The Eway model for Eathiopia

The Eway model for Eathiopia

Call me by my role: AADWA III  – By Obo Arada Shawl

August 13, 2010

  • Emperor Haile Sellasie was dethroned for his inability to separate the state and religion

  • Menghistu was forced to run away due to his inability to separate military from civilian rule

  • Issais is losing popularity due to his inability to distinguish concepts of Harnet from Naznet

  • Meles is hated for knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing (cynicism)

  • EPRP is known for its inability to separate Business from Personal matters

Introduction

A model, according to dictionaries, is a pattern, a plan, a representation or description designed to show the main object or working of an object, system, or concept.

A model in this and subsequent articles is about representation of a concept, a place and a process. The concept is liberation for self-determination, the place is a village/mountain and the process is about democratization to be known as AADWA III.

First of all, what makes an Ethiopian identity? An Eritrean identity? Does Eathiopianism evolve? Yes, it does; otherwise, we have solutions without a problem.

I have been attempting to write about the fate of DEBTERAW in the hope that we all benefit in telling the TRUTH. So far, I don’t believe that I have succeeded.

If I have, the criteria for measuring success or failure should be based against the stated objectives and goals of the following four organizations. Or alternatively measuring the opinions of the “E or Fifth” category of “unarmed/unorganized” individuals and groups should be re-examined.

Where are we now? Have we reached where we should reach? That is, do we have an Eathiopian Republic, thirteen or fourteen states of Ethiopia or disintegrating societies? Which of the four organizations or CC members has caused so much trouble that should be held accountable? Let us examine albeit briefly of each organization’s positive contributions.

Name Leader Objective Mission Goal

1. ESAPA Menghistu H.M Socialism Class struggle Classless Society

2. TPLF Melse Zenawi State Ethnic Struggle Ethnic State

3. EPLF Issais Afeworki Independence Race Struggle Nationalist State

4. EPRP Collective Leaders Republic Democratic struggle Eathiopian Republic

The blame or credit should have been rested solely on the merits and demerits of economic progress by ESAPA, ethnic equality by TPLF, social egalitarian by EPLF or democratization of EPRP. It is with these backgrounds that we should define our costs and benefits. Otherwise, incriminating and blame games will not work.

ESAPA

Class by definition is division. The Menghistu regime popularly known as the DERG had proclaimed socialism based on class struggle for seventeen years (1974-1991). Because the ESAPA top leader has run away, the party had to disintegrate into thin air. Its members and supporters might have believed that they were doing the right thing for the country as a whole. Now they have come to believe that they were dead wrong but could not admit for the simple reason that its top leaders were not prosecuted. For this reason and for other reasons of their own, many of them have become either spoilers of the DIASPORA politics or have become paid agents for the regime of TPLF.

As at now, the most hated word is politics. Sometimes, I wonder why the most valuable word is berated to a low level of crime and criminals. In the West World, the message and the messenger are separated and as such, politics and politicians are differentiated. In today’s world, some politicians have become literally bandits and vulgar. I believe because there are too many loopholes in the rules and regulations by which they have to follow. Nevertheless, the voters have the power to change the rules and regulations of their constituents. In other words, the corruption is reversible and for this reason, voters love politics but not politicians.

The current leaders of Ethiopia including the so-called legislators have no clue of what politics is about let alone to know the importance of justice and policy matters.

 

Take for example, the case of politics in action that was held in Washington DC on August 5, 2010 by a group of supporters of the Ethiopian regime. The regime have initiated a call for a demonstration for the support of America on the use of the Blue, Black or White Nile. I know that both the regime and its proxy demonstrators do not know or did not care to know what the American government possesses in its data base of water resources.

Groups of people were involved in demonstration (of course peaceful one as is in America). A group of Ethiopians in support of the government of Ethiopia has come to plead with the American government and the government of Egypt to keep off their hands from interfering in the handling of the Nile. In my opinion, this group either doesn’t know the color of the Nile water or they are camouflaged in the name of Eathiopia’s interest wrapped up in fear of the unknown.

Everything with the Nile Basin (Black or Abbay) concern or development has to do with the peoples of Illubabor, Keffa, Shewa, Wellega, Wollo, Gondar, Tigrai and Eritrea and of course with the peoples of Godjam. The solution or the dispute of the Black Nile solely rests with the above named people. They need the support of a sober and a stable government in Eathiopia.

Whatever, the case is, the ABAY (Black) Basin comprises app. 318,000 sq. miles or roughly one third of Eathiopia. The plan, according to a comprehensive water resources development study that was carried out by the Americans was meant a panacea for Eathiopia to be a prosperous nation and a self-sustained economic development.

Another group of people who opposes the current Ethiopian regime have gone to demonstrate to the Chinese Embassy to protest against the Chinese government support in technology equipment that can block broadcasting and Internet to Ethiopia. This group has at least a demand for freedom but nevertheless, it is a futile attempt to depend on others instead on oneself.

Both demonstrations have taken place on August 5, 2010. Different groups with different claims for the purpose of demonstrating to a foreign country. Why? Maybe, they were copying the model of the EPLF and TPLF proxy war in Somalia. Let us believe in ourselves. The solutions lie within us.

TPLF’s model

First it was nationalism based on Woyane-ism, then it was communism based on Enver Hoja (Albania), then it was “Market” modeled on American Capitalism. Curently, it is “capitalism” based on Chinese model.

What is wrong with the TPLF leadership model? Within 50 years, they have managed to switch ideologies five times, an average of 10 years for a model to emulate.

Is this because of lack of education or luck of confidence or trust? I cannot say it is because of lack of education as there are thousands of educated individuals from that region.

I believe it is because of the rejection of their own strength namely their church education and Christian heritage. The TPLF leadership has been in a state of search as they say “a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat which is not there”. The last attempt the TPLF leaders are seem to doing now is the Mao Tse Tung (Zedong) style which was to close their society from the outside world. The province of Tigrai is currently has been closed to the outside world including to other Eathiopians. The leaders are operating from Addis Ababa.

What an ideology and what a leadership style? This blend of the Middle Age and 21st Century should change or would have to collapse like its predecessor. This is untenable to say the least. By the year 2013, the leadership of TPLF will step down according to my predictions. The pretension of having Constitution and Congress (CC) in the name of Eathiopia seem to be a naked lie and a down right harmful to all Eathiopians including to Tigrian origin.

It is time to alienate the so-called CC leadership of TPLF from its ranks and files. And it is time for all involved in some form of leadership within the TPLF to regret and correct their honest mistakes and stop to pay lip service but to be involved in action – the action of the Eway Ethiopian Revolution.

EPLF

For 114 years (1896-2010), the Eritreans have struggled and are (still struggling) for Independence, Harnet and Nazanet wrapped up together. For this reason, there is bound to be confusion in distinguishing choices among liberty, independence and freedom.

Added to that, the EPLF’ secret organization within itself has created more problems than it can handle.

For too long discussion issues of religion, race, ethnic and politics were suppressed at the expense of Colonialism – that was based on race.

Nonetheless, the Eritreans for the first time are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Surprising, this light is coming neither from the government of Issais nor from the opposition groups who have just completed conference on unity of oppositions in Ethiopia.

The light is coming from two individuals who wrote books, one in Tigrigna and the other in English. The English version is entitled “of Kings and Bandits” written by Saleh “Gadi”, Johar founder and publisher of Awate.com website and the Tigrigna version is titled “Kab RiQ- Hifnti). Roughly translated “a drop in the ocean – or piece of the action as narrated by the author himself to himself.” It is written by Tekie Beyene, one time national bank governor of Eritrea…

What is amazing of these two books is the fact that both books fit the maxim “a picture is worth thousand words”. Saleh, depicts a king and a bandit facing each other as if making deals. It does not explain much of the current reality though. He is depicting the past. If Saleh “Gadi” Johar is depicting the struggle of the Eritrean common folk’s alias known as Hafash, he has wasted his time and energy to convince those of us who did not participate directly in the Eritrean struggle. I believe that Awate’s single bullet had heralded the good news of Harnet and Nazanet. I hope Awate was not a bandit as some quarters attempt to portray him. For me, the book of Saleh is as good as the book of ELI. All over again! I don’t believe 5 decades of struggle has been wasted. We have evolved.

The book of Tekie is commendable for the simple reason that he wrote in the First Person Singular (I). It is indeed a huge step in the right direction. It is the beginning for individualism to be restored in the Eritrean society. I hope Tekie’s intention is not to salvage the power holders but to salvage the civil society. We have to wait and see.

EPRP’s model

EPRP had ideas about the role of any government even when it is outside of the mainstream. EPRP does not also rebel without a pause. It gave a chance to the DERG’s government to focus on what it knows best i.e. the military and to return to its barracks leaving the country for civilians to fight among themselves, be it for Socialism or Capitalism. Instead of abiding to the demands of workers, peasants, students and intellectuals, the military had taken the reign of the government. In fact, without understanding the model of control and command (CC), the DERG had formed a group of (CC) comprising eleven members of which seven were picked from the military and five of them were engineers. Such was the power base and a structure of ESAPA.

These Eleven people should be held responsible for all the atrocities that their followers had committed as well as for the failures of an envisaged ideology of progress. I don’t think that all ESAPA members and followers are to be blamed or incriminated. Rather, they should take the blame to themselves for themselves.

EPRP had extended to the Eritrean freedom fighters the benefit of the doubt to liberate the minds and hearts of all Eritrean as to choose soberly and freely among the agendas of independence, autonomy or federation with Ethiopia. EPRP had honestly struggled to implement these three choices by demanding first, peace in Eritrea and democracy Ethiopia. EPRP had even sent or encouraged its members and supporters to join the Eritrean struggle on individual volition.

The end result was war and not revolution. Who was responsible for this? CC (central committee)! Who were these people and how many of them? According to some written documents, they were about seventy members. Where are they now, I can not tell. Hafash Eritreans cannot distinguish between the CC of EPLF and the CC of the United States where CC means Congress and the Constitution rule.

Conclusion

On the one hand, instead of following up any study, subsequent Ethiopian governments have been sabotaging the development effort of struggle or agenda by inculcating fear instead of freedom among the people.

While on the other, four organizations were and are responsible either for the construction or destruction of Eathiopia. America, Europe and Asia or the satellite organizations around these four main organizations could not have been blamed. It is our own making. If we evaluate each organization in accordance with its stated objectives against its accomplishment, then we will have reached the bottom line or the Truth – a Truth of which we will appreciate the past and encourage the future.

Inasmuch as the governments of Haile Sellassie I, Menghistu and Issais have tried to inculcate fear about the “Red Sea”, the Meles regime has embarked on a fear of the Nile River. This is an outdated trick. The Washington demonstrators on the case of the Nile are not dummy PEOPLE. Their protest was for money not for a cause.

It is very unfortunate that Eathiopian M’HUR Akal had either access or uninitiated comfort zone of not make a primary study of the ABAY.

August 5th demonstration that was carried out in front of the State Department or in front of the Chinese Embassy has nothing to do with real cause. It was either for financial gain or frustration.

I don’t think we need provocative governments. The Black River is neither for damned groups as in that type of demonstrators nor to be dammed for the purpose of governments. The ABBAy is Black in soil and soul. The peasants of Eathiopia will benefit without going to war diplomatically or otherwise. What is my name? Call me by my character not by my color, please.

The model of EPLF and TPLF are not to be emulated, they ought to be corrected if not eliminated. The demonstrations of August 5, 2010 are similar in style and content with the proxy war by the TPLF and ELF in Somalia. In the long run, they are unproductive if not outright harmful to all Eathiopians.

TRUTH WILL PREVAIL

For comments and questions

woldetewolde@yahoo.com

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