Borkena
Toronto – One faction of the TPLF which was under Getachew Reda, who served as president of Tigray Interim Administration, officially established Democratic Semeret Tigray – also known as Semeret Party.
The new party held its first press conference on Saturday. Getachew Reda did not make it due to reported health issues. Redai Halefom, who served as head of Tigray region communication and one of the high ranking TPLF officials, is currently serving as communication head of the new party – Semeret. The party is recognized by Ethipoia’s electoral board and is currently operated by the founders. It expects to undertake a party congress in about a month’s time.
Why was establishing the new party needed? Where does it stand in terms of ideology and what does it seek to achieve? Redai Halefom has given responses that could address these questions.
Post-genocidal war situation, people in the region are in great difficulty, lack of high level of peace, lack of high level of good governance, problems with justice and economic problems are some of the issues the Tigray region has been facing. And the problem is “not one that could be resolved with the same way we were [pursued],” Redai emphasized insinuating the party for whom he worked as a senior official is not in a position to address the problems.
“The path we followed concluded with a war,” he said, referring to, arguably one of the most devastating internal wars in the history of Ethiopia, the two years war between the Federal government and Tigary administration under the TPLF leadership. It is said to have claimed nearly one million people, according to authorities who were involved in the Pretoria Agreement.
Redai Halefom is bold about TPLF shortcomings. “The organization we were a part of does not have a capacity to shoulder” the task of resolving the problems that Tigray is facing, he asserted. “It does not have a capacity to accept new thinking and has depleted its capacity… A new path is needed for Tigray,” he added.
He criticized that there has been, apparently under the TPLF, one way and one choice. “That is not right.”
The Semeret Party aspires to contribute to the political space in the region and aims for science and technology.
Ideology
In terms of ideology, there does not seem to be precision. The Communication head stated that the ideology would be “considerate of objective conditions in Tigray, in Ethiopia and global realities.” He was explicit that “it will be one that completely ditches the thoughts we were criticized for [as TPLF].” Although there have been reports that Getachew’s new party would be a liberal party, Redai did not seem to be comfortable expressing it that way. He described it as one that “ensures the rights and freedom of people.”
Next Step
The next steps for the party will be putting in place structure from region to district level in the Tigray region. That party has plans to reach out to ethnic Tigray outside of the region and in the diaspora community.
Currently, leaders of the party are operating from Addis Ababa due to security concerns although the party has plans a headquarter in Mekele. Asked whether the situation in Tigray would allow them to operate in the region, he answered with another question ; “Would there be a solution in Tigray without a struggle?”
In connection with armed groups who recently entered the Afar region of Ethiopia to resist the TPLF in armed struggle, Semeret distanced itself from it. Yet, the communication officer stated that the situation that forced them to pursue the path they took is understandable.
Wolkait
On the question of Welkait, the Semeret party seems to be on the same footing as the TPLF. The party dismisses the notion of “contested territory.” It sees it as part of Tigray through “constitutional” lenses.
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Here we go again with another group formed strictly on ethnic line. Democratic rule, human rights of all sorts were lacking in that country since 1974 but one thing has not been in short supply during all these years; the mushrooming of political groups. Just like the population, they have multiplying like worms. You know what? I’m gonna start a political party myself and I have a fearsome base for it. I have told you before I was seriously thinking about forming such a party that will fight for a marginalized group in the highlands of the Chercher(Carcar) Mountains. It is called ‘The Black-maned Lion Liberation Party’ and I have registered a 100% endorsement from the King of The Mountain. Hey Abiy and Jula! Finally, you gonna meet your master in the field. You will have no chance with my lion-ed army. You’re toast. kaput, glazed and fried!!!
I have a catch word for this group if it’s leaders want it to be successful overnight. My longtime homie going back to the late 1970’s, Al-Toweel Isu let me use it on a lease. Okay, here we go! Uni-polar! Uni-polar! Uni-polar!!! Look at me! I can’t even get it out of my head. Uni-polar! Uni-polar!!! Help!!!
Redai and Getachew are both able to speak clearly and communicate their presentation. With that said, the existence of their new political group proves the general consensus that Southern Tigray are not really seen as Tigrayans but rather Afaris and Rayans. So how could outsiders take over the head office?
The problem is that they already claimed to be a Liberal party, but Liberalism has no place anywhere in our country. For underrepresented minorities, Liberal governance is the only way to challenge the native populace. So that means Semeret is doomed to fail. Their following will come mostly from anyone who simply opposes TPLF, which is why they have reached out to the Prime Minister and called upon the assistance of any Ethiopian who is willing to listen.