[TLM Editorial Viewpoint]
The unrest in Raya and 70 Enderta should be the lesson for TPLF leaders to reflect on their treacherous actions and desperate responses that are increasingly despised and rejected by the people of Tigray. We conducted our own informal survey of Tegrawot both in the Diaspora and in Tigray, and to our surprise, over ninety percent harbor intense hatred for the TPLF’s current leaders. The majority also rejected the unholy alliance (ፅምዶ) politics of diversion.
There is no doubt that President Tadesse Werede and Debretsion Gebremichael are the worst leaders of Tigray in its over three thousand years of history. There are no other Tigray leaders in Tigray history who have betrayed the trust of the people of Tigray more than Tadesse and Debretsion. The current problem is the continuation of Meles Zenawi’s legacy, for which he used the ethnic card to obscure Tegrawot’s investigation into the depth of his anti-Tigray strategy in an effort to distract Tegrawot from his serious crimes of treasonous activities. He had created division, discord, and disharmony among Tegrawot, dividing us by Aweraja, loyalty affinities, and social status. Tigray had never been as polarized as it was to this extent.
Besides his conspiracy with Ethiopia’s enemies to dismantle the country along ethnic lines, TPLF fulfilled its promise to allow Eritrea to secede and become an independent nation. This move completely landlocks Ethiopia from its historic coastal territories and territorial waters on the Red Sea. One of his egregious actions was unilaterally ceding Ethiopian territory, which he claimed was Sudanese land. This territory spans over 60 kilometers in width and more than 1,600 kilometers in length, encompassing Ethiopia’s fertile and highly developable Western Border area. His decision, based on non-binding demarcations recorded in a notebook of a British military officer during British occupation—several years after the 1902 treaty—is illegal and has no binding legal effect on Ethiopia. Nonetheless, such actions by a head of government can cause long-lasting problems for Ethiopia with Sudan.
Meles Zenawi’s followers have continued their destructive policies against the vital interests of Tigray. It is a sign of the political immaturity of Tegrawot in general that Meles has exploited the antagonism and selfish interests of Ethiopian political leaders and their unwise followers. Meles had consistently shown a reactive rather than proactive approach to mobilize and solidify widespread discontent.
The corruption and looting involving hundreds of billions of dollars by entities established by political organizations, mainly TPLF-controlled commercial and industrial economic enterprises of gold, cement, transportation and EFFORT, which had never been subjected to public auditing. No one else knows the full extent of the investment and returns and deposits other than the tiny circle of the TPLF Politburo, which added tremendous economic problems to Ethiopia. The TPLF has transformed the non-profit, one-time local organization EFFORT and its extensions, including the Tigrayan civic organization—which was initially intended as a self-help, development-focused initiative—into a family business affair and a profit-making system run by TPLF insiders, some of whom reside in the Washington DC area.
EFFORT’s fund had been invested in all major areas of commerce and industry in and around Addis Ababa, undermining the development goals of the local economy and worsening the severely poor economic situation in Tigray. It is tragic that other Ethiopians observing that nearly all of the major industries and commercial enterprises in Addis Ababa and nearby are owned by entities controlled by Sebhat Nega mistakenly view the Tigray State as the victim of a malicious scheme of wealth looting by a few individuals under the guise of aiding the Tigray region.
In reality, the TPLF leaders had brought about excellent suppression, social misery, and poverty to Tigray. Even the Tekeze Dam is just a white elephant, incapable of producing either energy or irrigation. Except for a few asphalted roads, ostentatious buildings in Mekele, and substandard educational institutions, the reputation Tigray has earned as a region of significant investment wealth is, relatively speaking, a misapprehension, as it might be the least developed region in Ethiopia. The reputation of having the lion’s share of investment in Tigray is simply a myth and has nothing to correspond with in reality on the ground.
TPLF and Sebhat Nega appear to have colluded with Shabia, their surrogate or partner, to loot our gold systematically. TPLF generals are no better than a con artist who has exploited and corrupted the trust of needy Tigrayan people through their Ponzi schemes. Sebhat has used Tigray as pawns on the regional economic chessboard. It is shameful that such a corrupt individual had free rein to absorb our future.
Debretsion’s narcissism, solely focused on his own self-interest, is steering Tigray toward a path that could inevitably lead to a devastating confilict. Tigrayan human rights activists and opposition parties have already written an open letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the US State Department to request an investigation into the TPLF genocide against the people of Tigray. Such advocacy appeal suggests that the TPLF is already under threat of possible indictment by the ICC.
Therefore, considering the treasonous economic corruption and the political oppression inflicted upon Tigray by Debretsion, Tadesse and the illegal TPLF political party, it is hard to understand how such a treasonous leader and his illegal political party could even imagine competing for political power in the upcoming election, let alone expect to win. Unless President Tadesse Werede and his sycophants plan to use widespread fraud and oppression against opposition candidates and their supporters. In short, the TPLF record has been disastrous so far. There is absolutely no reason for this treasonous and corrupt party to remain in Tigray any longer.
The extensive arrest and intimidation throughout Tigray, the violent oppression in Raya, Mohani, Saharti, Wegerat and 70 Enderta, and the people’s revolt led by Haftu Kiros in Raya are attracting tens of thousands of demonstrators, all symptomatic of a highly volatile society and a very weak and unpopular administration whose sole crutch for survival is its well-paid, almost pampered, military security forces. Tegrawot, especially those in diaspora, should instead focus on their solidarity with the people, who are currently suffering from a natural calamity of the highest degree of corruption and gold theft, knowing the incalculable loss of lives, wealth, and property.
Our solidarity must go hand in hand with the people, not with the TPLF, and our sympathy must be demonstrated through real actions of generosity and benevolence. Let’s join hands with those who have lost a lot but need little support from us. However, in the face of growing discontent, mistrust, and hatred towards TPLF, there can be no military power to counter the rising tide of people who seek the replacement of Debretsion, Tadesse Werede, and the corrupt TPLF as soon as possible, in the interest of Tigray’s continued existence.