Dr. Yohannes Aberra Ayele 1-7-19
At first, I was unable to believe that such big powerhouses as the battle hardened General Samora Yenus, Security Chief of international stature Getachew Assefa and the former student leader and veteran politician Abbay Tsehaye would so easily slip out of their high offices and live as ordinary people in Mekelle City. Why was I surprised? Because this was atypical! No where have we heard or read of such mass exit, without hustle and bustle, of top ranking officials in a country without a strong tradition of democratic rule. I did not see how other TPLF-based officials took their removal; but the removal of the first general in Ethiopia was televised, and everyone was able to read the body language of the Country's top gun. He was full of grace and confidence when his juniors were busy decorating and "praising" him for removal. It was not unexpected that everyone else interpreted the TPLF top official's silent exit as cowardice. Many people are taking the liberty to conclude that the TPLF leadership is hiding in Mekelle shivering to its bones out of fear. The blind devotees of the current mania seem to have become so encouraged by this move of TPLF leaders that they think the group can be very easily eliminated by one or two contingents of Federal Police. This is the "factual", which means, what really happened though unexpected. Think of the counter factual: What if TPLF top brass had refused to leave office quietly? Would a gun-battle have mowed them all down and the machos would have danced over their corpses? This is just a pipe dream. These people are so experienced with gun fights to the extent that they can see a bullet flying! Any attempt to subdue them by force could have plunged this Nation into a tsunami. Who is to be harmed as a result? Obviously millions of ordinary people of Ethiopia! Worse is the future of the Country would be at stake. Instead of hailing war cries for a battle that was never fought and won against the TPLF leadership it could have been wisdom of the highest level to be grateful to them for not plunging Ethiopia into a civil war by refusing to leave office. The feeling that they are few in number and can be "overpowered" doesn't make any sense. When it comes to battling it out it is the skilled hand that will get the upper hand!
