|
In
Memory of Our Martyrs
Editorial Ethiopian Observer
Ethiopia was considered to be a prison of
nations and nationalities, where human rights of those living at
the peripheries, comprising to a large extent the majority of the
population were continuously violated and abused by the almighty
emperor and his feudal lords. Many people were forced to serfdom,
where land was allotted, owned and confiscated by the regional
administrators, legislators and all kinds of appointees of the
state. People with different languages, cultures and history were
subjected to permanent harassment, forceful integration policy,
imprisonment, suffering, etc leading to riots and upheavals in
many parts of the country. The 1974 all-round strike and protests
led to a military coup by the military and ascendance to power of
the officers and thereby bereaving the people to exercise their
democratic and equal rights among the oppressed masses in the
empire state of Ethiopia.
The rise of the military to power
exacerbated the antagonisms among the diverse ethnic citizens of
the Ethiopian polity. It was at this historic time of Feb. 18,
1975 that representatives of the Tigray clandestine movement
decided to wage an armed struggle under the name of Tigray
People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) against the military rule and
safeguard the respect and equality rights of the nations and
nationalities of Ethiopia. The ever-escalating suppression of the
peoples of the different nations and nationalities and the
demoniac rule by the military junta with its “red terror”
campaign against all suspected “anti-revolutionaries” and
“nationalists” made a huge influx of people to the liberation
movements. Furthermore, the Meison (All Ethiopian Socialist
Movement) headed by some self-serving individuals sided with the
military regime and started to fight another party (EPRP), which
aimed to seize power through urban guerilla warfare. Many
Ethiopians were killed as a result of the hair-splitting
“revolutionary intelligentsia” in their power struggle, while
the murderous regime of Mengistu was consolidating and tightening
its grip on power. The EPRP, which was fond of calling itself as
the real and representative workers party of Ethiopia was calling
derisively other national movements as “narrow nationalists”,
who should abandon their struggle and join its ranks. The TPLF,
which resisted all kinds of “multi-national parties” both in
verbose and violent confrontation, succeeded in rallying the
Tigrian people to fight back and defend the rights of the people.
The unfaltering courage and selfless
commitments shown by the valiant heroes and heroines was enormous.
Never yielding to the brutal force, the sons and daughters of the
people during the 17 years of protracted armed struggle gave their
precious lives for the freedom and liberty to be enjoyed by the
great majority of the peoples of Ethiopia. In retrospect many
villages and towns of Tigray were completely destroyed thanks to
the supply of modern armaments including helicopter gunship and
MIG fighter planes by the ex Soviet Union and its allies. Huge
sacrifice was paid by the people of Tigray when the junta withhold
food aid during the 1984-85 famines followed by the dislocation at
gunpoint of many people and their transfer to Southern Ethiopia,
where thousands perished due to diseases and inanition. A whole
generation of young boys and girls could not attend schools due to
the bombardments and serious military threats in many places of
Tigray. 17 years of struggle, though successful and detrimental in
removing one of the most vicious butchers in the history of
Ethiopia, are ordeals and traumas never to be experienced by any
people in our deprived region. Priorities of peace, stability and
democratic ideals should be upheld to bring about high ranging
developments in order to extricate the peoples from poverty,
diseases, hunger, illiteracy, etc.
Feb. 18 is the day, when we pay tribute to the fallen fighters and all
those named or unnamed who died at the hands of the criminal derg
regime for the common good of Ethiopia. This day also gives us the
opportunity to reflect upon the cost paid to defend our democratic
rights, our bright future and our aspirations and hope for our
Ethiopia. We have to work hard so that the coming generations of
Ethiopians resolve their problems based on respect and tolerance,
never to use force as a method of settling internal issues.
Long live Ethiopia
Memory to our martyrs
|
