Uncovering terrorist TPLF’s gruesome crimes in Welkait

A victim, eye witnesses and a member of the Academica recounted the TPLF terrorist group’s gruesome crime against ethnic Amara’s in the Welkait, Tegede and Tselemt areas that the group triggered by its longstanding ambition of creating ‘Greater Tigray.’

Aba Lijalem Taye is a well-known individual born and lived in Welkait and claimed to be proud of his Amhara identity that he experienced brutal treatments in the hands of the TPLF clique.

Aba Lijalem bitterly recalled the atrocities and inhumane treatment he and his family faced during TPLF’s regime. He was unlawfully imprisoned for six years and lost his children, property and other valuables. “The TPLF has systematically tried to erase ethnic Amharas, replacing the identity, history and culture of the Welkait people with a view to establishing a ‘Greater Tigray’. Thousands of Amhara were displaced, killed and imprisoned and others whereabouts are unknown.

Another resident of the area, Temesgen gave testimony that Lijalem’s two sons named Alemshet Lijalem and Adisay Lijalem were executed by TPLF cadres. Another son Takle Lijalem was imprisoned in Dansha and his whereabouts is still unknown. On the other hand, TPLF has been hugely engaged for the past forty years in changing the demographic makeup of Welkait resettled ethnic Tigrayans in the area for the realization of its aspiration to secede from Ethiopia.

The main objective of the TPLF is creating a ‘Greater Tigray’ by erasing the area’s Amhara identity and replacing the people’s culture and language as well as changing the demographic makeup of the people of Welkait, Tegede and Telemet that borders Eritrea and Sudan. Studies indicated close to 500,000 to 700,000 people were displaced from the area due to TPLF’s atrocities.

Researchers from the University of Gondar revealed that close to 12 mass graves have been discovered in Welkait Tegede and Telemt areas whereby ethnic Amharas were massacred during the TPLF occupation. About 29 percent of the ethnic Amhara population living in the aforementioned areas were killed, 26.5 percent were displaced and the whereabouts of the remaining 19.5 percent is unknown.

Approached by the Ethiopian Press Agency reporter, Assistant Professor at Gondar University Geta Asreda said the massacre of ethnic Amharas in the aforementioned areas during the TPLF occupation was systematic and planned to wipe them from the fertile farmlands. Indeed, the TPLF has systematically tried to eliminate ethnic Amharas from Welkait Tegede and Telemt anticipating controlling them as bedrock for its illusion of building the ‘Greater Tigray.’

Since the area borders Sudan and Eritrea, it is very important for TPLF to materialize its secessionist plan and to get a corridor via those borders, the academician emphasized

BY HAILE DEMEKE

The Ethiopian Herald  11 May   2022

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