By: Merhatsidk Mekonnen Abayneh

Ever since its inception and gradual elevation to a formidable force in Ethiopia, relentless greed for territorial aggrandizement and mounting military adventurism principally define The Tigrean People’s Liberation Front, (TPLF) holding out to pose a perpetual threat to peace and stability In the Northern Region of the country. The terrorist group was conceived, born and grew up in the bush with a rather stubborn and militaristic mindset, from the very outset.

At a critical time when we badly need to recover from the wounds we have received and the devastation of livelihoods caused to us by the previous confrontations, TPLF’s fresh appetite for another deadly and catastrophic assault in the nation’s Northern region for the third round is becoming unbearable on the background of widely acclaimed peace efforts expected to materialize between the Federal Government and its outright foe.

As it cannot, by its very nature, afford to survive a day or so without provoking hostilities, the rogue leadership of the terrorist group has,once again, been threatening to strike the Amhara Region on several fronts like in the past in an unprecedented drive to retake the Wolkait-Tsegede and Setit-Humera territories already snatched from its illegal grip during the initial phase of the law-enforcement operation launched by the Federal Government in November 2020.

Although it had been expelled out of its major strongholds by the counterattack, the group has been warming up for a third-round invasion of neighboring regions regardless of peace proposals on the table following the humanitarian truce reached with the Federal Government as of March 24 2022.

Surprisingly enough, the Federal government has made it abundantly clear for friends and foes in the international circle that it seeks to negotiate peace with the terrorist group at any time and in any place without any precondition. This has been unveiled first by Ambassador Redawan Husein, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and subsequently complemented by Billenie Seyoum, Press Secretary, to mention a few sources.

Against this modest gesture, however, TPLF strongly covets and even urges that banking, telecommunication and electricity services be restored in Tigray, the Wolkait-Tsegedie which it calls as ‘Western Tigray’ be reverted to the tigrean domination, the Tigrean defense force (TDF) be maintained in tact, the flow of humanitarian supplies such as food, medicine, fertilizers and fuel be passed to the tigrean Region both by air and through land and those who might have committed international crimes amid the conflict be promptly and impartially be investigated, prosecuted and brought to justice before any sort of dialogue takes place at all.

What a huge stumbling block for the peace prospect in view!

For its part, the Federal Government persists in contending that a large consignment of humanitarian aid together with a multitude of money in cash and feul has already been transported and is still being loaded to the war-torn and starved region unabated in a more organized and accelerated manner than ever before with the help of and in collaboration with donor nations and other international aid agencies. As a consequence, “no negotiations may begin as contemplated so long as a proper ceasefire agreement has not been validly signed between the two belligerents, leave alone the anticipated resumption of essential services”, reiterate the Ethiopian Federal Government authorities at various levels and continue to call on the European Union and American brokers apparently acting in an alleged support of the African Union Commission to put extra ordinary pressure on the rogue group to still soften its stubborn position in favor of lasting and genuine peace.

The latest political heavyweight to underscore the unwavering commitment of the Federal Government for a negotiated  deal is Ato Demeke Mekonnen, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. While addressing the cultural communities gathering at the town of Sekota amid the celebration of the Shaday festivities on August 21st  2022, Demeke could not help, but emphatically call on TPLF to evacuate the remaining Woredas and Kebeles of the Amhara Region still in its hands or face a retaliatory action. Instead, he advised the group to lay down its arms in an effort to avert another deadly warfare in the making with tragic repercussions.

Nevertheless, the terrorizing group still vows to test the patience of the Federal Government with another invasion. In that case, Ethiopia’s sort of, persuasive diplomacy which is being unilaterally exercised does not seem to have functioned fairly enough in the wake of the TPLF’s bad faith as regards the entire project which ought to have been backed up wholeheartedly in the larger interest of regional peace and stability.

Without any doubt, giving peace an extended chance harms nobody’s interest. It is worth striving by any standard. Yet, TPLF’s misguided attitude and perverted psychological makeup never pays a penny under any circumstance as can easily be traced from the historic record of its endless deceit and manipulations.
https://zehabesha.com/warming-up-for-a-renewed-military-showdown/