The existence of elements of opportunism, hypocrisy, cynicism, betrayal and dishonesty is neither uncommon nor surprising in the politics of any given society let alone ours. In a democratic society, these elements of dreadful behaviors can be checked and kept under control though absolute elimination is not easy or possible.

It is self-evident that this horrible cronyism between ruling elites and those elements of opportunism, hypocrisy, cynicism, betrayal and deception does make peoples’ struggle for freedom and justice extremely difficult and costly both in terms the scarification of lives and all other kinds of resources in our country. On the one hand, the very experiences the people had to go through the past quarter of century and the way things are turning out to be at this very moment have spoken and are speaking clearly and loudly how the struggle is so tough; on the other hand, it realistically shows us how breaking this deadly partnership between TPLF/EPRDF and those who foolishly believe they will benefit from saving the system by being parts of it is coming to an end sooner or later.

What we are witnessing in our country particularly since November of last year (the protest in the Oromia reginal state) and July of this year (the protest in the Amhara reginal state) is a very clear evidence that the politics of deadly cronyism is crumbling; but at the same time the ruthless ruling gangs are busy with their death and life kind of attempt. That is the very reason for the declaration of state of emergency (state of terrorism).

We are witnessing a desperate attempt by an ethno-centric tyrannical ruling gangs and their parasitic cronies to put the crumbling system back intact. For this purpose, they assigned the deadly propaganda machines of TPLF, such as Fana Broadcasting to setup a series of stages of political drama in order to save the crumbling of the reign of the minority ethno-centric tyranny. Fana has already launched its evil-driven assignment (mission). It carefully selected the notoriously opportunist, hypocritical, cynical and dishonest elements such as Lidetu Ayalew to be not just participants but also to act as protagonists of the campaign to save the crumbling TPLF/EPRDF, and to claim their “fair share” from the parliamentarian seats of 2020. That is what Lidetu Ayalew, one of those who have no any sense of morality is trying to fool the people of Ethiopia over and over again.

Those elements of  our society who continued to dance with the deadly crocodile (TPLF/EPRDF) on the one hand and shedding the same crocodile treats on the other hand must unequivocally and clearly be told that the time of playing the same if not the worst political game over and over again is over.  Yes, those elements of dreadful behaviors must seriously be reminded that dancing with the monstrous ethno-centric ruling gangs whose hands are deeply stained with bloods of tens and thousands of innocent citizens is absolutely unforgivable and badly regrettable.

Genuinely concerned Ethiopians, I strongly believe that there is a desperate need to fight back these elements of spoilers of people’s struggle for freedom and justice but “saviors” of the crumbling TPLF/EPRDF. Yes, there is a desperate need to deal with these elements who are always ready to be anything in order to be one thing or get one thing. Yes, that is what those elements such as Lidetu Ayalew are all about. They want to align themselves with any political actor and they are okay with any political agenda and behavior as long as they can be one thing or get one thing. They are ready to do any dirty job and put themselves in line for the beneficiaries of TPLF’s political “mighty” and economic empire. What Lidetu Ayalew continued to be after he committed unforgivable betrayal during the “era of Kinjit” is a very vivid evidence of how the political personality of being anything and working with any political actor in order to be one thing or to get one thing regardless of morality is extremely dirty and dangerous.

It goes without saying that despite the differences in terms of seriousness, our political history is characterized by coming to power by hook or crook and staying in power in collaboration with those elements of dreadful behaviors like the ones who presented themselves as protagonists of dirty political dram organized by Fana Broadcasting, the propaganda machine of the killing machine of TPLF/EPRDF.

What makes the politics of TPLF exceptionally terrible is that its collaboration with those elements of dreadful behaviors of our society is characterized not only by a bad politics as we know, but also the politics of ethnic discrimination, division, hatred and animosity in order to make sure that its ethnic –minority dominance remain dominant.  Needless to say, this has been the bedrock of TPLF’s not only political survival but also building its ethnic –based economic empire at the very expense of the resources of the country and the very lives of her innocent citizens. Needless to say, the way Lidetu Ayalew showed up at the very dirty political orchestration of TPLF through Fana is nothing else, but to help out the crumbling power of his godfather in disguise, Bereket Simon so that he (Lidetu) would become part of the “the renewed and great legislative branch of government” and pursue his investment by being one of the most favorite guys of TPLF’s economic empire.

Ermias Legese, the author of Yemeles Likakit (2016) deserves truly sincere appreciation for his remarkably detailed and extraordinarily objective account and analysis about the nature and expansion of the economic empire and sub-empires of TPLF. Ermias powerfully argues that as a person who was not only part of the system but as the one who objectively and carefully studied how the system was setup and made operational, the TPLF-dominant political power and its economic empire and sub-empires  are responsible for creating a situation we where we are now.  I found his work phenomenally objective and truly challenging. Yes, it seriously challenges our courage and even consciences as far as the question of whether we consider this work of brilliant compatriot a reading leisure as usual or we take it seriously as something that should make us get much more concerned and aggressively engaged in the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice. I truly hope the latter is the right and legitimate direction in which we would be moving forward.

The people who have done nothing wrong but have legitimately and peacefully demanded respect for their fundamental political freedom,  for the prevalence of justice, for fair and balanced development agenda practice, for fair and nondiscriminatory socio-economic benefits have been victims of both undeclared and declared violations of basic rights for a quarter of a century. It goes without saying that an oppression machine of TPLF couldn’t do this effectively without receiving all the necessary supplies from its economic empire and sub-empires. That is what Ermias Legese tells us with his powerfully objective description, analysis, and account. (Viva Ermias!!).

In a sharp contrast, Lidetu tries to “educate” us about the “miraculous buildings and roads” built by TOLF/EPRDF, and preach us to appreciate and be thankful with his poisonously Sharpe tongue and cynically misleading articulation of his words. Sadly enough, he does not have any sense of morality and courage to tell us how many lives of innocent and brilliant citizens have been and are being destroyed irreversibly. He does not have any sense of sympathy for those thousands of Ethiopians who are paying painfully huge sacrifices in horrible jails and camps of torture for the simple reason they decried the political and human rights abuse that is getting incredibly unbearable.  Imagine genuinely concerned Ethiopians, it is this terribly cynical and dishonest person and his cronies who are telling us that there is  no any better choice than “bring change”   under the “renewed leadership” of TPLF/EPRDF.

Now, the people are under a draconian siege which is led by a group of ruthless military and security forces who reorganized themselves under an absolute power of center called the Command Post. This center of iron fist and kill on command is led by a Prime Minister who stupidly presented himself as puppet of TPLF’s ethno-centric tyranny. No more, no less. Yes, the Command Post is given the license to do whatever it feels to do against people’s basic human rights. The only thing that this horrible declaration could not deprive of the people is the air they breathe and the bread they survive on, if this is survival in the real sense of the term.

• Parents, families, friends, neighbors and the people of Ethiopia in general are deprived of getting together and mourn of their loved ones who lost their lives to the killing machine of TPLF/EPRDF. Not only are this but they also under serious threat if they ever talk about why and how their beloved ones were massacred and who is responsible.
• People are deprived of going to a place where they want to go.
• They are instructed when and how long they should be outside their homes and think multiple times before they go for outdoors activates.
• Their very privacy is offensively and unjustifiably violated. It is not only their houses and businesses but also their bodies are also victims of this draconian declaration. They are warned not to ask or show any sign of unwillingness whenever their houses and bodies are searched any time by any assigned security force, police and especial (undercover) cadres of TPLF/EPRDF.
• They are deprived of expressing their concerns about the very fate of their country and their own destiny.
• People are instructed whom they should talk with or not.
• They are warned not to think let alone listen to media which are not in love with an ethno-centric power circle.
• People are deprived of showing any sign language or any other sign except those which glorify revolutionary democracy, the political power and economic empire of TPLF.
• Families are warned that if they do not report any activity against this extremely evil- driven declaration in their households, they will face serious consequences. The list is long, terribly offensive and deeply painful.
• What we in general can say is that although the people of Ethiopia have been under undeclared ruthless political situation for a quarter of a century, they are now under a declaration which turned them into just other animals which can be hunted down by the killing machines of TPLF/EPRDF with no the right to defend themselves.

Needless to say, this so –called state of emergency (state terrorism) is unleashed at this very unprecedented tragedy of Irreecha in Beshoftu in which hundreds perished, thousands injured and arrested. Mind you genuinely concerned Ethiopians, this monstrous declaration came out at this very moment when the people in the Amhara region didn’t yet recover from their devastation of losing their beloved compatriots to the killing machine of TPLF/EPRDF. Imagine fellow Ethiopians, this incredibly cruel state of emergency is declared at the time of tragedy happening to the people of Konso, and so on and so forth.

Imposing this state of emergency (state terrorism) on citizens who have not recovered from painful mourning and grief yet is just adding salt to an already deeply painful injury.  Is it not extremely painful when Ato Hailemarima Dessalegn, a stupidly self-disgraced tool of TPLF told the people that he is proud of his killing machine for massacring hundreds and injuring thousands at Irreecha without wasting bullets? Is it not deeply disturbing to watch this horrible idiotic puppet of TPLF instructing the killing machinery to take all necessary actions against the people who heroically stood against the political crime being committed by his administration?   What the people have demanded and continued to demand is not something for pleasure, but it is rather for the right to exercise their basic or universal political and civil liberties and rights. Simply put, what the people are demanding is to be recognized, considered and treated as dignified citizens, not just as objects in their own homeland.

“I ask that I be taken into consideration on the basis of my desire. I am not only here-now, locked in thinghood. I desire somewhere else and something else. I demand that an account be taken of my contradictory activity insofar as I pursue something other than life, insofar as I am fighting for the birth of human world; in other words, a world of reciprocal recognition. He who is reluctant to recognize me is against me. In a fierce struggle I am willing to feel the shudder of death, the irreversible extinction, but also the possibility of impossibility.”

(Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks 1952, translation by Richard Philcox 2008)

What Fanon powerfully argues is that the very essence of human dignity should neither be at the risk of surrendering nor being undermined. In other words, the very essence of human dignity necessarily is engaging in an interaction of mutual recognition and mutual respect as human being first and then as a citizen of a country and the world, not based on who is materially and authoritatively powerful or not. That is why he strongly argues about his courage and determination to fight for “the birth of human world, a world of reciprocal recognition.”  He vehemently rejects any idea or attempt of reducing human life to something locked in thinghood (just material or object). He powerfully asserts his courage and determination to fight for human recognition with fierce struggle even in the face of “the shudder of death.”

He earnestly challenges those who stupidly try to convince the impoverished and terribly oppressed people of Ethiopia to be grateful to what ruthless ruling elites have done: building buildings, opening educational institutions here and there, building roads and other infrastructures, and erecting statues of division and hatred, and more.  That is exactly what those highly wicked elements of our society such as Lidetu Ayalew are trying to preach us with their deadly deceptive words of mouths.

What the people are saying is: a) doing all these works (“development”) is the basic function of any government; they cannot and should not be taken as privileges to the people because the fruits of development are the very basic rights to get them done on behalf of the people who pay taxes and contribute whatever they can to get them done. b) Receiving a relatively huge foreign aid and getting all other forms of financial and material resources and spending some portion of them in “miraculous development” while putting aside the rest in foreign banks with accounts of individual and companies of TPLF  (EFFORT)  is a total disaster for the country.  c)It is terribly stupid to tell the people what “I am doing for you (just winning bread) is quite enough and democracy is a luxury for you.” d) How the politics of development makes sense in system that is severely and rampantly against the very essence of liberty, human rights and dignity? In other words, how it makes sense to preach about doing miracle in development whereas our political machine keep destroying human citizens together with their truth, knowledge , skill or expertise and  their  big dreams with which  can change the world we live?    e) How development in a real sense on the one hand and committing politically motivated actions which include flaming ethnic and religious division and hatred, stifling freedom of expression and press, harassing and intimidating those with dissent voices and concerns, jailing those who rationally and legitimately challenge the ruling gangs, conducting physical and psychological pain (torture), and most horribly killing innocent citizens on the one hand can go together? f) Who is enjoying the very lion share of the said development? Is it not the good guys of revolutionary democracy, more particularly TPLF’s gangs and cronies?    g) Who is controlling the economic activities ranging from huge investment to small businesses? Is it not an open secret that TPLF’s EFFORT and its several sister and daughter companies? g) It is a total stupidity or self-defeating arrogance not expect the people of Ethiopia  at one point stand up and say enough is enough!  That is what we are witnessing at this very moment.

The notoriously hypocritical and cynical individuals such as Lidetu Ayalew, are back to dance once again with TPLF/EPRDF’s gangs who are at the very verge of the demise of their deadly political agenda and practice.

Yes, individuals such as Lidetu Ayalew, “Mandela” of the 2005 election who later betrayed his colleagues (Kinjit leaders) and continued enjoying his life while they were languishing in the hands of morally bankrupt and politically tyrannical gangs of TPLF/EPRDF are back to the rescue mission of the political drama of TPLF/EPRDF. It is this self-disgraced person and his close cronies who are “enthusiastically” showing up themselves as protagonists of the campaign not to see the removal of an ethno-centric tyranny. They are engaged in a very notorious political cynicism. Yes, this is a very outrageous insult to the very intelligence of the people. It is absolutely necessary to deal with them seriously and resolutely if we have to bring about a change that would fundamentally be characterized by the prevalence and development of genuine democratic principles and values.

Mind you fellow Ethioians, where and how are the truly heroic Ethiopians such as   Habtamu Ayalew, Bekele Gerba, Eskindir Nega, Andualem Aragie and many, many more. Take your breath and read what Lidetu had to say siting right next to his godfather, Bereket (better to say mergem).

“I wonder why political opposition parties do not appreciate the tremendous development EPRDF accomplished while they (those oppositions) are living in those buildings of (TPLF’/EPRDF) and driving on wonderful roads”

He continued, “A change through violence and armed struggle is detrimental. The idea of   removing EPRDF by force is absolutely wrong. The weakness of ERRDF has invited extremists. … And because of the weaknesses of the Ethiopian media (I think he is referring to TPLF/EPRDF owned media including Fana and Walta), the people have no choice but listen to ESAT and other foreign media.”

Genuinely concerned Ethiopians, what Lidetu is telling us with his cynical and hypocritical rhetoric is that trying to get rid of an ethno-centric tyranny is not acceptable to him because it would be detrimental.  What he is declaring is that the people of Ethiopia do not deserve the right to force the ruling circle which has committed heinous politically motivated crimes for a quarter of a century either to come to the negotiating table or else face peoples’ force and accept subsequent consequences .  He foolishly tries to tell us that the people of Ethiopia do not deserve a real sense of regret and apology from TPLF/EPRDF. He cynically tries to avoid peoples’ belief that TPLF/EPRDF hast to admit and recognize that the only way out is inclusive and truly participatory transition because the era of playing dirty and deadly political drama should be over once and for all. What he nonsensically trying to tell us is that the deeply horrifying massacre of Irreecha is not enough yet to force TPLF/EPRDF either peacefully relinquish its power or encounter the last resort the people left with, all means including armed struggle.  Is this not terribly outrageous.

I wonder what he has to say and how he has to say about those tens and thousands of innocent citizens who lost their precious lives to the killing machine of TOLF/EORDF.

I wonder what he has to say about tens and thousands of innocent mothers and fathers whose hearts are devastatingly broken by a huge and terrifying politically motivated crimes committed by the oppression and killing machines of TPLF/EPRDF .

I wonder on what moral and political personality ground he dares to challenge those incredibly heroic sons and daughters of Ethiopia who put themselves on the very front line after they objectively and practically tested the very nature and behavior an ethno-centric tyranny.

Here is how he outlined his recommendation to move forward with a “would be renewed” TPLF/EPRDF: a) EPRDF must admit its mistakes (didn’t say anything about the killings machine of TPLF/EORDF which massacred tens and thousands of innocent citizens) b) dialogue with representatives of other forces (himself as a representative of EDP and other good for nothing loyal groups, not those in the camp of “extremism” and from “across the Atlantic.”)  c) Open media which are TPLF control   and pro-TPLF “independent media” to encounter ESAT and other foreign media (he is not talking about free press and freedom of expression in the real sense of the term, but about making TPLF/EPRDF owned media and those of pro- TPLF in the name of independent media relatively open and give a chance to him and his cronies to play the role of misleading and deceiving the people.)

Before he jumped to his “great” proposal of what is the “best  final solution” of the problem in a way it would suitably satisfy his wildly voracious ego, he strongly praised   TPLF/EPRDF for allowing the coming into being of multi-party system for the first time in our political history. Well, this political phenomenon seems true if we see it from a very naïve and simplified or cynical political mindset like Lidetu Ayalew.

What the people know from the experience they had to go through a quarter of a century and more particularly since the 2005  election was and is not what Lidetu, one of the most notorious hypocrites and dishonest politicians of our time is trying to preach us.

Here is a very relevant analogy.  A mother snake together with its snakelets (baby snakes) allowed a bird to hatch its eggs and have its baby birds. But the bird and its hatchlings (baby birds) were not allowed to grow, live freely and able to resist an attack by the mother predatory snake and its baby snakes. When the snakes knew that once the birds grow well and become challenging to hunt down them, they attacked, killed, and eaten them up. That is exactly how the story of multi-party system under TPLF/EPRDF can be described and explained. And that is how Lidetu Ayalew is stupidly trying to undermine the very intelligence of the people when he praised the “great contribution” of TPLF in our political history. Is this not adding more salt to the already serious painful injury?

Lidetu Ayalew has made his strategy of how to become a member of a rubber stamp branch of government (parliament) and boost the very phony story of multi-party system. For the realization of this highly cynical objective, he proposed the establishment of kind of commission to work out how TPLF/EPRDF should get out the mess it is suffering from, facilitate the dialoged and negotiation between the ruling party and representatives of certain “oppositions” who can serve as “builders” of TPLF/EPRDF’s image internationally and as spoilers of peoples’ struggle for freedom and justice within the country.

That is why he excitingly talked about the need to start preparation for the 2020 election. He added that if he and his cronies gain winning votes to establish a government, it be great. If not, he or they will continue with the number of seats he or they may secure. This is Lidetu’s golden dream, to be one thing or to get one thing (satisfying his wildly excessive ego) by being anything and by doing anything regardless of the question of principle and morality.

I listened to Getachew Reda, one of the most stupidly arrogant officials of TPLF on VOA Amharic (10/25/16). He talked about what he eagerly wants to see to be true. Reda replied, “We (TPLF/EPRDF) will discuss with civic associations, stakeholder parties, and there will be public discussion forums about the current situation. Other than this, we have to wait for the next election as any change before is against the law.”   What Reda is saying about stakeholder parties is not about genuine and serious representatives of oppositions.  What is was saying is exactly what Lidetu was saying, about representatives of loyal (docile) oppositions such as Lidetu and some other good for nothing ones.

When Reda says civic associations, he meant they youth association, women’s association, teachers association, labor associations, conference of religious institutions, and even self-help ones such as ekub and edir which are one way or another under the control of his ethno-centric ruling circle.

To sum up, it is unrealistic to expect a society devoid of those opportunist, hypocritical, cynical and dishonest elements. For that matter, democracy is not free from the mess those elements could cause. The only thing that should be done is deal with it appropriately and timely so that it should not go out of control and hurt the very foundation of a democratic society.

Sadly enough, the dirty political game those elements keep playing in our country is getting extremely abnormal and frustrating. I strongly argue that because we could not challenge the very destructive role of opportunism, cynicism, hypocrisy, deception, dishonesty; our political struggle for freedom and justice suffers from not moving forward as it should be. What is terribly disturbing at this very moment is the way those spoilers such as Llidetu Ayalew dancing with those who have committed and continued to commit heinous politically motivated  crime for the past two decades which manifested  itself in an extremely shocking manner at the festival of Irreecha in Beshftu, Ethiopia. I hope we as individuals and groups with various purposes of good, we would be much more concerned about dealing with what the viable and future -oriented way of doing politics, and how it should genuinely and resolutely be pursued.