Former Kinijjit Officials Hint at Armed Struggle to Defeat TPLF

In a four page press release they dispatched recently, five members of the now defunct Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party supreme council ”resigned” from their positions in CUDP over what they termed “fundamental differences” between their recently adopted political position and CUDP’s chosen method of struggle.

After preaching “non-violence” as THE WAY since the inception of CUDP (a.k.a. Kinijjit), Berhanu Nega, Andargachew Tsige, Daniel Asefa, Mesfin Aman and Chekol Getahun seem to have finally come to their senses and realized that it is a futile and useless method against a tyrannical force like TPLF/EPRDF.

In their press release, (Read here in Afaan Amaaraa) they lament the deplorable repressive and stifling political environment in the country and TPLF/EPRDF’s “true nature” which they now say is devoid of understanding “civilized politics.”

“This stifling environment which" they wrote, "is imposed on our country [by TPLF/EPRDF] and in which citizens, political parties and civic organizations are unable to perform their activities freely, has forced, not only CUD members, supporters and the general [Ethiopian] society, but also a few of us within the Kinijit leadership to raise questions around TPLF/EPRDF’s true nature and the method of struggle CUDP should utilize in the struggle against such an absolutely tyrannical force.”

“ … Given TPLF’s absolute tyrannical nature, we have come to give up on the belief that the repression imposed on the Ethiopian people by the TPLF/EPRDF can be eliminated by struggling within the confines of ‘peaceful and legal’ methods which the TPLF allows [or takes away] at its whim. Consequently, we have decided to struggle against the TPLF/EPRDF at a time of our choosing in a manner organized heedless of TPLF/EPRDF benevolence and free to employ any means necessary. “

“We have no doubt” they wrote, “that we will create a situation in which TPLF/EPRDF will present itself for negotiations [with Ethiopian opposition forces] not as a result of pleading with it but being forced to do so …” (translation mine)

The notion that one can struggle in a “peaceful and legal” manner to defeat TPLF when TPLF is in control of the legislative, the judiciary and the executive branches of government, election commissions, law enforcement, the army, etc … was preposterous from the start.

Congrats to Dr. Berhanu & Co. for finally getting it.

It is equally preposterous to give credence to the notion that there is democracy in Ethiopia or that the incumbent government is moving in that direction by joining or remaining in its parliament. It is hoped that Bulcha Demeksa, Beyen Petros and Merera Gudina will see the light in a not so distant future.

Have your say.