Ethiopia is at a crossroad. The internal social-economic and religious inter-relationship is in turmoil. Much of the conflict is along ethnic lines that have been ever growing since the current government’s grasp to power. The current government in Ethiopia has been in power for a total of almost 24 years, and it is based on a single ethnic minority group. The government has made sure to control all sectors of the country with its own ethnic group. The military, religious, and economic composition has always and still continues to revolve around the Tigray ethnic group.
To prolong its grasp on power, the Tigray government has been using the age-long known strategy of divide-conquer. It has pitted several ethnic groups against each other and particularly the major ethnic groups, the Amhara and Oromo. There have been several genocides, massacres, and ethnic cleansings that have taken place throughout the country, and not one individual has been held accountable for all those killings and massacres.
Political parties are not allowed to exist unless they serve the Tigray government’s interests. Private and independent Medias are not allowed to function, and those that do are intimidated and abused on a regular basis to point where they are exiled. Several hundred Journalists have been exiled and many more have been put in prison to serve decade long sentences that were based on tramped up bogus charges.
Religious tension within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewhado is another factor where the Tigray government has practically cleared all other ethnic groups and put its own ethnic groups in control of all Church matters creating two Church leaderships. The Tigray government has also split Muslim community by illegal appointing its own Muslim leaders as opposed to those chosen by the community.
The western policy and particularly that of the U.S has been complete deliberate ignorance to promote its Al-Shabab interests. The U.S has not done anything other than give lip service to the Ethiopian people. This deliberate ignorance, however, could be costly for the U.S as Ethiopia is heading on to full-fledged failed state, and its own reports confirm this; and yet still support the Tigray government. The disintegration of Ethiopia will inevitably lead to the disintegration of the horn. Time is of the essence and the issue needs to be immediately confronted.
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