Tell Me You Are not Co-opted
EPRDF true cooption (an attack on a network of opposition political influence) is focused on a small number of people; even less number of people than my writing a few weeks ago suggests. After I wrote that article, a few “coopted” people wrote to me that EPRDF’s promises of promotion and good jobs were not kept. I asked a lot of them to tell me their positions (work place), social stature, connections, political participation etc and it seemed to me that they were coopted, but never in the truest sense of the term.
Anyone who is close enough to me would by now have known what my newest political obsession is. It is the increasingly successful elite cooption by EPRDF.
Following the arrest of Kinijit leaders, human rights activities and journalists in November 2005, the newspaper I used to edit was shut down and I had no work; nor was I interested in finding one. Anger at the government’s reversal of what seemed to be a very promising democratic change had driven me into an underground politics that I had talked about little since the release of the political prisoners in the summer of 2007. In 2006 and 2007, I used to meet and talk to plenty of Ethiopians (mostly of my age group) who had the same commitments as mine. Some of them were involved in the most noble of fights against a very formidable opponent. Until the Kinijit leaders were released from prison and, quite disgustingly, got involved in an infighting that made EPRDF appear to be an oasis of stability and calm rule, a small group of dedicated Ethiopians did what many people would think were unimaginable in a security state like Ethiopia. The infighting in Kinijit, particularly its ethnic dimension, left many of us wondering whether organized politics at that time was where we wanted to spend our productive lives in. We chose different directions of life; some completely retreated from active political engagements.
In between my travels to the West, I used to meet some of them. Football was our new shared experience, but we sometimes bantered about the good, old dangerous days. It was in these conversations that I started noticing changes first in the instinctive anti-authoritarianism of a few of my friends. Then there was a general, but reluctant, acceptance of EPRDF rule. With some of them, the bond was created “with blood” and I had no reason to suspect them of being co-opted by the party they distasted enormously even though as a keen-eyed journalist I knew that EPRDF had started elite cooption in earnest. I took their acceptance of an authoritarian rule as a sign of resignation. It was explainable. The opposition was useless; civil society organizations were rapidly shrinking; newspapers like Addis Neger were the indulgence of a few urban elite. They had tried and failed. Not many people have an appetite for ceaseless political fights against a strong authoritarian state.
The closure of Addis Neger in December 2010 seriously challenged my explanation. A lot of people sent me e-mails to tell me how much angry they were at what happened; some needed clarifications about the process of its closure; some said they were so disappointed that we buckled under pressure. But there were some who said that our closure was good riddance. Among them were my former comrades. It was shocking at first, but my academic temperament didn’t allow me to mourn that fact for days. It seemed a goose-chase at that time, but I ventured into understanding what was going on. With me thousands of miles away and not able to communicate with them face to face. My ex-comrades were confident enough to engage me honestly. Electronic communication had disinhibited them. They thought we at Addis Neger were too much into the pre-September 2007 politics. They said that had changed. One quoted the famous statement by John Maynard Keynes: “When the facts change, I change my mind, what do you do sir?” Their arguments were a mixture of “but Ethiopia is registering growth”, “there is no alternative”, and “we can change EPRDF from within”. I tried to show them the flaws of their logic but in a half-hearted manner. What I wanted to know more was what really happened to them; How they changed. I might convince a friend or two with passionate conversations, but that wouldn’t give me an insight into a political dynamic.
I joined a password protected e-mail group of some EPRDF supporters, posing as a diaspora supporter with the help of a friend (but was kicked out in June). I also got key e-mail exchanges and information about cooption and party recruitment processes. After I wrote on Addis Neger Online about EPRDF’s cooption and Awramba Times translated it, more information started pouring in. I learned that there was a pattern in EPRDF’s cooption. A caveat here: this is by no means conclusive.
Political influence is not randomly distributed. It follows power law distributions. There are people who have a lot of influence due to a variety of reasons – connections, partnerships, social position, wealth, political office etc – and many have little or no influence at all. A mathematical graph of distribution of influence would probably look like this 80-20 rule graph.
But political influence also has small-world aspects. Local elites have powerful influences on the people in their localities. They also have influences that can be had from operational advantages. These are local hubs. When opposition political parties are in poor shape, what remain are different hubs of political influence -national and local – connected to each other and smaller nods attached to the bigger nodes. If there is any major country-wide repression, these networks usually resist them. In the study of both political and non-political networks, it is discovered that networks that follow power law distributions are the most resilient against random attacks. But a systematic attack on a few nods may lead them to a collapse.
EPRDF’s true cooption (an attack on a network of opposition political influence) is focused on a small number of people; even less number of people than my writing a few weeks ago suggests. After I wrote that article, a few “co-opted” people wrote to me that EPRDF’s promises of promotion and good jobs were not kept. I asked a lot of them to tell me their positions (work place), social stature, connections, political participation etc and it seemed to me that they were coopted, but never in the truest sense of the term.
We can divide EPRDF’s cooption into four.
-Strong cooption – this is directed at the biggest hubs nationally. Some of the friends I mentioned above and some active former members of Kinijit and OLF are the main targets. This is where the party spends a lot of its capital. The targets of strong cooption get big and medium level promotions, investment opportunities (mostly in partnership with other EPRDFites), access to big officials and other considerable benefits.
-Medium cooption – This is directed at the big hubs locally. Outspoken and active local elite (particularly teachers in small towns) are the main targets. They get a benefit of various degrees of promotion, salary increase and attention from local officials.
-Weak cooption – Although political influence networks have an old-nod preferential attachment problem (first entry advantage), there is an intrinsic growth factor. Some new nodes become bigger and bigger. These are the targets of weak cooption. Active university students can be taken as an example. A target of weak cooption gets handouts and some benefits from time to time; enough to make him/her wait for a larger pie to come. For the party, it gives control of the expansion of new nodes, deciding when and how to move the subject into other cooption territories. It will also give it a control on the gradual increase factor.
-No cooption cooption – Some of the people who were asked to be members by the EPRDF never received any benefit (some incurred costs of membership – monthly fee, newspaper fee etc). These are mainly people who were thought to have bigger political influence than they had and coopted but were dropped from the benefits list.
This hierarchy of cooption gives EPRDF the opportunity to do the cooption in an economically efficient way.
Two variables that have made the economically efficient process of cooption moderately successful are; (1) the shrinking number of NGOs, which are normally places where elites look to for decent gainful employment. With the private sector controlled by Al Amoudi and EFFORT, elites are left without a choice, (2) the disarray of opposition groups.
I am still in the process of in-depth observation of the phenomenon. It is disheartening, but also very important to understand. As I said in my previous article on cooption, opposition parties should not dismiss the phenomenon, but study it and counter-strategize.
Abiy, what is this co-option hypothesis of yours for? Are you trying to explain why individuals support EPRDF?
Mulugeta,
Rather, I am trying to explain one of the strategies EPRDF is using to decrease the influence and power of its politcal opponents – assimilating its influential opponents(and potential opponents) into its fold by using economic incentives.
Abiy a great piece.
It showed me that still this generation has few chaps like you that commit their time and covertly do their thing. I doubt if there is any politician/al party that would do so.
you are a good model to the youth so keep it up.
Nothing new! you are talking about the age old process of marriage between opportunism and dictatorial rule. It could be written in one sentence. Instead of fansing it with academic approach you should just condemn it and pass.
Hi Abiy, as usual thanks for you insightful article.
I am glad you wrote about the cooption process of national and local elites by the authoritarian TPLF/EPRDF. One of the things that become very palpable to me during my visit to Ethiopia was how the regime now totally dominates everyday life. I learnt that my beloved Ethiopia is a country, which is now under the complete control of a single man, in Meles Zenawi, where with his faction the TPLF, recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible. But what was even more shocking and surprising to me was the fact that some of my friends who were fuming at TPLF/EPRDF, when I last saw them while the opposition leaders were in prison, now as you also experienced were trying to justify their new found political backsliding. This was something, I thought, happens when people feel let down by there political leaders. But the deeper I looked into it and the more I found out how they now seem to be enjoying a massive economic gain from the deal they made with there old political adversaries. It became apparent that this particular group have been co-opted by the cunning TPLF/EPRDF.
However, in the Ethiopian circumstance, my prognosis is that TPLF/EPRDF, whose raison d’être was to protect existing economic and social privileges from the onslaught of modernism, were inherently incapable of bringing growing numbers of educated people into the political and economic elite. Astute analysts correctly predicts that the exclusivity of TPLF membership would make it difficult for them to co-opt the generation that reached adulthood under there rule. As a result, ambitious members of this new generation would regard the existing reactionary political regime to be a barrier to their advancement and, this new generation will have no incentive other than to bring about a tangible change that will benefit them in the future. Allow me to cote the fortune-teller on authoritarian regimes, Orwell, ‘By the standards of the early twentieth century, even a member of the Inner Party lives an austere, laborious kind of life. Nevertheless, the few luxuries that he does enjoy, his large well-appointed ßat, the better texture of his clothes, the better quality of his food and drink and tobacco, his two or three servants, his private motorcar or helicopter set him in a different world from a member of the Outer Party, and the members of the Outer Party have a similar advantage in comparison with the submerged masses…’
In my understand this is because the cost of co-opting large amount of elites into the TPLF/EPRDF will be a decrease in the standard of living of new members (from medium to weak co-opted members as you correctly pointed out) due to the limited resource available. Hence the reason TPLF/EPRDF time and again will resort to political repression.
By the way, I welcome your call for a deeper discussion and the formulation of counter strategy against TPLF/EPRDF tactic.
Dear Abiy,
It is sad to see that an intellectual man is spending his valuable time on a wrong theises. The fact is million of us joined EPRDF, because it is simply the best political party in Ethiopia right now. I ask you honestly to look around and tell us why would anyone with his/her right mind join the “opposition”? What platform do they stand on? How could they move Ethiopia forward, when in fact they cannot keep supposedly a like minded people together ? Do they even have a single agenda? The answer to the above and many simple questions about the opposition camp is a very sad reality. The only agenda, if it is to be called agenda, the opposition has, is to defame and antagonize EPRDF. Their strategy to get vote for the future is based on the hope that people hate EPRDF rather than a true alternative agenda to EPRDF. 2005 was an exceptional year, when people really thought that Kinjit was a genuine political party with an alternative agenda. However their failure to even agree to “enter parliament” showed that Kinjit was not a cohesive political party that can lead a diverse nation like Ethiopia, and the fact Kinjit party has misplaced/misused millions of dollars still unaccounted tell the story of what could have happens if they were to take sits. In any case, the question should be asked to the gang-ho opposition supporters who don’t even allow a different opinion, how they coarse people into joining the opposition. Just look the Diaspora buissness who are tortured every Sunday by the “opposition” radios, even if they deviated and did something considered to be supporting EPRDF.
Abiy, thanks for taking the time to prepare the article. Understanding the nature of things is quite necessary, but it is never sufficent in and by itself as a socio-political analysis. I think it is also important to know what the implications are and how to respond to it, if indeed the effect is deemed consequential. That was also what was missing in your previous piece. Of course, I would have also been more ‘careful’ in my choice of words: I would never use the term ‘co-opted’…, for instance. These are people simply ‘thinking by their stomach’, and like their fate would be like their predecessors; only that they would be called ‘yetplf nikiki’ instead of ‘ye esapa nikiki’, and RIGHTLY SO in both cases.
Dear Abiye,
Thank you for bringing this issue for discussion.
Co-option is one of the oldest strategies for a dictator to stay in power. Emerging dictatorship in Asia, Africa and Latin America have been buying loyalty using public resources. The political economy of dictator’s survival teaches us that dictators do not ruled alone. Rather they build “supporters” coalition around them. However, this “support” is not free and must be rewarded and for this reason dictator’s ability to buy loyalty depends on the resources that dictators have at their disposal to construct patronage networks. In this case, the love affairs between the dictator and his bought supporters are material and not ideological. The bought love to the dictator is directly proportional to the amount of material reward availed for to the coopered soul. Decrease in the material reward brings decrease in the love and the dictator will revert to the more classic co-option resource-repression. TPLF thugs use the combination of both to maintain their political and economic dominance in Ethiopia. Unlike other dictators, TPLF’s co-option project is fueled by the narrow nature of its ethnic basis (7% of the population) and its total monopoly of the resources needed for this proejct. Thus, TPLF’s target for co-option are mainly non-Tigrians.
In any case, tons of documents were produced on Co-option and Dictatorship by researchers in the field. For example, Courtenay Ryals distinguishes two characteristics of domestic political opposition that helps dictators to decided whether to responded repressively or beneficently.1) level of organization, and 2) level of institutionalization. Using these two dimensions, Ryals created an original typology of ideal types of dictatorial; (1) Latent Political Opposition, which has low levels of organization and institutionalization; (2) Uninstitutionalized Political Opposition, which has high levels of organization and low levels of institutionalization; and (3) Institutionalized Political Opposition, which has high levels of organization and institutionalization.”
For more reading on this subject please refer the following links:
1. Constrained Concession: Dictatorship responses to domestic political opposition: By Courtenay Ryals http://www.saramitchell.org/ryals.pdf
2. Cooption and Repression in the Soviet Union by Dmitriy Gershenson; http://www.russellsage.org/publications/workingpapers/Cooption%20and%20Repression%20in%20the%20Soviet%20Union/document
3 The political economy of dictators survival, By Abel Escriba Folch; http://www.aecpa.es/archivos/congresos/congreso_07/area06
/GT26/ESCRIBA-FOLCH-Abel(IJM-UAM).pdf
4. Dictators and their Viziers: Agency Problem in Dictatorship; By George Egorov and Konstantin Sonin; http://www.sss.ias.edu/files/papers/econpaper53.pdf
It is an open secret that except for members of TPLF which is based on ethnicity, members of the other organizations within the EPRDF are in it for the money and influence. This has been the case since 1991. Any open and democratic system does not need to hire members since membership will be based on self interest and principle. The group that is protecting the interest of the majority will win power. What EPRDF is attempting is to distort this natural law. If indeed EPRDF can pay off the majority of the nation or even a significant minority then that is in effect what democracy is. Protecting and safe guarding the interest of the majority. Otherwise it is yet another attempt in this endless gimmicks of EPRDF. The surprising thing is this is nothing new it is the favorite tool of dictatorships. Intimidate or buy you years in power. During the Italian occupation these turn coats were called banda. During the Emperor’s time they were called ye del atbya arbegna. During the derg’s time they were know as ader bay, banda, or esepa. I like the name banda which is an apt description for these mercenaries. We have seen people die for principle in our generation. These turn coats may have joined the opposition for the simple fact that they thought it was an easier path to power and prestige. Now they are being tricked again thinking EPRDF is opening the door for them they just walked in. The fact that the opposition is disorganized is no excuse to join a ruthless and cruel organization like the EPRDF.
Dear Teshome,
I did not get the head or tail of what you want to say. If you are trying to glorify TPLF thugs, let me remind you Winston Churchill’s famous saying:
“An appeaser is a person who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last”
Cheers
I thought Abiye’s article was a bit harsh to the fast-growing business of cooption. I think a person of Abiye’s pedigree should have known better that our economy is diversifying in zillion ways. To put things to rest and let the facts speak for themselves I arranged for an exclusive interview with an expert on the subject.
Here is my interview on the art of cooption with Ethiopia’s most successful cooptee of all time. He hardly needs introduction for his fall from political grace in the public eye was so spectacular that people even named a mobile phone, which slides to open, after him. Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen please give your applause to the honourable MP His Excellency Lidetu Ayalew.
Q. How did you become such a successful cooptee?
A. Thank you for calling me this way. First of all, I was really pissed off at these ferenji scholars who say that cooption refers to cases ‘where a notionally private individual, group or group representative is formally incorporated into government decision-making as an advisor, informant or colleague.’ (He is referring to Michael Saward). I do not qualify to this title by their reckoning! You believe that?!
Q. Which part of the definition are you not comfortable with?
A. That part which says one has to have a formal position to decision making centres. The fact that the EPRDF has so far ignored me to cabinet or ambassadorial positions does not mean I am less of a cooptee. I have done my job to Meles’s satisfaction. Since the 2005 elections, I have come up with an innovative way of opposition politics. It is called opposing the opposition by opposing their opposition policies! I have destroyed the public’s belief in democracy and its values so much so that the supply of cooptees has grown exponentially.
Q. Tell me, who gains most in the game of cooption (the coopter, the cooptee, the public, etc.)?
A. I am afraid most people think cooption is an easy business. In those dark days before Meles chose me as his lapdog, I had no money, no personal security, and not a single appearance on TV for weeks. By being readily and repeatedly coopted, I happily traded-off people’s trust with a monopoly right to insult the Birtukans, the Berhanus, the Meraras, etc.
Q. Scholars prefer a three-part typology of cooption: Value cooption (the power resources at your disposal are certain social, cultural, ethnic or religious values), expertise cooption (primary power sources are specialised skills or knowledge), and producer cooption (economic power sources). So, which attribute of these three you have for EPRDF to coopt you?
A. Mine is without question cooption of the belly.
Q. You have any advice for potential cooptees?
A. Yes and no. I want as many people as possible to agree to be coopted. This will reduce unit costs of cooption for dearest EPRDF. On the other hand, as more people get into the game, my shares from the cake shall shrink. I call on government to immediately prepare a project on cooption for urgent funding by EU, World Bank and IMF funding.
Q. Some commentators are calling for the opposition to counteract EPRDF’s drive to coopt important personalities. Any tips for them?
A. How dare you ask me that when I tell you my life as a happily coopted opposition politician?
Q. Sorry I was thinking about the workings of the free market?
A. You should have said that from the outset. I am ready to offer my services as a double-cooptee. I need a couple of conditions to be met. First, the opposition should come up with a lot of cash (although I also receive payments in the form historical treasures). Second, the opposition needs to have a coherent and viable strategy to overthrow EPRDF.
As an insider in the cooption business, I can’t help noticing that in the long run all parties lose from this undertaking. People overlook the effect of agency problems in these kinds of situations. Once the pool of cooptees grows much, devoted cooptees like me lose the incentive to work as hard as we do now. This is called moral hazard. Also, cooption victimizes those who already are weak and lack principles. Do you imagine Birtukan falling for a cooption scheme?! Not in a million years. This is called problem of adverse selection. That is why I believe the best strategy for the opposition is to encourage all their supporters and sympathisers to be coopted at their earliest convenience.
michael nice one
These are good insights and you’re right, of course the opposition should think about this.
Two points…
First, it’s not so disheartening. Your points are very much in line with Derese Getachew’s. The EPRDF is, in order to stay in power, expanding it’s coalition. As it continues, it will be forced to evolve from a Tigrean-first ethnic grievance dominated dictatorship to just an ordinary ‘pluralist!’ dictatorship. This I think is positive. I would also point out that of course these cooptees will never have the same commitment to the EPRDF that the original members had. As circumstances change, they would be the first to stab them in the back.
Second, I think what matters most for the pro-democracy opposition is how it reacts to this ‘cooption’.
In the old days, some opposition supporters used to consider anything except agreeing fully with their position on every political matter in Ethiopia treason or pro-Woyane. Anybody who did business in Ethiopia, anyone who wouldn’t turn out for rallies, anyone who would God forbid see any positive change in Ethiopia, etc., was shunned. It was an unintelligent, anti-coalition, impractical mindset, and of course the major reason why the opposition has collapsed so shamefully over the past five years.
Today, I would hope that opposition supporters understand that everyone, including those coopted to various degrees, is a potential resource, a potential opportunity, not an enemy to be driven away to the EPRDF.
The opposition simply must play its cards right today, while the EPRDF is in a slow internally painful transition. Otherwise there is a real danger that in the long run a mafia-like non-ethnic dictatorship entrenches itself and makes it even more difficult for democracy to grow.
Dear Abiye, your feeble insights and conclusions dont hold water however hard you try to paint it as scholarly. I hope you have time to keep afloat and save yourself…otherwise I’ll be sad to watch you go down the drain.
redgards,
Abiye:
I think those friends of yours whom you’ve mentioned and their likes are suffering from something called Stockholm syndrome. The biggest and most visible one from that group of people is Lidetu Ayalew, whom TPLFites have been dubbing as, “Sele-Kemese Likk YeGebba.” In English: He’s gotten the taste of his medicine and now has been straightened out.
Dear Teshome,
“Metfat Yasenewural”
First of all do not try to hide TPLF inside an illusion called EPRDF. I am talking about TPLF (aka Woyannie) not the EPRDF that was dead before it was borne. The existence of the called EPRDF is a big lie which you well know as you have “inquisitive mind”
Second, may be you are one of the Woyannie cyber dogs who appease the TPLF thugs for denying Ethiopians access to independent websites and Newspapers (including Addis Neger). However, please feel free to regurgitating your primordial, primitive, backward thoughts that your learn form Meles School of Revolutionary Democracy. While you praise Woyannie for closing Addis Neger Newspaper and other independent media sources, thanks to the Addis Neger team you are free to say whatever you want on addisnegeronline.
Third, all TPLF appeaser are connected to each other by “aderbaynet and hodamnet) not by ideology. So, please fill your “hod” as much as you can before the sun sets for your pathological liar and megalomaniac master. The deficiency of TPLF supporters is that they do not “learn from history or act on principles deduced from it.” They think the TPLF ethnic militia and security apparatus will last for thousands of years like Hitlerians used to think in Nazi Germany. Until the sun sets and hell rains on TPLF, enjoy the protection of your ethnic militia and security apparatus and bark at us on addisnegetonline and other independent media sources.
Dear Teshome and Alebachew
I fully understand how futile it is to discuss anything of substance with your kind. You belive in TPLF and Meles like some kind of religion and both of you are not ready to contemplate the existence of alternatives or a middle ground. Like George Bush junior (whose ignorance can only be matched by people like Teshome) you are convinced that anybody who is not with you is against you. But politics is more complex than that. Remember that we are here discussing cooption and not membership to EPRDF. Most of the five million plus members of EPRDF you mentioned do not even properly understand what it means to be a member. So forget about your calculation of 25 million supporters of EPRDF. We all know (including yourself) that the only support to TPLF/EPRDF comes from Tigray. All other so called supporters including the recent cooptees are in it for material gains. The sooner you admit this the better because you would then know what to do when TPLF eventually collapses as do all dictators. You may feel that you can coopt to the next regime when the current one falls but if what you write here is anything to go by nobody would want to touch you. That is, of course, unless we end up with a government worse than TPLF and it would be a miracle if we come up with a government worse than Meles.
I resonate with D, Lubak,and Mesfin. Teshom and Alebachew have the difficult task of washing a pig. There is a consensus in Ethiopia on the nature of TPLF as that of a ruthless and cruel group that is determined to stay in power by any means. This has been witnessed for the past 19 years in which this Mafia group was in power. The supporters of TPLF fall into two groups. Those that support it because of ethnic loyalty. The second group is behind TPLF for the simple reason of being paid one way or another. Basically the second group is a mercenary group. TPLF has no ideology and principle thus no one can claim they are behind TPLF for its principles. Thus Teshom I understand it is an impossible task to defend TPLF. My message to the mercenaries is where is your dignity, where is your conscience. So is all that matters is comfortable living, social mobility. What kind of value are they perpetuating to their kids and to the next generation. To sell all you are for thirty peices of silver. The mercenaries live on their knees. All that matters is their hode. Teshom I bet you can not successfully defend the reason you are such an ardent TPLF supporter. Let us hear it.
Hi Abiye,
Thumbs up for such a coherent, well versed matured and analytical article. I just couldn’t get enough of your pieces. I learnt a lot inside-out about the ruling party and its gangs after reading your articles. I hope to read more of you sometime soon.
Good night/day
አብይ::
ለኔ ኢህአዴግ የሚባል ድርጅት ወያኔን የኢትዮጵያዊነት ልብስ ለማልበስ የተሰፋ የውሸት ስልቻ ነው:: የወያኔን አባሎችን በሚከተለው አይነት መክፍል ይቻላል::
(1) ዘረኛ አባሎች: የነሱ ዘር/ጎሳ ስልጣን ላይ ስለወጣ ብቻ በጭፍን የሚደግፉ:: እነዚህ ነፍሶች ለወያኔ ያላቸው ድጋፍ የሚመነጨው ከዘረኝነትና ጎጠኝነት ነው::ለምሳሌ ትግሬ ስለሆኑ ብቻ ለገሰ ዜናዊን መደገፍ: ወላይታ ስለሆኑ ብቻ ሃይለማሪያም ደሳለኝን ምደገፍ; ወዘተ::እነዚህ የነሱን ዘር/ጎሳ ስልጣን ላይ እስካከረመ ድረስ አገሪቱ ውስጥ የሰው ደም እንደ አባይ ሞልቶ ቢፈስ ምንም አይሰማቸውም::
(2) ምርኮኛ አባሎች:እነዚህ ነፍሶች ለወያኔ ያላቸው ድጋፍ የሚመነጨው ከፍርሃት:ከምርኮኝነት እና ከነታችነት ስነ ልቦና ነው:: ለምሳሌ የኦሕዴድ: ደቡብ ህዝቦች, ብአዴን መሪዎች):: እነዚህ ፍጡሮች አካላዊ ደህንነታቸው እስከተጠበቀ እና ስልጣን ላይ እስከ ቆዩ የህሊና ባርነት ጋር ተስማምተው የሚኖሩ ናቸው::
(3) ጥቅመኛ አባሎች: እነዚህ ነፍሶች ለወያኔ ያላቸው ድጋፍ የሚመነጨው ወያኔ እንደልቡ ከሚያዝብት ሃብት (ስልጣንንም ይጨምራል) በሚቦጭቅላቸው የጥቅም ፍርፋሪ ነው:: ለምሳሌ ደመዎዝ: ውሎ አብል: የትምህርት እድል: መሬት: የግብርና ግባቶች; ስልጣን: የባንክ ብድር: ወዘተ::እነዚህ ፍጡሮች ሆዳቸው እስከ ሞላ ድረስ የህሊና ባርነት እና ዘግናኝ ግፍ ጋር ተስማምተው የሚኖሩ ናቸው
Thanks Lubak
I think no one else could have said it better. No wonder that such people who have no conscience that troubles them at night are the ones who on whom TPLF relies to prolong its dictatorship. They are the ones who make the struggle against tyranny doubly difficult because they masquerade as members of the oppressed while in actual fact they only represent themselves. This tells us that a key issue that the opposition needs to address if it is to come up with a viable strategy of dismantling TPLF’s hold on power is how to regain the support it had amongst the middle class elite in the major urban centers. Unfortunately most opposition groups are still engaged in internal squabbles or are otherwise engaged in redressing the damage done in the past two elections. Meanwhile TPLF continues to recruit ever more mercenaries (I am not sure the word coopting can be applied for such cases) who are ready to sacrifice their mothers, brothers, and sisters to gain access to TPLF’s left overs. Given this situation I wouldn’t be surprised if TPLF manages to stay in power for the coming several decades.
Abiy,
I used to enjoy reading Addis Neger a lot. I considered it as a model/representation of a reasoned and calm discussion of home politics and other societal issues. I thought if people like reading this paper, then we have a good chance that we will see the emergence of citizens who don’t simply and emotionally dismiss the views of others and engage in hate politics. As that was what the paper seemingly represented.And for that, I admired and respected the Addis Neger people. But in conveying this to my friends I had always emphasized on one caveat: Only if the Addis Neger people believe in what they write….
Let me also give you an account of a conversation I had with my friend a few years ago: It was about the news that Mezenaga ( a news paper edited/produced by you) carried on its front page the alleged meeting of Lidetu with high ranking EPRDF officials in some hotel. Although there were several attempts to paint the image of Lidetu as a traitor by many newspapers (whether that is true or not is not the issue here), I gravitated towards believing the story by Mezenaga. I said to my friend: Abiy would not do that; would not fabricate the story. But my friend’s response was: you would be surprised by what he does, suggesting that he was part of a political plot. That was a few years ago.
I guess, i was mistaken. The recent writings of Abiy, including this one, has revealed the true colors of Abiy. He never believed in the articles he penned for Addis Neger. It was all a cover up. All along , he was, by his own admission, an opposition politician and not that objective journalist we thought he was. I mean, don’t get me wrong. A journalist can have his own opinion. But he shouldn’t make us believe that he is just a good, objective journalist that we can expect to be true to his research results.
In some sense, I feel you let me down. I don’t know why…………
ለወያኔ ዘረኛ: ጥቅመኛ እና ምርኮኛ አባሎች ማስታወሻ ይሁንልኝ
ሆድ ለመሙላት ብሎ ህሊና ተሸጠ:
ውሸት ነገሰና እውነት ፈረጠጠ::
ምንድን ነው ሰውነት ካለየ ከእንስሳ:
ነጻ ካላወጣ ከሀሊና አበሳ::
ተካካደ ፍጡር በሆዱ ተገዛ:
እንደ እንስሳ ሚኖር አደርባይ ተባዛ::
ካልሆነ የሚያስብ ከሆዱ ባሻገር የህሊናን ጣጣ:
ሰው በምን ይለያል ከአንበሳ ከነብር ከቅማል ከፈንጣ?
interesting observation i must say, but overrated. our rulers emlpoy a concerted and organised cooption of people and interests of which your humble observation has exposed. but it is not that elusive to figure out. for example
alamoudi recently promised neway debebe to provide him some money. now these are the type of activities that deny the oppposition to run out ot a campaign machine.
the same thing with teddy afro except that there was some resistance by the singer and he had to be coopted the other way. again alamoudi takes the blame.
what else, ali birra ….. should i continue? its like every aspect of life is a battle field for the govenrment.the opposition needs to understand this fact. if we step up to the fight we just might be able to revive ourself in every aspect of endeavour at the same time. its a gain both ways. Imagine it, we claim our community organisations, we learn to live together, fight our enemies together and endup being able to stand for something as a nation. a force to reckon with as they are today.
Teshome,
“TRUTH DOES NOT MAKE US RICH, BUT IT SETS US FREE” Socrates
First, all ወያኔ ዘረኛ: ጥቅመኛ እና ምርኮኛ አባሎች have Compulsive Lying Disorder (CLD) as they tell lies with ease and finds comfort in it. They fib about everything and anything with no conscience whatsoever. In the TPLF School of Revolutionary Democracy lying has become an addiction, ዘረኛ: ጥቅመኛ እና ምርኮኛ አባሎች do not even think about the lies they tell. They even continue to lie if when someone presents the truth in cold hard facts. Getting የወያኔ ዘረኛ: ጥቅመኛ እና ምርኮኛ አባሎች to admit they lied is almost impossible. Simple it is a permanent lying impairment. May be you are Sidamigna Speaker Woyannie????
Second, Teshome asked me “How I live with yourself/” This question need to be answered by Teshome who lives without ህሊና. I bet that you do not have any ህሊና to share the pain of endured by the people of Sidama in Wondo Genet, Arbegona, Aroressa, Bansa, Dalle, Shebedinno, Hawassa, Cheko, Belela, Melgano, Alta Wondo, Hagere Selam, etc. Please remember the pre-planned massacre and killing spree of 69 Sidama peaceful and unarmed demonstrators and wounding another hundreds more by TPLF thugs on May 24, at the village of LOQUE near the Awassa town. If you are a proud Sidama, when you hear this አይንህ ብቻ ሳይሆን ህሊናህም (ህሊና ካለህ) ሊያለቅስ ይገባል unless you have Compulsive Lying Disorder (CLD). The treatment for CLD is simple: Stop watching ETV, Stop listening Ethiopian Radio, Stop listening Fara Radio, Stop Reading the Reporter, Stop reading Addis Zemen!!
Third, the major mental imbalance and sickness of የወያኔ ዘረኛ: ጥቅመኛ እና ምርኮኛ አባሎች (አንተ የትኛው ውስጥ እንደሆንክ ባላውቅም) and cyber dogs is that they want to hear only how great TPLF leadership is. My friend, Addisnegeronline is not Radio Fara, it is not Radio Ethiopia, it is not ETV, it is not Addis Zemen, it is not Walta (Wushet) information centre, it is not Reporter, it is not Woyannie FMs, it is not ኢዜአ, it is not AIGA. PERIOD!
If you do not have the patience, the stamina, resilience and time to hear the Crime of your group, you better leave Addisnegeronline and read Reporter and Aiga misinformation forums. There you hear what you want: the Greatness of the Great, benevolence and beloved leaders of TPLF Mafia from Hailemariam Dessalegne to Legesse Zenawi; from General Ato Aba Dual to Shiferaw Shigute; from Giragn Gobeze to the pathological liar Bereket Simon, from Samora Yonus to TPLF dogs at Kebelle level. Could you understand that you are supporting a bunch of thieves and pathological lairs and scoundrels and drunkards who have the blood of innocent people in their hands?
Fourth, do you peacefully sleep (If you are not የወያኔ ዘረኛ: ጥቅመኛ እና ምርኮኛ አባል) after reading the following Woyannie Crime Dossier (I put this Dossier last time but you may not have read it)?
WOYANNIE CRIME DOSSIER:
• Meles Zenawi’s victims of deliberate Starvation
• The April 2003 Massacre at Addis Ababa!
• TPLF’s Crimes in April 2005 in the middle of the city
• Weyane’s depopulation tactic thru village torching Exposed!!
• Ethiopia: Meles appoints wife (Azeb Mesfin) as CEO of EFFORT
• GENOCIDE! GENOCIDE!! GENOCIDE!!! against the Ethio-Somalis
• STOP THE GENOCIDE IN ETHIOPIA !!
• Cruel and inhumane actions against street children in Addis
• ONLF: TPLF troops killing over 50 civilians in East Ethiopia
• Who was the architect of the Arbagugu Massacer?
• Somalia’s TFG and Weyane Accused of War Crimes
• The Torture of Ato Geze Rede
• TPLF regime implicated in war crimes in Somalia: HRW
• Woyanne’s scorched-earth tactic to depopulate Ogaden – HRW
• The Meles regime to block food to rebel region in Ethiopia
• Seye said: Tigraians of Eritrean extraction are the rulers
• The Hidden Famine in Gonder
• Famine hits Ethiopia, while WEYANE UPS MILITARY BUDGET
• A Cold-blooded Murder by TPLF
• Modern Crime against humanity
• AMNESTY: 21 SOMALI IMMAS MURDERED,7-THROAT CUT 11-EXECUTED
• A survivor in mass murder spree by TPLF vanguards in Ogadeni
• Weyane-Ethno-Dictatorial-Minority-Military-Junta’s ECONOMY!!
• CRIME: TPLF switching Ethio’s GOLD with PYRITE (fool’s gold)
• TPLF-Ethno-Dictatorial-Minority-Military-Junta killing spree
• Ogaden Crackdown Carries High Cost
• Woyanne’s Dirty War (Newsweek)
• Compare the ‘Kenya mafia’ with the ‘Woyanne mafia’
• TPLF killed Commercial Bank of Ethiopia’s President 1/26/06
• TPLF using Ethio resources for Tigrai hard currency supply
• Under Weyane 4.5mil people face mass starva in Ogaden:Holmes
• Weyane on mass murder spree against civilians in Ogadenia
• TPLF OWNS ETHIOPIA politically and economically
• Weyane planting explosives in NAZRET to scare people
• 6-more journalists flee from Weyane’s jaw
• Weyane closing all path to aid needy civilians in Ogadenia
• Journalist Tesfaye Tadesse murdered
• War crimes against civilians ‘rampant’ in Somalia
• Shell shocked: Civilians Under Siege in Mogadishu
• The Woyannie Regime says, it killed 500 Ogadenians
• Woyanne soldiers rape Somali girl
• Woyanne forces bomb markets and civilian homes
• The kidnapping and torture of Captain Teshome Tenkolu
• Woyanne savagery against students in Dembi Dollo
• Catastrophe looming in Ogaden
• Daniel Beyene (Tortured 1998-2000) murdered (2001)
• Cap. Teshome Tenkolu (Tortured 1998-2000)
• Execution of 4 youths in Gondar by Federal Police
• 14-year old Messeret Tadesse shot in the back by Woyanne
• A young heroine pays the ultimate sacrifice
• Student Shot Dead By Federal Police Officer in Addis Ababa
• The cold-blooded murder of student Shibiru Demissie
• Even Ethiopian wild animals under threat by Woyanne
• Students killed in brutal police attack
Woyanne war crimes in Ogaden – Human Rights Watch
• Gaara Suffii: The Killing Mountain – Lest We Forget!
• Adebabay Yesus mass-murder (sept 7, 1993 Gonder )
• The murder of AAU students (Addis Ababa, jan. 1993)
• Woyanne commits genocide in Gambela
• An index of Woyanne crimes against the people of Ethiopia
• The brutal murder of Assefa Maru
• Professor Asrat Woldeyes
• Tesfaye Tadesse (beaten to death Jan. 2007, Addis Ababa)
• Seblework Tadesse (beaten, imprisoned AA, Kaliti 2005)
Source: http://www.ethiopianreview.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4&sid=ae41c4911f29063a9c00f4992a3d69db
Fifth, Why do you write on Addisnegeronline which you spiritually supported its closure as a Addis Neger News Paper?
Finally, let me leave you with the following:
ሌብነት ጽድቅ ሆኖ በህግ ሲድገፍ:
ዘረኝነት ነግሶ ሙስና ሲታልፍ:
የአገር ሃብት በሽፍታ ሌት ከቅን ሲዘረፍ;
በመላ አገሪቱ የንጹሃኖች ደም እንደ ውሃ ሲጎርፍ:
መናገር ካቃተህ ሆድ ህሊናን ዘግቶት:
እምኑ ላይ ይሆን ያንተ ሰው ሰውነት?
እምኑላይ ይሆን ያንተ አዳም ልጅነት?
ውሸት አትመገብ ይሆንሃል እዳ:
እውነቱን ተናግረህ ህሊናህን አጽዳ::
Keruni!
Aby,
Thanks for exhibiting your true color. You helped us to know you better from your articles. The days are gone that you can disguise by the respected journalism profession. You were supposed to provide us with objective analysis; unfortunately you screwed up your write-ups to fit your misguided agenda. Well, you’re entitled to your own thoughts but don’t tell us that you are professional journalist. I wonder why you don’t join to the opposition parties which you have been promoting their programs or tell us to which you belong if you are so.
The discussion should not be about Abyie or his profession. The discussion should be what the article says. Keep Abyie out of your mind and critic the article or build on it. Explain why some of you do not think that the staunch supporters of woyane particularily Meles the individual are not coopted. Not only supporters the old woyane operatives that came to power with Meles are not equal anymore, hence they are simply been coopted to secure their retirement.
Oda,
you are right. the discussion should not be about Abiye. My comments were on what the opening paragraphs to his article revealed about him. I could not help commenting on that after reading it. But, of course, I agree that the issue of cooption should be discussed and debated.
Teshome,
Hito ti:
Please answer my question:
Why do you want to write on Addisnegeronline which you spiritually supported its closure as a Addis Neger News Paper?
Abiye,
I have liked your insightful article and have also admired the work done before writing it! Take Care!
TPLF supporters are coming out of the wood work to say Abiy showed his true colors and all. Telling the truth is true colors. These people do not know that truth hurts. If they do not like the opinion then it must be false. Mind you these are the same people who support gagging of the media. Repression of idependent voices. Now they do not want to hear about how TPLF is hiring mercenaries. I bet if they can they will shutdown any outlet that is not hired by TPLF. The only news they do not like is exposing TPLF for what it is.
Teshome,
Thank you for answering my question. I also like that you are not “person who learn EPRDF political philosophy in parrot fashion as few of your colleagues.” Thank you also for of saying that your government “ acted stupidly as you like to close these news papers and was disheartening in all parameter in terms of free press, free speech and free spirit is concerned” I hope that you keep your commitment for “free press, free speech and free spirit” unlike other TPLF members and Misinformation Forums!! Please also understand that I have no problem that you opposing Addisneger and I suppose that is your right.
Having said this, I would like to bring the following issues straight for the completeness of the record:
First, እንድታውቅልኝ የምፈልገው ነገር there is no EPRDF. There is only TPLF. በተደጋጋሚ ለማለት እንደሞከርኩት EPRDF ወያኔን ኢትዮጵያ-አቀፍ ለማድረግ የተሰፋ ስልቻ ነው:: ኢህአዴግ የምትለውን ስልቻ ስትከፍተው እውስጡ የምታገኘው ወያኔን እና የወያኔን ተንኮል ነው:: ኢህአዴግ is a cover to Woyannie crime family and thugs. ኢህአዴግ በሌላ አነጋገር ከሌሎች ብሔረሰቦች የተሰባሰቡ ነዳያን ምርኮኞችና ጥቅመኞች የወያኔን ፍርፋሪ የሚቀበሉበት ኢትዮጵያዊ ቀልም የተቀባው ደጀሰላም ነው:: So, I am not talking about your non-existent “EPRDF” but TPLF that really exists. Please DO NOT misunderstands me: I have no any intention whatsoever to think all Tigrians are Woyannie. What I am taking here is about the few ወያኔ Nomenklatura (ruling elites) and Apparatchiks (political leadership)!! ኢህአዴግ የሚባልው ወያኔ አዲስ አበባ ሊገባሲል የለቀቀው ወጥ የማሳሳቻ ዜማ ነው::
Second, ወያኔ ከምርጫ 1997 ወዲህ በገንዘብ ሊገዛው ያልቻለውን ፍቅር ለማጥላላት የለቀቀው ነጠላ ዜማ is called “hatred filled Diaspora politic.” “የሌባ አይነ ደርቅ መልሶ ልብ ያደርቅ” እንደሚባለው: ወያኔ እና ዘረኛ:ምርኮኛና ጥቅመኛ አባሎቹ በውጭ አገር ያሉ ኢትዮጵያውያንን “በጥላቻ ፖለቲካ” የመክሰስ ምንም የሞራልም ሆነ የግብረ ገብነት ብቃት የላችውም:: ምክንያቱም:
• ለመሆኑ የጥላቻን ኮተት እና ቆሻሻ ከክሳድ ግመል ሰብስቦ ኢትዮጵያ ላይ የዘራው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ ባንዲራቸንን ብጣሽ ጨርቅ ነው ያለው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ የአክሱም ሃውልት ለውላይታው: ለከምባታው አና ለሲዳማው ምኑ ነው ያልው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ እኢትዮጵያ በታሪክ ጦርነት አሸኝፋ አታውቅም ያለው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ በሕገ መንግስቱ ውስጥ ጥላቻን በጥቁር ቀለም እነጭ ወርቀት ላይ ያሰፈር ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ ጦሩን: ፖሊሱን: ደህንነቱን እና ባጥቃላይ የመንግስትን መዋቅር በአንድ ሰፍር ጎረምሶች የጠቀጠቀው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ የሕዝብ መገናኛ ብዙሃንን እንድ ግል ንብረቱ ይዞ የጥላቻን ፖለቲካ ለ20 ዓመታት ሲነፋ የኖረው እና እየነፋ ያለው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ ለኢትዮጵያ ካለው ጥላቻ የተነሳ የኢትዮጵያ መሬት እንደ ስለት ዳቦ እየቆረሰና እየሸነሸነ የሚሰጠው/የሚሸጠው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ ኢትዮጵያ ወያኔ (በነሱ አባባል ኢህዴግ) ካልመራት ትበታተናለች የሚለው ማን ነው?
• ለመሆኑ የራሱን ጎጥ ወርቅ አዽርጎ ሌላውን ብሄረሰብ መዳብ ያደረገው ማን ነው?
So, “hatred filled Diaspora politic” እየተባለ በወያኔ እና ባባላቱ የሚዘመው ነጠላ ዜማ: “ሌባው ሌባ ሌባ” እያለ እንደሚሮጠው አይነት ነው:: ያራዳ ልጆች መዝገብ ቃላት እንዲህ አይነቱን የወያኔ ቅጥፈት እና ህዝብን ለማጨናበር የተለቀቀ ዘፈን “ነጠላ ዜማ” በሎ ይተረጉመዋል::
Third, ሌላው በወያኔ ዘረኛ: ምርኮኛና ጥቅመኛ አባሎቹ የሚቀነቀነው ጠላ ዜማ “the strength and developmental nature of EPRDF” ነው:: If TPLF thugs measure their strength by the size of membership which they claim reaches 5 million people. However, they do not ttell how they enforce membership. In TPLF’s Ethiopia (like other former community regimes) membership is “gained” by using both cooption and repression to encourage loyalty to the “Shifta New Class.” While the cooption targets weak souls, political repression aimed at strong souls and small groups ranges from censorship and torture. TPLF’s repression on a larger scale includes manufactured famine of opposition member mass deportation of people to the ወያኔ prison and labor camps.
The other major means of repression is carried out by means of “thought control or though reform”. The Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Robert Jay Lifton in his book entitled “Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of “Brainwashing” in China (1956) has described the following Eight Criteria for Thought Reform/control used by totalitarian regimes including TPLF:
1. Milieu Control (አባሉ የሚኖርበትን ሁኔታ መቆጣጠር): This involves the control of information and communication both within the environment and, ultimately, within the individual, resulting in a significant degree of isolation from society at large. In Ethiopa ለዚህ ነው ወያኔ ከራሱ ሚዲያ ውጭ አባላቱ እንዳይሰሙና እንዳያነቡ የሚጥረው and ነጻ ሚዲያዎችን የሚያፍነውና የሚዘጋው:: (ESAT, Addis Neger, VOA, German Radio, G7-Radio, etc)
2. Mystical Manipulation (መለኮታዊ ማምታታት). The manipulation of experiences that appears spontaneous but is, in fact, planned and orchestrated by the group or its leaders in order to demonstrate divine authority, spiritual advancement, or some exceptional talent or insight that sets the leader and/or group apart from humanity, and that allows reinterpretation of historical events, scripture, and other experiences. In Ethiopia, ለዚህ ነው ውያኔ የመለስን መለኮታዊነት አባላቱ ከሚበሉት እህልና ከሚጠጡት ውሃ (እንደ አባሉ ደርጃ ውስኪም ሊሆን ይጭላል) ጋር እንዲዉጡ የሚያስገድዳቸው::
3. Demand for Purity (የሕዳሴ ንጽህና). The world is viewed as black and white and the members are constantly exhorted to conform to the ideology of the group and strive for perfection. The induction of guilt and/or shame is a powerful control device used here. In Ethiopia, ለዚህ ነው ውያኔ ማለቂያ የሌለው ስም ማጥፋትንና ማዋረድ ያለበት ግምገማ በመላ አገሪቱ በማካሂያድ በህዝብ ሃብት የሚጫወተው::,
4. Confession (የራስ ግምጋማ/ኑዛዜ): Sins, as defined by the group, are to be confessed either to a personal monitor or publicly to the group. There is no confidentiality; members’ “sins,” “attitudes,” and “faults” are discussed and exploited by the leaders. In Ethiopia, ለዚህ የኦቦ አሊ አብዶ “ገምቻለሁ:በስብሻለሁ: ሸትቻለሁ” የአቶ ታምራት ላይኔ ተምክሬ ተመክሬ አልተመለስኩም ኑዛዜዎች ጥሩ ምሳሌዎች ናቸው::
5. Sacred Science (የተቀደሰ/የትባረከ ርዮተ-ዓለም): The group’s doctrine or ideology is considered to be the ultimate Truth, beyond all questioning or dispute. Truth is not to be found outside the group. The leader, as the spokesperson for God or for all humanity, is likewise above criticism. In Ethiopia, this is የወያኔ አብዮታዊ ዲሞክራሲ ነው::
6. Loading the Language ((የአባሎች መግባቢያ አዳዲስ ቃላቶች): The group interprets or uses words and phrases in new ways so that often the outside world does not understand. This jargon consists of thought-terminating clichés, which serve to alter members’ thought processes to conform to the group’s way of thinking. In Ethiopia, ሕዳሴ: ማሳለጫ: ቆረጣ: ግምገማ:አካሂያድ:አንድና አንድ:በኮንዶም አንዋጋም: የጎዳና ነውጠኞች: ህገ መንግስቱን ለመናድ:ኮማንድ ፖስት:አደገኛ ቦዘኔ:ወዘተ are the new loaded languages of the TPLF Nomenklatura!! In fact, Lifton said, “the language of the totalist environment is characterized by the thought-terminating cliché. The most far-reaching and complex of human problems are compressed into brief, highly reductive, definitive-sounding phrases, easily memorized and easily expressed. These become the start and finish of any ideological analysis
7. Doctrine over person (አባሎች ፍላጎታችውውን ለተቀደሰው ርዮተ-ዓለም ማስገዛት): Member’s personal experiences are subordinated to the sacred science and any contrary experiences must be denied or reinterpreted to fit the ideology of the group. In Ethiopia, የወያኔ አባሎች አይናቸው ያየውን እዉነት ሁሉ ውሸት ነው ብለው እንዲያምኑ ማስቻል: ነው:: In other words TPLF members encouraged to believed that what the opposition call crimes of TPLF are illusions created by the “lack of revolutionary democracy” outlook.
8. Dispensing of existence (ህልውና መቆጣጠር): The group has the prerogative to decide who has the right to exist and who does not. This is usually not literal but means that those in the outside world are not saved, unenlightened, unconscious and they must be converted to the group’s ideology. If they do not join the group or are critical of the group, then they must be rejected by the members. Thus, the outside world loses all credibility. In conjunction, should any member leave the group, he or she must be rejected also. In Ethiopia, ይህ ወያኔን “ከደግፍክ ሆድህ ይሞላል:: ውያኔን ካልደግፍክ ሆድህ ብቻ ሳይሆን ህልዉናህ ይክስማል” የሚለዉን የውያኔ አባላቶች ማስተዳደሪያ ያስታዉሰናል::
Like the Chinese were trying to create the “new socialist man” TPLF is trying to create the “new revolutionary democracy man” using Thought Reform/control methods. For TPLF membership size is not a measure of its strength but rather its fundamental weakness given the ethnic tectonic plate of TPLF is narrow to increase the size of ዘረኛ አባሎቹ:: Further, unlike china, TPLF’s membership expansion project is risky precisely because when the times comes የወያኔ ምርኮኛና ጥቅመኛ አባሎቹ will shift their loyalty to their primoridial ethnic tectonic plate. Hence, TPLF’s strength is not emanating from the size of membership rather from one ethnic group’s absolute control and free use of all institutions of oppression.
• The Army, police and security apparatus
• The bureaucracy including local administration
• The mass media both electronics and print
• Making the legislative and judiciary branches of government the extension of the executive
Cheers and Keruni Teshome!!
Thank you Addisnegeronline team!
Keep on informing the truth and facilitating online dialogues.
Cheers
You speak it what was wondering in my mind with your good writing and analysis.
Thank you Abiye
what more proof do we need for cooption more than the aim less demonstration woyane supporters did in DC this week. What are they demanding the US government? The theme of the demonstration was to call the Egypt government for equitable division of the water resources flowing from Ethiopia to Sudan and Egypt. What can the US do to this awkward demand? They were telling the world that Meles government is legitmately won the fake election. What kind of ridiculous theme is that.
The only thing one can deduce from the demonstration is that Meles is putting a lot of pressure on his stooges to do something in diaspora that might help him boost his image in the hope that the killer face might change. I heard that some families were pressured to wear T-shirts with Meles image. They are pressuring some of the sympathetic shop to carry the left over shirts for sale.
What i understood these days is that most of us even those who talk tirelessly of unity and love for our country are very easy to ‘co-opt’. Hodams. Our next challenge is not racism, it is hodamism. There is no dignity not only in EPRDF but also in the general public.
If you dont have dignity and moral, you can be anywhere and do anything. GOD bless that only lady!
teshome
It is good that you admitted that the sovereignty of Ethiopia severely chipped away during woyane–Meles government. Meles’ is dealing with other countries through mediation of US and to convince the US he has to stage demonstration in front of white house. Like the colonial time, US is the protectorate of Ethiopia.
Coming to coopting issue, are you trying to convince the world pity individuals like Solomon Tekalgn is not coopted to shamelessly open his mouth publicly. It is amazing why he come all the way from Eth for this demonstration. Is this demonstartion so important to Meles?
teshome
First, my apology. I didn’t communicate well and created confusion in the message. I was trying to state what I interpreted from your writing. You are right you didn’t say that the sovereignty of Ethiopia is compromised. But, when you try to justify that Meles supporters demonstration is right and legitimate, you said “……there is nothing in world America can’t influence”. I was reacting to that statement when I say that you admitted that the sovereignty is compromised. Eth is an independent state that should negotiate and claim its own right without consultation of US. An independent nation should not beg other nation to assert its right. It just doesn’t give sense to export staged demonstration all the way to US.
Solomon Tekalgn has a right to support any political view including supporting Meles and his cronies. He has also right to participate or organize demonstration on behalf of Meles and his supporters. He has also right to be in Meles payroll and receive pittance. I have also right to suspect and speculate on his motive. I just think that he is a paid Meles agent. Whatever talent he has Meles wants to make a good use of it. I do not think he will ever be in a position to oppose Meles . The fact that he is already locked in Meles camp makes me think the guy is coopted.