“We are facing forces that are not in the business of making bargains–forces that do not know the meaning of compassion or empathy. The enemy will never feel sorry for you. Kicking you while you are down is his extreme pleasure. Never, ever forget it.”
Jerry Haney
By Tibebe Samuel Ferenji
Follow him on twitter @tibebesamuel
There is a saying among Ethiopians, ‘the Devil is jealous of the heinous crime committed by the TPLF against the people of Ethiopia’. We know the TPLF, we don’t need anyone to tell us what the TPLF was, is, and will be. There are no words in any human language that can adequately describe the TPLF’s atrocities against the people of Ethiopia. These brutes have waged war against the people and the ideal of Ethiopianism for the last 47 years. Since its inception, the criminal enterprise that calls itself the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has not liberated itself from the inferiority complex that its leaders suffer let alone liberate the people of Tigray. As a matter of fact, the people of Tigray need to be liberated from these brutes. Since its inception, the TPLF operated in Tigray and other parts of Ethiopia by destroying human lives and infrastructure. These brutes killed their own friends by crushing their skulls with a hammer. These brutes massacred the then rival group of the TPLF, known as the Tigrayan Liberation Front (TLF) members. TLF leaders held a meeting with the TPLF in a spirit of cooperation and reached an agreement to work with the TPLF. However, in the middle of the night, while they were sleeping, TLF leaders were betrayed and massacred by the TPLF. Then, TLF fighters were slaughtered unexpectedly while they were waiting for the return of their leaders from the meeting. Betrayal and sadistic acts are the true color of the TPLF.
After waging war against the people and the ideals of Ethiopianism for 17 years, enlisting useful idiots in its ranks and files, the TPLF established what was called the Ethiopian People Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) in order to rule Ethiopia with an iron fist. The criminal elements that fought for power in the guise of liberation and democracy brought neither liberation nor democracy in Ethiopia. In fact, the TPLF led regime exposed its true color as soon as it entered the Menelik Palace. Just like today, these brutes were aided and cheered by their western governments’ sponsorship. The west, just like today, “spoke” with its fork tongue telling us, on one hand, Ethiopia has a “new democratic leader” and on the other hand, setting up a Transitional Government (TGE) by excluding political organizations that advocated for the unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia. The objective of the West was the secession of Eritrea from Ethiopia and weakening Ethiopianism that is a symbol of resistance and freedom to people of color. The likes of Herman Cohen carried the objective of the West ignoring the interest and the concern of Ethiopians.
For 27 years, as a government of Ethiopia, the TPLF criminal elements continued waging war against the people of Ethiopia. After taking power, it did not take long for the TPLF to take its vengeful action against Amharas. Amharas were killed, displaced from their homes, and terminated from employment in mass without any cause. The Amhara massacre between 1991 and 1994 in Arsi, Wollega, Arbabgugu, Harar, Bedeno, Somalia region, and other places speaks volumes about the hate that the TPLF spouses against the Amharas. The Oromo Liberation Front, one of the useful idiots, the TPLF used to take power was part of the TGE, as a result, Oromos were spared from the wrath of the TPLF until June 1992. The Oromos became targets of the TPLF atrocities once the OLF left the TGE arrangements; even middle school age children in Oromia were not spared from the brutality of the TPLF. The mass killing in Ambo in 2002 is part of this brutality.
These criminals created an educational subsystem that damned a generation, the economic system that allowed to loot the TPLF leaders and its cronies to loot the country’s resources, and a Machiavellian political system designed to pit one ethnic group against another. Many intellectuals and particularly Addis Ababa University were targeted by these brutes. Students were killed en masse, lecturers and highly educated professors were terminated from their jobs; the university was led by political loyalists who have never administered a community college late alone a university.
Mosques and Churches were not spared from these brutes. In 1993, the great Anwar Mosque was violated by the TPLF security forces which caused the killing of many Muslims including some of its leaders. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church was led by “a political appointee” who cared more about the TPLF than the suffering of the followers of the church. Those who opposed the human rights violations and atrocities committed by the TPLF were killed in broad daylight. The likes of Assefa Maru were shot and killed on the street of Addis Ababa and Tesfaye Tadesse was stabbed near his home.
In 1998, after the Ethio-Eritrea war, the Eritreans who created the TPLF, supported, cheered, and aided in everything possible, became targets of the TPLF. More than 72,000 Eritrean civilians, many with Ethiopian citizenship, were deported to Eritrea in a manner that violated all international laws. Many Eritreans were detained without due process, their hard-earned property was confiscated, and some were victims of extrajudicial killings. The then Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told the world the government has the right to expel anyone even if it did not like “the color of their eyes”. This is the man that is considered “a champion of democracy and wise” by the likes of Susan Rice.
In 1999, the TPLF forces massacred many in Wollayta because the people refused to use the new “language” that the TPLF introduced in the educational system. Many teachers were fired, and some were transferred to a remote area. In 2003, the TPLF massacred 400 Gambelans in one day. Even in Tigray, opponents of the regime were detained in underground prisons. There are many atrocities and mass killings by the TPLF that are too long to list. Among those are the mass killing and arrests that took place in every “election cycle” from 1995 until 2015.
The TPLF also destroyed civic organizations and created duplicate organizations to take over the assets of the civic organizations by the TPLF cadres. The Ethiopian Teachers Association was replaced by the new TPLF led organization. In addition, civic organizations, NGOs, and political organizations were targeted by the TPLF. Many activists were forced to leave their country, some of us who live outside of Ethiopia were denied our passports revoking our citizenship without any legal authority. According to reports about 23,000 Ethiopians, including this writer, were considered persona non grata in their own country.
The TPLF detained thousands of human rights activists, legally registered opposition political organizations members, journalists, and other dissidents. Those who found themselves in the TPLF prison were tortured severely. Hanging 30-to-50-ounces bottled water on the genitalia of male prisoners for days at a time was one of the common tortures used by the TPLF. Male prisoners were gang-raped and sodomized by sticks and metal objects. Women prisoners were forced to rape other women prisoners. These brutes videotaped such inhumane action to use it for future blackmail to force these prisoners to stop opposing the TPLF once they get out of prison. It was a common practice in the TPLF prisons for female prisoners to strip naked in the prisoners of male guards and for male prisoners in the prisoners of female guards. It was also a practice of the TPLF to let guards urinate in the mouths of prisoners. Some prisoners were detained in a forest where hyaenas were frequented and left to be eaten by hyenas.
Many were also beaten on the street, near their homes, near their workplace, or while they were out relaxing with their families. Journalists like Araya Tesfamariam, an ethnic Tigrayan, was beaten severely and thrown from a bridge in Addis Ababa. The TPLF security forces assumed he was dead after they threw him from a bridge and left him under the bridge; fortunately, he was able to get help and lived to tell the story of these brutes. Journalist Eskinder Nega was detained more than seven times. His wife was not only spared from the brutality of the TPLF, she was forced to give birth to her son in prison. Many were denied medical treatment while they were detained in violation of the Ethiopian constitution and all human decency. One of the greatest Ethiopians, Professor Asrat Woldeyes, who was detained multiple times with false allegations eventually died because the TPLF denied him proper medical treatment while he was detained.
After 27 years of brutal rule, the TPLF was ejected from power. Even then, the TPLF and its criminal enterprise leaders were given the opportunity to live in peace and work within the framework of the Ethiopian constitution. However, these brutes could not adapt to the rule of law and chose the law of the jungle. In violation of the Ethiopian constitution, an election was held in Tigray. The patience of the new government emboldened their lawlessness and massacred the Ethiopian soldiers at Northern Command on November 4, 2020. As a result, we are where we are.
As if we don’t know the TPLF, the trash-talking Getachew Reda is painting a rosy picture about the TPLF and telling us what the TPLF wants is to remove “Abiy Ahmed from Power” and establish a transitional government to Liberate Ethiopians. We have tested what “liberation” means under the TPLF. Even now, the TPLF has continued to massacre innocent citizens, including women and children, gang-raping girls and women, destroying infrastructure, assassinating those it considered are working with “Abiy Ahmed”. We know concepts like compassion, mercy, and decency are not in their vocabulary. This is not the devil that we don’t know, these are devils we have known for 47 years.
What is unfortunate and sad is the West is trying to impose its will on Ethiopia by putting old wine in a new bottle. In 1991, it was Herman Cohen that carried the TPLF criminals to the Menelik Palace; today, it is Jeffrey Feltman, who is doing his best to carry the TPLF and its brutal leaders to Menelik Palace. In 1991, we were fooled and trusted the west. Today, we know the West much better. We know, the West does not care. We have seen their support with weapons, training, finance, and advice for 27 years while Ethiopians were detained in mass, killed in mass, tortured in mass, and the resource of the country was looted in daylight. We did not witness serious action from the West other than lip service then; today, they are doing everything in their power to weaken Ethiopia and bring back to power the Devil we know.
The West is using its media, its finance, a threat of military power, and diplomatic pressure on Ethiopia. We have not witnessed a strong condemnation of the TPLF despite all the atrocities committed and particularly the massacre against the Northern Command. The West that cheered all the TPLF’s fake elections could not even acknowledge the current election, the first democratically held election in Ethiopia history. This speaks volumes. Ethiopians must understand this fight is ours, and ours alone with the exception of a few friends. The TPLF is supported with logistics, information, and equipment. The fact that 872 trucks sent to deliver food aid to Tigray are taken by the TPLF to transport combatants and the deafening silence of the west and the UN speaks louder about the West’s support to the TPLF. This is not the first time the world powers abandoned us and stood with our enemies. Therefore, we must stand together, fight for our survival, and make sure the devil we know never comes back to power. We must defeat this enemy at any cost. The West needs to know for some strange miracle should the TPLF get to Addis Ababa, there will be unimaginable bloodshed. We Ethiopians have said in one voice TPLF NO MORE, IT IS THE DEVIL WE KNOW TOO WELL!
Ethiopia will rise again. May God protect Ethiopia from the evils of the world.
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Well put Tibebe- thanlk you. Now, the issue is what to do with remnants of the tplf because this evil group is doomed to join the hell it aspired for- very, very soon, thanks to the gallant ENDF, Afar, Amhara militias and Special Forces and Fanno. You see – this is not 1983 and the tplf is the most hated thing in Ethiopia now. Herman Cohen – how old are you? I hope you live to hear the end of the tplf you proped up. The west’s liberalism is a dead song. Sorry for believing in liberal ideas for so long. The New Order from the East is rising.
As usual, you are producing useless article . The damage seen in amhara region is caused by fanos, and ENDF themselves who cross borders and kill innocent civilians and rogues in the villages has added fuel to the fire . Amhara people were stealing from their neighbors and entering public offices, and became well-to-do men and women in 1991. They are repeating the same history. Crimes of this sort could be committed in every region by the local residents , but this doesn’t mean an armed group or aircraft has done nothing. Stop accusing TDF or Tegaru, you entered into a war , waging war on Tigray , and you are now paying the price. Many Africans do not personally like any western powers , but you are the principal actors in the downfall of Ethiopia thinking to expand your territory and holding power and oppress the rest of the ethnicity. Mainly, the amhara diaspora want to gain power over the people living at home and control and ill-treat others. You learned this from dictator western powers, and want to enjoy brutality on your own people. atalekaksu this is also a exaggerated data to collect money from poor amhara men .The people who have stolen amhara riches are amhara themselves who want to flee with stolen money. Ask you family, TDF is protecting them and making them feel safe and sound. Stop your propaganda to defame OLA, Tigray, Tegaru and TDF. all freed cities and villages learned that all your stories about TDF was lies and no traces of truth couldn’t be found. you children of satan and slaves of Eritrean dictators!!
A well articulated and informative commentary. Those who talk about dialogue and negotiations with the fascist TPLF are either its former servants or those who have short memories. As any fascist force the TPLF only raised the issues of negotiations and cease fire when the going gets hard for it in the battlefields and replenish itself. Its leaders dismissed the issue of ceasefire when they felt that their forces were advancing and winning ground. When faced with misfortunes and losses in the battlefield, they change their belligerent rhetoric and appear as seekers of peace. They change their color like chameleons. Negotiations are long known to be among their deceptive methods and the TPLF should not be given any chance of reviving itself.
There is no taking or negotiating with a known devil who kept on adding more horrific crimes to what it they’ve done before. Nothing good is expected from those old guards of TPLF. The known agenda is the attempt to scape from criminal charges and plotting to bring them to the power seat. TPLF is the most hated and despised evil creatures in Ethiopia and no one wants to sit or talk with them.
TPLF already has spelled out its destination “hell” as a place of choice after destroying Ethiopia. Since they cannot destroy Ethiopia and cannot choose their destination, hell is the only place that has opened its door awaiting for them and they better go now than later. No body wants to see them hanging around. The rape, murder, loot and torturing of innocent will come to end once they are gone!!!.
Then a new day with a new hope will come. Dialogue is when it is necessary among people that longs for solutions and peace. Where all people shall live in peace, make amends and learn from TPLF mistakes not to let it happen ever again. The country has so many blessings where people can share and live in fairness, freedom and justice. By eliminating ethic divisions, solving the false and unfair ethic boundaries and ethnic representations that TPLF and OLF concocted , rid off irrational and greedy mentality whiled embracing diversity and equality.
Since we are all so worked up with what is going on in the old country we might have been so distracted with what is going on here where we live. Most of you like me have heard it by now that the teenager accused of killing two people in Kenosha was found not guilty of all counts. This may or may not trigger another senseless violence in some communities. There are some thugs who want to take advantage of the anger the verdict might have created to loot small businesses. Some of my dear countrymen/women have small businesses in distressed communities scattered all over the country. These tireless and innovative entrepreneurs have managed to breath new lives in communities long abandoned to go eye sore rust belts and transformed them into business hot spots. Such success achieved through nickel and diming coupled with grinding hard work does not pass unnoticed and they can be targets of hoodlums and marauding thugs. Please make sure you secure your most valuable belongings such as cash from such small businesses until this anger subsides. There is another trial that is in session in Georgia and that one worries me more than today’s verdict. Stay tuned to the latest news and be on the alert. May The Almighty Our Creator Look Over You and Your Businesses. Insha’Allah!!!!
Author,
This reads like a sob story. The TPLF is evil. Okay… The fact is that Abiy is negotiating with them, and that Abiy is allowing their leaders to meet directly meet with the likes of Obasanjo, Griffiths etc and speak with Feltman. They are happily taking photos together, too!
It might be more compelling to write an article about why Abiy withdrew from Tigray after capturing Mekelle, lying about Eritrean role in the war, and not launching any offensives against TPLF after they took Lalibela and invaded into Afar.
Cheers,
Mj
I just read a news article that angered me to my core. The article includes a report by our over qualified daughter/sister Dr. Lia Tadesse. She was not a happy person and is very furious about a report she received in the areas where Debre’s forces laid siege. She found out that Debre’s and his coolie Shene’s marauders had destroyed and looted thousands of lifesaving health facilities she built in those hard to reach rural areas since she assumed her current position. Debre’s thugs looted and haul away every healthcare product they could put their hands on assisted by their beast of burden Shene. Then they destroyed the facilities by blowing up every building built just for this purpose. How dare you Debre! How dare you coolie, ya-hammal Shene! How dare you! Are these two turning into Attila The Hun? How dare you!!! Now this should infuriate everyone of us. We should now reach deep inside our pockets and donate every nickel dime we can to assist her in rebuilding those desperately needed facilities. We should at least skip a meal a day and send the money to the Ministry of Health. This is outrageous! Yes we know facilities of military institutions are always targets but not clinics and hospitals. My goodness! Where did these two demons come from? Don’t you dare tell me they are Tigrayans and Oromos! Don’t even think about it. This is the first news article I read this early morning and I am very upset about it. I’m gonna be in a foul mood today! How dare you! How dare you!!!
Melelik is a hero of Adwa war, pride of all Blacks, a Uniter and a role model to civilizing Ethiopia are the few to mention!!1 Widely known around the world for his intelligence and civilization contributions that no banda can take away. History is already made there!!!
The TPLF Tigragayan backward tribal evil collection of bandas hate everything and anything that is good about Ethiopia.
Evil is jealous and destructive as what we witness today in TPLF Tigrayans, They are jealous of Amharas first and others to follow as they plan to divide people pieces by piece which did not and will not happen.
They are jealousy and hatefulness is built around the proven Amharas historical contribution that paved the way for every Ethiopian to live harmoniously, tolerate and solve differences in civilized and legal manners. The preservation of Ethiopia with every other groups accomplishments and intelligence goes exactly in the opposite direction from TPLF’s plan. That is what it driving TPLF Tirgayan terrorists crazy.
The TPLF is known to be a racist and fascist political force and this racist face book posting by its member and activist is not surprising. According to the political vocabulary of the TPLF, all non-Tigrayans are inferior and called `donkeys`. The Tigrayans are superior and golden people. And according to the TPLF, the current conflict/war is between the `donkeys`and `golden people`. The golden people are destined to win the war and punish the donkeys. Black American politicians like Mrs. Susan Rice should be aware of the racist and fascist politics of the TPLF and distance themselves from it. Supporting racism in any of its manifestations is like undermining the visions and teachings of the great Afro-Americans like Dr. Martin Luther King. Mrs. Susan Rice and her like minded Afro-American officials should be urged to change and correct their pro-racist and pro-fascist politics and positions.