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VOA NEWS

Ethiopia does not have a firm leadership succession plan if Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is no longer able to head the government, according to a former defense minister.

Seeye Abraha, who worked with Meles on the ruling party’s executive committee but who is now a member of the political opposition, said Tuesday that uncertainty and anxiety is growing over the nation’s leadership during the prime minister’s so-far unexplained absence. He blamed it on the country’s one-party electoral system and Meles’ one-man-rule style of governing over the past 12 years.


​​“They don’t have a system" [of leadership succession], Seeye said. “This is a crisis situation and the dust has not settled.”

He said leaders of the ruling Tigrai People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and larger Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) parties had discussed a succession plan, but postponed any decisions until prior to a scheduled 2015 national election.

Meles has not been seen in public for about three weeks, even missing the African Union conference in Addis Ababa that was attended by 29 other heads of state or government. Some reports in the international press have speculated he is suffering from a serious illness and has been receiving treatment since June 26 in a Brussels hospital.

Information Minister Bereket Simon told reporters in Addis Ababa last week that a doctor has prescribed sick leave for the prime minister. Bereket assured the public that Meles is in “good and stable condition” and will return to work when he has recuperated.

Bereket, however, would not identify the illness or say where the prime minister was receiving treatment.

Reliable news about the prime minister’s health has been hard to come by in Ethiopia. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the most recent edition of the independent weekly newspaper, Feteh, contained a report on the prime minister’s health, but that issue of the publication was confiscated by the government printing house.

Ethiopia 'approaching the end of the one-party system'

Seeye Abraha said he does not know where the prime minister is or the nature of his illness.

“I have serious political differences with the prime minister and his party,” Seeye said of Meles and the TPLF. But he said that now is the time for Ethiopia’s political and military leaders to work with the nation to plot a peaceful way forward.

“We are approaching the end of the one-party system,” Seeye said.

Seeye was commander of the TPLF’s rebel forces and a member of the small leadership team of TPLF fighters who ousted Mengistu Haile Mariam’s Derg leadership in 1991. They then created the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Seeye was defense minister for five years and later led planning strategy for Ethiopia’s border war with neighboring Eritrea.

The former defense minister said he and Meles finally parted ways over continuation of the costly two-year war with Eritrea. Meles expelled Seeye and three others from the TPLF executive committee.

Then, Seeye was thrown in jail for six years on corruption charges he says were bogus. When he got out of prison, Seeye joined the opposition Unity for Democracy and Justice Party along with a former president, Negaso Gidada.

He left Ethiopia for the United States in 2011. Seeye, 59, now lives in Boston where he recently completed graduate studies in public administration at Harvard University.

If Meles cannot lead, who will?

A member of the TPLF’s old guard, Sebhat Nega, told a VOA correspondent last week in Ethiopia that the government is functioning normally despite Meles’ absence.

“The system does not depend on one person,” Sebhat said, adding that whatever Meles’ medical issues are, the government is secure.

David Shinn, a former U.S. ambassador the Ethiopia in the 1980s, speculated last week that if Meles was aware of the need to plan for a successor, he would have had such a plan in place. He added, however, that if Meles’ health problem came on suddenly, the political fallout could be more serious.

“If this is a more abrupt situation, then it could be far more difficult,” Shinn said.

Opposition leader Seeye also warned of possible trouble, saying, any leadership transition would be difficult without Meles taking part. For the time being, Seeye said he believed a form of collective leadership was acting during Meles’ absence.

Sebhat of the TPLF said such opposition speculation was the product of “wishful thinkers” hoping to take advantage of the current situation. He also denied that Meles ruled with an iron fist, noting the prime minister’s efforts to de-centralize government rule in ethnically diverse Ethiopia over the past two decades.

“He doesn’t have any hand in the affairs of the Oromo, of the Amhara, of the Tigre, or of the Afar, et cetera,” said Sebhat. “He cannot have an iron hand. He can never be a despot.”

Does Meles rule by consensus or by fiat?

Seeye disagreed, saying that Meles has been consolidating power for years.

“Meles is not just the chief executive officer of the administration, he is the law of the courts,” said Seeye. “He could make his wishes the law of the land in a matter of hours. That’s how he has been working.”

Despite his political differences with Meles, Seeye said he hopes the prime minister will recover soon.

“I don’t celebrate the pain of another human being or the passing of another human being,” Seeye said. “I wish him recovery and I wish that he ends his political exit with a positive and constructive and historic note

Sebhat of the TPLF said such opposition speculation was the product of “wishful thinkers” hoping to take advantage of the current situation. He also denied that Meles ruled with an iron fist, noting the prime minister’s efforts to de-centralize government rule in ethnically diverse Ethiopia over the past two decades.

“He doesn’t have any hand in the affairs of the Oromo, of the Amhara, of the Tigre, or of the Afar, et cetera,” said Sebhat. “He cannot have an iron hand. He can never be a despot.”

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There is no any difference between Seye Abraha and Meles Zenawi; Seye is Wolf, while Meles is Hyena. The current crisis in Ethiopia was created by Tigary leaders, like Seye and Meles. Seye and Meles are TPLF leaders and criminals, with common and one goal, and committed serious human abuses, human genocides and crimes in Ethiopia and in the neighbouring countries, especially in Oromia, Gambella and Ogaden regions of Ethiopia, and Eretria, Sudan and Somalia. The Woyane criminals (like Seye, Meles, abaye tsehaye, Dr. Gabreab, Sebhat, the military, militia and security officials, and others) must face the justice because of their organized genoside and crimes, military operations, misuse of aid, restriction of aid and trade in the Ogaden region and other parts of the country and in the Horn of Africa region. Never trust Tigray politicians, particularly this man and his Tigray political game. Please, don't post something like this in the forum.

I am quite sure that Siye knows the where abouts of Meles.But, as usual, when it feels like that the intrest of the Tigrian people is at risk, they all join the base, TPLF, and repeat the same slogan.

Meles is also the CEO of TPLF Inc., . Many have questioned if the country is actually being run for the benefit of this entity. It is the largest contributor/detractor to the economy and has been run in a totally secretive and arbitrary fashion. I wonder why the public administration MA opted to overlook this fact because it would be the single largest detractor to a smooth transition of power.

Seeye still has a weak heart for his longtimeMeles, the comrade in destructing Ethioipa and its history. Birds of the same feather flock together.

HI AS I THING TIGRE IG GONE AND NEVER BE BACK SO ETHOIPIA PEOPLE MUST DICEDE THERE FUTURE AND OGADEN PEOPLE WERE TROUBLE LAST CENTRY WHEN BRITION COLANY GIVE ETHIOPA OGADEN BYE GIFT SO KWON IT IS THE TIME ETHIOPIA AND OGADEN TO DISCUSE HOW TO BE TWO COUNTRY IN HORN OF AFRICA PEACELY AND FORGET THERE PAST WEATHER OGADEN OR ETHIOPIA AND ETHIOPIA MUST REALISE WHAT THEY DONE IN OGADEN PAST CENTRY AND MELES IS LAST RIGIME WHO KILL,RIP,HANG,ALL OGADEN PEOPLE CHILD,WOMEN,MEN,OLD PEOPLE AND MELES RIGIME THEY DON'T CARE HUMAN RIGHT.
SOTHAL THE TIME OF WANAYE IS GONE,LET US TALK THE REST OF ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE.
CAN WE MANAGE HOW WE MAKE PEACE IN HORN OF AFRICA BECAUSE NO MORE ABUSE IN ETHIOPLE AND EVERY BODY HAVE A RIGHT TO THING AND TO CHOICE THERE FUTURE WEATHER IN ETHIOPIA OR FREEE NATION

Seye: Please don't fool your self under the cover of Meles enmity and opposition. The Amhara hates you more than meles Zenawi because of your leading role in the fight against the DERG. Although, the overall EPRDF leadership is not perfect, it’s still much better than the previous rulers. The only reason for the Diaspora hate and hostlity is against Tigreans in general.

The Amharas hate Seye more than Meles, don't fool yourself.

Opposition party leader Seye is one of matured leaders, and he has the leverage to put down the dictator EPRDF on the ground. Despite the fact that there is a considerable organised oppression from EPRDF regime to control his party MEDREK, I have hope the opposition party to move forward because Seye is working together with them. I really appriciate Seye's effort to bring democracy to the country.

As you had been successful defeating the Derge regime , God be with you honerable Seye.