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If I were allowed a second God I would worship The TDF Kalayu Abrha 07-25-21
"Self-defense is a virtue, sole bulwark of all right" Lord Byron "Self-defense is not only our right; it is our duty" Ronald Reagan The reference to the 'army of angels', who are fighting to deliver Tigray from the quagmire it was plunged into by the egomaniacs and megalomaniacs at Arat-Kilo and Bahir Dar, as TDF is criminalized as an act of treason. That means one can get a death sentence or life imprisonment for referring to the army as TDF. Had this "law" been put in its proper context I would agree to its enforcement. If Sidama dubs its regional force as SDF, it is unquestionably illegal. The same holds true for the Amhara, Somali, Oromia and Harari forces. These regions have their rights protected as states of the Federation. No one in Ethiopia, including the Center, utter a word compromising the membership of these regions in the FDRE. Nothing is done or said to them that could be tantamount to declaring them as non-Ethiopians. Even if they openly express their hate for Ethiopia and stand against its rulers, as many in some opposition parties operating in these regions often do, no one dares or wants to alienate their regional states as non-Ethiopian. This is not a right enjoyed by Tigray. If Tigray does any of what opposition politics in other regions do it is treated differently. It is not tolerated as the rest are. Although the social psyche in Tigray is (was) more strongly bonded with Ethiopia, it is always accused of posing a threat to the very existence of Ethiopia. It is all the same whether Tigray does something good for or something bad to Ethiopia. It is just being Tigray that matters for the hate-blinded multitudes to brand it with all kinds of names as anti-Ethiopia. This has its roots in the past indicating that it is chronic. The great Tigrayan- Ethiopian scholar Gebrehiwot Baykedagn has written this sad statement as far back as a century ago: "Menilik did not consider Tegaru as his own people". This attitude of Arat-Kilo towards Tigray has been consistent throughout the century. The heirs of Menilik- Haileselassie and Mengistu- have inflicted harm on Tigray which no one would contemplate of doing on the people of other countries outside Ethiopia. Somalia had attacked and invaded Ethiopia more than twice; but Ethiopian troops did not enter Somalia to rape women, to rob, and destroy property and infrastructure, and reduce Mogadishu to Bekoji. Eritrea invaded Ethiopia, and Ethiopia won the war; but Ethiopian forces were withdrawn from Eritrean territory without raping women, destroying and looting property.
Tigray was invaded and devastated by allied domestic and foreign forces for a reason that is not sufficient even for a fist-fight. It is not the invasion by allied forces perse that is surprising. It is where and on who the invasion took place. Unlike Somalia and Eritrea Tigray is an integral part of the Federation with all due rights and privileges as a national regional state like all others. However, the nature of the invasion of Tigray has no precedent not only in Ethiopia but also the world over. Tigray was invaded and devastated in a way that was never attempted on Somalia and Eritrea, who had invaded Ethiopia and drained its human and financial resources. The message to Tigray and to the world is unmistakable. Accompanied by words, uttered by leaders and lay people alike, which clearly implied that Tigray is not Ethiopian, the unbelievable atrocity committed in Tigray has delivered a clear message to the people of Tigray that they don't belong in Ethiopia. They don't need to be told straight that they are not Ethiopians. Any language, including Amharic, has synonyms and figures of speech. Tigray has received all the synonyms and figures of speech that convey the message that Tegaru are not Ethiopians. Tigray also reads between the lines of the lethal statements that are crafted to seem legal. No message has come from Tigray so far that it is not part of Ethiopia. Tigray is sober and responsible society that does not catch the common cold of madness from its disoriented enemies. Tigray will take its time to ponder on this carelessly handled fragile issue. Leaving aside the pre-invasion name-calling on Tigray as if it were alien from another world, more than enough ammunition of words have been fired at this beleaguered nation more than enough to consider itself as non-Ethiopian. However, in the absence of official statement about this issue from Tigray Arat-Kilo is putting the blame for the "separation of Tigray" on Tigray itself. Angered and frustrated by the miraculous advance of the TDF and the world using the name in its reports Arat-Kilo thought it got a legal loophole to accuse Tigray of a separatist tendency. Here is Arat-Kilo's pointless point of argument: "A defence force is named as such only when that state is an independent state. Since Tigray is a Federal state of Ethiopia it cannot name its militia as a defence force". Well, Well, Well! Here we are! The name of the TDF, for the first time in three years, put the phrase "Tigray is Ethiopia" in the mouths of the Arat-Kilo real anti-Ethiopians. When did Tigray become Ethiopian for the rascals? When Tigray defeated them and is driving them to their doorsteps? When Tigray is weak it becomes non-Ethiopian; when it becomes strong it becomes Ethiopian. What kind of strange identification method is this? Who gave them the right to put Tigray in one category or the other? This is the exclusive right of Tigray to put itself wherever it will locate itself. If Tigray were considered as a state in the Federation Arat- Kilo would never never never invite foreign armies to crush it! During the allied invasion Tigray was not Ethiopia; after the mission of the invasion failed and Tigray rose from the ashes and posed a real threat to the scumbags it was declared as a part of Ethiopia!! (Hilarious laughter is recommended at this point). TDF was named as such not because Tigray claimed independence. Tigray is not a lawless society as its enemies are. Despite the bad things that happened to it Tigray has an established tradition of acting lawfully. The de-facto illiterate enemies of Tigray don't match Tigray on this. They act in a wild-west scenario. This is why law-abiding Tigray found its enemies difficult to handle. They are like a huge frying pan without a handle. Tigray has assured the Amhara people no revenge for mass killing, gang-rape, looting and property destruction. This is the difference between the savagery of the Amhara militia and the civilized TDA. It is about time that the difference has to be shown to the world and to the hypnotized Ethiopians and Eritreans. The reason why the 'Army of Angels" of Tigray is named TDF is because it is the only defence force currently operating in Ethiopia. This may puzzle readers, but it is the truth. The Ethiopian army is not a defence force, because while it is expected to defend Ethiopia from the Sudanese incursion and Eritrean invasion of northern Ethiopia, it is considering Sudanese incursion as a brotherly visit and the Eritrean invasion as a friendly support! So, what is the job of the Ethiopian army? To attack its own territories in Tigray and Oromia. The right name for the Ethiopian army is Ethiopian Attack Force (EAF). By the same token Eritrean Attack Force (EAF) and Amhara Attack Force (AAF). Did you get the point folks? The TDF is the only defence force of a special sort because it is defending Tigray ("north Ethiopia") from Ethiopians allied with foreign forces. Isn't this funny? Yes, it is funny, but you weep not laugh. This signifies the death of Ethiopia in the absence of a defence force at its borders and sick political comedians in the center. The latter have no idea that they are navigating the boat called Ethiopia on the still water above the waterfall! I said I would worship the TDF is not blasphemy. What is religion or faith or belief after all? Isn't it about virtue? Isn't it about justice? Isn't it about sacrifice for brutalized human beings? I would worship anyone who abandons his/her family, comfort, job, and everything else, to save people who are in grave danger of extermination. This is what the tens of thousands in the TDF are doing for Tigray's six million innocent souls. If I build churches all over the world for St. George who saved only one life from a dragon, shouldn't I build temples on the nine planets for such a rare bravery and sacrifice of “Saint" TDF to save six million Tegaru from genocide? What thrills me and takes me away to near blasphemy is the miracle that happened in Tigray in the last two months. A miracle is what you think is impossible to happen. This often serves as a confirmation for faith. From November to June the enemies were having fun with the elimination of the TPLF and took for granted the total submission of Tigray. Even the bandas were absolutely sure about this and started rampant corruption besides ill-treating their fellow poor Tegaru. We on the Tigray side were trapped between remote and dwindling hope and grinding hopelessness. Every day we watched videos of horror that dwarf the catastrophe in Yemen or Syria. Tomorrow became not a new day to thank God for it but another day of wailing mothers, charred and ruined Hidmos, lost livelihoods, drained and dusty faces of men and women who as well could have been our own parents or siblings. When I see a mother crying and waving hands at the death of its family members it reminds me of my mom who did the same thing when Italians killed her father and brothers and burned the house to the ground. OhTigray! Ethiopian and Italian soldiers do the same thing on it. In which country and continent is Tigray located? This is a new challenge for geographers and cartographers. Ethiopia rejects it and Africa neglects it!
When like the tsunami that rose suddenly and wreaked havoc to the entire Asian continent the TDF miraculously became like a bolt from the blues and devastated the allied forces and expanded the war arena to the entire northern quarter of Ethiopia. Neither the enemy nor we could believe what was going on. A young and inexperienced army of volunteers, motivated by the sheer desire to save their people and land from barbaric invaders is what has turned into a snowstorm. These young men and women are the second generation tegadelti. As a matter of devine intervention commanders of the first generation are still alive and strong enough to lead them into such resounding victories against the multiple enemies. Few, including we, believed that the former TPLF commanders would be healthy and strong enough to lead such an amazingly successful operation against the huge and well-armed enemy troops from all over Ethiopia. Merara Gudina used the weight gain of TPLF leaders, in his 2005 election debate, to make an unnecessary fringe point to his advantage. He said "TPLF is sure to go in this election; but its leaders are top overweight to go to the bush and fight again". In fact, this is too loose a tongue for a heavy-weight politician like him. I brought this issue here believing that Merara has chewed his tongue by the fact that it is the fat General Tsadkan who has designed the huge and intricate war theatre. Neither is General Abrha Dinkul, who is sending shivers to Art-Kilo from the Danakil, skinny. I say I worship the TDF because people normally feel humility towards something that overwhelms them. If people see something beyond their imagination, they would be short of words however much well versed they are with them. "Worshipping" came to my help to enable me express what I am unable to do with words. Otherwise, I remain a devout Orthodox Christian the Axumite-Ezana version. |