If truth be told, America’s foreign policy in Ethiopia is hypocritical and dishonest!

Unfortunately, truth is never told and if you are a poor country like Ethiopia, if you are not affluent, your concern becomes mute. The wretched and the second-class of this world are somewhat considered deficient and incapable of running their affairs. The tacit and unspoken opinion of Africa in the Western world and especially of Sub-Saharan Africa is shockingly condescending and mean.

The blunt and candid opinion of Mr. Trump of African nations as shithole countries frankly is an opinion shared by many in the West. Liberals and progressives claim they are for justice and fairness, but when it comes to Africa, I am afraid their opinion is no different from Mr. Trump. One says it openly, bluntly and arrogantly and the other does it covertly, but the message is all the same. Africa is a forlorn, deplorable and dismal place, Africa is not important.

No, Africa is not a wretched continent and for sure Ethiopia is not a deplorable country. Thanks, in many ways by self-inflicted wounds and hostilities aimed by Ethiopia’s external enemies the country has become the face of war, famine, division, and poverty. But Ethiopia is not just famine and poverty, it is not inconsequential country. It has laudable history and proud, independent, passionate and strong people. It is one of the oldest countries in the world. It is home of three major religious denomination, Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

Except for Liberia the only country that has been free from European colonialism in the continent of Africa is Ethiopia. The battle of Adwa is Ethiopia’s pride! In 1896 Ethiopia defeated Italy’s colonial ambition and solidified her sovereignty as a free country. Adwa is not only an inspiration to Ethiopians, but a monumental triumph to all Africans as well as Caribbean in the Americas and the black diaspora across the Atlantic Ocean.

Ethiopia has been a friend and ally of the United States since 1903, but as of late and especially during the conflict between TPLF and the national government, America’s patronizing attitude towards Ethiopia has been puzzling. High ranking U.S. government officials including Secretary of State Mr. Anthony Blinken, United States National Security Advisor, Mr. Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s White House Domestic Council head Ms. Susan Rice, Ms. Samantha Power, U.S. Congressional Representative from California Rep. Karen Bass and U.S. Representative from New York Rep. Gregory Meeks all brilliant thinkers and scholars are being maneuvered by the false campaign and propaganda of TPLF.

The TPLF has played and continues to play the United States and the European countries like violin. Through deception, lies, propaganda, misinformation and make- believe politicians and the media in the West are enamored by an abysmal political organization. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front was founded in the Tigray region of Ethiopia in 1975. Initially it started as an ethno-nationalist movement concerned with the identity of the Tigrayan people. It transformed itself into a dogmatic Marxist/Leninist communist front ideologically influenced by Marx, Engels, Lenin and Mao. The talk of democracy by TPLF is a deception, a cover-up, and a pretense.

The model they followed was strict Albanian communist principles. Their outlook and interpretation of  ethnicity was based on Joseph Stalin theory of peoples, nations, and nationalities concept. The preamble of Ethiopia’s constitution reads “we the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia” Stalin’s doctrine verbatim has been a curse to Ethiopia. As if the error of the past is not enough thanks to TPLF poisonous teachings, there are many in Ethiopia today who are intoxicated with ethnic politics and tribalism. The legacy of TPLF is and will be the inauguration of ethnic division and hate in Ethiopia.

Spare us the crocodile tears about being concerned of the Tigray region and the phony despair over ethnic cleansing! Are the rest of Ethiopians not concerned with the wellbeing of the Tigrayan people? Do Americans really know Ethiopia? Do policy makers in the U.S. government even care about the truth? Where has the United States been for the last twenty-seven years when its ally the TPLF spread the poison of ethnic politics and subdivided the country along ethnic lines? Why the double standard now? Where was America when Ethiopians were killed, persecuted and humiliated by this ethnocentric gang. Prior to TPLF, regions in Ethiopia were not classified by ethnicity. Ethiopia is a diverse multiethnic country. Our diversity is our asset.

 Nobody is advocating the domination of one ethnicity over another. Ethiopia has the potential to be a great country and has the resources to break out of poverty. It is this hyper toxic ethnic politics that is dividing the country. My ethnic group has more grievance, it is harshly treated than others, my pain is more, my groups oppression some two hundred years ago by this or that force was more anguishing and brutal than yours is a recipe for disaster and a typical character of victimhood. Are we Ethiopians expected to honor and cherish a political party that introduced tribalism and hate? Are we supposed to respect and approve an organization that disseminates lies and misinformation? Should we compliment a party that divided Ethiopia into ethnic Bantustan? Are we to pretend that ethnic federalism is a brilliant idea?

Politics makes strange bed fellows, the left and the right bond in their political aspiration sometimes, ethnic federalism is similar to apartheid. Identity politics based on race, ethnicity, religion and language is destructive. If apartheid was wrong in South Africa, if racial segregation was immoral in America, then ethnic segregation and apartheid is equally evil in Ethiopia. TPLF is Marxist /Leninist political clique, beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing! Should we Ethiopians embrace their false ideology and hypocrisy? Are we expected to support an organization that falsely singles out one ethnic group, the Amharas, as being oppressors, therefore, leading to their assault, killings and violence? Why are the Amharas stigmatized and persecuted for supporting the unity of Ethiopia? The Amharas are not foreign occupying forces.

 The notion that Amhara forces should leave Tigray is an absurd and laughable idea. Is there not National Guard forces in America? The Amharas are in their own country, they are not going anywhere. Why is the word “Ethiopiawinet“a shameful word among ethnocentric fanatics? Are we supposed to pledge allegiance to a nihilist group that despises the concept of Ethiopian statehood? Are we simply going to accept the notion that Ethiopia should wither away and, in its place, have impoverished mini tribal ethnic states fighting each other for perpetuity? Seceding as a threat will not work. There are plenty of Tigrayans who care and appreciate their country. Secession is a Marxist propaganda and the tool of ethnic  zealots. Tribalism is the scourge of Africa. Is America now for tribalism and secessionists in Africa?

Who started the current war in the Tigray region? It is one’s prerogative to criticize or praise the current Prime Minister of Ethiopia Dr. Abiy Ahmed. When it comes to TPLF the Prime Minister has been extremely patient and deliberate. He has cajoled, he has pleaded, he sent elders to Mekele, Tigray’s capital so they can come to their senses, he literally turned a blind eye to TPLF’s sponsored ethnic violence and atrocities, but in their arrogance and false bravado they rejected all peaceful gestures. In November 2020, when TPLF massacred Ethiopian armed forces in their barracks while they were sleeping in an attempt to topple the national government and create an ethnic civil war in the country, it started the war.

 Instead of confusing half of the world with lies, misinformation and cheap theatrics, if TPLF really cares about the welfare of the Tigrayan people, just like it started the war it can end the conflict quickly. Despite all the protestation, for all practical purposes TPLF is defeated.

Mr. Blinken, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Rice, Ms. Power, Rep Bass, Rep Meeks is it not the responsibility of a government to protect its citizens from domestic as well as foreign enemies? What did you do when the Congress of the United States was run by a mob to overturn President Biden’s victory? Did you congratulate the mob or admonish it? Is administering law and order okay in one country, but not for another? What was the Ethiopian government to do when TPLF declared war and started shooting rockets and missiles? Shouldn’t Ethiopia’s sovereignty be respected?

America is an amazing country. It has generous and kind people. Its democratic institution is the envy of the world, but is America’s foreign policy based on principle or expediency in Ethiopia? If America was a true friend and ally of Ethiopia, as a mature democracy it should condemn ethnic politics and discourage ethnic political parties and challenge the concept of ethnic federalism. Constitutional sanctioned intolerance, hate and ethnic prejudice should be denounced. In today’s Ethiopia thanks to TPLF and those who mimic this organization, Ethiopians in their own country are considered settlers and occupiers if they happen to live in areas where they don’t speak the local language or is not of the same ethnicity.

 If this is not madness, I don’t know what is. Ethiopians whatever their ethnicity should be free to live anywhere in Ethiopia without fear of violence and persecution. The idea that every ethnic group should have its own enclave excluding others is a mockery to democracy. I am not a political activist, I am not a political agitator, I do not belong to any political organization or party, I am not a pawn for anyone. I fiercely protect my privacy and independence. But when Ethiopia’s name is maligned unfairly one has to say Enough is Enough!