BY: W.Yilma
03 – 03 – 2022
War is a state of arming conflicts between different nations or states or different groups within a nations or state. Although war in general is a destructive in nature, our world has never been free from entertaining both types of war. War does not start out of the blooms. In both cases a war of words based on false narratives or imposing economic sabotage or blockade are considered as a precursor of armed conflicts. Taking into consideration the Ethiopia case, a war of words and economic blockade against the people of Tigray has started few months after Ali came to power. What is exception to Ethiopia is that hate and false narratives about history are few of the driving forces for Ali to declare all-out war on the people of Tigray. The war of words containing with hate spreads by Ali and his loyal supporters to create a fertile ground to justify the war of aggression against the people of Tigray. Ali was successful in achieving his goal at the initial stage of the war of aggression in deceiving not only the people of Ethiopia but also the world communities at large. Because of this a number of countries refrain from condemning Ali’s adventurist action. As we remembered, the administration of president Trump either supported the war or take no action to condemn the war, and in some case, they lied about the war. Only after president Biden came to power some improvements has started to see and limited efforts has been made to help the people of Tigray. Although not to the level of expectation the action taken by the European Union is also commendable. But can we say the action taken by the international communities are enough, taking into consideration the magnitudes of the human crisis we are witnessing today in Tigray? I do not think it is enough, compare to the actions taken by the international communities where similar human catastrophe has occurred. Let’s look Tigray and Ukraine conflicts as example.
What is common in Tigray and Ukraine war is that both Ali and Putin have started the war in their respective countries without any known causes and provocation acts from Tigray and Ukraine. Both Ali and Putin have an intention to subjugate the societies in their respective countries, by terrorizing and destroying everything what the people of the two countries have. These includes the social fabrics, economy, infrastructure, religion, culture etc. What has happened in Tigray by Ali foot solders is happening now in Ukraine by the Russian army. Contrary to this, the two war have some differences. The Tigray war is a war within the country. However, for internal conflict, Ali has invited foreign countries to commit ethnic cleansing and genocide on the people of Tigray, an anchor and a center of gravity for the formation of modern Ethiopia! On the contrary, Putin is invading Ukraine which is considered as a sovereign country after the disintegration of the former United Soviet Socialist Republic without getting any help from another country (ignoring the role of Belarus). After the start of Tigray war, the responses, the international communities have given to Tigray war varied widely, and in some case incomparable with the calamity the war causes to the people of Tigray. The media outlets coverage and the public awareness to the war in Ukraine is high, almost 24/7, while the war in Tigray coverage since the star of the war up to now may not be exceed a total of 8 or 10 hours (except Aljazeera). The sympathy and compassion the world communities has shown to the people of Tigray is by far less than the sympathy and compassion they are showing to the Ukrainian people. In terms of aid, it is incomparable what the people of Tigray has received from the international communities, compared to
what the Ukrainians has receiving in the past 7 days. This could be because of the blockade imposed by Ali government not to allow food, medication and other life supporting materials to Tigray with the aim to use starvation as a weapon of war. But why the international communities refrain from taking necessary measures, when they knew that what Ali intention is? Tigray Social Affair Bureau (TSAB) recently publicized that, if the existing blockage continue, half the people of Tigray population will be perished within the coming few months. Is this not an alarming for the international communities? If we put this in number it will be not less than of 3 million Tigrayans. For any person who have a sanity of mind, and valued human life and equity, the claim of TSAB is convincing and true. We do not see a fraction of this problem in Ukraine so far. However, although this is clear, what is the reason behind the international communities choose silence? If this has happened in Ukraine does the response of the international communities will be the same? The international communities advised the people of Ukraine who live in the war zone to leave their country to get shelter in neighboring countries. Due to the war nearly 30% of Tigrayans are displaced, where as in Ukraine it is only 2% so far. On the other hand, the people of Tigray deliberately blocked by the Axis of evils 360 degrees for 18 months with the aim to punish the people, not to get access for assistance, and to get shelter in neighboring country. This is not secret for the international communities, but they overlooked it. To help the Ukrainian people to fight for the unjust war imposed by Putin, the western countries are supplying modern weapons to Ukrainian government (this is commendable as self-defense). On the other hand, while the people of Tigray are massacred daily by modern weapons, including Drones and war planes drive and fly by mercenaries’ pilots and technicians, the world communities gave a blind eye to this crime. Besides, when foreign countries, such as Eritrea, United Arab Emirate, Turki, Iran, China, Russia federation are directly involved in support of Ali in killing of the people of Tigray, the international communities did not take similar measures as they took punitive measures against Russia. This is not only double standard, but also an indication that western government do not give equal value to all human beings. I knew it is the responsibility of Ethiopians to bring peace for themselves. But when there are human beasts in power, like Isayas of Eritrea and Ali of Ethiopia, who killed in tens of thousands and displaced millions of innocent peoples, create manmade starvation which affects over 10 million people within the country, denied children’s not only to attend school but also intimidating them daily by hoovering over them Drones and fighter jets, it is the responsibility of the international communities to protect the victims. This is the reason why the world communities have established different kind of global organizations with different responsibilities and purposes to stand and help the victims in time like this. Unfortunately, all failed terribly the people of Tigray. I also acknowledge that geo-politics and other national interests matters to take side when there is a conflict in our world. However, I do not think human life have different values no matter who died, where and by whom the atrocities have committed against any human beings. Not taking this into consideration is immoral and a violation of international norms and principles.
Last, but not least, there is shuttle diplomacy going on between Ali and Tigray regional government to end the conflict through peaceful means. Many foreign entities have hope that peace is possible. Regrettably, I do not think peace will come soon to end this conflict. The reason I said this is because it is not secret who is at the center of this conflict. From the beginning it is Isayas of Eritrea and the Amhara extremist who are serving Ali as a Janjaweed militias with the aim to grab land from Tigray (at this time they managed to convince Awol Arba group, a president of Afar as their Trojan Horse). Beside this, other external actors (some Arab countries) are already involved in this conflict, in assumption to lease land that were previously part of Tigray territory. These groups are now out of the control of Ali and
they are entirely become dependent on the Eritrean president, Isayas for military equipment and training. With the help of Isayas, they are in the process of creating unofficial relationship with some Arab countries to complicate Tigray war. Unless the international communities take tangible and punitive measures the war in Tigray will not come to an end. Because of this the United State and other key allies together with international organizations should press ahead to impose sanctions against those who opposed the peace process. One of the vital measures what the international communities should emphasize is the unconditional withdrawal of the Eritrean and other foreign military and security staffs from Ethiopia. Ali in the name of peace is trying to buy time to prepare for another devastating war. When Ali speaks about peace it means war! I have a concern that Ali may use the war in Ukraine as a good opportunity to start the war again in Tigray. The HR6600 which is on the floor of the House of Senate should be approved without delay. The government of Ali and his supporters (the vast majority of them are living abroad) are claiming that if this bill is approved and passed by the US governments, it hurts the ordinary Ethiopian people, which is 110 million. The issue here is not about numbers but about justice and fairness to bring sustainable peace for all. What they don’t understand is that because of the unjustified war declared by Ali, the Ethiopian people are daily dying, over ten million people are exposed to different level of hunger and starvation, women are raped by Ali, Amhara Janjaweed militias and Isayas foot soldiers, children’s and breast-feeding women’s are dying mercilessly due to malnutrition, and more importantly the country is near to torn apart because of incompetent and unfairly “elected” government in power. What a normal person with a sanity of mind should think is that the suffering of the Ethiopian people will be worsening if this Bill (HR6600) delayed or failed to pass in the Senate.
Finally, what we learn from Tigray war is that there are people and individuals who always willing to commit crimes against humanity in exchange of power, wealth and privileges. Ethiopian civil, religious, economic, and political institutions, elites and their supporters are an example for this truth. These as a groups and individuals should take the blames for the losses of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, for total shambling of the state of the country’s economy, for complete collapse of religion as well as the moral value of the society at large! What is interesting to see in Tigray and Russian- Ukraine conflict is that quite numbers of Russian are openly opposing their government for invading Ukraine. Contrary to this, the “Ethiopian” public in particular the Amhara elites and their parrot supporters, not only blindly supporting the Ali government for committed genocidal war on the people of Tigray, but also, they are against any peace negotiations. Taking these into consideration, I have a concern in two things. One is the deliberate delay of Ali government the ongoing secret peace process, and second because of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the Tigray war may not get enough attentions from the international communities and as a result of this a possibility of mass death in Tigray due to starvation and diseases. Therefore, the international communities have a moral and legal responsibilities to handle and treat both Tigray and Ukraine cases fairly to minimize the humanitarian catastrophes as a result of unjust war declared on both people.
Tigray will prevail!