Tedla Asfaw
On the weekend I followed Ato Andaragachew's interview on addisdimts.com and on other website commenting on public on his controversial more than twenty pages paper he wrote in Amharic recently that peaceful struggle in TPLF's Ethiopia is impossible or dead.
I have similar view like him, however, Ato Abebe the host of addisdimts tried to corner his guest as if he is pursuing the armed struggle by giving up on peaceful struggle. Any struggle if it does not include the right to rally behind its parties or call for a strike can not be considered a struggle and on this sense I agree with Professor Messfin's recent statement that we have not started peaceful struggle yet. But I disagree with Professor in that there is not or will not be any atmosphere in Ethiopia for that to happen.
Mass political action or"Hizbawe Ameste, Inbeta" is part of peaceful struggle and it has nothing to do with armed struggle and what Ato Andargatchew suggested on his interview or writing is that TPLFis not allowing any of those rights that were allowed in May 2005 to be opened again.
He commended Ato Bulcha Demekssa member of parliament who exposed TPLF/EPRDF's brutality against Oromos accused as OLF supporters/members by Mlese Zenawi for not coming out and denouncing OLF to prolong his life and credential in TPLF's parliament.
However, some recent comers who are claiming to wage peaceful struggle are fast in denouncing the armed movements like OLF and ONLF to get favor from the regime to enter parliament are now also quick to denounce and distance themselves from Andargatchew accusing him of as an armed struggle advocate.
Andargatchew did not advocate armed struggle like Ato Abebe the host of addisdimts and his callers alluded and what he said is there are no fertile grounds to wage peaceful struggle and we need to explore all options and we have to stop condemning the armed movements and do our part.
We need to mobilize our people for a peaceful struggle and I have not seen anything done by so called "opposition parties" in Ethiopia because TPLF is not allowing any public rallies. Why then Weizero Birtukan's "Andenet" party is now the first to come out and condemn all the armed movements in Ethiopia and wants to be the mother of "peaceful struggle" which I call it a "begging struggle" to get a seat in Parliament.
The begging struggle is over and we have to mobilize our people by all means and those who are afraid of this path and accuse Ato Andargatchew as an advocate of an armed struggle are dead wrong and will not get any support from the Ethiopian masses whether they are in or out of TPLF's parliament.
