Hundreds of Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia residing in Uganda have expressed solidarity to the government of Ethiopia, the national army and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in their efforts to defend the country’s sovereignty.
The group which gathered at the Ethiopian Embassy on Saturday launched the world wide No More movement in Uganda to denounce the terrorist designated TPLF and as well rejected the meddling in the internal affairs of Ethiopia.
Holding placards and wearing T-shirts written on “No More”, the participants criticized the West and the U.S for what they called neo-colonial agendas in Africa. They also slammed the international media for their misrepresenting and misreporting facts on the Tigray conflict as well as their deliberate disinformation campaigns against Ethiopia.
During the event, attendants recognized the sacrifices by the Ethiopian National Forces and regional forces to defend the sovereignty of the country as well as liberating the enemy occupied areas.
The group also contributed some funds for the internally displaced people as a result of the war crimes meted on them by the terrorist group TPLF.
In an introductory remarks, H.E. Alemtsehay Mesert, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Uganda, noted that the war in Ethiopia was waged by the TPLF group when it attacked the national Defense force on November 4, 2020.
“Its rejection of the unilateral ceasefire put by government and their (TPLF) decision to escalate the war into Amhara and Afar regions and committing atrocities such as massacring innocents and demolishing properties of the people has witnessed the group’s cruelty, belligerent and war-monger behavior,” said the Ambassador.
She underscored that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s command and leadership from the frontline has successfully curved once again the group’s ill-motive of jeopardising the sovereignty of the country.
The Ambassador further lauded the Ethiopian community and friends of Ethiopia in Uganda for their unwavering commitment to stand for Ethiopia and also called for African brothers and sisters across the world to join the “NoMore” movement in order to withstand external intervention in the internal affairs and undue pressures in African countries.
Amaha Yirga, the Chairperson of the Ethiopian Community Support Mobilization Taskforce, noted that “We Ethiopians residing in Uganda could not remain silent when the TPLF and its allies try to undermine our country and that is why we gathered to denounce the group and its western sympathizers, international media which engaged in disseminating fake news about our country,” Yirga said.
“Our community has voiced “No More” to oppose double standards and interference and it is our obligation to provide financial support to the IDPs and moral support to the Ethiopian National Defense Force as they are giving out their blood and flesh on the frontline for the sake of our country,” he added.
On his part, Aster Solomon, the representative of Eritrean Community in Uganda, noted that Ethiopian and Eritreans have long existing historic relations and blamed the TPLF for being an obstacle to the flourishing of those relations.
Aster who praised fellow Eritreans and Ethiopians across the world for being a voice to the peoples of the two countries, criticized the imperialists’ ambition in the two countries thus asking for “hands off Ethiopia and Eritrea”.
The Ethiopian people both in the country and those abroad have openly expressed disapproval of the intervention of the West in the internal issues of Ethiopia. They categorically vow to support the legitimate government against any form of aggression.
Alex Masereka Joel , a Ugandan writer and journalist said “Ethiopia houses the headquarters of the African Union. That means it is the heart of Africa. Sitting back when it is under attack by enemies within and out, is something we as Africans cannot afford to do. It is our duty as citizens of this African continent, to speak out as one voice against imperialists. An attack on Ethiopia is an attack on Africa.”
Tuhami Rodney, a Ugandan lawyer and Pan Africanist said, “We stand with our brothers and sisters from Ethiopia and condemn the continued interference by some Western countries in the internal affairs of the country. We say that enough is enough, no more interference and meddling in the internal politics of African States. African problems can be addressed with African solutions.”
Senait Mulugeta, an Ethiopian Diaspora in Uganda, underscored that “the battle in Ethiopia has various fronts and we are here to voice the sufferings of our people caused by the terrorist TPLF.”
She further noted that the international community should shun away from distorted rhetoric and disinformation campaigns of international media whose claim of the capital was under siege, the government used hunger as weapon of war and such other claims proven to be false.
Who are the TPLF Terrorists?
TPLF was among the many armed groups that fought the Federal Military Rule in the 1970s and 1980s, communist in ideology and establishing an Independent Tigray was its ultimate goal.
Later in the downfall of the Military regime, TPLF in coalition with other Ethnic based parties formed EPRDF and ruled the country for 27 years, a period in which millions of Ethiopians suffered widespread political repressions, economic as well as social marginalization.
After waves of popular protests that swept across the country and internal struggles within the ruling party for almost two years, Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed came to power in April 2018 through elections.
Soon after Abiy took office, deep political and economic reforms were implemented in Ethiopia in order to overcome the multi-faceted and complex socio-political and economic problems of the country.
Among the others, the Government of Ethiopia released political prisoners and journalists and invited exiled political parties and armed groups to take part in peaceful political contestations.
The new leadership did not take any retributive measures against TPLF as a vengeful punishment as some people continue to wrongly claim.
However, angered by the unexpected loss of the disproportionate influence and undue privilege they enjoyed, powerful figures within the TPLF led the clique into self-isolation and a senseless blame game.
They heavily involved in planning and implementing violence and conflict currently seen in the country.
TPLF has shown the world that if it does not maintain its grip on power entirely, it is ready to disturb the country at the cost of millions of lives of Ethiopians. Their leadership started by saying that they would go for a war if a blockage is placed on their way to maintaining hegemony, something they have since effected.
The Prime Minister is on record for having severally expressed his deepest desire that the government did not want to hear a single gun-shot in Tigray, and indeed this desire had captured the whole conviction of the Ethiopian government until everything had to change on November 4, 2020 when the group attacked military facilities.
TPLF’s intention was to break the chain of command of the Defense force and acquire over 80% of the National Army’s possession, which was in the region, and change the leadership of the country forcefully, leading to several months of fighting.
The government of Ethiopia, acting on the understanding that TPLF worked to keep the pains of people in the region for its survival purpose, declared a Unilateral Ceasefire which was not respected by the rebels but instead amplified the war by invading neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara where they as well committed several atrocities on the people including rape, murder, displacement and using children as soldiers.
TPLF was declared a terrorist organisation by the country’s Parliament.
The group in collaboration with international media and and its western sympathisers has invested in trading false propaganda about the war. It is now a month since multinational news-based pay television channel CNN told lies to the world that the terforists had seized the Capital Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopian people both in the country and those abroad have openly through demonstrations expressed disapproval of the intervention West in the internal issues of Ethiopia. They categorically vow to support the legitimate government against any form of aggression.
