(By Yared Huluf) –
Ten million Tigrayans are besieged, exposed to famine and diseases. Still, more live in different parts of former Ethiopia walking a tight rope, their homes raided and ransom demanded: former Tigrayan military officers are languishing in remote prisons, while the world prefer to look the other way, unconcerned about justice, democracy and human rights.
What is right for the Ukrainians, the white world is clamouring over, cannot be wrong for the Tigrayans.
A cause, a just cause, for one is not or couldn’t be wrong for another, unless the world sees through white and black colours. Should I push the mantle of justice further: what is right for an adorable pet, ought to be right when applied for an arboreal baboon as well, if it is to pass the test! Right is always right be it day or night, black or white! Right?
The Tigrayans in general and the former TPLF in government are a sore for the West because they looked to China as a partner for developmental projects after overthrowing the military dictator with the material help from the West.
But what was the TPLF to do when the West relied on the TPLF to govern 120 miliion people starved for work, food, education and progress if the West was not reliably ready to support and assist the Tigrayans in their endeavour to meet the demands of an hostile population for a change except to look for other channels – China – to meet expectations? What could the TPLF do when the seedy heavy relief on it to formalise the independence of Eritrea from its colony at the a price of hatred by the Amhara who sees Eritrea as their sea outlet, once they forgot and tuned oblivious that it was their king Menrlik who sold Eritrea to the Italians for double edge gains – obtain cash, arms and weaken Tigray.
The moment the TPLF turned round seeking assistance from China, the West turned sour and began recruiting and mobilizing Amharas and other forces to bring down what the West spent decades helping to bring to power. ማይ ቅዳ ሕ ማይ አፍስ/fetch water just to instantly spill it over!
Short of a lack of developmental projects the West was reluctant to finance or support the Tigrayan/TPLF did satisfactorily and adequately managed to develop, and maintain security, peace and stability in the wider region! All could not deny as truth. Furthermore, it established a federal state in Ethiopia to address Amhara oppression for centuries.
The Amharas would tell you a reverse logic. It was the Tigryans who destabilized the former country, Ethiopia, by introducing federalism. This is a logic of sorcery. The cause of trouble and fragmentation is oppression not giving voice to oppressed people to express their identities.
It was well over due step to establishing democracy for the first time in Ethiopia, which the Tigrayan/TPLF adequately implemented and without Western assistance.
There is no clearer example for how the West should move forward in the effort to modernise African democracy – the initiatives of the TPLF over their thirty-year reign demonstrated the commitment to meeting the needs of the people while giving voice to all of its citizens through federalism. The West, who only focus on the investment of China in infrastructure projects, appears to be led by ad hoc, short term gains without having a long term and comprehensive vision. Furthermore, by supporting the Abiy government it risks being implicated in the genocide being perpetrated against Tigrayans, for no other reason than to prop up superficial ideals of ‘westernisation’ which the evidence is to the contrary!
Or was their motive the case of racism in disguise, just looking for flimsy excuses to punish black people if they step out an inch? Ukrainians and the Ukrainian government and other Ukrainian civil and military Organisations were and some still are lest wings by their very nature as they were part of the Soviet Union.
The irony and this is where racism comes in. It is alright for the Ukrainians to be whatever they wished to be without the fear of punishment from the West but not the Tigray TPLF. The Tigrayans have to pay a heavy price for not towing the line. After sacrificing lives, to reach Debre Behan, 130 K/m close to the capital we believe the West, specially the USA warned the TDF to return back with disingenuous promises to bring a peaceful settlement to the conflict. The USA is still twiddling and massaging its fingered, sitting on the fence while thousands of Tigrayans are dying. If we survive, and let us hope we will, we shall never, ever forget this act of the West and the USA. Playing with the lives of Tigrayans!
They played with disingenuous diplomatic words and music for well over six months and no peace was settled. In between hundreds of thousands of Tigrayans died for lack of food and medicine. Add to that, air bombed with drones where indiscriminately kids’ bodies were seen mangled and scattered in a kindergarten.
The World at this time lacks effective leadership guided by ironclad principles. The World is falling apart if anyone cares and be prepared to act.
A rule for one is a rule for others. No time for opportunist individuals in power to make personal gains promising what they are inept to deliver.
Tigrayans ought to stay focused and rely on their own resources to achieve peace, and put aside the Western or for that matter Chinese, Arabs and Turks dramatists.
