29. June 2008 by Assimba.

Obo Arada Shawl alias Wolde Tewolde  July 1, 2008

Head-to-Head of EPRP Collective leadership

Heart-to-Heart of EPRP Membership

Face-to-Face of EPRP Army

Soul-to-Soul of Ethiopians

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ONE DAY EVENT

To reach consensus on how to fight for the release of Debteraw Tsegeye

Two ways to look at Debteraw’s a One Day Event. The Inward and the Outward.

THE INWARD will be a conversation with our self. It will be an examination of a dialogue that requires us the courage to be honest about who we are, what we are doing, and what we want. This requires the courage to sort those things we have come to cherish about ourselves from those things that we picked along the Long March of EPRP that caused us harm.

THE OUTWARD is about engaging with others. We have to share our vision, we have to tell our truth, and we have to ask tough questions to the Ethiopian Mass media, Religious and civic organizations about the fate of Debteraw. EPRP has to own its contributions to the past, the current and the past situations in Ethiopia, Eritrea and in the Diaspora Community.

Having done that, we have to honor the outsiders by seeking to understand their situation and their fears, hopes and dreams of unity, peace and stability via DEMOCRACIA - a legacy and a hallmark of EPRP.

WHO IS DEBTERAW?

The question of self-determination including up to secession as addressed by Walle Mekonnen and now being abused by TPLF was not Debteraw’s forte. (This will be addressed in future articles). Instead Debteraw as a literary giant, as a true Revolutionary and a Prisoner of Conscience should be told to the whole wide world. There are many different kinds of people in the world and we can never assume that everyone will react to the situations of Debteraw Tsegeye. Debteraw is a unique person in a unique position.

There are wolves in lambs’ clothing, when deceived or outmaneuver they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge. For that matter, we have to choose our victims and opponents carefully. Above all we should be careful not to offend or deceive the wrong person. In our lifetime, we have come across many breeds of opponents, suckers and victims. Debteraw taught me about the art of power. He used to tell me that we have to be able to distinguish the wolves from the lamb, the foxes from the hares, the hawks from the vultures. The distinction of these categories will lead us to success without coercing anyone too much. But if we deal blindly with whoever crosses our path, we would have a life of constant sorrow. Being able to recognize types of people and acting accordingly was very critically to Debteraw.That was my first lesson that I have received from Debteraw Tsegeye Gebre Medhin. In the revolutionary parlance, it used to be called N’IK’AT, the first step for the Long March.

My second lesson from Debteraw was about ORGANIZATION. Debteraw first introduced me to Godjam province. When I joined the Highway Authority, I criss-crossed the streams, the valleys and mountains of Godjam and have discovered for myself that it is the center of or for the Eway Revolution. Debteraw and history books have taught me that Godjam Kifle Hager was and is the heart of Ethiopia. Debteraw had felt the spirit of the source of the Nile when he was teaching in Bahr Dar. However the then authorities forced him to be transferred to Chagnie aka Kehas Ber – a remote and inaccessible town. It was like banning him to asylum. However, Debteraw without complaint has taught children of Chagnie the fundamentals of knowing thyself. I am sure there are many of these children who are now working at various organizations and ministries. Thanks to Debteraw’s analytical and geographical teaching about Ethiopia.

As far as self-determination including up to secession, Debteraw likes to teach by example. That concept was only applicable to Godjam province for one of the criteria for self-determination was a complete separate territory. Abay alias-Blue Nile and Dinder Rivers surround Godajm completely. The only natural access to Godjam is through the Sudan.

My third lesson would have been to join the Army of EPRA to which I was reluctant to discuss at length. Nevertheless, we have discussed and he proved it in hindsight that he was correct, the concept of ENCIRCLEMENT as opposed to coup d’etat and Insurrection.

If the entire so-called secessionists accept the logic of SELF-DETERMINATION and DEMARCATION using the model of Godjam, we could have saved millions of lives, and resources. God has already demarcated the Region of Godjam. Tana was clean and harmless. Now, Bahr Dar has been polluted by the fake Amhara center.

WHERE IS DEBTERAW?

That is a million dollar question. Inasmuch as the Americans are looking for the CRIMINAL Osama Bin Laden, Ethiopians should look out for the whereabouts of the INNOCENT Debteraw Tsegeye G. Medhin.

WHY DEBTERAW TSEGEYE GEBRE MEDHIN ARAYA?

Outsiders see the TRUCE within EPRP collective leaders, party members and ex-members of the army as hopeful and necessary, but skeptical elements of EPRP senses failure and angry. That is understandable. We have to clear the confusion before the truce.

Debteraw Tsegeye, the Ethiopian scholar, the man of Kinet and the Prisoner used to explain to us all about the human heart of our body. He did not study science but he understood the function of the heart. But he studied the Head and the Soul. As Debtera (Ethiopian scholar), DEBTERAW used to

Listen to divergent point of view

Find common ground

Build visionary ideas

I believe that Debteraw would have solved problems that nobody is willing to solve and that his EPRP is the most important party organization to bring the country and the people together. Debteraw had the passion to love people and to die for a cause. Let us fight for his FREEDOM.

By the way can any one tell us why this Ethiopian icon for new Ethiopia is mixed up with Tsegeyae G. Medhin (laureate) and Tsegaye G. Medhin Araya also known as Mulugheta Lule?

CONCLUSION

For several decades, some of EPRP’s fiercest supporters, most of them educated have been struggling with a defeat that burns and a question with no soothing answer; what next?

Sometimes anger settles in the mind like sediment waiting to be shaken or stirred. The story of Debteraw Tsegey properly understood is an anger-shaker. No one finds “faulty” analysis with the historical records of EPRP. Moving forward as proposed by Assimba’s evolving approach is the way to reconciliation and healing a la DEBTERAW’S way.

Debteraw wanted to show the Ethiopians how to live with love and how to die honorably. As there is no honor in AETHIOPIA today, I believe Debteraw is not dead!!! He cannot be dead! He is alive and let us fights to free him to free us.

DEMOCRACIA is missing

TRUST is missing

POLITICIANS are missing

I hope the ONE – DAY- EVENT for Debteraw to be held on the eve of the American Independence will lead us to many heads, one heart, one army and many souls.

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13. June 2008 by Assimba.

Obo Arada Shawl alias Wolde Tewolde   June 13, 2008

There is the Natural Way

And there is the Artificial Way

There is the Wrong Way

And there is the EWAY Ethiopia

Introduction

On Saturday morning, June 7, 2008, there was a race – a race not for power, not for time or for revenge but a race for a CURE (Breast Cancer). The winner was ABYOT ABEBE. He stood 1^st out of the 40, 000 participants. What a name! He must have been born during the Ethiopian Revolution. Deciphering his name tells me that the Eway Revolution is still blooming as he won the race for cure to bring peace and prosperity for Ethiopia.

Nowadays, it seems to me that there is a race to cure Ethiopia and Eritrea from poverty, disease and from sell out for disintegration. To me there was no poverty in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The truth of the matter was such that philosophy of poverty in Ethiopia and poverty of philosophy in Eritrea had reigned for centuries. However, after the war of 1998-2000, between Eritreans and the government of EPRDF, the reverse became the truth. That is to say that the Ethiopians are forced to resort to the poverty of philosophy and the Eritreans to the philosophy of poverty. What a paradox!

What about disease? What about societal disintegration? These are issues that could not be analyzed individually. Personally, I dare not guess let alone to analyze about these issues. Various professional Institutions and Organizations should come together to study and delve into these matters.

The purpose of this article is to inquire and to resolve the confusion that is being perpetuated by EPRP collective leadership in the hope that the experience of EPRP is not wasted as a resource of Ethiopia. The greatest untold story of EPRP is the under performance of its leadership. After many decades for democratic struggle, EPRP collective leaders should have been the role models of Ethiopia for many organizations and groups that aspire to follow EPRP’s style of leadership.

Collective Leadership

Some folks might misunderstand me on my advocacy for the concept of collective leadership. In a simple term, it is a style of participants sitting arrangement around a circular (round) table. To the naked eye, no one can detect “who is the boss”. The boss is the one who can convince and who can see eye to eye. This style of leadership would have been a panacea for all of us. It is precisely why EPRP has and is paying a heavy price to practice and implement this style of leadership for it is contrary to the medieval culture of ruling style.

My mission as “Obo Arada Shawl” is not rhetorical but on record and not mere mobilizations but rather persuasion. I want to raise dialogue and conversations about substantive issues. Instead of dwelling on substantive issues, people are dwelling on petty differences of opinion and not facts or truth. There is a clear demarcation between opinion and facts inasmuch as there is a clear difference between facts and truth. Two names, two emblems, two radio broadcasts and two publications of DEMOCRACIAs will definitely confuse not only personalities but also the issues of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Obo factor (democracy), the Arada factor (conspiracy) and the Shawl factor (arrogance) should be considered in the path of struggle at least for the survival of “AEthiopia”.

What is right and what is wrong among EPRP’s collective leadership? In the recent past,

• Hama Tuma led the Department of Education (Ye’Nkat Guday)

• Samuel Alemayehu (now deceased) has led the Organizational Department (Aderaj)

• Mohammed Jemal has led the Department of financial Empowerment (Astataki)

• Fisseha Assefa has led the Department of Management style (Tebaki)

• Yoseph Nigatu has led the Department of Co-Ordination (Meri)

In addition to the above, Tsegeye G. Medhin alias DEBTERAW, Yishak Debretsion, Amha Bellette and Sitotaw Hussien who were captured alive are still held incommunicado somewhere in the Terror zone of Tigrai.

Members and supporters expect these leaders and others to use their collective energies toward what EPRP is for instead of what EPRP is against. On this score, the Zematches (followers) and the Azmatches (leaders) have trusted one another for 33 years on end. But after the 33rd years of struggle, things have begun to change especially among the collective leadership. Why?

Although I don’t have all the answers to the beginning of leadership faltering, I sensed what might befall on some personalities of the collective leadership’s psychic. On the 33^rd anniversary of EPRP that was held in Georgia Ave, in Washington DC, there was a rare case of display of EPRP’s presence For the first time in my whole life, I have seen DEMOCRACIA openly displayed on a table as if it is a menu. What a show it was!!! In fact, I examined the publication for its authenticity. Fortunately, it was deciphered as true and correct. The audience was full of diversified people including prominent journalists and official from the DERG era.

According to my readings and recollections, there were also musicians represent ting the Monarchy by Telela Kebede, the Military Derg by Maritu and the EPRDF by Solomon Tekalegne.

EPRP did not have singers on the stage, only a group of troupe singing “LE ZEMENAT”. The only vibrant individual speaker for the occasion was Tesfaye Debessay’s daughter. She was young who seem to be inspired by her deceased father DR. Tesfaye of EPRP leadership. It was a pity that she did not even know what her father was teaching at the university. Shouldn’t we teach our children the true history of EPRP? I am the first one to be blamed for this state of affairs.

Trust:

Given the entire struggle for the Eway Revolution to change Ethiopia’s political system, would you confuse your own members? Instead of spirited rivalry, a long time revolutionary by the name of Mersha Yoseph along with a man who parked from the Revolutionary struggle for a long period of time have created confusion among many supporters of EPRP. I do not appreciate this lack of trust; in fact, it almost hurt my feelings and the feeling of many Ethiopians and Eritreans. In the past, it used to be character assassination but this time; there is no such thing because everything is clear and simple. It is about stand and value. My point is to bring substance back into the struggle not individual connection. Relationship is all about trust.

There were people like Kifle Tadesse who believed that because they have been attending a conference and as all of them are dead but one, he thought that the party of EPRP is dead and buried or alternatively he is the one who should lead in any other way including working with the Woyanes.

Then there were people like Tamrat Lyne, Getachew Jebessa and Teffera Waluwa who formed a splinter group. Again it is all about trust. I remember when I used to ask questions about who the fighters or liberators roaming around the environs of Lalibela, Danghla, Dabat, Debarik and so on and so forth. The peasants used to tell me that they could not differentiate between them for they greet them in Tigrigna and Amharic. There was no education there. It was all gimmicks. That was a matter of trust.

Then there were individuals like Kebede Essatu and Yoseph Tesfaye who believed that they were the leaders of EPRP and so on and so forth. But the true of the matter is that none of them are or were still true

Power:

EPRP’s leadership emanates from the members willingness to follow. How do they know that the leadership is in the right track? Or do members know the leadership in person? Were there overall national conferences for all members of EPRP? There was no way for all EPRP members, delegates, super delegates could come together for their true struggle for political CHANGE was arduous and tumultuous. Regardless of their ethnic background, race and religion, EPRP members and supporters operate based on TRUST alone. Nothing less nothing more!!!

Planning:

How do members and supporters, then know whether they have leaders and followers? Historically, the best glue for all of EPRP members and supporters was to see through the stated goals and objectives – One Flag, One Fidel and Many Freedoms (See call me by my name, XXVI). And where can they find how EPRP is operating? There were many publications to follow though, but the most important media for EPRP was DEMOCRACIA. Everything that was being written and documented in DEMOCARCIA was true and authentic. Practically everyone’s and everybody of EPRP members and supporters ideas and concerns and issues were being incorporated in the Publication. That means that the struggle being waged was the concern of all Ethiopians. What about now? Whom do Ethiopians follow? Or for what they stand for? Nowadays, there is the Internet, radios and newspapers. The Internet and the radio waves are plenty and sometimes create confusion instead of creativity and clarity for problem solving.

Conclusion

Let everyone pull out magnifying glasses and examine EPRP more closely. We need to pay closer attention to the omitted details. We need to reinsert our values and talents into interdependent EPRP where they belong. The little invisible things are after our best clues – the betrayal, the disinformation, the sabotage and the mistrust should be forgiven but not forgotten. Much of the damage inflicted upon EPRP was quite invisible to the laymen. It is too easy to ignore problems until they slap us in the face. Only a few factions’ problems have slapped EPRP in the face, at least in earnest. Many more are gathering the strength to do the process of learning to see the Truth. While on the other hand, the penalties for political education is that some lives could suffer alone in the past wounds, in the current shallow politics and in global social fashion.

Ignorance is a regular visitor in the life cycle of EPRP, in all decades, (seasons), at all place, it arrives to play an annoying, unpredictable role. The ignorance of yesterday’s walk away is not the ignorance of the lazy or the slow. It is the ignorance of the decent, motivated intellect that is honestly and legitimately overwhelmed. Yet in the end, their decisions need to be made legitimate and truthful.

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12. June 2008 by Assimba.

May 10, 2008

Mesfin Araya*

It has been fifteen years since Eritrea formally declared its independence as a sovereign nation-state. The price paid was immeasurable : especially for over a decade and a half , Eritrean as well as Ethiopian blood had indiscriminately intermingled , overflowing the streams , the mountains , and the rugged dessert of Eritrea .

The idea of the referendum was presumed by the TPLF leaders as a catalyst for peace and stability in the region . Although the underlying authoritarian nature of EPLF and TPLF was known well before they took power, the referendum was also seen by some opportunist/naive—depending on how one takes them—Ethio-Eritrean intellectuals as a watershed in the possible transition to a confederation .¹ The last ten years of bitter experience , however , has revealed an Ethio-Eritrean relationship, marked by deadly instability . Since the 1998-2000 bloody and devastating military confrontation , the proxy war between the twin tyrants—Issais Afwerki , the dictator , in Asmara² and Meles Zenawe , the umbilical-cord of the US imperialism in the Horn of Africa—has increasingly engulfed the entire region, apparently with no hopeful signs for a peaceful exit . The brutal war and the unwarranted civilian deportations by both regimes has left behind a deep scar that may complicate future relations between the two countries .³

But what is sad and even more complicating is the current discouraging political environment surrounding Ethiopia . Within the Ethiopian political scene , we observe today individuals , groups , and political organizations , for which the independence of Eritrea still remains a bitter pill to swallow . Although there are others , I have in mind particularly the minority group that recently walked out from EPRP extraordinary Congress – a group which presumptuously calls itself “EPRP—Democratic .” In its recent issue of ‘Democracia ’, the group printed a public statement regarding its

position on Eritrea . To quote :

“EPRP-Democratic does not recognize the existence

of an independent Eritrea . Ethiopia and Eritrea are not two

separate countries . Eritrea was and still is part—province–

of Ethiopia . ”4

Accordingly, it concludes :

“There is no border dispute at all , as Eritrea is not a

separate and independent entity .” ⁵

Reading the group’s statement was achingly a painful experience . I would not be exaggerating at all if I claimed that the authors of those provocative words have indeed grossly abused the concept , democracy , when they affixed the term to their organization . If TPLF were to deploy a military force to reincorporate Eritrea , we ought not be surprised if such kind of individuals , groups , and political organizations , rushed to join—what would be—a reckless war adventure .

It is a reckless adventure to deny what has been a fifteen-year old realty : The sovereign existence of Eritrea– sanctioned as such by the entire international community . On the contrary , what matters on the ground—having the long-term constructive vision in mind—is to engage tirelessly in creative efforts to entice the Eritrean people to come back under a peaceful and democratic process—a process that essentially values their humanity and also strongly underlines our sisterhood and brotherhood with them .

We lost Eritrea to a ruthless tyrant simply because there was incomprehensible lack of democratic thinking and practice in Ethiopia–where debilitating intrigues , conspiracies , and double talk prevailed ; indeed , to repeat that kind of behavior to day would not be a tragedy , but a comedy .

As sad as it may be for some of us , the independence , or the separation , of Eritrea is a reality ; and only the hopelessly incorrigible chauvinists would deny it . The rare wisdom of our dear ancestors that ‘ The neck was created to enable us to turn in order to look at what is at the back ’—the latter as a metaphor for the past— ought , indeed , to be instructive for the leaders of ‘ EPRP-Democratic .’ On the other hand, it is the duty of serious democratic Ethiopians to expose such destructive elements— totally uprooting their movement at its bud .

A close reading of the Ethio-Eritrean history need to convince us that there are—apart from rational economic factors—deep historical , cultural , and social , repertoire to render Ethio-Eritrean Reunion less difficult and a happy historical encounter . It is only a matter of time .

What is critically missing is the habit of democratic thinking and practice .

The democratic process is the surest road to a happy Reunion ! With the permanent removal of the obstructing regimes of Issais and Meles , and equally , the early preemptive measures that would successfully frustrate the rise of similar regimes , the Ethio-Eritrean democratic Reunion could hardly be a far fetched dream – and not only is the project feasible , but also the struggle towards that end is a noble cause .⁶

As I suggested elsewhere⁷, the Ethio-Eritrean organic intellectuals—those who deeply care for the welfare of the people—could decidedly intervene to make history by uncompromisingly unleashing the war of ideas : the critical and timely struggle for a paradigm shift .

The struggle of the Ethio-Eritrean ‘Wretched of the Earth’ shall triumph !!!

Notes

1. See Amare Tekle. Eritrea and Ethiopia : From Conflict To Cooperation [ July 1994 ] .

2. For my open public critique of Shaebia in the past , I have been ruthlessly vilified—let alone by other Eritreans—by some members of my very own extended family , who dearly longed –as it is said—for ‘not even a single person to show up for my funeral .’ To day I have sometimes wondered what those same relatives may think under their own , current , miserable ‘ funeral ’, engineered by a ruthless dictator whom they once worshiped blindly as the George Washington of Eritrea—indeed , ‘ Kerien Germow !’– Live and Learn !

3. In a rather unwarranted and cruel fashion –alien to the Ethiopian tradition—Dr Samuel Assefa had tried to justify the expulsion of largely innocent Eritreans residing in Ethiopia— Eritreans , incidentally , who were among the first builders of modern Ethiopia . Ambassadorship to the USA was the reward for his opportunistic and servile service to Meles . See his article , “ On Deportations ” , Addis Tribune , May , 1999 .

4. See Democracia, vol . 3 , # 1 [ January 2000 , Eth . Calendar ] : 1-6 . The quotes are my own translation from Amharic .

5. Ibid .

6. I have dearly longed for a fine morning—when the sun is shining—to listen to the Tigrigna song of the forties and fifties that goes : ‘ Oh bus , for whom the dollar is a fixture , please don’t depart without me . ’ The highland christian Eritreans have historically seen Ethiopia as a source for employment and schooling ;

and since the forties they have been moving southward to Ethiopia—the point of attraction ; and the song reflects that .

Even the Eritrean Moslems—despite their marginal status in the Ethiopian life–were not entirely resistant to live within Ethiopia . Their acceptance of the ‘ Federal arrangement ’ of 1952 strongly underlines their willingness to live within Ethiopia, as long as the latter was democratic . During the constitutional debate over the ‘ Federation ’ , the struggle of Ibrahim Sultan —–demanding for a full democratization of the ‘ Federal arrangement ’, including his demand for the modification of the Ethiopian flag which was obviously bearing christian symbols—– was indeed a noble cause .

7. See my “Open Letter to the organic intellectuals across the Horn of Africa .” in Assimba.org , Debteraw.com , or Awate.com

*The author, Ph. D, teaches African Studies and is the Head of African-American Studies at York College , The City University of New York .

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4. June 2008 by Assimba.

Obo Arada Shawl alias Wolde Tewolde

June 3, 2008

About nine months ago, I wrote an article about Dignity and Pride in relation to EPRP. (See call me by my name: XVIII). Now it seems to me that Ethiopians are giving up hope of restoring dignity and pride by not paying a simple price known as RESPECT to oneself and other. For there is not Me without You in our community.

Why do Ethiopians campaign for Obama? Is it because he is from a neighboring country of Kenya? Why do the Eritreans do not campaign for Clinton for I know the majority of them are campaigning for Obama? Mrs. Clinton has at least visited their country, Eritrea. I believe most Eritreans are male chauvinists. What ever the reason is, I do not see why their hopes is being shattered. The following examples will illustrate my points of departure.

Long time ago, while Blacks were allowed to sit in the back of the buses, it is said that an Ethiopian boarded the bus and the driver told him to take a seat in the in the back. The Ethiopian passenger told the driver that he is an Ethiopian. The driver asked the passengers where Ethiopia is. The passengers suggested that Ethiopia may be somewhere in the state of Florida. The driver said to the Ethiopian passenger, “ You see, move and sit in the back.”

My daughter while she was in elementary school, all her friends were African-American, while walking in the streets of Washington, many Ethiopian passersby ask her whether she was an Ethiopian and were curious why she was going with Black girls? And her friends used to ask her what they were asking and she simply told them “are you an Ethiopian?” and her friends quipped “what a stupid question!” One day she confronted me with the question of whether we are black or white. I told her to visualize her uncles and aunts who came from the same womb but some of whom physically black and some look like white and so to make things better for her, I emphatically told her we are neither white nor black. She said to me at the time “it made a lot of sense”. I do not know about now. She is grown up. She has her own explanations and preferences. I think she is campaigning for Obama following the Ethiopian crowd.

It is a common knowledge that Emperor Haile Sellassies while visiting the United States of America in the 1960s, a journalist asked him, “are you the first Negro to come to the White House?” And the Emperor said, “ I am not Negro.” And the journalist continued, by saying then you are white, and the Emperor said, “No I am not white.” But the propagandists continued to inculcate hatred among Ethiopians and African-Americans by harping on one section of the Emperor’s i.e. “I am not black.”

So what now? Have we learned our lessons? How do we learn and from whom?

There are two ways of learning, one by reading books and the other by experience. Experience is the best but it is inconceivable and so the easiest and convenient is learning through books. Today, I want to quote two individuals who were supposed to have learned through reading books. These are Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam and Robele Ababya. Professor Mesfin in ‘Ethiopia from where to where’ as quoted in www.abbaymedia.com defined “ETHIOPIAWINET” in seventeen red written words all of which do not explain any concrete things. They are all abstract terminology. As a geographer, he should at least define it in terms of location if not in politics. Does the professor understand what politics is? Does he understand what science is or for that matter does he has some grasps of technology? I am still puzzled what he knows or where he is from? No Arts, No Science and No Technology. It is a disaster not only for him and his students (if he is still teaching?) but also for many of his followers.

The other quotable person is also from abbaymedia.com posted on March 26^th, 2008. Mr. Robele attempts to discredit the Ethiopian Revolution in direct contradiction with the Professor Mesfin. “The copycats made a mess of applying the works of Marx to the socio-economic conditions of technologically, scientifically and industrially backward Ethiopia.” Mr. Robele seem to tease Ethiopians that “Land to the tiller” was a passion. According to him it was an empty slogan. Shouldn’t he recognize the DERG’s proclamation of land to the tiller, 10 hectares was enough for Mr. Robele!!!

In addition Mr. Robele misunderstood the nature of the Eway Revolution. He thinks like most ordinary people that the Revolution was a one-day event. He continued to argue, “In the aftermath of the revolution, various political orientations emerged including copycats of the works of Marx, Engel, Lenin, Stalin, Mao et al.” What about EPRP? Was it a copycat? Did you know anything about EPRP at the time of the so-called revolution? If the revolution of the Derg was real and beneficial to all Ethiopians including you, why do you think EPRP had opposed? I am sure you do not know the answer. I have no doubt that your knowledge of Revolution is limited. You have repeated what was said as is (in written form at that), all the wrong allegations labeled against EPRP by the Dergists and their cronies. Here is what you repeated like a parrot “ The onset of white terror led to red terror. That was a horrendous political mistake of the EPRP (old) leadership in firing the first bullet to kill their opponents. The other blunder is that they argued that the Eritrean problem is a colonial question and should be resolved in that context. During the invasion by Siad Barre, their cadres in the battlefield actively opposed Ethiopian forces fighting to repulse the aggressor in the Ogaden. It was heart-breaking to see the exodus of Ethiopians in the Ogaden for safety in the north of Ethiopia.” What a Papa Gallo person you are! After thirty something, you do not know. Where are you now? What is your name? Do you live by your name? Why do you mud slug the name of Ababya?

What is worst, you seem to be joyous about the split of EPRP. It is about a split beyond your comprehension. It is not about make it or break it like you think. It is about process of Democracia’w way of struggle. In EPRP, there is no old or new, it was the same and it is the same EPRP. Give up hope of splitting the Party for it was founded on solid grounder like the obelisk of Axum which stood for three thousand years, or like that Fassil Ginb, the Lalibela church or the Wall of Harrar which stood hundred of years. EPRP, whether you like it or not, it is psychologically, physiologically, philosophically and politically is grounded. Robele conclude by saying “ they are now politically bankrupt. The split is welcome. Good luck to EPRP (d)!” What a wishful thinking!!!

In conclusion, what I wrote on www.Debteraw.com call me by my name , XVIII is a good outlook for Ethiopians and EPRP opponents. The article explains the relationships of EPRP Party-Army-Community. An Ethiopian Integrity, Trust and Dignity are illustrated through the eyes of an observer. Call this Ethiopiawinet if you like.

Finally, I would like to remind the professor and the Robele that Debteraw Tsegaye was not and is not a phony man. He is held against his will in INCOMMINCADO in Woyene’s hidden Prison. As a person, Debteraw was not a bad person for both of you. I do not think you have a quarrel with that assessment but I am of the opinion that both of you are coward towards ‘learned Ethiopian men’. Debtera’s and his colleagues are not copycat men but creative, bold and generous in every aspect. Please, be advised that you do not have to be a parrot and arrogant individuals. The professor wants to cover up his weakness through the Ethiopian flag of red, yellow and green, and Mr. Robele has written his article under a map of the Horn of Africa. What is this? Have they switched professions? A Flag and a Map, the very beginning of a scout boy.

Let it be clear to everybody and everyone that Debteraw was not hiding either under the guise of flag like the professor or fighting under the map just like Mr. Robele in order to explain what Ethiopiawinet meant. Debteraw and his party of EPRP have lived in Integrity, Trust and Dignity since the 1970s so as to demonstrate the value of ETHIOPIAWINET or call it by any other name.

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