Where Democracy Ends, Dictatorship Begins

Afera Gebru
Since the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi mob rule has started, the current situation in Ethiopia continues widening the cycle of violence. The possibility of a lasting political settlement is gone in the direction of never land. The crisis is profoundly deeper than many political actors may have realized. A fundamental factor has been the Prime Minister that has eliminated or blocked the function of all institutions under his decree. His actions with his cronies are extremely dangerous and deeply troubling, that threatens the democratization process and the fabric of the society. He chose brute force and intimidation as a weapon to destroy his opponents and Ethiopia�s interest at large. Brute force alone is unlikely to bring him stability. The hope is darkened; citizen�s rights are routinely violated in all corners. All the political parties under the umbrella of EPRDF that are represented in the parliament must also share responsibility for the deterioration of the rule of law. The PM�s inclination towards absolute control of the EPRDF coalition and state apparatus, contempt for the constitution and its laws, unwillingness to dialogue and negotiate as means to resolve the differences and conflicts. These identified characteristics of the on-going crisis have brought us to the current impasse. The PM has been grossly fraudulent in all his actions. Elected public figures have unlawfully been suspended and reduced their terms by dubious means against the constitution�s terms for elected officials.

With the help of 70,000 top TPLF cadres on his foot, in Tigrai, Meles is trying hard to establish political power and leverage, but fortunately to no avail. Further more, Meles and his associates in frantic bidding are now holding a meeting to legalize the illegal measures that has been taken against the dissidents by replacing them with corrupt and unqualified brainwashed cadres. The Central Committee of the TPLF is in the hands of Meles, in spite of protests of its illegal seizure by the people of Tigrai. Local Meles elite�s have succeeded to cling to power by resorting to every means undemocratic and against the principles of the TPLF constitution. As a result of this undemocratic character, lack of transparency, dogmatic principle, and lack of truth, the Meles regime is driving our country in to dangerous situations than ever before. Meles and his associates are quite uneasy at the prospect ahead of them. The Meles cronies are conducting illegal meetings to compel members to sign manifesto of their allegiance to his administration. Having taken the wrong path, the present Central Committee of the TPLF goes further and further astray in its decisions to indorse Bonapartism and the erosion of liberty. The Central Committee must have lost all sense of reality, trying to bolster up its hopeless case and resolution that there is no need for the Ethiopian people to invent a new Meles regime. The Meles regime has already been condemned and rejected. There is no need therefore to further expose the undemocratic nature of the Meles regime that has already been refuted by facts and rejected by the people. EPRDF also seems to have signed allegations to the Meles regime against its will contrary to its convictions. This is not the first time the party has fallen in such undignified position. The struggle for principles, support of democratic institutions, and the struggle for the institutionalization of democracy have been eroded.

The PM with his party EPRDF has shown no desire to be transparent and democratic. Those opportunities not only were forgotten (or failed to be understand), but were intentionally set aside to fulfill the personal interests of the PM! The recent erosion of law and costly war with Eritrea where the Ethiopian people have sacrificed their lives to safeguard the national interest of the nation is a very good example. The Ethiopian people were not able to follow the negotiations between Meles and Isayas, nor were given a forum to express their opinions. The negotiations were of supreme interest to our nation. It is unfortunate that the issue of the national territory is entirely under the singular control of the Prime Minister! The way seems to be well paved for the PM and Ethiopia seems ready to descend into endless spiral of crises. A political landscape made up CC, members and individuals without principles, save that of personal gain and aggrandizement, cannot be expected to contest nor questions the PM. History, has kept on repeating itself with tragic consequences, one can not deny that the present situation is a result of the past mistakes of early TPLF formation.
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