Saving TPLF? From Who?
By: D. Menelik
Brooklyn, NY
On the current crisis facing TPLF in particular and Ethiopia in general, there are these claims that EVERY THING and ANY THING must be done to SAVE TPLF. On its face value this is noble cause that may give an arm-shot to an ailing organization which on its hay days was able to mobilize millions of people in a struggle for freedom and democracy. Of course like any political organization TPLF had had its ups and downs and in its 26 years of history has seen major program and strategic shifts. But, with a public strife and unrest against Derg's injustice, a ripe environment for organized struggle against the Derg, and nested in and among the rural community, TPLF had never to face a challenge to its existence, at least not to the degree and magnitude of the current fall-out. In almost all of its entire history, TPLF had fought to promote and protect the public cause: the struggle for freedom and democracy. Now it seems the time has come when TPLF needs a help to save itself from threats against the organization and from with-in: threats against democracy and freedom.
Now TPLF seems to be threatened by patterns of illegal and undemocratic activities and trends that smack dictatorship. Allegations of very scary crimes, such as treason, against the leadership are rife. Unfortunately the same people who may be responsible for all these mess TPLF is in, particularly Meles Zenawi and his gangs, are trying to be smart and they are pretending that they will do every thing and any thing to SAVE TPLF. In the name of "let us save our organization" (Widib Midihan) freedom of speech, association, movement are being trampled up-on. In the name of saving TPLF, they are destroying TPLF core values, principles and even TPLF's constitution. In the name of saving TPLF, they are muzzling dissent, any kind of opposition even and including the right to be neutral and independent. It looks and feels like the Derg- era. A deja`vu. Now the questions of intimidation and harassment are followed after the reminiscent question " which side are you"? " My side or the other side"? Like the Derg who used Red Terror to eliminate any opposition in the name of "the will and interest of the people", Meles and his Palace gangs are doing all illegal and undemocratic activities to silence those well-meaning and true heroes of Ethiopia. Those 'dissenters' (or the'12 Guardians' as many are calling them fondly) who are critical of Meles' handling of the relationship with Eritrea are now officially denied any access to media. Their telephones are cut, their movement is restricted. Their families and relatives are being removed from their job. Talk about democracy!
Like the saying goes the wolves are telling us they are the sheep. Sadly they have been doing this and cheating the public for quite some time. Only this time-around the sheep-skin is too transparent, too-telling that we can see-through and see for what they truly are: wolves. When it comes to promoting and protecting Ethiopia's sovereign interest, the public knows Meles and his Palace gangs have failed Ethiopia and they know the public knows this. Meles and his gangs know that, in the public eye, there are serious charges of treason waiting them and that they will be held responsible for Ethiopia's ill-preparation during Eritrea's invasion and for making Ethiopia succumb to fabricated and exaggerated 'international pressure'.
Meles and his Palace gang know that it is no more secret ( Ye Adebabi MisTer) and the public know that they care more about Eritrea than they do for Ethiopia, if they have any thing for Ethiopia at all. That the public know the TPLF-EPRDF government did what it did in protecting Ethiopia's interest simply because of the presence of the same 'dissenters' and TPLF members who fought hard and strong on Ethiopia's behalf. Removing these same people who stood for Ethiopia in a difficult time would completely erode any public trust in Meles and the gangs' leadership, if there was any left.
It is ironic Meles is trying to convince us and portray himself as progressive, and those who he removed as hard-liners and with ideology of the past (Ye Bekete). Every day not only is he getting vulgar and arrogant (one has to only see his deteriorating choice of words), but his manipulative and cold-blood vengeance is of the old-world. By denying jobs and harassing the spouses of the '12 Guardians' Meles has shown his mean-spiritedness. His all-out war against the 'dissenters' has made him into something primal. He is tarnishing their image, blackmails them, even has went as far as using the party (EPRDF) to give press releases with statements full of defamatory remarks. He does not hide his anger in public and has gone so low as to use such terms as Ye Bekete Astesaseb (Rotten ideas) against the people who until just yesterday were his colleagues and the most senior ranking members of the ruling party.
His way of trashing people, who he feels are opposed to his way of handling the country, is becoming a public embarrassment. He trashes judges and courts, he lashes at enterprise mangers, and now uses inflammatory and derogatory words against senior EPRDF leaders and Ethiopia's true patriots. He has cut their phones, denied them transportation, and is working hard to keep them house arrested and far from the public or any kind of public communication. True, Meles is doing all and every thing to silence these Ethiopian heroes who stood for Ethiopia and protected Ethiopia's sovereignty. It is true he is doing all and everything to humiliate those gallants who were at the forefront in defeating Eritrea, which Mr. Meles seems to be in pains-for. But, it is laughable that he is trying to tell us he is doing all this to "save TPLF". What a joke! It may seem naive but would have been nice and respectable if Meles could say he is doing all this to destroy TPLF in vengeance for Eritrea's loss. Personally I would have accorded him more respect as much as I would for a true and clear enemy as opposed to a Trojan Horse. Quite true TPLF needs a saving and a savior. But definitely Meles would be the last person in the world to save the TPLF we know. To the contrary TPLF need to be saved from the manipulative and monster Meles who is out and out to destroy what ever makes Ethiopia and Ethiopians thick.
[Opinions in this article are solely that of the writer.]