Gebru Asrat
Encyclopedia
Gebru Asrat is a former president of Tigray Region
(1991–2001) and one of the top leaders and executive central committee member as well as politburo member of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
(TPLF), and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
.
Gebru was born in Mekelle with in Enderta
county, a part of Tigray and attended Atse Yohannes High School and Haile Selassie University at the height of the Ethiopian student movement of the early 1970s. After the TPLF defeated the Derg
in the Ethiopian Civil War
, Gebru became governor of Tigray. During Gebru's tenure as Governor of Tigray, a number of institutions of higher education, industries, hospitals and infrustrctures were established. In 1993 Mekelle University
was established becoming one of the leading higher instiutions in Ethiopia; a number of private colleges and technology institutions were also established including Mekelle Institute of Technology
which specializes exclusively in Science and Technology which began its operation in early 2000's alleviateing educated professional shortages. The 1990's also saw the establishment of Messobo cement factory one of the leading cement factories in the country, Adigrate pharmaceutical as well as Alamida textiles which employ thousands of workers through out Tigray. A number of new roads were also built and old ones replaced.
led to the death of tens of thousands of people on both sides. By the end of the devastating war, the Ethiopian army recovered the town of Badme
and drove back Eritrean forces until they controlled around one-third of Eritrean territory, including Barentu region.
However, Meles Zenawi signed a controversial UN peace treaty that was seen to have favored Eritrea. This decision angered many Ethiopians and caused an internal division inside the Ethiopian ruling party. The faction critical of Meles, led by Defense Minister
Siye Abraha, and Gebru the then influential governor of Tigray disagreed with those aligned with Meles over "key issues of ideology", accused their supporters of corruption and Meles of failing to act quickly or decisively enough over the crisis with Eritrea. "Meles was certainly seen as a reluctant warrior," according to a source quoted by IRIN. The party was divided into two groups. One group, which included Gebru, Tewolde Wolde Mariam, Aregash, and Siye Abraha, 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.
Gebru left TPLF and EPRDF in the early 2000's after the division and went on to establish Arena Tigray, an alternative political party to TPLF in Tigray. Gebru became its chairman in 2007; Arena Tigray merged with other opposition parties in Ethiopia to form Medrek
. Gebru run for the parliamentary seat representing the city of Mekelle in the 2010 parliamentary elections
but came short of winning according to The National Election Board of Ethiopia
(NEBE). Opposition groups rejected the election results, with both the Medrek
coalition and the separate AEUP issuing calls for a re-run of the election. Both opposition groups say their observers were blocked from entering polling stations during the election on Sunday, May 23, and in some cases the individuals beaten. The United States and the European Union have both criticized the election as falling short of international standards.
Gebru is currently the chairman of Arena Tigray and Medrek. He holds an undergraduate as well as a graduate degree in Economics.
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
(1991–2001) and one of the top leaders and executive central committee member as well as politburo member of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front , known more commonly and sometimes pejoratively in Ethiopia as Woyane or Weyane is a political party in Ethiopia...
(TPLF), and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
.
Gebru was born in Mekelle with in Enderta
Enderta province
Enderta province or Inderta province, also known as Enderta Awraja as well as 70 Enderta is located in the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands. Enderta is bordered on the west by Tembien, on the southeast by Wag of Gondar, the south by Raya and Azebo, on the east by Afar and Aseb, and on the...
county, a part of Tigray and attended Atse Yohannes High School and Haile Selassie University at the height of the Ethiopian student movement of the early 1970s. After the TPLF defeated the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
in the Ethiopian Civil War
Ethiopian Civil War
The Ethiopian Civil War began on September 12, 1974 when the Marxist Derg staged a coup d'état against Emperor Haile Selassie, and lasted until the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front , a coalition of rebel groups, overthrew the government in 1991. The war overlapped other Cold War...
, Gebru became governor of Tigray. During Gebru's tenure as Governor of Tigray, a number of institutions of higher education, industries, hospitals and infrustrctures were established. In 1993 Mekelle University
Mekelle University
Mekelle University is located in Northern Ethiopia , at a distance of 783 kilometers from the Ethiopian capital city, Addis Ababa...
was established becoming one of the leading higher instiutions in Ethiopia; a number of private colleges and technology institutions were also established including Mekelle Institute of Technology
Mekelle Institute of Technology
Mekelle Institute of Technology is located at Ainalem, 5 kilometers outside of Mek'ele, the capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.Mekelle Institute of Technology's mission is to provide high quality education, training and research in the areas of science and technology to produce qualified...
which specializes exclusively in Science and Technology which began its operation in early 2000's alleviateing educated professional shortages. The 1990's also saw the establishment of Messobo cement factory one of the leading cement factories in the country, Adigrate pharmaceutical as well as Alamida textiles which employ thousands of workers through out Tigray. A number of new roads were also built and old ones replaced.
Ethio-Eritrea War
When Eritrea invaded Ethiopia in 1998, a costly warEritrean-Ethiopian War
The Eritrean–Ethiopian War took place from May 1998 to June 2000 between Ethiopia and Eritrea, forming one of the conflicts in the Horn of Africa...
led to the death of tens of thousands of people on both sides. By the end of the devastating war, the Ethiopian army recovered the town of Badme
Badme
Badme is a town in the Horn of Africa and the focus of a territorial dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is claimed by both Eritrea, which considers Badme to be a part of Gash-Barka Zone, and Ethiopia, which considers Badme part of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray Region. This dispute was the...
and drove back Eritrean forces until they controlled around one-third of Eritrean territory, including Barentu region.
However, Meles Zenawi signed a controversial UN peace treaty that was seen to have favored Eritrea. This decision angered many Ethiopians and caused an internal division inside the Ethiopian ruling party. The faction critical of Meles, led by Defense Minister
Ministry of Defense (Ethiopia)
The Ministry of National Defense of Ethiopia is a cabinet level office in charge of defense related matters of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia...
Siye Abraha, and Gebru the then influential governor of Tigray disagreed with those aligned with Meles over "key issues of ideology", accused their supporters of corruption and Meles of failing to act quickly or decisively enough over the crisis with Eritrea. "Meles was certainly seen as a reluctant warrior," according to a source quoted by IRIN. The party was divided into two groups. One group, which included Gebru, Tewolde Wolde Mariam, Aregash, and Siye Abraha, believed that the leadership was bent on serving foreign "imperialist" interests. The other group which included Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi Asres is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Since 1985, he has been chairman of the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front , and is currently head of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front .Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from...
argued that the TPLF was sinking into decadence, involving itself in Bonapartism.
Gebru left TPLF and EPRDF in the early 2000's after the division and went on to establish Arena Tigray, an alternative political party to TPLF in Tigray. Gebru became its chairman in 2007; Arena Tigray merged with other opposition parties in Ethiopia to form Medrek
Medrek
Medrek is an Ethiopian opposition political coalition founded in 2008 which contested the Ethiopian general election, 2010. In that election, Medrek won a single seat in the Council of People's Representatives, representing an electoral district in Addis Ababa. This was allegedly due to lack of...
. Gebru run for the parliamentary seat representing the city of Mekelle in the 2010 parliamentary elections
Ethiopian general election, 2010
A parliamentary election was held in Ethiopia on May 23, 2010.The National Election Board of Ethiopia reported that a total of 29,170,867 people were registered to vote in this election...
but came short of winning according to The National Election Board of Ethiopia
National Election Board of Ethiopia
The National Election Board of Ethiopia is an autonomous government agency which supervises the national elections of Ethiopia. The NEBE was established by Proclamation number 64/1992, and answers to the House of Peoples' Representatives....
(NEBE). Opposition groups rejected the election results, with both the Medrek
Medrek
Medrek is an Ethiopian opposition political coalition founded in 2008 which contested the Ethiopian general election, 2010. In that election, Medrek won a single seat in the Council of People's Representatives, representing an electoral district in Addis Ababa. This was allegedly due to lack of...
coalition and the separate AEUP issuing calls for a re-run of the election. Both opposition groups say their observers were blocked from entering polling stations during the election on Sunday, May 23, and in some cases the individuals beaten. The United States and the European Union have both criticized the election as falling short of international standards.
Gebru is currently the chairman of Arena Tigray and Medrek. He holds an undergraduate as well as a graduate degree in Economics.