Delusional Ethiopian Politics, Journalists/Activists and TPLF
Biruk Desalegn
Regarding TV, FM, youtube, as well as so called activists in the social media in Ethiopia (respecting all their efforts and sacrifices), in reference to their comment on American politics in general as witnessed starting from the 2020 American election up to the current sanction, I am worried about our Ethiopian knowledge of American politics. Since most are badly informed about American politics they are very dangerous for Ethiopian politics as well! Half baked knowledge is very dangerous! Increasingly we are brainwashed in a very short period of time like the society of the west in particular and the globe in general, living in an atmosphere designed for people to be sheepish, fearful and dumb.
We are in the 21st century, a century of cultural war and at the same time the era of alternative media. Most of our journalists are still thinking of the old fourth estate, which has become a failure and now just in the pocket of billionaires. Please forget about journalism with its myth of objectivity. Unlearn what they have thought you first and get out of the chain of manipulation, and think independently. Despite availability of vast information (even against the censorship of big tech) some innocent Ethiopian journalists, commentators and activists as well as politicians do not have a clear understanding of American politics and hence world politics. Their knowledge is derived from the mainstream media which becomes since 2019 more and more anti people. Wake up! Now is the era of the fifth estate. Thinking out of the box is not enough in the 21st century, we are advised to rather think without the box.
It is really sad to see the youngster generation of Ethiopia particularly those in the FM, TV, and social media who are paying sacrifices for their country being victims of western liberal nonsense. It is sad to see the so called Ethiopian elites swimming under mind control of the mainstream media being blind about the decaying western power. Though decaying still this world is a western and American world. The role of the elite – if there is an elite – is to understand this dilemma and propose to their people realistic alternatives. However we are not witnessing this role well played; rather the political space is suffocated with copy paste politicians. While they were against Trump yesterday, they are now against America.
The problem is grave because they project their half baked truths to the innocent Ethiopian population who have not the luxury of time and effort to evaluate the distortion diligently. In this very sophisticated 21st century, our collective public Ethiopian knowledge – as Ethiopians – is so shallow even in the African intellectual standard that both the government and the opposition parties seem to be inferior in understanding geopolitics. Of course this inferiority is not exceptional to Ethiopians, it is rampant in this 21st century world. However year after year ours is becoming outrageous, which can be proved by the current issue of dealing with American involvement in Ethiopia and the response by Ethiopian politicians/activists of both sides. Where has gone the Ethiopian wisdom?
History tells us that America abandoned HIM Haile Sillasse and Ethiopia through a dissent message from the then American Embassy in Addis Ababa and opened the gate to ignite the notorious revolution in Ethiopia by destroying the 3000 history of monarchy, the longest in History. As the Airgram A-23 From the American Embassy in Ethiopia to the Department of State, written on February 7, 1973 shows:
“We believe that the Ethiopian ruling elite’s perception of and reaction to the “Somali threat” has been greatly intensified by domestic stresses and risks to its future survival…
…. failure of the “Amherazation program” to cement a unified Ethiopia under Shoan Amhara domination; …
…We believe that a “summit” meeting between the President and Emperor (and to a lesser extent, any meeting at the Cabinet level) should be avoided at the present time.
…we strongly disagree with the Country Team’s option that the U.S. solicit military aid for Ethiopia from third countries, and particularly with the notion that the U.S. encourage Israel to become even more involved with the Ethiopian military…
…Therefore, a viable long-term U.S. policy would avoid a commitment to the defense of Ethiopia and its territorial claims, or to maintenance of Ethiopia’s military strength relative to its neighbors.
….At the same time, it should be made clear that the U.S. does not have any “special relationship” with Ethiopia other than existing treaty commitments, our desire for good bilateral relations, and our continued interest in Ethiopia’s economic and social progress; nor does the U.S. have any intention of competing with the Soviet Union in the Horn of Africa.”
The Americans pursue the above recommendation and the Soviets came in.
Ethiopians should never forget about anti Ethiopian discourse like this transmitted through agents to the so called student movement and revolutionaries. Ideas have consequences!
Consider this poison of inferiority complex, a feeling of inadequacy stemming from imaginary ‘Shoan Amhara domination’, released by the American Embassy in 1973 ( 1965 E.C.) which becomes the devastating ideology of the TPLF confirmed in their manifesto after three years in 1976 (1968 E.C.):
…the “Amherazation program” to cement a unified Ethiopia under Shoan Amhara domination; …
This is exactly what Meles said after 17 years in his Interview with Paul Henze in 1990, and therefore blessed by the USA to take over the Grand Palace at Arat kilo:
PBH: What do you mean by AMHARA domination? If this is your message, how do the people in the regions where you have recently advanced – – Lasta, Gaynt, Saynt, Manz, Merhabete, etc., all of which are inhabited predominantly by Amhara – – look on your movement?
MZ: These Amhara are oppressed people. When we talk about Amhara domination, we mean the Amhara of Shoa, and the habit of Shoan supremacy that became established in Addis Abeba during the last hundred years. “
TPLF and its supporters from then up to the current time are just manipulated by this Amhara of Shoa nonesense. Surprisingly enough those Tigreans who seem rational earlier are also now showing us their true color by endorsing their support to TPLF in the name of Tigray people. It does not work. Tigray is not the sole property of the current TPLF generation. It has been and will be Ethiopian once this infected generation passes away. For the time being even if more than three million support the notorious TPLF rather than Ethiopianism (whatever the suffering), very handful patriotic and proud Tigreans like Getachew Reda (Ethiopian Semay), and Gebremedihin Araya are worthy of millions to be remembered in history.
The main problem with EPRDF members was as many current generation educated Ethiopians, their nightmare of poverty with scarcity mentality. Most importantly the inferiority complex of the TPLF leadership as against the proud EDU patriotic Tigreans finally results in the 2020 destruction of Tigray.
As if 27 years of suffering of Ethiopians was not more than enough, educated Tigreans could not admit their mistakes and come out with alternatives in the past three years, rather they continue blindly supporting TPLF contributing to the unimaginable horror of Tigray people. TPLF was responsible for the ethnic division, corruption, terror, genocide, killing and arrest of Ethiopians. TPLF was instrumental in approving the new PM. It then held the regional government for three years. Since it was a collection of stunted people never differentiating between propaganda and force, it has led the Tigreans to a shameful defeat in two weeks never recorded in Ethiopian history.
Even now, TPLF supporters are accusing the Amhara due to their deep inferiority complex. The only natural brother on earth for the Tigrean’s is the Amhara. But the current generation of TPLF strategically stands against the Amhara. Unless they totally change this strategy upside down in a short period of time Tigray will suffer a lot. It is not a matter of material life, it is damn spiritual and historical life which is more important.
Let us assume that petroleum, gold or something precious is abundantly discovered in Tigray. So what? If properly governed, the people in the region will have a better standard of living etc. That is all.
However since the main goal of the TPLF is always to compare themselves against the Amhara, they will not be satisfied with higher standard of living until they prove the devastation of the Amhara, Ethiopia and Orthodox Christianity. It is sad but this is the reality. We have to face it. Deep inside the TPLF generation there is an inferiority complex against the Amhara. The same is true about the EPLF Eritreans. Amhara’s are also infected by the corrupt TPLF virus through the good-for-nothing ANDM (the now Amhara bilsigina) by standing against their own people, but unlike the Tigrean elite the majority of the Amhara elite are proud if not patriotic Ethiopians.
In short this inferior mentality was the cause of the destruction of TPLF and America is the source of this problem which will remain so with a different contemporary agenda.
On the other side, pro-government media and the PP party are coming out with Russian and Chinese leaders. As to the history of the relationship of the USSR with Ethiopia we will never forget the destruction of our society by the Soviets. It was with the support of the Soviets and Cuba that the butcher Mengistu held a coup, 3 February 1977. As stated by Andargachew Tiruneh: “ …the February 3 incident opened the way for Mangistu’s meteoric ascent to the heights of absolutism.” This worst date in Ethiopian history, 3-2-77, was appreciated by the blood thirsty Castro. The following is from a transcript of a conversation between Castro and East German leader Erich Honecker that took place in Berlin in April of 1977:
“The next day I flew on to Ethiopia. We had earlier agreed that there would be no great reception for me, since at the time they were still fighting the civil war. Shots constantly rang out. Mengistu took me to the old Imperial Palace and the negotiations began on the spot.
… The day of my arrival there were rumors of a coup. It did not happen….
Mengistu … is an intellectual personality who showed his wisdom on 3 February. The rightists wanted to do away with the leftists on 3 February. The prelude to this was an exuberant speech by the Ethiopian president in favor of nationalism. Mengistu preempted this coup. He called the meeting of the Revolutionary Council one hour early and had the rightist leaders arrested and shot. A very consequential decision was taken on 3 February in Ethiopia. The political landscape of the country changed, which has enabled them to take steps that were impossible before then. Before it was only possible to support the leftist forces indirectly, now we can do so without any constraints….
It is clear now Castro together with the then Soviet Ambassador to Ethiopia A.P. Ratanov who met Mengistu before and after the coup of February 3, were behind this worst coup in Ethiopian history.
To conclude: history reveals that both the superpowers played a destructive roll in Ethiopia, and it will remain so. Moreover, those who think the Russian’s are Orthodox Christians and therefore will stand with Ethiopia, they should check the facts on the ground. The world is full of evil so that no government in the world, including the Russians and Chinese, responded to the recently held horrible genocide of the Amhara’s in Ethiopia. The Russian media let alone their government were silent when hundreds of churches were burnt, thousands of Christians slaughtered.
Even if late and at the beginning in a twisted manner (more clear lately), not the Russians or the Chinese but the Americans are the ones who raised concern for the atrocities committed in Ethiopia.
Since the fall of the imperial regime Ethiopia loses her spirituality and there is no alternative than playing with the lesser evil. And the lesser evil is America. Cursing them and burning their flag as the degenerate Professor Al Mariam or 30m worth sold out Andargachew Tsige lamented is simply gibberish. For the first time since 1974 we Majority of Ethiopians say thumbs up USA!