BY ABEBE WOLDEGIORGIS
Recently western countries including USA, Britain, Germany, Netherland and Australia released the joint statement with regard to the ongoing war in northern Ethiopia. In their statement they announced their anxiety that, the war aggravates the humanitarian crises in Tigrai region. They also allegedly charge Eritrean army intervening in the war and demand the immediate cease fire.
The peace proposal offered by the African Union to resume talks in South Africa between the two warring parties was accepted by the government while TPLF hesitantly showed nod to be part of the peace process.
But after weeks the AU announced that the peace talk was postponed for other time due to shortage of logistical facilities. Meanwhile supporters of TPLF expressed their opposition and asked the junta to reject the peace proposal and to boycott going to South Africa. Later Getachew Reda, the spokesperson of the Junta announced that his party will not be part of the peace process and blame the AU as not impartial.
These countries did not say any word when TPLF made unprovoked assault on the Ethiopian army for the third successive occasions. Even a year ago when the junta army reached in northern Shewa, 120 kilo meter away from the capital their reaction was deaf ear. Before the out brake of the war for the third time when TPLF forces forcefully looted 350 thousand liter of benzene from the World Food Program depot by harassing its staffs did not put pressure on the junta to replace the looted fuel. Westerners when they assume that TPLF is in good military position they shut their mouth and ignore the situation. But when they think that the government forces get the upper hand in the Battle field they express their concern.
It is understood that TPLF has no history of give and take political culture. Long ago it utilized a zero sum game rather than a win-win game politics when it confronts its opponents. When it explains its will to conduct peace talks with its opponents, it calculates in how it diverts the negotiation plat form to its own advantage. Before it ignited war for the third time, it pledged to sit on the negotiating table with the government but abruptly it fired the first bullae by violating the truce.
In the last three years only it recruited thousands of youth and provided military training and deployed in various fronts forcefully. It imposed decree on the region that, each family to send its youth to training camps.
Clandestine activities supported by Ethiopia’s historical enemies also continued. Recruiting refuges in the neighboring countries to prop up its military venture also resumed and cross border skirmish also observed but it was rebuked by the defense force.
It is reported that recently the World Health Organization Head Tewodross Adhanom who used his office to rescue TPLF from its natural death appeared in Cairo and made secret meetings with that countries officials. Some sources confirmed that the Junta obtained financial support from historical enemies of the nation. Even some further claim that monthly up to 500 thousand Dollars is allocated to the Junta to destabilize the nation. They gave assignment to TPLF to fuel conflict in various parts of the country through backing rebel groups active in Gambella and Benishangul Gumuz region. The major objective of this covert activity was to disrupt third round of filling of the Hidasie dam water.
Some western media out late still blatantly support the Junta military activities and claimed that it wage war against the government to brake military besiege. But the reality on the ground shows the other way round. The junta ultimate war ambition is to resume power here in the capital and perpetuate its power grip but it is rather a day dreaming.
Months ago the United Nation Human Right Experts on Ethiopia reported their findings in which totally false and rejected by the government. The report was biased and in contravened with the last year report prepared by the Ethiopian Human Right Commission with the collaboration of The United Nations Human Rights Council. The report preparation was methodologically wrong and intended to blame the government as if it made violation of human rights by ignoring atrocities committed by TPLF in Amhara and Afar regions. Some also disclosed that the so called experts were close ally of the Junta diaspora supporters. Not only these, recently the United Nations Security Council made informal and closed meeting on Ethiopia which violates the nation sovereignty. Behind the meeting there were interest groups to defame the reputation of the government and to condemn Ethiopia but fortunately thanks to the strong resistance by some members the of security council which sympathize Ethiopia, the conspiracy was nullified.
There are also unacceptable move by the European Union Commission particularly the High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph boreal. He reflected biased attitude towards Ethiopia by sympathizing the junta and tries to pressure Ethiopia through using his office as corridor. “Tigray is shattered by systematic violation of Human right, war crimes and crimes against humanity used as weapon. In view of the upcoming UN report on human right we agree to prepare the ground with an adequate response and start to work on sanction.” He twitted. This statement is groundless.
In its act of war against the army and the civilians for three times, it is TPLF which committed crime against humanity. Human carnage was carried out by the Junta in Mykadra and Chenna in northern Gonder, Wollo and parts of Afar region but Joseph Boreal intentionally ignored these facts. The study conducted by The United Nations Human Right Council with the collaboration of the Ethiopian Human Right Council proved the above mentioned atrocities committed by the Junta. Before the third round of war ignited by the Junta and when there was cease fire which lasted for five months, humanitarian aid was supplied to Tigray in land route and by air transport with no restriction. In this regard the government cooperation was testified by the World Food Program. Not only these, agricultural inputs also were sent to Tigray farmers before the coming of the rainy season. The effort was to reduce vulnerability of shortage of crops.
But TPLF instead of distributing the food aid to the needy, it recruited soldiers to prop up its war efforts. The food aid obtained from US Aid was exhibited in the defense trench of the Junta in the war front. It was used by its troops and the world clearly observed it. But westerners said nothing.
The war with TPLF has not only a military dimension it has also a diplomatic one. In this regard the role of the Ethiopian Diaspora residing in the US, Europe, Australia and Canada are much appreciable. In addition to staging demonstration in front of state department and White House, they forwarded their complaint against the US biased policy towards the horn through e-mailing campaign to the influential senators. In this regard the unrestrained role of the Ethiopian activist Hermela Gebrekidan must be acknowledged.
Their campaign also extended by punishing pro TPLF candidates competing in the midterm election in the US.
Ethiopia is a sovereign country and was a member of the League of Nations. It as well is a founding member of the United Nations and the OAU/AU. Long ago Ethiopian army engaged in peace keeping mission in various part of the world including in the Korean Peninsula in 1950s, in Democratic Republic of Congo in 60s, in Rwanda and Liberia in 1990s. It paid sacrificed for ensuring peace and security in the world. Even currently the Ethiopian army engaged in peace keeping mission in Somalia, Darfour in Sudan and in Abiye on the border between South and North Sudan. The current generation of the world must understand and recognize our country effort for creating of better world. But against this backdrop, some countries both in developed and developing world blindly slander Ethiopia and defame its reputation. They also try to interfere in the internal affairs of Ethiopia through using multilateral institutions.
The outrageous activities of Ireland by supporting the Junta can be the case in point. In fact, the government unequivocally explained its opposition by sending letter by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to his Counterpart. It repeatedly floured agenda for discussion both in the European Union and the United Nation by violating Ethiopia’s sovereignty to put pressure. . Tigray is an integral part of Ethiopia and TPLF is not a legitimate entity and it was leveled as terrorist organization by the House of Peoples Representatives. Hence, calling TPLF as governor of Tigrai is not legal and is interfering in the internal affairs of Ethiopia which has its own counterproductive. No western country dared to say Boko haram, Alshabab or Hezbola as proponent of peace because they are leveled as terrorist organization by the international community. But in the case of TPLF they showed ambiguity. The government expressed its will to conduct peace talks with TPLF because it aspires to end the war by peace full means rather than by war. But by ignoring the government enduring efforts some historical enemy elements continued supporting the Junta nevertheless, their action is fruitless.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
The Ethiopian Herald 18 October 2022
