Lidetu Ayalew, President of Ethiopian Democrats Party, takes on Birhanu Nega(PhD), the Chairman of Ginbot 7, in an interview hosted at aned-ethiopia radio on Nov. 20/2010.

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The tit-for-tat revolves on the internal squabble of the former Kinijit (CUD) in the run-up to election 2005. Birhanu claimed that Lidetu suggested a street violence that costs the lives of ‘some 30’ people, so that the CUD leaders would have an excuse for avoiding further confrontations with the government.

Lidetu denied the allegation and, in response, made several allegations about the personality and previous history of Birhanu Nega. According to Lidetu, Birhanu is primarily responsible for the failure of CUD’s election complaints review, he was the first to lobby others to sign the petition for pardon, he had been rebuked for prejury by a court of law, and more.

It is expected that Birhanu will strike back soon and take the squabble to a new low.

Had it not been for the dozens who lost their life under their misguided politics, the squabble could have considered as an entertaining as well as informative development.

What’s more depressing is that the opposition in Diaspora is still preoccupied with who said what in 2005, while the country moved on.

Birhanu Nega’s went to USA a month after he was released on pardon on July/2007 and never came back. Several months later, he established a political party, Ginbot 7, with an explicit objective of overthrowing the government. After the 2009 failed plot, financed by Ginbot 7, to assassinate public officials and bomb institutions, that an Ethiopian court sentenced him to death in absentia.