By Obang Metho,
When the ethnic apartheid rebels of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) went into the bush, they were motivated to do so in order to liberate their own ethnic group and region, that is Tigray.
The TPLF did not fight for the interest of Ethiopia, to liberate Ethiopia or for the well-being of the Ethiopian people, but only for their own tribal interests.
Their cousins, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF), did the same. The EPLF went to fight for the interest of Eritreans who wanted to liberate their region from Ethiopia. Many other groups were the same; for example, the Oromo Liberation Front fought for the interests of the Oromo. The same was duplicated by the people of Gambella, the Ogaden, Benishangul, Afar and elsewhere.
When the Dergue fell, had there been a body that represented the national interests of all Ethiopians, these self-appointed TPLF tribal leaders would have not had such an easy time to take over. The people of Ethiopia missed their opportunity and the tribal interests took over and remain in competition with everyone else.
Over the last 25 years, the TPLF have been promoting their tribal agenda and are not there for the national interests of the Ethiopian people. As a result of their narrow ethnic apartheid policy, they have not only put themselves at great risk of downfall, but in doing so, when they fall, if it is done in the wrong way, it could jeopardize all of the people of Ethiopia. This makes it imperative for the people of Ethiopia to come up with the body that cares for the well-being of the entire people so we might make a way for a different kind of transition. No one ethnic group will be free until we all are free.
Right now, Ethiopians have been divided by tribe; people don’t talk to each other, but only about each other. As previously mentioned, Ethiopians from all over the world express their fear that Ethiopia could turn into a Rwanda. This is the fruit of the tribal policy—its inevitable conclusion.
May He help us to see the beauty of the God-given humanity in others for then we will not be limited by our differences.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
No one knows why the late tyrant of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, decided to trash the image of the people of Tigray in the name of Ethnic Federalism. But, regardless of his motives the evidence shows not only he tarnished the image of the people beyond recognition, his stooges attempt to glamorize his legacy want to continue associating Tigray with corruption, atrocity and treachery. What went wrong with ethnic panhandlers? (Teshome Debalke)
