The decay of TPLF originates from its ideology

goEthio

What is ideology? It is a set of beliefs, or doctrines that back a certain social institution or a particular organization, or political party like Terrorist TPLF. Among the different beliefs and doctrines, Terrorist TPLF adheres to implement are self-determination and democratic centralism. They have used such doctrines to cease power for the past three decades. In this piece, we want to emphasize one of the dogmas TPLFites truly believe and act on it. Our goal is to challenge all Ethiopians, including the people in Tigray, to start to question these beliefs, doctrines, and thoughts. Why are they thinking like that? The real solution to win over TPLF springs from addressing the ideology.

One of the beliefs that exist among the warmongers in Ethiopia, like Terrorist TPLF, is “ድላችን በኃይላችን” (Dilachin behayilachin), meaning our victory is based on our power. This belief and attitude are deeper among the core members of the TPLFites. This is the result of the Marxist-Leninist ideology and philosophy. As they say among the communists, “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” This belief was not peculiar to the Terrorist TPLF; it was among all the youth generations of the 1950s and 1960s in Ethiopia. They have imported it from the east. What makes Terrorist TPLF different is that they applied the ideology to one ethnic group until today. First, they control the Tigray people with it fiercely, and then they used it to mobilize this ethnic group to go out and try to dominate or overpower others.

We wanted to mention also that Terrorist TPLF use some kind of philosophy too. What is philosophy? In its general meaning, according to philosophy web pages, “philosophy refers to looking at life in a pragmatic manner and attempting to understand why life is as it is and the principles governing behind it.” “Survival of the fittest” is one of their perspectives in life. It is rooted in the elements of the Darwinian evolutionary theory; as Darwin calls it “natural selection”, or “the preservation of favored races in the struggle for life”. It is a natural selection mechanism in nature. They used war and domination for their survival. These phrases are used by them frequently for justification: we are a minority, we are surrounded, and we need to survive. This is how they are trying to be pragmatic on the world stage.

As far as Terrorist TPLF is alive, war will never die out. They will fight for dominating. Let us give three pieces of evidence. The first example is fighting the Derg communist government. Even if the victory over the Derg was the result of many collation forces like Shabiya, the Amhara farmers, the ex-Derg militaries who were war “mirkegnach”, and the help of the Western and Arab countries, Terrorist TPLF took the glory and the benefit of that victory. They have bragged about it for over three decades. Many books are written on it. We at least remember “ተራሮችን ያንቀጠቀጠ ትውልድ” – literal translation – “the generation that shook the mountains.” They even created an impression on people both locally, regionally, and even globally that they are fighters.

Another example is the attack on the Northern command of the Ethiopian military on November 24 of 2020. Remember, the Northern command was almost 80 percent of the military in the country with 80 percent of the military hardware of the country. Dismantling this huge force can help them to control the central power again by force. This attack was initiated by the same belief “ድላችን በኃይላችን” (Dilachin behayilachin). It seems logical that if they manage to destroy the majority of the army in the country they can come back to power as they did on the huge Derg military. They managed to mobilize the youth.

However, the plan goes south for them. The other side overpowered them and they lost the war so quickly that they could not even comprehend how it happens so quickly at that time. One of the reasons was that the central government prepared itself differently, they used drones. The drones’ variable was not included in the Terrorist TPLF’s calculation. Terrorist TPLF is difficult to update itself and change swiftly. Their dogma position made them stubborn. Their earlier victories over Derg blinded them. They had no plan B at all. They preached one type of message for too long to their soul and that misguided them in their assessment of the real context. They had no clue that the government as well as the neighboring people whom they undermine consistently can crush them within a short time. Defeat is a bitter experience. They needed time and they got it.

After months of preaching to the people by saying “ኣብ ቃልስን መንገዲ ዓወትን ኣለና ዓወት ንምርካብ ድማ መስዋእቲ ክትከፍል ግድን እዩ” – meaning to get the victory, they have to sacrifice; they were able to mobilize the people against the army. They systematically attack again the army. The army left Tigray. They call it a victory. They did not stop there. Their plan and preparation from the beginning is to come back to Arat-Kilo, to cease the central power. And again, they used the ideology “ድላችን በኃይላችን” (Dilachin behayilachin). The word “ስዋእቲ” means those who die for the cause they deem so high. They are sacrificed for the greater good. To die for their cause is romanticized since the inception of TPLF. They lost the war again. The people of Afar, Amhara, and the different security apparatus of the country crushed them. The prime minister was on the war front, they expected him to flee like Mengistu, but he faced them on the war front. That mobilized the whole nation against them. They were crushed badly. Many precious young people were sacrificed for nothing.

This time, it was a huge humiliation for the Terrorist TPLF. They wanted to drag the government into a confrontation in their backyard. They had other plans too. They were intending to drag the international community to act on their behalf, but the government understood it and left them alone. As a consequence, they created enemies 360 degrees around. As time goes by, they felt the pain of the consequence of their ideology. Now they are using this to motivate the people for another round of war by saying “we are surrounded” and they need to break through. All things are indicating their preparedness to go to war with Asmera and even to the western side, to Welkait and the surrounding. Still preaching “ድላችን በኃይላችን” (Dilachin behayilachin), but this time it seems there are many people in Tigray as well as in the Diaspora who understood the drawback of the ideology “ድላችን በኃይላችን”.

War seems inevitable as far as Terrorist TPLF lives. The war is supported by a belief system. The way of life is created and imposed by the few core elements of Terrorist TPLF and it is highly and forcefully imposed on the Tigray people. Remember, a political party is not equal to the people in that region. Hence TPLF is not the same as the Tigray people. Party comes and goes. ኢሰፓ (EWP) came and disappeared. The Ethiopian people survived it. Terrorist TPLF will decay, but the people in Tigray will remain united with fellow citizens in Ethiopia as they are one of the stems of Ethiopianism.

The decay of Terrorist TPLF can happen only when the ideology weakens and dies out. For the Tigray to be free from the control of TPLF, they need another new message. The scholars and the youth have to come up with a new ideology or philosophy. It should be about equity, love, compassion, living together, and so on. They do not need to engage in war to dominate others. They can attain what they want with the right principle. Otherwise, if you take it by power, when you are weak, the others will take it by force. Hence, it is not a sustainable strategy and model that you are implementing. Stop the madness!

Sometimes there is victory in recognizing defeat also. You can at least leave in peace since you face the bitter truth and reality. Try peace; try collaborating with your neighbors, and work hard, you will help the people of Tigray to be victorious in life together with all their neighbors. They will be more autonomous as they recognize other fellow citizens equally. Anyone following the path of Terrorist TPLF repeats history itself. Do not try it!

 Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The

BY RAS TIBEBE

The   12 June 2022

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