By Tsegay B.

Most Ethiopians were surprised in hearing the internal conflict prevailing in the TPLF leadership. It has pulled a big surprise in our daily life. We tried to build some scenario based on speculations, rumors, and some broadcasters. We have hoped on some miracles to come, solve everything and rescue EPRDF and defeat the Eritrean regime for once and for all. Nevertheless, we are having developments (not expected) by each day. Though we may have different sources of information depending on our access to all or censored media, it is about two months since we have talked about it.

Right after the split, the ‘wining’ group of TPLF CC sent us edited Videos to convince the Diaspora about the wrong doings of the dissenters. Though we have been told that the military is out of party politics, some military officials (very clear in the video) attended the so-called CADRE meeting in Mekelle. General Samora was agitating a pro-Melles stance in London. Some who attended the meeting like Dr. Solomon Enquai weren’t cadres of TPLF.

Nevertheless, the Diaspora made it clear that it will be unfair to make a judgment unless the dissenters are also given the same ground of expressing themselves. After that we have been told that "you don’t make a difference, and even your words won’t cross the Atlantic" by one of members in the same group. It concurred with the interview Melles gave to the Swiss based newspaper in 1998 stating that there is no strong feeling of nationality among Ethiopians as in Eritreans.

The only voice for dissenters was the REPORTER newspaper and other free press. As the palace group couldn’t feel comfortable in the free press, one of the journalists of the reporter, Giramy Berhe, is forced to exile in Sweden and many other journalists are arrested and/or intimidated. Can someone explain why the Tigrean people are denied of access to the free press except the REPORTER? Perhaps with the recent developments’ THE REPORTER might be also out of the list. Who is responsible for that? The Tigrean people had fought hard in the aspiration for freedom and democracy and played a great share in this respect.

But it seems now Melles and his accomplices are snatching this hard-won victory. How many of us do we know that there are long-forgotten political prisoners in Tigray? On the same development Atakilty of Woyin newspaper’s editor-in-chief was sacked for speaking out and writing. Hamelamal of Radio Fana is sacked from her Cadre position because of her firm request for respect of the rule of Law. Chekol Kidane and other members of the Audit Commission are harassed and/or sacked for defending the decisions of the Audit Commission of TPLF. And the now the Audit Commission is dissolved by the PM.

Recently, we have heard that most Cadres of EPRDF and the so-called intellectuals in Tigray (but only TPLF members) are concluding their meetings and vowed for revolutionary democracy and condemned the dissenting groups! There are no details of that meeting though. Why? It is not yet clear as we were not informed about the details. May be the public (whom they claim to serve) is not supposed to hear all their secret discussions there. This is a very big betrayal. They say there is a need for reform but which way? I have read the pieces by Melles (see REPORTER MEGAZINE OF MIAZIA) and of course there is no much change except some new vocabularies. It is still talking about Marxism.

On the other side, it has been reported that food aid is being used to collect petitions to oust elected MPs. People have been told to elect somebody and now are also told to call him or her back in light speed. The dissenters filed many allegations to the Electoral Board. A mockery on democratic process! What a joke!!!!!

I used to argue with some people who say Walta Information Center (WIC) is the Trojan horse of Melles. The WIC with participation of many Ethiopian have contributed a lot in informing the public about the Ethio-Eritrea conflict. These days, unfortunately, WIC has become a stage for Melles’s propaganda and accordingly articles are not posted unless they condemn the dissenters. That is why we see very few commentaries posted at WIC. I hope this article will appear there if it is not caught by the censorship.

To our dismay, the WIC has become very quick to post fictitious Gebremeskel Tekul’s articles including an attack personalities about the Washington meeting of Tigreans organized by the International Solidarity of Tigreans for Justice. We have been promised by the organizers that the video of the same meeting (unedited) will be available soon and we will all witness what Gebremeskel Teklu has talked about!

The meeting was attended by more that 2000 Tigreans in North America and it was free from any political mission. The VOA has reported about the meeting. Mr Gebremsekel, you don’t build a democratic nation by labeling names and filing lies! I don’t want to go to the details of the personalities you have mentioned but they all are respected Ethiopians.

By the way, the same author told us sometime in his previous article posted at Ben’s site (a message to our friends in the Diaspora) that the Diaspora should shut up on the present TPLF crisis (as most of us have taken nationality of other countries) and also tried to intimidate some individuals. It looks as if Mr. Gebremeskel is told to do and might think he is helping the palace group. But if you have the courage to analyze your writing, you have damaged more your bosses. Because the information you have tried to share are all naked lies. Shame on WIC to entertain such fictitious commentaries. You could rather do more. Be brave also to entertain diversified views.

Ethiopians have defeated Shaebiya both in the battleground and diplomacy. The Diaspora has played a great role. But to our dismay the palace group is now compromising our sovereignty! To fulfil the wishes of Shaebiya, it has dismissed those strong anti-EPLF CC members like Gebru Asrat. Our military heroes are forced to resign.

We have known that the PM has a soft heart on matters that affect Eritrea and we strongly believe the main point of contention with the dissenting heroes is in handling the case of Eritrea!

This is not secret anymore. Concern for Assab has

turned to be a mockery by none other than the PM. Yet

in the Colonial treatise, it is clear that Tesseney

belongs to Ethiopia. And then what next? Now, you

think you have the full court to play with! To

compromise the negotiations, you have appointed

Eritreans like Yemane Jamaica to negotiate on behalf

of Ethiopia. Do you still remember what you have said

about those Ethiopians deported from Eritrea? It has

been documented as

http://www.geocities.com/tigraystate/melesinterview.html.

As Shaebiya is now comfortable about what is happening in Ethiopia, it has started to close down its websites (like VISAFRIC) hoping that it can be served by WIC.

PM Melles Zenawi should know that his advocating for corruption is a joke. As a matter of fact, Mr. Melles is quick in inventing some new words. When Tamrat was indicated, it was SUGAR and now it has become corruption. I am of the opinion that anyone, regardless, should be investigated for this. And we know that most of the leaders are corrupted. I am afraid few of our leaders and their close families are not corrupted.

Gen. Samora asserted this in his recent visit to London. He said that corruption in Ethiopia these days is an issue of how many more Millions has he/she taken!!!! Meles’s brother (NIKODIMOS) is like an underground king in some of bars in Addis for example Bonne Anie (sorry if I mis-spelt it) (ENDA TADELECH) and is also an owner of the controversial Jakros Ethiopia.

The late Kinfe used to take the rule of law in his hand. Kinfe wounded Samual Tekelehaimanot (GM of SATCON Construction Pvt and have done lots of help to the war displaced children.) in a simple row in a bar. Morever, Samuel was also asked to apologize and then had some medical treatment in the US. Some of his friends were told to go to Mekelle and remain under house of arrest. I hope Samuel will talk about it some time. How many of us do we know that the people in Addis have named the big Mega building in Bole road as MELESS HINTSA because of the Alleged corruption by the wife of the PM!

Should Ethiopia need a special legislation for alleging corrupts? I am surprised why that special bill was invented after TPLF’s split and started to be applicable without formal procedures (like being published in the Negarit Gazetta)? Can’t they act on the prevailing judiciary system, as corruption was there right from the beginning, in the last ten years? I think it was in the same standard that Tamrat Layne was indicted and sentenced on corruption. Hence, I am convinced that the contemporary move is nothing other than to silence the dissenters, as we have too many coincidences to believe! Ethiopia has so many laws but none of them are respected by you and your Ministers (the Minster of the Ministry of Justice is a good example for not co-operating with courts).

We have affirmed that Mr. Melles has no respect for the rule of the law. Your misdeeds are too many to list but I would like to bring your attention to the following assumption.

Mr. Melles, Let’s assume that you are clean from corruption, power abuse and pro-Eritrean (because anyone is innocent unless proved guilty), nevertheless you have failed as a governor. Even if those people are proved to be guilty, you should also take responsibility for letting those people to be in that dire situation. It is you who were choosing your close allies in the Prime Minister’s Office. We have endured the case of Tamrat and his accomplices but it should be too much for you to ask other chances to govern us.

Please resign! Of course, you are trying to shut up opposition, arrest and intimidate individuals, divide up the military, etc! Your mis-deeds will not break us but make us stronger than ever. But rest assured that the Ethiopian people will never forgive

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