War of words

13 July 2019By Dawit Endeshaw

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Amhara Democratic Party (ADP), two of the four political parties forming the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), are entangled in a heated word exchange, where they blamed each other for recent or past political narratives leading to the current crisis in the country.

The Central Committee (CC) of the TPLF, which conducted its urgent meeting to assesses the current political development and the ups and downs in the country, has described the condition regarding the survival of the country, in a statement it released on Wednesday July 10, 2019, as transformation from bad to worst.

The reason for these deteriorating political conditions in the country, according to the CC of the TPLF is that groups who were perpetrators of the country and working against the dignity of the country in the past were invited to engage in the politics of the country in the name of change, which has intensified the political quagmire in the country.

To the contrary, “the current political condition creates a suitable condition that allowed the detention of those who were working for the dignity and survival of the country,” the CC of the party claimed. The country has lost its protector and has become the land of fundamentalist, which in turn allows groups and chauvinists to do whatever they wish in the country.

Therefore, the TPLF, which is chaired by Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), requested for the establishment of a national independent inquiry body to investigate the recent killings of the senior political and military officials

The CC of TPLF also called on the defense force of the country to strengthen its unity like never before and to protect the country. Moreover, the party also expressed its willingness and commitment to work with any likeminded political groups so as to protect the constitution and the federal political system.

Apart from this, TPLF further requested that the questions in the Southern Regional State be addressed according to the constitution and the application of any other mechanism to address the issue is not acceptable.

In what seems like a response to TPLF, Amhara Democratic Party (ADP) following its one-day extraordinary meeting, released a strong worded statement trashing the TPLF’s earlier statement.

In its statement, which was released on July 11, 2019, ADP blamed its sister party and said, “TPLF is responsible for the current political crisis in the country.”

“The statement from the TPLF has exposed its age-old characteristics, which are devious and full of favoritism,” said ADP.  ADP, which is chaired by Demeke Mekonnen, also accuses TPLF for being “anti-change” and said “it is working to discredit the current changes that are being experienced in the country.” “TPLF is behind the anti-reforms forces and was giving them instructions,” ADP stated.

The party further blamed TPLF for sheltering individuals suspected of human rights violations and “robbing the people and the country.” “TPLF’s statement also exposed its hypocrisy.”

“TPLF has no moral or practical ground to consider itself as the only guardian of Ethiopia,” reads the statement from ADP.

ADP said: “TPLF in its political manifesto back in 1975 labeled Amharas as their enemy.”

Referring to June 22’s assassination in Bahir Dar and Addis Ababa and the coup attempt, ADP said that “the fact that TPLF issued a statement where we were told to apologize is a historic mistake.”

Contributed by Dawit Endeshaw and Neamin Ashenafi