The TPLF and Roots of the 2001 Political Tremor by Paulos Milkias, 2001

Ethiopia, The TPLF and Roots of the 2001 Political Tremor by Paulos Milkias, 2001:

http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1051&context=africancenter_icad_archive

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According to the author, "In 1997, at a meeting of the TPLF Central Committee that was convened at the Economic Commission for Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, the Prime Minister dropped a bombshell. He told the members who were hitherto in control of every policy decision not only in Tigray, but also in the rest of Ethiopia that the Mandate of the TPLF was over. Ethiopia, TPLF and Roots of the 2001 Political Tremor - P.Milkias 3 Meles explained that the TPLF as a front had, starting from the beginning, two basic contradictions to contend with. The primary contradiction was, he explained, to neutralize the forces that militated against their avowed aim, to achieve self-determination for their homeland of Tigray. This, he explained, has already been accomplished. Their organization had defeated their earliest rivals, the EDU, the TLF and the EPRP. Then, it defeated another rival, the ELF by coordinating its forces with the EPLF, at that time their ally against the Derg. The TPLF had continued its struggle until it defeated the Derg and liberated the entire province of Tigray. It then continued to follow the Derg to its seat of power in Addis Ababa until it crushed its military forces and took over the whole of Ethiopia."

"People present at the meeting report that the Tigray nationalists led by the Tewolde-Siye group were astounded by this bold suggestion and argued against Meles vehemently. The dissidents’ fear was that if Meles continued in the same direction, the TPLF might loose its grip on Ethiopian economics and politics. It is not surprising therefore that since the rift appeared, they have attacked Meles for undermining Tigray and Tigrayan nationality for which many of their comrades gave their lives"