናኝ ነው:: እነዚህ ይትርግራይ ዘረኞች ቀሪ ኢትዮጵያዊያንን በተለይም አምሃራዎችንና ኦሮሞዎችን አለም ባልተጠቀመበት የዘር ማጢፊያ ዘዴ በርሃብና በበሽታ ሆነ ብለው ከስራና ከእርሻ መሬት በማፈናቀል እንዲሁም ሆነ ብለው ለበሽታ በማጋለጥና በማስያዝ ዘራቸውን እያጠፉት ነው::
ችግሩ ከስልጣንና ከሃብት ማካበት በላይ ነው::
ትውልድ አለቀ, የሰው ያለህ!
ከሁሉ አስቀድሜ ‘ኢአር’ ይህን የአማርኛ አጻጻፍ በማምጣትህ በጣም አመሰግናለሁ::
ወያኔ ዘራፊ ሌባ መሆኑን ከተረዳሁ ዘመናት ተቆጥረዋል:: ወያኔ የኢትዮጵያ ጠላት ነው:: አገሪቱን ለማፈራረስ የተነሳ አረመኔ ቡድን ነው::
ኤሊያስ፤ ይህ ጽሁፍ ያልተባለ አዲስ ነገር አላለም በእርግጥ የትግራይ ጠባብ ብሄርተኝነት ለዘመናት ተከባብሮና ተዋልዶ የኖረውን የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ ያመሰቃቀለና አሁንም ጨርሶ ለማጥፋት ቆርጦ የተነሳ ደመኛ ጠላት ሆኑአል ይህ ማለት መላ የትግራይ ህዝብ የዎንጀሉ ተሳታፊ ነው ማለት አይደለም። ሆኖም ጽሁፉ በደፈናው የትግራይ ህዝብ ተጠቃሚነት እንደደላዉና ዎገኖቹን ለመበደል ተባባሪ አርጎ ያቀረበ በመሆኑ እርማት ይፈልጋል። በግልባጭ በተደጋጋሚ የኢትዮጵያን ህዝብ የገደሉ አገሪቱ እንዳገር እንዳትቀጥል ላለፈው ግማሽ ክፍለ ዘመን የታገሉንን የኦጋዴን ነጻአውጭ ድርጅት የሚያሞግስና እልፍ አእላፍ ታጋይች ለነጻነት ሲታገሉ የወደቁለትን የዓገሪቱ ብርቅየዎች አሁንም ተሰልፈው ፍጹም ነው አምነቴ ያሉለትን እዉነተኛ ኢትዮጵያዊ የሰማእታቱን ድርጅት ስለሚያንቁአሽሽ የጸሀፊው ማንነት ትናንት ወያኔ ሻቢያ ያደረጉት የህዝብ ግንኙነት ፕሮፓጋንዳን ያስታውሰናል። በእርግጥም ካንተና መሰል ወዳጆችህከነ ግርማ ሊለይ አይችልም። ለሁሉም ያርባ ጉጉ በደኖ አሰቦት ገዳም ያለቁ ወገኖቻችን ደም አልደረቀም። የኦሮሞ ነጻ አውጭ ግንባር ኢትዮጵያዊ ሆኦም አያውቅ እሱም ነኝ አላለም ለሁሉም ያሽቃባጮች ስራ ከመሆን ደግሞ አያልፍም።