A Memorial Day Celebrated
A MEMORIAL DAY
Yesterday, (June 23) the TPLF chief, Debretsion, delivered a moving speech on the occasion of Memorial Day dedicated to those who laid down their precious lives in the struggle for Tigrayan self-determination. This day also marks the 37th anniversary of the Hawzen massacre, when the Ethiopian Air Force (Mengistu Hailemariam’s Air Force) bombed innocent civilians at the market place and killed 1500 people, a prelude to the Tigray genocide. He underscored the front’s commitment to realize the dreams the gallant heroes died for.
Alongside the tragedy that often occurs in Tigray, I watched (listened to) Ethio-forum, an Ethiopian, Youtube news and political analysis channel. It featured the interviews of former Abiy Ahmed officials Gedu Andargachow, and Taye Dend’a. It appears Gedu Andargachow , a long time Amhara official in the EPRDF government, jumped ship and became a trusted hand of the prime minister. He served as a Foreign Minister and later national security advisor during the height of the genocide. As his speech to the people of Dessie on October 21, 2021 shows he was an active participant and cheer leader in the campaign to exterminate Tigrayans. After falling out of favor with the Prime Minister, he is now sharing the calamity his former boss wrecked upon the Tigray people.
According to his confession in one of his encounters with Abiy Ahmed, he was told by the latter that he should not worry about the Tigrayans, the prime minister continued “ we hit them hard so that they would not raise their heads ever”. In another broadcast of EthioForum, Taye Dend’a, former minister of state, in the Abiy government
states hearing the prime minister in a conference of Prosperity Party cadres that Abiy saying deliberately started the war of November 2020 unleashed on the innocent people of Tigray so as to get rid of the Tigrayan military leaders who dominated the Ethiopian military.
I am not surprised by this kind of delusional speech of the prime minister. We know what he stands for. If he could, he would exterminate the entire Tigrayan population. As some of my readers remember, Abiy Ahmed and his minions told Pekka Havisto, the foreign minister of Finland of their war aims to destroy Tigrayans. The atrocities he committed during the 2020-2022 war illustrated his solution to what he believes is the Tigrayan question. He has coordinated the demise of a million Tigrayans.
I am amazed, however, by those Tigrayans like Getachow now getting organized under the “Simiret Party” in Addis Ababa, who would go to any length, to do anything to make their employer happy. They say stupid things, in order to remain in their employment. Of all the toxic hings that comes out of their mouths is the fact that they are accusing the TPLF for trying to make peace with the Eritrean people while they themselves are in bed with Abiy Ahmed, the prime person responsible for bringing the entire region to anarchy and chaos.
The Getachow group is not the first political entity under the pay of the Showan elite. It will not be the last. For example, after the death of Emperor Yohannes, his nephew, Dejach Seyoum, decimated Tigray as a loyal servant of Menilik, (under the current concept of Simret) the king of Showa. Even during Yohannes’ reign, Debeb Ar’aya, the emperor’s cousin, served the Egyptian interest and later the Italian’s against the Emperor. Unfortunately we have these kinds of people here and there. No surpirze!
I believe both Abiy Ahmed and Isaias Afeworki are evil, vicious to the core. But at this point in time, the former wants to decimate Tigray once more, to finish the job, since he believes the Tigrayans continue to pose a threat to his out-sized ambition. Isaias is placed in a corner. He has neither the desire nor the capability to go to war against the Tigrayans. His sole desire at this phase is survival as the specter of the Ethiopian ghost looms large. So the choice for the TPLF or Tigrayans is obvious.
In conclusion, like all governments, the Eritrean state is primarily concerned with its own survival and security in light of the incessant threats now routinely pronounced by Abiy Ahmed. The latter has been seen beating the war drum against the TPLF and the Tigray people as a whole. It has ceaselessly blocked humanitarian aid from reaching Tigray. Commercial trucks have been stopped in the Afar region to further starve and destabilize Tigray. It has been providing military training in Afar for misguided, traumatized Tigrayans with the intent to further destroy Tigray by its native sons. In a word, the Abiy Ahmed’s war declared in November 2020 continues in other forms. It is only natural, therefore, for these duo to attempt to form an alliance to deter Abiy Ahmed from unleashing terror on the region. It is a realistic statecraft seeking to maintain balance of power.