BY ENDALE ASSEFA
Adi Remets is one of the earlier liberated towns in Tigray following the attack of TPLF junta on the Northern Command of Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF)
The town is located in western part of Tigray State. Residents are overwhelmed by ENDF’s victory. They used to suffer a lot under the era of despotism by the Junta; which even barred some of them from speaking in their mother tongue, according to residents of the town who gave their testimonies to Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC).
True, basic infrastructural facilities like potable water, electricity, telecom and access to financial institutions like banks have not yet started. Nonetheless, they are happy that they are liberated. They express their profound gratitude to the National Defense Force of Ethiopia for the freedom they started to cherish for the first time after three decades.
In their interview with the Corporation, they expressed their conviction that all these basic infrastructural facilities will be restored speedily. Life is quickly taking its regular shape not only in Adi Remets, but also in other areas of the State.
Dansha is the other town in Tigray, where normal life is dramatically holding its shape. Retail shops are opened. Cafes and restaurants are trying to serve their customers with all the supplies they have. Some residents who talked to Corporation’s journalists on December 2, 2020 said that with the exception of basic infrastructural facilities like electricity, water, telecom and banking services, life in their town has become normal.
They bitterly stated that they suffered a lot under the iron rule of the TPLF junta. Now those evil days are gone, they are extremely relieved. Expressing their deep respect to ENDF, the residents whom EBC talked said, “We are confident that the federal government will restore these basic infrastructural facilities sooner.”
A Journalist from Amhara Television reporting from Mekelle on December 2, 2020 also said that the same normalization of life is being witnessed in the city, the final and allegedly a stronghold of the junta, since it was expelled from it nearly a week ago.
To sum up, despite the presumptions by some media reports which were rather farfetched, life is coming back to normal in almost all parts of Tigray; with astounding improvements being testified day after day. This was realized mainly due to the commitment of the people and their relentless support and solidarity with the ENDF.
These being the case, the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) disclosed on Dec.2/2020 that it is holding talks with responsible government offices to reinstate operation in freed towns of the State where viable peace has been restored; so that residents could withdraw money from their accounts. Those accounts which are blocked due to criminal offenses, however, remain blocked, according to the NBE.
Despite the fact that humanitarian organizations were increasingly worried about civilians as if they were trapped in the rule enforcement operations, there is no tangible evidence of casualties in the hunt.
As Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed reported to the House of Peoples Representatives last Monday, farmers were busy as usual working on their lands as if nothing was going on; while the National Defense Force was crossing over their village in Wuqiro, a historical place located 45 kilometers away from Mekelle.
Recent reports also testified that those who fled their homes for fear of collateral damage in the raid are coming back. The people are organized to protect their peace in the town from any criminal activities in coalition with the ENDF. Quick restoration of electricity, telecom and potable water services would ease the challenges they are now facing.
The ENDF is striving to finalize the hunt for the junta, which is quite pivotal to curtail some of the impediments faced by the people in the State; including the major road gateways, bridges and airport runways that were bulldozed and bombarded by the apostate TPLF; to interrupt communication with the rest of the country.
The Ethiopian herald December 4/2020
