Is there real split within TPLF?
Source : Horn Affairs
Ethiopian News
borkena
November 15,2017
Toronto – TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) is trying to steer its direction as many Ethiopians are questioning if it has effective control of the political wheel in the country,unlike before.
It was public that decision makers in the party, members of central committee, have been meeting since last month but little is known regarding details of the agenda.
Since unregulated and absolute TPLF power is being challenged by some parties in the ruling coalition,EPRDF, (as manifested in the response to mounting popular protest against TPLF – at least in Oromo and Amhara regions- among other things), there has been speculation that TPLF discussed ways of saving itself from impending danger that could potentially make the party history- and in an ugly way.
Some went to the extend of extrapolating that the party is discussing secession from Ethiopia since it will no longer have unregulated power which helped the party to create wealth for its base in Tigray and for the party.
But what exactly is TPLF discussing?
Only TPLF affiliated media outlets seem to know details but they did not tell it all. Horn Affairs, a blog considered by many as TPLF mouthpiece with connection to the power elites, reported that the party was discussing a 59 page document that was harsh on TPLF leadership on matters related to “inter-party democracy”, good governance, and GTP (Growth and Transformation Plan)
Content of the document and discussion on it did not please all members of the central committee to get full endorsement. Azeb Mesfin, widow of the late Meles Zenawi who was chairman of the party and who managed to steer the party together through manipulating the larger membership during the schism in the year 2000, walked out of the meeting -according to Horn Affairs, cited “inner sources.”
Three of the eight central committee members – including Azeb- voted against the document and one member, Tedros Adhanom, is absent as he is preoccupied with saving himself as Director General of World Health Organization in the face of increasing pressure following his nomination of Zimbabwe’s president as good will ambassador for non-communicable disease.
Once the performance evaluation in the central committee is completed, there is anticipated suspension and demotion of some members of the central committee, hinted Horn Affairs
Another pro-TPLF website, Aiga Forum, reported that things are not good within TPLF :
“The latest news coming from TPLF conference though encouraging is very troubling! We are told almost all have realized things are not okay! However when it comes to the details what we are hearing is troubling.”
But it was not precise enough when it comes to pointing out what issues led to the finger pointing within in central committee members
Is TPLF divided?
There is a claim in the opposition quarter and some opposition media , and this was the case for a long time now, that TPLF is divided into two factions and each is trying to consolidate support base within the military.
But no concrete evidence is available as yet if that is the case. What many question in that regard is that TPLF is well aware that internal split will rather leave the party in an even weaker position and it will not, goes the reasoning, let that happen.
Even in the current crisis like situation in Ethiopia and mounting resentment to the party, it wields a considerable power as it has control over security apparatus and the military despite some alleged “discontent and defections” in the army. True that monopoly over security apparatus is slipping away from its control in areas like Oromo region of Ethiopia. As things stand now, it is clear that the party has still considerable control and it has in fact passed decree, via “National Security Council”, to ban any protests in an effort to buy time to consolidate itself.
If it does not get the time it needs and if the finger pointing, as reported by pro TPLF website, gets serious, something serious can happen.
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Yamamoto says the US is interested in getting Ethiopia and Eritrea talking again. Mr. Yamamoto ያማ ሞቶ and the US seem to have short memory. US mediation at the 1991 London Conference between the current Ethiopian government and Tigray and Eritrean Liberation Fronts [Tplf/Eplf] turned out to be a disaster. The US/UK simply sided with the two fronts, not even considering the longterm consequences of their action to our country. Guess what? Ethiopians had no say about Eritrean referendum or the status of the port of Assab. Five years later, Ethiopia was at war that decimated over 70,000 lives [the number is to-date kept secret] on both sides. The two fronts have made a mess of the region; Tplf has managed to merchandize “terror” at home, in Somalia, in South Sudan, Eritrea for a whopping $40 billions and growing. In exchange for Ethiopian troops marching in and out of Somalia and South Sudan the US has overlooked mass killings, torture, and arbitrary imprisonments of Ethiopians.
What is interesting is the fact that Eplf and Tplf have remained in constant contact with each other. Abused citizens from Ethiopia have fled to Eritrea and vice versa. There is now a talk that Hailemariam, unlike Meles, is a weak prime minister. And that he should be replaced by a strong leader. Who could that leader be? It could only be a member of the Tplf on account of being in charge of the army, the security, and foreign relations/business. Generals Seye Abraha or Tsadkan, more than likely, will be the candidates; both in some capacity are in the service of US and UK. There we go. A military rule is what may be in store for Ethiopia. In other words, one set of leaders despised by the public by yet another. What is overlooked is the fact that Hailemariam was never expected to be a strong leader; he was handpicked by Meles because Meles had kept his own Tplf party divided to remain in power. Hailemariam is weak because he has no constituency of his own and no experience in politics. Hailemariam is weak because ALL his advisers are two groups of Tplf members that Meles had kept at each other’s throat. DebreTsion is deputy prime minister and in charge of Security, Telecomm, Finance and Economy [no kidding]; Zadig, Abbay Tsehaye, Arkebe, Bereket, the Saudi Al Amoudi, Sebhat, Seyoum, Berhane, Tedros Adhanom, Getachew, Samora, Patriarch Matthias, Meles’s wife, etc [every one of them Tplf members]. The US is aware of all this but has preferred to carry on cuddling tyranny, further undermining its own cherished values of human freedoms. No one presently associates the US standing for human freedoms. Sorry but that is the reality.
Ethiopian and Eritrean citizens should oppose US mediation. US mediation will only worsen the situation. Sorry but that is the lesson so far, whether in Somalia, South Sudan, or Ethiopia. Let me see if you, the reader, could cite ONE case where US involvement has resulted in stabilizing the region or added to the longterm well-being of the populations [don’t merely quote dollar aid without also accounting for how it was disbursed; Ethiopia, according to current Tplf leadership, is one of the most corrupt on the continent of Africa]. The main reason, of course, is in the fact that US involvement always disregarded interests of citizens. US involvement always assumed that Yamamoto or Herman Cohen or whoever knows and understands the situation better than natives. If the US is serious, it should pressure Tplf leaders [the real power holders] to allow free and fair elections! It should work toward allowing civil society organizations to operate once again having been “de-registered” by Meles following the 2005 election and the shocking defeat of Tplf. The US should work toward allowing the flourishing of the private sector. I know this will not happen because there is a universal disdain for Tplf and holding elections will result in flushing it out of office. The bad thing? The US will have no one to run its errands in South Sudan and Somalia. And so the status quo or some arrangement similar to Yamamoto plan will be preferred in the process extending the misery of the people into the near future.
Please, comment me. I realized that TPLF is headless. Originally, TPLF and OLF have common problem. Later, TPLF fully betrayed them. But this time, the fate of TPLF is fully in the hands of Oromo people. If I were TPLF I will give all the demands of Oromo people and live in peace with them. I do not think they have willingness to cooperate and this means they lose this last golden chance that determines their existence. Hello, is there any TPLF who had a head there?