[TLM Editorial Viewpoint]
What can we learn from the historical events surrounding the capture or death of dictators? Several astonishing lessons emerge if we grant ourselves the luxury of reflection and openness in evaluating these past occurrences. Important insights await us if we investigate the deeper reasons for the final humiliating deaths of dictators. Foremost, we learn that dictators are cowards. Within the last half century alone, we can count several brutal dictators who have perished in ignominy and some in utterly humiliating circumstances. Starting with Mussolini (the Fascist dictator who was executed and hung by his feet) and Hitler (the Nazi racist butcher who was killed in an underground bunker), all the way down to our contemporaries such as Mengistu (the brutal dictator who ran away fearful of the wrath of the people of Ethiopia he brutalised, with millions of dollars in bags) and Taylor (the “liberator” of Liberia who turned out to be a violent tyrant), dictators did not seem to fare that well—sooner or later the TPLF leaders’ brutal human rights abuses against their people will catch up with them.
We learn that blind obedience to political leaders is not a substitute for intelligence, knowledge, and learning. Unconditional support without accountability has negatively affected Tigray’s political and economic space. Such loyalty without merit has a chilling effect on open discourse and undermines the democratic process itself, which millions of people have died to preserve. In this regard, let’s consider the case of TPLF’s corruption, repression, and its absolute power dynasty. The TPLF’s absolute power dynasty has been breeding corruption, maladministration, and human rights violations in Tigray. The people of Tigray are being affected by the TPLF’s repressive rule, which has become instrumental in bringing about the genocidal war. As a result, about 1 million Tigrayan lives were lost. According to the Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide (CITG) report, over 150,000 women and girls were raped, Tigray heritage, education and healthcare were destroyed, and the Tigray economy was ruined. Yet again, the TPLF wants to rule Tigray by force.
The TPLF generals did almost anything, including gold theft, murder, rape, human trafficking, and selling war metal scraps, yet still present themselves as honourable and free from brutality and violence, indiscriminate killings, and human rights abuses. They are often celebrated as heroes and nearly worshipped by a small group of fanatically devoted, frequently misguided individuals and politicians alike. Heroism is rapidly losing its true meaning in this unfortunate period, following the Tigray genocide, which is a lamentable saga.
We observe that most social media, television broadcasters, and radio stations in Tigray serve as willing propaganda arms for the TPLF and lack objectivity in reporting news or commenting on conflicts involving the TPLF military during expeditions, conflicts, or wars. The people of Tigray in certain areas do not appear to see themselves as separate from the TPLF. Understandably, people from the rest of the world make this mistaken distinction. We learn that despite the dehumanising effects of military engagement and the universal greed of TPLF leaders, there are number of people in Tigray and across every political parties who, with courage and righteousness, provide hope to librate Tigray from the TPLF repressive rule of 35 years.
Among the Tigrayans in the Diaspora, TPLF’s blind supporters mainly those who carry the legacy of 35 years of terror with them, often resorting to gossip, manipulation, lies, deception, treachery, slander, misinformation and disinformation. This group provides party members and retired ambassadors whose primary objective is to ensure their TPLF’s dominance by any means necessary. Due to this group’s decreasing political significance, stemming from divided loyalties to the TPLF, advanced age, lack of political reform, and a lack of self-confidence related to the skeletons in their closets. They often find gratification in assuming the role of the all-knowing authority within their community.
The TPLF leadership were unwilling to make real sacrifices to reform its repressive political ideology. Any initiative that was not endorsed by the TPLF leaders was seen as a direct threat to their ill-gotten power. But now, the TPLF’s history will be rewritten from liberator to oppressor and human rights violator.
Under the federal political landscape of Ethiopia, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) cancelled the TPLF’s registration as a legitimate political party and outlawed it. The TPLF could no longer operate or participate in Tigray politics as well as in Ethiopia, which was declared effectively an illegal party. Instead, the NEBE validates Simret and other political parties in Tigray as legitimate political parties in the Tigray Region. Therefore, the federal government should commit to support and respect the people of Tigray’s self-determination and territorial integrity. Finally. The TPLF has lost its power dynasty forever with no return to political life in Tigray, as the people completely rejected supporting it.
We urge the opposition parties, TPF, intellectuals, and all Tigrayans to stay the course and never yield to the TPLF that bred in corruption, committed human rights violations, and undermined democracy and the rule of law. The struggle for freedom must continue until the TPLF’s political system (ideology) is completely replaced with a democratic system, preparing for a democratic election and drafting a new constitution for Tigray. The people of Tigray must start from scratch to restore their self-determination, dignity, and territorial integrity, which is crucial to the continuity and survival of the Tigrayan race. The momentum for political change is rapidly gaining traction, and justice-and-peace-loving people of Tigray should not permit it to wane.
The Tigray Defence Force (TDF), as well as the TPLF militia, must restrain themselves from murdering, torturing, abducting, and detaining people. They must refuse any order from the TPLF leadership and its generals to kill, torture, abduct, imprison, or detain their follow Tigrayans and engage in such atrocities. Otherwise, they will not escape accountability and criminal prosecution when democracy, accountability and the rule of law are restored and a new government is in place.
All Tigrayans are forewarned of their responsibilities to protect Tigray. General Tadesse’s administration was removed by the TPLF coup as his predecessor, Getachew Reda, assumed absolute power and drafted a draconian law to subdue the people. The struggle to remove the TPLF from power realised and its repressive rule and political life have ended for good. The TPLF has finally gone to exile and chosen to ally with the despotic Eritrean regime and the brutal Fano militants, who committed the Tigray genocide alongside the Abiy regime. Tigray’s door is closed for the TPLF, as it has betrayed the people of Tigray.
The repressed Tigrayan people have been eagerly crying out for democracy, justice, accountability, good governance, and the rule of law. They can now breathe free of repression and prepare to exercise their democratic rights to elect their leaders at the ballot boxes for generations to come.