A STATMENT FROM TIGRAY COMMUNITY IN BRITISH

A STATMENT FROM TIGRAY COMMUNITY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Fellow Ethiopians;
It has been over four months since the crisis in the TPLF culminated into an authoritarian rule by the Meles-Sbhat regime in Ethiopia. Our protest to the lawlessness of the regime has been unequivocal and immediate in our letter of April 01, 2001 posted on the Internet. Our concerns were justified given the circumstances the Meles regime is leading the country into. It is apparently on the verge of collapse, including its sovereignty.
A letter appears on Ben’s website intended to dispute our stand against the heinous crimes committed on our country by the Meles administration. Since readers are aware by now how and who runs the filthy politics of the Meles regime, our objective here, will not be to respond to this. However, we would like to clarify on the horrendous behaviour that emanates from this letter. The unacceptable behaviour expressed on this letter alludes to the political character of the Meles clique itself. It is a script from Mr. Meles and Sibhat Nega’s novelty, the "Bonapartism in Ethiopia" which has been a political guide for the inadequate, the corrupt and adulterers in Ethiopian politics.
The letter replicates what is already said by the string-puppets of the despotic regime in Addis in their return from the abortive tour to North America. It categorizes the overwhelming opposition of Tigreans to the regime as remnants of EDU, EPRP, etc. We would like to clear up one important issue to Meles, his gang and followers if they can understand it: the EDUs and EPRPs are Ethiopians and no one can dispute their allegiance to their country regardless of their political orientations. The Meles regime is not. We Tigreans and Ethiopians in general are fighting against this regime and the political misfortunes it has brought upon our country. Since the EDU is mentioned, we would also like to use its once illustrious class analysis. Though simplistic it will help us to describe the characteristics of Meles and his last followers. His followers are the Eritreans with shady characters and background, the inadequate whose allegiance has to do with Meles’ birthplace, and the most dangerous are the adulterous, the greedy and corrupt who will never desist from selling out a whole country for personal lust. All three have neither the value nor the desire of a country to be proud of. The rest of us have a great country, Ethiopia, to fight for and extricate it from the depraved.
Such three or four individuals are known to our community in British Columbia like in other places recruited by the regime spying on the rest of us. It is well known that the despotic regime allocated a huge budget for spying on Ethiopians in foreign countries since last year. Such individuals have constant telephone connections (on collect calls payable from the Ethiopian coffer) with their facilitators for this purpose. No matter how far the shadow of a tyrannical regime follows us, it is too much cost for us to pay to give up our freedom of speech to intimidation or fear for which reason most of us left our beloved country.

Fellow Ethiopians!
It is time to ask our selves a serious question why Ethiopia has become a casualty of traitors and the depraved on the helm of power for the last half a century. In the case of this regime, we have the 10 or so leaders of the TPLF to blame, who co-habited with Meles and Sibhat Nega’s deceitful political life only to oppose at the last minute. Yes, we share the view of what is said as, "they let the country down", to a certain limit. The answer to our question should be, "where were the rest of Ethiopians who let down their country?". The responsibility of running a country is not a trust that can be given away to unknown individuals. We Ethiopians at home and abroad should be able to take the blame and responsibility for the adultery the present regime and its religious leader are committing in the country.
It is still our stand Meles can’t be the judge to his political opponents he is throwing into jail in the thousands, be it his former associates or innocent civilians. Let the people of Ethiopia be the judge, including to Meles and his criminals.
On this occasion, we would like to ask all Ethiopians to come together and take the honour to save their country from a tyranny, without delay. We call to all Ethiopians to put aside the old grudge of blaming each other. This will only help the regime, which mastered the divisive policy among Ethiopians in the last decade.
We present to you the following urgent issues that we have to address as one people:
1. If we are willing to save the country from the intended course of disintegration by the regime, we need to work for a political change in Ethiopia and see the last day of the Meles-Sbhat regime from power.
2. We need to actively involve in stopping the current UN sponsored "reconciliation and agreement" with Eritrea. Meles and Sibhat live their lives for the moment to seal an agreement that could further complicate Ethiopia’s survival.
3. The state should no more be the enemy. We should stop the mortal enemies of Ethiopia and its people. If justice is to reign in Ethiopia Meles and his ruling clique should be brought to justice, where ever may be their final refuge. Ethiopians should not allow Europe or North America to be their safe-haven to live on the millions of dollars they have stolen out of the country.

The general membership of Union of Tigreans in North America (UTNA) of British Columbia chapter would like to take this opportunity to announce distancing itself from the organization that has been subservient to the Meles ruling clique in a bid to work for political change in Ethiopia. We have joined the ranks of fellow Ethiopians. We will take UTNA to its end, which we will make it known in the course of time as to the measures the membership will take at its disposal.

From Tigray community;
British Columbia; Canada.
July 31, 2001