From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Mon May 04 2009 - 10:20:28 EDT
Ethiopia's dictatorship will fall soon - Dr Berhanu Nega
May 3rd, 2009 | Categories: Ethiopia
Ginbot 7 Movement for Justice and Freedom held a public meeting Sunday
afternoon in Washington DC at Marriott Hotel. The speakers included Dr
Berhanu Nega, chairman; Ato Efrem Madebo, an official; and Judge
Frehiwot Samuel, a guest speaker.
Ato Efrem Madebo took the stage first and gave a lecture about
democracy, work ethic, etc. He turned the political meeting into a
history class. It was painfully boring.
The next speaker was Judge Frehiwot Samuel, a member of the inquiry
commission that investigated the 2005 post-election massacre of
civilians. His speech was a repetition of what we heard 1,000,000,000
times at different Ethiopian political meetings. The over 500 people who
were in attendance did not go to hear such a lecture. They wanted to
hear progress report. What did Ginbot 7 do since it was established last
May? How much time left before Woyanne is dead and buried? How badly is
Woyanne's nose is bleeding from actions taken by Ginbot 7 so far?
The last and featured speaker was Dr Berhanu Nega. He did not disappoint
the audience. He went straight to the point - Woyanne will fall soon, he
promised. He was articulate, as usual, and went directly to what the
audience was waiting for - the recent reports that flooded the media.
Dr Berhanu proclaimed that the Woyanne regime's conflicting allegations
- coup at first, assassination plot, a few days later - is one more sign
that the tribal junta is falling apart. It cannot even trust it's own
power base - the military.
Referring to the latest report about the arrest of General Asaminew
Tsige and several other military officers, Dr Berhanu said that the
tribal regime is carrying out ethnic cleansing against Amhara members of
the armed forces.
Using the meeting as an opportunity, Dr Berhanu made a public call to
all Ethiopian opposition parties to come together and create a
broad-based alliance as soon as possible. He said that there is not time
to waste as things are unraveling fast in the country and that all
opposition parties have the responsibility to prepare for the inevitable
downfall of Woyanne. Dr Berhanu's call was received with thunderous
applause.
During the Question & Answer session, Ethiopian Review representative
Tsegaye Shimeles asked what Ginbot 7 leadership thinks about Ethiopian
Review's proposal about creating a transitional government in exile. Dr
Berhanu said that he didn't read the proposal, but the opposition
parties must first agree to work together. Then they will decide what
mechanism to create that will replace the Woyanne regime.
Following the town hall meeting, Ginbot 7 held a $50-per plate fund
raising dinner.
Ethiopian Review's live broadcast of the meeting was made possible by
Addis Dimts Radio, whose host, Ato Abebe Belew, moderated the meeting.
For security reasons cameras were not allowed in the meeting room. This
was done to protect meeting participants and their families from Woyanne
agents.
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/2009/05/ethiopias-dictatorship-wi
ll-fall-soon-dr-berhanu-nega/
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