For the Ethiopian government it is only a "police operation" against rebels who have attacked state power; for the majority of observers it is instead a civil war that has already claimed thousands of victims and at least 30 refugees. And that risks bringing instability to border countries. We are talking about the explosion of violence in northern Ethiopia, in Tigray. The events, still ongoing, surprised the whole world as the advent of the young Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had raised hopes that the country had finally put the season of violence behind it. The surprise was all the greater as, two years ago, Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for having put an end to the Twenty Years War with Eritrea.
Instead in the second African country by population (over 100 million inhabitants) and among the most battered by conflicts on the continent, guns have started shooting again. According to government information, the federal army has already conquered Axum and Adua, two very important cities in Tigray, and is marching on the capital of Macallé. But at the moment no journalist can travel to the region to verify for himself: Ethiopia has sealed off the north of the country by also closing the Internet sites. We asked Zenebu Tadese, ambassador of Ethiopia in Italyto take stock of the situation.
Can you explain how it could have happened that a Premier who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize could take such extreme decisions as firing on fellow citizens of his own country and isolating an entire region from the world?
“What is happening in my country is a police operation directed against extreme elements of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and it is right and necessary. Honestly, if there is a second Nobel Peace Prize, then Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has to win it again because he is once again saving his country. To understand what is happening in Ethiopia we need to go back in time. For the past three decades, Ethiopia has been governed by a coalition of four parties united in the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), dominated exclusively by the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front. Until, two years ago, popular uprisings led to a turning point in Ethiopia's history. This obviously led to a loss of power for the TPLF which, losing control of the Democratic Front, began plotting to return to power by illegal means. Arriving, on the morning of November 4, 2020, to attack the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces stationed in Tigray for more than two decades. Thus committing a crime of high treason by ordering to open fire on their comrades-in-arms. In all honesty, can you name a country in world history that can tolerate an attack on its National Defense Force? No constitutional order can tolerate this level of warfare and treason. This is why the federal government was forced to launch, however reluctantly, current law enforcement operations to uphold and protect the constitutional order and uphold the rule of law.
Some observers believe that we are already in civil war: can we define it like this?
"No we can not. This is not about any civil war. I repeat: the federal government is applying the law against a group that has attacked the constitutional order of the country. The government has been tolerant of the previous actions of the TPLF junta over the past three years, believing that, in the contemporary world, the only solution to solving problems is discussion and not military action. But evidently for a group that has always used military means to get to power, discussion is not considered an option. That is why we consider the action taken by the TPLF on November 4, 2020 a crime, a treason punishable by law. The operation will end as soon as the criminal junta is disarmed, the criminals brought to justice and legitimate administration re-established in the Region."
In your opinion, can tension destabilize the other countries of the Horn of Africa?
“Absolutely not, there is no instability in Ethiopia let alone in the Horn of Africa. I repeat: what is happening is that in the regional state of Tigray there is a Police operation which will most probably be completed soon and the people of Tigray will go back to their usual life just as soon. The deliberate and planned provocation of the TPLF to extend internal issues to neighboring countries is there for all to see; but at the same time everyone is aware of his intention. Therefore, it will not pose a risk to the general instability of the Region.”
The Prime Minister's attempts to overcome ethnic divisions and local rivalries paradoxically produced war. Isn't that a contradiction?
“No, there is no contradiction between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's reform and the results achieved so far. Since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, the government has been trying to open up the political space and allow everyone to come together to discuss and resolve differences civilly. A revolution for Ethiopia as it had been impossible in the previous 27 years to have a different idea from that of the government. Those who had different ideas from the government until two years ago ended up in prison or outside the country, in exile. And those who defended the principles of democracy and human rights were labeled "a threat to the constitutional order" or a "terrorist". Although Ethiopia was a country of ethnic federalism, ethnic groups other than that of the government (Tigrinya, ed) were not authorized to elect their own representatives. Both political power and the economy were dominated by the TPLF. After the 2018 revolt and the state reform, a season has begun in which anyone with an idea other than the government can express it. The party that was established after the reform, "The Prosperity Party", sought to incorporate all the marginalized ethnic groups in the previous government into the leadership. The TPLF thus lost its prominence and now wants to restore it with weapons. The proof is that during the November 4 attack on the Northern Command, the soldiers killed were selected on the basis of their ethnicity. The government has tried every possible peaceful means to minimize differences and work together for the betterment of the country, but has not succeeded. The measure taken now to prevent these forces from destabilizing the country is not war, but law enforcement.”
However, the Premier's policy aimed at unifying the country is thus weakened: how do you judge this analysis?
“A type of state is not determined by politicians rather by the people who inhabit it. In the last three decades, federalism has been erroneously and falsely claimed to cover anarchy and embezzlement. The advent of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has unleashed a new optimism for all nationalities of the Ethiopian people oppressed by the TPLF-dominated regime. In the last two years, political and economic reforms have been undertaken which have enhanced and not suppressed self-administration. For example, a new regional state, Sidama, was established in the south of the country, while other regional states were born in south-western Ethiopia. The government led by Abiy Ahmed is working hard to resolve the issue of identity and self-administration, to strengthen true federalism. In short, the path towards centralization in Ethiopia has not been undertaken, on the contrary we want to protect diversity, unity and true federalism."
Is it possible at this point to reach a dialogue with Tigray? What should be done for this to happen?
“Right now there is no room for criminal groups that have committed the greatest treason in history. But that doesn't mean the federal government doesn't have peaceful resolutions at heart. Previously the federal government has done its best by opening the space for dialogue, negotiation and reconciliation, involving the elderly, prominent personalities, religious leaders, women and young people; but the TPLF has rejected all peaceful options offered.”
How do you explain the missile attack from Tigray against Asmara: is it the beginning of new hostilities between Tigray and Eritrea?
“The launching of rockets in Bahirdar, Gonder and especially in Asmara demonstrates the recklessness of the TPLF junta and its deliberate attempt to internationalize internal affairs. With the launch of the missiles, the Front wants to transform internal issues into regional and international conflicts, to capture the attention of the international community. However, both the federal and Eritrean governments understood the intentions and did not accept the provocation. There is no hostility between the peace-loving peoples of Tigray and Eritrea. Trust the international community and the Ethiopian peoples: the federal government will implement the law in a short period of time.”
