The main purpose of this response to Ato Demeke Mekonnen’s “The law enforcement operation in Tigray and the media: Lessons learnt” on the 1/2021 The Ethiopian Herald is to elevate the magnitude of the atrocities the Ethiopian government committed in collaboration with Isayas Afewerki of Eritrea, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed of Somalia, Abiy Ahmed Ali of Ethiopia, funded and armed by UAE.

The Deputy Prime Minister focuses on a narrative, I believe propaganda that had been snatched from his administration. The so-called enforcement operation he refers to casually was actually declaration of war and occupation of Tigrai. What primarily led to battle cries and actual invasion of a region was the acting PM’s preparation for one demonstrated by frequent visits to Isayas who visited Ethiopia’s military installations as if he was touring his own country’s security institutions.

Ato Demeke who apparently desires to own and muster the social media + does not realize his own lies and biases. It is expected and I forgive him. What on the other hand cannot forgive him for is the insensitivity he shows when dealing with earth shaking atrocities committed by the ‘federal defense troops’, more importantly and shocking the genocide and ethnic cleansing carried out by the Eritrean soldiers under PM Abiy’s watch.

“As I write this, people in Tigray region are enjoying the fruits of peace and tranquility”. What planet do you believe the deputy PM resides? This is the most insulting statement in the face of the heinous war crimes carried out: mass murders of Tegaru, including children, girls as young as 12 raped, factories systematically destroyed and looted, holy spaces bombed, desecrated and looted.

Ato Demeke chose to argue the case of Mai Kadra which has pretty much been passed by international journalists who are waiting for UN to conduct investigations to figure out exactly what happened in Mai Kadra. The fact that the victims were Tegaru would give me a pause that this was most likely carried out by Fano Militia who roamed in Tigrai killing and pillaging with impunity.

Ethiopians as insensitive as Ato Demeke should self-examine and question themselves what nationalism beyond tribal biases mean to them. If regions because of ethnic differences consider themselves as enemies to their neighbors, brothers and sisters, what then does Ethiopianness mean to those who want to impose supremacy of their tribe over others?

Ato Demeke would have us believe that TPLF butchered soldiers of the Northern Command. He does not tell you what actually happened. A special force in two Boeing 737s flew to Mekele under the pretext that these planes were to deliver new currency to Mekele )(please review the initial explanation provided by the Federal Defense which made people ask why at night) – typical Isayas modes operandi, impulsive shoot first and answer questions later.

Abiy’s commandos were met by TPLF special forces at Mekele airport. Abiy’s forces lost. When lunatics assume they can win by lining up men and women armed with efficient killing weapons. You could call it whatever you want to, but an objective commentator would say you brought them to confront each other, they killed each other. Who was keeping counts? Who knows, but does it matter? There has never been and will never be justifiable war. War occurs when men and women fail to exercise their God given reasoning power, which distinguishes them from animals.

Ato Demeke, having dismissed genocide argues about the positive things of his country and raises the stake higher by writing shallowly, arrogantly and inadequately about “our country’s integrity and well-being”. Sir, there is no national integrity when half of the country celebrates and parties because of the genocide against one of its regions. If you are a leader, you are supposed to represent the innocent as well who were massacred throughout the region.

If there is any doubt in any Ethiopian’s mind, that the ethnicity of men and women has led the country to a brink, rest assured that the majority of Tegaru having witnessed the fourth regional devastation have had enough and want no more. Emye Minilik II divided the Tigrigna speaking people into two to divide and conquer; Haileselassie bombed Mekele at the end of the Italian occupation; Mengistu bombed Hawzein before the end of his reign and now Abiy supported by Isayas has destroyed Tigrai.

Tegaru will leak and heal their wounds, but need to shine the limelight on the line drawn with blood that says ‘NEVER AGAIN’ and we need to overcome on our own. Thirty years of hatred because we gave people their identities and the right to self-determination which the chauvinist supremacists never wanted them to have. Destruction, rape and genocide because we developed the country to be one of the hottest investment attractions in Africa.

Good luck the Demeke’s and hatemongers of Washington DC diaspora. Tegaru have vowed to liberate Tigrai once again even if it means going back to protracted gorilla warfare. Tegaru will not roll over and suffer the occupation and apartheid by fanatics who cannot see beyond the tip of their nose.

Glory to those who continue to fight for freedom of their people and the innocent who were martyred because they spoke Tigrigna; they will prevail and at the end sing songs of exaltation to those who bore the day and sacrificed their todays so that their grandchildren will live free.

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