I don't understand why, whenever the TPLF thugs are cornered from all directions, and are at the brink of breaking, all those who were pretending to be genuine critics of the regime quickly come to their rescue? I have come to question the integrity of these people, particularly in the last couple of days, from what they have written in relation to opposition effort to explore opportunities of harnessing prospective relations with Eritrea.
Let me, bluntly, ask and challenge Dagmawi and Ethiopian Recycler, what their real objectives are when they are undermining opposition efforts and try to equate it to a tactic of power hungry individuals to come to the negotiating table?
I would also like to bluntly refute that their proposed solution to remove the TPLF dictators is not only workable, but rather would further extend their grip to power.
In an earlier article I have argued that, there is nothing wrong in working in partnership with Afeworki of Eritrea, if he has come of age and learned from his past mistakes of weakening Ethiopia. As I said earlier, leaders can make mistakes, learn from them and make a renewed commitment to rebuild a new partnership. There is no doubt that Eritrea will benefit from a friendly and strong Ethiopia in more ways than one. Or are they claiming that leaders do not learn, what so ever? As Afeworki himself said, TPLF and its sympathisers would never want any trust developing between Ethiopians and Eritreans and their leaders.
Ethiopian Recycler also argued that military solution would not work. As to me, no serious opposition would have contemplated, let alone, choose, a military solution had TPLF opened the slightest of real opportunity for opposition to function freely inside Ethiopia? The whole of the Ethiopian people and the world know what happened after the 2005 election. The space for opposition has increasingly been narrowing to a choking point, at this stage, where people are now denied to even read or listen to a different opinion. In fact, TPLF is just tabling a law in "parliament" to freely spy, torture and jail any potential real opposition to its power. So how is opposition going to "thrive" in Ethiopia, in such an environment, Sir?
Engaging dictators militarily is not a totally unacceptable option. Of recent, some liberal intellectulas have developed plausible arguments supporting the idea of entertaining the use of military power or coup de etat as a potential strategy to remove unelected dictators from power.
Ethiopian Recylcer has also proposed about putting pressure on donors not to support the TPLF thugs. We have seen how any such attempt by donors have been handled by TPLF in the past. TPLF thugs have looted plenty of wealth from the nation and any stick from donors is not going to affect them immediately. Even when suspending development assistance is used as a stick, it would be the population that would suffer, and TPLF does not worry about the suffering of people. In fact they would knowngly starve people, to force donors regreat their decision. Dictators do not easily submit to donor pressure. Also donors wouldn't go that further to force dictators out, if they have some immediate national and security interests. It should be by the people themselves that dictators have to be dealt with.
I don't think Ginbot 7 chose the startegy it chose, not by default but by design, using all strategies to get rid of TPLF from power. It is not a miscalculation at all, but rather a working strategy!! There was no need to give in to TPLF and, willingly be silenced, as the rest of the opposition at home are being treated. There is no opposition in Ethiopia today, except on the NEB("National Electoral Board)directory.
And why is calling a spade a spade seen as a hate rhetoric? Why are we trying to distance ourselves from the truth in the name of civility? Isn't it obvious that all the top brass in the military, civil and security institutions are from Tigre ethnic group? And is that just, or fair? Isn't it true that some TPLF loyalists of
Tigre ethnic groups are in control of business in Ethiopia today? Why is revealing
the truth called hate? Is it better to call a spade a spade and try to seek the medicine now, or keep silent, hide the truth underneath and let anger boil and destoy societal fabric later when it exploded. Is that the solution being proposed by Ethiopian Recycler?
Last, but not least, there have been repeated calls and there will be continued call for the general people of Tigre ethnic group and intellectuals of Tigre ethnic origin, as Ethiopians, to embrace the struggle of the Ethiopian people for freedom and democracy. Even the "Tigre intellectuals who are working feverishly behind the scene to extend TPLF's life", would be better off in the long term if they embrace the wishes of the wider Ethipian people, and join the struggle. But, nobody would force them or beg them if they choose to be thrown in the dust bin of history as do the TPLF thugs.
