BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
ADDIS ABABA– The people of Tigray have stood by the side of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces during the law enforcement operation, said the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) journalist and Tigray Democratic Party (TDP).
EPA journalist Getnet Mihretie, who traveled with the ENDF to western and northern part of Tigray State for news coverage, gave his eyewitness account to The Ethiopian Herald that: “The Tigray people were demonstrating strong solidarity to the ENDF in all towns and villages we had passed through.”
He added: “Almost all of the people whom I talked to said that they support the operation wholeheartedly and they are too tired of fake news disseminated by the TPLF junta and its smear campaign against the ENDF.”
“The junta applied every propaganda tricks to tarnish the army’s image but, the army on all occasions have proved that it is the sole guardian of the people and constitutional order in practice,” Getnet said.
As to him, people who fled homes in fear of being caught in fire during the armed conflict used to camping near the ENDF’s barracks. “This shows how they are confident in the ENDF.”
For his part, Gidena Medhin, Secretary of Tigray Democratic Party, told Addis Zemen that the Tigray people have been protesting against the junta for many years “For example for the past two decades, the people in Basneti, Abiy Adi, Egre Hariba (around Mekelle), Wajerat, Raya, and Shire
have firmly opposed the TPLF junta on several occasions . “However, their voice was muffled as there has been no private media outlets in the state.”
Over the past two years, especially since the junta’s ouster from the power, the people of Tigray have been subjected to intense propaganda to isolate themselves from other Ethiopians, he said.
The Ethiopian Herald December 6/2020
