Ethiopia: TPLF (ruling party) using famine to obliterate and break the political will of the people

By David Merga

Oct 21,2009 (outlook)

The Tigre Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) regime of
Meles Zenawi,a tribal rebel group which represents less than 6% of the Ethiopian population, come to power in 1991 with the help and support of the United States and the United Kingdom after Ethiopia's military junta backed by Soviet Union
collapsed.


Ever since, the Western powers including the Breton Wood financial
institutions, European Union and the United Nations nurtured, protected and
kept the ethnic minority regime in power knowing very well that all the
development and humanitarian assistance they give to the regime in the name
of Ethiopian people goes only to the tribal homeland of TPLF in northern
Ethiopia.

The Western Powers consistently approved and funded ethnic apartheid
economic, educational and political policies of the regime. The tribal junta
used these financial, political and military supports to control and
subjugate multiethnic and multicultural Ethiopia particularly the two
political rivals, the Oromo and the Amhara, which jointly constitute about
75% of the Ethiopian population.

Same Western Powers, on the other hand, consistently refused and declined to
condemn war crimes, crimes against humanity and other gross violation of
human rights the tribal junta committed against the Oromo, Amhara, Ogaden,
Anuak and other people of Ethiopia.

Now, with about 35 million Ethiopians facing serious malnutrition and famine
according to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, the West
and their international institutions are yet to recognize and condemn this
brutal ethnic minority regime despite the continued call from Ethiopians,
international humanitarian and human rights organizations including Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch to do so.

Two decades later, the ethnic apartheid policies of the regime the West
supported and nurtured have achieved what it was designed to achieve. The
TPLF ethnic apartheid rule of Mr. Zenawi, West's aid darling, is on the
verge of reaching its goal of obliterating the rival ethnic groups-- namely
the Oromo and the Amhara, and break their political will of jointly ruling
and living in Ethiopia using the weapon of famine.

Yet again, to the dismay of millions of voiceless Ethiopians suffering under
the brutal tribal junta, the U.K Secretary for International Development,
Mr. Douglas Alexander is asking permission the very regime who caused the
famine to allow international humanitarian assistance to reach dying
Ethiopians in Oromia, Amhara, Ogaden and other parts of the country.

It is high time for the international community to heed the call of 80
million Ethiopians and stop supporting this ethnic apartheid regime in
Ethiopia; and channel humanitarian and development assistance to needy
Ethiopians through international humanitarian organizations, Ethiopian
non-governmental organizations and opposition political groups operating in
the famine affected regions of Ethiopia.

The ethnic apartheid regime of Meles Zenawi does not represent the Ethiopian
people; and should not be supported by all friends of Ethiopia and the
Ethiopian people and the rest of international community.