ETHIOPIAN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY NETWORK, U.S.
Root cause of the current crisis in Ethiopia¬–the Constitution, TPLF-led tribal politics, gross human rights violation and ethnic-based governance
The root cause of the current crisis can be traced to the constitution TPLF imposed on Ethiopia in 1994. Largely concocted by a tight clique of ethnocentric Marxsist-Leninist guerrella group, that took overpower from the ruling Military Dictatorship in 1991, this divisive document enshrined ethnic discrimination in Ethiopia. This constitution converted provinces into ethnic enclaves, with far-reaching dangerous ramifications. At the heart of this document was the TPLF’s ambition to create, by employing a brazen land-grab agenda, a Greater Tigray, annexing huge slices of territory from the former provinces of Begemedir and Wello to the former province of Tigre. This sinister land-grab step has had tragic aftermaths, most notably the deaths and displacement of hundreds of thousands of former inhabitants of Welqayit, Tsegede, and Raya in the former provinces of Gondar and Wello, and their illegal replacement by a similar number of people from Tigray. [1]
The new Constitution saddled Ethiopia with a federal structure which is nothing short of ethnic-apartheid! This law summarily abolished every Ethiopian’s basic right to work, travel and live freely in any part of the country, confining him/her to what amounts to an ethnic/linguistic Bantustan! Just as during apartheid-era South Africa, everyone has to carry an identification card which prominently identifies his/her ethnic group, making him/her vulnerable to identity-based attacks. Moreover, under this law, a non-ethnic resident of a given region is subject to arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, and sometimes even worse, as shown by the summary execution of Amharas in Shashemene, Gurra Ferda, East Wellega, and so on.[2]
TPLF fraudulently diverted Billions of Dollars aid money and loans from the international Community
EFFORT is a seemingly charitable organization setup by TPLF. TPLF fraudulently diverted billions of dollars, not only from the Ethiopian budget it controlled for 27 years, but also from aid money and loans from international organizations and allowed EFFORT-controlled companies to mushroom all over Tigray. These companies, armed with no-bid contracts, tax-free import/export licenses, and speedily granted permits, enjoyed a lopsided advantage in manufacturing and distributing products, thereby driving competitors into insolvency.[3] In effect, this relegated non-Tigrayan investors to second-class citizens, bereft of a level-playing field. Predictably, an arrangement which allowed one region to prosper at the expense of all the rest spawned instant millionaires, triggering widespread resentment!
In contrast to the frenzied pace of development in Tigray, in many of the other regions, especially in the black-listed Amhara region, neglect and uneven development were the order of the day. TPLF applied the law capriciously and arbitrarily. With regard to the Amhara region, in particular, TPLF felt free to appoint its stooges and run the region’s affairs by remote control. It neglected new development projects and allowed existing roads, hospitals and schools to deteriorate. It also shuttered airports, such as the vital lifelines to Debre Tabor, Motta and Debre Markos across the ragged Blue Nile gorge, which had been operating since as far back as Emperor Haile Selassie’s reign. More tellingly, rather than green-lighting new projects and facilities, in some cases, it went as low as dismantling equipment and shipping it to Tigray, a case in point being an old rock-crusher which had been creaking along since World War II![4]
Stoking ethnic hostility and conflict and rejecting peaceful negotiations
Ethnic conflict has been the bane of Africa since before the advent of slavery and colonialism, yet fanning ethnic animosity and organizing, and financing, such conflicts in the Somali, Amhara, Oromia and Beni Shangul regions has been the TPLF’s stock in trade. The TPLF saw this brand of apartheid as its ticket for clinging to power indefinitely, but all decent people should see such a toxic agenda as a serious threat to all Black people. Africa can never attain its immense potential so long as anyone can dredge up even minor slights and blow them up into all-out ethnic warfare. To paraphrase President Obama, “tribalism” is Africa’s festering sore, and we certainly do not need a repeat of the Rwanda massacre of 1992—in fact, one magnified many times over–since Ethiopia has not two, but over eighty distinct ethnic groups!
TPLF’s hegemony over Ethiopia has been characterized by a history of “abuses and usurpations”! Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is not a war-monger who recklessly plunged Ethiopia into the current conflict. In fact, it was the TPLF which forced his hand by attacking the ENDF. As Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, and the Commander-in-Chief of its armed forces, he has the legal and political mandate to maintain law and order and safeguard Ethiopia’s territorial integrity. Ironically, Dr. Abiy had been roundly criticized for coddling the TPLF for too long: TPLF detained federal personnel sent to relieve a federal team in charge of security at Mekelle Airport.
TPLF forces blocked the Mechanized Division from relocating to another region and they forced the soldiers to park their heavy military equipment at a school. The TPLF also rebuffed peace overtures initiated by faith and community leaders. Likewise, in September, it carried out an election which not only excluded two local Tigrayan political parties but also was illegal, since it usurped the central government’s prerogative to oversee elections.
Observers regarded such repeated provocations as brazen insubordination, yet Dr. Abiy chose to downplay them rather than take hasty steps. In short, he had shown the patience of Job in the face of flagrant provocations, but when his hand was forced on November 3, he had no choice but to act decisively, and that is what he did! [5]
Immediate causes triggering law enforcement operation by the Ethiopian government
The reform-minded federal government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has wide popular support. Ethiopians had been oppressed by TPLF for so long that they greeted Dr. Abiy’s arrival with ecstatic demonstrations of support, not only throughout Ethiopia but also during his visit to several cities in Europe and the U.S. Despite this, the TPLF, ousted after 27 years of corrupt and brutal rule, has worked tirelessly to derail this fledgling government’s reform agenda. It has waged this campaign in a bid to reclaim its widely reviled reign of plunder and terror. It has continued to siphon away huge amounts of money to private accounts not only in Ethiopia but also abroad. It has been carrying out money laundering and gun-running rackets, and it is widely believed to be behind the lucrative black-market foreign exchange outfits which have sapped the nation’s foreign currency reserves. In turn, as we shall see below, TPLF has used such illegal sources of revenue to carry out a relentless propaganda campaign against Ethiopia and foment widespread ethnic unrest in a tireless bid to bring the government down.
In terms of the current conflict, although the TPLF wishes to frame it as one between two equivalent entities; this isn’t the case: What unfolded in November and early December 2020 was an operation by a sovereign nation’s leader to curb lawlessness in one of the ten regions of that country. More importantly, contrary to TPLF assertions, while no war is free from unintended consequences, this campaign is not a war against the Tigrayan people, but a campaign to rein in the criminality of TPLF leaders. The reality is, Ethiopians have affection for the industrious people of Tigray: Tigray is the cradle of their civilization, and all Ethiopians take pride in the glories of Axum and the exploits of Emperor Ezana and Kaleb who ruled over not only Ethiopia but also Arabia. And of Yoannes the IV who gave his life in defense of his country from foreign attackers and of Alula Aba Nega who fought in many battles in defense of his country. The hills and plains of Adwa, in Tigray, are littered with the bones of Tirayans and non-ethnic Tigrayans, who came from all parts of Ethiopia to defend Ethiopia from Italian invaders in 1896. The Victory of Adwa in 1896 is a source of pride not only for Ethiopians but also [for] Black people everywhere. Above all, Ethiopians would never confuse the long-suffering people of Tigray with the debauched TPLF warlords!
TPLF’s military assault and unimaginable acts of barbarity against the Northern Command of ENDF
The TPLF’s November 3rd assault on the Northern Command of the ENDF was chillingly premeditated: One week prior to the onset of the conflict, the TPLF invited the commandant of the Post to a luncheon with the TPLF leadership, which he accepted. Sadly, not long after he ate some of the food, he became violently ill, for, evidently his ruthless hosts had poisoned him, instantly incapacitating him. Next, when the ENDF sent another general to take the place of the stricken commandant, the TPLF warlords refused to recognize his legitimacy. Meanwhile, TPLF operatives had already abducted the deputy commandant of the Northern Command , thus rendering the entire Command leaderless! Just before an attack was launched on the ENDF, TPLF forces disrupted power supply and communication lines and created a complete blackout of the Region. This done, TPLF infiltrated the multi-ethnic ENDF with its cadres and systematically set out to disarm the entire Northern Command.
It carried out unimaginable acts of barbarity against the ENDF members, soldiers who had selflessly devoted 21 years of their lives to serving the Northern Command, tasked with protecting the people of Tigray.[6] After cutting power and phone lines, the TPLF proceeded to perpetrate the most blood-curdling attack on fellow members of the Northern Command. TPLF, Tigray Militia, and Tigray Special Forces used ethnic-Tigrayan plants in the ENDF to target ethnic Amhara soldiers and officers. Then, on the night of November 3, in an act of chilling savagery, they crept on the trusting non-Tigrayan soldiers, comrades who had shared the same foxholes with them for over 21 years. Unaware of the treachery ahead, the doomed soldiers were sleeping the sleep of the virtuous–following a long day of helping the local people harvest crops–when the assassins executed them at point-blank range–or cut their throats–stripped them naked, and tossed their bodies out into the open, to be feasted on by hyenas and vultures!
Despite such acts of barbarity, Ethiopia has done its best to minimize the loss of civilian life. Shocked into action by the kind of abominable barbarity described above, the ENDF advanced at lightning speed on all battlefronts of Tigray’s rugged terrain until they reached the gates of Mekelle in a mere three weeks! However, despite their grief at the brutal treatment of their fallen mates, the soldiers were not consumed by a hunger for vengeance. Rather, when they were commanded to halt, halt they did, because they knew the horrors of urban warfare and
would not subject the people of Mekelle to house-to-house combat. Although the federal forces had total superiority in terms of being equipped with the latest in battle gear, and being steeped in the techniques of urban combat, Dr. Abiy gave rebels soldiers 72 hours to weigh their options and prevent all-out urban warfare.[7] In addition, although Ethiopia has completed the campaign, save for sporadic mop up operations, , and strapped for resources, it has been making a concerted effort to provide humanitarian assistance to internally displaced citizens, as well as to repatriate those forced to seek refuge in Sudan. Finally, it is worth noting that Dr. Abiy signed an agreement with the U.N., allowing it to provide relief.
TPLF bears direct responsibility for crimes against humanity and genocide against innocent ethnic Amharas in Mai Kadra
The TPLF is a terrorist group no less ruthless than Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, or Al Shabab–if not worse. As noted above, it slaughtered ENDF soldiers, defiling their bodies and feeding them to wild animals, as well as firing weapons of mass destruction into densely populated areas, notably Gondar, Bahir Dar, and Asmara. The TPLF also bears direct responsibility for the brutal slayings of over 674 defenceless civilians by Samri, a band of ruthless teen assassins it trained and financed.[8] In Humera, a city illegally annexed and run by TPLF in 1991 until its liberation by ENDF, soldiers discovered mass graves with scores of bodies in a wooded area of the airport’s inner perimeter.
Ethiopian government successfully completed the law enforcement operation without civilian casualties
On December 7th, the Ethiopian central
government announced the capture of Mekelle – the regional capital of Tigray – without civilian casualties and destruction of private and public property.[9] The capture of the capital brought the active phase of military operations to an end.
The current task of the central government includes bringing fugitives to justice, restoring law and order, and guaranteeing citizens in the affected areas of the region have unfettered access to humanitarian assistance, transportation and communication services that have been disrupted and destroyed by the TPLF forces
The TPLF leadership has been spreading the false narrative that its fighters and supporters are battle-hardened and well-armed, posing the risk of protracted insurgency in the rugged mountains of the Tigray region. The TPLF was indeed well armed and had an estimated 250,000 member force. However, TPLF, has been thoroughly defeated with no capability to mount a protracted insurgency other than conducting minor sabotage typical of a terrorist group
Federal government’s effort for humanitarian assistance, rebuilding of infrastructure and restoring communication
The protection and security of all citizens have always been a priority for the federal government of Ethiopia. The federal government has launched a humanitarian support effort, working with relevant humanitarian agencies and UN partners. The government is actively working to extend protection and humanitarian assistance to those who are impacted by the law enforcement operations, including to non-Ethiopians living in refugee camps and in host communities in the Tigray region.
The federal government of Ethiopia has also started initiatives to return, resettle and rehabilitate Ethiopian refugees in a short length of time. It is to be recalled that the federal government signed an agreement with the UN for an enhanced coordination mechanism for humanitarian access, which will enable humanitarian partners to assist affected communities effectively and impartially, in a well-coordinated framework led by the federal government of Ethiopia.
Addressing alleged human rights abuses, unfettered access and unhindered mobility
Humanitarian agencies can operate in the region with unfettered access unhindered mobility, by simply providing a notification of operations to the Ministry of Peace. The Government of Ethiopia has also taken concrete steps to address alleged human rights abuses that might have occurred within the context of the law enforcement operation triggered by the TPLF.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is also conducting its own independent investigation in relation to incidents and allegations in other parts of the Tigray Region including in Axum. The government has also signaled its willingness to collaborate with relevant UN agencies for the purpose of these investigations.
The Attorney General Office is also committed to conduct its own independent investigations. Based on thorough, on the ground investigations, the Government of Ethiopia is committed to discharge its obligation of ensuring accountability for any serious human rights violations.
The Government of Ethiopia Invited the African Union to Help Invistigate Human Rights Violations
Ethiopia’s insistence and call to her brothers and sisters to adopt ‘African Solutions to African Problems’ approach is a call to assert Ethiopia’s capacity to hold one another accountable when we need to without the domination of those asserting moral righteousness over us.
Ethiopia stands ready to enable the continental institutions and instruments we have set up as Africans to function. The Government also expressed its will openly engage the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in undertaking investigations jointly with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
Full access granted to international and local media
The Federal Government has recently granted full access for international journalists and local media to travel to and report from the Tigray region. So far, eight international media are already active. Media operating in the region are to be bound by operating protocols that ensure understanding of the context, legal operations and mobility as established by the Ethiopian Broadcast Authority. The Government of Ethiopia believes the allegiance of journalists must always be to the facts, the nuances of history, and to a sober analysis of facts.
The Government cautions the media from simply confirming the considerable misinformation and disinformation campaign of TPLF operatives that is conducted by influencing sources.
The Ethiopian National Defence Force will continue to ensure the security of media personnel in areas that the ENDF are stationed within the Tigray region. Any media wishing to venture out of ENDF stationed areas will not be hindered from mobility but will do so at their own risk.
The Federal Government has also welcomed the work of international and local media to cover events and activities in the Tigray region.
We commend your concern for the peace stability and freedom of all Ethiopians and in that spirit.
The Ethiopiam Herald March 17/2021
