Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, Canada
15 Sept. 2020
Nelson Mandela on democracy , “It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not ”.
Amartya Sen on freedom and development , “ Development is the process of expanding human freedom. It is the enhancement of freedoms that enables people to lead lives that they cherish..…development requires the removal of all sources of poverty. Freedom is both the primary end and the principal means of development”.
Congratulations, Momma Tigrai! By scoring multiple victories against all your enemies, your children are building your bright future, a future of democracy for the 21 st Century, peace, and prosperity. You are being groomed as a Nation State of Tigrai . Let your friends and foes, those near and afar , understand this historic fact. Particularly the present-coward Amhara elite goons must swallow the bitter pill of absolute jealousy and hatred. They will not be able to rob your land, cultural identity, and history to reign on your children as their predecessors did.Allow me to highlight the eras of your darkness chronologically:
: Frequent wars fought against external invaders in your soil are the major historical events that perpetuated the chronic poverty you are being subjected to…“ some twenty major battles were fought in Tigrayan soil between the Battle of Adwa and the Italian invasion of 1935 ” [1] (emphasis added). Tigraian men and women, the peasantry, had to bear the brutalities of the wars. In addition to their bravery in fighting the foreign enemies, the poor Tigraian households provided food, water, and shelter to the peasant armies from many corners of Ethiopia, because Ethiopia did not have salaried-national army until 1941. The rules of war during those years let “….soldiers to feed themselves at the expense of the peasants on whose lands they traversed. Indeed, pillaging (plundering, robbing) from the peasants and collecting war booty were the soldiers’ chief incentives for joining the army ” (emphasis added). [2] Moreover, the Tigraian men and women provided topographic information, transportation logistics, and crucial intelligence about the frontlines. The reckless-coward Amhara elite goons hate to appreciate all the sacrifices and victories of your children, the heroes and heroines, to protect Ethiopia’s independence and territorial integrity. Abiy Ahmed Ali, the street crook, is one the dangerous thugs, who attempted to undermine (devalue) the miraculous military, economic, and political achievements of TPLF/EPRDF. The far reaching achievements of Tigraian leadership skills benefited all Ethiopians over the 27-Golden Years during which Ethiopia was described as Africa’s economic tiger. How about now?Abiy Ahmed Ali, the Muslim-Protestant Preacher , has succeeded in destroying Ethiopia’s socioeconomic and political fabric to please his political handlers. Against Minilik’s machinations of deception, treachery, and betrayal, the King of Kings, Emperor Yohannes IV, demonstrated his patriotism, leadership skills, and military prowess against all Ethiopia’s enemies.His trusted and famous general, Alula Aba-Nega, was instrumental for all the victories. Alula’s army routed well-equipped Egyptians, led by European and American mercenaries, at the following battlefields: (a) in 1875 at Gundet ; (b) in 1876 at Guraé ; (c) in 1880 at Senhit ; and (d) in 1887 at Aylet . Again, on January 26, 1887, Ras Alula’s military scored a decisive victory at Dogali ,where Italian invaders were annihilated. The Italians decried their humiliating defeat at Dogali as “The Dogali Massacre” [3] . Note that all these battlefields are part of today’s Nation State of Eritrea, sold to Colonialist Italy by Minilik of Shewa.
