by Tsinat Haile
Coming under pressure from different corners and mainly from the international community, TPLF had no choice left
but to cave in to their demands including to the ones that are coming from its surrogate groups and various sections of the society. There are rumors that a final deal has been reached to an arrangement in which HD would become the PM and there would be three Deputy Prime Ministers (DPM’s).
Accordingly, Girma Birru of OPDO is mentioned as the frontrunner for the DPM position in charge of economic affairs and all the ministries in this sector report to him. They include ministries of industry, trade, finance and economic development, agriculture, mines, transport, information and communication technology, science and technology, and energy and water development. Demeke Mekonnen of ANDM is likely to take the DPM position with social sector portfolio with the ministries such as education, health, social and labor, women, youth and children, culture and tourism, civil service and justice reporting to him.
The third DPM is expected to be from the TPLF and would be in charge of foreign and security affairs with the direct report of foreign, defense, federal affairs ministries and a multitude of federal security agencies including the notorious federal police. TPLF has not reached agreement within itself as to who among them would take this DPM position and names that come up frequently are Seyoum Mesfin, Abbay Tsehaye and Berhane G/Kirstos. It is expected that it would be decided once the TPLF holds its official CC meeting in which it would elect its chairman to succeed Meles. There are rumors that the TPLF CC has been tied up in a series of tense secret meetings to elect the party’s leaders that include the chairman, deputy and EC members. They decided to keep the meetings secret until they hammer out differences and once that is done they would hold an official meeting to endorse their compromise nominees.
The TPLF has also resolved to install the would-be TPLF chairman as the deputy chairman of the EPRDF and this person may not necessarily take up any official government position. Instead he would be the main person running the real parallel government (effectively the real PM and chairman of EPRDF playing Putin) calling shots from behind HD and the DPM’s. Seyoum Mesfin and Abbay Tsehaye are fiercely vying for this all important position. Some argue that it is a foregone conclusion that one of them would be elected chair and the other deputy. Whoever comes in second in the TPLF constellation of power would be one of the three DPM’s.
Berhane G/Kirstos is also one of the frontrunners mentioned for the chair opening but it is believed that his chances of beating these two old guards are very slim and he might just settle for the senior EC membership and foreign ministry portfolio in the government positioning himself well for any future eventualities. In addition to his aloof demeanor and Eritrean background, what makes Berhane’s claim to the helm of the TPLF unlikely is Seyoum and Abbay have more ties to the military from their rebel days than Berhane who had been mostly based abroad during the armed struggle.
TPLF is said also to be seriously contemplating to increase the number of deputy chairperson of EPRDF from one to three installing one from each member party from which no chairman comes. Whatever the case, it is a foregone conclusion that those who come from the surrogate groups would not have any real power, none whatsoever, no matter where they would be installed. They are just place holders helping in beautifying the ugly TPLF. The EPRDF CC meeting is slated for September 16, 2012.
aghere
September 13, 2012 at 5:43 pm
” OBAMA’S DREAMS”
“…As Professor Richard Epstein of the University of Chicago Law School has pointed out,Obama made no effort to take part in the market place of ideas with other faculty members when he was teaching a law course there…what would be the point,if he already knew the truth and knew that they were wrong?”
“…But confident ingnorance is one of the most dangerous qualities in a leader of a nation.”
The above mentioned paragraphs are taken from “the Sunday Sun “of Toronto,Sept. 09,2012.The article is written by Mr. Thomas Sowell.
In the two paragraphs I want you to underline MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS,kNEW THE TRUTH,THEY WERE WRONG,CONFIDENT IGNORANCE,DANGEROUS QUALITIES.
Mr Thomas Sowell has written some ideas that confront not only Obama but the leadership of Ethiopia under Melese Zenawi.Though I can’t take all what he said about President Obama,but I take the ideas presented in the above paragraphs.
There is MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS.There you go to sell or to buy.But if you are not going to sell and buy you are to stagnate.You will remain an infant and incarcerated in your world.
The Mao of China was having ideas but it was not going to the MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS, but was there in its own market place where no one is coming and but there was only its own idea to sell to nobody.Then it remained stale and an old lady with her own old gown.
Though late but fair,Mao went to his grave and the new generation undressed itself from the Mao old gown and went to the MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS and became ready to sell and to buy.Fortunately enough ,the new generation saw its nakedness and realised that it has nothing to sell but to buy.The new China bought from the Market PLACE OF IDEAS and started to apply the new ideas.Now China is selling and buying.Not only selling and buying ,but it flooded the world with its ideas and dominated the MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS.
The WOYANE intellectuals are living in the time of Mao.The Chinese buried not only Mao but his ideas.The WOYANE intellectuals buried their Mao but still they are moving with the old dress of their MAO,Melese Zenawi.The WOYANE intellectuals are declaring that they are going to go with the old gown and idea.They are running around the world to sell their own old gown and stale ideas.Nobody is going to buy theirs ,but they are advertising the old dress of their Mao,Melese Zenawi.
The funny thing is that even those who left long time ago the old train of Melese Zenwi and who said they have undressed themselves from the old idea are telling us there was progress and there is progress and need to carry on with the plan of Mao,Melese Zenawi.They don’t want to go to MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS.Not only that,they tell us that the perfect recipe of development is in their hands and going otherwise is watering the ideas of Mao,Melese Zenawi.The WOYANE intellectuals KNEW THE TRUTH,and they are perfect.The OTHERS ARE WRONG idea is propagated in their media.
Unfortunately we are not having the new generation of Ethiopia like the new generation of China that threw the old garment.There is no new generation in Ethiopia but the old generation which is mesmerized by the Mao of Ethiopia,Melese Zenawi.The Ethiopians are not lucky at this time for there is no new generation after they buried their Mao,Melese Zenawi.China was blessed with the new generation after they buried Mao.The new generation of China went to the MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS and realised that they have nothing to sell but to buy.The Ethiopian generation that buried Melese Zenawi,its Mao,is still working with the brain of the dead man that took his own life.
The Ethiopians are left with the CONFIDENT IGNORANT.This confidence is not based with the real world and the world of market of ideas.It is ignorant of its own ignorance,however,it is confident.The media in Ethiopia and in the diaspora is filled with the spirit of CONFIDENT IGNORANTS.We are seeing also ignorant confidents among the so called opposition party.They aren’t going to the MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS.They are there still in the Melese Zenawi era.They are afraid to sell new ideas,if they have one at least.Melese Zenawi,their Mao,is still lives in their subconscience.They are tide up with the rope of Melese Zenawi,fear of the dead.The ghost of Melese Zenawi is threatening them eveywhere ,in the diaspora and in Ethiopia.
CONFIDENT IGNORANT is the DANGEROUS QUALITY OF A LEADER.We are having ignorants who have confidence in their ignorance at this crossroad.Melese Zenawi,the Mao of Ethiopia,is not dead.He is alive.His ghost is ruling the country.His ghost is pardoning prisenors,rewarding generals with promotion.I see danger in this confidence of ignorants.They are there to tell us their truth that is in the WOYANE camp.They are telling us other camp is dangerous and poisonous and need to be eliminated.That is the slogan of WOYANE and those who were once in that camp and seemed baptised with the new ideas. I SEE DANGER IN ETHIOPIA.I pray for the intervention of GOD.
boge
September 13, 2012 at 7:11 am
Seyoum mesfin must disappear from the dpm. he was more than 18years foreign misister still he wants to control ethiopia. forsure he wants to continue to send his wife to germany to buy like always their wein and food. shame again he uses the ethiopian airlines for free tickets and the free hundreds and thousends of kilos which he and his wife uses. time is passed must come some new intellegent people who can lead the country.
sema
September 11, 2012 at 11:25 pm
The TPLF parachute has been punctured. But the TPLF does not seem to have come to grips with the reality. TPLF is still in the state of denial but at its own peril. One of the reasons they are choosing to stay in the state of denial is empty bravado emanating from simple stupidity. The second and may be the major reason is they are dumbfounded and do not know what to do. Meles rendered the TPLF useless without him. As Sebhat said recently Meles died after buring the TPLF. They do not have any clue, none whatsoever, how to get out of this mess they find themselves in. They have just chosen to freeze the time in their head and stay in the state of denial while they are in a free fall because the parachute has already been punctured. They will soon find themselves hitting the ground breaking down into irredeemable fine pieces. The damage has already been done and no number of DPMs can save them. HD, Girma, Abba Dula, Kuma, Addisu, Demeke, Bereket, Arkebe, Abay, Seyoum, Sebhat, Berhane, Tewdros, Azeb, Samora, Getachew, none of them can save the TPLF from its final resting grave it is heading to. Did you think all that wailing of the TPLF a couple of weeks ago was for Meles? No, it was for themselves. In the heart of their hearts they know THE GAME IS OVER
BilisummaaTV
September 11, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Meles is in hell.Those who miss Meles should kill themselfes so they can get to see him.LOL.happy new year.the best new year without Meles Zenawi.
fikir
September 10, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Those who miss Meles go join him in the hell. That is where he is vacationing now according to Bereket Simon and ETV. They revealed his place of vacation after keeping it secret for over five weeks. Now everybody knows where he has been hiding. If you really miss him, I challenge you to go see him in the hell. You have no excuse not to. Flying there is very very cheap. All you need is a 3ft long piece of rope. I only wish you to enjoy your journey to the hell to see your beloved terrorist Meles. Go for it and have fun with him.
Wogene
September 10, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Let those beggar eritrians out of our soil. What in the hell are they doing in our country. Now meles is gone we should freaken kick them out of our country. I can’t stand them those ugly bastards, we thought them in our school we let them live in our house, and fed them and modernize them today they are still in our country. My country is not free loading you’ll cry your head of if you don’t leave we will mobilize the mass against you. Watch…you mosquito murderers we’ll never forget what you have done in our country and against our people how dare you staying there. No place so called half or whole just go back…
Zena
September 10, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Why do we need three DPM?
yalfal
September 10, 2012 at 7:04 am
Birhane GK is not connected to Ethiopia and the Ethiopian people at all. All he has been fighting for is Luxurious life and comfort for himself and his family. His track record as the longest serving Ambassador shows how he abused government money and resource. He had no mercy when it comes to spending the people’s money to his own luxury. What a shame! One guy mentioned that his children are TPLF members. They will laugh at you if they hear you say this. They are just BUGS preying on our resource.
It is sad Ethiopia has many brilliant hard working, and competent citizens. Why should this country be run by a bunch of corrupt warlords? Twenty one bloody years are more than enough for the people to say Enough is Enough. And now the so called OPDO they are allowing them to maintain the status quo-the military , foreign affairs and the security in their hands. They allowed them to perpetuate the killing and the atrocity. You shall see soon they will make you pay a price. Shame on you Girma Biru now you are paid in dollars that is what matters for you that you don’t care about this country. You should be ashamed of yourselves!
Seyoum Mesfin should be the last person to be considered for power. He had already shown his competence by the killing of over 70 000 compatriots in the unnecessary war and has lost the diplomatic battle because of his negligence. The war could have been averted if he was wise enough to resort to negotiation and dialogue. He is arrogant and selfish and FERRI!
Abbay Tsehaye is cold blooded killer he is wanted for the crimes he committed in Gamblla Ethiopia deserves clean people as leaders.
kesto
September 10, 2012 at 6:06 am
it is business as usual it is clear from the outset tplf will never surrender power for them it is a matter of survival
semira
September 10, 2012 at 5:35 am
This is for “mana” you started by saying “Per Ethiopian Review…” that website editor is up to making Google commercial money by writing things which drove a lots of customers. He should live politics and start writing clear tabloid about Ethiopian celebrities.
Maru
September 10, 2012 at 3:30 am
By the look of him, i can tell Berhane is Eritrean. By the talk and gesture of him Berhane is typically eritrean often feeling aloof and superior. He reminds me of the very arrogant eritreans of the pre-badme war era in addis who drink imported can ber and whisky and never greet ethiopians who they consider as inferior to them.
mana
September 10, 2012 at 2:04 am
Per Ethiopian Review, Hailemariam is being cornered by the Nazi TPLF to give up power instead he will get something. Otherwise, Sebhat Nega wants to declare Article 39 to secede Tigray. I say like Eritreans did, let the Tigrayans choose if they don’t want to be in union. However the international community has the responsibiltiy to protect Ethioia against Eritrea or Tigray. Ethiopia will exist whether they like it or not. That is why Eritreans are flocking back to Ethiopia because they hate it. hahahaha. Go for it Sebhat
Dejene
September 9, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Hello Selam, Don’t make mistake. Berhane G/Kirstos, the son of Mr. G/Kirstos and the owner of Mekele Green Hotel near Police head quarters (thirty years ego) is an Eritrean. but his two or three children including Berhane were in tplf from early days.
aghere
September 9, 2012 at 8:11 pm
When great men’s brains go bad
New book cites glaring examples of how one person’s health can affect the lives of millions
It was June ,1942,during World War II and Russia was in desperate need of tanks,planes,ammunition,food and other war necessities.The Soviet army was involved in a fearsome battle against Hitler’s Panter divisions.which were advancing deeper and deeper into Russian territory and winning on all fronts.It appeared that without supplies the future course of World War II in the east was in doubt.And no one knew that a dreadful naval decision was about to be made to further the conquests of Nazi Germany.
To aid the Russian army,allied commanders decided to assemble a huge convoy of British and American ships withe final destination,Archangel,in northern Russia.It was a perilous journey under the best of conditions.
The strategy was to have this heavy naval escort meet merchant ships carrying supplies north of Iceland.They were then to proceed through frigid enemy water controlled by German submarines and torpedo-bombers based in northern Norway.
But a strange thing happened while in these treacherous waters.The escorting naval ships received an order telling them to leave the convoy at high speed.In addition,the puzzled captains of the merchant ships were told to scatter and proceed to Archangel.These murderous signals sent from 2000 miles away ruslted in a frightful disaser.For U-Boat commanders and topedo-bombers it became a shooting gallery.Just 11 of the 34 ships reached their destination.Winston Churchill called convoy PQ 17 one of the most melancholy episodes of the whole war.
But who sent this infamous signal against all naval advice?It was The First Lord of the British Admiraly,Sir Dudley Pound.Members of his staff had noticed for some time that he was suffering from exhaustion and fell asleep when meeting with President Roosevelt and at other high-level meetings.They also questioned whether his symptoms might be due to serious disease.But because Churchill held him in high esteem,as did other admiral,no one suggested that he should seek medical attention.
When Pound issued this infamous order he was actually suffering the symptoms of a glioma,a type of brain tumour,and died a few months later.
Dr.Bengt Ljunggren,a Swedidh neurosurgeon and historian ,outlines in his book Great Men with Sick Brains,how often we do not learn from history.Many medically unfit people of power make decision that affect millions of people without receiving medical help.
Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister in May 1940.Chamberlain had returned from a meeting with Adolph Hitler,reporting the Fuhrer had agreed to peace.But Chamberlain’s mental and physical buouyancey was already failing and he died of inoperable colon cancer in November of that year.
The British ambassador to Washington,Lord Lothian,showed even greaer signs that his brain was failing.He too had the habit of falling asleep.But on his arrival in the U.S. he surprised journalists by declaring,”Well boys,Britain is broke.It’s your money we want!”.had severe kidney failure and died two weeks later.
The great tragedy in all these cases is that close collegues were sleeping at the switch.It was apparent to them that Sir Dudley Pound was sleeping 75% of the time and was not adequately handling the task of managing the admiralty.
During the conference on whether to invade Sicily or Sardinia,Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke noted that Pound had no opinion either way.Laer at the Casablanca Conference,General George S.Patton remarked on Pound’s indecision.And even when Poud had lost the function of his foot and hand,he still atended a conference in Quebec City.
Symtoms of glioma are the same as most brain tumours,depending on the location of the malignancy.The most common symptom is head-ache affecting about half of all patents.Other symptoms include personality changes,mental decline,seizures and finally,in the case of Sir Dudley Pound ,right-sided paralysis and death.
Tragic mistakes could have been avoided if Poud had been forced to resign or at least consult a physician.Sadly,we do not learn from history.( This ariticle is taken from’The Saturday Sun,Toronto,June 30,2012″)
Comment:I hope this article give us some clue of Ethiopia’s leadership.Prime Minister Melese Zenawi fits in this story.It his party that killed him or led him to a drastic downfall.It could be his arrogance or addiction with power that led him to this sad ending.Whatever may be the factors do the leaders in Ethiopia learn from history?His stakeholders want him back if he comes back to his throne.The distruction of the second could be far worse than the first.God save Ethiopia.
Askale Dama
September 9, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Tsinat, excellent analysis. Tenesa & Abebe – you are on the money. What is the source of power, real capacity to compel or coerce? It is not the dept of social works or ministry of finance. It is the gun. it is the person who has and operates the gun. It is the person who order the soldier what to do with the gun. These persons are Tigres. They have the guns. They have the organization of these shooters and macines. The rest is mere illusion, mirage.
Wishful thinkers and avoiders can go on talking about who has what title and from what ethnic outfit. The true opposition forces and opposition intellectual need to look deeply into the multiple structures TPLF military, police, security, intelligence both those that open and those that deep secret and figure out how we can dismantle them.
The second class OPDO, ANDM and SEPDM characters can deal with their self-worth and self-esteem vs. their bosses. The Ethiopian people can’t afford a play with illusion and magic. They need to seriously prepare for a long bloody fight with TPLF.
selam
September 9, 2012 at 6:25 pm
It is a braking news for us but the statement about birhane is completely wrong , Birhane Gebrekirstos do not have eriterian blood,,
Muktar
September 9, 2012 at 6:19 pm
……The third DPM is expected to be from the TPLF and would be in charge of foreign and security affairs with the direct report of foreign, defense, federal affairs ministries and a multitude of federal security agencies including the notorious federal police…..A destructive separatist robbery group, Woyane has been in power by force, still the so would be called DPM taking the forcing machineries like Agazi and TPLF security. Woyane use the resources of the people of Ethiopia to drive, if not kill Ethiopians using Hodader soldiers!
Tenesa
September 9, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Ya, the three DPMs are there to squeeze Haile Mariam from every direction and make him do what TPLF wants. And the most critical power structures are already in the hands of TPLF. So Hailemariam becomes just a figurehead like Meto Aleqa Girma. Now, we will have two morons in government. One is a fake president and the other is a bogus and powerless prime minister.
abebe
September 9, 2012 at 1:10 pm
I think this piece of article is the most likely senrio TPLF will like to follow. If they are able to control foreig, security, defense and police departments, the other postions are not important for them. By appointing three DPM, not only will they undermine the power of the PM but also it helps them to distance the PM or other surrogate groups from security relates matters. This news once again proved to us that the only way for us to claim our freedom is to wage the bitter struggle that may demand us serious sacrifice.