Commenting on why Ethiopian national defense force has left Tigray region announcing unilateral ceasefire, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia said it is not appropriate to slaughter an ox to heal a sick chicken.
In his comments he stressed that the situation in Tigray and the national defense forces operation in the region shouldn’t be allowed to the destabilization of the rest of Ethiopia. He made the remark this morning addressing the Members of Parliament on major issues, including economy, politics and social affairs the east African country is currently dealing with.
The exist of the army from Tigray region announcing ceasefire was not an accident, according to PM Abiy. He noted that the Government of Ethiopia has conducted situation analysis, pasts experiences and discussions with different actors including the interim Tigray region administration.
Abiy said the army has begun withdrawal of soldiers from Tigray Region discretely about a month ago in four rounds including the last withdrawal from Tigray capital, Mekelle, last week.
It was in November 4, 2020 that the Ethiopian national defense force of Ethiopia was forced into military confrontation after the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) militias attacked its northern command based in Tigray Region.
As latter announced by TPLF officials on Tigray TV, the attack on the northern command was to overtake the heavy armaments based in the region, which represents about 70% of the total heavy artilleries Ethiopia has, and advance to the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, to overthrow the Abiy Ahmed Administration.
The TPLF dominated Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has led Ethiopia for about 27 years since 1991.
TPLF dominated EPRDF came to power around the end of cold-war in May 1991 through arms struggle with the help of the United States, Western countries, as well as some Arab counties such as, Sudan, and Egypt, among others.
The ethnic based Front which claims to represent some 6% of Ethiopia’s 115 million total population mainly based in Tigray Region, has managed to overthrow the Marxists regime of Mengistu Hailemariam, which was ally of the former Soviet Union now Russia.
The TPLF dominated ruling coalition – EPRDF, which led Ethiopia for about three decades sometimes claiming to win general election 99%, has unexpectedly elected Abiy Ahmed as its chairman in April 2018.
Refusing to accept the result, the hardliners within the TPLF has decided to remain in the ruling coalition, which later rebranded as Prosperity Party. After admitting the human rights violations committed during the era of TPLF- dominated ruling coalition, Abiy apologized publicly upon taking power as Prime Minister of the country.
Meanwhile the follow up investigations and public pressure has led Abiy Administration to charge some of the former officials deeply involved in severe human rights violations and torture documented by international human rights organizations as well as implicated in grand corruption. But, the TPLF refused to handover those implicated in the crimes and decided to retreat to Tigray Region where it has prepared some 200,000 militia to launch military attack on federal government.
The controversy between the former rebel fighters and Abiy Ahmed’s administration has finally led to the last November war, which led to the death of thousands and displacement of millions while tens of thousands have migrated into the neighboring Sudan where the Front used to have a military bases during fighting with the Derg Regime.
During the first month of formal counter attack against TPLF militia, Ethiopian National Defense Force has managed to defeat the Front by liberating all major towns in Tigray. After realizing unexpected defeat of TPLF militia within a month, the international media outlets owned by the former allies of the Front have launched aggressive disinformation with the aim of putting international pressure. While some countries such as the United States have rushed to announce unilateral sanctions on Ethiopian Government.
The United Sates has also tried to table the issue at the United Nations Security Council though countries like Russia and China have indicated that the issue in Tigray is an internal affair of Ethiopia, which has been a sovereign nation for centuries.
Meanwhile, the ethnically organized TPLF, which latter designated as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian Parliament, has announced returning back to its old gorilla fighting mixing itself with the civilians. This has has made it costly for the Administration of Abiy Ahmed, who described the situation today as, “not worthy to sacrifice an ox in order to heal a sick chicken’.