War, bloodshed and genocide in Ethiopia by Abie Achmet, a Nobel Peace Prize winner

War, bloodshed, genocide, and violence are rocking Ethiopia today. Leading the charge of these daily atrocities and widespread barbarity is the well regarded - Nobel Peace Prize Winner - and current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who can only be described as the current architect of a civil war. Little is known about the current state of the situation but strangely enough, I am one of the few, if not the only Greek who has first-hand knowledge of the current state of the country. I recently visited the city of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, which has become the epicentre of relentless, savage attacks by the collaborating forces of the unelected Prime Minister Abiy as well as the dictator of neighboring Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki.

The Abiy Ahmed Phenomenon

Abiy Ahmed skillfully ascended the Ethiopian political ranks and assumed the office of the Prime Minister through tactical inner party proceedings, early in 2018. Ethiopia is a 110 million-strong, multi-ethnic country with the vast majority of people being Orthodox Christians. At the beginning of his term in 2018, he exemplified stability, integrity and democracy by releasing political prisoners and making peace with the Dictator Isaiah Afwerki who has ruled neighboring Eritrea with violence, savagery and widespread impoverishment for the last 27 years (1993-2020). Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for achieving this peace with Eritrea but also for the controversial democratization of Ethiopia. Shortly after receiving this stunning achievement, he showed his true colors. Moreover, he persecuted members of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) which came from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray (TPLF), of which he was a member. At the same time, he clashed with the large Oromo tribe (35% of the total population of Ethiopia) in the southeast of the country and also with large tribe Amhara (28% of the population) who are located in the center of the country. Part of the Amhara elites are the main allies of the ruthless dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, who overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. Mengistu can be described as a ‘hard-liner’ who exercised an ‘African-type’ communist rule for 14 years and committed mass murder resulting in the death two million civilians, universally regarded as the ‘red terror’.

Abiy suspended elections scheduled this past August, citing the pandemic and denounced the TPLF leaders of the small but dynamic Tigray tribe (6% of the population) as ‘criminals’ because they proceeded with elections in their constituency. Under the false premise that the Tigraus were trying to seize weapons from a military base, he launched an attack against them, bombed their University, their hospital, the main power plant, factories and leveled the city’s infrastructure. He forbade foreign observers and journalists from entering the area and there is believed to be a staggering number of casualties. The reality of the situation is that 40,000 refugees fled from Tigray to neighboring Sudan to escape the atrocities. Unconfirmed reports chronicle village destructions and mass killings of civilians by Abiy and Isaiah’s soldiers including paramilitaries in Tigray. In tandem to this barbary, bloody clashes are raging in the area of Oromo, on the other side of the country. 

Meles Zenawi

An unfortunate reality about Ethiopia is that in 2012, Meles Zenawi the enlightened leader of the Tigray Popular Liberation Front (TPLF), passed away suddenly at the age of 57. Meles overthrew dictator Mengistu in a contentious guerrilla war in 1991 and ruled the country with solidarity and efficiency for 21 years (1991-2012). He imposed a peaceful coexistence between different tribe groups, built many universities, and widely developed the country’s infrastructure. Moreover, Meles spearheaded the construction of the recently completed Nile Dam and provided the foundation under which Ethiopia’s output grew at an unprecedented 12-13% annual GDP rate, making it Africa’s fastest-growing economy. After his death in 2012, a period of instability and the tumultuous transition occurred with the, also Tigaru, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. This transition period culminated in 2018 when Abiy Ahmed created his own ‘Prosperity Party’ and assumed power. Unbeknownst to the people of Ethiopia, within just two years of assuming power, this ‘Nobel Laureate’ descended the country into chaos, civil strife, and disaster.

What is to come?

The chances of Abiy prevailing in Tigray and throughout Ethiopia are likely but increasingly contentious. His forces will be confronted on multiple fronts by the Tigaru and the Oromos, challenging his warpath and catastrophic takeover. The Tigaru are united under the current leadership of Debrestsion Gebremichael, who’s heroic fighters have been frequently tested in vicious guerilla conflicts with both foreign and domestic opponents. Abiy’s unholy alliance with the Dictator Isaiah of Eritrea and the Muslim Somalis who rushed to his aid from the south is hoped to be relatively transient. It is my view that the sooner the international community takes action, the better off this great country with its rich history will be. As for the Nobel Peace Prize given to Abiy Ahmed, one should wonder whether it would be better to rename it the ‘Prize of War and Destruction’.

This article was written by professor Theodore Katsanevas, ex-member of the Greek Parliament and a good friend of Ethiopia and Tigray and initially published in Greek language in "Proto Thema" the biggest webpage in Greece with about 2.000.000 daily visits.