The history of Ethiopia is full of episodes of battles and struggles for various reasons. There have been common experiences of power struggle among the various faction leaders, regional strongmen and those who might have aspired to be leaders. For years there were rivalries between various regional leaders and frequent shifts of authority and power. But the history of Ethiopia is also full of alien invasions or attempts which tried to penetrate the country and subdue it. However, the records show that whenever there were these alien assaults, Ethiopians have discarded their intestinal disputes and rallied behind their leaders, under one command, and fought back resiliently the invaders.
There are multiple records of these and similar episodes of struggle for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country thanks to the unity of citizens, thanks to the resolve of the leaders who never desisted to personally lead the battles at the front. The result has always been victory. Ethiopians paid every sacrifice needed to block and defeat any alien power, even against those who fielded huge and well armed armies with the collaboration of every citizen.
Ethiopians know that if they stand united they can resist every pressure, defeat any enemy and overcome any challenge. The current battle the country is facing is not thus unknown to the Ethiopian public. They know they must always stay alert not to be subdued by any alien force. But what makes this campaign a bit different from the others is that this time the challenge has come from inside, from its own citizens who with outside forces aim to depose a legitimate government using force. This time it is terrorist forces such as TPLF and Shene born and brought up in the country but also relying on the robust assistance of foreign powers mainly the western powers, the US included.
Since the beginning of this conflict the position of the US has been to say the least biased in favour of the terrorists, subscribing implicitly to the narratives of the TPLF and allies. What is perplexing is that the US does know exactly who TPLF and Shene are and what they intend to do in their attacks. But believing that these forces are better placed to ‘advance their national interests’ in the Horn of Africa than the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, they seem to covertly rally behind them, undermining the legitimately elected federal government.
The West has been deliberately disseminating the narratives of TPLF propaganda chiefs aided by their biased media outlets such as CNN, BBC and the New York Times etc who continued to report the conflict in glowing terms for the terrorists, disinterested in the heinous crimes they committed, but at the same time by reporting negative stories on Ethiopia, tarnishing its image with various allegations of barbaric acts. Their stories were intended to create panic among the Ethiopian population and prepare them to accept an unlikely defeat. They pushed the international community to lose confidence in the security situation in the country reporting unfounded security concerns, subscribing openly to the propaganda narratives of the terrorist forces, using the doctored and manipulated footages as testimony to their stories! Undoubtedly, the propaganda war has been going on for months using their popularity and far reach of their dissemination, but they have been debunked by responsible journalists and media outlets who have remained faithful to the ethics of the profession.
In a recent study conducted on the way the Western media covered the conflict in Ethiopia has shown that their reports have always been negative to the position of Ethiopia contributing to the raising of the morale of the terrorists who are trying to unseat a democratically elected government through the use of force (which is a complete reverse of former US and western countries’ declared policies). We have often heard of western governments supporting democratic governance in any country condemning any forceful attempts to depose a constitutionally formed government through free elections. Evidently, in the case of TPLF and Ethiopia they have opted to go against their once established principles. This shows us to how much hypocrisy these powers are exposed as long as their interests are not secured by the government in power.
Observers have noted that this is the face of US imperialism and as long as their national interests are safeguarded they do not mind what sort of government is on power; and they care little if they are democratic or authoritarian. We have seen multiple examples of fascist governments being supported and maintained by the US and the West in general as long as they maintained the dominance of these powers, be it economic, strategic or otherwise. They say this is the brutal face of neo-colonialism being imposed on several weak countries that rely to a great extent on the “charity” of the mighty economies.
The relations between Ethiopia and the West have been built on these premises. Ethiopia has been reputed as one of the biggest recipients of western assistance, but this was evidently secured through the accommodation of the strategic interests of these powers. The Ethiopian government led by TPLF was a ‘good partner’ of the US and the West in general in their bid to control Africa, and particularly, the Horn. For instance Ethiopian soldiers were made routinely available to advance any of their imperialistic intents.
When the TPLF government was ousted of its power in Ethiopia the West was evidently hoping to continue with the Abiy Ahmed government to advance their interests, as usual. But Abiy dismissed their advances and adopted a national interest first and a regional interest agenda which definitely angered these powers. That is why they have closed their eyes on the terrorist moves of TPLF and Shene and supported them in their attempts to advance on Addis. Their interest is clearly to twist the arms of the Abiy government to give in to the claims of these forces and recover their dominant position in Ethiopia. Observers say here is the major point of discord between the West and the Abiy government who they intend to unseat.
Ethiopians are convinced that their country is now faced with a real ‘existential threat’ by local forces aided by Western powers to destabilize and possibly dismember it into small insignificant entities comfortable for any manipulation. But they have also come to realize the intentions of these forces and are rallying behind their leader. At the same time they have called on all Africans and black people of the world to rally behind Ethiopia threatened by neo-colonial attacks. The Ethiopian premier has openly urged all freedom loving people and all blacks to condemn and reject this new concerted invasion of Ethiopia by some western powers. That is why he has personally joined the war front to repel the orchestrated attacks of the terrorists aided by the imperialist forces.
The picture is now clear and unambiguous. The way the forces are aligned is also now clearer than ever before. There are now no doubts about how and to what extent the imperialist forces are ready to support the terrorists against a legitimately elected government. They have conducted several open and clandestine meetings discussing how to go about unseating a legitimate government and replace it with one that no one elected.
Naturally this has enraged all Ethiopians both at home and in the diaspora pushing them to stand united against such orchestrated maneuvers. Throughout the world Ethiopians have shown their indignation and condemnation of these forces who are meddling in the internal affairs of Ethiopia by staging huge rallies. They have demanded to stop these forces of belligerence against a sovereign country. The fact that these powers have tried to take up the issue in the Security Council of the UN multiple times but has been duly rejected shows to what extent these forces are committed to fight the Ethiopian government through all the means they can count on. Fortunately there are countries who have favourable view on the Ethiopian government such as China, Russia and India who have always underscored that the conflict in Ethiopia is a purely internal affair and interference would not be acceptable. They said only if solicited by Ethiopia could these force be welcome to intervene and contribute for a possible solution. But to date, this has not been the case. It must be highlighted here that the Ethiopian government has made multiple attempts to settle the issue peacefully, but TPLF leaders have rejected them and rather adopted an aggressive posture counting on the support of western powers. That is why the Ethiopian premier has decided to personally lead the war from the battle field inviting all Ethiopian patriots to counter this ”existential threat”. And thousands have followed him in this endeavour. This is a war of every Ethiopian national and friends of Ethiopia and there are no doubts about the outcome provided unity is cemented among all citizens.
Ethiopians have gathered once again as one because they know only if united they can confront successfully such attacks. Despite tremendous pressure from the West including a vast and persistent propaganda war, threats of economic sanctions, Ethiopians know they can overcome this challenge if they continue to stand united firmly. Likewise, Africans must know that this is the reckoning time and show their full support for Ethiopians opposing every form of alien aggression. A united front on all corners, Ethiopians, Africans and people of black descent all should come together to thwart this neo-colonial move orchestrated by western powers against people of African origin. The wheels of history must not be allowed to roll backwards! Africans must reassert their dignity and independence from all forms of impositions by neo-colonial minded forces.
BY FITSUM GETACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 2/2021
