Note to readers: The opinions expressed on AV blog or our website only represent the writers' viewpoints. AV does not endorse or condemn any opinions and commentaries posted on our website and blogs. The only time we publish views reflecting the website's position is through editorials.
Tedla Asfaw
The Code of Conduct which was signed by the opposition parties and the regime after became the source of contention for the last months now is set aside and even those who rejected it are now quietly "Competing'" , Code of Competition.
The AEUP which is led by Eng. Hailu has been travelling to Bahir Dar, Mekele and this week UDJ has also made a rally in Bahir Dar which shows that UDJ is now in business of competition and they should be applauded for that. On big cites like Addis Ababa UDJ has already put its candidates on the 23 regions of Addis Ababa.
Dr. Negasso Gidada, Dr. Hailu Araya and Seye Abraha are some of its top candidates and Ato Gebru Asrat promised to win Tigray for Medrek. AEUP is a formidable party in Tigray because the people in Tigray like any other place in Ethiopia are going to vote for change. Nineteen years with TPLF/EPRDF has not improved their life and the talk of development is only the development which enriches government connected people pockets and the majority of Tigray people did not get anything while Gebru Asrat was a governor of Tigray now turned opponent of Meles Zenawi.
The promise of Merara and Bulcha collision winning the Oromo region is also nonsense. These two individuals since they formed their own parties have been known for talking in the parliament not delivering anything. The perception that UDJ led by Eng. Gizachew can not win in Oromo region and has to leave it for their Oromo parties show that Merara and Bulcha are suffering from the Amhara Syndrome for more than two decades officially.
We have four months to go before the general election and we can say many things from our recent experience.. The Miazia 30 million people rally in Addis five years ago is still fresh in our peoples mind. Not only people like Merara, Bulacha and Seye even OLF from distance was shocked by Ethiopian desire for change which was a referendum on failed TPLF/EPRDF Kilil/ethnic federalism policy for fifteen years.
Merara and Bulcha still believe the May 15, 2005 victory was Kinijit's, the Amahra party, victory which in no way they will endorse. For them Oromo is for the Oromos, Amhara for Amharas , Tigray for Tigrayans and the Ethiopian nationalism they witnessed five years ago is very dangerous for their ethnic enterprise. The rejection of All Ethiopian Union Party/ AEUP for being a a torch bearer of kinijit of 2005 is not a surprise.
Gebru Asrat has the same fear like his Medrek friends too. Gebru promised to bring Tigray for Medrek in election to correct the mistake made by TPLF. One of the members of the Lidetu Ayalew led Ethiopian Democratic Party/EDP from Mekele, Tigray recently joined Arena, Tigray party to win Tigray for Medrek. For Gebru non Tigrayans has no business in Tigray and believe Arena is the representative of the Tigray region.
There is no Ethiopian party for them. The future Ethiopia they will form if they are lucky is only going to be by correcting the mistakes of TPLF/EPRDF. TPLF has to be replaced by Arena and the EPRDF which is front of many nations and nationalities have to be replaced by Medrek.
The Merara, Bulcha, Petros and Seye's are not learning from the May 2005 Kinijit victory in 2005. That election was a referendum on TPLF/EPRDF ethnic policy and the idea of bringing it back under new rulers is against millions of peoples vote. The wish of our people like then now is also to live equally in one strong Ethiopia, note on ethnic based weak Kilils/regions which are antagonizing each other controlled by ethnic lords
Ethiopians in millions said it loud and clear. We are Ethiopians first an then we can become Oromos, Amhras, Tigrayans, Somalis etc. Parities like AEUP are rallying behind this slogan, let us build our home together. At present the rallies in different regions of Ethiopia show the positive reaction of our people to this Ethiopian identity after two decades of attack by the regime and some similar organizations who wanted the job started by TPLF/EPRDF to be finished by dismantling Ethiopia and Ethiopian nationalism.
The strongest Ethiopian nationalist party now is AEUP. The struggle in Ethiopia is between the current regime which rules based on ethnic federalism and the other alternative which respects nations and nationalities rights but not make the basis to govern the country.
The Medrek supporters, UDJ and the rest of nations and nationalist parties big enemy is AEUP. AEUP will make these collections out of business and they know that they will rather prefer TPLF/EPRDF to stay in power than AEUP come to power. For them AEUP has to be stopped in their Kilil/regions by false propaganda as party of Amharas who wanted to bring the Amhara domination.
AEUP will go to all regions as they promised except Gambella and Somalia and we are going to test the claim of the Merara, Bulcha and the Seye's soon that AEUP is an Amhara party. Those who spent months in denouncing AEUP for signing the Code of Conduct/Courage are now busy competing against AEUP . One thing is for sure, Ethiopians are going to vote like they did five years ago for one Strong Ethiopia.
