Eskinager Bellow – Eskibellow@yahoo.com
Forward
Particularly, when looked at the extent of organized attacks performed by tribally-led TPLF and OLF-combatants’ attempts to deconstruct Ethiopia as a territory and achieve their determined mission of Amhara-phobic tribal annihilation, it seems to me that the majority of the Amhara intellectuals, both domestically and externally, remain docile and not yet standing up fully united to organize people in their respective communities for the indisputable countering or defensive actions that can balance the political power in the country and bring peace and tranquility. To this end, the Amhara people must protect themselves and Ethiopia from any invading power who wants to destroy their God given right of life and freedom to work in peace. Therefore, it is high time to stand up and fight for the Amhara rights to live and let live Ethiopian citizens on equal and fraternal political milieu.
That said, there is some beckon of hope by those who have already paved the way for the Amhara struggle for its rights in the right path. Among several renowned Ethiopian scholars, I would like to thank a few individuals namely, Prof. Asrat Woldeus, Dr. Aklog Birara, Dr. Asefa Negash and his brothers, as well as Prof. Girma Birhanu. Also, I would like to express my gratitude to the Amhara Association of North America (AAA), which constantly investigates and records human rights abuses and annihilations exerted on the Amhara community in Ethiopia. At last, but not least, I would like to thank the Amhara Fano Special Forces, including Zemene Kassie, who served in leadership roles, and Colonel Demeke Zewdu of Wolkayit Tsegedie, who keep on fighting bravely at all times whenever the Wolkayit Amhara community and other areas of the Amhara region remain under heavy tribal combatants’ continuing invasion threats by the TPLF or its viceroy, the former OPDO and the current Oromo Prosperity Party (OPP).
All those mentioned personalities herein above have given their minds, time and energy to fight against the brutally committed barbaric killings and harassments made against the Amhara inhabitants in Ethiopia.
Introductory Background:
As an opening remark, let me quote what one of the senior fathers and founders of the Oromo Liberation movement has recently said about the situation in Ethiopia:
“I am worried that the system may fail, and if the country fails, it will be a shame for all blacks.”- Lencho Leta, establishing member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and one of the reliable advisors of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali – quote taken from the latest article by Dr. Aklog Birara. [1]
Come to an understanding with what Mr. Leta, as a senior fellow has pointed out, the current chaos in Ethiopia has to do with the Oromo Prosperity Party’s refusal to amend the tribally divisive constitution implemented by its predecessor, TPLF-regime, to which Mr. Aby’s regime just gave life and continuity without much change. If the country’s chaotic tribal operations continue as is, then the Oromo Prosperity Party and Mr. Abiy Ahmed as a leader of this party are mainly responsible for contributing Ethiopia’s collapse and trauma that leaves on the Ethiopian citizen drained of the daily persisting chaotic scene in parts of the country.
From the outset it was an old political plan of the Eurocentric elites of the 20th century to weaken Ethiopia through tribally-divisive tools so that it becomes easier to control Ethiopia’s and the regional natural resources and the country’s geopolitical importance as it befits to their colonial determinations and needs. In this respect, suffice to quote Roman Prochaska herein below:
““The numerous tribes who inhabit the Ethiopian state are being forcibly kept from European colonialism by Abyssinian rulers whose aim is to act as champions of all black people so as to attack and destroy Western culture.” [2]
In the same tone and tune, as self-serving compradors of the Eurocentric western regimes, the domestic political ploy entertained by the power mongering Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) and the equally tribal-led groups that follow suit on the foot-spores of the TPLF include, but not limited to: The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), the former OPDO and the current Oromo Prosperity Party (OPP). These political tribalism ideology following groups commonly are compradors (agents) of the Eurocentric western organizations engaged in investment, trade, or economic or political exploitation of Ethiopia.
In return, the domestic compradors continue to obtain quite enormous financial and material support and even gain sound enough fortunes that enable them to perform their tribal-led divisive intents, meant to divide the Ethiopian citizens under several tribally-led mini-satellite states and put under control any potential and real power contenders by weakening them, not to stand on their way to ascertaining seizure of political power.
The Oromo Anti-thesis of Ethiopia in the Making
Originally, Ethiopia was formed by those gallant ancestors who fought for and stood-up to protect themselves and their beloved country from any foreign aggressors. Yet, these days, the contemporary domestic compradors have opted to establishing mini-satellite tribal states that weakens the country and leading to its ultimate collapse as a nation state.
On a more critical note, the politics of identity in Ethiopia has provided the current Oromo-PP with many opportunities to exploit the inherent weaknesses of the contemporary Amhara and other regional states inherited from its prototype TPLF regime.
Identity politics without citizens’ interaction and action among those identifying with a particular tribal political, social, or economic movement or interests is a recipe for defeat and an uncanny ability to pluck defeat out of the jaws of victory with a nod to the recent TPLF and OLF combatants’ invasions into the Amhara and Afar communities.
To date, TPLF/OLF/OPDO/ Oromo PP/ have been tirelessly inflicting human suffering that led to millions more casualties within the Amhara and Afar communities. Both combatant groups are anti-social by character, who desire not to be around other people, other than their own ethnic groups respectively. By way of trauma-dumping, each political group attempts to share their fabricated specific details about their respective traumatic past experiences with the outer world and the general Ethiopian citizens who are not ready or don’t even want to hear about such traumatic stories. [For details, please get hold of the comprehensive study of trends in contemporary anti-Amhara inflammatory accusations made by the OLF/ Oromo PP/ in Ethiopia by Professor Girma Birhanu – Finote Amhara Perfect Paperback – January 1, 2023]. [3]
Also one can find abundant facts and figures on atrocities committed against the Amhara people in parts of Ethiopia at: www.AmharaAmerica.org. [4]
Usually when it comes to tribal issues, the Amhara people identify themselves first and foremost as devoted Ethiopians by character and they are sightless when it comes to dwelling on tribal concerns. It is this tribal-insensitivity in them that burden the Amhara to remain vulnerable in a deep-seated-ocean of Amhara-hating tribally based “liberation fronts” who are constantly nurtured by the colonial west. In fact, “… it is this nationalism which insured the very survival of Ethiopia by marshalling all of the country around it, enabled the country to crushingly defeat European colonialists at Adwa, paved the way for decolonization of the entire continent of Africa, initiated Pan-Africanism, and laid the very foundation of Black pride and Black nationalism for Blacks all over the world.” [5]
And now, the main problem of us Ethiopians is not fully paying attention to our enemies’ endeavors. In reality, our enemies do not sleep as they attempt always to destroy our mere existence and our God given freedom to live. In such a situation, standing up for ourselves, our rights and for our country, Ethiopia, is worth defending our independence. To this effect, we Ethiopians are the sole judges to forget those careless people who come to destroy us. To survive, our probable distraction and lack of solidarity should concern us all more than anything else in our life time.
The proximity of Greater Oromia and the Oromumma think-tank
Relatively speaking, the growth of OLF’s “Greater Oromia” with its Oromumma think-tank in Ethiopia came about strongly since the mid-1980s, although its precursors TPLF came since the mid-1970s. Both these groups intermittently had led in a direct line to the murder and Amhara-phobic propaganda by taking out the text they want and rewriting it out of context and by portraying the Amhara as a scapegoat of their fabricated history. Not only TPLF leadership and their cadres, but also, typically, most Oromo political leaders and their followers as well, hated everything about the non-Oromo-political moves occurring within Ethiopia. So the latter stood in a long line of unquestioning any operations done by or support given for TPLF and its regressive treatment of the Amhara community since that period.
To date, many TPLF and OLF/ OPDO/ Oromo PP/ informants are examples of that risk taking in defending their political interests and power ploy in Ethiopia. A look at how these whistleblowers are treated now by those who hold the restrictions of power is much more than a cautionary tale. As power holders, especially when it comes to economic and political power becoming solidified, the warning signs go up for the Amhara, whom they potentially see as a threat to their governance in the way it befits their aspirations. Suffice to quote Prof. Mesfine Woldemariam’s speech below: [6]
In recent months, attempts were made especially by OLF/ OPDO/ Oromo PP/ who see the Oromo as the original settlers (ወጤ) of Ethiopia and raise the issue of the Semitic Amhara migrant people (መጤ) as their resolute enemy that has to be weakened and put under control in the would be reconstructed “New Ethiopia”. These Oromo politicians speak of this matter in the unfriendly tone of deterring what they call “the Semitic Amhara”.
Usually the Oromo Prosperity Party members (be it individually or as a group) continue gas-lighting and yet do not take any responsibility for their havoc causing actions. But the reality is a lot darker than that. Constantly, they enable new political or social disasters and conflicts that shake both the country and the public in common. For so doing, they assume that their ethnic loyalty and ability to serve their party will be strengthened by gas-lighting effective entrepreneurial politically provocative terms and phrases for their part profits.
While aware of the fact that ethnically based and steered politics is so dangerous and sensitive, still they intentionally opt for and steer the danger that can inflame political fire among the opposing tribal groups within Ethiopia. Through gas-lighting, these tribal oppressed political elites enforce their victimized tribe to surrender to their manipulative demands and enter into questioning one’s own sanity, experience, memory, and even reality for fear of avoiding abusive relationships.
In light of these parameters, Ethiopian citizens can directly review the recently distributed OLF guidelines documents and recall how effectively the OLF plans to de-construct Ethiopia by its war monger slander by libeling the Amhara people as the main enemy and threatening to wipeout its Semitic foes from the political showground all together. Herein below, is a quote in length (underlining is mine to stress critical points for the reader to observe between the lines).
“It is nice to observe what a good job the OLF in three directions (as rebel OLA, opposition OFC and ruling OPP) is doing, slowly but surely… now genuine Oromo nationalists with OLF mindset of bilisummaa/freedom are influencing Biltsiginna of Dr. Abiy, so that the ruling party is favoring Oromo struggle by undermining the three cunning forces of Abyssinia (the Naftegna, Shabiya and Woyane). It looks like the OLF is doing its job using Biltsiginna. The OLF infiltrating Biltsiginna seems to be determined to destroy these three forces of Abyssinia one by one. Then, the wonderful Cushitic Ethiopia with Afaan Oromo and Agawigna as main working federal languages and having red see as its see coast shall emerge. Oromia led Horn of Africa is surely the real anticipated future. If Dr. Abiy is ready to realize this modern vision of the Oromo, he can be welcomed by all genuine Oromo nationalists… The lion is now struggling against the three cunning mini scavengers in three directions: being in the regime of Finfinne palace (in OPP), acting as opposition (in OFC) and fighting as rebel (in OLA). The lion already killed the fox, severely injured the hyena and surely it will start to bite the wolf. The lion is not only attacking the three scavengers directly, but instigate them so that they fight each other. The three small beasts never trust each other and they surely will destroy one another. Already the hyena and the wolf started to chase the fox, but the two also can never be true friends. Especially, the hyena is just waiting for the suitable time to chase and kill the wolf in order to invade its territory. Now is a nice opportunity for the wounded OLF to get rid of the three scavengers from the area and to rule the region peacefully… Our foes like it or not, the OLF is leading us step by step to our kayyoo/goal. By dismantling the monarchy, we moved one step towards our goal of freedom and sovereignty. By kicking out Mengistu/Derg, we moved two step forward. By getting rid of Meles/Woyane, we were three step nearer to the kayyoo. Now, when we either bring back or remove the traitor, Meshrefet/Abiy, we will surely complete our journey and with that both the OLF and the Oromo finally shall get victory. But, as long as Abiy is undermining the Naftagna (hyaena), Shabiya (wolf) and Woyane (fox), he can be supported by Oromo nationalists. Let’s help the three scavengers destroy each other and may Waaqa help the lion!” [7]
Oromo liberation movement is now in its 3rd and last phase. In the 1st phase we defeated unitary Amhara Naftagnas in 1991. During the 2nd phase we got rid of Tegaru Naftagnas in 2018. Now, we are struggling against Oromo Naftagnas led by Abiy Ahmed. The common denominator of all the three Naftagnas is that they dictatorially promote domination of Amharigna and Amharanet at the cost of Oromiffa and Oromumma in that cursed empire. [8]
Taking the true historical text out of context, each liberation group aspires to create what each of them call “Greater Tigray” and / or “Greater Oromia”/ “New Ethiopia” as they see it fit to their missions, values, purpose and values. They manifest exaggerated sense of talent and self-importance; fantasies of power and beauty; a tendency to take advantage of others; and a deep need for attention and admiration. They attempt to enforce reliving the horrible emotions of earlier traumatic war driven experiences in the general public’s mind. These falsely fabricated claims labeled against the Amhara society are as old as the TPLF and OLF movements claiming to stand for the liberation of the Tigray and Oromo people respectively.
In the last few years alone, literally, the Oromo PP regime has transformed Ethiopia’s Oromo region into a human rights nightmare. Mass murder and displacement of innocent Amhara inhabitants has become an accepted social norm, in which overtly, the local government remains mostly a silent observer of the tragic incidences, as if keeping peace and order is not its prime responsibility; and covertly, it collaborates with OLF-armed-combatants by stretching its long arms of assurance to their status quo.
Criticisms by those who oppose the Oromo-PP-government’s covert and overt determined attacks against the Amhara in the face of extreme militarism is wrestled back by all means and measures, be it verbally and physically. Few traumatic experiences in point include the recent ambush and physical attack committed on the historian Bogale Arega; the superfluous imprisonment of journalists and activists including director of Feteh Magazine, Temesgen Desalegn, Ethiopian journalist, blogger and politician Eskinder Nega, the prominent journalist, political analyst and historian – Tadios Tantu, the lecturer, journalist, and political pundit – Meskerem Abera, Journalist Meaza Mohammed, Journalist Gobeze Sisay, and former Commander General of the Amhara Special Forces, Brigadier General Tefera Mamo, just to name few among the many arrests done against Amhara personalities thus far.
In common, these Ethiopian professional citizens have been priceless and selfless advocates on human rights concerns and on citizenship prominence, noticeable commentators on history and grounded vocal critiques against radical Oromo elements in contemporary Ethiopian politics. For all the traumatic experiences, challenges and repeated imprisonment these individuals faced, the OPP-tribal-led regime justified its accusations as happened triggered by the accused passing the red line while responding to various publicly released interviews. In actual fact, all these individuals did was to express their respective mind-set and thoughts just as any other Ethiopian citizen could do; pointing out the dangers of steering a tribally triggered politics in a diversified Ethiopian society.
Also this, time, we are alarmed and dismayed by the government’s unlawful actions against this Ethiopian journalists and historians. Literally speaking, it is impossible to regard the Oromo-PP-leadership with anything other than contempt and fear in its current deadly drift and polarization of politics within Ethiopia.
Both overtly and covertly, authoritarian and ethno-racially driven efforts to erase history in order to crush opposition and protest and to reconstruct the “New Ethiopia” by Oromo-PP-government plans are well underway mainly by establishing Sheger City meant to encircle and dwarf the importance of the Amhara established Addis Ababa city. Clearly, these authoritarian attempts are meant to intimidate the Amhara by all means and at all costs, to punish them for speaking their mind freely, to threaten their mere existence within the Amhara state, and to evict some critical Amhara officials from their current positions, and more. The passing of these governmental actions signals the dawn of a new authoritarian age in Ethiopia, where the government overtly uses actions that restrict free speech; intimidates, bullies and punishes the Amhara, forcing them to submit to the ideology of “the dominant Oromo majority” or lose their livelihoods, and even their freedom.
It is clear that the topmost agenda of the Oromo-PP-government is to advance a set of restrictions that criminalize discussion in public of anything but the “Oromo majority’s perspective.”
The TPLF and OPP’s Feud and Sudden Remarriage
In recent weeks, the general public is observing that the OPP-leadership under the steering of PM Abiy has been love-bombing the TPLF leadership financial and material supports and even lavish compliments leading to grooming some of the core leadership members with higher appointments within the governmental authorities. This sudden, trauma-bonding betwixt TPLF and OPP’s who were persistently fighting for a period of two years, until the Pretoria Peace Agreement was concluded, have now started sharing with each other their experiences of trauma, and that brings them closer in the sense of forgiving and forgetting the recent past horrific episodes.
Let us look at some of the main symptoms of these vast ethnic-based political process that is currently underway between the two leading power contestants, namely, TPLF and OPP. Largely, if Ethiopia is to exit from the present political disaster, then Ethiopians must handle the ethnic politics cautiously and wisely. There is already untold lawlessness of the security forces of Dr. Abiy’s regime that treats several Ethiopian activists who: (a) oppose ethnic politics, (b) demand reform of the apartheid tribal constitution, and (c) support Ethiopian unity as enemies. Those ethnic elites that serve the Oromo PP are getting richer by the day, while The PM Abiy regime impoverished the country simply claiming to be empowering its people. Still worse is his regime’s disdain for and betrayal of the sacrifices the Ethiopian Defense Forces have made in the war betwixt TPLF and government forces and rewarding the TPLF with a political victory that ensures its survival and its re-conquest of Raya and Welqait zones of the Amhara territory.
Following the two years’ power struggle skirmishes against one another betwixt TPLF and the Oromo-PP [የህወሓት ተተኪ (ተረኛ) መንግስት] as well as the ensuing Pretoria Peace Treaty, the Oromo-PP has now became an outspoken supporter of its creator, the TPLF, got its previously decreed terrorist labelling of TPLF as null and void by its kangaroo parliamentary session, and gave TPLF its open support that has become both ironic and dangerous to the Amhara and Afar communities, given the inhuman attacks and the devastating destruction of infrastructures and resources in these two regions; and the increasingly supportive move of the Oromo-PP towards befriending itself to TPLF and OLF regressive political environments under PM Abiy Ahmed Ali. This latest single-handedly decided political ploy by PM Abiy has actually traumatized most Ethiopian citizens worldwide.
Concluding Remarks:
On the Amhara side, in order to counterbalance and keep the country stable, The Amhara representatives’ biggest weakness is lack of carefully organized self-defense forces that complement the already existing Fano-Special-Forces, composed in designated numbers compared to the TPLF and OLF/Oromo-PP/ combatants military stand. There is serious need for more armed Amhara people who want a better place for themselves and will sometimes act, even demonstrably, to bring about that peaceful reality the public longs for within Ethiopia.
Therefore, Amhara intellectuals be it at home in Ethiopia or abroad in foreign countries worldwide, should not shrink from denouncing this tribally-geared and steered Oromo PP government and what we see as its destructive dynamism of Ethiopian citizens’ common culture, values, and truth. Notably when such destruction claims to be carried out in the name of democracy in Ethiopia purposely brought about by the growth of political forces of the Oromo PP regime.
It is time to demand that truth be told about the nearly one million people who perished without any notice; the Amhara and Afar innocent rural dwellers who were displaced and dehumanized during the recent war between TPLF and the Oromo PP-government forces.
At the end of the day there is no guarantee anymore for peace to reign in Northern Ethiopia since destruction of peace has been brought by the current naturalization of the TPLF from its terrorist classification. By legitimizing the war conducted between the two power contesting political forces, and the ensuing crimes as forgiven the OPP-government is now on its remarried status, directly promoting tyranny in the name of democracy; the war is now suddenly promoted in the name of peace building processes.
All of these suddenly cropping up events have become possible because the political initiative and presence in the TPLF owned main media are being relinquished to Oromo PP regime’s media anchors’ protection measures aimed at making the general public feel both in their pockets and those of the public’s daily survival are becoming occasional precisely because of the costs of the war in Northern Ethiopia, which supposedly should be hurting the general public’s daily living conditions due to the ensuing inflation on consumables.
At the end of the day, to end the Amhara genocide: The Amhara intellectuals must attempt to accomplish the following decisive facts:
- From Wolkayit to Raya, from Sekotta to Kemmissie and Attaye Amhara zones, the Amhara must consolidate themselves united as one body; and play essential and strategic political, social and economic parts based on their expertise and abilities; and terminate totally living separately dormant and insensitive to the ongoing tribal havoc against the Amhara community.
- In similar fashion as the Amhara Association of Northern America (AAA) is undertaking thus far, Amhara representatives elsewhere must document and file all the atrocities committed on Amara people and enhance awareness among the Amhara community worldwide so that to counter any unforeseen attacks in future.
- Organize the Amara people in similar pattern as they were organized during the past eras with the aim to defend the Ethiopian sovereignty and territorial integrity; and enable them to fiercely defend themselves and other Ethiopian citizens who cannot defend themselves.
- With the help of the Amhara Association in Northern America (AAA), establish strong and legal Amhara satellite teams and branches both domestically and globally in order to bring the heinous tribally led political criminals to the International Court of Justice in order to face justice.
- Form everlasting strategy and structure that will enable the Amara community and the rest of the Ethiopian people to firmly protect themselves from ethnic any sorts of genocidal atrocities by providing moral, financial and moral support to Fano Special Forces and the Amhara leadership.
References:
[1] – Aklog Birara (Dr). Ethiopia’s Blunder of the Century—war and human atrocities must stop Analysis & Opinion / March 24, 2023. Source: http://zehabesha.com/ethiopias-blunder-of-the-century-war-and-human-atrocities-must-stop/.
[2] – (Roman Prochaska. Abyssinia: The Powder Barrel, Vienna, 1935).
[3] – Girma Birhanu – Finote Amhara Perfect Paperback – January 1, 2023].
[4] – Amhara Association of America – የአማራ ማህበር በአሜሪካ: https://www.amharaamerica.org/.
[5] – Mesfin Arega. Ethiopia: the newest and the only protectorate of the United States in Africa. Source: http://zehabesha.com/ethiopia-the-newest-and-the-only-protectorate-of-the-united-states-in-africa/.).
[6] – Mesfin Wolde Mariam – 1996-2008 (Eth. Colander).
[7] – Posted on March 9, 2023 by Fayyis Oromia. The Wounded Lion (OLF) is Healing Itself and Killing the Fox (Woyane), the Hyaena (Naftagna) and the Wolf (Shabiya) One by One! Political Guideline for Oromo Elites. Source: https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/2023/03/09/the-wounded-lion-olf-is-healing-itself-and-o-killing-the-fox-woyane-the-hyaena-naftagna-and-the-wolf-shabiya-one-by-one/.
[8] – Posted on March 13, 2023 by Fayyis Dr Abiy Has to Give up Maintaining Great Amharia and Give in Fostering Great Oromia! Political Guideline for Oromo Elites. Source: https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/2023/03/13/dr-abiy-has-to-give-up-maintaining-great-amharia-and-give-in-fostering-great-oromia/.
Eskinager Bellow