Protest the lecture of Dr. Hashim Tewfik!!!

Dear seminar organizers,

 

I was alerted on Internet, www.quotero.net  an Ethiopian website that Dr. Hashim Tewfik, State Ministry of Justice of Ethiopia is invited to lecture about the rule of law in establishing a democratic country in May 1 at Melbourne University in Australia.

 

It is now clear for the world community that Ethiopia is run by minority cliques who captured power by gun seventeen years ago and now staging a make-believe election to stay in power and the recent local election that  is boycotted by  Ethiopians. 

 

How comes a university is giving a platform to a person representing a regime that has undemocratic record to disseminate propaganda and lie using its fake laws written for the sake of getting foreign aids and never applied on day to day activities.

 

There is no law in Ethiopia that protects our citizens. Our people have no right to organize freely and no free media and you invite someone to tell us otherwise is tantamount as supporting anti-democracy forces in Ethiopia.

 

By inviting Dr. Hashim Tewfik the university is not helping the cause of law rather encourages regimes like Ethiopia to have two laws, one for foreign consumption and the other to keep them in power by putting them above any law for that matter.

 

                                                                                                           Regards,

 

                                                                                                       Tedla Asfaw

 

                                                                                                       New York City

Protest while supporting our Athletes!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

 

This week African athletes are gathering in Addis for the sixteenth African Athletic Championship and it will be seen as a preparation also for Olympics and expected big fierce competition between rival Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes.

 

This competition also will bring Ethiopia on the spot light beyond sport competton. Life in Addis and most parts of Ethiopia is unbearable and the ruling minority regime is feeding our people  false hope and such false hope however is the least our people pay attention and are calling for economic and political justice today.

 

As we saw on The Great Run  in last November in Addis Ababa, dubbed in Amharic, "Talaku Rucha Besote Megeletcha" meaning opportunity to vent peoples anger that called for a change and  show people disgust with ruling TPLF. It is expected that  similar action will take place without disrupting the game in the coming days by the huge crowd that comes to support Ethiopian athletes.

 

Moreover, the illegal detention of Teddy Afro has angered many Ethiopians and on April 28 many Ethiopians protested in front of the TPLF embassy in Washington D.C. and called for the immediate release of Teddy Afro. Similar call is going to come on this week athletic competition in Addis Ababa.

 

Ethiopians also should call for the immediate withdrawal of TPLF forces from Somalia currently engaged in illegal war and destabilizing our region for the foreseeable future. We can not be quite while gross human right violation is going on in Somalia including killing religious leaders in Mosque and detaining children as reported by international media.

 

In a country like Ethiopia where it has been illegal to demonstrate since May 2005  the only option our people have is to use other opportunities like  the one we have this week to expose the regime without interfering  in the competition.

 

We can do it  and let the spirit of our people that we saw three years ago came alive and shake those who rule us by gun without any mandate. Let Melese Zenawi know that his dream of continue to rule beyond 2010 as was suggested by his advisor Bereket Simon on interview  is futile.

 

I wish Melese Zenawi learns from our athletes and run not to win gold but rather for his own life before it is too late. There are many countries who wanted to give him job and shelter and we will be grateful for that.

Melese Zenawi's man defending Teddy Afro ??

Tedla Asfaw

 

Mr. Million Assefa was heard saying on addisdimts.radio.com(April 26) that he has defended Teddy Afro for the last eight years,however,when he was accused of killing a homeless person by car in 2006 Teddy Afro  was represented by another lawyer because he was not available then according to his own word.

 

Mr. Million's record as a lawyer as was elaborated by Ato Abebe, the host of the program, has been on the side of  TPLF accusing opposition parties in court and this man now defending Teddy Afro against the politically motivated accusations is all a set up and we should expose this for international lawyers and ask for advice.

 

Teddy Afro might have been represented by this lawyer when he had cases in the past as was disclosed on the interview dealing with business but now he can not be his defender because of his legal service defending TPLF on many political cases. The current case of a politically motivated legal circus wrapped up in the Innocent man allegedly killed by Teddy is similar to the now discredited genocide charges against Kinijit's high officials in 2005 which later was dropped after international pressure.

 

Million Assefa is not a lawyer who has the interest of his client, Teddy Afro, and he in fact is working for his other big client Melese Zenawi maybe undercover to damage Teddy's case and he should drop this case until Teddy Afro get advice from other Ethiopian lawyers possibly from the Diaspora.

 

We have a case here, accuser TPLF, witness TPLF and defender TPLF/Millon representing Teddy and the verdict which we heard it given by Ato Million is more than fifteen years in jail and this is the rule of law in TPLF's Ethiopia.

 

I am also deeply saddened  when I hear from Ato Million Assefa lecturing us that everyone is "equal" under TPLF's Ethiopia. If that has been true we should not have many lawyers who used to work in Ethiopia at a government level running for their lives to ask asylum in foreign countries.

 

 

Why Teddy Afro and why now?

Tedla Asfaw

Ato Girma Kassa wrote in Amharic on ethiomedia.com questioning the targetting of Teddy Afro a popular singer by the Ethiopian regime if it is a vendetta for his popular songs which rallies Ethiopian to unite against all kinds of divisiions.

Ato Girma Kassa brought two of Teddy's famous songs which are widely listened by all Ethiopians and we might add also his new song "Ha Le Luia" a religious song just released before he was sent to jail.The release of "Ha Le Luia'" in this holy month of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers is also a cry for justice which is going to be on every Ethiopians mind while we celebrate Easter this Sunday and we should speak our mind in churches without any fear and call for immediate release of Teddy Afro.

The Ethiopian tyrant Melese Zenawi after his miserable election fiasco these past weeks and the massacre in Mogadishu's mosque is in deep trouble from inside and outside and he has to flex his muscle somehow to show that he is in control by picking on the most loved son of Ethiopia.

The jailing of Teddy Afro has also similarities with the late professor Asrat who was known for telling the truth in face while many so called oppositions were dancing with Melese Zenawi. Who will forget him as the only voice who questioned the separation of Eritrea after TPLF captured Addis Ababa in 1991?

Neither professor Asrat nor Teddy Afro were or are career politicians but patriots who defend their country and people while many were and are scared to do so and our people loved them and for that you have to see what happened in court house yesterday.

"Teddy is innocent", that was the cry of thousands of supporters who converged to court to give their support for Teddy Afro and we saw tens of thousands similar support for the late professor Asrart while he was dragged to court to face false accusations of "overthrowing" a regime by force seventeen years ago

TPLF can not accuse Teddy of overthrowing the regime by armed rebellion like professor Asrat and rather accused him for killing homeless person by car in 2006 to send him for long time jail. We do not forget singer like Solomon Tekalegne known for his anti-TPLF songs who knelt and ask for forgiveness. Neither do we forget the Kinijit leadership who signed a letter of apology for TPLF. What is Teddy Afro has to apologize for?

The regime's timing of this theater is to divert us from the current boycotted local election and the indiscriminate killing of more than hundreds innocent Somalis last week in Mogadishu. Many Addis Ababeans ignored the election theater, however, many did not ignore the court circus played in TPLF's court and showed up to face beating and risking jail for breaking the "law" of TPLF.

The question is are we going to allow the regime to send Teddy Afro for long term jail like it did professor Asrat and release him after his health deteriorates? Not this time and the battle has already begun.

Ethiopians should protest in all venues to expose what this accusation is all about. It is not about justice for the Innocent homeless who was killed by car accident two years ago but locking up all who are symbols of our country. This is the continuation of persecuting all who stand and song for unity which TPLF has been allergic and currently suffering from and seems near to its death.

Why Teddy Afro and why now?

Tedla Asfaw

 

Ato Girma Kassa wrote in Amharic on ethiomedia.com questioning the targetting of Teddy Afro a popular singer by the Ethiopian regime if it  is a vendetta for his popular songs which rallies Ethiopian to unite against all kinds of divisiions.

 

Ato Girma Kassa brought two of Teddy's famous songs which are widely listened by all Ethiopians and we might add also his new song "Ha Le Luia" a religious song just released before he was sent to jail.The release of "Ha Le Luia'" in this holy month of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers is also a cry for justice which is going to be on every Ethiopians mind while we celebrate Easter this Sunday and we should speak our mind in churches without any fear and call for immediate release of Teddy Afro.

 

The Ethiopian tyrant Melese Zenawi after his miserable election fiasco these past weeks and the massacre in Mogadishu's mosque is in deep trouble from inside and outside and he has to flex his muscle somehow to show that he is in control by picking on the most loved son of Ethiopia.

 

The jailing of Teddy Afro has also similarities with the late professor Asrat who was known for telling the truth in face while many so called oppositions were dancing with Melese Zenawi. Who will forget him as the only voice who questioned the separation of Eritrea after TPLF captured Addis Ababa in 1991?

 

Neither professor Asrat nor Teddy Afro were or are career politicians but patriots who defend their country and people while many were and are scared to do so and our people loved them and for that you have to see what happened in court house yesterday.

 

"Teddy is innocent", that was the cry of thousands of supporters who converged to court to give their support for Teddy Afro and we saw tens of thousands similar support for the late professor Asrart while he was dragged to court to face false accusations of "overthrowing" a regime by force seventeen years ago

 

TPLF can not accuse Teddy of overthrowing the regime by armed rebellion like professor Asrat and  rather accused him for killing homeless person by car in 2006 to send him for long time jail. We do not forget singer like Solomon Tekalegne known for his anti-TPLF songs  who knelt and ask for forgiveness. Neither do we forget the Kinijit leadership who signed a letter of apology for TPLF. What is Teddy Afro has to apologize for?

 

The regime's timing of this theater is to divert us from the current boycotted local election and the indiscriminate killing of more than hundreds innocent Somalis last week in Mogadishu. Many Addis Ababeans ignored the election theater, however, many did not ignore the court circus played in TPLF's court and showed up to face beating and risking jail for breaking the "law" of TPLF.

 

The question is are we going to allow  the regime to send Teddy Afro for long term jail like it did  professor Asrat and release him after his health deteriorates? Not this time and the battle has already begun.

 

Ethiopians should protest in all  venues to expose what this accusation is all about. It is not about justice for the Innocent homeless who was killed by car accident two years ago but locking up all who are symbols of our country. This is the continuation of persecuting all who stand and song for unity which TPLF has been allergic and currently suffering from and seems near to its death.  

Addis Ababa's drainage and sewage problem

Tedla Asfaw

 

I grew in Addis Ababa and know  the sewage and drainage problem my city had then  twenty years ago when the population was a little more than a million and now this number is tripled without proper infrastructure to handle the growing population.

 

When I sent my six years old son with his mom to see hid grand father in summer of 2001 I got the first answer to my question regarding infrastructure at local level.

 

How is my father toilet, I asked my wife? The answer was "we flush the toilet and the water is not going any where" and it was a nightmare for the little boy. I know my father house has a septic tank like many houses in Addis where all the sewage settled and  is removed once in a while.

 

Our septic tank was built on clay soil common in Addis neighborhoods which is very elastic and cracks in dry season.The septic tank which is almost sixty years old might have deteriorated by now and it is no longer giving its service and as we know  there is no central sewage system in most of Addis to switch to. 

 

The sewage infrastructure as was mentioned on Ato Getachew Belaineh's well written article posted on www.nazret.com is nonexistent in Addis and it seems to me without that whatever new buildings are erected is just like clapping in one hand.

 

Ato Getachew also mention the sediment build up as a result of deforestation in Addis surroundings is also going to ruin whatever big roads built and all the public money invested in building new roads without taking care of the sedimentation problem is a disaster.

 

International organization who give loans to the infrastructure development I wonder why they did not make a prerequisite to develop sewage and drainage  structures that is compatible to the new development.

 

The bottom line for any development is also  participation of local communities at every stage of planning which is not the case in Addis Ababa.

 

Addis Ababeans were denied democratically elected councils in 2005 and TPLF after three years is now ready to put its own people back again and these new administrators  will not care for the millions of Addis Ababeans and the  seventeen years of their control of Addis is a dismal failure.

 

Addis Ababa which means New Flower has got new name by the Forbes magazine as the the six dirtiest city in the world.

 

All the new buildings and big roads that were built in the last seventeen years did not hide the fact that the city has no basic sewage and drainage system which is the requirement for a healthy city.

 

The current regime's polices are to make fast money and care less for the future of Ethiopia or its cities and the image of our cities for some who come after short visit are new buildings that rise in different neighborhoods.

 

However, for some good observers like Ato Getachew who truly cares for their people and cities that was not the case. 

 

Addis and most cities in Ethiopia are like  New York or London, forty or fifty years ago in their water and sewage development and to change that we need city administrations accountable to the people and the government which is investing for the future.

 

Five thousands signatures for What?

Tedla Asfaw

 

Engineer Gizachew and Dr. Hailu Araya on VOA Amharic(April 17) informed us that their signature drive  has now reached five thousands much more than the requirement put by TPLF and are working to legalize their party to participate in the 2010 election.

 

My question for these two gentle men is simple. What will their new party do different than the so called "loyal" oppositions of Dr. Beyene Petros, Ato Bulcha Demeksa and the Afar movement who realized in the eleventh hour that TPLF will never share power in the name of any kind of election with anybody.

 

Moreover, Dr. Hailu promised to win the 2010 election and did not say anything about the fake local election going on now in Ethiopia. The timing of their signature drive while Ethiopians both in cities and in  rural area are forced to vote for the millions of TPLF candidates is also troubling. Is it out of fear that after the "landslide" victory by TPLF they might not  get even the one thousand signatures required for legalization?

 

Is the 5000 signatures a sign of confidence for the coming new party as Eng, Gizachew alleged on his interview  while the regime dominates the election by bribe and force fielding  millions of candidates and destroying few of he loyal oppositions and force them to boycott this week local and by-elections?

 

By not condemning the 99 to one ratio fielding of candidates between TPLF and loyal oppositions they are expecting favor from TPLF and  be the next loyal opposition in the 2010 replacing Beyene, Bulcha, Merara and others to join their old friend Lidetu Ayalew.

 

Pro TPLF  websites have already called this week's election as a "Slam Dunk Election"  to be replicated for the general election in 2010. The "Dunk" then maybe on the heads of the new Kinijt that of Eng. Gizachew and Dr. Hailu. The millions who voted for Kinijit in 2005 will not be part of the game the result of which is well put in place.

 

The legalization of a new Kinijit party led by Weizero Birtukan Medeksa to replace most of the loyal oppositions is underway and we know also they might end up being an ally of Lidetu Ayalew who is known for giving few minutes speech in the TPLF's lecture hall after long hours of show from his TPLF boss to guarantee his salary.

 

What Ethiopians need now is not to bring new party to join TPLF in 2010 rather leaders that mobilize people to get their democratic rights to organize,speak be respected and you do not need one signature for that.

 

 

 

 

The one hundred years homework

Tedla Asfaw

 

I read a good piece by Ato Wardoffa Banti titled "What Lies Ahead for Ethiopia" on Internet. ethiopian-forum@yahoogroups, by bringing the "Fire and Straw/Esatina Chid" dichotomy brought by Melese Zenawi on his parliament "accusing" Isaias of Eritrea masterminding an alliance among OLF, Kinijit and others to form the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD)more than two years ago in Holland.

 

AFD was attacked from its inception and now nonfunctional because there were and are some political groups and many elites who rejected it off hand because they are not ready to change their old habits of playing politics out of fear and suspicion seating in their own quarters unwilling to move one step.

 

The idea of talking with groups like OLF and ONLF which are accused of anti-Ethiopian by some elites derailed any chance of bringing different groups to debate and find solution for our country honestly and went back to old ways  of politics that you are either with me or you are my enemy the fertile ground to make the "one hundred years homework given to Ethiopians " by Isaias of Eritrea to be on its track for the last seventeen years.

 

The masses in Ethiopia are calling for oppositions of all colors to work together even if Melese's cadres have been instigating clashes between Amharas and Oromos in rural areas including university campuses and between Oromos within themselves or between Oromos and their neighbors like recently they did Oromos Vs Sidamas.

 

Ato Wardoffa brought Isaias' infamous declaration of "one hundred years of home work"  which is now eighty years to remain and most of the adults will surely  pass away and impossible for them to know their result if it is "A" or "F" or  remains unsatisfactory in the "D" range.

 

The "one hundred years homework" project designer  even if it is  Isaias, the political elites of Ethiopia played a big part to keep it in its right track at  least for seventeen years because they do not want seriously debate all matters relevant to our country without any preconditions. 

 

I have always said that without open free debate by all in Ethiopia and by talking and only listening to our own voices in our separate camps the one hundred years homework of Issays  might l be a reality way after we all passed away.

 

To derail this homework given to us we have to do our part while we are alive.We must be bold and seat down and talk. We have a good chance to knock down the homework that is implemented by TPLF. Isayas and Melese are  working from different angles with the same strategic goal of dividing us for the next hundred years to keep them and their followers in power until we finish their homework.

 

Ethiopians strong desire to live in a free and democratic society was all clear for all the doubters to see by  coming out in millions and voted against TPLF in May 2005. The new Ethiopia should bring all political groups, liberation fronts, OLF, ONLF. ARENA  and  nationalist groups like Kinijit be it Hailu or Birtukan, EPRP and others and establish a new constitution drafted by people representatives to be voted by all the people in Ethiopia.

 

Here is where the "Fire and Straw/Esatina Chid" that worried Melese Zenawi and made him  speak in animated mode in his parliament. He knows that coming together of all political groups without preconditions is going to shorten the one hundred years homework we were given by Isayas by many years.

 

Melese further go on  and call on his cousins in Eritrea to question the wisdom of Isaias. How can he do that ? "We all know that if the Oromos, Amharas, Somalis etc. come together not only they knock me down but also dangerous for you people there that you might lose the liberty you have been granted thanks to your heroic fighters and our gallant forces in unison by braking the back of the chauvinists".

 

Let us bring the "Fire and Straw" together and nullify the one hundred years of homework or keep in our separate camps wait for the "miracle" like we saw on the fake election's sky in Ethiopia yesterday, bright sun circled by rainbow for one hour, as a sign of change to come soon similar to that of 1991.

 

 

Melese Zenawi's blind worshipper

Tedla Asfaw

 

I heard Washera  on Ben's Internet radio posted on  www.ethiopiafirst  saying that the right to speak our birth language is a right our people got for the first time after TPLF came to power sixteen years ago. My father speaks Oromoifa and his mother tongue Amharic while my mother speaks Somali, Oromifa and her mother tongue Amharic.

 

No one told them which language to learn and use to go on their lives and to give credit for TPLF is absurd  because my family learnt these languages long before TPLF went to bush to take power from Mengistu Hailemariam.

 

This is true for most Ethiopians and what TPLF did is that it exploited the language differences like the former fascist, Italy in its short occupation of Ethiopia to control Ethiopia by organizing language based "control zones".

 

The majority of Oromos support OLF not OPDO, the Oromo control zones of TPLF and ONLF is widely supported by Ethiopian Somalis and if we had believed Ato Washera why do these movements fight TPLF who gave them for the "first time to speak in their own language".

 

TPLF has no new philosophy in ruling Ethiopia like Washera is alleging. It is an elite Tigrayans click which has monopoly on Tigreans and rule the rest of Ethiopia/control zones by brute force. It controls the economy of Ethiopia by its own companies that were looted from the Ethiopian people and exploited 9/11 and brutally ruling Ethiopia with the help of USA and UK. This is hardly a new philosophy.

 

Washera has the right to support TPLF and worship his beloved leader/philosopher, Melese Zenawi, and respect our right to hold him accountable for what he has been doing for the last sixteen years.

 

Ethiopians in America are very critical of the USA policy and picking  on  Dr. Taye and  accusing him of as a leader who preach the "USA and the West conspiracy against Ethiopia" is a smear campaign to show him as a bad guy in front of USA policy makers.

 

Whoever comes to power in USA in January 2009  we will put him or her on spot light regarding its Ethiopian policy and the diaspora Ethiopians will expose and  fight the coming administration if they continue on the failed Clinton and Bush policy that finance and arm TPLF and force our people to live in deep poverty.

 

                                                                                                       

 

                                                                                                    

Walk, protest like Egyptians!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

I watched a brave woman(Aljazerra April 6) on the street of Cairo saying no to Mubarak's tyranny supporting the stay home strike called by Egyptian workers who are now living on a  USA $2 per day and  can not afford to buy bread for their families due to high inflation.

 

The stay home strike that  was called by workers and later on communicated to students and the masses  on Internet by bloggers was a success.The streets of Cairo were quiet except few protesters that were matched in number with armed security personnel who were seen beating women, children and old people.

 

The government of Egypt claimed the "illegal" strike was a failure and most people went to their normal business,however, we saw empty streets in Cairo and we know the strike was  a success and did send a message and shock wave  to Mubarak that his days are numbered. 

 

The people who were on the streets were angered by the regime for not allowing them to protest and vent their frustration peacefully. We all know that country like Egypt and Ethiopia who are the staunch supporters of the "war on terrorr" are good in terrorizing their citizens and locking opponents first fabricate charges later and convict them for long term prison.

 

Moreover, this protest is coming before the Municipal election in Egypt this week and the regime has already locked up opposition supporters like the Muslim Brotherhood who have wide support in the poor neighborhoods that won substantial seat before.

 

The Muslim Brotherhood has boycotted this coming election because the regime has already learned from its previous mistakes and fielded many of its candidates to take the municipal seat and it seems to me that Mubarak and Melese Zenawi are following the same script in conducting "fair and free election".

 

Both regimes deny the right to protest and accuse the protesters as outlaws who wanted to destabilize their countries. Both wanted to rule forever. Mubarak wanted to transfer power to his son and Melese is not sure when to transfer power and the closest one maybe his wife, Emebete Azeb. The possible alternative is to initiate a debate within TPLF  not "to waste the brain power of our beloved leader, Melese Zenawi" is to make him a president of Ethiopia by amending the TPLF's Constitution in his own parliament.

 

The economic hardship of about 40% of Egyptians who live below poverty line is a good testament for the failed Mubarak tyranny and this can be said the same if not more for Ethiopia  where food price is sky rocketing and Melese Zenawi who blame the economic growth of China and India together with home merchants for inflating prices.

 

The west including Saudi can help subsidize food in Egypt and avoid the mass uprising which is surely to come. Ethiopia is already benefiting from the USA subsidized wheat and the question is for how long? As  we see the war in Iraq and the recession in USA is not encouraging to put hope on the handout from USA.

 

The seventy million Egyptians and  seventy million Ethiopians have been ruled for their long history by autocrats  supported by west and the recent talk of "democracy and freedom" by Bush and Condi remains empty rhetoric and the people of Egypt has taken a lead by going out on the streets and demand  their democracy and freedom this past week,.

 

Ethiopians should do no less. We have to follow the Egyptian example and call a stay home strike and boycott the government organized  make-believe election  for this month. We know their is sacrifice to be paid and we also know millions of our people have no dignified life to live for.

Well Deserved Fellowhip!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

I was thrilled to read this morning the news(April 4) from the Stanford University in London posted on addisvoice.com that Ato Abebe Gelaw has been awarded the Johns Knight  Fellowship for Professional Journalists at Stanford University for this year.

 

Ato Abebe will join other twenty accomplished journalists to do the job he has already mastered. I have known Ato Abebe by writing him my views on various topics  and later invited me to join him as an Addis Voice Blogger on his own designed website.

 

This was a big honor for a person like me who is not a trained writer but as a  person who has a strong desire to express my views that started in 1990s on  the Ethiopian Review, Ethiopian Register. As a student of Ato Abebe since 2006 my confidence grow daily and now am a regular on his blog.

 

When I read what he has accomplished as a Yahoo Fellow in  journalism with back ground in political science,law and teaching English, I was not surprised at all for Stanford to grant him its prestigious fellowship.

 

Ato Abebe by joining other accomplished international journalists will be in a good position to learn from  their experiences and no doubt others will also learn form his exemplary career and his website that he established two years ago that is now the major source of information and a platform for debating freely on all matters relevant to Ethiopia and Africa..

 

We all Ethiopians should be proud of Ato Abebe Gelaw and wish him and his family the best in his journey to discover new wisdom and be an example for our young students of journalism that in hard work and commitment you will attain your potential followed by well deserved recognition.

Zimbabwe's slow motion election result

Tedla Asfaw

The result of the election in Zimbabwe is going on in a "slow motion" and that is very different from the previous election result in Zimbabwe or to many who have been going on in Africa.

Premature declaration of winning have brought destruction in many African elections and Zimbabwe's opposition party has been warned not to do so and the public is extremely patient and the speculation on who won and lost is going on.

This morning the opposition claims to win the presidency and I hope this will not bring the opposition supporters and the police on the street to battle on the street.

I have no doubt in my mind South Africa which has been the destiny of many refugees would not tolerate more refugees and would like Zimbabweans to bring order to their country and might play a big rule in convincing Mugabe and the opposition to make the deal.

This remind me what happened last week fight in Basra between the Mahdi army and the Iraq government. While the prime minister, Malik ,is boasting to finish the Mahdi army relying on fire power of USA and Bush called it the last important battle to free Iraq, Iranians worked behind the scene convincing their Shia allies the Mahdi army to stop the fighting.

Here we might have the same result. While USA and Britain talked tough and demonizing Mugabe as always the big player here maybe South Africa. Mugabe will not bow to West pressure to give up power,however,he will be convinced by South Africa to encourage a grace exist for him and save Zimbabwe from its economic hardship and bleak future.

ARENA's first meeting

Tedla Asfaw

 

Ato Gibru Asrat led ARENA party held its first meeting in Mekele after it got legal recognition five months ago from TPLF/EPRDF's cadres. The Tigray administration call the meeting illegal and send a letter to Ato Gibru warning him of his illegal activities.

 

Ato Gibru argued on VOA Amharic(April 1) that he did not brake a rule by calling public meeting as was alleged on the letter rather this was an internal organizational affair complying with the rule of TPLF/EPRDF that mandated  a meeting within six months of a newly legalized party.

 

TPLF/EPRDF cadres in Mekele have threatened members of ARENA and also smeared their names as collaborators with "Neftegnas, the enemy of Tigreans" since the legalization and the official warning of an illegal meeting is not a surprise.

 

What surprise for me is for for the TPLF cadres allowing ARENA to conclude its two day meeting with out physical violence. One of the reasons for this might be  fearing the masses who are fed up of TPLF's rule who brought them economic hardship and  no hope.

 

However the regime will deny ARENA its right to call a mass rally by giving flimsy excuses and to arrest its leaders if they organize such rally and that is the purpose of the letter from Tigray administration after the conclusion of the two days meeting by ARENA.

 

This is also true for the new formed Kinijit/Andenet party led by Birtukan Medekssa. "You will be legalized do  not worry,however,if you try to mobilize your supporters and come for a rally you will be locked up" that is what TPLF/EPRDF means legalizing "opposition parties" and at the same time criminalizing public gatherings.

 

ARENA or other political parties will be on  collision course with TPLF  if they are  mobilizing their supporters and if political parties are not allowed to do that they should not call themselves political parties.