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.
