FITSUM GETACHEW
In the past few months we have come to observe that there is a sort of negative campaign on the part of the international media and some international organizations trying to denigrate Ethiopia accusing it of all sorts of some invented others exaggerated or misrepresented stories. They are trying to accuse it of facilitating ‘atrocities’ allegedly committed in various parts of the country particularly in the north with the campaign of law enforcement in Tigray. Allegations of mass murder and executions have been reported but the presentations were made in such a way as to reflect the country with dark image.
For many people who have Ethiopia’s cause at heart, this can only sound as a ‘deliberate conspiracy’ aiming to project the country’s image as ‘savage’ or ‘lawless’. The suspicion or presumption is that this is a plot concocted, planned and executed by enemies of the country, most probably on the pay roll of ‘historical enemies of the country! It is well known that due to its geopolitical position and importance, Ethiopia has always had historical enemies trying to wipe it out of the map of the world!
On the other hand, what we call traditionally neutral and independent countries have not refrained from taking sides basing their decision on unsubstantiated or biased allegations drawn from the same sources who clearly have vested interests in the, if not unmaking, definitely destabilizing of the country. Here there are credible indications that organizations such as the failed TPLF and its cronies are behind these allegations and incriminations.
After the defeat of the TPLF in the war that it ignited against the sovereignty of the nation, those who fled after committing abominable atrocities and those who had gone out of the country earlier have been gathering in the free world disseminating unfounded and contradictory stories that can neither be proved nor substantiated. What is sad is to see that many ‘credible’ media outlets are also re-broadcasting these allegations without reservation and inflicting further wounds to a nation already trying to come out of one of its critical periods in its recent history. International organizations are also seen shamelessly trying to put pressure on the country while it is fighting armed, illegal forces in multiple arenas.
More than any time probably in the history of this country, Ethiopia now needs solidarity and support in its transition to a new form of government. The old guards who were deposed from their positions may still hope to be reinstated, but is that realizable bringing back the wheels of history?! There is no hope for the country unless we try to look ahead and never create a scenario whereby old mistakes are repeated!
The current ‘reform’ may not be perfect and no one can expect it to be, but there must be every effort exerted so that it does not abort completely due to certain elements that work twenty four hours a day for its failure. Ethiopians are definitely trying to march ahead trying to deal with their problems using a different method than has been experimented for the last three decades or so. That is why beyond any form of campaign and propaganda, the integrity of the nation is at stake and needs to be guarded by responsible citizens and the independence of the country cannot be put in discussion with such nefarious influences.
History testifies that the country cannot be put in hostage by any external force be it a superpower or otherwise, because Ethiopians have never been gifted anything from anyone except the sacrifice of their forefathers who fell to preserve the country’s sovereignty.
The impression now many Ethiopians have is that international forces are plotting to take revenge over Ethiopia’s historic resistance to colonialism and neo-colonialism as well as all forms of imperialism. Ethiopia’s role in creating a movement that eventually resulted in the liberation of all black people and citizens of the African continent cannot be underestimated.
Many say that the recent warm celebrations held on the 125th anniversary of the victory of Adwa may have further created embarrassment and they would want us to pay for it!? Some even go to the extent of saying that who knows, the feeling of shame due to Adwa appears to linger on in many imperialist circles and they do not seem to pardon us or to have come to terms with it!
But it is good to observe here that it is our poverty that has caused our vulnerability to attacks of all sorts. Our weakness along with our reliance on alien aid, alien grant, concession and loan, besides issues of foreign direct investment and inability to secure trade on reasonable terms that has prevented us from resisting to any assault adequately. Moreover, it is our disunity and division that has exposed us to alien assault, be it physically as well as in the digital world!
Recent trends show that attempts are being made to cripple Ethiopia diplomatically using the interests and conspiracy of not only the historical enemies but also their internal agents and collaborators or ‘bandas’, as they are called locally. These forces must be watched very carefully, scrutinized, discredited and rejected. They should be condemned by everyone who has Ethiopia at heart, and this must be homework of every national inside the country or abroad, and engaged in any field of endeavour. .
It should also not be forgotten that the mega project on the Nile, the life line of the country, the GERD, is in the front line of all these allegations and accusations or attacks. The plan could be to keep Ethiopia poor and weak and be aid dependent endlessly and shame it all the time. It is part of a probable conspiracy that has been flooding the world media from every conceivable angle.
There seems to be a wave of movements that have forgotten that Ethiopia has survived as a sovereign nation, a free nation, across the centuries, only through the bravery of its patriots, their sacrifice and their hard fight. Every time there was a conspiracy and an invasion, they fought as one, together, putting aside their internal disagreements or disputes and without fear and irrespective of the size of the enemy forces, nor quantity of ammunitions etc. There is no substantial difference this time around as well. Ethiopians do not bend to any foreign influence that tries to destroy it or encroach on its sovereignty!
The current local political discourse must be within the limits of the bigger picture of preserving the nation and not with the agenda of divergence and conspiracy that aims only to divide the country along various marginal, futile and insignificant issues, alleging fairy-tale style stories of exploitation and narratives of a group of people working constantly against others, based on identity, faith and language etc…These are old narratives that have been repeatedly debunked! They cannot be re-proposed every time we talk about Ethiopia!
Ethiopians must realize that the myopic stances must give way to the broader picture and long term benefits of the country. Internal divisions can only encourage and embolden foreign enemies who are there waiting to disrupt and weaken us further so that we do not stand as a sovereign and proud, strong nation. Ethiopia has every potential to be a lead in the East African area and our stride towards progress and development cannot be allowed to be obstructed only because there is the wishful thinking of our adversaries.
This is the scheme they are preparing for us, dividing us by all means and weakening us so that they take the higher ground in our interactions, so that we become reliant on their aid and support. That is when we must say no to all these hidden and at times overt agendas of these ‘alien forces’ in our neighbourhood and beyond.
The recent outrageous ‘Sudanese invasion’ is one such provocation trying to drag the country into an internationalized row or conflict, potentially disrupting the country on a permanent basis. This would have a lasting effect on the long term trajectory of the country. All our long term objectives could potentially be aborted if we give them the chance to involve in our internal affairs.
It is clear that no country would allow the interference of foreign forces with what it has to do within a region (such as Tigray for instance) whose regional administration blatantly and openly attacked its army inflicting horrible losses. It would have amounted to complete dereliction of duties on the part of the government if it did not react and react promptly like it did whatever the collateral damages. We have seen governments react more vehemently and even fiercely for less grave attacks. This was fundamentally an attack that not even a foreign force would inflict on Ethiopia because of its treacherous ploy and the brotherly spirit, the comrade like spirit that was shattered to pieces!
Any force that tries to justify what happened on November 4, 2020 in northern Ethiopia from whichever point they might argue would not have any credibility and is not even worth listening to. Experts on the country’s current affairs have been asserting that it was in short a shameful decision on the part of whoever decided to do it and whoever accepted to execute it. It was also a poor decision, ill calculated; and it has undermined the sovereignty of the country believing that such force would have the upper hand at any time was an outright intoxication of the mind of whoever was the leader. To believe that they can get away with it must have been a big miss of the reality and forgetting what the DNA of the nation is made of. In fact, the reaction was completely overarching and vehement as it was urgent! Not even those who may have had sympathies with TPLF were seen approving of such shameful and treasonous deed! It was a historic error they argued.
And to hear that there are forces in the world out there asking Ethiopia to negotiate with the residuals of such a ‘treacherous force’ is to say the least an offence to the integrity and honour of Ethiopians! In fact, what the government has done has secured the total approval of the nation for its reaction and no one would even think of accepting the existence of a party or force called TPLF which has proved itself to be a criminal organization by any parameters, rather than a freedom party that was ‘founded to liberate its people from oppression’!
Any political force who argues that Ethiopia can accommodate such force in its bosom must be ready for condemnation. It is these forces which are now seen aligning themselves with our historic enemies and try to twist the arms of the government to give in to foreign influence or pressure. How can there be any compromise with a force that has used every means available to attack and destroy its own brothers and sisters alleging a potential threat!?
The government has been arguing that this issue is so clear as black from white that whatever we are forced to do in this area is just another distraction from going forward with our long term plans and objectives as a nation trying to extricate itself from abject poverty and backwardness.
The government has been insisting that the attempts being made to shame Ethiopia both diplomatically and even militarily (see the Sudan invasion, see the continuous attacks in the international arena trying to tarnish Ethiopia’s glowing fame in the world of diplomacy) are only an extension of what TPLF and its affiliates have tried to enact and have of course failed miserably. Only the united hand of all Ethiopians of all faiths
and regions and all ethnic origins will give a lasting response to these unfounded attacks and this means we have to repeat the prowess and deeds of Adwa again!
Attempts to distract us from our long term strategies must be countered openly exposed and denounced at every occasion in our diplomatic and military alliances and partners of development. We should not show any doubts and weaknesses on our strategic and critical interests and objectives because it is a matter of ‘to be or not to be’…a matter of existence, a matter of survival just as what was planned in the pre-Adwa epoch.
At the same time we just refrain from falling into the trap of cheap provocation that is clearly aimed to drag the country into a cycle of disputes and conflicts as we see quite often in the media. Hence all political forces, all political parties, all political organisations of any sort should focus on the bigger picture and not continue to bicker on minor issues and play into the alien enemy’s hands.
Associations of people, religious groups and their leaders, the civic societies and all other forms of peoples associations including the media must gather together and concentrate on dismissing and dismantling any intrigues or controversies that are bound to unmake our country. Those ‘greedy politicians’ who have sold out to the enemy must be unveiled and exposed and condemned before they do irreparable damage to our country, to our people.
The huge campaign they are carrying out on the social media and on the complicit international media must be forcefully rejected.
Ethiopians in the diaspora must use all their resources and know how to knock on every reasonable door internationally and present explanations to the biased people out there because the propaganda machine of our enemies is vast and powerful. The way they create and disseminate fake information is simply tremendous and needs to be countered immediately and relentlessly. These are forces that have invested millions of dollars to recruit professionals of crime including cyber crimes and fill the airs in many ways and influence the audience!
The Ethiopian herald March 11/2021
