By Abraha Gidey

It is sad, very sad indeed to see the very fighters of TPLF are vehemently attacked and discredited by people near and around the so-called majority group. What has these people done other than coming with ideas or views, which are not in consent with the others? How is democracy defined both in organisational and societal level? Haven’t people got the right to express and dissent themselves from others? Do society or organisations entertain different views, thoughts and ideas? Should people be condemned and discarded as simple trashes as if they didn’t contribute in the making of organisations and their role in enhancing leadership roles? Have all the sacrifices people paid and especially in our society to get rid of dictatorship, oppression, ignorance, etc. and replace them with democracy, freedom, literacy etc. no value only for the simple reason of clinging to power? All the above questions are crucial for the very existence of a civil society based on tolerance and understanding. If we believe on the democratic principles of each and every citizen of a country, then we have to let people come into terms, give ways to discussions and convictions and properly accommodate “forbidden” ideas to surge. Otherwise, the very same idea, which our society fought and sacrificed for are extinguished by the same group forever, leaving people to live in a vicious circle of civil war, constant fear, harrasement, imprisonment.

The present scenario, where our beloved and self-sacrificing heroes of the people of Ethiopia, who for the last 26 years fought hard for the sake of the oppressed masses are thrown out from their public or organisational offices in unprecedented witch-hunt is very bad indeed. The reputation of the very organisation, known to entertain ideas and tolerate views have once for all gone. No one is going to believe the farce that their “walk out “ was the only reason or explanation for excluding and isolating them from the society in which they were serving and working for the implementation of their ideals, the ideals of the TPLF. Calling them names, demeaning and defaming them as “plotters”, “Marxists”, “die-harder”, “anti-west”, “against Yankees”, “racists”, “strolling about in field jackets” is not only pathetic but also shows the civility and minds of the propagandists. What the people of Tigray in particular and the people of Ethiopia in general know and witnessed is that these people have stood fast during the liberation movement, reconstruction of the war-torn economy and defence of the Motherland from Eritrean aggression.

The people of Tigray knows how their leaders, their real sons and daughters were living since the demise of the derg. They were not living in a whirl of pleasures with some still clothed in old jackets and shirts and no one with the right mind can accuse them of corruption! They were and are still heroes of the people and the people is proud to have them as its own leaders. No one has, if it is not in a dictatorship, to take away the responsibilities the people of Tigray vested in them. They have to be reinstated and perform their duties. Extra-judicial measures and non-constitutional methods of solving matters, mass-media and cadre orchestrated hate-propaganda are going to worsen the outcome of the crisis. Most of the people of the so-called “dissenters” have by one way or the other got their parents, brothers and sisters slaughtered by the fascist regime on the open just for the only reason that their son, brother or sister joined the armed struggle. And no one can ever show his/her gratitude by disseminating false information of the same people needing to dismantle TPLF as an organisation. TPLF is a broad-based popular front, which can neither be disorganised or organised by the whims of one person. These people have expressed the will and aspirations, because their daily activity and life is so much intermingled and interwoven with the people of Tigray. No one can ignore the truth, though a web of deceit, intrigue and lies is used to discredit the very people, whose responsibility is to hand over the banner and legacy of freedom to the coming generation.

No one would ever be humiliated forever, although some may think that they have gone the upper-hand just at this moment. And we know also how our people both in Ethiopia and abroad feel about this tragedy and we know how things can be changed overnight. History has shown us that in a country , where the cadre culture was an established order of the “democratic institution” and was a means of tightening control over the citizens, had no future. Cadres could be used for the time being for “averting serious problems”, such as in suppressing people’s revolt and democracy, but in the long run it is the people’s struggle, which gains the supremacy-the supremacy to govern by themselves without the involvement of the tools of tyranny. This and the factors behind rebellion are not hidden for the present leadership of the TPLF. Instead of quibbling over again and again and play dirty politics, it is time for the present leadership to reconsider its measures and try to sort out the differences in a sober and legitimate way. In a time, when the country is healing from the scars of war, waged by Shaibya and in a time, when we have the burning issues of hunger and reconstruction, it is not only irresponsible to take such drastic measures of expelling prominent people but looks as if someone is behind the curtain to destroy the country. The so-called majority group be brave to reconcile and take the steps as statesmen.