The hidden agenda
By: G/Egziabher
Thanks to the split within TPLF leadership, by now, every Ethiopian knows the true nature of the front. There is little or nothing left unrevealed as what the goals and aims of the organization were and continue to be.
The saddening and bewildering revelations that are trickling from former insiders and knowledgeable analysts are testimony enough to deduce from and conclude that a sinister hidden agenda has been in the making since the inception of the front.
Right from the outset, the signs were there that TPLF was an extension of Eritrean fronts. For those who critically analyzed the behavior of the organization, it was not difficult to grasp the existence of invisible hands of some elements subtly operating to involve Tigray in the Eritrean cause by promoting imposters within the file and rank of the front. If we take for example Musye the legendary hero, until now, nobody knows with certainty who he was and why he joined TPLF except that he was member of an Eritrean front. By no means this was an isolated case; many individuals of Eritrean ancestry from within Tigray also joined TPLF.
For TPLF/EPLF, the enemy was not only the military junta. Any entity or for that matter any individual who asserted his/her Ethiopianess was equally dimmed an enemy. For example, EPRP and EDU were their archenemies because of the connotation they bore [Ethiopia] while OLF (unlike today) was seen as genuine and progressive front. The contempt towards Ethiopia's sovereignty, heritage and civilization was so acute that any body who dared to venture in admiring anything Ethiopian was branded as enemy of Tigray.
Tigrian Balabats known for their unequivocal belief and assertion of their Ethiopianess fall victims of TPLF. Even those who joined them like Gessessow Ayele did not escape the phantom hands. The first question which came to my mind as an observer in those days, was, why would a front advocating the liberation of Tigray resort to killing it's own people? Why loot and move Tigrayans' properties to the other side of Mereb? It was a sign that these actions were clearly unTigrayan. There ought to be something amiss. If the cost to liberate Tigray was first to destroy it's assets including the human capital, it did not make sense by any stretch of imagination. The ulterior motive was quiet apparent, i.e. Eritrean independence. Indeed, it became more obvious hearing some defectors in the Sudan who were ecstatically happy to learn the collision between EPLF and TPLF, because, they knew the consequences of the unholy alliance. Unfortunately, again, the invisible hands came to the rescue of EPLF. Every thing was back to normal. Those who challenged and questioned the stand of TPLF vis-à-vis the Eritrean colonial question were systematically silenced.
The presence of some Tigrians within the front, who harbored hatred towards Amhara, was a great opportunity for Eritrean fronts. Eritreans believed that through these elements, they could use Tigray to their own advantage. For that matter, any insurgence in Ethiopia was seen by Eritreans as a potential ally. That was precisely the reason many farsighted Tigrians distanced themselves from TPLF at the risk of being branded as anti Tigray and Showawyan tegaru.
In order to alienate the people of Tigray from the rest of Ethiopia they had to eliminate the factors that made the people of Tigray proud Ethiopians. They have effectively neutralized the diehard with Ethiopian sentiment, which was mostly composed of elders, balabats and educated Tigrayans; (I remember the slogan " we don't need educated people in our Front").
The next step was to proceed brain washing the youth and disconnect it from its older generation. To this end, Eritrean history and it's struggle for independence were the main themes of their discourse. The Tigrigna of Tigray was not suited for their purpose; instead, the Eritrean version had to be adapted. Patriotism and bravery of Tigrayans within the context of Ethiopian history was inconsequential to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country; because, according to them, there was no country as such united and worth to be defended and uphold it's sovereignty.
The masters of deceit recruited unsuspecting Tigrayans of the then Diaspora and convinced them that the struggle was to implement democracy, cultural and linguistic freedom and, above all, gender equality, including the possibility of secession. They made them believe that Tigray's natural richness was above average to make it self sufficient. By preaching the above tantalizing enticement, they won the hearts and minds of innocent people who ended up contributing to the cofers of TPLF. But those who directly bore the injustices knew all along the true color of TPLF. It wasn't true as some writers assert that all Tigrians wholeheartedly supported it. We have seen the fallacy of that assumption after the power take over by TPLF, Tigrians inside Tigray reacted quickly to the machinations of EPLF well ahead of the self serving regional administration which tacitly approved the supremacy of Eritreans over the people of Ethiopia for seven years. Isn't it true that the people of Mekele rejected the nomination of some individuals, because of their identity during the last election before the split, but once again were told to shut up? After all, wasn't it the same modus operandi of TPLF during all its existence? How could one have failed to see that supporting TPLF under any circumstances was meant to support the unconditional independence of Eritrea regardless of geopolitical and social consequences for Ethiopia? To claim self-determination for Tigray is one thing, whereas to advocate for independence of Eritrea is treason; plain and simple. To have knowingly associated oneself with such kind of a group is not only shortsightedness, it is collaboration. Therefore, there is no excuse whatsoever. The damage has already been done.
The paragraph I have reproduced bellow is an excerpt of the Ethiopian Commentator's recent Editorial. It alludes that Tigrians have been blindly following an entity called TPLF for the last thirty some years.
"For many years, those of Tigrayan origin wondered deeply why the TPLF surpassed the EPLF in its advocacy for the cessation of Eritrea. We could not understand why anyone of Tigrayan origin could advocate for a cause contrary to that of Emperor Yohannes and Ras Alula Aba Nega! Anyone of Tigrayan origin advocating for the actualization of Mussolini's blue print? Unthinkable! But despite our knowledge and commitment to this cardinal rule, we numbly witnessed people claiming to be Tigrayans going with unprecedented vindictiveness at the very heart of our most sacred principle".Except those who were blinded by the hatred towards Amhara, and the naïve and narrow nationalists, deep in their hearts majority of Tigrayans were not wondering, instead, they were mourning the loss of their loved ones who, in their tender age, perished in the planes and mountains of Eritrea.Now, Aite Gebru Asrat tells us, that TPLF saved EPLF from destruction during the 17 years of struggle by the sweat and blood of the people of Tigray, as though this was news to us. They have captured a truckload of money shipped by Meles and company to Issayas and company but they did not tell the Ethiopian people. Why? Wasn't this a good opportunity to get rid of Meles? To cover up a crime of such magnitude, is a crime by itself. This is betrayal of the trust conferred by the people to the office holders. Sorry! in this case we do not count the people. Power is taken from the people not given by it.
We will wait to hear from other dissidents what they have yet to tell us besides the causes of their split. Will they have the courage to confess to the people of Ethiopia that in the name of democratic centralism, dissention was crime punishable by death, torture and perpetual imprisonment, starting from Dedebit up to Addis?
As from the power holders, we heard it all, and we have seen it practically that they are still upholding the promise to realize their hidden agenda.
What evidence did one need to heed that TPLF was an Eritrean surrogate, more than the fact that it was doing the opposite of what a genuine Ethiopian would have done to uphold the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime accessibility? Why then some Tigrian intellectuals supported the front while some of them preferred to watch from the sideline? Was it fair for Ethiopian people as a whole including Eritreans to jeopardize their integrative social fabric which has been evolving for almost half a century?
There wasn't period of time where Ethiopia was governed by blameless entities, only they vary in degrees of their capacity, knowledge, honesty and vision. For example, Menelik 2nd lacked capacity and ceded Eritrea to Italy. Emperor Hailesellassie lacked vision not allowing multi-party system, which could have saved his throne. Derg lacked knowledge and vision to discern the implications of espousing communism. TPLF/EPRDF lacks honesty; no other regime in Ethiopia ever advocated the amputation of the country under any circumstances.
Tigray's place in Ethiopia does not have to be determined by the continuing existence of TPLF. Tigray gained nothing under TPLF; on the contrary, it has witnessed 17 years of turmoil and destruction, silently bore the incalculable misery and mourned the loss of its youth for the cause of Eritrean independence. And during the last ten years endured communist Albanian style governance (cadre system?) with no end in sight. Is there anything that we Tigrians must be proud of?
After all, the hidden agenda was not so hidden. It is pure hypocrisy to say we did not know what TPLF was up to.
[Opinions in this article are solely that of the writer.]