This is the sequel of revealing the ping-pong, cyber fight, with one man among many that happened in a response to my few months old article attached with the given link. I posted it for anyone interested to go over. Dear Mr. Y Kindly receive my appreciation on your honest reflection. I will try to address the questions as much as my capacity allows me do so. Now to the deal 1. Why TPLF exist today? If I get your question correctly, you mean why it is still stands in the current name as TPLF as it is expected to evolve into something else probably with different name and all. The rationale given to this very question is because TPLF has become a brand and the leadership doesn’t feel like changing this brand so soon. Contrary to the views of their detractors, TPLF and ANDM are brand names among the coalition, EPRDF. Millions of farmers and urban dwellers in their respective constituencies are reminiscent and sympathetic with these names and probably would easily be converted to electoral votes. You may extend the same question as to why EPRDF doesnt get evolved to a single union party by abolishing all the adjectives. The answer, partly, lies the individual party members are more appealing in their constituencies than it would have appear under the banner of unified party (which I dont share it by the way. I am the proponent of a unified party). A secondary reason is as EPRDF is consensus driven party; it seems took it longer time to get into shape than is probably we would like it happen. If your concern is that the name is maintained to serve it for a rainy day and to invoke it when a push comes to shove, well, rest assured, TPLF is the most predictable party. It had never had a hidden agenda. Whatever is demonstrated so far in Ethiopia is based on a clearly presented document being improved over the years by regularly held congresses. 2. The other important question is why EPRDF tells people who they are while they already knew it for years. This question requires an honest reflection. Whether Ethnic division is caused by EPRDF or EPRDF is the effect of it needs a kind of sober reflection. EPRDF didnt invent anything. Neither did TPLF. If you get a chance, I urge you to visit Tigray. You will never hear the slightest of evil of hatred as is usually told by the haters out there over other peoples. One of the good teachings of TPLF was to clearly delineate the boundary between the enemy and the broad-masses. The Solidarity of the people of Tigray and Amhara and part of Oromiya brought the brutal regime down to its heels. But the problem lies on the propaganda machine of the derg remnants as they fought back during the transition period using the multitudes of journals and tabloids as a platform. They tried hard to tarnish the image of EPRDF as if its only purpose for fighting for 17 years was to get Ethiopia disintegrated. The newly formed opposition parties followed suit adopting similar line of struggle; TPLFs hidden agenda is just to divide Ethiopia and to liberate Tigray. They concocted every lie after lie and even went to the extent that Tigray was prospering alone while other fellow Ethiopians are in utter poverty which is totally false as the poverty level in Tigray is still higher than the Ethiopian average. On the other hand, OLF made use of this excuse and instead of teaching the Oromo people clearly who their oppressor was it went on indoctrinating fanatics which reject the 100 years Ethiopian unified rule and the new government as a farce which a mere “cosmetic change of kings”. That way both forces fought with all vigor and whenever things go wrong they blame it on EPRDF specifically on TPLF. So OLF utilized the soft spots of both the transitional government and regimes that precede it for escalating tension among the diverse population then living in Oromiya region. It used its propaganda and armed wing concurrently and turned Oromiya practically into living hell. People who moved from Amhara and Tigray to the respective regions during the villagization era of the Derg were considered as enemies and got scalded, burnt, and riddled with bullets in their thousands and thrown into deep abyss. Arba Gugu, Agarfa, Sinana, West Hararghe, Bedeno, East Welega(Anger Gutin) were the places where OLF’s ugly face been revealed in its most savage form. Even in small towns in Bale and Arsi, city dwellers were also selectively killed for being Amhara and/ or Tigres. And well meaning Oromos who questioned the atrocity received similar fate, just death (in its most barbaric form) You may ask why the administrators of those regions didn’t protect the people. But the time was during the transition period and no administration was installed upto the beginning of 1985EC and most of the atrocities were effected from late 1983-1984 EC a time where OLF itself was part of the government made active movement is the regions. ONLF (in Somali region) and now the defunct Oromo Abo(in Bale and Arsi) Arduf in Afar and one armed front in Sidamo ( I think SLF) were additions to the woes. Why I am listing all this detail, just it may help you draw the big picture on how Ethiopia was deeply troubled at the time. Opposite to this situation was the northern part of Ethiopia, practically Amhara and Tigray. As far as my information goes no single squabble is recorded between these two brotherly people in the past 22 years. Do you think it is because they are more civilized than the southerners? No. The reason was that the effect of the chauvinist elites was limited to Addis Ababa, they didn’t want (or afford) to leave the comfort Addis could provide like the OLFs, ONLFs etc which had conscripts in tens of thousands that lived in the villages each with full authorization to destroy anything and anyone who they think were standing on their way. Similarly, the rural presence of both ANDM and TPLF was so conspicuous and no room was left for destructive forces unlike Oromiya which OPDO had to struggle to cover the vast parts of the region right in its infant stage. All said and done, do you think these things happened because the people were reminded of who they were? The answer, in my opinion, is NO. The very reason why 17 armed fronts were raging the country from every direction is there were real grounds for dissent, grievance and discord. There reason why such atrocities were not replicated in Tigray and Amhara, unlike the things happened in Oromiya and Somali is because the former (the parties) were consciously objective and completely Ethiopian. There were no buts and ifs. But ONLF and OLF were preparing themselves to secede and when they came to know that the people of Oromiya were not responding well to their appeal, they employed coercive method to render them surrender. The secession of Oromiya, according to OLF, was a moot point. The chauvinist elites were raving the transition government on the ground of Eritrea’s case. In any case the transition period was the most daunting period and the survival of the nation was under question mark. The chauvinist elites posited that Ethiopia will be following the path of Yugoslavia. The same thesis was true with the separatists too. EPRDF proposed that there is a better approach where regions govern themselves; pursue and develop their culture, language, history with equitable power share at the center with a constitutionally delimited mandate and with a long term objective of building a common socio-economic and political platform under the ambit of Ethiopian Nationalism. Both extremes rejected it outright, for one group because the menu provides more opportunity for the states and for the other the menu is not good enough for their separatist ambitions and in effect, both are working relentlessly to undo whatever achievements scored under EPRDF and before. You can observe for yourself within the community in your areas. You have ethnically divided “Mahbers”, churches and probably mosques which is not really the case at home. The propaganda unleashed to muzzle and/or to ostracize Tigreans in the west is so intense and unacceptable to our collective psyche. What wrong did those Tigreans do to be censured that way? And now a religious dimension is added, which was not there few years back, as manifestation of international terrorism. And yet, the talking stock of the opposition is to annihilate the “Terror Law”. They don’t care now as far as it weakens the incumbent. But terrorism knows no friends. They should have fought it with full commitment. To the contrary, what we see is lobbying at the doors of super powers to become a voice of terror (intentionally or otherwise) Why real power is in the hands of Tigreans? I don’t really understand what you mean by “real power”. You see, though you claim that you don’t want to name a name but here you are telling me Tigreans are occupying important positions. This is an indicative that subconsciously still you have identified yourself with some group (by the way I have no idea which nation (Bhereseb) you hailed from) But I will try to answer it as I understand it nonetheless. Let us see the division of power. 1. Regional States States administer their region (good or bad) and unless on their own volition no one can interfere on their internal affairs (including the PM). SO the biggest platform for exercising power is established at this level. 2. The Federal Structure: Even at this level, it is equitably shared you can count all the ministers and state ministers and see for yourself if important positions are filled by Tigreans. Once Ato Teferea Walwa said something to this effect “A forsaken office attains its charm the moment a Tigreans officer occupies it”. He was explaining the public perception. Why the late PM Meles maintained his position was by his unparalleled capacity to lead nothing less nothing more. If he were an Oromo or Amhara, he still would have maintained his position simply because no one was ever closer to him. So I don’t see much problem in the political appointment of ministers and state ministers, parliament etc as far as equitability is concerned. 3. The civil Service The civil service is not as clear as the political offices. But the statistics shows that the highest number of employees, at the federal level, is from Amhara Nation followed by Oromos. By the way the civil service is also divided between state and federal civil services. State civil service is the highest employer and totally occupied by employees of respective states. So, little is known about favoritism and nepotism. 4. The Security Apparatus (Defence + Police) If you had followed the report of the Minister of Defence a year ago, the number of the armed forces from each state was reported and published in many weeklies (Which I think was wrong to do by the way). According to that report, the highest is from Ahmara followed by Oromiya and Tigray The only hitch comes at the highest positions of the Army (Strategic and operational levels) the statistics is somewhat skewed. I think there are valid reasons for that. Military skills are not easily transferable. The very fact that Tigreans were practically the commanders during the armed struggle, contributed for the current status. But Tigreans were also the one who lifted the heavier weight in ending the dictatorship. Out of the reported number of martyrs (65, 0000 plus), about 50, 000 were Tigreans. Please understand me that I am not rationalizing because we paid more so we should maintain the power. Not at all. What I am trying to say is it is not by design but the direct consequence of the struggle. This problem is ephemeral because the current leaders are getting old and obviously will get substituted by youngsters and that will change the game for good. But who have the patience to contemplate and apply reason as that is happening. The police force is again divided into federal and state level police. The state police belong to each state and we don’t have issues here. The federal police are not much skewed as the army leadership is. You can see the leaders of the commission. I don’t really know any high profile Tigrean in this respect (I may be innocently ignorant here but honestly I don’t know) This is my response to your questions. I am not sure if I respond to your satisfaction but I am sure in one thing: This is an honest view of mine with no baggage of any sort attached. tigraionline/articles/chauvinism-nationalism.html
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 04:03:03 +0000
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