Tigray underwent a genocide that wiped out about half to a million of its people, decimated its infrastructure and its environment, displaced millions of its people, and reversed its economic and social progresses by decades. Although active military engagement has stopped following the cessation of hostilities signed in Pretoria, Tigrayan lands remain occupied by enemy forces, its people continue to languish in IDP centers or to disperse and perish in migrations, its healing and getting justice actively prevented by its enemies. The small remaining Tigray where the Tigrayans themselves are supposedly in some form of control remains effectively blockaded with the only exit even for medical leave being through Abiy Ahmed’s Addis Ababa where he allows, disallows or imprisons the passing Tigrayans at will. But the enemies are not even done yet, for they are only waiting for an opportune time to deal with the remaining Tigray and finish the Tigray Genocide that they feel has been stopped short of its initial goal.
One would expect the Tigrayan leaders to unify, and use whatever support and leverage they have to find a way out of this hell. Sadly that is not what they are doing. They are, instead, engaged in internal petty rivalry for power and frivolous bickering, totally forgetting they are in Abiy Ahmed’s hell. This Tigrayan vice is, unfortunately, an old one, a Tigrayan national character, if you will. Abiy Ahmed is simply replaying episodes from the past.
This vice has been detrimental for Tigrayans for centuries. The shortsightedness and internal petty rivalry and bickering has been used by their enemies to conquer them, divide them, and to cause them lasting harm and great diminishment. This vice is one that every enemy of Tigrayans can count on and one that the Tigrayans seem unable to conquer. Illustrative examples abound here, but let’s see two.
Wube Haile Maryam of Semen cleverly exploited this vice to conquer Tigrayans, Menelik of Shewa and Italy used it to divide the Tigrayans into two (Eritrea and Ethiopia) and conquer them and cause them most devastating and lasting damage.
British diplomat Walter Plowden who visited Abyssinia and wrote a book on that in 1868 said the following about how Wubie (Oobeay as he calls him) used this Tigrayan vice to conquer Tigray.
Oobeay, being a bold man, pushed on into Teegray with a small force; but, finding that the sons of Sabagardis were still too powerful for him, he retired into Semen for a time he there employed himself, with success, in sowing discord amongst the various chiefs of Teegray. When he reappeared in the field he was so powerful and had so many adherents in the country itself the people of Teegray being remarkable for their shortsightedness and violence that he forced Kasai, the son of Sabagardis, to compound a peace on the dishonourable condition of receiving the country as the governor appointed by Oobeay. He swore to these conditions and as might be expected soon after broke his faith and began to attack the Amharas. Oobeay having gathered large forces advanced to meet him and defeated him at the Battle of Furrus Mai Kasai escaping into a mountain stronghold. Here he was soon forced by a stratagem to surrender himself and Oobeay saying he would keep no faith with one who had broken his oath chained him and in those chains he remains now thirteen years.
Oobeay, soon after this, received the submission of the greater part of Teegray, though some chiefs aided by the strength of their hills and forests held out for years.
Wubie, seeing that united Tigrayans were not to be defeated, withdrew to his base in Semen and sowed discord among the Tigrayans, and he succedded, came and conquered the Tigrayans.
Menelik and Italy later took this to another level and used the vice to their advantage to divide the Tigrayans. The Tigrayans that fell under Menelik of shewa’s rule continued their rivalry, forgetting that they were now pawns, and being easy victims for Menelik to pit them against another.
Hagos G/Yohannes in his thesis Political History of Tigray: Rivalry for Power (1910-1935) describes the petty Tigrayan rivalry thus:
Following the unexpected death of Emperor Yohannes IV, Negus Menelik was crowned Emperor and the political ambition of some of the Tigrean chiefs to crown Ras Mängäša as Yohannes IV’s heir was barred, and Tigray entered into a political turmoil. The continuous efforts to regain the throne and the rivalries among the Tigrean chiefs were, therefore, the major factors affecting the course of events after the death of Emperor Yohannes IV.
After Ras Mängäša’s death, the principal antagonists in Tigray- Däjjač Gäbrä-Sellassé, Ras Sebhat, Ras Gugsa Araya, Däjjač (later Ras) Seyum were involved in constant power struggle and engaged in rivalry to influence the central government to gain favour and to obtain the overlordship of the whole province of Tigray.
During the last reshuffles in the administrative posts of the country made by Emperor Menelik, on 22 April 1902, Däjjazmač Abatä Bwayaläw was appointed Wagšum and governor general of Tigray in the presence of Däjjač Seyum, Däjjač Abreha and Däjjač Gäbrä-Sellassé. Däjjač Abreha rebelled opposing the appointment of Däjjač Abatä as an overlord of Tigray and was, however, defeated at the Battle of Koräm, in October 1909.
The power struggle among the Tigrean nobility continued after the Battle of Koräm, which led to the Battle of Ākhora, on 25 February 1914, in which Ras Sebhat and his two sons were killed.
Now, as always, the Tigrayans are engaged in internal petty rivalries and frivolous bickering, forgetful of the hell they are in and the enemy swords drawn above their heads to wipe them out. It is a curse that never leaves the Tigrayans, or so it seems.
Birhan
August 28, 2024 at 8:25 pm
This is a great observation our sociopolitical conditions and thank for documenting it!
Dr Debrestion should refrain from fanning flames
August 23, 2024 at 12:08 pm
“Who’s going to tell Fannos fighters that the job they are currently seeking might just be one of those Oromo jobs’?” Gemechu asked the recalcitrant Fanno members in Toronto.
የትግራይ ቤተመንግሥት ወንበሮች በተለይም ዶክተር ደብረፅዮን ይቀመጥበት የነበረውን ዙፋን በግራዋ ይታጠብ ፥፥ግራዋ እንደ ዶክተሩ ያሉ አምባገነን ሥልጣን አልጠግብ ባዮችን ማሥጣያ ያገለግላል፥፥ፍቱን መድሀኒት ነው፥፥
ግራዋ ኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ የሚገኝ ተክል ነው። ግራዋ በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ ባህላዊ መጠጦችን ከማዘጋጀታቸው በፊት ለዕቃ ማጠቢያነት ያገለግላል። ለምሳሌ ጠላ፣ጠጅ ከማዘጋጀታቸው በፊት እቃወቹ በግራዋ ቅጠል ይታጠባሉ። ከዚህች በተጨማሪ ሰዎች ለቁርባ በሽታ፣ ለሆድ ቁርጠት እንደ መድሃኒት ይጠቀሙበታል ።
Source:https://www.abyssinica.com/search/የግራዋ ጥቅም
Dr. Debrestion and his supporters depict themselves as special elite endowed with distinctive in-born capabilities that exceptionally entitle them to the throne while relegating others to the status of ordinary, docile subjects. It may be wise for them to seek medical attention. It is saddening to see Tigray fall under the control of gangs like these ones.
May Almighty God grant Tigray a narrow escape from the ongoing predicament! Amen
DR DEBRESTION SHOULD REFRAIN FROM FANNING FLAMES
August 23, 2024 at 12:12 pm
“Who’s going to tell Fannos fighters that the job they are currently seeking might just be one of those Oromo jobs’?” Gemechu asked the recalcitrant Fanno members in Toronto.
የትግራይ ቤተመንግሥት ወንበሮች በተለይም ዶክተር ደብረፅዮን ይቀመጥበት የነበረውን ዙፋን በግራዋ ይታጠብ ፥፥ግራዋ እንደ ዶክተሩ ያሉ አምባገነን ሥልጣን አልጠግብ ባዮችን ማሥጣያ ያገለግላል፥፥ፍቱን መድሀኒት ነው፥፥
ግራዋ ኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ የሚገኝ ተክል ነው። ግራዋ በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ ባህላዊ መጠጦችን ከማዘጋጀታቸው በፊት ለዕቃ ማጠቢያነት ያገለግላል። ለምሳሌ ጠላ፣ጠጅ ከማዘጋጀታቸው በፊት እቃወቹ በግራዋ ቅጠል ይታጠባሉ። ከዚህች በተጨማሪ ሰዎች ለቁርባ በሽታ፣ ለሆድ ቁርጠት እንደ መድሃኒት ይጠቀሙበታል ።
Source:https://www.abyssinica.com/search/የግራዋ ጥቅም
Dr. Debrestion and his supporters depict themselves as special elite endowed with distinctive in-born capabilities that exceptionally entitle them to the throne while relegating others to the status of ordinary, docile subjects. It may be wise for them to seek medical attention. It is saddening to see Tigray fall under the control of gangs like these ones.
May Almighty God grant Tigray a narrow escape from the ongoing predicament(መዋጽኦ ይፍጠረልኩም )! Amen
Tesfa
August 21, 2024 at 2:25 am
Edited version, please ignore previous comment, too many typos!
Menelik of Shewa and Italy used it to divide the Tigrayans into two (Eritrea and Ethiopia) and conquer them and cause them most devastating and lasting damage. ”
Well Well Well, I see progress here in this here above sentence, actually mentioning Italy as having divided Tigrayans, and not mentioning “Amharas”, but specifying Shewa.
Usually, your type of Tigrayan activist usually save all their spittle for Menelik only.
Listen dears, Menelik saved Axum from Italy, otherwise Axum would have been permanently lost to Tigray and would have been part of Eritrea.. Maybe even the other historical sites in Northern Tigray would have been lost.
Europeans divided Somalis among 4 countries, (Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti). That happened to a lot of African nations by the way. It is thanks to Menelik and his legion of Amhara generals most of Tigray remained independent and intact. Yes, Akula Guzia, Hamasien and Seraye were lost to Italy (and became part of an independent country), but that could not be helped. There is a limit to what Menelik could have done given how weak Ethiopia was compared to Europeans. The British were heading north from Kenya and Somalia, Italy also thru Somalia, Menelik cant just focus on protecting the North. Honestly, Menelik should not have bothered to help Tigray, but he had no choice because your Tigray aristocrats -balabats- were totally inept and hopelessly divided It was his wife who nagged him to fight for Tigray-where she has family roots. In either case, the Italians needed to be stopped before they got to Amhara territory and especially Shewa. Poor Shewanas should not have bothered. What did they gain but the forever hatred of Tigray.
Anyways, I wish there was a way for Tigray to be an independent country, but y’all have to first have a reasonable elite, one that needs to stop disturbing Eriteans and hating Amharas.
Tesfa
August 24, 2024 at 12:44 am
Also wanted to add, TPLF was an amazing organization, disciplined, hard working.
I wish Tigray well, and look forward to a time we can become peaceful separate neighboring countries, like US and Canada.
Davey McCrackett
August 27, 2024 at 12:17 am
A person you’d name left a comment to a story Forced Assimilation, killing and looting in southern Tigray. The person commented “horrible and shameful”. Indeed. Makes one wonder why Amharas Hate tigrayans so.
Tesfa
September 4, 2024 at 1:21 am
War and fear breeds hatred.
1. TPLF shot missiles at Gonder and Bahar Dar, and Getachew Read warned they will do the same to Addis Ababa. Remember?
2. In Wollo, TDF armed and organzed Oromos in Oromia Special Zone of Wollo to murder Wollo and Shewa Amharas
3. TDF marched to Addis Ababa with OLA-shene with the plan to let them loose in Addis Ababa so shene can murder or ethnically cleanse the people of Addis Abeba.
Haileselassie Gebreyesus
August 18, 2024 at 4:37 am
Very informative article and good to reflect also how can we break the cycle of short sightedness and the underlying structural reasons for petty rivalry
Kiflom
August 17, 2024 at 3:51 pm
The reason behind the Tigray now historically explained. I couldn’t agree more. Just wanted to say thank you and make sure every Tigraian understands the pattern.