by Antehunegn Yihenew
26 September, 2012
26 September, 2012
Whether we like it or not, one thing is clear in Ethiopia now; the most tyrant ruler, Meles Zenawi, is gone for good and
Hailemariam Desalegn from south Ethiopia is assigned new Prime Minster of Ethiopia. The process is accepted half heartedly by Tigrian people’s liberation front (TPLF) and its supporters. Because, even though they knew that the change doesn’t create any problem on their day to day life, they believed that, this position was blessed only for them. Whatever, there are rumors of disagreement on the subject matter among them, for the time being, the game seems be over.
Hailemariam Desalegn from south Ethiopia is assigned new Prime Minster of Ethiopia. The process is accepted half heartedly by Tigrian people’s liberation front (TPLF) and its supporters. Because, even though they knew that the change doesn’t create any problem on their day to day life, they believed that, this position was blessed only for them. Whatever, there are rumors of disagreement on the subject matter among them, for the time being, the game seems be over.
Hailemariam Desalrgn himself and the swearing process get a very warm approval from West governments including America. And they are saying that the transition is good indication of grown Democracy in the country, Ethiopia is going in the right track, and the new generation takes over the leadership position…and so on.
The transition by itself may be good, but the paradox begins when we saw and heard what is going on in Ethiopia now. The nonstop interviews and their trash messages of TPLF prominent leader Sebihat Nega, “The king maker”, and Tigray region president in the last few weeks thought us that, they are still controlling the whole thing. And the new PM magnified to keep and continue the late tyrant Meles Zenawi’s legacy without any change on his speech when he was sworn in reveals also, TPLFs are not changed and they are still in different from what the West are saying and were thinking about TPLF. If we see the consequence of the change even deeper on the eye of Ethiopians, it is obvious that it will become more complicated than ever. We Ethiopians need to have real democracy, freedom and rule of law. The West prefers to secure their interest in Ethiopia and around East Africa than democracy and rule of law. And Woyane’s were playing and want just to oscillate in between.
For instance, Ethiopians require multidirectional talk among different political parties including Woyane and reach agreement before we go on. But Woyane’s top priority is securing their power and West’s interest than talking with its own people and instead, showing galvanized democracy for the West. And they are confirming this using their media and through their well-known leader’s interview in the previous weeks. In relation to The West, if and only if their interest is protected, they will continue accepting the new as they were accepting the old. Because, Ethiopians were not, are not and can’t be their priority. Who cared for innocent Ethiopians then?
We Ethiopians have to care for Ethiopians. We are voices for the voiceless, so we have to disclose Woyane’s tricks. Along with this, we have to struggle to shift West’s main concern to the interest of the people of Ethiopia (which are creating real justice, freedom and democracy in Ethiopia) by using any possible ways and we have to expose the main message of this and similar changes in the future as much as possible.
What was the message of swearing Mr. Hailemariam as PM of Ethiopia? Woyane’s were trying to dispatch that they are in the process of transferring power. This was the main point of this change. And this was the message that makes the West happy, because Prime Minster Hailemariam Desalegn and Vice Prime Minster Demeke Mekonnen are both from the new generation. And also, the former is from the small ethnic group Wolayita and Protestant and the latter is Muslim.
But do they have the real authority and can they exercise it with free mind without direct or indirect influences from TPLF? I can really say that, they can’t have and can’t exercise their authority. They are like lions without teeth. Because our life experience in the last twenty one year’s thought us that TPLF leads others follow. In any area of the country, in any position and in any situation, what was approved by TPLF was performed, not by the interest of respective region governments or Ethiopians. And this will continue till TPLF taken out from the game.
Therefore, we didn’t see real changes. It is like as before, all the economic sectors, defense, national security and federal police are still tightly controlled by TPLF. Even civil service offices are totally controlled by TPLF. They are not ready to share real power. This is proved when they upgrade Brigadier Generals and Major Generals weeks ago to further tighten suppression. Most of these Generals were from the same village and from TPLF. Members of Hailemariam’s new cabinet also will not be free from such influences. We will see it in the coming weeks.
What the West called Change, basically it is not, is therefore, can’t be taken as one of democratization process in Ethiopia rather it is galvanization. What we are seeing in Ethiopia now is galvanized democracy. It is not transferring power rather filling their gaps in their own way. Their way is simply presenting the old thought with a new face. Thank you
