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Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Who Andargachew Tsgie is and why he matters
May be it is because he is a man of adamantine principle; or he knows their nature and behavior ever so well. Out of the six kinijit international leaders designated by the prisoners to fill the leadership void, Andargachew Tsgie is the most distasted by the TPLF.
The Londoner is not your normal Diaspora. He staked his life and liberty when he returned to Ethiopia before the election to help Kinijit's campaign. Meles Zenawi knew he was a solid gut in organization and watched him very closely. Andragachew helped set up youth groups in different corners of the city. T, a kinijit campaigner who had a chance to meet Andargachew, told me that some of the networks that still exist are the ones formed by him. "The guy is all grassroots stuff. Coming from London, you don't expect him to see things as we do here. But he is just different," T said.
More than anybody else in Kinijit's leadership, it was Andargachew who foresaw how EPRDF might react to an election defeat and advised for a different set up and strategy to counteract. He was also warning that if kinijit didn't make the entrance of parliament (if the election was to be rigged) as a campaign issue, it would later put itself in a precarious situation. As the party was having a difficulty to chew everything it bite, the suggestions were not given the attention they deserved.
When the June 8 political demonstration turned into a massacre, EPRDF pounced on Andargachew. He was arrested and severely beaten. A former member of EHRCO who was put in the Zewai concentration camp with Andargachew was baffled with Andargachew's survival. When he was released, he was virtually unrecognizable. Yet he returned to work immediately (boringly hard worker who could churn pages and pages of political analysis in a day or two), organizing and chairing the lawyers of the party who were working on the investigation of the election, giving thoughtful press interviews and preparing advise papers. He was still adamant that the party should be ready for EPRDF's offense.
Andargachew was one of the first Kinijit members to be charged of attempting to destroy the constitutional order. When in mid August he left the country, the Pro-government Eftin claimed that he was the most dangerous and subversive member of Kinijit who organized the youth to overthrow an elected government. After the November massacre, my TPLF-connected informants told me that Meles and co. very mush regretted that Andargachew eluded them.
Andargachew is also a very popular politician at home. Kinijit's leaders so appreciated his contributions that he was elected to the supreme council (the leading body of the party) even though he wasn't at home at the time of the election. His best selling book "Netsanetin yemayawik Netsa Awtchi" has made him a house hold name. His honest and heartfelt apology for working with EPRDF just after they controlled Addis Ababa had been received with grace and appreciation by the public who wasn't used to such repentance from politicians. The fourth edition of the book was put on sale just a month ago and it still hit the best seller list.
I think that he is an element who is capable of connecting the democracy movement in Diaspora with the struggle at home. Great choice for a Kinijit substitute leadership.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read his book. It was one of the most original amharic political writings of all time

Anonymous said...

Continue with the posting of brief biography of other patriotic individuals as well. We would like to know more about oppossition leaders contribution to the popular struggle

Anonymous said...

Andargachew??? kekekeee I am laughing through my teeth. Mark my word he will put CUD in the dust bin of Ethiopia Political history

Anonymous said...

I appreciate Andargachew's repentance for working with EPRDF and it is his right to ditch a party and join another one based on the wind of change. However, I am disturbed by the speed he has been taken on board to the leadership of a polical party. As we know leadership requires 'integrity' and there are those who have been consistent in their principle in the struggle for democracy for many years. You can't simply put someone, who was given a leading position in promoting Woyane's seccesinist policy just a few years ago, on top of a very genuine politcal party. We are talking about leadership and people who change party bandwagons should be given guarded positions and not executive ones. To my knowledge this is his second switch - From EPRP to EPRDF and now to CUD. So, sub-committee membership is the utmost these kind of people deserve and not executive position. I am sorry to say this but it is a historical fact and should be rectified early.

Anonymous said...

But I trust him.

Anonymous said...

I don't care if you trust him but this doesn't fly. As the previous writer correctly pointed out, this Andargachew guy seems to be an opportunist -- jumping from one bandwagen to another.

No sirrie, I wouldn't trust him at all let alone give him an important position in CUDP-NA.

Besides the so-called international leadership of CUDP has turned out to be fake. It was a coup attempt by Andargachew and some others.

Anonymous said...

He is but another Lidetu with a more subtle scheme. In his recent interviews, He seem to adore the imprisoned CUD leaders, his glorification and elevation of them to the heavens is just a cover to his hidden agenda. In reality he is killing their vision. Look where he is leading CUD. He confuses his naive followers by saying that he make OLF to subdue to ETHIOPIANISM. The truth is he compromised ETHIOPIAWINET to OLF/EPLF. He is just same old himself woyane cadre in a new/CUD cloth. Have you ever asked his adamant opposition to coolaborate with other Ethiopian political organizations such as UEDF and civic organizations?

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