A well-known fable among Ethiopians goes like this. Parents tell the story when they want to teach children good manner. There was a naughty boy who stole an egg from one of the houses in the neighbourhood. Neighbours didn’t consider the stolen egg big enough to complain and the parents of the boy also spared him. But their mercy gave a ‘good’ lesson to the boy that he can now steal something of a better value.
He is now big enough to steal a chicken and he did it. Still, the parents skipped him without too much warning or corrective reaction as the chicken was not something that can cost the parents a lot if anyone complains. Now the boy emboldened more to try something more gainful, which is stealing a sheep. Only then did the owners started to cry and seek compensation.
But by this time the boy is well versed in his theft, knows how to escape or pass with excuses. But that does not mean that he will stop there. So one day he was caught stealing an ox. This time, however, no one showed sympathy to him and was in a position to face jail terms. His exclamation was that “Mom why did you spare me when I stole that egg!’
The story of the boy depicts what the terrorist TPLF has been, and is still committing against the people of Ethiopia. Former members of the group tell many dreadful stories of atrocities that TPLF committed ever since its establishment. To cut a long story short, it is enough to see what it did in the face of all the local and international media as well as international organizations following its botched attack against the ENDF in November last year.
Emboldened by the deafening silence of the international community the group massacred more than 700 civilians in a town called Mai Kadra. The seasoned terrorist did a tenable attempt to confuse the world and shift the blame against the government and Amhara Special Forces through playing the victim.
As a result, the group was incentivized to continue its crimes against humanity in other places in the worst forms and levels. It has massacred hundreds of civilians in Galicoma, Agamsa, Chena … In all these places the group has also destroyed houses, schools, banks, hospitals and other public facilities forcing the residents to flee their villages and take shelter far away from home.
While doing all these TPLF keeps on crying as a victim on the defence side taking advantage of those who do not want to see a balanced view of the incident. In the middle of all this, the terrorist group will keep on worsening the crimes it perpetrates against the people as long as it does not face any blame that exactly fits the crimes it is committing.
The only action that can stop it from its natural behaviour is the punitive measures by the people and government. There is no patience to wait for the Terrorist group until it commits the unbearable atrocities just as the villagers were soothing the small naughty boy until it steals the ox.
Indeed TPLF has already gone beyond the level of stealing the ox in the boys case. It has carried out the most intorlable crimes that no one can ever tolerate. So the people and government are determined enough to crush it once and for all.
The Ethiopian Herald 9 September 2021
