Andargachew Tsige is telling the truth.

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.

 

 

 

Come join me on African Path Village...

Come join me on African Path Village.

Click here to join:
http://village.africanpath.com/?xgi=9z2GJF2

Thanks,
Joshua Wanyama

Life under TPLF, an Ethiopian Somali Prerspective

Tedla Asfaw

 

Abdullahi Dahir Moge wrote a fascinating piece(www.addisvoice.com) dissecting  the claim by TPLF/EPRDF of "decentralization of power"  to regions in Ethiopia for the first time  based on the article 39 of the Ethiopian Constitution that recognized  the right of self determination of nationalities.

 

We all know that was fake but what Abdullahhi did was that he put flesh on the story and tell us the day to day political gymnastics played by TPLF cadres in the name of governing regions by giving orders on spot and appointing unknowns in manyl regions of Ethiopia by people who are not at all respected by the people in those regions.

 

Such kind of governance was practiced much better in Ethiopia in the Imperial Ethiopia. The king appointed 'Dejazmaches" in regions like Afar, Oromo, Tigray etc who are accountable to him and collect taxes and make sure that they accept the King as their own and these regional appointees  had some respect on their regions. The case of "Betwodede Ali Mirahe" of Afar is one I know very well.

 

We are now replacing King Haile Selassie's feudal method of governing by Melese's style of ruling which is basically not different and in fact more arrogant because he does not even recruit those respected people in their regions rather unknowns and disliked individuals to continue his brute rule on his subjects.

 

Regions in Ethiopia are not at all free and they are the fiefdoms of TPLF like they were under King Haile Selassie and what changes is that this one is covered by the fake article 39 of the Ethiopian Constitution which boasts  as the first for Ethiopian nations and nationalities given by the gallant fighters of TPLF for oppressed nationalities of Ethiopia.

 

The oppressed nationalities of Oromos, Somalis and others are now fighting to remove the TPLF tyranny imposed on their regions for the last sixteen years understandably not covered on Abudallihi's  piece and I hope in the near future he will inspire us by writing another piece how TPLF's war machinery is conducting its daily killing business in all regions of Ethiopia.

 

 

 

 

 

Failure of Ethiopia's monopolized economy !!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

Dr. Merara Gudina's(MP) comment on the parliament has touched raw nerve. He said people who have nothing to eat will in the long run will eat those of us in power. He ridiculed the ten percent economic growth as fantasy that is out of touch. He compared it by quoting Ethiopian proverb, "Lame Alegne Besemaye Wotetewanem Alaye", "Waiting milk from my  cow in the heaven".

 

Parliamentarians representing Ato Melese's party, EPRDF, also brought  serious questions and doubt on the prime minster semi-annual report. The question of the stolen gold, the sources of illegally circulated money which widely contributed for inflation was not covered by the prime minister speech according to three of them. 

 

One parliamentarian mocked the unfulfilled promise of the prime minister feeding our people three times a day by highlighting the current difficult situation of most  Ethiopians who have limited income who can not eat one times a day because of high food prices.

 

Ato Temesgen  asked for the prime minister to resign because of his abdication of his responsibilities by blaming  the current economic crisis on the fast economic growth of China and India in addition to the  oil price increase by five times than his own party that controlled this failed economy.

 

The price control and locking up of merchants according to Ato Bulcha Demekssa will not bring any solution and free competition without monopoly should be pursued.

 

EPRDF/TPLF might have succeeded in suppressing political dissent and we are now witnessing dissent in the parliament  including his own members unheard before that the economy is in big trouble and the prime minister solution to keep on going by subsidizing wheat and now oil with the help of America might not even be possible.

 

Our economy can not be addressed in separate from our politics,however, the prime minister is not ready to change course while many have doubt in his leadership and the institutions led by his buddies who failed to differentiate gold from steel.

 

The prime minster and his close allies are leaving luxurious lives that reflect the ten percent economic growth and if the worst comes they will run for their lives to enjoy the wealth they accumulated in foreign banks and various investments by exploiting Ethiopia for the  last sixteen years by monopolizing the country's economy.

 

The economic policy of TPLF/EPRDF has failed and it is time for our people openly  debate on radios and newspapers and find solution and for that to happen our peoples democratic right to speak and assemble must be reinstated to a time similar to that of the May 2005.