By Ahmed Yusuf
Editor-in-Chief, EthipoianCitizen.com
Updated on December 29, 2021 to include author’s name as it was omitted by mistake
An article that is said to have been written by General Tsadkan was published yesterday on the Elephant, a Nairobi based online platform critical of Ethiopia’s war against the TPLF terrorists.
The article titled “Pertinent Issues on the War in Tigray” was written mainly to the Western world in order to gain the much needed help TPLF requires after its embarrassing defeat in Amhara and Afar.
The General, in an attempt to desperately appease his Western allies, has not shied away from painting the article with many lies that if not exposed will surely mislead many who are unaware.
1. “the War in Tigray”
The General has misleadingly included in the title of his article “the War in Tigray”. However, the fact is that there has not been a conflict in Tigray.
This is because ever since the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) withdrew from Tigray after the federal government declared a humanitarian ceasefire in June, General Tsadkan’s terrorist fighters were busy starting a war in Afar and Amhara regions. It was in these two regions that there was a conflict for the last six months rather than in Tigray.
In fact, PM Abiy Ahmed has recently ordered the ENDF and allied forces not to enter into Tigray.
2. “We have joined forces with the Oromo, Somali and Afar”
General Tsadkan is so desperate for the world to support him that he is not ashamed to depict the people his forces raped and looted into allies.
The Oromo were brutally massacred and their properties looted when the TPLF terrorists arrived at Kemise, the capital of Oromo National Zone, Amhara region. The Somali have been victims of TPLF cruelty for the past 27 years through its commanders in Ogaden. And during TPLF’s recent incursion into Afar, the Afar women were raped and their children were killed by its indiscriminate shelling in Galicoma, Kasa Gita, Chifra, Mile and Aba’ala.
So Tsadkan was lying when he said he had allies with the Oromo, Somali and Afar. In fact, they are all his avowed enemies.
3. “We are fighting to protect the principles of the Federal Constitution of Ethiopia”
TPLF went against the Federal Constitution of Ethiopia when it declared war against the federal government, killed women and children in neighboring regions, launched rockets into a neighboring country without being provoked.
Had the TPLF respected the constitution, it would have used the legal system to fight for its case peacefully. However, for TPLF the 1991 war that brought it to power was more appeasing to it than the more virtuous path of handling its case peacefully through the court.
But then again one would wonder why only the TPLF seems to be concerned about Ethiopia’s Constitution? Why isn’t that other regions such as Amhara, Afar, Somali, Oromo or Sidama concerned as the TPLF for Ethiopia’s Constitution?
This is because all of them know that the TPLF was not even implementing Ethiopia’ Constitution properly when it was in power let alone at the present moment. And now that it is removed they all believe now is the right time to properly implement the constitution.
TPLF is just getting in the way of this renewed will to reinstate true sense of brotherhood among Ethiopians. TPLF and its General are still as arrogant as they were before for seeing themselves as the sole defenders of Ethiopia’s Constitution.
4. “Western nations’ actions did not go beyond rhetoric”
Western nations such as the EU and the US have gone beyond words to pressure Ethiopia in order to submit to the wills of the TPLF warlords.
The EU recently pushed a resolution onto the UNHRC to pressure Ethiopia to allow investigation into Tigray conflict even though the UN rights group has already conducted an investigation.
However, TPLF was not satisfied that “Tigray genocide” was not included. Therefore, its Western allies twisted the arm of a supposedly independent international body, the UNHRC, to impose another investigation that will cater to the needs of the TPLF warlords.
And the US recently removed Ethiopia from AGOA hurting innocent civilian women and their poor families. The US did this to reward the TPLF for their efforts so far.
The US went even further and openly claimed that all the atrocities the TPLF committed in Afar and Amhara are unconfirmed.
The West has done a lot to help the TPLF get away with rape, massacres and destruction of civilian infrastructures. The General, by attempting to cover for the follies of his allies, only makes it obvious of their collusion.
5. “The ENDF fights like a rag-tag horde of feudal levies”
Had the ENDF been rag-tag hordes, they would not have taken Mekelle in just two weeks after TPLF forces attacked its Northern base on November 2020.
Had the ENDF forces been rag-tag hordes of feudal levies, as Tsadkan arrogantly presumed, the TPLF might have fought and won a corridor into Sudan or it might have choked Ethiopia’s economy by capturing the Ethio-Djibouti main road.
Had the TPLF terrorists been more superior than the ENDF, their approach towards Addis Ababa, which had taken them months, would not have been reversed in just days.
General Tsadkan is not just a lair but also a coward who blatantly defames the ENDF on the internet when his forces proved to be incapable of winning on the ground.
6. “Administrative structures have collapsed across the country”
General Tsadkan is so preoccupied in his war effort that he forgot his forces were only fighting in small portions of Amhara and Afar. Much of Amhara region and Afar regions is safe from their attacks let alone East, West and South Ethiopia.
This lie Tsadkan made is an attempt to desperately convince his allies in the West that he is winning or that Ethiopia’s state institutions are collapsing magically. He is attempting to prove with words what he couldn’t prove in action.
7. “Abiy has demolished peace and security architecture for the Horn”
Up to October 2021, Ethiopia is the fifth largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping force in the world. And in May, 2021, the ENDF received African Union medals and certificates after completing one year and six months of service in Somalia under AMISOM.
Ethiopia’s UN peacekeepers are also working day and night to maintain peace at Abiye, between Sudan and South Sudan border.
Ethiopia’s peacekeeping operation was present not when TPLF came to power but as early as 1951 as a part of the UN multinational force in the Korean War.
8. “The US openly opposed the advance of the TDF to Addis Ababa, threatening the government of Tigray with sanctions if our forces approached the city”
General Tsadkan is obviously trying to hide the sins of the US and that of his compatriot TPLF Spokesman, Getachew Reda, who publicly said the US was only opposed to the TPLF/TDF advance if they are to enter Addis Ababa without an alliance.
In fact, the US was so supportive of the TPLF advance to Addis Ababa that it was fearmongering the diplomatic community in Addis Ababa to flee the country and there by pave the way for the TPLF to easily capture Addis Ababa. In addition, CNN, a US based media, was also helping TPLF through its disinformation campaign when it said Addis Ababa was surrounded by TPLF forces.
Moreover, the US has never imposed sanctions on TPLF or the government of Tigray nor have they made any threat of sanctions against them. The one that has been at the sharp end of US’ sanction is innocent Ethiopian women and children not the terrorists who have killed children, raped women and destroyed civilian infrastructures.
9. “The US is appeasing Abiy Ahmed”
The US has not made any attempts to appease PM Abiy Ahmed. In fact, what the US has been doing, through its Special Envoy Feltman, was nothing short of arm-twisting which has forced PM Abiy Ahmed to avoid interactions that do not take into consideration respect and understanding.
What the US wants Ethiopians to do is to negotiate with the TPLF which has oppressed them for over three decades and then it turned itself into the real monster it was and started killing innocent civilians in mass. The TPLF did this without fearing any repercussions from the US. So, in all honesty, the US was actually appeasing to the TPLF itself not Abiy Ahmed.
10. “We need to save Ethiopia from this fate”
General Tsadkan is either lying or insincere when he talks about saving Ethiopia. But the former seems to hold water than the latter.
Had the General and his forces wanted to save Ethiopia they would not have attacked the ENDF in November, 2020, and they would not have killed children, raped women or committed any sort of atrocities against their brotherly neighbors.
11. The TDF is fighting absolutely alone. It has no international allies and no military or other material assistance from abroad.
As it was said before, the TDF or the TPLF terrorists have open allies in the West. The TPLF men have received support from foreign powers in terms of equipment and manpower. This was evident when they attacked Dessie and Kombolcha.
Furthermore, the West has proven to be a diehard ally of the TPLF terrorists and they have proven it by punishing Ethiopians through sanctions even though they know very well Ethiopians are victims of the TPLF cruelty.
12. “Tigrayan people do not even receive humanitarian aid”
On December 23, the UN has reported that more than 138,000 people in Tigray received humanitarian assistance. On December 16, the UN said Measle vaccines were shipped to Tigray to vaccinate 774,000 children.
When General Tsadkan asks for humanitarian aid it is clear for most Ethiopians he is asking his allies to send him the aid trucks and its fuel so that he can mobilize his troops for yet another war. So far the TPLF has used more than a thousand aid trucks to mobilize its combatants into Afar and Amahra without getting condemnation from the UN and the international community.
13. “The Tigrayan people are few and impoverished”
The Tigrayan people are not few. With over 6 million Tigrayans, they are the fourth largest ethnic group in the whole of Ethiopia. However, like many of their Ethiopian brethren, the Tigrayans are indeed impoverished.
But the TPLF is mostly the one to blame for this predicament in Ethiopia. The group has not done anything to raise the standard of life of Ethiopians or Tigrayans for that matter. Even worse it is using the unfortunate circumstance of Tigrayans to its advantage. This begs the question if ever the TPLF wanted Tigrayans to prosper at all.
14. “We have a long and proud history of fighting against invaders of our land [Tigray]”
Tigray has never fought a war alone or without the help of their Ethiopian brothers. From Adwa to the fight against the Derg, the injustice against Tigray was felt everywhere in Ethiopia and every nation in Ethiopia had played a part in it.
General Tsadkan is attempting to promote a dangerous “Tigray exceptionalism” mindset at the expense of other Ethiopians.
This proves the words of Ambassador Taye AtskeSelassie who said, during UN Security Council session, that Ethiopia’s challenge is a criminal group [TPLF] that refuses to accept equality, to let go of ill-gained supremacy and privilege.
15. “We are repeating the heroic feats of our predecessors”
History proves that the heroic feats Ethiopians enjoyed against aggressors were under unity not separately. No tribe enjoyed victory alone as General Tsadkan attempted to depict. This is another one of his and compatriot’s ill-gained superiority complex.
16. “We are undefeated”
General Tsadkan is unashamed when he says his forces were “undefeated” because few months ago, on his interview on BBC radio, he said his forces were invading Amahra and Afar to put a pressure on Abiy Ahmed. The TPLF could not let go this leverage freely unless of course they are defeated.
17. “If cessation of hostilities and initiate peace talks does not happen, the war will continue not only in Tigray but in other places in Ethiopia as well. There will be more loss of lives; economic destruction and whatever political and social fabric that might have persisted up to now will be destroyed which means saving the Ethiopian multinational federal state as we know it becomes very difficult”
General Tsadkan yet again posits TPLF’s arrogant disposition that an Ethiopia without the TPLF is doomed to collapse. This is nothing but a fantasy the TPLF has fed its members.
The only homemade hostile group to Ethiopia is the TPLF and the idea of another war in a different part of Ethiopia is just a pure fantasy from a TPLF warlord who could not accept his defeat.
The TPLF General is also attempting to foolishly cheat the world saying that if the TPLF is gone so will Ethiopia’s multinational federal states. This is but another evidence of his and his compatriots’ arrogant mindset.
Ethiopia’s multinational federal states are better off without the TPLF men who have only used it for their selfish and wicked aims.
18. Tigrayans are proud of our contribution to Ethiopia’s diplomacy and peacekeeping which was a pillar of stability and development in the Horn of Africa region.
Again, Tigrayans did not rule Ethiopia alone. This is a dangerous ethnocentric mentality that will only segregate Tigrayans from their brethren.
19. “custodian of this unique intersection of faiths and cultures”
Had the TPLF been a custodian of faiths and cultures, it would not have desecrated Churches, Mosques, and Holy Scriptures when it invaded Afar and Amhara.
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In his statement under #5 where he told us that ‘The ENDF fights like a rag-tag horde of feudal levies’ reveals the real story of what was going on in his joint long before the conflict began. It tells us what he and his gangs were doing for decades since they marched into Addis/Finfine. They were preparing the fighting age of their fellow citizens in Tigray for a major war they were expecting while degrading the national army. They left the national army with leadership vacuum since they used to dominate in that role. They were amassing military hardware under the pretext of no war/no peace stalemate with Eritrea. The latest report reveals that they were even skimming cuts off the UN financial aid meant to be for Eritrean refugees. They used to get a 20% cut before the aid was handed over to each refugee. The UN should have known about that but did not say a word about it. So while they amassing the latest military hardware in their joint and drilling their youth for a ‘planned’ war they kept the rest of the country in dark about it. I am glad to see him spilling the beans. It shows the deep rooted hatred and contempt he and his gangs have for the rest of the people of that glorious country. What arrogance!!!
Boy that was good response to this befuddled warlord. Let me add a thing or two that the author “forgot” out of politenesss:
1. The “general” is the same “strategist” who fed thousands of Ethiopian soldiers recklessly into Eritrean trenches, and the same idiot who fed thousands of Tigrayan youth into trenches in Amhara and Afar recently. This is his chief military strategy that western media have glorified. This is the same military technique that Timor Khan and Gehghis Khan used a thousand years ago. So this archaic warlord properly deserves the title “fodder general”| (It is a shame for Ethiopia that he was the Chief-of-Staff some years ago, as true for Getachew Lito being the Minister of communication in the tplf era. Truly, something fishy must have happened then).
2. His mockery to save Ethiopia and that hell will break loose unless the tplf has its way is all baloney. I advise the loser to go to exile a second time (if he ever can), to quit his military career (Failure), to never attempt to write again (another F),,,and quietly go to the hell he wished.
Kudos to you man! Well said. I couldn’t have put better way.The arrogance, delusion grandeur and sense of entitlement of the spoiled TPLF brats and cadres have no bounds. Imagine these high-school dropout people have been ruling or rather ravaging the nation over twenty seven long brutal years. Imagine even that they assigned themselve with such worthy titles of generals, military and political experts and the jack–of-‘all-trades and the Seven Heavens. What a pity¡
In Ethiopian culture, it is not customary to state some uncomfortable truths openly and forcefully, out of deference for the age, social status and norm of the gentle culture of Ethiopians. Tossing that aside, Tsdakan is no brilliant general, military strategist or even honorable person. In one tv interview before the bloody launch of a brutal war against Ethiopians, by the. TPLF terrorists, Tsdakan was asked why the TPLF foisted the so called ethnic federalism on Ethiopians in 1991. His succinct yet inadvertently forthright answer of “because at that time that was our understanding of what federalism is” reveals his stupidity, lack of political maturity and unfitness to serve in public office. This imbecile, in his youth, indoctrinated with the tenets of the Communist Manifesto, which he substituted for his faith and the Bible he tossed aside then, to become a die hard Marxist-Leninist zealot, political ideologue and ethnocentric fascist, is stuck in time to the 1960s, and rusted in the development of his tiny brain. He is unscrupulous, unethical, inhumane, and rotten to the core. The blood of thousands of Tigrean perpetrators of crimes against humanity which he sacrificed as human waves, only to lose the war, and ran with his tiny tails between his legs back to is in his criminal hands. The blood, suffering, displacement and mistreatment of millions of children, women and men in the Amhara and Afar region points directly at this no good war criminal, treasonous traitor and murderer. Tsdakan, must and will surrender together with his criminal clique of the likes of Getachew, the psychopathic Debretsion and other murderous thugs. There cannot and will not be any closure without these individuals being held accountable to the full extent of the law. The crimes of treason, insurrection, and mass murder of the defenseless cannot be glossed over and hidden. Any sycophantic official in Afar, Amhara, any saboteur in the PP party, or any other political party whitewashing, condoning and overlooking the crimes against humanity of the TPLF perpetrators and terrorists, must also be held accountable for aiding and abetting crimes against humanity, treason against the state, and insurrection.
TPLF EVIL PLAN FOR 27 YEARS “The ENDF fights like a rag-tag horde of feudal levies’ reveals the real story of what was going on in his joint long before the conflict began. It tells us what he and his gangs were doing for decades since they marched into Addis/Finfine. They were preparing the fighting age of their fellow citizens in Tigray for a major war they were expecting while degrading the national army. They left the national army with leadership vacuum since they used to dominate in that role. They were amassing military hardware under the pretext of no war/no peace stalemate with Eritrea. The latest report reveals that they were even skimming cuts off the UN financial aid meant to be for Eritrean refugees. They used to get a 20% cut before the aid was handed over to each refugee. The UN should have known about that but did not say a word about it. So while they amassing the latest military hardware in their joint and drilling their youth for a ‘planned’ war they kept the rest of the country in dark about it. I am glad to see him spilling the beans. It shows the deep rooted hatred and contempt he and his gangs have for the rest of the people of that glorious country. What arrogance!!!
The meticulous encounter to the fake general by brother Ahmed Yusuf is worth reading. Many thanks Sir! The so-called general belongs to the medieval mediocre war-lords who used human wave to pursue their blind interest. He only knows to use poor children of Tigray as war fodder reminiscent of his march to Addis 1991, Bademe 1989 and now to Wollo, Afar and Showa up to Debre-Sina.. The human and material destruction is unnerving to say the least. Sooner or later he should be held responsible for his war crimes.