User:Enderta/Ethiopian politicians

Gebru Asrat was one of the top leaders of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). After the collapse of the Derg in the Ethiopian Civil War, Gebru served in the government of Ethiopia as president of the region of Tigray from 1991-2000.

Gebru was born in Enderta, Tigray and attended Atse Yohannes high school and Haile sellassie University at the height of the Ethiopian student movement of the early 1970's. The former Governor and politburo member of Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) left TPLF when the party was divided into two groups. One group, which included Gebru, Tewelde, Aregash, Siye et al, believed that the leadership was bent on serving foreign "imperialist" interests. The other group which included Meles Zenawi argued that the TPLF was sinking into decadence, involving itself in Bonapartism. After the split, Gebru, in 2007 went on to establish Arena Tigray which merged with other opposition parties to form MEDREK whose chairman is Birtukan Mediksa the popular pro-democracy politician who is currently in prison by the government. Arena Tigray, a party which is gaining a great momentum and popularity by general mass in Tigray and is considered a serious threat to TPLF especialy in Tigray may take substantial seats away from TPLF; Arena among its popular political programs are democracy for all Ethiopians, believes red sea as Ethiopoia's northern frontier and Assab as Ethioia's historical teritory. Arena currently is fielding 36 candidates in all weredas of Tigray for the may 23, 2010 parliamentary election. Gebru is running in his native city of Mekelle as an Arena Tigray/Medrek candidate. He is currently chairman of Arena Tigray and senior vice president of Medrek.