Mi arriva un messaggio da un mio contatto che pubblico e condivido in maniera integrale come l’ho ricevuto.
Today, a message arrives from a contact of mine that I publish and share in full as I received it.
I am sure any reader of this article has experience of arguing or exchanging some ideas about the war on Tigray, its implications and root causes. The war on Oromos and coup on Abidi Ile are similar variant. There are only two arguments; one is total denial and minimizing it in total contempt of the damage it caused on civilians, civilian targets and another is shocking lack of understanding, which is ridiculous. Any normal working citizen who is connected to information systems must take time to understand the genocidal war of such magnitude at least to some degree so that he/she may not fall blind victim of one party news, leave alone contribute to some positive influence. Due to lack of knowledge about the genocidal war or intentionally simplifying it remains a difficulty to exercise maturity in the discussions. You might lose friendship, jobs, relations due to your attempt to say what you feel and see.
Some groups in Ethiopian society support and aspire and clamor for more of atrocities and famine on Tigray or attack on civilian Tigrayans everywhere, and the same on Oromia, Benishangul Gumuz or any other place. They instantly free themselves from logical thinking, religious or any human responsibilities, while they also masquerade as prayerful adherents of religions – but never argue about rights to life of Tigray people with them, or else they will shower you with instant and intense salvo! Surely, in the present day Ethiopia sound argument is impossible due to blinded and unreasonable attachment to the past real or mere imagined wrongs. I call it ‘pastism’ driven hundred percent by the past wrongs – shared addiction to placing all reasons for today’s problems in the acts and omissions of any past regimes. In this regard, most ‘Ethiopianists’ claim that the past 27 years were the reason why we have today’s problems. I disagree. There is something deeper in Ethiopian politics as it has been. Even before the EPRDF came to power, Ethiopian politics had cruel ethnic undercurrent in every form – entrenched in systems established throughout religious, social and political structures. The characterization of Ethiopia was shaped on certain highlander’s culture, tradition and even that, with huge selfish distortions. Tigray, though highland and home of many of historical and cultural wealth Ethiopia prides itself today such as: from Geez alphabets, to Yaredawi Zema, Othodox Tewahido faith and is home of first Muslims in the country. In spite of that and Tigray region – Tigrayans were still among the disenfranchised lot in pre-EPRDF centralized and Amhara dominated Ethiopia. Then, questions of nations and nationalities inspired by Marxist ideologies took serious turn in the form of military struggles, one of which is TPLF/EPRDF which later took the country’s political mantle. We can be reminded of few such in agitation: Ibsa Gutama’s ‘who is Ethiopian?’ or Walilign Mekonen’s five-page argument set tone for the subsequent struggles in one way or the other. As a result, the whole active generation of the day were involved or victimized by this struggle. That was the time (1960s) that the struggles were already in fast formation stages. A lot can be said by experts but among nations and nationalities in Ethiopia, there was felt operation and domination of the Amhara culture and rule on nations and nationalities through meshed approach via state and church collaboration.
The current Federal constitution at least formally at work to this day, though mutilated by Mr.Abiy, is the result of that struggle of nations and nationalities to free themselves, once and for all from the yoke of Amhara cultural and religious predatory hegemony. Therefore, self-determination, self-rule and language federalism is meant to leave groups to govern themselves and stay together voluntarily based on shared benefit and rules of the game. Therefore, waging genocidal war on Tigray and Oromia has been waging war on the principles of self-rule and self-determination. This violation is violation of the rights of all regions of Ethiopia. Slowly, it is meant to collect power back to the center – Addis Abeba palace. Abiy, to camouflage himself, is giving some regional status to new regions but retaining much power to himself – thus qualitative usurping of regional autonomy. So in one hand appearing as federalist but on actual reality exercise the behavior of a brutal centralist who doesn’t want to see anyone to be appointed against his will in those regions, thus no autonomy.
His unwarranted arrest of regional politicians and other opposition party members on purported charges is dictatorial and centralist. Federalist rule requires democratic governance where the subsidiarity principle rules. Thus people may have a right to express and govern themselves. Any regional politician showing critical stance against him is either exiled or imprisoned; so all those responsible in regional authority are strict adherents to the will and whims of Abiy and not their people. Meaning, Abiy is taking the country backwards in cohesion, in federalism, democracy, peace, stability and economy is already in tatters.
In fact, in light of practical reality of Abiy rule and in view of real intention behind the war on Tigray – all regional political elite and public must realize that Abiy and reactionary Amhara elite are hell-bent on destroying language federalism in Ethiopia at all cost – even by means committing genocide. That is why they are giving regional status to new regions to buy time and to look ‘federalist’ while denying Tigray to rule itself, to get access to its rightful supplies and services as long as it is part and parcel of Ethiopia. Therefore, the new regions will be regional states in name but will not exercise right of self-governance and determination in reality.
In a nutshell, Abiy’s war on Tigray which is genocidal in all intention and deeds, is a coup d’etat on current Ethiopian Federal constitution. All Abiy’s decisions, utterances, actions and reactions about every issue, or international relations has not been constitutional or formal. It has all been a one-man show – blatant king like attitude and practice – bereft of modern states man’s decency. Therefore, if there were institutions and capable public intellectuals, he should have been accountable for circumventing the constitutions and becoming a de facto constitution unto himself. He duplicitously postponed election, he declared war in sharp contradiction to the constitution based self-rule and self-governance rights of Tigray. He had in fact already finished preparation to attack Tigray in cahoots with Eritrea, Amhara and other supporting forces till Nov.4/2020. So he was the one on course to war on Tigray. Now, he hides in fake ‘Ethiopian unity’ and ‘Sovereignty’. There is no national sovereignty when Abiy ends up by bringing Eritrean forces to kill and destroy Tigray and Oromia, there is no unity and sovereignty when you kill your people by intentionally starving them and denying aid, food, telecommunication, medicine, budget, and harass civilian Tigrayans all over the country by profiling them! Any country can have unity and sovereignty when its citizens all enjoy the same right to life and right of self-expression. While some are under genocide, you talk about national unity, sovereignty, Adwa, etc – can only mean sharing your own ignorance. That is what Abiy and fake Ethiopianists are doing in rallies abroad, on Facebook or mainstream medias at home. Most of them expect Tigray to die peacefully and not fight deep into Amhara and Afar region while they are happy to continue blocking supplies and occupy Western Tigray by invading and ethnic cleansing. They forgot their part and talk about Tigray. This ignorance is widely shared among Amhara elite, as if Tigray should live or die at their mercy. They should have allowed Tigray to get its supplies, had they wanted peace. They only hoped that Eritrean support is as good as heavenly support and therefore, eternal. It proved that Eritrean military support may not sustain their medieval and expansionist interests.
Ok, now Abiy is leading the war by himself, may be Isayas told him to show up and make news but who was leading the army up to now? Wasn’t he in charge? Yes, there are new loads of supplies of weapons and drones but, one must suspect why Abiy is suddenly showing as a field bull ready for debut. Despite his shows, genocidal campaigns by foreign and in country based Amhara elite leaning medias, battle field back-and-forth situation, it will remain difficult to subdue Tigray if history is anything to go by.
To peacefully conduct genocide on Tigray and remain free with it – is impossible! It is tough to colonize Tigray, fact. The common sense, on the part of Abiy and his genocidal disciples, should have been, to negotiate and save some lives, his face and a bit of economy. Leadership is badly needed in Ethiopia. And yet, Abiy is not a leader but lunatic in need of specialized attention in my view. His miracles industry feeds his mind as if God has prioritized him over other human lives to kill, starve, make them suffer and finish them for his power and due to his ignorance – I am told he has fake named Facebook account by the name – Miracle. This is flawed faith, wrong attitude, he must feel for the people and leave the power! He has failed too much to continue making mess of the country. His supporters must redeem themselves. But he might loot and make his way by putting others to the front and by denying them their passports and passages. He knows he will be accountable by the constitution on which he effected silent coup. Leaders who have gone to the front such as Idris Debby and others have not made it. However, the question is he going there anyway in real sense? His claim was hiding the reality of newly acquired expensive weapons and human wave strategy for final offensive with significant human input from Eritrea, how far will it bring everlasting success? From now on, whatever change comes in Ethiopia it is not because of Abiy. He has failed to the point of no repair! He lied, he violated constitution and usurped power to the center. This is why all nations and nationalities of Ethiopia must fight against him and save their autonomy, it is not only Tigray’s war, it is your war guys. This war is war on Federal Constitution of Ethiopia, it is coup on the Constitution. Look at contents, lies, intents, practices and dominant attitudes of the war. It is about taking lands everywhere, ensuring the superiority or old hegemonic forces and elites. So, Ethiopia’s regions and people there must rethink in terms of real politics not consume and be consumed by lies of Abiy and Amhara elite. This true and time will tell. NB: Ordinary Amhara persons should live in peace and enjoy rights like anybody else, my deep conviction so that my views may not be deemed as if I am against people. I am against the untamed elite who are blinded by yesterday’s false political food.
Gedda Komma
