VZCZCXRO6055
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #1592/01 1630444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110444Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0912
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 001592 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PBTS ET
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SETS DEMOCRATIC SPACE MARKER WITH 
TIGRAY'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS 
 
REF: A. ADDIS 1259 
     ¶B. ADDIS 1223 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) In a June 3-4 visit to Tigray, Ambassador conveyed a 
clear message of concern over political space and the need 
for the core ruling party, the Tigrean People's Liberation 
Front (TPLF), to ease its stranglehold on civil society and 
the political opposition in order to maintain stability in 
Ethiopia.  While the Ambassador, accompanied by the French 
and UK Ambassadors, had noted his concerns on May 9 to Prime 
Minister Meles (ref. A), the meetings with five TPLF Central 
Committee members in Tigray further aimed to insert into the 
Central Committee's discussions international concern about 
Ethiopia's stability in the absence of political openings and 
the likely development impacts of pending civil society 
legislation (ref. B).  Ambassador also took advantage of the 
opportunity to urge Ethiopia to shift its stance on the 
Ethiopia-Eritrea border to one focused on acceptance of 
"demarcation" to be implemented through dialogue, instead of 
the current focus on dialogue in place of the 
Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) "virtual" 
demarcation directive.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) The Ambassador and Political Counselor paid courtesy 
visits on five TPLF Central Committee members in Ethiopia's 
Tigray region June 3-4.  In addition to courtesy calls on 
Tigray Regional Vice President Abadi Zemo, the Tigray 
region's TPLF Party President Tewodros Hagos, Speaker of the 
House of the Tigray Regional Council Wolderufael Alemayehu, 
and Mayor of Mekele Fisseha Zerihun, the Ambassador and USAID 
Director spent five hours with TPLF Central Committee member 
Teklewoini Assefa who is also the Executive Director of the 
TPLF's NGO the Relief Society of Tigray (REST). 
 
AMBASSADOR TELLS CENTRAL COMMITTEE: STABILITY IS AT STAKE 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Yamamoto raised U.S. and international 
concerns over the stability implications of the mounting 
political frustration stemming from the lack of opposition 
supporters' ability to genuinely express their dissent with 
the ruling party.  The Ambassador stressed the USG's desire 
to work with Ethiopian political parties and the National 
Electoral Board to improve democratic institutions in 
Ethiopia.  Abadi was clear that Ethiopia is learning lessons 
from other African countries' failed attempts to emulate 
western-style democracy.  Abadi argued that the "Ethiopian 
opposition wants democracy as they see it in the West, but 
that won't work."  "If we don't address the fundamental 
problems, our strategy will not succeed," he continued "but 
our strategy is only intended for a few years until we can 
overcome the bottleneck."  "Without the EPRDF," Abadi 
concluded "Ethiopia will revert to where it was 30 years 
ago."  The Ambassador retorted that it is imperative that the 
people feel that their voices are heard and their civil 
rights are respected. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador expressed specific concern to 
regional Vice President Abadi, Speaker Wolderufael, and REST 
Executive Director Teklewoini that the Ethiopian Government's 
(GoE) draft civil society organizations (CSO) law is 
"confusing, restricts foreign assistance programs and 
operations" and may impact a huge portion of the $700 million 
in U.S. assistance given to Ethiopia.  Having received clear 
talking points from the ruling party, both Abadi and 
Teklewoini argued that the law will not impact genuine 
development-oriented NGOs or activities, and would actually 
increase the impacts of foreign assistance.  Both were clear 
that the law would eliminate foreign funding to "advocacy" 
efforts as such activities are the exclusive right of 
Ethiopian citizens and should not be influenced by 
foreigners.  Abadi was clear that "if foreign assistance does 
not contribute to development efforts or add value to 
Ethiopia, it should be ended."  As his hard-line credentials 
emerged, Abadi argued that "no one can push a country around 
to make it do what it doesn't want" and "serious donors will 
change the focus of their assistance to contribute to real 
development."  Both Abadi and Teklewoini dismissed Ethiopian, 
as well as international, NGOs' concerns as "emotional 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00001592  002 OF 003 
 
 
responses" from organizations solely focused on bringing in 
more money for their programs.  Teklewoini argued that 
opposition political parties have, and will continue to, 
receive capacity building support from NGOs and other groups. 
 Teklewoini saw no problem with the opposition, but he 
cautioned that the financial support the opposition received 
from the diaspora in the U.S. was wrong and needed to be 
monitored. 
 
BORDER: PRESS TO IMPLEMENT DEMARCATION THROUGH DIALOGUE 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Amb was told over dinner by Vice President Abadi 
Zemo and USAID sponsored NGO (Relief Society of Tigray) chief 
Teklewoini Assefa, both central committee members of the 
TPLF, that the Eritrea problem was severely hurting 
investment and economic development in Tigray.  They wanted 
the border conflict ended peacefully because they saw another 
war as far worse, for now.  They severely criticized the UN 
and international community for not helping to resolve the 
conflict through PM Meles, constructive dialogue approach 
which would resolve the consequences of demarcation and allow 
both sides to come to terms on a demarcation plan that would 
work and avoid war.  Amb stated that the EEBC made a decision 
and if Ethiopia clearly came out in favor of &demarcation8 
and implementing a demarcation plan through dialogue, that 
could have some positive effect on the UN which sees the EEBC 
decision as the only solution. 
 
CENTRAL COMMITTEE PERSONALITIES 
------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Although Ambassador sought to meet with Tigray 
Regional President and TPLF Central Committee member Tsegay 
Berhe, Tsegaye was called to Addis Ababa the day before the 
visit.  Still, Ambassador was able to meet with the following 
TPLF Central Committee members resident in Tigray: 
 
-- Abadi Zemo - Tigray Regional Vice President: Ato Abadi 
fought as a member of the TPLF during the struggle to topple 
the Derg.  He lost his left arm in combat.  Abadi has a 
strong command of English and clearly conveys TPLF talking 
points through a tone suggesting a strong personal support 
for their positions.  Abadi appears in his mid-fifties, wears 
glasses, and drinks whiskey (Johnny Walker black label was 
served at dinner). 
 
-- Teklewoini Assefa - Executive Director of the Relief 
Society of Tigray (REST): Ato Teklewoini met Prime Minister 
Meles and other TPLF founders while a student at Addis Ababa 
University (AAU) in the early 1970s where he studies physical 
sciences.  When the Derg came to power, he left AAU before 
graduating and taught high school science in Asmara.  As a 
TPLF combatant, Teklewoini lost his right ring finger above 
the second knuckle.  From the early-1980s, Teklewoini focused 
his work on the TPLF's development/relief organization, the 
Relief Society of Tigray.  Teklewoini was intent in noting 
that before becoming Senior NSC Director for Africa in 
Washington in the 1990s, Gail Smith worked for three years 
for REST, working, eating, and sleeping with the TPLF's 
relief arm.  Teklewoini also noted that USAID began funneling 
humanitarian and relief assistance through REST in 1985 -- 
six years before the TPLF came to power -- to respond to the 
needs of the Ethiopian people in TPLF-controlled territory in 
Ethiopia.  While historically a strong TPLF-supporter, 
Teklewoini is reported to have only become a member of the 
Central Committee in 2001 when he became a vocal supporter of 
the TPLF taking a harsh stance against those who opposed 
Meles in the party's historic 2001 rift.  This perception was 
reinforced when, in response to PolChief's inquiry of his 
view of former Central Committee members Seeye Abraha and 
Gebru Asrat, Teklewoini aggressively dismissed the two as 
meaningless "dead wood" that never sink and keep popping back 
up.  While a close AmCit NGO official had conveyed to Post 
that Teklewoini had grave reservations about the draft CSO 
law, his staunch support for the draft as conveyed to 
Ambassador demonstrates his commitment to, and the discipline 
within, the party.  Teklewoini is a roughly 60 year old, 
approximately 5' 5" man with impeccable English, who eschewed 
Johnny Walker for red wine. 
 
-- Wolderufael Alemayehu - Speaker of the House of the Tigray 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00001592  003 OF 003 
 
 
Regional Council: Perhaps a strong and/or compelling leader 
in his native tongue or a commanding force on local issues, 
but Ato Wolderufael was a quiet and reserved interlocutor 
with Ambassador.  While relatively well informed about major 
themes in the bilateral dialogue, Wolderufael delivered the 
party's talking points but lacked passion or grit.  Instead 
of refuting the Ambassador's pointed comments of concern over 
political space, Wolderufael simply replied with 
dispassionate statements about free and fair elections and 
the rule of law in Ethiopia. 
 
-- Tewodros Hagos - Tigray region's TPLF Party President: 
Certainly the party leader, when Ato Tewodros entered the 
room, all other party members stood and greeted him like a 
godfather.  Executive Director of REST before Teklewoini, 
Tewodros now focuses his efforts on internal TPLF party 
strengthening and outreach.  While Teklewoini aggressively 
dismissed expelled former Central Committee members Seeye and 
Gebru, Tewodros delivered a much more nuanced and subtle 
argument against the two -- equally as damning yet delivered 
with the eloquence of a clear party leader. 
 
-- Fisseha Zerihun - Mayor of Mekele: Formerly the Mayor of 
Dire Dawa, Ato Fisseha only recently replaced Kidusan Nega 
(Sebhat Nega's sister) as Mayor of Mekele.  Perhaps that 
explains his early and frequent deference to his technical 
staff to reply to simple questions on local dynamics. 
Regardless, Fisseha's lack of awareness on national and 
bilateral themes combined with his detached engagement 
suggest that the underweight forty-something mayor with 
strong-yet-unpolished English is a less than wholly 
influential leader. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The purpose of Ambassador's trip to Mekele -- to 
convey U.S. and international concerns about political space 
in the run-up to 2010 national elections and insert news of 
this concern into the TPLF Central Committee's discussions -- 
was certainly achieved.  The visit showed Wolderufael and 
Fisseha to be marginal players, Tewodros to be influential, 
Abadi to be a hard-liner, and Teklewoini a potential advocate 
(due to REST's receipt of roughly $30 million per year in 
U.S. food aid) as Post and the USG engage Ethiopia's ruling 
elites to prompt democratic reforms.  The visit made clear to 
Post that the TPLF has redoubled efforts to maintain party 
discipline in support of the fast moving CSO law.  Ambassador 
and Post will continue to seek out new and creative ways to 
further convey U.S. regional stability concerns to ruling 
party officials to help encourage a re-opening of Ethiopia's 
political space before its closure prompts increased domestic 
instability as the country approaches its next major 
political test in the 2010 national elections.  End Comment. 
YAMAMOTO