Ethiopian Review

The emergence of Ginbot 7 as a popular movement and its becoming a real threat to TPLF’s monopoly of power has caused a lot of fear and confusion within the TPLF circle. That is why we hear contradicting statements here and there.

Just a couple of weeks ago, in an interview with Africa Confidential, Meles was heard saying, Ginbot 7 (”the group”) is not a challenge, but a significant irritant, but their real worry is the trained terrorists of al-shahbab. On the other hand they keep on labeling Ginbot 7 movement as a terrorist group, in the hope that it will stick in the face of the international community, and theirby legitimize their intention of crushing this popular movement. That is the move when, Zeru Hagos parroted, “Aweys out and Andy in” in his recent article in the TPLF mouthpiece (Aiga Forum), referring Andargachew Tsige’s alleged meeting with Eritrean officials.

If at all, Andargachew had traveled to Eritrea to discuss issues of partnership, what is wrong with that? What is wrong if a movement adored by Ethiopians, sought partnership with any other power to liberate Ethiopians from the yolk of dictatorship they are in under TPLF? Didn’t TPLF work hand in hand with EPLF in their effort to liberate Tigray from the dictator dergue? In fact, as TPLF’s manifesto reveals, thier exclusive strategy was only armed struggle, and they used Eritrea, as their base.

Ginbot 7 on the other hand has, from its inception, declared that it will use all forms of resistance to force TPLF step down and open a space where all different opposition groups could negotiate on an equal footing to form a transnational government until a free election is held.

Current opponents of TPLF, including Ginbot 7 movement had tried the peaceful way by participating in the 2005 election. In that election, they mobilized the whole of the Ethiopian society, won the trust of the people and defeated the TPLF by a landslide victory on the ballot, until that victory was reversed by the bullets from the Agazi Army of TPLF.

Even after that victory was stolen, the opposition went further, against all odds, for the sake of peace, to let the TPLF prevail for one more term, on condition that the legal and political environment is facilitated to make the next election free from controversy. It was the TPLF that has an intention of ruling by force indefinitely, that closed the option, jailed the opposition leaders and killed and incarcerated the people mercilessly.

The TPLF thugs believed that, since they have an ethnic Tigrayan army loyal to their authority (as is being partially admitted by Zeru Hagos in the Aiga Forum article I mentioned above), they can silence dissent indefinitely, against all odds. Where was it in history that dictators held the race to the finish, with out cracking, without fragmenting? That is what we are witnessing in the TPLF circle now. We will soon start to see some running away from the regime if they have any opportunity of traveling outside the country. For that matter, they were already preparing for this eventuality from the beginning, as they were saving their looted money in foreign banks and sending their children to schools overseas (even though they are pretending of retiring at home by asking the rubber stamp parliament to approve a retirement benefit plan).

While the pressure from within will continue to be mounted, other forms of resistance will also be launched from all directions, not just from within Eritrea alone. Who the hell did reserve, armed opposition for TPLF alone!!! Freedom requires all forms of sacrifices. And we won’t spare any!!!

- UTUBO