Ethiopia’s attorney general accused the former senior member of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) for ordering the foiled assassination attempt on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at rally on June 23.
Berhanu Tsegaye said “the senior leadership of the NISS” ordered and orchestrated the plot. A Kenyan-based woman Genet, also known by her nickname, Tolesh participated in recruiting agents and making payments, according to the attorney general.
Oromo ethnic groups were deliberately recruited to carry out the attack, to give the impression that the Prime Minister was killed by his own ethnic group members, Berhanu told a press conference.
Asked if that senior leader was Getachew Assefa himself, Berhanu responded saying everybody knows who the head of NISS was.
Getachew Assefa has been elected to retain his position as member of the political bureau of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the EPRDF’s executive committee on October, and he is reportedly staying in Mekele. He is currently serving as a security chief for the Tigray regional government. An arrest has to be made yet. “He could have a political appointment but here we are talking about legal issue,” Berhanu said.
A grenade attack killed two people at a rally in support of the Prime Minister’s reform in June, soon after Abiy left the podium. Five people were arrested in September, said to be members of the formerly exiled Oromo Liberation Front.
Photo: Berhanu Tsegaye, courtesy of the Reporter.
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Such a news of a hotspot seems to be of an exact vitality; so long and yet the government must unearth the next phase of brutalities that have been committed on Ethiopians, by the TPLF ringleaders, that l dubbed “Extreme Cannibals”!
I hope Getachow Assefa and his criminal minded Weyane compatriots should be impaled hastily. Finally justice will prevail in our beloved country that has been defiled and plundered since May 1991.
Some in Ethiopia (several posthumously) are prime candidates for Criminal Court at The Hague. A Citizen Taskforce should be set up to gather evidence, to hunt down foreign banks they have squirreled away stolen money to, and limit their movements abroad. The Magnitsky Act is the tool just for such times. Money reclaimed then could go to Fund for helping the Motherland!
I find little bit too convenient this whole alleged attempt on Abiyot’s life!
I am sceptical as Abiy was himself deeply embedded in intelligence services and made career within.
It’s only hypothetical but it could be himself who oschestrated in order to justify a purge to consolidate his power.
The grenade conveniently landed when he left the podium 😉
In a country like Ethiopia with political intrigues and cultural violent political transition throughout history,there is strong possibility that the official version cannot bit trusted
Dear Arreh,
You sound like Tplf. This is how Tplf thinks. Commits crime and comes around to provide alternative but worthless explanation.
Dear Herra
It is too easy and convenient to blame on TPLF thinking!
At time of widespread witch-hunt it is question of freedom of thinking to dig little bit outside the box!
Too many loose ends are observable, for example the dubious suicide of the Renaissance Dam chied Engineer!
Since imperial times Ethiopia political transition was full of intrigues and mystery!
Abiye is not that clean himself as a former top intelligence officer and people should keep their eyes open and not be blinded by the constant hyperactivity and PR stunt!
Real democracy is to keep balance and check and observe in the long run!
Dear Arreh,
Maybe you don’t know or deliberately ignore TPLF’s sense of entitlement. TPLF ruled the past thirty years with that spirit. ‘We won the Derg and we are entitled to the privileges, rights. Others could only be junior partners, in case they are submissive to us.’ that is how they felt and say it officially. Was it an accident that almost all METEC leaders happen to be TPLF? Why would anyone be bitter against them? Because others are bad? You know something called Yilugnata in Ethiopia tradition? It means at least doing something with some semblance of fairness. TPLF did not even have that.
Dear Ambaye Atreso
I don’t particularly hold high esteem how TPLF intelligentsia and senior leaderships acted and you rightly summarised their deed and legacy!
Although Melez was in many aspect a visionary man, he failed to create an inclusive political system deliberately!
There were a handful of men and women who controlled all aspects of life during their tenure.
Change from within the system is far better than an outside revolution!
However only real power sharing and real tribal democracy which reflects the social fabric is needed!
It will be a grave mistake to replace a class of privileged men of Tigray descents by another class of Oromo descent privileged men!
The cycle will never end if the political unless a system like UK 🇬🇧 is adopted with real democracy where Scottish, Welsh and Irish are all represented without discrimination
Arreh,
You seem like a sincere person who has skepticism about some of the changes happening almost every day. My challenge to you is how would the current administration handle such atrocities to humankind? What would you have done differently? Your criticism about Abiy is fair, but not necessarily true. Someone has to bring concrete evidence to prove Abiy or his team were part of this mechanized corruption. I, together with millions of Ethiopians, strongly believe he was working under the radar with Lema and the rest of their team to bring about change for the nation that was long overdue. I give them respect and my gratitude to the freedom they brought to the nation that was few months ago was in fear of losing everything. You are entitled to your criticism. After all, this is what they fought for. To bring freedom of speech and democracy for our nation.
Dear Yoseph
You are entitled to your belief and faith as everyone else that’s your God given right.
You are also entitled to believe that Lemme and Abiyot were working under the radar something that need to be proven as you needed proof about the fact they were systemic.
Unfortunately politics is not only about faith and belief it’s a complex game of alliances and murky world!
What the eyes see is not always the truth as from 380000km the moon seems so small !
The incessant gesticulations of this administration is worth to take notice but politics as social science is observed and looked in the long run and sometimes evil is in the small details!
While still killing are going on everywhere and tribal vendetta in Ethiopia Abiye is pleasing talking about a United Horn of Africa with photos opportunities!
As I said it is too early to be in a state of beatitude and nirvana and drop vigilance!
The answer is first law and order everywhere and accountability for heinous crimes committed daily by some ethnic group who feel free at the moment in their orgies of violence!
The second thing is to implement true power sharing to sit down and draw a new social contract by learning from past mistakes!
Replacing one ethnic domination by another with a smooth talk and not real representation risk to bring back the old evil
Arreh,
You say “Melez (sic) was in many aspect (sic) a visionary man,” and then that “he failed to create an inclusive political system deliberately!” A fellow who “deliberately” divided a people and failed to put in place succession is mean, short-sighted and tyrannical, not visionary.
1. No person in their right mind would think attempt on Dr. Abiy’s life was NOT orchestrated by Tplf, as was the murder of Engineer Semegnew.
2. Meles Zenawi is today virtually seen in contempt everywhere except in parts of Tigray. People suffered indeed under his/Tplf leadership.
3. There is great freedom and unity in the land since Abiy, Lamma, Geddu, Demeke, Muferiat took the leadership. Unfortunately, Tplf is still trying to destabilize the country by using the media and physical violence. You may disagree but that is the fact many believe is true.
4. Your example of a UK-style democracy with Wales, Ireland, and Scotland does not fit conditions in Ethiopia. UK is a constitutional monarchy! Oromo and Amhara together are 67% of the population. Tigray is 5% of the population, Somali is 6.2%, etc. Scotland, Ireland, and Wales together make up less than a third of UK population.
5. You have tried to defend Tplf but failed miserably. Remember Tplf is the one that started “ethnic” politics that eventually sidelined it. For now we just have to continue bringing criminals to face justice. Unfortunately, many who used their power to rob the country and inflict great pain on citizens are Tplf members. I know it is hard for you but you just have to learn to live with the new realities.
Dear Alem
Let’s historien analyse Melez’s deed in the continuity of history with big H which I mean in the context of Ethiopia politics since imperial times.
Any criminal without distinction must face justice and those orchestrating the massacre right now are not exceptions !
Every leader had its shortcomings and positive impact and hardly common people can judge with impartiality!
Indeed UK has a constitutional monarchy however every ethnic group is proportionally represented with great fairness and openness!
You are brandishing that Oromo and Amhara represents 67%, even though it may be true does it confere them the right to get a duopoly approach to the power sharing ? Between the line you are implying that they are entitled to a domination !
Fairness must prevail and it is too early to sleep in nirvana state because of few speeches and gesticulations.
Without a true tribal democracy in which every ethnic is represented fairly there will be no lasting stability!
You cited only Somalis and Tigray! Are omitting Afar and Southern People ?
There is a need to grab the bull by the horn.
Balance and check and prevalence of the rule of law is the real salvation and no a mere cosmetic changes and domination by another ethnicity over the vast resources of this rich historically badly managed country
Arreh,
I am glad you responded. You say I “cited only Somalis and Tigray…omitting Afar and Southern People.” Next time you see “etc ” at the end of a sentence take it to mean there are more not in the list. Again you failed to notice the statement that “tribal” politics was the creation of Meles/Tplf. A four-tribal party coalition was formed and named “revolutionary democracy.” Are you not aware of that?
Is that the kind of democracy you had in mind? I believe our country must move away from tribal politics if, as you hinted, fairness is to prevail. Do you realize “revolutionary democracy” is totally different from the one in the UK? Unfortunately, Tplf got trapped out by the “tribal” door it designed. Another item is this, People who suffered at the hands of tyrants and robbers don’t need historians to explain it to them. The robbery that our country was subjected to never happened even during the fascist Derg rule. No, not by a long shot.
Btw, you are a lone voice in claiming Abiy orchestrated attempt on his own life “in order to justify a purge to consolidate his power. The grenade conveniently landed when he left the podium 😉” (imojee in the original). That suggests you must be in the know of what happened before, during, and after the attack. And now out again trying to jam the airwaves to sow confusion. I bet Arreh is not your real name!
Dear Alem
As the French philosopher Montesquieux said in his matter piece “ Esprit des Lois” “ Spirit of Laws”, “ the worse of injustices are those conducted is tyranny conducted in the guise of justice “
Let me point to you that Ethiopia politics was dominated for centuries by one ethnic group who controlled all the state structures and security apparatus imposing even one language and forcibly converted people and you cannot hide that fact : Amhara!
Melez arrival and his progressive policies by empowering all other ethnicities led to the rise of Abiye!
Melez was not perfect and disproportionally confered preeminence to Tigray and we all know that!
When I said that perhaps Abiy orchestrated the botched attempt I followed my own skepticism and I am not alone!
How can you explain that in nineteen nineties when Melez took power amid a disorganised army he restored order and Law in a record time!
But now with a system and security apparatus intact how can you explain the orgy of tribal massacre conducted freely by some ethnics!
One thing is for sure Ethiopia will never be again a place where one single entity subjugate everyone else, people know each other too well and better organised !
What do you call when Abiye déclare now the army is balanced and not single ethnic can not dominate ! Sorry to disappoint you but that means tribal redistribution at it’s best!
The redistribution of posts are conducted along tribal etiquette and all other things!
The ethnic federal states are fully fledged and institutionalised despite your burying in the sands. Tribal democracy is already applied and will be implemented in a free and fair elections !
You can refuse to see but the blind is the one who refuse to see !
I am optimistic in the future provided Abiy continue this path of easing tensions and giving all ethnicities their fair share in this new dawn !
For those who dreams a return to the century old status quo they keep dreaming until the end of time, that Will never materialise !