Chairman of TDA Solomon Mezgebu denied exit

 

To all members of TDA 

 

Very bad and alarming news is coming again from Ethiopia and this is a call for all members of TDA to inform about the precarious situation the chairman of TDA, Solomon Mezgebu is and take measures by protesting against the inglorious measures taken by the government of Meles Zenawi. He is denied exit from Ethiopia and was asked not to board the plane to USA. His passport was taken by the immigration officers and was told to come and report to the immigration headquarters today. He is being harassed and followed everywhere by 9 security agents in 4 cars. The paranoia has gone to such a degree that independent help organizations of the people of Tigray are seen as opposition parties, aiming to overthrow the regime of Meles. 
 

TDA which is an organization of the people by the people has been engaged in an all-round development activities, such as building schools, roads, clinics, libraries, micro-dams, health centers and hospitals, delivering medicine and equipment, enrolling the youth in education (metal and wood works, building and construction, diary farming and breeding, handicraft technologies, small engine repair, BESO, awards for high school students, AIDS, illiteracy campaign, books, etc.) and sport (martial arts, cycling, circus, football, etc), training farmers by increasing awareness of soil and water conservation, irrigation management, etc. etc. All these projects were conducted by the participatory approach of the people of Tigray, who has so far contributed free labor, financial and material contributions. 
 

As far as free standing organizations with mass participation, are concerned, which TDA has had for the last 10 years, the government of Meles is deadly scared that these kinds of organizations would one day transform themselves into opposition forces. The effectiveness of TDA in matters of implementation of projects, simplicity, accountability and transparency are not simply tolerated by Mele’s regime, which is characterized by arrogance and abuse of power. 
 

Now, his design of totally liquidating and demolishing the very few institutions, which the people of Tigray considers as his own creation, shows the intention of the regime to subdue the whole Tigray and introduce total dictatorship. Thus, the crackdown on the TDA chairman and its staff is not an act of intrusion in its constitution but also a total collapse of the whole organization. The chairman of TDA and staff have been on constant pressure by the cadres since the split of the TPLF to accept the unlawful coup and the unconstitutional measures taken by the clique in power. His resignation from his post was therefore within the constitution of TDA as TDA is a non-political and non-religious organization, working for the people of Tigray to get rid of its socio-economic underdevelopment and reconstruct the war-torn region both during the Derg and recent Ethio-Eritrea conflict. 
 

The simpletons as usual were using the media during the last two days to confuse the public that he was leaving the country before being audited and handing over property. He has handed over mobile, car and a laptop, which were the only properties he got from TDA. The audit for the Ethiopian fiscal year 1992 was done successfully with a good report, while for 1993 it begins in October 2001 and ends up earliest January 2002. This is probably the simple excuse they can come up with in lack of other evidences to discredit a man, who voluntarily left his life and career in the USA to work closely with his people. Is this a gratitude to a dedicated man, who has been tirelessly working to help his deprived and poor people? 
 

Everybody or member of TDA knows that it is the institution TDA with its finance, project and information departments, which gets audited and not a chairman, who cannot even withdraw money on behalf of TDA. These people are making every person to their enemy and every step taken to step on the organizational basis has dire consequences. We people in the Diaspora whether members of TDA or not have to submit our protests to the US Department and Ethiopian Embassies.