Zone 9 Bloggers
Zone9 Bloggers, together after their release. | Photo Zone9 Facebook page
I can’t think of any just cause than fighting for the rule of law against the jungle law TPLF imposed on the people of Ethiopia in the 21st century. But, let’s not get carried away only bashing the mercenary Apartheid regime. We aren’t free of imposing our own jungle law on the democratic struggle to institute the rule of law either.
After living under the jungle law for as far as we remember, it seems; we are becoming immune to tell the difference between the two for the benefit of the lawless Woyane regime.
The last time around the military junta-Derg with the help of its Marxist elites told us; we are too ignorant to know the rule of law or democracy until we understand Marxist Revolutionary Democracy and reduced us as a collection of peasants that can’t live without their protection. Back then, we were classified as peasants and landlords and petty bourgeoisies and the exploited to turn our Ethiopia into the killing fields of the politburo assassins.
When that was over, the self-declared ethnic Apartheid Mafia that professed to be Tigray People Liberation Front with the help of its Marxist ethnic elites said; we are too ignorant to know our identity and the rule of law or democracy until we understand ethnic Revolutionary Democracy and reduce us as a collection of helpless tribes we can’t live without its protection. This time; we are classified by tribes of the oppressor and oppressed Nation and Nationality to reduce our Ethiopia into an ethnic Apartheid police state ruled by corrupt ethnic warlords-racketeers and central committee assassins.
Here we are in the 21st century under ethnic Apartheid jungle law where the rule of law and democracy became a luxury at enormous cost to our people again.
To make matters worse, our ethnic political elites continue to cry for liberation and self-determination from the same ethnic mercenary that drummed up the same liberation and self-determination with contempt for the rule of law and democracy to get to power.
TPLF is a mercenary group; it can’t be reformed, it must be dismantled
You may wonder who made such profound statement and why I raised it in relation to the rule of law.
It is reinforce; the rule of law and democracy will never see the day under a mercenary ethnic Apartheid regime no matter how we wished it or skirt it.
And, believe it or not; the statement was the slogan of Ethiomedia, a self-proclaimed Ethiopian Media in the name only. Though no explanation was given why it rightly believed TPLF is a mercenary group or what changed to remove the statement, it revile the jungle law is epidemic in our society.
But, any sensible Ethiopian would agree; TPLF indeed was, is and will continue to be a lawless mercenary group since its inception. Not because it wake up one morning to be a mercenary group but, from its inception it was established as one. Therefore, expecting the rule of law from a mercenary group mandated to cause havoc on the people of Ethiopia is like asking it to commit suicide. But, TPLF is not alone. Any ethnic and religious based regime or group naturally is in direct confrontation with the rule of law and democracy in line with any dictatorship at best or a mercenary at worst.
Be warned not to be misled thinking; the havoc the mercenary TPLF regime causing is the daylight robbery that is obvious for a necked eye. Nor; distracted by the atrocities it commits in destroying the lives and livelihoods of millions of Ethiopians that comes with a job description of a mercenary to accomplish its grand mission. Quite to the contrary; TPLF’s primary mission is to leave a permanent scar in the psychic of Ethiopians not to see eye-to-eye with each other to live together in peace under the rule of law and democracy as one people and a nation by reducing us as hapless colonized subjects with no pride, shared history or a nation we call our own as the colonialists attempted and failed. That is the kind of dirty job only mercenaries are capable of doing.
Such an indictment might surprise many that have been taken for a fool by elaborate propaganda of the mercenary regime but, it is real.
One thing all Ethiopians should recognize is; TPLF primary targets are the youth. It has no interest in the old to accomplish its ethnic Apartheid mission it was entrusted to implement. Therefore, by marginalizing the old (history, culture, unity, tolerance, love of country…) by reinventing the youth identity to think tribal and non-Ethiopian they call their own, it managed to do enough damage and some. Just looking at its obsession to control the Medias for its Apartheid propaganda mission is sufficient to show TPLF is indeed is a mercenary regime not an ordinary dictatorship we think and, the prove is all around us.
Ethiopian state, and which differ in race, language, culture and religion from the ruling minority of the Abyssinians proper, would long ago have thrown off the Abyssinian yoke if they had been given the right of self-determination
Once again, you would be surprise to know who wrote this dreadful statement. No, it was not the mercenary TPLF as you would rightly suspect. Nor; it is the usual ethnic and religion peddling contemporary political elites; tough what they say and do is identical. Apparently, it was the Nazi Baron Roman Prochazka, an Austrian envoy to Ethiopia kicked out for spying 1934 in a book he wrote titled “Abyssinia the Powder Barrel” (Vienna 1935) a year before the official second invasion of Ethiopia by Fascist Italy and the subsequent occupation and promotion of tribalism under the notorious Fascist Marshal Benito Mussolini in 1936 to weaken Ethiopians unity and sustain colonial rule.
The defeat of the Fascist Mussolini regime again 1941 and his subsequent execution 1943 left his local Ethiopian Banda elites that served him with distinction as war criminals against the people of Ethiopia. Hundreds of pictures and videos captured from the surrendering Fascists for the allied force led by the British showed the atrocities of Fascist and the shameful act of Ethiopian Banda elites were released not long ago under the Freedom of Information Act.
Thirty three years later (1974) and Fifty years after Fascist’s defeat (1941-1991) TPLF was established and occupied Ethiopia respectively to do essentially the same.
After over two decades of TPLF’s Apartheid rule, Ethiopians defiance to thwart its tribal mission cost many Ethiopians their lives and livelihoods. Zone 9 bloggers were among many that earned terrorism charge and a year-and-half of their lives and the torments under TPLF’s gulags simply for being Ethiopians.
Abel Wabela statement better describes the mercenary TPLF’s mission in line with Fascist’s agenda during the occupation;
ጥቅል ማንነት ነው እንጂ የሚገዛኝ የብሔር ታርጋ ሊለጠፍብኝ አይገባም ብዬ መርማሪዎቼ ልዩ ፍጡር መስያቸው ሲደበድቡኝ አምሽተዋል::
The depth of Abel’s statement might not be understood by many that don’t follow the mercenary TPLF crimes against the people of Ethiopia from its inception to the helm of power. It is partly because of the elaborate ethnic propaganda it spread on the public airwaves and the cyberspace it controls and with the help of its ignorant mercenary cadres at home and around the world.
But, here it worth to note; TPLF’s tormentors’ (the supposedly Ethiopian security agents) interest on the ethnicity of Zone 9 bloggers and many other Ethiopians charged with terrorism tells– the primary mission of the mercenary group organized as Tigriy People Liberation Front since its inception was not liberation nor self-determination but, to promote tribalism disguised as Federal Nation and Nationality to divide Ethiopians in line with the Fascist regime’s agenda. Therefore, being Ethiopian is a crime under the mercenary led TPLF regime as it was under Fascist occupying regime.
Many Ethiopian youth may not be aware of the origin of TPLF’s ethnic agenda and the unfinished business of colonialists on Ethiopia. Evidently, the shameful-history of Ethiopian Banda elites during Fascist’s occupation explains the origin of TPLF as a mercenary group to reduce Ethiopians into collection of ‘tribes’ under ‘Abyssinia yoke’; as the Austrian Nazi Baron Roman Prochazka put it and TPLF warlords utter and practice it. Unfortunately, it is not only TPLF but, handful of other groups chooses to drum up Fascist’s slogan on the only independent people and nation of Africa that defeated the colonial tribal agenda. Parenthetically, all agree with the colonialists’ version of history, timeline and victims and victimizers of Ethiopians.
It all started at
the General Act of the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 that convened to formalize the
Scramble for Africa between seven European nations. ‘The conference ushered in a period of heightened colonial activity by European powers, which eliminated or overrode most existing forms of African autonomy and self-governance’, according to the record.
The Berlin conference of 1884-1885 and Africa map after the invasion of Africa
About eleven years later (1896) Ethiopia under Emperor Menelik II officially defeated the Italian colonial army in the Battle of Adwa, Northern Ethiopia– just seven years after he came to the throne in 1889. A year later of the Adwa victory (1897)—after warning the British not to encroach on his territory his three front expedition army march south, west and east front to defend the Ethiopian territory.
Had Ethiopians under Emperor Meneilk II failed to defend the territorial integrity of their nation and the independence of their people against the colonial powers by defeating Italy in Adwa in the north and defending the southern, western and eastern territory; the legendary Emperor wouldn’t be the target of the mercenary TPLF group and separatists movements’ slander to date.
The question is; what is the real motive driving TPLF and other ethnic separatist movements to institute tribalism in Ethiopia in the name of liberation and self-determination? Could it be they recent; in the word of the Nazi Baron Roman Prochazka “being forcibly kept cut off from European influences and from the advantages that progressive colonization could confer upon the country”? Or could it also be they are the children of the ‘Banda’ privileged elites of the time that lost their status of the Mussolini occupying regime like the late Melse Zenawi, his wife Azeb Mesfin and many TPLF’s leaders’ family?
There is sufficient evidence for historians to explore further to the background of TPLF leaders and separatist groups. But, the European colonialists’ invasion and occupation and the tribal divide that followed illustrates; the old colonialists have ‘unfinished business with Ethiopians and it appears they are back at it again like never before, thanks to TPLF that came 100 and 50 years later after the first and the second invasion to promote the defeated colonialists’ ambition on Ethiopians.
The fact — reducing Ethiopian’s history to 100 years to fit with the defeated colonialists’ invasion and promotion of tribalism in the name of Federalism is a good indication why it was outsourced to the mercenary TPLF once again.
Though Fascist practiced tribalism on Ethiopians during the five year occupation to weaken Ethiopians unity, what the British did in present day Kenya (renamed in 1920) better illustrates the policy of colonialists’ tribal divide of Africans to maintain permanent occupation of their respective occupied territories that produce the boundaries of Africa and the conflicts that is raging to this day.
“In their colonial conquest, the British followed a policy of divide and conquer, allying with some African groups against others. The Masai, who had suffered a series of 19th-century civil wars over water and grazing rights and had lost much of their livestock to disease and drought, were one group with whom the British allied in order to impose their rule. To aid colonial administration, the British divided Kenya’s Bantu-, Nilotic-, and Cushitic-speaking peoples into ethnic classifications based on linguistic variations and locality. Thus, specific ethnic subgroups, called “tribes,” were created in a form that had not existed previously. The ethnic groups were assigned to live in separate areas of the colony. Within each subgroup, colonial administrators designated one “chief,” who became responsible for collecting taxes levied by the colonial state.”
Thus, the ‘success’ of the British colonialist’s invasion, occupation and tribal divide in Kenya and many other nation failed in Ethiopia, thanks to the skillful defense of the nation by Ethiopians under Emperor Menilk II leadership. But, as noted above; colonialists’ tribalism continued to define Africa to date and continue to be an instrument of divisions and conflicts thus instability.
To understand the colonial ‘scramble for Africa’ right after the Berlin Conference and Ethiopian’s dilemma how to defend her territory and unity of her people from all direction under the threat of European colonialists’ invasion read
Ethiopia through the Russian Eyes: An eye-witness account of the end of an era, 1896-98 consisting of two books by Alexander Bulatovich: From Entotto to the River Baro (1897) and with the Armies of Menelik II (1900) Translated by Richard Seltzer.
Menelik army march to defend the southern front happened a year after Fascist Italy was defeated in the Battle of Adwa 1896 at enormous cost to the lives and resources of Ethiopians.
It says;
“The twenty-thousand-strong, excellently equipped corps of Anglo-Egyptian troops under Kitchener was already on the way to Khartoum, the fall of which seemed inevitable. The detachment of Major MacDonald was supposed to advance from the south, from Uganda, toward a rendezvous with him, to take the whole upper course of the Nile, the course of the River Juba and the mouth of the River Omo emptying into Lake Rudolf.
To thwart the plans of her opponent, France, in turn, equipped several expeditions which were supposed to cut off the path of the English, hoisting the French flag on the banks of the Nile.
With this aim, from the west, from French Congo, the insignificant March and expedition advanced toward the Nile, and from the east across Abyssinia, the expedition of Clochette and Bonchamps set out to meet it.
But aside from France and England, there was also a third power interested in the question of the possession of the middle course of the Nile — Ethiopia. And her emperor in the spring of 1897 openly announced to the British Envoy Extraordinary Reynold Rhodes that he considers his boundaries “2o and 14o north latitude, the shore of the ocean on the east, and the right bank of the Nile on the west,” and that he will support these claims of his with all his might.”
After the defeat of colonialism and tribalism agenda of the Berlin Conference on Ethiopia we can look at how colonialists (Italy, British and France) began undermining Ethiopia from their respective occupied territories in East Africa. Italy occupied territory (Eritrea) from the North and South East (Somalia), British occupied territory from South (Present day Kenya) and South East (Somaliland) southwest-(Sudan) and French occupied territory from the East (Djibouti) against the only independent African nation that defended her territorial integrity and unity of her people in defiance of the Berlin Conference of the then the major world powers.
After we understand what happened then — followed by the second invasion and occupation (Second Rape of Ethiopia 1936-41) by Fascist Italy and the attempt to divide and rule Ethiopians by tribes explains why the formation of TPLF as a mercenary group (33 years later in 1974) and the occupation (50 years later 1991) to accomplish the failed mission of the colonialist as we are witnessing now. It not only illustrates the identical narratives TPLF uses and practices in line with the old Africa’s colonialists including the defeated Fascist and the new Arab depots’ that supported TPLF’s tribal and religion divide to this day.
Looking at few documentations of what Fascist Italy had in mind in the second invasion to avenge its humiliated defeat of 1896 in Adwa that thwarted the colonialists’ ambition in the south, east and west of Ethiopia led by Emperor Meneilk II shows the undisputed fact to instigate tribalism to dived Ethiopians’ unity to avoid another humiliating defeat as documented by many. It is a window of opportunity for every Ethiopian to understand why TPLF and a handful of separatist movements emerged and behave the way they do to these day to undermine Ethiopians and Ethiopia.
Prof. Aleme Eshete in an article, The Origin of Tribalisation of Ethiopian Politics: From Fascism to Fascism; quoted a book written by the Austrian Nazi Baron Roman Prochazka titled “Abyssinia the Powder Barrel” (Vienna 1935). The Italian translation of Prochazka book was titled Abissina Pericolo Nero meaning Abyssinia the Black Threat or Danger “right before the invasion of Fascists in 1936.
Prochazka was ‘posted for two years as Austrian envoy in Addis Ababa until his expulsion in February 1934’, according to the article and, his book was published a year later. A year after and 40 years later since Fascist’s defeat in 1896; the official Fascist’s invasion of Ethiopia began 1936. ‘. The book reads;
“The numerous peoples and tribes who inhabit the territory of the Ethiopian state, and which differ in race, language, culture and religion from the ruling minority of the Abyssinians proper, would long ago have thrown off the Abyssinian yoke if they had been given the right of self-determination. Instead, they are being forcibly kept cut off from European influences and from the advantages that progressive colonization could confer upon the country. The final aim of (Abyssinian) policy of antagonism to the white race, in co-operation with Japan, is nothing less than to act as the champions of all the colored peoples of Africa. It is incumbent on the legations of the civilized nations in Abyssinia to warn their governments to take a definite stand before the Abyssinians attack and destroy western culture and civilization in its entirety. There is no such thing as a united Abyssinian people. The greater part of the non-Christian tribes in Abyssinia has no more burning desire than to be freed from the tyranny of the Amharas… If they would vote freely they would certainly prefer a European protectorate to universally hated extortionists and slave drivers. This country is cracking at all its joints and has only been kept together up to the present by methods of ruthless coercion.”
Therefore, the Nazi-Fascist propaganda of tribalism of politics in Ethiopia officially began in the second invasion and occupation of Fascist Italy 1936. But, the second ‘rape of Ethiopia’ ‘failed again when Fascist was defeated and the tribalism agenda died with it at the end of the Second World War. But, one remarkable fingerprint Fascism left behind was ethnic ‘Amhara’ bogyman the Austria Nazi Baron Roman Prochazka created and Fascist Italy implemented during the five year occupation and the arbitrary ethnic regional boundaries of Ethiopia it drew (see the map below). Another forgotten history is the Bandas’ elites’ role in tribalism of their people in the service of the occupying fascist force.
Three things are worth mentioning in the book to understand the mentality of Nazi-Fascist at the time and the blue print of what the mercenary TPLF-Woyane repeats to date.
Fascist Italy administration map of Italian East Africa (Italian: Africa Orientale Italiana) was an Italian colony established in 1936. It was formed through the merger of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea the rest of occupied Ethiopian Empire. On the right ‘The Rape of Ethiopia 1936’ by AJ Barker
1st Nazi-Fascist’s propaganda “Ethiopian state, and which differ in race, language, culture and religion from the ruling minority of the Abyssinians proper, would long ago have thrown off the Abyssinian yoke if they had been given the right of self-determination”
Here, the Nazi-Fascist were repeating what Colonialists did 50 years earlier after the Berlin Conference agreed to formalize the invasion and occupation of Africa by dividing the people by tribes and in some cases by religion where it applies that failed in Ethiopia. But, it opened another front; the defeat of colonialism in Ethiopia was because ‘Abyssinia yoke’ that held the Ethiopian people “forcibly kept cut off from European influences and from the advantages that progressive colonization could confer upon the country” narratives that is used by TPLF and separates movements today.
By reducing the sacrifices of Ethiopians across the nation to defend their independence and the integrity of their nation’s territory into mere tribal spectators of victims of Emperor Menilk II — the war of tribal divide as an instrument to subdue Ethiopians began. In another words, the ‘white’ colonizers that came from Europe to subjugate our people by dividing them by tribe posed as liberators from their own leaders. Ironically, TPLF mercenaries often repeat the same thing in public and incorporated in its manifesto and in the ethnic Apartheid administration it set up.
2nd Nazi-Fascist’s propaganda “The final aim of (Abyssinian) policy of antagonism to the white race, in co-operation with Japan, is nothing less than to act as the champions of all the colored peoples of Africa. It is incumbent on the legations of the civilized nations in Abyssinia to warn their governments to take a definite stand before the Abyssinians attack and destroy western culture and civilization in its entirety.”
Here is where the gist of the colonialists’ real hatred of Ethiopians shows and why the tribal divide to weaken their unity was necessary. For defending their country and independence from foreign invaders and colonizers; Ethiopians were labeled ‘antagonizing the white race’ and ‘acting as the champion of all color peoples of Africa’ under occupation; contradicting the first propaganda. The irony is; defending your country from foreign invader was framed as ‘antagonizing the white race’ — the bases TPLF was formed as a separatist group to drum up the same tribal divide and calling Ethiopian rulers as invaders and colonizers of their own people in line with the Nazi-Fascist’s propaganda.
3rd Nazi-Fascist propaganda “The greater part of the non-Christian tribes in Abyssinia has no more burning desire than to be freed from the tyranny of the Amharas… If they would vote freely they would certainly prefer a European protectorate to universally hated extortionists and slave drivers.”
Here came the main strategy of Fascist Italy — creating a ‘bogyman’ Amara (victimizer) and non-Christian tribes and the rest (victims) that resonates to this day and practiced by TPLF to date. Carefully reading the book (a must read), it appears the source of TPLF’s manifesto was copied out of the Nazi-Fascist’s book and practiced as we speak.
The creation of ‘Amhara’ tribe TPLF and separatist ethnic elites followed ever since their inception was meant an assault on the unity of Ethiopians that was defeated and why TPLF was recruited and supported to successfully occupy Ethiopia to accomplish the failed mission of ethnic divide — reinforcing;
TPLF is a mercenary group, it can’t be reformed it must be dismantled
But, that is not the whole mission and the ‘crimes-of-all-crimes’ of the mercenary TPLF against the people of Ethiopia in proportion of the colonialist’s crime on other African people. TPLF’s intellectual elites that mastermind to disfranchise Ethiopians made sure permanent division and animosity is implemented in the name of the people of Tigray –another group as bogyman.
That is why TPLF control the public Medias and other Medias masquerading as private to drum up tribalism to accomplish the grand mission of legitimizing TPLF ethnic Apartheid rule in the name of Tigray. Among the private Media; Walta Information Center and Fana Radio owned and operated by TPLF warlords to promote tribalism and racketeering nationally and internationally and many other regional Medias led by the voice of Tigray.
Quite frankly, substituting the occupying Fascist’s administration propaganda with TPLF would have very little difference. Unfortunately,
the shameful-history of Ethiopian elite Fascist Italy left behind in-northern-Ethiopia happened to be the birth place of TPLF that instigated tribal rule and the racketeering economy on Ethiopians in the name of the people of Tigray. Closer look to the participating self-proclaimed ‘Tigryian’ elites’ on the Third Rape of Ethiopia reviles their complicity and excessive corruption and the emergence of modern Banda class to serve ethnic Apartheid rule.
Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone why TPLF and its surrogates fears Ethiopian’s unified force to emerge and defeat the colonialist-tribal agenda again. From Andenet, Knijit, UDJ and Blue Party, to ENASF, ESAT or anything Ethiopian became a treat for TPLF tribal proxy war it is waging on the people of Ethiopia as it was for colonial powers.
The bigger tragedy of history particularly for Africans is how modern ‘Banda elites’ reduced the gallant Ethiopian leaders of all walks of life and regions of Ethiopia that honorably defended their country in unity, valor and honor into defenseless tribes with no history of bravery, leadership ability and love of country and people to defend the integrity of their country and people from colonial invaders but, helpless victims of their own leaders that didn’t contribute anything in the history of the independence of their people and nation from colonial invitation, occupation and subjugation.
If history is to witness; such insult of the Ethiopians is the worst treachery the mercenary TPLF elites inflicted on our people in particular and Africans in general — reducing every Ethiopian family’s contribution and sacrifice in defense of their country and people as nothing more than hapless victims of their own leaders with no roles but, spectators. In other words, only ‘Amharas’ were responsible defending the independence of the nation and her people from colonization while the rest of Ethiopians would have preferred, in the word of the Nazi Prochazka “European influences and the advantages that progressive colonization could confer upon the country”
In addition, the progressive colonization Prochazka claiming was practiced by the occupying Fascist then as TPLF does now.
“Contemporary testimonies, documents and some photographs (e.g. Mignemi, 1982, pp. 180-188, 207-211) eloquently inform us about the true nature of this historical episode. Indiscriminate massacres, mutilation and emasculation of corpses, widespread execution of some of the worst aspects resistance fighters, torture and confinement of Ethiopians in concentration camps (including women and children), use of poison gas at a mass scale, and air bombings are of fascist colonialism.”
He goes on;
“On the one hand, seizing the slavers’ mansion fitted well the fascist rhetoric, since the Italians presented themselves as the liberators of the oppressed peoples of Abyssinia (Sbacchi, 1985, p.14). For this reason, Italian generals stressed in their proclamations the banning of slavery: one of Marshall Badoglio’s manifestos reads: “Slavery is an advance of ancient barbarity and where the Italian flag waves there cannot be slavery” (quoted in L’Italia in Etiopia , 1936, p. 187). It is worth mentioning that Benishangul and Gubba were actually mentioned by Mussolini in one of his inflammatory newspaper articles, as victims of Abyssinia (Mussolini, 1936)”.
He continued on;
“Besides, Italian fascism—as it is often the case with totalitarian ideologies—emphasized youth, progress and permanent renovation as paramount values. In line with this thought, a huge effort of modernization was carried out and Ethiopia was endowed with infrastructures, including some 3,500 km of roads. People, however, tend to forget that these infrastructures were built not out of a philanthropic impulse, but in order to control the country and facilitate its economic exploitation. Fascism not only constructed a powerful image of a progressive colonialism, but, as other contemporary colonialism, it emphasized the humane side of the whole enterprise (Lauro, 1940)”. 5
He goes on exploring how fascist use and abused Regional Chiefs to dismantle Ethiopia just like TPLF-Woyane does now. For instance;
On THE WAR OF THE END OF THE WORLD- the example of Benishangul-Gumuz, in western Ethiopia
“The landscape of Benishangul-Gumuz is undulating and covered by a thick savannah and bamboo woodland. The local inhabitants are mostly swidden-cultivators belonging to the Nilo-Saharan family: the Bertha to the south of the Nile and the Gumuz to the north. During the Italian occupation, the north was comprised in the Amhara Region, and the south in the Galla and Sidama Region—the Italians dismantled the old administrative divisions in Ethiopia and created others based on ethnicity.
Bhabha (1994, pp. 100-101) notes that colonial discourse had as a predominant strategic function “the creation of a space for ‘subject peoples” through the production of knowledge in terms of which surveillance is exercised”. This space of subjection was much more physical than Bhabha’s text allows us to think. Although Italian efforts to enforce a strict racial divide were never totally accomplished (Sbacchi, 1985, pp. 167-168), attempts at segregation were obvious in the cities enlarged and refurbished by the Italians (cf. Schiassi, 1942), but also in settler farms, military bases and the smallest outposts. 16
By occupying the forts (the only substantial buildings in the whole region) and giving them new use, the Italians were presenting themselves as fighters against slavery and, at the same time, they were linking themselves to generations of alien rulers. As in Gubba, their rule was embodied in the historicity of the landscape and thus naturalized. The physical occupation of meaningful places was fundamental for the production of a colonial order based on the constant reworking of similarities and differences. The same appropriations occur elsewhere: in Asosa, the Italian buildings were erected beside the palace of Sheikh Khojele, paramount chief of Benishangul and slave trader (Abdussamad Ahmad, 1999, pp. 437-438). In Gondar, the capital of Ethiopia in the 17and 18th centuries, the Italians designed a monumental and rationalist piazza which was connected by a landscaped avenue to the castles of the Abyssinian kings” 17
“Along with food, cloth is the other way in which colonialism was inscribed in its subjects. Cloth plays an ambiguous role. Thus, although askaris were given uniforms, they helped characterize them as exotic Others, with a mixture of European, local and vaguely “Oriental” elements that fitted the colonial imagination (see Zorzetto, 2004 FIGURE 14)” 19
With all these evidence of the crimes of colonialists in general and Italian Fascist invention and occupation of Ethiopia in particular and the similarities with the TPLF led Apartheid regime’s use of the same Amhara and Menilik by ignoring the Fascist’s crimes and ambition to divide Ethiopians illustrates; TPLF is the extension of Fascist hired as a mercenary.
Take for instant Sheikh Khoiele, Chief of Benishangul and slave trader like other Regional Chiefs in many regions of Ethiopia Emperor Minilk II attempted to abolish and failed. Have you heard TPLF’s mercenaries or other ethnic separatists elites mention them when they undermine Emperor Menelik just like Fascist in particular and colonialist in general tried and failed?
The Rape of Ethiopia 1936: Ballantine’s Illustrated History of the Violent Century (1971) by
AJ Barker; another book that shade light of where contemporary ethnic elites got their history education and political orientation of tribalism.
The million dollar question is; why contemporary ethnic elites led by TPLF want to repeat the colonialists’ crimes against the people of Ethiopia by pitting one with another and picking and choosing what suits their own or foreign agenda?
Therefore, Woyane/TPLF undoubtedly is a product of the Fascist Banda generation led by the late Melse Zenawi in the ongoing Rape of Ethiopia. Can the supporters and apologists of the mercenary group escape responsibility from the crime of the century? How about a handful of separatist groups organized in the name of liberation and self-determination from Ethiopia ruled by the former separatist and mercenary TPLF turn government? Can they explain to Ethiopians they claim to represent why they adapt the Fascist’s narrative of history — cherry-picking what advance their political expediency and disclose what they want to do with our people they claim to represent after their ‘liberated’ them?
The Fascist’s creation of ethnic bogyman to accomplish what was defeated over-and-over again is being repeated by TPLF warlords. Already, the mercenary group accomplished the first stage of segregating Ethiopians by tribe and boundaries. A few other separatist groups drew their own tribal boundaries — opening the door for endless conflicts to come on Ethiopians as it was intended by the Berlin Conference of 1884. Real or imagined boundaries matter not the people on both side of the divide they create just like colonialist did to Africans –leaving the people on the divided line in what looks like a child drawing of the African map.
Ethiopians have a lot on our plate. In one hand we must stop the mercenary TPLF-Woyane’s colonial agenda of dividing our people sooner than later. In other, scrutinizing separatist groups’ tribal agenda — knowing well what it did throughout Africa by demanding they disclose who is behind them. It is the responsibility of every living Ethiopian to make them Face the Nation.
The damage the mercenary TPLF’s brought on the people of Ethiopia can be better described by unidentified self-professed Tigriyan in a meeting TPLF warlords held a few months ago in the Ethiopian Embassy, Washington DC with the exclusively ‘Tigriyan’ supporters in Diaspora.
The man asked; not in the Tigrigna but in Amharic for all Tigriyian audience;
የትግራይ ህዝብ ከፍተኛ መስዋዕትነት ከፍሎ እያለ “የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ፣ ብሄር ብሄረሰቦች ለምንድነው የሚጠሉን?” “ዲሞክራሲና አንድነትን የማንፈልግ የሚመስላቸው ለምንድን ነው?”
The question alone shows the success of the mercenary TPLF regime that brought tribalism where Fascist Italy failed 50 and 100 years ago respectively.
It also shows the superb job and the result of TPLF elaborate propaganda to keep its confined ethnic audience particularly in the Diaspora ignorant enough to make such a bizarre statement. The propaganda infrastructure TPLF built around the world and the depth of ignorant among its segregated supporters bribed to be used and abused as a Weapon of Mass Distraction against their own people and country is unprecedented.
Therefore, in the mind of a typical TPLF supporter; TPLF/Woyane is a freedom fighter that liberated Tigrians from Ethiopians/Amharas and by default the rest of the ‘tribes’ of Ethiopia and brought growth and development. Therefore, the ignorant supporter/cadre asked the warlords the right question contrary to what he was told. He even confesses the version of democracy and unity and Ethiopians’ hate for Tigryans told by the propaganda gurus of the mercenary TPLF regime that infested the airwaves and the cyberspace.
Such unprecedented crimes on the people of Ethiopia in general and in the Tigray region in particular is the result of ignorance of how, by who and for what TPLF was established. The record show, TPLF is an extension of the Fascist’s unfinished business to weaken Ethiopians and subjugate and exploit using Amharas as a bogyman as the Nazi Baron described it in his book and using Tigrians as a tool to accomplish its mission.
But, in the mind of the rest of Ethiopians TPLF/Woyane is a mercenary group with a mission to divide Ethiopians by ethnicity in order to weaken our unity to ransack our country on behalf of its enablers.
Therefore, the crybaby TPLF ethnic elites that instigated the whole crime against Ethiopians refused to surrender for democratic rule and choose to crank up tribalism to keep the Apartheid regime afloat by incriminating one Ethiopian against another. It is a classic example of what colonialist did throughout Africa.
The message of the unidentified ignorant supporter/cadre was clear—as long as TPLF is around; tribalism is here to stay on the expense of the people of Ethiopia and in name of Tigray to the benefit of the mercenary TPLF-Woyane warlords and their enablers.
If anyone has any doubt TPLF-is a mercenary group doing the colonialist bidding by now; he or she is the beneficiary of the ethnic Apartheid rule or complete ignorant of TPLF’s history and agenda.
What should Ethiopians do?
It is simple; in a word of Zone 9 bloggers;
All we did was write and strive for the rule of law because we want to see the improvement of our country and the lives of its citizens
In the word of Patriotic – Ginbot 7 and all united democratic movements, no government is legitimate until the people vote for it.
The Rule of law of the people VS. the Jangle law TPLF is the one-and-only thing up on us. It is the difference between the democracy of the people to come and the anarchy of Woyane we live under.
At the end of the day, it is the rule of law that would set us free not the elaborate TPLF propaganda of or the political maneuvers of the elites to sustain the jungle law. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every living Ethiopian, particularly the youth to fight for respect of the rule of law and demand the democratic credential of the political elites beyond rhetoric and slogan.
As the rehabilitation of the mercenary TPLF led Apartheid regime to thwart the united Ethiopian democratic force is underway, Ethiopians must be particularly vigilant and draw the line on the sand on those that wage ethnic and religious war against our people like the fascist did and failed because our forefathers said no.
Ethiopians have no enemy except those that promote the jungle law, tribalism and corruption on the expenses of our people. The mercenary TPLF regime happened to be one ever since Fascist was defeated for the same crime four decades ago.
If zone 9 Bloggers are brave enough to suffer for the rule of law in the hand of the ethnic Apartheid regime, what is wrong with the rest of us not to speak up in solidarity with them and the democratic movements?
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The article is dedicated for Zone 9 bloggers and many others they left behind in the dungeons of TPLF for calling for the rule of law and for crime of being Ethiopians. In the eye of TPLF being Ethiopian is a crime of terrorism. Whether our compatriots of the Muslim faith, democratic patriots or journalists it is not your faith, political stand or profession TPLF is after but, Ethiopiawinet that defeated colonialists’ tribal agenda. sourse http://ecadforum.com/
