Tigray Conflict: Lessons Learnt

News:

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali on Wednesday, 4 November 2020, announced a military offensive in the northern region of Tigray. The military campaign was alleged to target Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)’s leadership.

Comment:

The Tigray conflict has exposed the true essence of the failed secular democratic system. It is a despicable and shambolic system that exists to secure personal benefits and interests. In the process causing immeasurable disasters. This latest conflict is not the first nor the last to occur in the wider Ethiopian nation, but is a continuation of the unstable nature of the secular democratic politics that Ethiopia has adopted in its management of peoples’ affairs. Nevertheless, there are lessons to be learnt from the ongoing conflict, that include the following:

First and foremost, the conflict is an internally one in nature and with the blessing of the American regime and its allies such as UAE who are alleged to be providing drones assistance to Ethiopia’s Defence Forces. (theafricareport.com, 29 November 2020). Hence, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali was emboldened and launched the onslaught to consolidate his power and remove any potential opposition towards the upcoming elections as per the provisional date of 16 August 2021 provided by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia. This is after the postponement of the previous elections due to Covid-19 pandemic that were to be held on 29 August 2020. (allafrica.com, 9 December 2020).

Second, the conflict involves ‘siblings’ rivalry’ between newly branded Prosperity Party led by Abiy Ahmed intending to consolidate power and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that plans to win back the lost glory they enjoyed for almost 30 years in power! Both parties are trying to exploit the weakened ethnic balkanization within the nation to achieve their selfish goals via any means. Since the end justify the means! Both parties were formerly united under Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).

Third, African leaders are nothing but colonial subservient managers that act and refrain based on their masters’ order. Therefore, their loyalty is not to their nations or neighboring nations but to the interest and positions of their Western colonial masters. That is confirmed by their total silence and sometimes offering rhetoric statements calling for peaceful resolution to the conflict with no meaningful initiatives to realize the same. In addition to their institutions such as African Union (AU), whose slogan is “Silencing the guns by 2020” is headquartered in Ethiopia where the guns are catastrophically unleashed and in 2020! AU’s pleas for cessation of war are total ignored by his host. Furthermore, it is forced to meet the demands of his host including sacking of senior military officials attached to AU perceived to be leaning to the TPLF. (Daily Nation, 16 November 2020).

Fourth, it is clear that the Nobel Peace Prize is not only a political reward but a license to the recipient to commit heinous crimes directly or indirectly. Abiy Ahmed who won the prize on 2019, is following the footsteps of his former American master, Barack Obama, who was rewarded on 2009 and his regime went ahead to set the first record number of dropping bombs and exterminating using drones! (The Washington Post, 5 May 2016). In addition, his administration is known of being the tactician against Islam and Muslims in Syria continues unabated to-date, with thousands murdered and millions displaced! (National Review, 14 March 2018).

Fifth, international institutions such as the United Nations (UN) are just Western tools delivering the American agenda. Since, America is the global dominant player that uses force to execute its policies. Henceforth, her transactional policies are only informed by its concern for her own benefits and interests. So, America pushes its allies to either fight or reconcile under their dictates like what Ethiopia and Eritrea did in 2018 where leaders from the two nations signed a joint declaration of peace and friendship deal. All along, the UN is at the periphery and watching the unfolding of an inconceivable humanitarian crisis! However, trying to save its face by calling for unimpeded access to Tigray region to deliver humanitarian aid while senseless killings continues under its watch! In addition, UN’s military officers with Tigrayan origin deployed to peace missions are facing torture or execution. (Foreign Policy, 23 November 2020).

In conclusion, the above expose a grim picture of the ailing state of the secular capitalist states across the world. Some may allege to be stable on the face value, but in reality almost all of them are fracturing from within, it is just a matter of when will the cracks be visible?! Man lost value the moment he adopted the secular capitalist ideology and accepted to be exploited by democratic political brokers. In addition, to conceding as being a factor of production that depreciates and appreciates as per the secular viewpoint! Man requires ideological emancipation!

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Ali Nassoro Ali
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir