BY FITSUM GETACHEW
Part I
Many Ethiopians seem to be very anxious about the state of their country these days. The news they come across consistently keep them on the vigil. At times you hear expressions of worry, at others expressions of relief, depending on what transpires from the news media. Apart from the fact that there are contradictory reports or accounts of what is going on in the diplomatic sphere, in the political world as well as at the battle front where there are reports of intense fighting on multiple fronts, however, what seems to have taken the upper hand is the propaganda campaign the terrorist TPLF has unleashed both at home and abroad. In this respect, the role of social media has looked overwhelming. It has been disseminating unfounded or baseless accounts of victories here and successful attacks there contributing to the overall confusion or uncertainty in this destructive mission of the terrorist TPLF and its allies.
For Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia, what appears to bother them is the stance that the so-called international media and some foreign governments have adopted following whatever is being suggested to them by the terrorist TPLF leadership and its propaganda machinery without even bothering to double check on the veracity of the pronouncements!
The issue now looks crystal clear to every Ethiopian. We are now confronted with the mission of salvaging the integrity and safety of the country in front of what appears to be a concerted attack on Ethiopia’s sovereignty. There are unequivocal signals that attacks are being launched against Ethiopia from multiple fronts and directions with the leadership of the terrorist TPLF junta members in the lead while the western media and politicians as well as so called analysts are operating actively in the background. While children and the elderly are being used mercilessly in a long overdue and outdated military strategy that was used decades ago in other countries and there have been tangible proofs of that, surprisingly there has been no word of disapproval and still less of condemnation on such inhumane move by the terrorist TPLF leadership!
No one in the leadership of the TPLF seems to bother about the cruel usage of children as cannon fodder in order to advance their mission. And yet one can note that the silence of the international media as well as so called rights groups is as deafening as it is troubling. It shows how they continue to apply double standard when they do not refrain from condemning whatever military strategy the Ethiopian government uses while they do not even mention in their news accounts the ruthless usage of civilians and elderly in a desperate and outmoded strategy. It clearly shows the partisanship of many western circles and hence cannot be taken as reasonable and reliable.
This is not of course the first time because the Ethiopian government has been citing how the international media was one sided and tried to weigh in the conflict by admiring the way the TPLF has been launching attacks while they never tried to explain the reasons why the Ethiopian Defense Forces declared ‘unilateral cessation of hostilities’ and withdrew its forces from Tigray region.
Most of the western or international media never mentioned that the federal government’s moves were to give peace a chance and that by silencing the guns allow for the Tigray farmers to plough their land and plant seeds for the coming season and avert a major lack of food supply. It was also intended to allow for humanitarian assistance to reach the region while there should not be any form of gun battle that would endanger the delivery of aid. But this was not taken positively by the TPLF remnants.
In the meantime, although there continues the urge on the part of Ethiopian authorities to cautiously distinguish between the terrorist group and the large mass of people of Tigrean origin, there have been disturbing reports of some residents of urban areas in Ethiopia outside the regional state not hiding their affection or support to TPLF circles. The day the announcement of the federal defense forces leaving Mekele was made, there have been observed outbursts of joy and celebration in some quarters in Addis and elsewhere among Tigrean communities.
This has prompted the federal government to realize how there are active supporters of the banned terrorist TPLF in certain circles. The government hence felt the need to adopt precautionary security measures to avert any violence or attacks in Addis and elsewhere in support of TPLF strategies and plans to dismember the country. Consequently, some members of TPLF circles and cells have been apprehended by security forces while some business enterprises who allowed these celebrations to take place in their hotels and bars have been closed while investigations are underway. Again some international media have followed the gratuitous attacks on the Ethiopian government for undertaking routine security checks that circumstances dictate alleging that human rights have been violated by authorities. They forget that there is a government that has the mandate to keep all citizens safe and secure in the event of any risks and potential attacks.
At a time when the situation seems to take a new twist with attacks on civilians on several fronts by TPLF forces, Ethiopia is now forced to not only expose this to the international community that blindly support TPLF but also strengthen its defense lines and potentially counter attack to place a devastating blow once and for all as some military leaders were heard stating to the ranks and files of TPLF affiliates. It is sad that the situation should look like this, but in the legitimate self-defence measures there has been declared a full mobilization of all potential fighters to foil every attack unleashed by TPLF remnants. It is also a show of force and resolve on the part of Ethiopians when the situation deteriorates to the current state.
There is now a conviction that these terrorist forces need to be confronted once and for all. The ultimate objective is to dismantle every military potential they have at hand. The Ethiopian government has declared to the world that it has withdrawn its federal defense forces from the regional state to allow for it to return to a peaceful situation in which the nationals could have a pause for pondering on the situation that has matured over the months while not forgetting to plough their land and not missing the rainy season which is critical for any farmer in Ethiopia.
The government noted it wanted to give the people to reflect on what needs to be done and what the priorities of the regional state must be, instead of focusing on attacking the defense forces stationed there. However, the remnant TPLF forces have taken full advantage of this move declaring that they had won the war. They made a declaration that they would not accept any cessation of hostilities but continue to take their revenge on all forces that attacked them. They began attacks on multiple fronts and such prowess must have come from the support they were promised by some external forces but Ethiopia is on the watch that such aid should never be delivered. Already some movements to undermine the Ethiopian government and the people have been discovered and stopped but there needs full attention on how things develop every
day especially in a scenario where foreign elements are ready to jump into the arena! Trying to internationalize the situation has always been the plan of TPLF from the very beginning and Ethiopia’s stance has always been consistent. This is an internal matter and no one is allowed to interfere!
In the meantime, whenever there are setbacks in their attacks they call on their followers and paid affiliates to demonstrate in Europe and America denouncing the losses they suffer as genocide, accusing the government forces of atrocities. It was observed that there have been two types of demonstrations in the outside world on the part of TPLF affiliates. When the TPLF forces seem to advance in their positions they are called to celebrate in joy and dances waving flags of their party and chants, declaring that they are victorious and they are the best warriors in history. On the other hand, when their forces seem to be suffering heavy defeats and they retreat from all of their positions, they cry of massacres and genocide systematically carried out on them and their followers! Such variations of reports from the battleground have been relayed without any evidence to support the claims by the international media who seem to have the mandate to support blindly whatever TPLF declares.
The association between the western world and TPLF has a long history and no wonder that when these Trojan horses have been ousted of positions of power in Ethiopia the long term interests of the west in the sub region seems to be uncertain or not well guarded. The government that replaced TPLF at the helm of the country does not seem to accept each and every proposal these western nations suggest because they are in open contradiction with the future development trajectory of the country. That is why they do not seem to stop not only supporting the TPLF but also try and reinstate them to power in Addis. We have seen this happening in 1991 when the so called socialist military government was ousted with their support.
But these forces seem to forget that today’s Ethiopia is very distant from the situation in those years and the geopolitical situation of the world has completely changed. Africa and the third world, in general, are not any more ready to accept western imperialism with quiet submission because new leaders have emerged that first of all give priority to their nationals’ interest rather than the interests of the western nations and the egoistic and corrupt privileges that these ruthless leaders are awarded for their submission to the requests or orders of these powers.
Today, there are more responsible and popular governments and leaders than there used to be three decades ago. There are also more conscious citizens that demand their rights from their leaders. There is more transparency and accountability. We are living in a digital world. Foreign intervention is now seen with utter disgust and many countries now prefer to renounce to the promises of aid and grants if it comes to risking shameful compromises on their sovereign rights of the countries in question.
The Ethiopian Herald August 8/2021
