Former editors of Tomar and other private papers in Ethiopia have exposed in no uncertain terms the role Tesfaye played willingly in bashing them during his time as TPLF press head. Tesfaye did also take part in the thuggish campaign of EPLF/TPLF writing extensive false allegations against well known Ethiopian figures, contributing to their and the country’s demise (some of these include: Prof. Asrat Woldeyes, Tsegaye G/Medhin, Prof. Alemayehu Teferra (who was president of Addis Ababa University until EPLF/TPLF put him in solitary confinement on the basis of red terror allegations against him, which Tesfaye put up in Addis Zemen, following instructions given to him by the now ‘devout Christian’ Tamirat Layne. Prof. Alemayehu became a target of the thugs following university student uprisings against TPLF/EPLF, which the thugs thought he had orchestrated, Dr. Taye Woldesemayat and many others).
Tesfaye has blood in his hands, whether or not he and his fans like it, as much as any of the current or former members of the TPLF/EPLF. He was at least complicit to some of the crimes the thugs carried out but it is clear that he did much more than simple complicity, as some who knew Tesfaye made it clear following his last ‘mastawesha’. For those who do not know Tesfaye or those who have not learnt from past exposes, Tesfaye and his entire family voted for the ‘freedom’ of Eritrea.
Those who knew Tesfaye from early on have also exposed the real Tesfaye as someone with strong Eritrean inclination from very early on. Of course these are against Tesfaye’s often made but treacherous remarks of being ‘son-of-bishoftu’ and ‘growing up with Oromos’, etc. These are claims he uses conveniently so he maintains his “amharic readers” and a wider base/market. If some of the gullible Ethiopians pose for a second and question why Tesfaye would make such claims if these were not true, it should be very easy to understand. Put simply, Tesfaye as an Amharic writer needs to make these mischievous claims for, otherwise, he will not sell his ‘mastaweshas’ for the large Amharic reading Ethiopians in and outside of the country. After all, Eritreans never had interest in reading Amharic (although they love Amharic songs!) and would, in any case, be too small a base for Tesfaye and his handlers. Unfortunately, exposes like this one seem to have fallen on deaf ears and (some) Ethiopians still rush to get hold of the so called ‘mastaweshas’ only to end up enrich their enemies behind the scene.
It is true that Tesfaye has good writing styles but the themes of his ‘books/mastaweshas’ to date are all from one or the other anti-Ethiopian elements. ‘Ye burka Zimita was a joint project by EPLF/TPLF during their heydays designed to send Ethiopia (and, in particular, the major ethnic groups therein) down the road of eternal conflict so they would grab this opportunity and flourish, which Tesfaye executed willingly. His recent two ‘mastaweshas’ are fully funded and supported by Shabia, who, annoyingly, will also get a share of the proceeds. For the gullible, here is a little interesting information on the ‘cadre’ turned ‘gazetegna’ turned ‘derasi’. Tesfaye barely spent time in SA and has spent most of the years since his quick exit from Ethiopia in Asmara, where he is still based. He was a Shabia agent to begin with – who had got christened in Asmara while he had been there to ‘interview’ Isayas Afeworki in the early 1990s, although the desire to work for his long dreamt about and newly ‘freed’ Eritrea was his most important motive for the trip – and only made a quick exit with the help of Shabia when they thought the TPLF split and the ensuing scrutiny/acrimony would expose Tesfaye.
This writer shares some of Tesfaye’s and others’ views in respect of Seye/Gebru/Aregash and their ‘new found stance’ on the Ethiopian/Asab politics. This writer would also not be surprised if Seye/Gebru/Aregash had as much desire (may be even more desire as Tesfaye claims) as Zenawi’s in advocating perpetual Tigrean hegemony, or if they had campaigned more vigorously (than Zenawi, as Tesfaye said) for the independence of Eritrea during their ‘struggle’ days. These people may or may not have changed this stance (if the claims are true). None-the-less, it is abundantly clear that such stances are rarely for the good of the common people (be it in Tigray or Eritrea ) but for the self interest of the individual(s) in question. What Seye/Gebru/Aregash say and do now is something for us to scrutinize and I hope they have learnt from their past (unlike what Issayas is reported to have said). Regardless, what I find baffling is that it is Tesfaye – the same guy who was more dedicated in embracing the views of these same people, the same guy who took care of TPLF’s thuggish campaign through the then press, the same guy who was busy churning out half-baked ‘books’ (including ‘Terarochin Yanketeketw Tiwld’) idolizing EPLF/TPLF and the same guy who, most importantly, is still in the bosom of Shabia who is crying wolf. I like to remind the gullible that Tesfaye is the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing, trying to enrich himself and his handlers selling these so called ‘mastaweshas’, which exposes the crimes and misdeeds of Ethiopia’s recent predicament only selectively.
In my view, people should also pay particular attention to the vindictive nature of Tesfaye, who is a true disciple of EPLF/TPLF in this regard. This is discernible (for those who could see this anyway) from the way he ridicules Dr. Negasso Gidada as a ‘beg’/sheep on many occasions. Does anyone care to know why Tesfaye defames so often this respected Oromo (at least in some corners) and once Head of State of Ethiopia? The reason is because Dr. Negasso pointed out, and quite rightly, Tesfaye’s mischievous and Shabia-fed claim to be more Catholic than the pope when it comes to Oromos. Dr. Negasso’s remark is absolutely true but Tesfaye and his handlers never liked this for it would leave them bare. So Tesfaye and his handlers chose to engage in rubbishing Dr. Negasso ever since. As I mentioned earlier, Tesfaye does not know Oromos as much as he claims to do, neither does he seem to have the respect he claims to have for Oromos, if his characterization of Negasso (vis-à-vis other non Oromo TPLF/EPRDF élites none of whom he referred to as ‘beg’ or ‘ahya’) is anything to go by. Tesfaye does not utter a single Oromiffa, something growing up with Oromos should have led him to do. Tesfaye’s ‘son-of-bishoftu’ (as opposed to son-of-a-bitch as some may say) claim is simply calculated (his growing up in Debre Zeit is beside the point) and something his remote handlers and he exploit rather mischievously. (Actually this writer would not be surprised if, tomorrow, Tesfaye, with the support of Shabia and other fringe elements, runs for some office in Oromia, à la his former mentor and idol Bereket Simon representing Amhara.)
Ethiopians should look beyond TPLF/EPLF and their former members – Tesfaye included here, although he was not as key a member as some gullible make him out to be, something he also unashamedly encourages so his gullible “amharic readers” are kept fascinated. Ethiopians should also be weary of elements that rub shoulders with importune enemies of Ethiopia , often blinded by short-termism and unbounded hunger for power. What Ethiopia needs is a new spirit of the sort Birtukan Midekssa embodies. Birtukan, of course, is surrounded by all sorts of vultures and her (and others of her type) long-term success will very much depend on how she (and other young politicians/nationalists of her type) will rid themselves of such opportunist and twisted elements that embody Ethiopia’s predicament.
As much as possible, all such elements – who are mostly remnants of EPRP, MESON, WPE, OLF, TPLF, EPLF, etc – have to give way and Ethiopia and Ethiopians (most of whom are under 30 years of age, most of whom had no part in the mess the earlier generations made of the country, but most of whom suffer from the mess Ethiopia is in) will have to see a new day. There has to be a new beginning! The tragedy of Ethiopia and Ethiopians will continue until such time. Little detractors such as Tesfaye and his bigger handlers will never want this happen.
Ethiopians – especially the young – will have to watch out though and refuse to rush with the flow, to take these ghastly ‘mastaweshas’ of Ethiopia’s predicament with a pinch of salt, if not distancing themselves from them altogether, which is my preferred option.
—- Long live Ethiopia and Ethiopians!
— The writer, Daniel Bekele, can be reached at [email protected]
