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

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

1. Chief of Staff, General, Samora Yunus, Tigre
2. Training Department, Lt. General Tadesse Worede, Tigre
3. Logistics Department, Lt. General Geazi Abera, Tigre
4. Military Intelligence Department, Brg. General Gebredela, Tigre
5. Operations Department, Lt. General Gebre Egziabiher, Tigre
6. Engineering Department, Lt. General Berhane Negash, Tigre
7. Air force, Brg. General Mola Haile Mariam, Tigre

Heads of the four commands

1. Central Command, Lt. General AbebawTadesse, Agew
2. Northern Command, Lt. General Seare Mekonnen, Tigre
3. South Eastern Command, Maj. General Abraha W. Gabriel, Tigre
4. Western Command, Brg. General Siyoum Hagos, Tigre

Division Commands

1. 31st Division Commander, Colonel Tsegaye Marx, Tigre
2. 33rd Division Commander, Colonel Kidane, Tigre
3. 35th Division Commander, Colonel Misganaw Alemu, Agew
4. 24th Division Commander, Colonel Work Aieynu, Tigre
5. 22nd Division Commander, Colonel Dikul, Tigre
6. 14th Division Commander, Colonel Woedi Antieru, Tigre
7. 21st Divison Commander, Colonel Gueshi Gebre, Tigre
8. 11th Division Commander, Colonel Workidu, Tigre
9. 25th Division Commander, Colonel Tesfai Sahel, Tigre
10. 20th Division Commander, Colonel, Teklai Klashin, Tigre
11. 8th Mechanized Division, Colonel Jemal Mohamed, Tigre
12. 4th Mechanized Division, Colonel Hintsaw Giorgis, Tigre
13. 19th Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Guae, Tigre
14. 44th Division Commander, Colonel Zewdu Teferra, Agew
15. 13th Division Commander, Colonel Sherifo, Tigre
16. 12th Division Commander, Colonel Mulugeta Abraha, Tigre
17. 32nd Division Commander, Colonel Abraha Teslim, Tigre
18. 6th Mech. Div. Commander , Colonel Gebre Medhin Fekad, Tigre
19. 23rd Division, Commander, Colonel Wold Beilalom, Tigre
20. 43rd Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Abate, Tigre
21. 26th Division Commander, Colonel Mebratu, Tigre
22. 7th Mech. Div. Commander, Colonel Gebre Gebre Mariam, Tigre

Defense Ministry Departments and other specialized Units

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

Source: ION, allAfrica and EMF