A member of the European Parliament who is a fervent critic of the TPLF said current political developments in Ethiopia could lead to conflict with tremendous consequences to the Horn of Africa.
Speaking to ESAT on the phone, the Portuguese politician said she fears that the ongoing conflicts in various parts of the country will go out of hand with serious ramifications to the region and even to Europe.
Ana Gomes, who was an observer for the rigged 2005 election in Ethiopia, said the 2015 election in the country was a farce and no one came to observe it. As a result, the MP said the Ethiopian regime has no legitimacy. She wonders why the U.S. and EU still continue support the regime.
“It is really shocking to me that powers such as the U.S. and the EU and its member states know very well that TPLF has no legitimacy and democratic bases in Ethiopia and still continue to support under the pretext that it is an ally against terrorism,” Gomes said.
She said recent resignation by officials of the government and members of the army show that there is “tremendous fragmentation” and “lack of coherence with in the TPLF.”
“It shows that the situation is fast unravelling.”
“Those in U.S. and Europe used excuses to turn a blind and have neglected the democratic aspiration of the people of Ethiopia. The fact that they have supported and turn a blind eye to the totalitarian regime of the TPLF is going to provoke an uncontrolled explosion in Ethiopia. I am very very worried for Ethiopia as well as the Horn of Africa and Europe too because it has an implication for Europe,” Gomes added.
Speaking about Bereket Simon, who recently announced his resignation, and an official whom she dealt with during the 2005 election, the Member of Parliament described him as “cynical, cruel and despicable.”
“After Meles, he was the most despicable character i had to deal with. He has a murky character. He could be operating from behind. I had always been extremely suspicious about him.”.
She also talked about Dr. Tedros Adhanom, the Ethiopian Director General of the WHO who was recently under fire for nominating Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe. She said Dr. Tedros is “a member the TPLF and responsible for crimes committed by the criminal organization.”
She advised that change in Ethiopia will occur if Ethiopians come together and take matters in their own hands.
“They should not expect someone else come and make changes in the
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption Eshetu Alemu is accused of ordering the execution of 75 people during Ethiopia's "Red Terror"
The war crimes trial of an aide to Ethiopia's former communist ruler has begun in the Netherlands.
Eshetu Alemu, 63, is accused of ordering the execution of 75 people during Ethiopia's "Red Terror" purges in the late 1970s. The former aide to then ruler Mengistu Haile Mariam is also accused of torture and inhumane treatment. He denies all the charges against him. More than 300 victims have been named in four war crimes charges. Ethiopia has sentenced him to death in absentia.Read more about Ethiopia Prosecutors allege that Alemu, a dual Ethiopian-Dutch national, was a henchman for Mengistu in the north-west Gojjam province. As his trial opened at a domestic court in The Hague, Eshetu Alemu said that prosecutors had "the wrong person". "I was really shocked when I heard what prosecutors are accusing me of doing, that I could behave like that as a human being. I deny the charges against me," he told the four judges.
The Mengistu regime and the Red Terror
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption Mengistu Haile Mariam governed Ethiopia between 1977 and 1991 Marxist strongman Mengistu Haile Mariam ruled Ethiopia between 1977 and 1991 following the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. There was significant repression under his communist regime. This became known as the "Red Terror". Mengistu was ousted in 1991 after a series of revolts by insurgent groups. He then fled to Zimbabwe where he still resides. In 2007, Mengistu was found guilty in absentia of genocide. In a statement, prosecutors said that Alemu "allegedly ordered the killing of 75 young prisoners" in a church. The bodies were then dumped in a mass grave, they said. Alemu is also accused of "arbitrary detention and cruel and inhuman treatment of civilians and fighters who had laid down their arms" . It is alleged that he tied prisoners up, suspended them in mid-air and beat their bare feet with sticks. It is expected that a number of his alleged victims will give evidence during the trial.
'Terrible things happened'
Alemu testified in Dutch and told judges that he was a senior member of the Marxist-Leninist regime which governed the country. He said he was "responsible for propaganda" and had been targeted for assassination by other political groups. In a statement read by presiding judge Mariette Renckens, Alemu said that "terrible things happened". He responded "no" when asked if he had "ever signed an execution order". But the judge told Alemu that his signature was on an August 1978 order saying that "revolutionary measures" had to be be taken against more than 70 prisoners. Orders of this kind, she said, usually meant "execution without trial". Alemu denied giving the order, saying he lacked the authority to do so. "I was never there," he said.
Most big names already tried
Analysis by Tibebeselassie Tigabu, BBC Amharic service People in Ethiopia are only really interested in this case because it is happening in The Hague. Alemu is not a well-known figure from the Mengistu regime. Most of the big names have already been tried - and pardoned - over the past few years. The trauma of the genocide is still felt among the people because it touched every house across the country. The thing that interests and troubles people most is the fact that the late president Mengistu Haile Mariam is still at large in Zimbabwe, despite the fact that he has been sentenced to death in absentia.
A member of the European Parliament who is a fervent critic of the TPLF said current political developments in Ethiopia could lead to conflict with tremendous consequences to the Horn of Africa.
Speaking to ESAT on the phone, the Portuguese politician said she fears that the ongoing conflicts in various parts of the country will go out of hand with serious ramifications to the region and even to Europe.
Ana Gomes, who was an observer for the rigged 2005 election in Ethiopia, said the 2015 election in the country was a farce and no one came to observe it. As a result, the MP said the Ethiopian regime has no legitimacy. She wonders why the U.S. and EU still continue support the regime.
“It is really shocking to me that powers such as the U.S. and the EU and its member states know very well that TPLF has no legitimacy and democratic bases in Ethiopia and still continue to support under the pretext that it is an ally against terrorism,” Gomes said.
She said recent resignation by officials of the government and members of the army show that there is “tremendous fragmentation” and “lack of coherence with in the TPLF.”
“It shows that the situation is fast unravelling.”
“Those in U.S. and Europe used excuses to turn a blind and have neglected the democratic aspiration of the people of Ethiopia. The fact that they have supported and turn a blind eye to the totalitarian regime of the TPLF is going to provoke an uncontrolled explosion in Ethiopia. I am very very worried for Ethiopia as well as the Horn of Africa and Europe too because it has an implication for Europe,” Gomes added.
Speaking about Bereket Simon, who recently announced his resignation, and an official whom she dealt with during the 2005 election, the Member of Parliament described him as “cynical, cruel and despicable.”
“After Meles, he was the most despicable character i had to deal with. He has a murky character. He could be operating from behind. I had always been extremely suspicious about him.”.
She also talked about Dr. Tedros Adhanom, the Ethiopian Director General of the WHO who was recently under fire for nominating Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe. She said Dr. Tedros is “a member the TPLF and responsible for crimes committed by the criminal organization.”
She advised that change in Ethiopia will occur if Ethiopians come together and take matters in their own hands.
“They should not expect someone else come and make changes in the
The Ethiopian current government (TPLF juntas) has sent its cadres and spies to the heart of Europe (Germany) to threaten those who fight against its 25 years dictatorial rule. The successful Patriotic Ginbot 7 fund-raising programs which have been held in the month of June 2016 in three different European countries (Norway, Switzerland, and Germany) have shocked these undemocratic Ethiopians leaders. , prof. Dr. Birhanu Nega’s speeches ( the chairperson of Patriotic Ginbot 7) on the fundraising session in Oslo and Switzerland, has boiled these dictators’ blood and made them come out on the street of Frankfurt on 11.06.2016. On their demonstration, they have exposed their cruelty, crime and killing habits to the world. (“ኢትዮጵያ አትገባትም እዚሁ ነው የምትቀበረው”) “You will never get into Ethiopia. You will be buried here.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywugKQfWVn4 (1:29-1:42)) One of the TPLF’s cadres, who is seen on the video wearing blue suits having an eyeglass and taking photos with his cell phone, was threatening the supporters and members of Patriotic Ginbot 7 in Frankfurt on 11.06.2016. This cadre did not even have a clue that he was in the land of democracy where freedom of speech and association are respected. If he openly threatens supporters and members of Patriotic Ginbot 7 standing in the heart of Europe, it will not be difficult to imagine what the savage dictators in Ethiopia, who send him and his likes, could do to anyone who dares to oppose them inside Ethiopia. (“ብርሃኑ ነጋ ኢትዮጵያን አይወክልም መቀጣት አለበት”) “Birhanu Nega does not represent Ethiopia. He must be punished. He will be imprisoned just like Andargachew Tsige.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywugKQfWVn4) (1:50-2:20) .These were additional threats, which are the translated form, that these cadres were shouting using a microscope on the street of Frankfurt to all supporters and members of Patriotic Ginbot 7. These TPLF’s cadres were also heard shouting loudly in German language saying (“ግንቦት 7 ቴሬሪስቶች ናቸው“ “Birhanu Nega ist ein Terrorist.” (Birhanu Nega is a terrorist. Ginbot 7s are terrorists) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywugKQfWVn4 (2:38-2:59). They still do not understand the meaning of terrorism and terrorist. If Prof. Dr. Birhanu Nega, chairperson of Patriotic Ginbot 7, is a terrorist, what in the world is he doing in Europe and North America? If he is a danger to civilians, do not the Europeans and the Americans worry for the safety of their nation as he travels and holds speeches on their soil? This clearly shows how the 25 years Ethiopian dictatorial government labels anyone who opposes him as a terrorist. In fact, these dictators label anyone who sits and drinks a cup of tea with member or supporter of Patriotic Ginbot 7 as a terrorist. Isn’t that crazy? Hailemariam led corrupted and dictatorial Ethiopian government should understand the fact that the struggle against tyranny and dictatorship will go on until we see a free and democratic Ethiopia. It is my duty, as an exile Ethiopian and supporter of Patriotic Ginbot 7, to do everything in my power to remove the current dictatorial Ethiopian government from power. The struggle for freedom will go on either peacefully or in an armed means till we hit our goal of disposing the TPLF’s leaders and cadres from their thorn. Source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywugKQfWVn4 By Abenezer Ahmed Germany