TPLF clique’s strategy of creating enmity among the people and ethnic polarization aggravates the Ethiopian people’s bitterness to the highest level, President Isaias underscores

TPLF clique’s strategy of creating enmity among the people and ethnic polarization aggravates the Ethiopian people’s bitterness to the highest level, President Isaias underscores

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Asmara, 11 June 2007 – In a live interview he conducted with the Eritrean media last night regarding the objective situation in Ethiopia and regional issues, President Isaias Afwerki underscored that the TPLF clique’s strategy of creating enmity among the people and ethnic polarization in a bid to prolong its stay in power has aggravated the Ethiopian people’s bitterness to the highest level.

Pointing out that the TPLF clique’s program right from the onset was “The Independence of Tigray”, the President underlined that when this proved to be unacceptable, it developed into the twin idea of the “Independence of Tigray and Ethiopia”. Moreover, when this same idea did not rest on a single platform, the clique on assuming power adopted the strategy of so-called “federalism” which in essence aimed at “divide and rule policy”.

President Isaias went on to indicate that over the last 16 years, the TPLF clique committed three historic blunders, namely trying to control the Ethiopian people through resorting to a policy of ethnic polarization, looking for external victims so as to cover up its internal problems and searching for external supporters as it did not have trust in the people. Even the intrigue it resorted to in the name of the people of Tigray has only led to hatred of the latter on the part of the rest of the Ethiopian population, though for no fault of the Tigray people, he added. The President elaborated that “the TPLF’s wrongdoings have rendered the people of Tigray victims.”

As regards the outcome of the May 2005 elections and its consequences, President Isaias pointed out that as far the TPLF were concerned the elections represented a drama of buying a 5-year ticket for staying in office. He further asserted that the outcome witnessed the aggravation of the Ethiopian people’s bitterness to the highest level, and as its suddenness was shocking the clique was compelled to introduce basic change in the way it has been handling things in different domains.

Explaining that the Ethiopian economy relies on relief assistance and external subsidy, President Isaias indicated that the poor-rich gap in the country keeps on widening with each passing day. Talk of “the Ethiopian economy has shown growth” is for mere propaganda consumption, he underlined. The President further noted that the so-called millennium hullabaloo is but a futile drama designed to cover up one’s utter failure.

President Isaias underscored that TPLF clique’s baseless accusation against Eritrea, at one time under the pretext of terrorism and at another “supporter of opposition forces”, attests to the clique’s diversionary campaigns as well as its bankruptcy, cheapness and state of acute worry. He went on to indicate that the clique is heading to the abyss.

Furthermore, the President gave in-depth briefings regarding the Somali and Darfur issues, Eritrea’s stance on these issues and the efforts being made to resolve them.
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