By Elias Kifle

In 2011 Ethiopian Review, the longest running independent Ethiopian journal, celebrates its 20th year in service. It is a milestone period in the journal’s history and a special occasion for those of us who have labored hard to keep it going. As the editor-in-chief, in deciding who to select as Ethiopian Review’s Person of the Year,  this time I have decided to look at our own accomplishments and recognize those who have been there through thick and thin over the years. While there are many individuals — too many to list here — who have been providing valuable support to Ethiopian Review, for their enduring contribution special recognition goes to: (In alphabetical order)

Wzr. Meseret Agonafer, who is a fountain of inspiration and moral support, as well an authentic example of a genuine friend.

Ato Elias Wondimu, who once served as the managing editor and after launching his own publishing house, Tsehai Publishers, continued to consult on the editorial direction of the journal.

There is another person who deserves even greater appreciation, for without his consistent moral support and advise there would not have been Ethiopian Review. He is my own father Kifle Seifu.

My father is currently in the US. I, along with my sister and brothers, have brought him and our mother here a few months ago after witnessing Woyanne going after the families of its opponents. He had already survived an attack about 15 years ago by Woyanne gunmen who sprayed his house in Addis Ababa with machine gun bullets. He returned fire taking down (wounding) one of the shooters. It was nothing short of a miracle that he survived the attack. He spent 3 months in jail and was released with the help of the American charge d’affairs in Addis Ababa and Ted Dagne at the U.S Congressional Service.

After he was released, for the past 15 years, Woyanne made sure that my father could not do any business in Ethiopia. Every venture he tried was blocked. After a long legal battle, about 4 years ago, three different courts, including the supreme court of Ethiopia ruled that properties (worth over 63 million birr) that Derg confiscated from my father returned. Woyanne refused to obey the court order and told my father that his properties would be returned under one condition: That he must stop his son from publishing critical opinions and reports about the ruling junta on Ethiopian Review. My father’s answer was unequivocal no. I’m proud of him for that to no end.

I don’t know any one who has worked so hard through out his life as my father did. One time when he was working as a contractor on the Ethiopian Air Force base in Debre Zeit he collapsed due to sleep deprivation. It was normal for him to disappear for several months at a time exploring mines in some of the remotest parts of Ethiopia.

He is now 84 years old and after all the hard work through out his life he doesn’t have a penny in the bank. During the Derg era its prime minister FikreSelassie Wogderes, and security chief Tesfaye WoldeSelassie confiscated (robbed) most of his properties. The Woyanne junta that replaced the Derg refused to return his properties ignoring court orders, and made sure that he doesn’t earn a living in Ethiopia.

There are countless others who have lost much more than properties in the hands of the two barbaric regimes. They have taken away the lives of so many innocent Ethiopians. I am lucky and grateful to have my father still alive.

The two vampire regimes, Derg and Woyanne, have left my father penniless. But he has one thing that is more precious and that no one could take away from him — honor.

With his skills, experience and hard work, my father could have been one of the wealthiest individuals in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, in a country where the president is a pig, the prime minister is a mass murderer and the patriarch is a thief, it is extremely difficult for a person of honor to succeed and thrive.

I’m profoundly blessed to have a father like Kifle Seifu and in this special milestone year for the journal it is my honor to choose him as Ethiopian Review’s 2010 Person of the year.

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.”