It's time for a joint conference of CUD and UEDF elected representatives



August 30, 2005

Ethiopian Review



On May 15, 2005, millions of Ethiopians voted for CUD and UEDF. Through their votes, the people placed their trust in the hands of the elected officials. It is an enormous responsibility which requires them to be prudent, yet firm. One can never underestimate the monumental political problems that are confronting the CUD and UEDF elected officials. Conflicting messages that are coming out from the top leaderships of these parties are creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. To clear up the confusion and come up with a more coherent strategy that will ensure respect for the people's vote, it's time for the two major opposition parties, CUD and UEDF, to convene a joint national conference of their elected representatives. The lack of a coherent strategy that is in-tune with the people's desire will put our country at a great risk of political upheaval.



The people are ready and willing to follow the opposition, but they must be given a clear and precise guidance. As the present situation stands, power is concentrated in the hands of a few CUD and UEDF leaders, a few of whom are not even elected representatives, yet wield enormous influence. The current decision-making process of both parties has shut out the majority of the elected officials. After all, the elected officials are the ones who have been entrusted by the people to speak on their behalf. More so than the top CUD and UEDF leaders, the elected representatives are in-tune with the desires of their constituencies since they live among them.



It has become clear that there is a disconnect between the top leaders in Addis Ababa and the elected officials of CUD and UEDF. The people are calling for action, but the leaders are hesitating. There is also more dependence by the top leaders on foreign diplomats to persuade the Meles regime to respect the people's choice. It's time to break the barrier between the top leadership and the people by holding a joint national conference of all CUD and UEDF elected officials. Time is of the essence, so they need to act now, before the October 2 nationwide protest demonstrations.



As part of a comprehensive strategy, the national conference could come up with a shadow coalition cabinet that will be ready to take over government in the event the Meles regime collapses.

ER,

Very good idea indeed. I believe the opposition should work for the Coalition of Coalition- What a disaster for Woyane!

Nestanet

I guess UEDF has made it clear that it will continue the struggle if woyane continues to reject the popular demand of establishing National Unity Government. This means to me that UEDF is not joining the Woyane parliament. What is not clear so far is Kinijet's position. Kinijet, on the one hand rejected the NEBE's decision, which would mean refusing to go to woyane's parliament. But on the other hand It is preparing itself to take over Addis. This is confusing and it is transmitting conflicting messages both to the public and woyane. So in my view the problem is with the Kinijit.

Email: gtilahun2@hotmail.com

City: Toronto

Such a conference of elected representatives could demand that the parliament belongs to the people and occupy it. If Meles and his agazie army try to prevent them, a massive popular demonstration should be called to overpower and disarm the agazie army.

Desta,

Nice dream!!!!!!!!

Email: Alemayehu_05@yahoo.com

City: Addis Ababa

Nestanet!

Keep up the good dream!

Nothing should stop them from doing what you have proposed and thank you for that. After all, the Ethiopian people are behind them and the support of people is the decisive factor for a politica/social change.

No doubt, if they do not do as the Ethiopian people expect them to do, they will be treated not diffrent (if not worse) from Meles and his followers (but I thrust this will not happen). As someone mentioned above, this problem appears to be more visible with Kinijit rather than UEDF. Kinijit has received more votes and is expected to be rather more aggressive/responsibe in implementing the people's desire.

Please get your acts together as soon as possible and lead the Ethiopian people to the expected victory. This is the best choice or opportunity you have at present. It is possible that the Meles regime can collapse any time to come due to internal fractures and external pressure. The whole EPRDF activity has now become a-two-man-show (of Meles and Bereket who do not even demonstrate any kind of Ethiopian patriotism) and there is a lot of grumblibg going on from other members of the collision.

Email: wazeleke@yahoo.com

I think we all agree that this so called "Democratic election" was just a sham ear marked to suck up donor's money. There could never be a " Democratic election" in Ethiopia for the simple reason that Ethiopia is devoid of learned constituents. The Amhara or as you like to call them "The Ethiopian people" will vote for an Amhara official, the Tigres for the Tigres, so on and so on. (75% oe Tigrians in Teklehaimanot voted for CUD? For real? Then why did 100% Tigrians in Tigray voted for Weyane?).

The only way to power is via the white man. Ther are two reasons to get the white man's attention. One is to have leaders like Yishenko or Mandela who are ready to become martyrs for thier cause. God knows Ethiopia has no Yishenkos nor Mandelas. ( Well may be Lidetu Ayalew, but but we all know what happened to him). The fat, forty and flatulent Brhanu Nega is in no hurry to become a martyr. He has seen what happened in Iran- a mayor becoming a President. In the mean time the millions of dollars he inherited form his parents, mayorship, and his PHD will suffice. He is only 47 and will be a President at 52. Not a bad deal at all.

The other way of getting the white man's attention is through genocide. Believe you me, there ain't gona be no Ruwandan or Darfurian type of genocide in Ethiopia. The magic number is forty. When the heat in the rat hole becomes too much to handle, you will stick out your heads , Meles will pop off some 40 of you , call you Bozenes and ya'll will go back to your hibernation for the next 5 years. That is all there is to it.

There is another way to get to power, however remote and that is to befriend the desperado psychopath of Asmara, but I am not holding my breath on it.

As you might have guessed I am anti Weyane, anti Shabia anti... Come to think of it there is a good possibilty that I am anti everybody so don't mind me much.

Email: ----------------------

City: Los Angeles

hopeless,
You make it look like Ethiopian people rejected Meles because of his race. You cannot be more wrong. Meles’s race had nothing to do with it. If that were the case there would have seen chaos like Iraq. Ethiopians are peace-loving people. Ethiopians gave Meles fifteen years of leadership but he abused it. Ethiopians were asking only to be treated fairly and equally. If Meles were a fair and a compassionate leader regardless of his ethnicity all Ethiopian people from every ethnic group would have been proud of him. On this I would bet my life on it. But we all know what he turned out to be—a real hateful bloodsucker killer. SHAME!

Gelila and ZWA,

Yes, the UEDF resolution indicates that it is not going to join the parliament and has called for two very important events:

1. A National Conference where opposition parties, Ethiopians at large, civic groups are invited

2. An International Ethiopians Demonstration that would be help both inside and outside Ethiopia.

Now, CUD needs to join the UEDF call for the national conference and international demonstrations. I hope they will actively participate in these events.

Nestanet

If the UEDF is calling for a demonstration in Ethiopia for October 2, why do UEDF and CUD are calling another demonstration in Washington DC on Sept 8?

Those who lable this article a "dream" are human prototypes who just don't get it- we didn't expect any better from you! The point is: Ethiopians have rejected Meles and Co. and that his demise is inevitable one way or another.

I say to you, using your favorite phrase:Keep dreaming!

Email: bex@yahoo.com

City: Washington, DC

To Daka

1)1991- Meles overthrowing a brutal dictator and we all know how the people of A.A greated him. Example- Comedian Tamagne " We all are prisoners" CNN

2) Meles is an Eritrean agent- Half Eritrean

3) Meles gave Eritrea away and made Ethiopia landlocked

4)Meles has a soft heart for Eritrea b/c he is more Eritrean than he is Ethiopian. I can go and on..

By the way the Ethiopian people did not "give" Meles 14 yeras of leadewrship. Please! He got it through the old fashioned way - he earned it or you might say he forced himself up on them. Take your pick!

Email: ----------------------

City: Los Angeles

Can someone tell me why the demonstration is pushed so far away?

Why can't it be now? In my view any action is needed now, not that late. Please UEDF and CUD brief us.

Yes, It is time for anything. But I don't understand what the oppositions are doing, are they begging power or struggling to get it? I have never seen this kind of struggle. So, please let's unite and design the best stragey that helps us to get back the peoples vote. In my opinion the way the oppositions are handling the struggle is not the best one. If it is not the best then it will be difficult to win.There were some mistakes done by them, let's forget them and think urgently what to be done now.
1,call for general workers strike.
2,call for schools boycout,
3,call for nation wide demonstration and
4,call for international demontration
These are the only ways to be heard and get the right thing the peoples should get.
These all should be done in the months of Meskerem and Tikimt.
We all should try to avoid any bloodshed.

Email: afeasf@hotmail.com

City: Washington,DC.

Aster that's good question. They should "mold the metal while it is hot".

Nestanet,

Great message, if oppositons are ready to lead Ethiopia, they better prove to us that they are ready to come up with joint strategy.

Thank you ER!

Nestanet,

your group is so in need of being a leader, you are going to be without any followers. Listen friend, forget about pushing for leadership status and prove yourself in the heat of actual leading. I hope you are not a core member of Hibret. The mass movement is very smart and is watching how every body is behaving. I again beg you to focus on the actual activity of the the general resistance. We will know a good leader in the practice of the movement. Peace!

Nestanet:

By the way the idea of a shadow unelected cabinet is a concept that is totally alien to a democratic era. The people just elected reps. to form a legit. gov. That is all. All other political activist can move the resistance to help the democratic process. They have no manadate to form some kind a fancy shadow government. All those conconting such pre-democratic concepts must come to the realization that there is a difference between fighting for justice and dreaming unelected non-legitimate goverment. Let us get into the culture of democracy. Thank you!

cud continues to hold townhall meetings with the people to gather information to best carry out the interest of the people who voted for them.The people have spoken "boycott the parlament".This doesn't seem to sink in in the minds of cud leadership who continue to say"waht ever decision who make we have the support of the people" I say no if they decide to join the parlaent.This is really puzzling me,get your acts together and lead the people to victory.

Email: doctordo44@yahoo.com

City: Losangeles

Since last week, CUD has started meeting with the people of Addis Ababa at Woreda levels. So far the people have clearly stated that they don’t want the CUD to join the parliament. But the statements of Dr. Berhanu are confusing me. He seems to be eager to join the parliament. He asked the participants if they would accept whatever decision CUD leaders will make. Why shouldn’t he ask them what the people want the CUD to do? He seems to forget the purpose of the meeting: Listening to people for decision. CUD did not call the meeting to ask for permission to decide on behalf of the people. CUD wanted to know the interests and feelings of the people. But Dr. Berhanu was trying to be certified to say to the people ‘we know what is good for you” (Enawkilihalen lemalet fiqad eyeteyeqe yale yimeslal).

In the same way, I don’t fully take the moderator’s suggestion to rely on the local representatives. The elected individuals are representatives of the people but we should not forget the people themselves. If we want to know the real feelings of the people we should ask them directly not the representatives. We should not forget that the top officials of CUD were also elected by the people. We know that they are at risk but we need to encourage them. The same is true with the local representatives. Instead of facing the risks in the rural areas some of them may want to come to Addis and sit in the parliament safely. Whom can we rely on? It should be the people. The decision as to which course to follow should be left to the people not to the representatives because this is a special situation. People like Dr. Berhanu should be told straight that at the moment, they are not there to decide for the people. He can argue saying that it is EPRDF that should boycott the parliament and not the opposition (that was what he said on Sunday). Then we can tell him that it is also our wish that EPRDF boycotts the parliament but what will force EPRDF to do so? It is the opposition that is being forced to boycott. Boycotting the parliament is the only choice they have in order to force EPRDF to accept re election under a new government and under a new election board. Dr. Berhanu should not try to give lecture to his voters. This is not a classroom in Sidist Kilo. This is the very same people who contracted him for five years. He should listen to the people and decide in accordance with the interests of the people instead of trying to say ‘we know what is good for you’ (Enawqilihalen).

So, Dear Moderator, the CUD officials have already heard the people. They need to act accordingly. We don’t need to go to the local representatives.

Tenesa.

Email: alemayehumek@yahoo.com

City: London

Dear Aster,

I do agree with you, I am shocked they are waiting until OCTOBER for some kind of action. To some degree I am glad they have waited this long, we have lived to witness how rude, undiplomatic peopel Meles & Co are. Who would want to have these mad dogs representing their country let alon their village.

The EU report has proven to us and also has helped us to see the true colour of TPLF. They are not relevent any more.

LET THE NEW YEAR BRING US A NEW POLITICAL SYSTEM.

GOD HELP US ALL

City: AA

It's a nice day dreaming.
"Diha behilmue kibe ... alu w/o Askalu tilalech enate"
Are you guys really have your body and soul intact???
It's the EPRDF you are trying to mess with. Let alone it has won enough seats to FORM A GOVERNMENT, had the case been the reverse, i will condemn the EPRDF to transfer power to such forces.

These uedf /cud by no means have the gut to lead and administer the proud and wise nation.

You will die mouth-watered with out making it to the MINILIK PALACE.

'Mazegaja enkua yehizib neger hono new enji ...."

Email: satenaw@real.co.uk

City: East London

Tenesa Teramed,

I understood ER's proposal correctly, it is in line with what you are advocating. ER seems to agree that the people do not wish to live under the TPLF ruling party for five more years. Thus, let CUD and UEDF 'elected representatives' devise a unified strategy to lead the people forward.

Berhanu has no right to over-ride the wish of the majority. He has all the right to join the parliament on his own, but he has no mandate from the people to act on their behalf.

Let CUD and UEDF elected representatives come to a mutual agreement to go forward, it is a great idea.

Wugachew,

Nice try, but not sincere. Just for the record, let me say a few things.

As far as I am concerned, TPLF/EPRDF did not win anybody in Ethiopia to sieze power in AA. The vacum created as a result of the inability of the Ethiopian people to organize themselves gave the party the opportunity to seize the power. More or less the same thing happened during the time of the Emperor for the Derge to take power.

I hope you remember the constant fights going on between the Ethiopian people and the Derge, and the EPRP and Miesson etc. This ultmately made the Derge and the other parties too weak to lead the country as an effective government. TPLF was not a desired organization by the majority of the Ethiopian people for leadership, but happened to be there during a low point or vacum to assume power with the help of foreign governments. During that time, the Ethiopian people did not have any other choices but to waite and see what TPLF could do for/to the country.

However, after 14 years of experiments, the TPLF failed miserably. It rather seemed to lead the country to a very dangerous direction, as we now see it everyday. Obviously, this is not desirable and has to stop. This condition resulted in the formation of alternative parties that better reflect the interests of the Ethiopian people. Now, the people want these alternative parties to take power and lead the country. As they did not have much confidence before, Ethiopians are now totally convinced that the TPLF/EPRDF is incapable of leading the country. They have even begun to wory that under TPLF/EPRDF leadership, their country may decend to a destructive path. The implication is that in the minds of the Ethiopian people the days of the TPLF/EPRDF are over. This is the reality of presnt day Ethiopia.

Looking at what TPLF promised before, it is expected to accept this reality. If it does not respect the promise it made (which is also an internationally accepted norm) and, above all, the will of the Ethiopian people, it will be held responsible for any damage that may occur as a result of its own illegal action.

Email: wazeleke@yahoo.com

ER,

The only people who might be inclined to oppose your brilliant idea are Beyene Petros and Berhanu Nega. The best strategy to accomodate this issue is to allow these individuals to have a graceful exit. They are afraid to lead, thus should be allowed to exit. In fact, we should have an open policy to all who wish to go.

Solomon,

I tend to agree with you and thank you for the suggestion. The emergence of disagreements among members of any organization is normal, but the most important thing is to take corrective actions without delay. The two major parties should seriously consider this lingering issue and do their job as expected by the Ethiopian people.

Email: wazeleke@yahoo.com

Askale,

You wrote:

"your group is so in need of being a leader, you are going to be without any followers."

I am not sure where you got this idea. Right now the issue is ESTABLISHING A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTION PROCESS. Leaders have to be elected through democractic process. In our country, we didn't establish a free election process yet. The National Unity Government proposed by UEDF/CUD would have been a good start for our journey to establish a democractic system. So,the struggle today is for a free fair election. By then,political parties can compete for political power. Right now, if there are leaders in the opposition parties, they are LEADERS OF POPULAR STRUGGLE.

NESTANET

Two thumps up ER. The only way we can measure the readiness of the two coalition groups is if they show us that they are ready to give leadership to the people, obviously to do that they have to come up with a joint strategy. The issue is not whether they should do it or not, but rather why they have not done it upto now?

Could it be that the top CUD and UEDF leaderships are afraid to allow the elected representatives from getting together? Is this all about the elites in Addis Ababa trying to preserve power at the expense of the people. YOU HAVE FAILED THE PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA, ALLOW THOSE BRAVE CHILDREN OF ETHIOPIA TO LEAD. YOU HAVE NOT YET EARNED OUR TRUST TO BE OUR LEADERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LIDETU.

Unless you guys stop pocking your nose into matters of Kinjit and let it finish its prfound and victorious job on progress, there will be no victory. For heaven sake do not interfere in what the two parties are doing and push them into unnecessary confontations. The fixing of the date for demonstraion in Addis without the conscent of Kinijit for example was not neccessary. Such provocation instigates misunderstandings and I feel that ER must not push such unconstructive ideas and let it fume among the public. I advise ER to get out of controvarsary issues. The ink that fumed a hell of controversy on the case of Andargachew Tsigie is not yet dried. As for me and many others like me this issue will be the last contoversy we would like to read. If we find any other I, promise to no more click on er.com. Thank you.
Asteway

Email: bekmafz@sbcglobal.net

City: Los Angeles

Asteway,

You wrote:

"Unless you guys stop pocking your nose into matters of Kinjit and let it finish its prfound and victorious job on progress, there will be no victory. For heaven sake do not interfere in what the two parties are doing and push them into unnecessary confontations."

I totally disagree with your comment. I doubt if you read it again before you post it.I am sure this will not be the opinion of the leaders of CUD/UEDF. While everybody is talking about the opposition leaders to listen to those people who elected them you came with this stupid idea of not discussing about our country current politics.Contrary to your thought I would say the opposition leaders need to listen to what the Ethiopian people are saying including the discussion on this forum. This is democracy. We don't want dictatorship.

Nestanet

Asteway Belete,

Are you threatening us, the public, from expressing our opinions? You must be out of your mind, we have the right to offer our views regarding our country any time. If you want to be such a dictator, join TPLF. You have no place here. Get a life.

I was hesitant to whether I should post these messages or not, for fear that it may affect the joint venture CUD/UEDF struggle. At the same time I am very much disappointed by the recent UEDF conference resolution to solely decide without the presence of CUD to call a demonstration on September 22. This shows that some members in the UEDF have not yet departed from their old and obsolete tricks of betraying their fellow partners at the convenient time they think that they can do it by themselves. This is an ignoble trick which failed them in past. They do not learn from their mistakes and they are repeating it now again. What they do not realize is that, since these organizations (EPRP and MESON) have lost the trust and confidence of Ethiopian people, they have been operating in clandestine under the name of "Hibret". If they start exercising their old habit now, they will be exposed and the Ethiopian people will know them who they are.

I know that, as much as TPLF dominates or dictates EPRDF, these two organizations, EPRP and MESON, also dictate UEDF. Therefore, as selfish as they are they decided now to isolate CUD with a motive to appear to Ethiopian people that they are capable and willing to lead the struggle against Woyanes. What they do not understand is that CUD is already part of the people and has gained the full confidence of Ethiopian people. If UEDF was not obsessed for power and instead has geared its struggle for the cause of the people, they would have been better of if they remain working together with CUD rather than playing the old and obsolete trick that will not take them 100 yards.

Email: Mezezo@aol.com

City: New York

Mezezo,

Looking for any opportunity to divide the parties that stand for the interest of the Ethiopian people is not helpful and does not serve any purpose for Ethiopia (if your intension is this one). That was what TPLF/EPRDF has been trying to do for years but it has failed. As clearly shown in your message, whenever TPLF is in a state of panic, it has the habit of blaming EPRP, MESSON, Derge, Haile Sellasie, AA professors and students, EU (Ana Gomes) etc. for all its evil deeds. The main purpose is to scare people and divert their attention. Nowadays, nothing is more scaring for the Ethiopian people than the TPLF/EPRDF itself. Let us not waste time deceiving ourselves. In my opinion, what we need now is constructive ideas that can bring the opposition parties more closer to reinforce their efforts against the TPLF/EPRDF.

I don't think it is wrong for UEDF to call for a public demonstration on 9/22 (if that is true). Ethiopians desperately need freedom from the rule of TPLF/EPRDF and they will definitly participate in this demonstration whether they are supporters of UEDF or CUD. I don't think your analysis will not stop them from doing this and it should not. If CUD organizers also call for another demonstration well and good, and I believe people will come to participate from both parties and others. After all, both CUD and UEDF have worked together on many occassions and proposed a joint (collision) government as a solution to the present problem of the country. So, they have similar visions for Ethiopia, for which the people have trust. Of couse, it is always preferrable if both parties (and for that matter all other parties) pool their resources together for any kind of action that benefit the Ethiopian people. I believe that will happen more often in the future.

Email: wazeleke@yahoo.com

ER,

I support your recommendaiton. In fact, according to UEDF recent resolution, they plan to call a national conference in Ethiopia, which will include all the civic groups in the country. According to UEDF, they have asked CUD in writing to be include them in calling this Naitonal Conference. Could you please ask CUD if they are going to join UEDF in preparing that national conference?

Can you please help? It looks like this is what your editorial is asking of CUD and UEDF to do, since there is an opportunity to do it, please add pressure on CUD to be a part of the upcoming national meeting.

I agree with the idea of having joint conference. And also we need to understand the situation that our country is stuck. We need a very wise decision to come from our oppostion leaders. There are clear evidences that the two opposition parties are working closely. I belive we have wise and smart opposition leaders we have ever.

City: Houston

ZWA,

I appreciate the tone and reason of your message, whether it is sincere or not, in response to my comments. I understand that UEDF has all the rights to hold a meeting and decide to call for a public demonstration. My contention here is that since the two parties have already been working together why UEDF unitarily and hastily decided to call the demonstration on specific date 22 September? Mind you CUD is currently in the process of consulting the people by holding community and Town meeting to acquire feed back for ultimate decision. UEDF should have, therefore, waited until this process was completed. However, if UEDF thinks time is of the essence and determines that action should be taken soon, then it should have consulted or asked CUD to participate in the meeting for joint decision. One should also ask how prepared UEDF is to call the meeting so soon, unless it is intended to deliberately undermine CUD's efforts of organizing and mobilizing the people.

You also seem to suggest that there is nothing wrong if each one of them calls for a public demonstration at different time. I don't think this is practical, neither I take it as an honest suggestion. The Ethiopian people are very poor and cannot afford to forgo their daily wages each time any party calls for a demonstration. It will not be effective either for many good reasons. I think the two organizations; EPRP and MESON should have known better how difficulty it could be for the people, aside from the intimidation and confusion that EPRDF creates on them each time. Demonstration in Addis Ababa is not as easy as we see it here in America where even an individual or a group of people just walk to the White House and express their resentment on minor issues.

Unlike your critics, I am not really trying to divide the two parties, but I clearly see and am concerned that UEDF is undermining or sabotaging, if you will, CUD and I thought some one should remind them to stop these old tricks of street-smart behavior.

Email: Mezezo@aol.com

City: New York

Mezezo,

On the contrary to what you think UEDF AND CUD are working together to mobilize the Ethiopian people against Woyane. For example,the leadership of CUD sent a friendship message to UEDF'S second leadership annual conference. Besides this the DC local committee, invited UEDF leaders a dinner to demonstrate their friendship for the struggle.As to me that has a strong promising message for all of us.

Those of you who for some reason or another want to divide the opposition, you better know that UEDF/CUD and the Ethiopian people do not have an ear for you. As our goal is to free our people from the tyranny government of Woyane, we understand the importance of working together.

Nestanet

Shadow cabinet

It is like the old adge " Deha Behilmu Kibe ....".
I have a defficulty to comprehend with many of you. I do no how you forgot the condµsequences of the 1974 Ethiopian revolution. Highly motivated students and politicians from the diaspora had the zeal to fight but did not give a thought how to organize a government, or they did not have cohesive and maµture leader ship that at the end resulted in a room for the tyrannts to take the power. Regarding the opposition we are in the same situation. They have a polical agenda which are diametrically opposit but are one regarding their stand towards EPRDF. It is known to every ethiopian they are currently quarelling on the possistion of power. the division clearly will side to Mellaw Amara which is a disaster.
In conclusion, I bet they will end up in killing each other. Determination, Maturity, long-sightdness, Impariality, tolerance are not even to the level of a drop are not in their blood. They are born grazers and suckers and opprtunists who will benefit to no one.So " shadow cabinet" is unthinkable as ling as they are not coprehending to each other

Email: Demlew@yahoo.com

City: AA

Demelew,

It is not what you say now that matters. The Ethiopian people have already voted for the opposition. We want to make sure that this is respected. In other works, the people do not want to be ruled by TPLF/EPRDF any more and have made alternative choices. Even Norwegian papers, in connection to the Yara Prize, have written that besides the the TPLF/EPRDF, the leader of the party is one of the most hated men in Ethiopia (probable with a short time in Europe). It looks unwise and abnormal for me to see a leader striving to stick to power under such conditions.

Mezezo,

Referring to your response to my previous comment, please look at the comments of Solomon, Satenaw and Nestanet above. I cannot say it any better. In the meantime, I have become suspecious that for some reason you are afraid of the early demostration called for by UEDF. Hummmmm... "Hit the iron when it is hot."

Email: wazeleke@yahoo.com