Historic, because there has never been like this before.
Unique, so far the situation is peaceful and millions of Ethiopians are learning the nature and the national agenda of the ruling party and the opposition groups. People are glued to radio, TV and newspapers. During lunch hours, Addis residents rush to bars, cafes and restaurants to watch TV. The most amazing thing is that nobody makes any comment or facial expression to any of the debates unfolding.
When the debate is over people leave the bars without any group discussion to their daily activities. It is so moving to see how Ethiopians are (have become) so disciplined. Even those TPLF supporters, when their party is blasted for its criminal policy on Eritrea, you do not see any blinking on their eyes.
On one occasion, I watched two EPRDF candidates on the defense in one of the most dramatic debates on foreign policy. When Seyoum Mesfin was attacked for making Ethiopia a landlocked country, his hands started trembling, his mouth was drying fast and his face was shaking, and these candidates would not even look at each other. For me the foreign minister of Ethiopia looked more of an Eritrean Ambassador on Ethiopian TV. At this moment I took a glance at the audience to see their reaction, but no one would make any remark. When all these were said people remained firm like a stone.
One of the dramatic moments, at least for me, was to see the issues that we have been hammering for years here in America to be articulated to millions of Ethiopians at home. One of the panelists (opposition) said: “You see it is hard to believe that the TPLF is different form any Eritrean front…TPLF, he said, fought for Eritrea, endorsed the sham referendum, handed over the Port of Asab and allowed the Eritrean regime to squander our resources.” Seyoum Mesfin, instead of taking notes and answering the questions, looked like someone who was preparing for a feast fight. In his dribbling tongue, he said Eritreans have fought and won their independence and the Port of Assab is theirs. There are many countries in the world without a port and doing fine.”
When one of the panelists promised, if elected, to bring Assab back as an Ethiopian sovereign port, Seyoum Mesfin started attacking the opposition parties as war mongers, preparing the Ethiopian people for another endless war. He even lambasted the opposition for using the People of Afar to bring the Port of Assab to Ethiopia.
Another dramatic event that I watched was that, again on the debate of Foreign policy, the opposition expressed their concern that now that Ethiopia was a landlocked country it is at the mercy of traditional enemies for its strategic interests. Two or three days later the Prime Minister invited hundreds of Islamic leaders and accused the opposition of being anti-Islam.
In the past Prime Minister Meles was complaining of lack of formidable opposition. Now Meles looked dirtier, angry, desperate and panicky.
If he were not desperate he would not have called for a separate meeting of Tigreans in a city of five-million multi ethnic population. In one of the separate Tigrean meetings, the people were told that if the opposition comes to power your fate would be the same like that of Rwanda. Interestingly enough one guy from the audience raised his hand and said, the TPF has been threatening to give our land to Eritrea, if that is the case, why do we need the TPLF? He asked. One of the cadres quickly stood up and said you have to read between the lines, TPLF will never abandon the People of Tigray.
One Elderly looking guy stood up and said, “You see now it is important to vote for EPRDF but after the election we have a lot to say.” In support of the old man one smartly dressed lady said: “Many Tigreans refused to come to this meeting because they are angry over Badme and also many people believed that TPLF only calls us when it wants something from us. In any case we have to vote for EPRDF.”
When the meeting was over, more and more people were talking about TPLF ‘s Eritrean policy than the threat of the opposition. My personal observation is that the government deserves some credit for facilitating this kind of forum to the Ethiopian people. Having said that, the opposition regardless of the outcomes of the election, have won the hearts and the minds of the urban dwellers.
ERPRDF is more humiliated and wounded forever with no chance of recovery on its policy on Eritrea. The old gangs of TPLF seem tired and lacked the energy and enthusiasm. Bereket, the Minister of Information had good humor and energy in answering questions but he is branded as an Eritrean citizen. (Agent?) Meles seems to be the only person who has fiery tongue but lacked the trust of the Ethiopian people. The issue on Eritrea has dominated the election. On this regard EPRDF is naked and exposed. What ever the government might have achieved in building the infrastructure around the country, even the energy that is being spent in rebuilding the City of Addis Ababa is all overshadowed by Eritrea.
On the opposition side, they seem to grasp all the mistakes of EPRDF. They have somehow demonstrated they can be a very good alternative force. But they lacked organizational or grassroots work in the rural areas where eighty-five percent of the Ethiopian people live. They are expected to do very well in the City. We hope and pray that at least to have formidable voice in the Parliament and save us from the TPLF’s defeatist policies on Eritrea.
On this note if I would like to give my brotherly advice to the opposition is to distance themselves from the outdated Professor Mesfin’s anti-Tigrean propaganda. To hear one state, “The people of Tigrai are manufactured from the same factory,” calls one to question the state of mind of such a person. More than any body else, it is the people of Tigrai at home and in the Diaspora who have been confronting and exposing the regime, notwithstanding the inherent consequences of such confrontations. Such reckless politicians are giving good ammunition to Meles, who is trying to mobilize the people of Tigrai on fear.
