Talk about ideas not about leaders.
Kalayu Abrha 01-11-21
Of course, it is the biggest news in decades that Sebhat Nega is arrested. He was "the master mind" of TPLF's achievements in the last four decades as he is referred to by his captors. It is true that he was a master mind, but one of the many master minds. His captors are singling him out as the only master mind in the TPLF because they wanted to enjoy public approval that they have cut TPLF's head forever. No one can deny that Sebhat Nega was the most consistent, unflinching, and tactical politician Ethiopia has ever seen. His energy and creativity do not wane through the years from younghood to old age. He has differences, even enmities, with many; but his firm stand about Tigray as a Nation is unshakable.
Is his arrest a loss for Tigray? Yes, no doubt about that. Is his arrest a victory for his captors? No, absolutely not! Sebhat Nega has never considered himself as an irreplaceable leader. He never acted like Napoleon or Alexander or Hitler or Jengis Khan, whose ends marked the end of what they stood for leading millions behind them. In his everyday life Sebhat Nega behaved like any ordinary person mingling easily with everyone. He never boasted that he was the mentor of Meles and all the other political and military leaders who were younger. At one time he was heard saying "In the TPLF we have a collective leadership". He meant to say TPLF is not Sebhat's, Debretsion's, Meles' party. It belongs to all its members; above all to all the people of Tigray. TPLF is unique in the sense that none of them escape criticisms in evaluation meetings. There are no fierce dogs unleashed by comrade Napoleon of animal farm against those who criticize the leadership. TPLF suffered from divisions after divisions because it was a party of equals. No one has absolute power to silence everyone else. This has weakened TPLF but that is how the idea it represents remained alive. This is what makes a party indestructible. Why? Because TPLF is an IDEA in an organizational form. The idea is SELF DETERMINATION. This idea is the noblest of all. All the struggles worldwide for liberation from oppression were for self-determination. In Ethiopia the idea that TPLF fought and paid tens of thousands for is already spread throughout Ethiopia and adopted by all of the nations and nationalities. It can never be undone!
Ethiopian governments never learn from history. The first
Woyane rebellion was crushed brutally involving natives against the Weyenti. A
lot of air bombardment, killing of civilians, looting was also intentionally
done to degrade the moral of the people and make sure that they will never rise
again. They thought the last nail on the coffin of Weyane was the capture and
exile of Blata Hailemariam (the leader of the rebellion). The reactionaries got
the whole thing wrong. They thought the rebellion was the result of Blata
Hailemariam's personal problem with Arat Kilo. They were convinced that if
Tigray is governed by natives with minds back at Arat Kilo there will never be
any trouble. However, the idea that underlies the Woyane rebellion remained
alive and simmering like a magma below the surface. Blata Hailemariam was sadly
missed, but Woyane never died. Ideas produce leaders endlessly. Yasir Arafat
died, Ghandi died, Martin Luther died, Che Guevera died, Socrates died, Meles
died, Dekike Estifanos died, the Apostles died, so on and on; but the ideas of
peace, liberation, self-rule, etc. remained bright polished by every next
generation. I would advice those who invaded Tigray to pause and think about
combating ideas with ideas not with bullets, raping and looting. The
invincibility of the idea of self-determination does not imply military
invincibility. TPLF could be defeated and its leaders arrested and killed. The
bravest of all men could be defeated if they are overwhelmed by all of the
national armies of two or more states. That is what is happening in Tigray.
However brave Tigray is it cannot withstand a "falling sky". It is a
cowardly invasion to say the least. I pity those who are boasting and
celebrating. The surprise and celebration should be when David defeats Goliath
not the other way round.