Agere Denqnesh, Georgia, USA
Since the early 1990s until 2018, Ethiopia was under the tight grip of TPLF/Woyane experiencing an absolute dictatorship and apartheid rules. This evil organization emerged to the helm of power from a minority ethnic population of Tegrai region with the help of some western countries, particularly US and UK, with mutual agreements. Although the initial promise during the take-over of power from the Derg seemed to include a fair share of power distribution among the different sectors of the population of the country, TPLF was reluctant to do so from the beginning. To ascertain its identity and further consolidated its power in the long run, the organization took the following “extraordinary” measures, among others actions.
- Managed to write and implement a constitution based on the principles of apartheid in order to divide, weaken and rule the Ethiopian population without much of a resistance.
- Despite being the major player in federal administrative body of the country, TPLF maintained its identity as a liberation front for Tegrai until this time. Besides indicating its disloyalty to the country and the Ethiopian people, this decision has given the TPLF the opportunity to have the lion share of everything in the country that it can benefit from through the administrative, economic, diplomatic and military advantages at its disposal.
- In addition to strengthening the division among the people, the TPLF has encouraged other ethnic communities in the country to have their own political organizations based on ethnic identifications (such as OLF for Oromo population) in order to justify its position as a liberation front for Tegrai. Once again, the implementation of this practice has enabled the TPLF to keep its power above everybody’s else in the country, giving it the unfortunate position to abuse its power.
- Whereas all other members of the ruling coalition (EPDRF) do not have their own independent military and air force capabilities in the regions they represent, the TPLF has its own in Tegrai. Besides being a surprising discrepancy, this arrangement has given the TPLF the additional advantage of bullying everybody else, and invading, looting and annexing other regions as part Tegrai.
That said, due to the recent TPLF-instigated conflict involving the federal Abiy government, the current political environment in Ethiopia is in the process of relatively a rapid transformation. This change appears to be in line with the aspirations of the majority of the Ethiopian people, as some successes have been achieved to incapacitate the TPLF at its base in Tegrai. Even though this is only the beginning of the change, the following aspects are suggested by this writer to be given due considerations as follow up measures in order to advance the change faster and beyond return.
- The current apartheid constitution installed by TPLF should be changed as soon as possible to one that more appropriate reflects the needs of the Ethiopian people as citizens of a united, democratic and prosperous country.
- Names and objectives of political organizations involved in public affairs or duties should not reflect secessionist, narrow nationalist and undemocratic and values. Changes should be made with those who use these unpatriotic or antiEthiopia names and goals to push their agenda.
- Political organizations should not be entitled to have their own armed forces and security network that can be a threat to citizens and public or private institutions. Those who already have should be disarmed.
- Institutions and individuals that are meant to serve the interests of TPLF at the expense of Ethiopia and its people should be closed/dismantled or removed as soon as possible.
- Whenever feasible, individuals and communities that have been unfairly targeted and harmed by TPLF should be offered a gesture of compensation by whatever way possible.
- Properties and money stolen or unfairly taken by TPLF as an organization or by its members should be returned to the rightful owners as soon as possible. Those who committed the crime should be charged according to the law of the country.
More items can be added to the above list and details of those listed can also be given by qualified experts in the specific areas. As an amateur commentator and analyst, the author feels that the list of the to-do items provided can suffice to draw the interests of others to get involved and continue the work for themselves and fellow citizens.
God bless Ethiopia, the birthplace of Humankind.