Opposition officials admit Zenawi regime is a “generation killer”

A generation under threat – university students face dismal future under the rule of Meles Zenawi

“Ethiopia will continue to endure famine and hunger unless the ruling regime of Meles Zenawi reformed the land policy or, in the absence of such reform, the government is removed from power,
Hailu Shawl, leader of the opposition All-Ethiopian Unity Organization told the Voice of America (VOA) Amharic Service on Saturday.

He said the Ethiopian people have had their own traditional way of developing their land holdings and productivity. Since the regime came to power in 1991, however, an ill-informed communist-oriented state ownership of land has led to drastic agricultural productivity failure that has resulted in mass poverty.

Speaking from his home in the Ethiopian capital, Hailu said Ethiopian farmers were the victims of a government that uses “land” as a political weapon. Hailu was joined in a radio panel discussion by Prof. Merera Gudina of Oromo National Congress (ONC), Lidetu Ayalew of the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), and Dr. Beyene Petros of Southern Ethiopian People’s Union.

Commenting on the EPRDF education policy, Prof. Merera Gudina cited the Zenawi regime as hostile to Ethiopian intellectuals from day one in office, and said there was nothing to expect from it, blasting the regime as a “Generation Killer” (Twlid Gedai).

Under TPLF/EPRDF, everything is for political profiteering of the ruling class,” said Merera,”everything else is trivial, and went on: “EPRDF has established a political school for its political functionaries. The school called ‘Civil Service College’ is shattering the hopes of graduates from other colleges and universities who are seen as second citizens as far as employment is concerned. Clearly, the regime is good in creating chaos in people’s lives. He said its policies has pushed the country to the lowest ebb as the world’s poorest.

Asked if there was any positive development the Meles regime would be commended for, all four opposition figures went almost unanimous in their response that the degree of destruction that befell Ethiopia under the Meles/EPRDF rule was too heartbreaking that mentioning about any positive development would make anyone gullible.

Of all four speakers, once again, Hailu made an impassioned remark by saying: “Twelve years ago, Ethiopians were living in peace and harmony. As people, they were concerned about each other’s welfare and survival. Today, a lot has changed within a short span of time that the regime is feuling hate and communal conflicts. So many settlements have vanished due to deliberate government policies. Today the standard of living of Ethiopians has hit rock bottom; poverty and hunger have reigned all over. What positive development can I talk about a regime that is the mastermind of a national tragedy?

On a different note, the public regrets that had the opposition parties merged and formed a common front, Meles would have gotten no chance of destroying the country. Responding to a similar question of mergers, the opposition officials noted efforts were under way, and they were positive that differences would be ironed out to confront a regime that is threatening the survival of all.

Further reading: Land Tenure should be de-politicized.