TPLF’s Saber-rattling Acts Amidst Humanitarian Catastrophe

wendimagegn — May 15, 2022

In the aftermath of the declaration of a humanitarian truce by the government of Ethiopia, the much-needed humanitarian aid has been entering Tigray State via air and road transportation. In the present circumstances, as the incumbent government is determined to facilitate the urgently needed assistance the whole thing is making progress in the right direction.

Notwithstanding the fact that the terrorist TPLF group has been leaving no stone unturned to close humanitarian corridors and throw mud at the federal government’s effort, relief agencies have been delivering aid to the war-affected communities.

Worse still, instead of taking measures to improve the humanitarian crises unfolding in the northern part of the country, the terrorist TPLF group has embarked on adding fuel to the fire by doubling down its warmongering activities.

The two-faced terrorist TPLF group has been diverting humanitarian assistance to feed its militants while millions of Tigray population around the clock is seriously affected by hunger and inadequate amount of food.

In the face of continued blockage of humanitarian corridors by the terrorist TPLF group, convoys of trucks carrying humanitarian assistance as well as medical services have been reaching Mekelle despite the group has been using the humanitarian aid for other purposes.

Though the incumbent government has allowed unrestricted access to humanitarian assistance, the terrorist TPLF group has been persistently blocking humanitarian corridors to mislead the international community lying the blame at the doorsteps of the federal government.

Apart from closing the much-needed humanitarian assistance to line their pockets, the terrorist TPLF group has continued closing humanitarian corridors and engaging itself in saber-rattling.

Nowadays, as the international community managed to understand the evil deeds of the terrorist TPLF group, the former has been acclaiming the government’s positive measures that would help reverse the humanitarian catastrophe facing the Tigray population. The cock-and-bull-story of the terrorist TPLF group has been failing to bear fruit now that all the conspiracies have gradually been laid bare.

Western countries and institutions have begun to appreciate Ethiopia’s commitments toward the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy in war-torn and drought-affected states of the country, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia (MoFA).

During the weekly media briefing, MoFA Spokesperson Ambassador Dina Mufti stated that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen held discussions with the representatives of the European Union Commission (EUC) and World Food Programme (WFP), as well as Denmark’s Development and Nordic Countries Cooperation Minister.

As to Amb. Dina, Deputy PM Demeke briefed the EUC representative about current activities regarding the delivery of humanitarian aid, peace and stability in the country, protection of human rights, and other related issues. The representative has also been asked that the international organizations have to increase their humanitarian support to Ethiopia, he added.

He further stated that the EUC representative appreciated the current activities done by Ethiopia, he said adding that the representative also praised Ethiopia’s stance to resolve the border dispute with Sudan in a peaceful way.

As to Amb. Dina, Demeke held a discussion with Denmark’s Development and Nordic Countries Cooperation Minister, and Demeke briefed the Minister about Ethiopia’s commitment in bringing lasting peace across the country.

Accordingly, the Minister stated that the efforts being made by the Ethiopian government in all sectors are encouraging.

He further noted that Demeke had a conversation with the WFP Representative in Ethiopia, and Demeke briefed the representative that Ethiopia is working tirelessly to save over 20 million citizens from drought. And, the WFP has been urged to increase its support to the war-torn and drought-affected peoples.

The representative appreciated the work in terms of delivering humanitarian assistance to the people in need, as to the Spokesperson.

The representative also stated that there are over nine hundred thousand refugees in Ethiopia who came from neighboring countries. He added that the WFP will strengthen its works in the country.

According to the Spokesperson, MoFA State Minister Ambassador Redwan Hussien held discussion with the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, and the latter promised that his country will provide all necessary support to Ethiopia.

Despite the disinformation by the mouthpiece of the terrorist TPLF, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom (Ph.D.), over 5.2 million needy people in Tigray State have so far received humanitarian assistance, the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) said.

NDRMC Public Relations Directorate Debebe Zewdie told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the government has been exerting efforts to ensure a speedy humanitarian response in Tigray. The government has mobilized 83 donor agencies, the highest number compared with the rest of the country, to deliver humanitarian support to the state.

Accordingly, 202,079 kilograms of medicine, 406,403 kilograms of nutrition, and 91, 5058 kilograms of shelter and detergents were transported to Tigray from July 2021 to May 1, 2022. Besides, 50,921 metric tons of additional nutrition and 9,563 metric tons of food items were transported by air to the area. To do this, a total of 221 flights have been taken to Tigray and the federal government sent 1.7 billion Birr for the implementation of the program.

The director further stated that the World Food Program (WFP) and the UNHCR provided 401,029 litter fuels to Mekelle last March through road transport. In this regard, 1,626 vehicles carrying fuels were dispatched to the Tigray State capital of which only 596 were returned.

The WFP announced on its part that its 165 trucks that arrived in Tigray delivered 3,000 tons of food and nutrition over the past week. The program has also distributed 3,400 tons of food to Tigray and reached 120,000 people. Additional 94 trucks are en route for food distributions in Afar and Amhara states.

Government Communication Service stated that a number of trucks carrying food and medical items have reached Tigray in three phases since the government declared a humanitarian truce to save peoples’ life.

The government of Ethiopia is working with aid organizations to facilitate food items for those in need of assistance and after the ceasefire agreement various food and medical items arrived in Tigray by air 135 trucks carrying food items and 10 trucks carrying fuel reached Tigray passing through Afar state, as to the office.

Over the last two months, 36 million Birr estimated medicine and medical items reached the needy as the government has been working with donors.

The government has been working with international aid organizations to reach food items to support the needy. From July 2021 to mid-April 2022, a total of 5.2 million Tigray people have benefited from humanitarian aid.

Contrarily, TPLF is cheating the international community via disseminating false propaganda as if it has left Amhara and Afar states, but it is far from reality. Worse even, the medical item sent to the needy are being sold by terrorist TPLF opening the new pharmacy, and children and patients are dying due to lack of medicine. Some 1,099 heavy trucks headed to Tigray carrying food and medical items have not returned back. Only 40 trucks have come back.

Cognizant of the fact that millions of people in Tigray, Afar, and Amhara are in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance, the terrorist TPLF continues trademark warmongering and preparing for another round of disastrous war.

Speaking to local media, Sociology Assistant Professor at New York’s Iona University Derese Getachew (Ph.D.) noted that TPLF keeps war as a means to survive and deceive the people of Tigray. The political difference among political parties cannot be seen as a minor issue, but if it is properly resolved, TPLF will be automatically rejected by the people of Tigray.

As to him, TPLF is seemingly powerless to answer the public’s economic and social demands. “They know the consequence of triggering another round of conflict. Thousands of hundred thousand of their militants have been killed during the year and plus war and the same will happen if the faction decides to fight.”

“TPLF leaders have no choice other than pursuing war efforts to secure personal aspirations. “I think they are planning to penetrate into the Sudan border….and the area is highly militarily confined [] If that happened, the casualties would be unthinkable.”

The military might of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) is far greater than that of the TPLF. In the meantime, the Eritrean government is standing by to repulse TPLF’s provocation as the faction have made an attempt to team up with foreign forces that have an interest to harm the regime in Asmara, the academician elaborated.

In reference to this, one of the TPLF-affiliated media, BBC News Amharic recently disclosed that TPLF is arresting Tigrayan parents who refused to send their children to the battlefields.

The media quoted a young ethnic Tigray as saying his parents and uncle were arrested for refusing to send their children to war. The criminal clique has enacted oppressive laws that force parents to send at least one son or daughter to the family for war efforts. “My father is arrested because he has refused to send his son to war,” another young man was quoted as saying by the aforementioned media.

In a short-recorded video, TPLF’s Political Bureau Head said the faction has been providing a 10-day military training to everyone in Tigray and sending them off to war fronts. The head warned comrades that no one must escape this plan and anyone who opposes must be eliminated.

The misadventure of the terrorist TPLF group has taken a big toll on civilians, particularly the Tigray population, but the group that fails to learn from its past mistakes is preparing for another round of unprovoked war. Hence, the international community should put pressure on the group to avert the looming conflict and help the already war-impacted communities in Tigray, Afar, and Amhara states.

BY ADDISALEM MULAT

The Ethiopian Herald  15 May   2022