First it was a response against injustices and failure of enactment of international law that led the Eritreans to stand and struggle for independence. Given the way they were treated by the two imperial monarchs that controlled the rest of the land known as Ethiopia, they had no choice but carry arms to claim back their sense of Eritrean identity, be that it was their own or Italian make up.
At the time of the Scramble for Africa 1885, it was not only the Europeans but the much less talked about black African colonisers were in league with in the partition of the continent among themselves. The European coloniser realised that without the participation of the black colonisers, the likes of Menelik/ምኒልክ, the vision of controlling and exploiting African human and material resources were hard to succeed.
It was precisely for these reasons that Menelik was provided with European arms and cash to subdue southern part of Ethiopia so that the Europeans manpower would not be unduly stretched and obstructed.
When African colonies began to gain independence in 1945 – 1960 (African Unity year) from Europeans, the case for Ethiopia colonies from their black slave owners, and Eritrea took a different path.
Yes, Eritrea got rid of the Italians but then Ethiopia not only claimed Eritrea and succceded to annex, but even far more worse, Eritrea instead of being liberated, Ethiopia strangled it. Likewise, Ethiopia strengthened it grips and began defacing the nations and nationalities it had previously effectively colonised with the backhand support of Europeans.
Under the two monarchs and latter a military dictator It started resettlement programmes in Gambells, Wellega, Harrier and some southern regions mainly with Amharas, its power base nationality , so that the Amharas would control key areas to advance the colonisation and domination agenda that was put in place.
To make a long history/story short and come back to Eritrea: after independence Eritreans recognised that they were not the only unfortunate nation to fall under the grips of the Ethiopian colonial hands, after they free at last, from the Italian masters, but also were many other nations and nationalities who were under the jaws of the Amhara rulers, who were treated as slaves, serfs, helots and coerced to adopt Amhara language and way of life but without the merits and benefits the Amharas were entitled as their birth rights.
Once the Eritreans achieved their independence with the full grace and support of the Tigrayans, they felt there was a free way to penetrate deep into Ethiopia and just like the Amharas did, they in turn could exploit the subject nations and nationalities to their benefit but this time not by colonising the nations and nationalities, the way the Amharas did, but by setting each other at logger heads. The Eritreans perceived these people, and rightly so, as diverse and unrelated by any means of imagination, be it culture, language or religion, to live together harmoniously. Likewise, the Eritrean also saw these people less developed and advanced and some below the required geographic and number to set their own independence- hence vulnerable to outside influence and control. The Eritreans felt they would fill the gap to do that.
To do this the Eritrean only saw one obstacle on their way and needed to get rid of – the Tigray people.
The Eritrean were and still are not only envious of the Tigrayans as owners of their own proud history and wish to see them removed from the face the earth, so the Eritreans could claim as the sole proprietors of the past pages of history but also they felt the need to get rid of Tigrayans from the region to access and facilitate the exploitation and expropriation of the rest who are now subjects of the Amhara elites, who are now losing their grip of power.
Eritreans suffer a fear of lack of identity, which they shouldn’t, unless they are victims of self inflicted sciophbia. All Tigryans are not from the place called Aksum, I am not but I am a proud part of that historical past, so would be a person from Agame, Shire, Welkait, Enders, Tembenei, Shere, Hansen, Bala, Sahel, Akologzay, Shaho, Erobetay, etc …. . Aksumite belongs to Tigrayans and Eritreans. It was the product and run by all the people who lived in the historic region.
It belonged to all of us no better no less but equal.
However, Isayas’ Eritreans do not feel that way. But that is their problem. That said, the trouble we face is that people with mental illness do not affect only themselves but also others and stand Byers.
This being the case, it looks Tigray has two intractable and deadly enemies – the Eritrea under this group called EPLF and some old remnants of Italian stooges and the Amharas.
It is imperative for Tigray to make sure these elements of Eritreans we now face are completely disarmed and disbanded. They are a danger to anyone in the region – dogs infected with rabid running around.
There is only one solution with such dogs. Ask the Doctor what it is the Doctor prescribes to get rid of of rabid!
Without their removal from the Eritrean political map Tigray and Eritrea will never have the peace it needs to survive and thrive.
At this point in time the number one enemy is this group and the entire focus need to be this, full stop.
This Eritrean group is the main force of reaction that saw the seeds of division and confusion among Tigrayans so not to be United.
Unless we understand this we will not solve our problems for good.
It works round the clock to plants seed of discontent and mistrust among Tigrayans as well as Eritreans. Every Tigrayans need to be aware of this and tooth and nail combat this divisive tactics EPLF Eritrea does to us!
Belay Ambelay