BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
Since the beginning of the federal government’s law enforcement operation in the Tigray regional state that followed the terrorist TPLF’s barbaric attack against the Northern Command of Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) on the night of November 03, 2020, Ethiopians living in the country and abroad have been showing their solidarity with the government and security forces particularly ENDF.
Besides, the general public, various governmental and non-governmental institutions in the country have shown their solidarity with the security forces by providing financial support, blood donations, and food and non-food items.
The House of Peoples’ Representatives of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) is one of the institutions that have been providing significant support to the ENDF.
Members of the House and staff of the Secretariat Office of the House of Peoples’ Representatives have provided financial support to the ENDF for the second time since the law enforcement operation has begun. They also gave their two-month salary to the ENDF.
In addition to providing financial and material support, MPs and staff of the Secretariat Office have recently donated blood to the ENDF as well.
During the blood donation event, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives Tagesse Chaffo said that Ethiopians must stand together to resist the apostate desire to destabilize the country and the intervention of foreign powers on the internal affairs of Ethiopia.
He also stated that just as Ethiopia does not want to take advantage of other countries, it does not give up its interests, and foreign forces should refrain from imposing pressures on Ethiopia.
Member of the House Neima Mohammed on her part said that she is motivated to support the Ethiopian National Defense Forces as much as she could and to donate blood to show her support for the members of the ENDF who are sacrificing their precious lives to protect the dignity of their country, to curb the ambitions of foreign forces and internal enemies that are working day and night to destabilize the country and to weaken the unity of Ethiopians.
Another MP Tesfaye Robelie said that he donated blood to show his support for the ENDF in its fight against internal forces that conspired to destabilize the country and foreign forces who want to intervene in Ethiopia’s internal affairs and establish a weak government that protects their interests only.
The aforementioned MPs also stressed that Ethiopians should stand together to fight the aspirations of internal anti-peace elements and the interventions of foreign forces.
According to information obtained from the House, MPs and members of Women’s Caucus, and the Women’s League of the House have also accepted the national call to safeguard the country and reaffirmed their support for the Ethiopian National Defense Force under the theme: “Marching to Safeguard Ethiopia in all fronts, all the time, by all means”.
Chairperson of the House’s Women Caucus Abebaye Gezahegn announced that they are preparing to send various food and non-food items, including hygiene items, to the ENDF to counter the threat of disintegration by the terrorist TPLF.
The Women’s Caucus is preparing to hand over kolo and beso (most commonly known traditional Ethiopian barley-based foods), dry enjera to the ENDF, as well as an estimated 97,000 Birr worth of menstrual pad to female members of the ENDF which they collected from governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Members of the House’s Women Caucus and Women League have pledged to contribute 500 Birr each out of their pocket to the ENDF in addition to their monthly salaries. The members also donated blood and said that they would continue to do so in the future.
Recently, the Women Caucus and Women League provided an estimated 1.2 Birr worth of food and non-food items like kolo, beso, biscuit, blankets, sanitation materials to the ENDF.
Deputy speaker of House of Peoples’ Representatives Shitaye Minale said, “I do not think that the support given to the ENDF so far is sufficient in light of the work being done by the Defense Forces to protect the country and the people from the invading forces.”
She also noted that not only providing material support but members of the House’s Women Caucus and Women League are also dedicated to going to the battlefield if necessary and sacrificing their lives for the sake of our country.
Women are the main victims of any invasion and war. With this in mind, the House’s Women Caucus is doing its level best to fight the terrorist TPLF group that is working to destroy the country, she further stated.
Defense State Minister Marta Liwiji thanked the House’s Women Caucus for their support to the members of the ENDF, who are fighting with enemies of the country and the whole people and sacrificing their precious lives to defeat the enemies and save Ethiopia, on the behalf of the heroic ENDF, Ministry of Defense, and the entire Ethiopian people.
She also said that the ENDF is working hard to unite all Ethiopians and save Ethiopia and destroy its enemies.
“The campaign will ensure the unity of Ethiopians through the united efforts of Ethiopians within a short period,” she indicated.
The cooperation of all Ethiopians is needed to get our country out of the current economic, political, and diplomatic pressure, said Mehandis Melaku, member of the House.
In an interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Mehandis stated that “If all Ethiopians unite and stand guard for the country, our country will soon be in a better position.”
The people’s solidarity with the government and the military in the fight against the terrorist TPLF group is commendable and encouraging, and it must be maintained and strengthened in the future, he also noted.
Ethiopians living in different parts of the world are strengthening their unity and contributing to the country better than ever before, he said, adding that the Diaspora is providing financial support for the construction of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces. “In addition, the Diaspora is working hard to make the international community aware of the current situation in Ethiopia,” he indicated.
He further opined that when the TPLF was in power, it was working to create divisions and hatred among the people of Ethiopia. The terrorist TPLF’s brutal attack against the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces after the party had been ousted from power and its ongoing attacks against civilians in Afar and Amhara regions have united all Ethiopians and united them to fight their enemies together. Such unity of the people is essential for nation-building, he added.
The Ethiopian Herald August 22/2021
