User:Habbonet/Gebru Asrat

Gebru Asrat: Political Life, Courage and Loyality to Principles

Gebru Asrat was born in the Northern part of Ethipia, Tigray regional city of Mekele.... His parents are said to be very poor ..and until recently, his mother was reported that though her son Gebru was chief administrator of Tigray region,until she passed away in 199..her living was made by selling ``Tela``, the Ethiopian local beverage that resembles somewhat like Beer. Gebru Asrat was one of the main figures of TPLF leadership during the armed struggle. He is considered by his close friends and observers as a very committed politician and a man of principle. Right after the downfall of the dictatorial regime of Mengistu Hailemariam`s government, He became the first regional president of Tigray and showed committment to uplift his people from abject poverty and maladministration. He attended his primary and secondary schooling in Mekele ans his University studies at Addis Ababa University in the 1960s. He joined TPLF in the in 1975.. After the spliting of the ruling party of TPLF/EPRDF, he was purged out to leave his party with other prominent 12 central committee and polit-bureau members which include among others, Tewelde Weldemariam, Siye Abreha, Alemseged Gebre-amlak, Aregash Adane and Awealom Woldu. The last two together with Gebru formed a new regional opposion party which is known as Arena Tigray for Democracy and Sovereignty, for short known as `` Arena Tigray`` and in which he became its first chairman and nowadays Gebru strongly opposes the political outloook of Revolutionary Democracy of the ruling party, TPLF/EPRDF and he believes that the policies and actions derived from this outlook are the main causes of anti-democratic and poor economic development performances of presentday Ethiopia. His wife Yeb-mar is also among the main figures of the opposition party, Arena Tigray. Recently She wrote a fascinating book which depicts about the amazing participation of the Tigray women in the popular struggle and their decissive contribution to the success of the struggle. Gebru is currently among the leadership of the newly formed coalition opposition party that comprises eight parties which is known as The Federal Democratic Unity Forum /Medrek for short/and he was firstly one of the co-vice chairmen, but currently chairman of the coalition party/ Medrek./ It is hoped that with his experience and political commitment, Gebru would contribute with the success of the democractic process in Ethiopia.