Friday, May 29, 2009

Wind of protest in the army: Ethiopian soldiers and officers based in the east of the country are accusing their hierarchy of discrimination.


Wind of protest in the army: Ethiopian soldiers and officers based in the east of the country are accusing their hierarchy of discrimination.

May 2nd 2009 - According to information obtained by The Indian Ocean Newsletter, the complaints by soldiers and officers based in Harar and Jijiga have reached the ears of their high command. Their accusations concern various forms of discrimination (for example, dismissing some soldiers without compensation, while others are given it, unfairness in promotions, Tigrayan soldiers and officers have separate doctors from other ethnic groups). The Tigrayan General Igziabher Mebrat went on the spot to calm down the tempers. He got carried away during one meeting with soldiers: he displayed an Ethiopian flag and said “we have enough enemies; we must stay united in the interest of Ethiopia”. The Amhara General Abebaw Tadesse also came to speak to the angry soldiers. These two high-ranking officers promised to come back with the answers from the ministry of defence. But meanwhile, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi summoned General Samora Yunis and other Tigrayan generals and asked them to put an end to this fledgling agitation within the army.



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TPLF Regimes Sets Up Special Force to Crash Popular Uprising, Say Defecting Ethiopian Soldiers

15 May 2009 Asmara — Ethiopian soldiers who arrived in Eritrea recently opposing the TPLF regime's policies said that the regime has set up a special force to crash the mounting popular uprising in that country. They pointed out that the setting up of the special force is designed to suppress opposition on the part of the general public and members of the Army. The soldiers further disclosed that the prevailing opposition and chaos inside the Army is the result of the mass arrest and liquidation, as well as the resist policies being pursued by the regime.The defecting soldiers are Osman Abdalla and Weyesa Bekele, both from the Oromo ethnic group.

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The Tigreans domination of the military

Several Ethiopian scholars and political commentators alike have argued in the past that the TPLF regime in Ethiopia has been promoting the domination of a minority ethnic elite, i.e., the Tigreans, in all spheres of the nation’s life — economy, military, intelligence and security services, foreign affairs, etc. Much has been said and many have commented upon the blatant nature of the drive to ensure the domination of Tigrean elites who claim to represent only 6% of close to 80 million Ethiopians.

Below one can find list of the names, positions, and ethnic compositions that exist in the current so-called national military in Ethiopia:

The most senior Command posts of the Defense Ministry
Chief of Staff, General, Samora Yunus, Tigre
Training Department, Lt. General Tadesse Worede, Tigre
Logistics Department, Lt. General Geazi Abera, Tigre
Military Intelligence Department, Brg. General Gebredela, Tigre
Operations Department, Lt. General Gebre Egziabiher, Tigre
Engineering Department, Lt. General Berhane Negash, Tigre
Air force, Brg. General Mola Haile Mariam, Tigre
Heads of the four commands

Central Command, Lt. General AbebawTadesse, Agew
Northern Command, Lt. General Seare Mekonnen, Tigre
South Eastern Command, Maj. General Abraha W. Gabriel, Tigre
Western Command, Brg. General Siyoum Hagos, Tigre
Division Commands


31st Division Commander, Colonel Tsegaye Marx, Tigre
33rd Division Commander, Colonel Kidane, Tigre
35th Division Commander, Colonel Misganaw Alemu, Agew
24th Division Commander, Colonel Work Aieynu, Tigre
22nd Division Commander, Colonel Dikul, Tigre
14th Division Commander, Colonel Woedi Antieru, Tigre
21st Divison Commander, Colonel Gueshi Gebre, Tigre
11th Division Commander, Colonel Workidu, Tigre
25th Division Commander, Colonel Tesfai Sahel, Tigre
20th Division Commander, Colonel, Teklai Klashin, Tigre
8th Mechanized Division, Colonel Jemal Mohamed, Tigre
4th Mechanized Division, Colonel Hintsaw Giorgis, Tigre
19th Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Guae, Tigre
44th Division Commander, Colonel Zewdu Teferra, Agew
13th Division Commander, Colonel Sherifo, Tigre
12th Division Commander, Colonel Mulugeta Abraha, Tigre
32nd Division Commander, Colonel Abraha Teslim, Tigre
6th Mech. Div. Commander , Colonel Gebre Medhin Fekad, Tigre
23rd Division, Commander, Colonel Wold Beilalom, Tigre
43rd Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Abate, Tigre
26th Division Commander, Colonel Mebratu, Tigre
7th Mech. Div. Commander, Colonel Gebre Gebre Mariam, Tigre

Defense Ministry Departments and other specialized Units


Agazi Commando Div., Commander, Brg. General Muhamed Aisha, Tigre
Addis Ababa Security Division, Colonel Zenebe Amare, Tigre
Palace Security Force, Commander, Colonel Geresenay, Tigre
Banks’ Security Force, Commander, Colonel Hawaz Woldu, Tigre
Engineering College, Commander, Colonel Halefom Ejigou, Tigre
Heath Science College, Commander, Colonel Tesfaye Giday, Tigre
Mulugeta Buli Technical College Commander, Colonel Meleya Amare, Tigre
Resource Management College Commander, Colonel Letayi Tigre
Staff & Command College, Commander, Brg General Tesfaye Giday Tigre
Bilate Training Center, Commander, Colonel Salih Berihu, Tigre
Hurso Training Center, Commander, Colonel Negash Hiluf, Tigre
Awash Arba Training Center, Commander, Colonel Muze, Tigre
Bir Shelko Training Center, Commander, Colonel Negasi Shekortet, Tigre
Head of Admin., the Ministry of Defense, Brg.Gen. Mehari Zewde, Tigre
Dejen Defense Aviation, Head, Brg General Kinfe Dagenew, Tigre
Defense Ministry, Head of Research, Brg. Gen. Halfom Chento, Tigre
Defense Ministry, Head of Legal Affairs, Colonel Askale, Tigre
Head of the Office of the Chief of Staff, Colonel Tsehaye Manjus, Tigre
Head of Indoctrinated Centre , Brg. General Akele Asaye, Amhara
Head of Communication, Colonel Sibhat, Tigre
Head of External Affairs, Colonel Hasene, Tigre
Head, Special Forces coordinating Center, Brg. Gen Fiseha Manjus, Tigre
Head of operations Department, Colonel Wodi Tewik, Tigre
Planning and Program Department Head, Colonel Teklai Ashebir, Tigre
Defense Industry Coordinating Head, Colonel Wodi Negash, Tigre
Head of Finance in the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Zewdu, Tigre
Head of Purchasing in the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Gidey, Tigre
Head of Budget Department, Ato Brehane Tigre