Ethiopia’s khat-addicted dictator has replaced many of his bodyguards from the Tigray ethnic group with Eritreans, according to Ethiopian Review Intelligence Unit sources in Addis Ababa.
Deputy security chief Esayas Woldegiorgis, Meles Zenawi’s Beria, who is Eritrean, has also been given authority over all security matters. Getachew Assefa, the current security chief, is relegated to being only a figure head. Esayas is responsible for torturing political prisoners and carrying out political killings in Ethiopia and neighboring countries.
Meles has decided to replace his Tigrean bodyguards because of the increasing dissension among Tigreans over the amassing of enormous wealth by him and his wife while the lives of most Tigreans have not improved despite all the construction projects that are underway in Tigray region. On top of that, Meles has recently invited Eritreans to come to Ethiopia, and those who arrived already have started marginalizing Tigreans both in politics and business.
Meles is fearful of revolt inside his own army that is dominated by Tigreans, so he recently forced 300 colonels and 13 generals to retire, as reported here.
Tigreans are also angry that Meles has pitted them against other ethnic groups. They fear that when a popular uprising explodes, Meles and his family will leave, while the average Tigrean, in whose name Meles is ruling, could face the wrath of other ethnic groups.
Inside the TPLF leadership, Eritreans are consolidating their power, as reported here. Currently, more than half of the TPLF leadership is Eritrean.
In the mean time, the Eritrean government itself is being infiltrated by Meles Zenawi’s agents who are undermining Isaias Afwerki’s administration with the intention of replacing him with a leader who is friendly with the Meles dictatorship or a puppet. Ethiopian Review will publish an investigative report on how TPLF agents are working to overthrow Eritrea’s president Isaias Afwerki. Stay tuned.