
BY STAFF REPORTERS
ADDIS ABABA – The law enforcement operation accomplished in Tigray State had been a vital step towards ensuring a more stable Ethiopia to its 100 plus million people and the entire East African sub-region.
The remark came on a webinar briefing: ‘Understanding the Current Situation in Ethiopia’ organized by civic organizations including Ethiopian American Civic Council, Ethiopia Advocacy Network, and Advocates for Ethiopia along with several Ethiopian Americans throughout the U.S. on 15 December 2020.
Ethiopia was facing existential threat by the actions of the TPLF [Junta], said Tadael Emeru, one of the Organizers and moderators of the Forum, at the session attended by, among others, the U.S. Senate and House Foreign Relations Staffers, Africa Program Heads of the most important Think tanks and Ethiopian experts and international media.
He went on saying that a destabilized Ethiopia would have devastating implications for over 100 million people who call Ethiopia home. “A fragmented Ethiopia is a threat to the peace and stability for the entire African region.”
He justified that the law enforcement operation was; therefore, a significant step taken by the government.
Despite the diversity in ethnic, religious and political orientations, what is in common to all Ethiopian Americans in organizing the Forum is as they share concerns for their homeland and have deep desire to see peace; stability and democracy take root and flourish in Ethiopia, he added.
Explaining the purpose of the briefing, he said the Forum is meant to provide a different perspective based on facts and reality to the law enforcement in Tigray region in Ethiopia. “There has been a systematic, intentional effort to deceive the international community about the conflict.”
Also speaking at the event was Negassi Beyene, a long-time supporter of Human Rights, who was born and raised in Tigray region. He explained how the people of Tigray had been suffering in the hands of the TPLF junta.
“Mass graves would be exposed soon as the TPLF Junta had been brutally killing Tigrians of different opinions over the last decades.”
It may look like on the surface that the people of Tigray support the Junta but the reality on the ground is that they had been forced into supporting it as failure to do so were resulting in a brutal treatment by the Junta, commented Negassi Beyene.
“The mafia-like organization,” he said, “modeled communism from Albania and was categorizing people as friends and foes.”
Akin to what it did to the northern command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), the TPLF tricked fighters called Tigrian Liberation Front (TLF) under the pretext of negotiation during its 17-year guerrilla period and massacred the leaders in their sleep. “Only one person survived that atrocity,” he added.
Thus, the people of Tigray did not get any chance to express their true support, and the TPLF’s slogan is to isolate Tigrians from non-Tigrians.
TPLF was toiling to make the people of Tigray feel that they had been besieged by enemies. The reason for this is to impose fear among people. “And TPLF presented itself as the only protector of Tigrians.”
Since the time of the reform, the TPLF did not create any civilian jobs. But, was training Special Forces and digging military trenches. No outside free media materials were allowed in Tigray for the last 30 years as well.
“There was not any chance of exposure to different views than the ruling party.”
The top few leaders were benefiting from the system, he said, adding that most people of Tigray live below the poverty line.
For his part, Andnet Emiru who mobilizes Ethiopian Americans to support the reform efforts in Ethiopia described the atrocity on the ENDF’s northern command on the night of November 2020 as premeditated preemptive attack.
Up to 25,000 new tweets and hashtags were released immediately following the rule of law enforcement operation which proves that the Junta and its allies were well prepared to disseminate fabricated lies.
All military bases in Tigray were attacked simultaneously. This was another indication of the TPLF plan. Many hundreds were executed and thousands were taken hostage, he added.
Along the same vein, TPLF deliberately cut off networks and electricity on military communications to help them achieve their hidden agenda. This is another indication that TPLF is not planning to abide by the law.
“The TPLF officials were making use of a wide spectrum of means to instigate ethnic violence making use of a team of trained specific individuals.”
It is important to understand that multiple conciliation efforts have been turned down by the TPLF. Prime Minister Abiy created the Ministry of Peace to smooth the progress of the reconciliation efforts. However, TPLF denied all chances of reconciliation, he said.
In the same way, Ethiopia postponed the National Election following the COVID-19 impacts. Postponing the election was the recommendation of the National Election Board certified by the House of Federation. More to the point, TPLF managed to hold a regional election and allegedly won 98% of the election. Against this background, the House of Peoples Representatives suspended funding, and cut off ties with TPLF.
The Ethiopian herald December 17/2020