Ethiopia, the TPLF, and the Roots of the 2001 Political Tremor (original) (raw)

Abstract

in 1974 under the name "Mahber Gesgesti Behere Tigray," [generally known by its acronym-MAGEBT, which stands for 'Progressive Tigray Peoples' Movement'.] 1 The founders claim that even though the movement was tactically designed to be nationalistic it was, strategically, pan-Ethiopian. 2 The primary structural document the movement produced in the late 70's, however, shows it to be Tigrayan nationalist and not Ethiopian oriented in its content. It was also pro-Eritrean independence. 3 The original manifesto was drafted clearly as Tigrayan Ethnic struggle for independence not as one seeking the political liberation of Ethiopia from the dictatorship of the Derg. 4 In fact, this stand did not change until 1984. MAGEBT, as a movement was based on the Leninist principle of Democratic Centralism. Politburo and Central Committee members were elected by majority of the leadership whose legality was watched by an auditing commission. As Lenin dictated in "What is to be Done," factionalism was strictly prohibited. 5 Ideas would filter upwards but once policies were adopted, power was intended to flow only downwards. Breaking this rule was punishable by severe penalties including death. As the struggle progressed in the countryside, the name of the movement was changed to "Tegadlo Harnet Hizbi Tigray" [Tigray People's Revolutionary Movement. 6 ] Later, it was renamed "Tigray People's Liberation Front" [TPLF.] In the 1980s, the TPLF received backing almost exclusively from among the Tigrayan population of northern Ethiopia. Nevertheless, it alleged to be devoted to the structuring of one united national front standing for all classes and ethnic groups struggling against the Mengistu dictatorship. A proposal suggesting the formation of a united front grounded on a "minimum program," with the single purpose of smashing Mengistu's dictatorship was released on May 8, 1984. By this time, the TPLF had extended its reach into most of Tigray and adjacent parts of Wallo and Gojam. The guerrilla movement was very clear about the ideology it intended to implement in Tigray and Ethiopia: it was none other than the tenets of the Marxist-Leninist League of Tigray bases on the Albanian model. During the two months following the 1988 New Year, the TPLF was engaged in life and death struggle against the central government army. By 1989, the Ethiopian army had withdrawn completely from the province and the TPLF had seized the entire territory of Tigray, including major towns such as Makale, Aksum and Endaselassie. When in 1989, Mengistu Haile Mariam slaughtered more than 200 officers including the well trained and most experienced generals that Emperor Haile Selassie government carefully trained in military academies, the TPLF's moved quickly to develop a united front. In January 1989, it entered into an alliance with the Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (EPDM), a breakaway organization of the EPRP constituted mainly * A paper presented to" the

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References (47)

  1. policy decisions that the EPRDF wants to make, the Prime Minister has to go to Mekele and get the approval of the Politburo and the Central Committee of the TPLF. If it is not approved, it cannot be implemented even if it is legislated by parliament now almost totally controlled by the EPRDF.
  2. Negasso's wife is German UN Integrated Regional Information Network June 26, 2001.
  3. This was told to the author by a delegate who was attending the conference. The informant has asked for anonymity that the research respects.
  4. The BBC, 29 July, 2001
  5. Ibid. Negasso's terms as President would expire in September. Any one among the following may take the titular presidency once it is vacated. 1. General Abdala Gemeda, 2. Addisu Legesse 3.. Almaz Mako, 4.. Kasu Ilala, 5.. Girma Biru, and 6. Genet Zewde.
  6. Ethiopian News Agency, Addis Ababa, July 23, 2001]
  7. Finote Democracy Radio, July, 2001.
  8. Meles' "Perspectives and "Bonapartism"," and "Again on "Bonapartism"," together with other shorter documents presented at the 2001 conference, are hereafter referred to in the footnotes as Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001. The translation of these Gimgema papers from Tigrigna to Amharic was rendered by Reporter Magazine. The translation from Amharic to English is the author's. This researcher pays tribute to the Reporter staff for the way they conducted themselves and particularly for their candid and fair reporting during the crisis. Both the Reporter and the Author have tried to be as faithful to the original as possible.
  9. Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001. Here, the Prime Minister was referring to his plan to sack Abate Kisho and his allies from the SEPDF party.
  10. N. Poulantzas, Political Power and Social Classes, 1973, P. 50
  11. Karl Marx, The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, 1869, Ch. 3]
  12. Frederick Engles, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, 1884, Ch. 9).
  13. Karl Marx, 18th Brumaire, ch. 7).
  14. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi presented the position paper on "Bonapartism" during the months of March to May, 2001, first to the Central Committee and then to the TPLF Cadres comprising about 10,000, the majority of whom are in Tigray and Addis Ababa. The ideas are supposed to be discussed, then passed so that they would become the policy of the EPRDF
  15. Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001. See also Irving, Fetscher, Karl Marx and Marxism, New York, 1970;
  16. Leszek Kolakowski, Main Currents of Marxism, 3 vols. New York, 1978
  17. Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001
  18. Indian Ocean Newsletter -Daily Alert, May 30 2001).
  19. Indian Ocean Newsletter, 2001, No. 946; Ibid. No. 947]
  20. Ibid.
  21. SBG's business managers and major shareholders are Tedla Yizengaw, Minwiyelet Atnafu, Abebew Desta, Worku Merga and Asnake Jenbere most of whom are now at Kerchele prison.
  22. THE INDIAN OCEAN NEWSLETTER No. 951; Ibid. 952
  23. Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001
  24. THE INDIAN OCEAN NEWSLETTER 2001, No. 944
  25. Ibid.
  26. Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001
  27. The following officials, who are not only TPLF members but also high-ranking officials of the TPLF have been or are in charge of REST, answerable directly to the TPLF. Some, have been purged during the recent feud in the organization, and have been replaced by other high-ranking officials of the same organization. Example: Abbay Tsehaye Chairman of REST; Central Committee/Politburo of TPLF; Head of the governmental Commission for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Rehabilitation of Tigray /SAERT; [Position up to the 2001 purge;] Gebru Asrat, Central Committee/Politburo of TPLF; Regional President of Tigray [Position up to the 2001 purge;] Tadesse Haile, Head of (Federal) Investment Office; before Planning Bureau in Meqe1e; Dr. Solomon Inquai Member of Regional Council of Tigray; Head of Department of Social Affairs, Regional Government of Tigray, Special Advisor to the Regional President of Tigray; Dr. Mulu Ketsela, Economic Advisor to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Minister in Change of Foreign Economic Relations in the Prime Ministers Office; Dr. Etiyopia Beyene, Member, House of People's Representatives for an Addis Abeba constituency, wife of Dr. Mesfin Minas, head of Tigray Regional Bureau of Health in Mekele and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tigray Development Association; Tekleweyni Assefa Executive Director of REST. ]
  28. Again all officials who are in control of TDA, are TPLF members answerable to the organization and most are among the heavyweights though to a lesser extent than REST's. Example: Araya Zerihun, Chairman and Managing Director of TDA, TPLF-member;
  29. W/zo Aregash Adane Central Committee and Politburo member, TPLF; Secretary of Regional Council of Tigray and its Executive Committee Dr. Teklehaymanot Haileselasie: Vice Minister (Federal) of Education; Dr. Mesfin Minas: Head of Tigray Regional Bureau of Health; Gebremichael Pawlos: Retired former head of governmental enterprise; Dr. Mitiku Haile: President Mekele University College. Some individual members are from the Tigray professional and business community mainly from Mekele.]
  30. The managing director is Kidisan Nega Central Committee member and sister of Sebhat Nega -Meles" best friend and smart intriguer.] Tigray Youth Association [TYA,] and Tigray Farmers' Association [TFA.]
  31. Among them are -Sebhat Nega, founder and TPLF chairman [1979-89] politburo member from the organisation's inception until the present time still in the Meles" camp, Siye Abraha [Chairman of the Board of Directors] and TPLF Politburo member since 1979, formerly Minister of Defence of the TGE/1991-95)
  32. TPLF] recently expelled from the organization and presently leading the dissenters' group, Abadi Zemo [TPLF] Central Committee member since 1994, Head of REST, 1970"9-91.]
  33. Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001
  34. One thing that is clear is that both the Tewolde-Siye Faction that has been expelled from the Central Committee and the Sebhat-Meles-Sebhat Faction that is now in control of the majority of TPLF Cadres are still avowed Marxist-Leninists. Even after their acrimonious tussle in 2001, they have not accused each other of following a Leninist path. In fact if there are accusations, it is that each denounces the other of not being genuine Marxist-Leninist with a" Revolutionary Democracy" as its guiding principle.
  35. Meles Zenawi, Gimgema Papers, 2001
  36. Leenco Lata, The Ethiopian State at the Crossroads: Decolonisation, and Democratisation or Integration? Lawrenceville, NJ: The Red Sea Press, 1999.
  37. Gregory R Copley, "The end of the Ethiopian facade: Meles isolated as the ruling TPLF implodes " in Defence & Foreign Affairs Strategic ; Alexandria; Mar 2001
  38. 61 At the end of July, AAPO hired a lobby firm -Holland & Knight as its official representative in Washington. According to the Indian Ocean Newsletter, one of its objectives is to set up meetings between AAPO leaders and U.S. officials in charge of Ethiopia. Also, according to this report, AAPO has hired the lobby firm in an effort to take full advantage of the Bush administration's new, more open policy regarding Ethiopia. See THE INDIAN OCEAN NEWSLETTER N° 960
  39. The U.S. Senators who wrote the letter are: Dick Durbin (D-IL), Carl Levin (D-MI), Joseph Lieberman (D- CT), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT.) See United States Senator Illinois, Dick Durbin, Press Release, July 3, 2001.
  40. BBC Monitoring Service, United Kingdom; Jul 17, 2001. Earlier, two EPRDF Cadres, who travelled to Holland to attend an UNDP-sponsored course had defected. They were former chief editor of "Weyen" newspaper and coordinator of EPRDF organs, who was, and Mr Habtamu Alemayehu, former MP of the ANDM [Amhara National Democratic Movement, partner in the coalition] and an employee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. THE INDIAN OCEAN NEWSLETTER N° 955 23/06/01 ETHIOPIA
  41. Wegaheta. Sunday, 17 Sene [24 June], 2001.
  42. THE INDIAN OCEAN NEWSLETTER No. 956
  43. The Reporter, Vol. iv, No. 37, Sene 1993 [June, 2001 67 The Voice of America, Horn of Africa Region, August 12, 2001.
  44. Press Release by Aaddee Almaz Mako, Former Speaker of the Ethiopian House of Federation, August 13 20001.
  45. BBC World Service, August 11 2001 70 THE INDIAN OCEAN NEWSLETTER No. 955 June 23, 2001
  46. Montaigne, "Of Vanity," Essays, [1580-88.] _______________________________________________
  47. ** Paulos Milkias Ph.D. teaches Humanities and Political Science at Marianopolis College and Concordia University, in Montreal Canada. Dr. Paulos who is Associate Editor of the Horn of Africa Journal has published many scholarly articles and books on Ethiopian politics. His forthcoming books are: The ABC of Ethiopian Christianity: a Concise Dictionary, N.J. University Press of America, and Globalisation: the Task of Helping the Poor Nations to Develop, NY NY, International Encyclopaedia Society.