TPLF’s Hidden Support to Al-Shabab Exposed

By Orion Asmelash

Truth by nature is self-sustained, it does not get old as time goes, nor does it get defeated by the majority, as evil and deceptions get stronger, truth shines more splendidly in the middle of a great confusion and lies. With all that propaganda regarding Al-shabab since 2006, who would imagine what was hidden underneathTPLF’s closets concerning the mysterious dirty affairs it has with Al-shabab?, and who would think that TPLF would work both with Al-shabab and the so called TFGand other ethnic Somalia groups to keep the fire burning?, Well, It is only through time and crisis that truth became more clearer. The international community has been misled big time when it comes to Ethiopia’s doctrine on Somalia. Ethiopia’s Claim of fight against Al-shabab and terrorism is a big lie and deception. Ethiopia neither want Al-shabab to take over Somalia and nor does it want Al-shabab to desist or die. TPLF cannot survive without terrorism. It is through this that the regime got support from the west and stayed in power for 20 years. The people in the horn of Africa knows TPLF from head to foot, they are familiar with its tactics and games. Anyone who observed TPLF’s behavior for the last 20 years will hardly miss what is behind the scene. TPLF leaders and their followers are like a chameleon, they change colors every season but their aim and real character is always the same. Their mind produces nothing good than fertilizing evil thoughts of bigotry and dirty plots. What TPLF says and does is always the contrary. When they say it is good, it means evil; when they tell you it is dark, it means light; when they say it is bitter, it is sweet. When they call for peace, it means for war; when they advocate for justice, it means they have made crimes; when they denounce terrorism, it means they want it. It is always the opposite. They have a very long and extrudable tongue to deceive and mislead others, but for those who know them very well, deep inside their thoughts “they hatch the eggs of vipers and spin a spider’s web”.

TPLF’s music of “Al-shabab” has become like a national anthem. Is TPLF fighting Al-Shabab or supportingETHIOPIA: TPLF’s Hidden Support to Al-Shabab Exposed it? Well, for those who know TPLF’s character it is not hard to scramble their words and speeches. The people in the region have seen the egg long ago before it got hutched. Today, even little children know how to solve TPLF’s cross words. Unless the international community and specially United States are intentionally cooperating or bypassing TPLF’s hidden agenda, it is not difficult to understand the regime’s strategy in Somalia and the region in general. Considering TPLF’s behavior and past track records, including its terrorism activities, such as abducting aid workers, kidnapping foreigners and robbing up banks while they were rebel fighters against the Mengistu Regime before 1991, it is therefore logical to suspect and enquire to see if there is any reason why TPLF would like the spirit of terrorism to continue exist and live in the region. This is not speculation or conspiracy theory; I am not the first to claim this either. I will let the facts speak for themselves. In 2008, South African Ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Kumalo, who was basically the chairman of the U.N. Security Council’s Somalia sanctions committee at that time, in his remarks to the Security Council’s said:

“Eighty percent of ammunition available at the Somali arms markets was supplied by TFG and Ethiopian troops,”

No one denies the fact that TFG is controlled and directed by TPLF, thus technically according to Kumalo’s report, 80% of the arms supplied to Al-shabab came from TPLF. Therefore, we should not be surprised when Ethiopia is supporting Al-shabab. The only thing we need to do is to find the reason why Ethiopia supports Al-shabab and other ethnic rebel groups in Somalia? Then, the answer becomes clearer. First, we need to understand TPLF’s method of operation. TPLF is like a wolf in sheep clothing. With its chameleon like long tongue always present itself to the west as an anti-terrorist regime. The United States and the international communities believed it. Not knowing TPLF’s tactical game behind the scene, with TPLF’s lead they all dipped their hands into the bowl of blood shed that they now regret. Eritrea’s continuous advocacy for an all-inclusive political solution for Somalia was refuted, and instead Eritrea was considered as a “spoiler”. Today, after a lot of try and error experiment, the international community realized that Ethiopia’s ill-advised strategy has created the worst humanitarian crisis in history, now it seems that the international community is prepared to change strategy so as to devise something functional to solve the Somalia issue. There is a saying that, “A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way”. Those who were stubborn to listen Eritrea’s advice for many years, now seems to embrace Eritrea’s strategic solution, which is an all-inclusive political participation of all parties for a peaceful and lasting solution for Somalia. By now, all parties have understood that every road to Somalia through TPLF is a crooked road and those who follow and walk along TPLF regime will see only crisis and destruction.

Because the international community has started to change strategy on Somalia, Eritrea went a step further by reactivating its IGAD membership to facilitate and pave the right way for Somalia’s political solution. TPLF’s strategy on Somalia seems like it is fading away and Eritrea’s innocent and genuine proposal solution for Somalia is gaining momentum and will soon take over the platform to lead the IGAD member states and the international community to a viable and lasting solution for Somalia’s crisis. TPLF is showing frustration as Eritrea joins IGAD because Eritrea’s strategic solution will bring all Somali parties into one table for a common benefit towards reconstituting Somalia. Ethiopia’s old and failed self-centered tactic of getting aid in the name of managing the Somalia crisis is vividly exposed that it is only intended to prolong TPLF’s life in power and today it is slowly loosing its popularity. TPLF’s paranoia is exposed with its silly and childish behavior at the IGAD council of ministers meeting in Addis Ababa on August 24th. TPLF’s security agents has abused, harassed and threatened Eritrea’s envoy and forcefully expelled Eritrea’s representative Biniam Berhe from the meeting. TPLF’s shameful frustration is a sign of weakness and defeat.

So, why is TPLF choosing instability and crisis as a means of survival to prolong its life expectancy in power? Let’s dig in to it more….

TPLF’s agenda in Somalia and its act of invasion in 2006 was not to fight terrorism but to disintegrate and weaken Somalia. Despite the clear evidence, Eritrea was instead used as a scape goat to conceal Ethiopia’s Evil adventurism. I wonder how many people know that Eritrea, even before it became a nation had been fighting against Bin laden and terrorism since 1989, this is even before the world knows Bin laden, but today, instead of acknowledging Eritrea’s contribution to world peace and security, the country was betrayed by the Security Council repeatedly and unfairly. In the world we live in today, reasonableness, fairness, impartiality and Justice has been continuously trodden underfoot, in its place arrogance and selfishness rules over righteousness. Like in the old times, “The innocent is convicted and Barabas the criminal was released” What a Justice!

Kumalo’s assertion of Ethiopia’s support to Al-shabab needs to be reconsidered. The regime in Ethiopia has managed to stay in power because of Al-Shabab. United States supported and protected TPLF both financially and politically, as a result, TPLF was saved from falling, thanks to its friend Al-shabab. The west has been misled, TPLF is not against Al-shabab, instead mysteriously encourages Al-shabab to remain functional .The Regime’s strategy on Somalia is a no peace and no war situation. To sustain this condition, Al-shabab is a concealed co-partner of TPLF. It is a well-known doctrine of TPLF that as long as Somalia is disintegrated and weakened, the regime’s life expectancy can be prolonged. That is why Ethiopia supplies arms both to the so called TFG and to Al-shabab mysteriously to keep the fire burning. In TPLF’s thinking, a stable Somalia is a threat to its survival. Here, we need some analysis and we should ask why it would cause a threat? Why is TPLF allergic to peace and stability? Well, in their reasoning, since they are a minority group, the only way to continue ruling is when there is disintegration and defragmentation in the region, on one hand easy for them to rule and on the other they get financial and political support in the name of fighting terrorism and managing the crisis.

The minority TPLF group represents 6% of Ethiopia’s 80 million population but controls close to 95% of the social, political and economic affairs of the country. What is more ironic however is, according to one reliable source, “93.5% of all key military positions in the Ethiopian National Defense Forces are occupied by ethnic Tigreans, far in excess of their 6% representation among the Ethiopian population”. So, what does this mean?. A united and integrated Somalia frightens TPLF, a united and strong Eritrea frustrates TPLF, and a united and cohesive Ethiopia terrorizes TPLF. This minority Regime is threatened by any sort of peace and stability. That is why it waged war with Eritrea and Somalia, because it feels uncomfortable to live in a stable and peaceful environment, that is why it chose the divide and rule policy by disuniting the people of Ethiopia in to different ethnic groups. Today, TPLF supports Al-Shabab because defragmented Somalia suites its way of thinking and governance. Therefore, as long as there is Al-shabab, TPLF can stay in power and extend its life expectancy.

This minority regime survives only when there is crisis and fragmentation in the region. Somalia’s disintegration benefits only TPLF. The United States and international community have been deceived and should reexamine TPLF agenda in Somalia. As long as this evil wolf is supported and allowed to continue its destabilizing mission in Somalia, there will be no peace in the Region.