One of the founders of the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), Abay Tsehaye has made a desperate plea to Eritrean leader Isaias Afwerki to transcend what he called old enmities and join in an alliance with the rank and file of TPLF.
Saying TPLF from the time of its establishment has had unwavering support for the liberation struggles and Eritrean independence, Abay has urged the Eritrean president to forget rancour and to heal wounds with Tigray region’s leadership.
“TPLF has forgotten it (old animosity). EPRDF has forgotten it. President Isaias has also to forget it,” Abay said speaking in Tigrinya in video recordedby BBC Tigrinya.
He said: “TPLF from the very start has taken a favourable position to the burgeoning cause of Eritrean liberation movement, after having studied and examined the situation and concluded it was a legitimate question that should be solved in a peaceful and democratic manner through a referendum.”
“Even when there were tensions and rows between TPLF and EPLF (the EritreanPeople’s Liberation Front) during the armed revolt, TPLF never put into question the legitimacy of Eritrean independence. TPLF sent fighters to support EPLF in Eritrean soil, and paid heavy sacrifices. The Eritrean people are well aware of this, the Eritrean fighters are aware of this. The Eritrean fighters were mobilized to help TPLF in Tigray, that was how we defeated the Derg,” he said referring to the regime that came to power in Ethiopia after ousting Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 and ruled the country until 1991.
The TPLF, a group that began guerrilla movement for the autonomy of Tigray, had been a close ally of the EPLF. It would later form an ethnic-based coalition of opposition forces and would continue advancing farther south and assume state power in 1991. The EPLF assumed complete control of Eritrea and a separation was effected. However, five years later fighting sparked, which was widely believed to be as a conflict of interest triggered by fierce competitions between Tigray and Eritrea as each scrambled to develop its respective regions through the resources of other parts of Ethiopia.
Even after the establishment bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea after the coming Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the subsequent visits of President Isaias to the capital and others parts of Ethiopia three times, TPLF old guards felt snubbed by lack of bilateral meeting. The Eritrean leader also continued to make disparaging references about TPLF leaders.
Abay Tsehaye, whose name is often associated with corruption scandal in his former role as director-general of the Ethiopian Sugar Corporation is based in Mekele, the Tigrayan capital which many say have become an untouchable enclave for former power TPLF officials. The region has refused to hand down ex-spychief, Getachew Assefa wanted for his role in alleged human rights abuses.
In the media interview, Abay has taken a softer line towards Isaias, inviting the President to visit the region and sit for dialogue, stressing the “common language spoken by the two people”. He also made a call for the opening of the border crossing through Badme and Humera and the use of Port Massawa. For the moment only the main road between Zalambessa and the Eritrean town of Serha is accessible.
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Dear Aref,
Abbay Tsehaye’s plea goes to show the desperation within the ranks of Tplf. You can’t remain in the position the group is in without at some point imploding. Abbay and his comrades have been busy fomenting disturbances in minority regions (started in Hawassa then in Addis, then in Benishangul, in Gondar, and in Ogaden). People have come together and the scheme is fast losing traction. In other words, Tplf is not indispensable as the group was wont to sermonize. In fact, many say good riddance! Debretsion (Abbay’s comrade and regional leader) has in more than one occasion spelt out Tigray will break away from Ethiopia! The problem? It is almost impossible to bring up this subject with the public. Hence the need to bombard the public with a coming anarchy/invasion and the importance of remaining on high alert. That is why you see quasi-military exercises, etc. It was only a chaotic situation that allowed Tplf reign in Ethiopia and Eritrea to break away in the early 1990s. The aim once again is to repeat that!
The fact that many of them those hiding in Mekelle are on the “wanted” list does have international dimension to it. Not handing over genociders, money-launderers, and security threats the law is after will amount to complicity. Just last month a mass grave was found in Ogaden. Victims of abuses ranging from rape to unimaginable torture are now speaking in public. And they have identified their abusers by name, most of whom are members of Tplf now hiding in Mekelle. There have come to light unmarked residential areas in Addis that served as torture chambers. And so on.
Abbay in effect is telling Isaias to name his price. A real sign for the growing desperation. Isaias is no angel; he has been merciless to his own people in order to remain in power. In that sense no different from what Tplf engaged in in its 40-year history. Tplf has murdered and tortured more Tigrayans than the fascist Derg! Don’t take my word; read founding-members Dr. Aregawi’s and Gebremedhin’s writings on the movement’s history (publicly available).
Abbay’s plan is to create distance between honeymooners Isaias and Dr. Abiy. Of course, Isaias has had a fun ride thus far. He is turned over from being a leader of a failed state/pariah to a regional statesman – now able to import weapons, feed his people with provisions from Ethiopia, take advantage of “free”borders, “free trade”, use of Ethiopian currency and “free” movement of US dollars and Euros. And a grand plan to rent out Assab port to Ethiopia (in fact his idea is to have Ethiopia pay for rebuilding and then rent it!!). So what has Ethiopia benefited in the 8-month old transaction? Nil. And then look at another side of leverage Isaias is benefiting from. ALL OPPOSITION GROUPS (Ginbot 7, Onlf, Ogaden Lib, Afar, a minority wing in Amhara) THAT HAVE ENTERED ETHIOPIA HAVE COME FROM ERITREA!! In other words, Isaias’s is a repeat of the year 1991!! He can foment mini-disturbances any time. I know it is not kosher to write like so when the US and UK are busy building a Horn of Africa Confederation by once again doling targeted cash bonuses.
Will Ethiopia once again be hoodwinked by “peace machinations” of warlords hiding in Mekelle and Western powers? Who is there to push for Ethiopia’s long-term interests? I believe one way to test if Isaias is for real is to demand the return of Assab port (no politicization, no history lectures, no strings attached)! And that agenda should come up NOW, no later.
As far as Abbay and his comrades are concerned, time will work against their presumed hold on “power” in Tigray proper. The group has been keeping the populace busy with marches and fiery speeches of old glory, eternal enmity with the Amhara, anti-reform Abiy, the coming anarchy without Tplf at the helm, Abiy wanting to build mosques in Axum; all this to keep the people from thinking or questioning (in addition to blocking regional airwaves from carrying contrary info).
This is interesting because in way it was a confidential message sent in Tigrigna to Eritrean leader. It was not necessarily supposed to be communicated for other Ethiopians. TPLF leaders are trying different mechanisms, such as begging like the toe in this one, or accusing of Abiy Ahmed for abandoning Ethiopia’s interest in favour of Eritrea and Egypt. Of all the people, TPLF accusing others for treason! Oh, My. hsiotry is so recent. It was TPLF that committed the greatest treasonous act while dealing with Eritrea. It would be interesting to know the Eritreans respond to this appeal of Aboy Abay. He thinks only Isias is angry, not the Eritrean people. I am afraid he got it wrong or he deluded. They stole the wealth, properties of the Eritrean people who were living in Ethiopia and they unceremoniously kicked them away. This is not to be easily forgotten. Aboy Abay. wake and smell the coffee.
“if Isaias is for real is to demand the return of Assab port (no politicization, no history lectures, no strings attached)! And that agenda should come up NOW, no later.”
joke of the day?
Assab is Eritrea.. there’s no ifs or buts about it. Eritreans didn’t die for over 50+ years for half of Eritrea.
we will never forget what you did Eritreans. we pass this even the next generation. our head is up always. we know the history what you did before and know. ” believe in TPLF ” ? better to be believe in DEVEL.
Interesting to see TPLF begging Eritrean president to help it avoid accountability for the crimes committed against humanity.
Abay Tsehaye is saying thatthe tigreans have already firgotten that they deported Ethiopians of Eritrean origin with just their night pyjamas & sleepers.Deporting the father through bure ,the mother through zalanbesa & kids through rama. The tigreans have firgotten that they sold Eritreans to sudanese thus to bedouins ,the Tigreans have forgotten that they ppoped on Eritrean martyrs cemetery, the Tigreans have firgotten they bankrupted the people of Eritrea by advocating for bogus sanction ,the Tigreans have forgotten that they have raped men in prison…etc. SO WHY CAN’T ISAIAS & THE ERITREAN PEOPLE FORGET ????
Definitly! Sory to say that ” TPLF leaders were and still are FAKE”
TPLF is beating the war drum; playing the victim card; spreading a sense of desperation and a sense of “they are after us and we are cornered” sentiment among the Tgrayans. This type of war propaganda was once preached by Adolf Hitler under a Nazi Swastika and the “Fatherland above all” slogan. Let’s see TPLF for what it is: an ethnic cleansing Nazi Party of our time!
At least the TPLF leaders should learn from history and leave power sooner than later.
Definitely!!
People say history repeat itself, when they see rarely one, in Ethiopia’s Tigray leadership body history, treason is an affiliation. over the years and Centuries. The God fearing Tigray people are always victimized by their own leadership class.
After the people of Tigray , Ethiopia suffered a great deal because of mafia like group who rose in that part of Ethiopia. to name few:
1- The king of Tigray Yohanes help the British army against the Emperor Theodros of Ethiopia, and they made the invading army job so easy by showing them the back door, consequently Theodros lost the battle and took his own life,
King Yohanes of Tigray got huge payment for his treasonous act against his own Country,
As the British army departing, withdrawing from the Country in gesture for the Emperor, left all the ammunition and war equipment to king Yohanes so can realize his longtime dream, by attacking other kings and became Emperor of Ethiopia.
His first target was the young Menelik II king of Shoa, Learning the war drum beating in preparation to attack Shoa, Menelik II quickly took a decision to recognize him as His Emperor to avoid the fratricide war. So king Yohanes of Tigray or Dejazmach Kassai was crowned emperor January 12, 1872 at the historic Tigraian city of Axum. He took the name and title of Emperor Yohannes IV, King of Kings of Ethiopia. It was OK for an Ethiopian, but through a price of treason, having murdered Theodros, threatening to commit another crime against Menelik II !!!?
As the matter destiny and judgment God he get killed by the Mahdist in 1889
Treason from Mekele, against Ethiopia is a common occurrence, we saw it 27 years ago, we see it today.
A war that cost 80000 Ethiopian Eritrean started from Mekele, all Ethiopian was dragged in that war against their will for another fratricide war against Eritrea.
Today Mr. Abay Teshay trying to start another fresh war, and he is begging WHO!!?… Eritrea…!!? the same Eritrea, the same Leader President Issayas Afewerki the victim of that war, to come to help for another war against the rest of Ethiopia
.
What they’re saying is, “don’t worry Mr. Afewerki forget everything we already forget it, bygone be bygone, we are brothers, by the way during the 27 years we were apart, we build humongous, massive wealth, enough to achieve anything WE WANT, period!! trust me brother Afewerki!!”
Mind boggling as it is, we can’t stop thinking about the health of these guys in Mekele, is there any brain left in their skull!!?
JUST ask EXCUSE for what you had done over The people of Eritrea residing in Ethiopia…Unforgettable!!!!!!! And after all this you were struggling to persuade eritreans with blablabla…
Eritrea had nothing to do with the border conflict…But politicians want to induce their ideology over saying ” The war broke as a matter of Interest b/n TPLF and EPLF “. We eritreans were trying to recover but the TPLF leaders were working hard to backward this…then badme issue came and we won then what …..
Pea CE and stable region must be established in order to enhance development and self eciency ..tplf old leaders had not problem with people Ethiopia.some might corrupted.it is impossible to ESCAP from justices..epdrf reformist doing the current change..tplf is member why? they exclude them selves from active change…dear..