Dear Sebele Aseged -
First and foremost, I would like to point to everyone that no one really knows that Seye Abraha’s group actually authored this 9-page article. Furthermore, a lot can be altered when one translates the article from Tigrenia to Amharic to English. And finally, there is the talk that it was in fact Meles’ group that wrote that piece, all in an effort to paint the break-away group as hard-liner communists (for propaganda purposes). Some claim that Meles’ group wants to paint the 12 as communists so that people would not follow them or listen to what they have to say.

Even BBC has been told by its “secret” sources (within the Ethiopian government) that these people are “hard-liners” who follow “Marxist ideologies”. Have you asked yourselves WHY BBC has not yet gone directly to the 12 individuals and asked them about their ideology? Why hasn’t BBC asked the 12 if they really wrote the article? And why hasn’t BBC tried to get the other side of the story? Why is BBC simply reporting hearsay or gossip masquerading it as fact? Who is trying to silence the 12 and WHY?

It seems like these “secrete” government sources are saying to us “don’t ask them directly, just take our word for it. They’re communists!” And, we are expected to buy into this propaganda? I’m glad the likes of Sebele Aseged are in the minority this time.

Having said that, let me play the devil’s advocate with some of the points Sebele raised.

She says, “The Seyeh Abrha’s group accuses the Meles’s group practicing “Bourgeoisie Democracy”.

Here is what I have been able to gather from a several none-propaganda sources: The 12 individuals led by Seye have accused Meles’ group of practicing CORRUPT democracy, NOT 'bourgeoisie democracy'. In fact, they have asked everyone in the TPLF Central Committee to undergo personal financial audits to ensure that no one in a leadership position is lining his or her own pocket. Is this what you call communist ideology? Hard-liners, maybe. But, communists?

Currently, there is debate in the U.S. congress about campaign finance reform. The likes of Senator John McCain are arguing that Corporate money is unduly influencing government policy and thus it needs to be taken out of politics. This, to some might seem like a hard-liner, hard-nosed position. Does it mean John McCain is communist?

The 12 individuals are asking for government accountability the same way John McCain, for example, is asking the U.S. government to be accountable to its citizens and not to corporations. You tell us where the socialist view in this is?

Incidentally, look at the posts the 12 individuals held in the Ethiopian government. You will see a pattern developing. None of these 12 is actually holding a position where one can make a lot of money by the way of corruption or self-dealing. They are either political advisors or governor and deputy-governor of Tigray, or like Seye Abraha they simply work in Tigray on developmental issues. Five of these dropped everything they were doing to lead our army during the war with Eritrea. On the other hand, the other group led by Meles holds all the economic posts in the government.

They control the money. Now the 12 are asking for everyone, including themselves, to undergo financial audits. It is reported that some don’t want to be audited. WHY? That is the question? What are they afraid of?

Rightfully so, the 12 members led by Seye are calling this “corrupt democracy.” If the other 18 have nothing to hide, they should agree to be audited and get it over with. But it is very convenient to label the 12 as advocates of communism to scare people, isn’t it? This is called the good old scare tactic.

Sebele also writes that “The Press Release also accuses the Meles’ group of being “Pro Western” and abounding TPLF’s founding principal of Socialism…..Also, exactly what is wrong with being “Pro Western?” Didn’t Russia become Pro Western, Didn’t East Germany become Pro Western, even the Giant Red, China, is inching its way toward Pro Western?”

This is an immature way of looking at politics or economics. The claim that the 12 individuals today advocate socialism or communism is really sickening. Let us hear from these people directly before we jump into conclusions and make judgements about their ideological stance. Personally, I simply don’t believe they advocate socialism.

What they have said is: Meles’ group is adopting economic packages that are detrimental to the country. This needs to be changed.

Let’s examine one of these policies:

Mr. Meles wants to devalue Ethiopia’ currency even further than he has to-date. Of course, this is because the World Bank told him it will attract foreign investors etc etc...

The fact is: Ethiopia has not been able to attract much foreign capital over the past 10 years even after devaluing our currency by a whapping 200 percent (Mohammod Al Amudi did not invest because of the devaluation; nor is aid or borrowed money considered foreign investment by any stretch of the imagination).

The fact is: there isn’t a single third world country that has been able to attract capital by adopting these measures. Profiteers, yes. Real capital, no! Therefore, all devaluation has been able to achieve is make it very, very difficult for Ethiopia’s downtrodden to buy food, medicine and clothing. Today, the little money they earn does not amount to anything. They are increasingly finding it difficult to survive.

The second major effect of the devaluation of our currency, the other sad part of this story, is: whatever little we used to export will now be exported for dirt cheap. Our coffee, because of the 200 percent devaluation of the birr, is now 67% OFF its past price. What people used to pay one dollar for, they now pay .30 cents (because today 1 dollar buys 9 birr whereas ten years ago 1 dollar used to buy only 3 birr). This is really not that hard to understand.

Whatever little we used to sell, we are now selling the same thing for 1/3 the price. Why? Because we devalued our currency. Why? Because we are blindly following IMF and World Bank policies. Why? Because no one is thinking through the true effects of the policies we are adopting.

What’s worse, Meles’ group wants to devalue our currency even further. You will be the judge of what is going to happen to our export prices! If he devalues our currency buy 100 percent more this time, we will be selling our exportable goods for half price; this is because the dollar will then be able to buy twice as much birr. This will mean a resource that Ethiopia used to charge one dollar for only ten years ago, she will be selling that same resource for .20 cents today. Is Ethiopia benefiting with this policy?
Who is benefiting?

So, people who know the true effects of these asinine policies are saying, “STOP! We should not blindly adopt economic policies without thinking them through or because we want to be called progressives or reformists. We should not, for example, devalue our currency simply because the World Bank said so. Let us adopt sensible, comprehensive economic policies.”

Are you going to label these people anti-progress? Anti-democracy? Anti-western? Socialists? Communists? Nazis?

How easy has it become to discredit and attempt to destroy patriotic Ethiopians? How easy is it to label them some scary name so they won’t be heard.

Is this your brand of democracy?

These 12 people did not try to raise arms to fight with guns, they simply wanted ALL the issues discussed in public instead of a secret committee meeting. They are fighting with words and ideas. If Meles and his group do not have anything to hide, if their policy can truly pass muster, if it benefits Ethiopia, let them defend it in public. But throwing out opposing views, silencing the other side from being heard, or sacking ELECTED officials from their ELECTED positions is NOT the democracy we know.
Sebele, please tell us what brand of democracy this is?

With what mandate has Gebru Asrat, president of Tigray region, elected by the people of Tigray, been sacked form his position? He is an elected official, he can only be removed by the people of Tigray who supposedly democratically voted him into office.

With what mandate has Aregash Adane, deputy president of Tigray region, who was also elected by the people of Tigray, been thrown out of her office? Where is the democracy in this?

Who has totally disregarded the voice of the people’s of Tigray as expressed in the last election? Who is really following socialism or communism by disregarding the voices of the people?
WHO???
By Fanos