(Short Story)
Sitting inside a wide stone hut the one-eyed Hagos and Moges with a broken leg,both on the wrong side of fifty, were tuning to the DemetseWeyane channel. The old Philips radio feeds on three big batteries. The uncle and cousin respectively narrowly escaped death after forcefully conscripted and dragged to war to fight the National Defense Force.
It was without any form of military training even without any knowledge of how to handle a gun they were rushed to confrontations. When they voiced complaint, “How could we make it with no knack of arms?”
“You will pick up the skill on the process!” they were intimidated into silence.
As such, in an engagement before they knew it, they were held captives suffering mayhem. Happily, however their captors nursed them back to health according to them all due care in sharp contrast to the brutality of the former they have been told about.
When the Ethiopian government declared a unilateral ceasefire, seizing the opportunity,they returned back home. But they still harbor fear of another round of conscription for they know the bellicose mind set of Terrorist TPLF leaders, who fan the fire and enjoy the feeling when the hot air warms them.
“No more talk. Please no more talk,” supported by hand signs Hagoes and Moges in a synchronized manner hushed down the remaining inhabitants of the hut an older woman and her granddaughter.
Getachew Reda, virtually the spokesperson of terrorist TPLF, was blurting out every sort of inane and self- contradicting analysis like a goat that consumed the residue of ale.
“In our march to Addis we lost the battle as there were some among our army that were not disciplined. The presence of even 40 soldiers among an army creates a deficit of trust. Some of our soldiers were raping and looting. That is why we were defeated.”
“What does he mean? It was because our soldiers were untrained we lost the battle. It was because we used a human wave, an outmoded tactic, we were chased out with our tails between our legs,”Hagoes shook his head in dismay.
“Right you are! This shameless man tries to bluff. It was his likes that were promoting rape and looting as instruments of war,” Moges patted Hagoes by way of expressing his consent
“I did hear rape is replete in the track record of TPLF. It suffices to see what Getachew did when he was a lecturer at Mekle University. He was a molester. How could he like a wolf in a sheep’s skin project an innocent face?” got worked up the older women Letaye.
“Unknowingly headmitted TPLF’ssoldiers are reapers and looters,”the young girlTirhase chuckled, and added “as a politician he must avoid a slip of the tongue!”
Letaye angrily said “Creating a pretext unwilling to believe one’s defeat is tantamount to preparing for another round of invasion to cannon fodder the feeble,toddlers and the workforce of Tigray!”
“ Grand ma you and me too will not be spared this time,” Tirhase once more chuckled pointing her fingers at Letaye.
“Tirhase this is not a joking matter. You may lose your hands or worse stil life,”Hagos got vexed.
Moges said “They are HijackingUNDF’s Aid Trucks .Who knows they may haul us to the warfront not waiting the rainy season, which they believe is favorable for their intended invasion and expansion.”
“They have got fuels too, which they are storing for their diabolic ends,”Hagoes said.
“They do not have an iota of care to the people they claim to protect and on whose name they collect aid to line up their pockets,”Tirhase could not help chuckling.
“There are gluttonous TPLF leaders that opened new pharmacies to oversell medicinal aids,”Moges punched his left palm.
“Many are on their deathbed but these so-called liberators are enslaving our people. What a moral decadence,” Tears Trickled down Letaye’s face. Experiencing a mood swingTirhase began to weep.Hagoes and Moges followed suit.
After five minutes wailing calm fell on the room.
“There is a saying if you fool me once shame on you and if you fool me twice shame on me. We must put our feet down not to fall a prey to Weyane’s(TPLF’s) booby-trap, ”said Hagos projecting a worried face.
“Yes I second you!”Moges added.
“This time we must tell lords of clashes boldly that they themselves could march to prove their military prowess. Field Marshal Birhanu has made clear if TPLF tries another wave of clashes the consequence will be harrowing to it,”Tirhase’s face lit up with a smile.
“Yes this time it is their turn. They must walk their talk in order to understand the real meaning of provoked war, unbaked by a just cause. They could not remain on the back seat at the cost of those on the front seat.”
“What makes me split my side laughing is showing a bellicose bent in all directions Weryane clamors it is encircled by enemies all-out to squash it,”Tirhase bubbled up with laughter, which has a contagious effect.
“It is the international community that must be held accountable. As if color blind it can’t tell the sheep from the fox,” Like Tirhas Hagoes chuckled.
BY AlemHailu G/K
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 APRIL 2022
