Comment and Opinion on Siye Public Meeting and More…..

I am truly grateful Siye stood his ground and deny the extreme element in Diaspora and the very hateful opposition camp a talking point. As if the ethio media’s were not denigrating the monument built to remember the thousands of fighter killed during the 17 years of struggle of the TPLF which Siye was part of, today they are trying to wag their tail behind him hoping he will give them a cover they need desperately to appear Tigrean-politically that is! As if the Elias and BBB’s (Berhanu Nega group) as they call them, did not wine and dine with known personalities that summarily attack the people of Tigray, today they want Siye and the likes to join them with a stone on their back! I am personally grateful Siye did not give them a shot in the arm to resuscitate their dying campaign.

Siye and many others may have an issue with the current leadership. People are ready to listen what they have to say and why they decided to leave the organization they spent years of their life, but, in my mind, they are not ready to hear them say sorry in front of Hailu Shawel crowd or Berhanu Nega crowd.

 In the first place I do not know what is it they are saying sorry about?  Are they saying sorry for they led TPLF to victory or that they allowed Eritreans to vote for their independence? In the case of TPLF/EPRDF victory over Dergue there is nothing to say sorry about. The defeat of Dergue has enabled millions of Ethiopians to live in peace and to exercise their rights in the form of democratic election. In the case of Eritrean independence, TPLF formulated and organized the people of Tigray and later on the rest of Ethiopia with a clear principle that states nations and nationalities will have unfettered rights. To this effect the Constitution of Ethiopia includes rights of nation and nationalities. If there is anything to say sorry about this, it is the people of Tigray who sustained 17 years of tumultuous struggle!  It is not Kinjit of Addis or Hailu Shawel or Birtukan Mideksa!

One thing unique about Ethiopian politics is once a leader you remain a leader no matter what. EPRP has the same leaders for the last 40 years even though it has been relegated to the dust bin of history in the form of “sedetegna”. The same can be said with Mesion in the form of Ngede, EDU and the OLF. In the west if a leader failed an election he/she does not insist to remain a leader. They usually go in to oblivion and start their private life. In Ethiopia case it is different. Leaders think there is noting else to do other than politics. EX-TPLF leaders think they still want to lead. Little do they realize they have failed when they left the party after failing to be governed by majority rule they themselves approved as internal party rules. People can forgive  and individuals can try to come back, there is always second chance but, to expect people to follow you after saying sorry on a major policy that you work hard for 33 years is to expect too much. The best alternate is to remain an elder statesman and write books and influence policies by establishing think thanks.

Although there are forces dragging the country from making progress in building democracy, Ethiopia is moving fast to join the civilized world. Politics as usual has new meaning in Ethiopia these days. Today people are interested more on making their business successful instead of worrying who is sitting in Arat Kilo!  If people talk about Assab politics it is not because of nostalgia but because easy access for export and improving bottom line. When people talk about EPRDF dominance it has little to do with EPRDF policy but with ethnic dominance perception. No political platform will remedy these thoughts except economic revival in all corners of Ethiopia. A force that will usher power based on Ethnic factor will inherit the very same problem and be bogged down until the next election.  Thus, people are not interested on rehashing old issues. Raising these issues now can only have one meaning: that is to garner the entire protest vote against EPRDF

Western opposition parties are adept in exploiting protest votes. I believe that is what Kinjit did in 2005 also. However Ethiopia is not at a stage to accommodate such turmoil as was evident from Kinjit failures in 2005. One can blame the government or Kinjit but fact remains fact. I believe EX-EPRDF leaders know this to be a fact also. I take Siye’s comment in this light. He said he will continue the struggle to fulfill his promise to fallen comrades. That promise I suspect is to see a prosperous and democratic Ethiopia. If so, I think Siye will agree with me Democratic Ethiopia can only be built inch by inch and day by day. Kinjit failed to contribute to democracy in Ethiopia when they failed to take over Addis. What they want is to dismantle Ethiopia and build it again to their liking. Can one say then the Berhanu Ngea group or Hailu Shawel group are better choice than EPRDF for Siye and ARENA group to deal with? I think not and thus why I have been vocal against saying sorry to any one in the kinjit camp.

Zeru Hagos

01/07/08