Tigray Herald፡November 22,2024 (Mekele)
Written by Bereket Kiros
Tigrai’s power is neither in the GSTS nor in TPLF sympathizers; it is within the people of Tigrai
The few self-appointed who called themselves Global Society of Tigray Scholars (GSTS) who are using their platform to subvert democracy and the spirit of the Pretoria agreement deserves nothing less than unconditional condemnation. Tigrai’s power is neither in the GSTS nor in TPLF sympathizers; it is within the people of Tigrai. Tigrai people are big enough to stop any humiliation that is intended against their national dignity. In this situation, I would encourage GSTS scholars to challenge the TPLF pseudo representation swiftly and unconditionally and take the higher moral ground to criticize and condemned responsibly. Therefore, this article is presented to put the reality into its proper context. Most importantly, reality dictates that GSTS see wisdom not monopoly of thought that they have taken it upon themselves to exorcise the false narrative alone. We Tegaru must unveil the strategies of the desperate regime resorting to desperate means. We have lost too many to phantom at this unfortunate crossroad of survival. The silence of the Tegaru in diaspora bears a large share of the blame for the current affairs in Tigrai taking a detour against the Pretoria agreement to play their allegiance.
“Despite these serious reservations, as an independent and non-partisan institution, the GSTS intended to remain engaged in the formation of the IRA and the nomination of capable independent candidates for the IRA cabinet members designated from the broader Tigrayn scholars all over the world. This is because GSTS, as a scientific community cannot opt to disengage from its core function…Disagreement may constitute an abdication of duty for intellectual communities like the GSTS.” There is a potential danger in allowing a situation like this to fester. One effective way to fight uninformed zeal is, therefore, to shine light on the source, to educate, and to mobilize like-minded groups with the goal of generating a public debate. In other words, it is imperative that we bring facts to bear on dark recesses of our collective thoughts and action.
The Global Society of Tigray Scholars (GSTS) who called themselves scholars are increasingly becoming canning, manifest in their uneasiness with the formation of IRA and lack of integrity of their approach. Thus, what Tigrai needs is a great core with characteristics selfless deeds with intellectual caliber personalities to benefit a traumatized community, and not a third-rate political manipulation of ideologically from diminutive scholars. GSTS are thoroughly misguided and do not represent the consensus view of the diaspora. Shall we allow such statement to devastate the bright future and hope of our people. For those of us, who cherish free and fair elections and value democracy, given the circumstances, we think that the Tigrai opposition parties’ total engagement and exercise of their rights was a great leap forward and must be encouraged.
The temporal dimension of the Tigray political landscape has always been characterized by a dichotomy of winners and losers. A political culture shaped by a-winner-takes-it-all types of institutions has dominated political competition in this region. Therefore, we continue to produce incumbents who would go to great length to paralyze opposition while the latter also often entertain vengeful agenda. Often facts are purposely distorted to give a sectarian agenda. Historical experience shows that an autocracy can only be brought down by the people’s will that rocks the very foundations of the system. The current modifications made to the election laws were intended to extend and favor Abiy Ahmed. The Tigrai people are exemplary on how to fight a self-centered, dictatorial, and visionless system in the hope of helping every nation and nationality to achieve justice, democracy, and freedom. Therefore, Tigrai deserves much more attention because TPLF represents a complete erosion of the Pretoria agreement as a flashpoint of instability and failure to millions of victims of the genocide.
The sad reality of our political situation whether we are dealing with Abiy Ahmed or sectarian ethnic based narrow minded political leaders or the politics of ideologically corrupt Diaspora émigré of every kind are simply a short-lived passing phenomena, but what will carry us forward and help us survive as a people and a nation is the system of unity and our zeal for our independent Tigrai from any clutch of tyranny. In my life, I have seen much, including heads of states, prime ministers and other officials rising and falling in power; I have observed individuals who betrayed their brothers and sisters for “thirty pieces of silver,” and in some cases for blood money much less than that. I am witnessing at this very moment thugs, totally irresponsible and mediocre Tigrayans, vying for political power. I for one will always feel quite comfortable to place Tigrai in TDF caring hands in trust than in the self-serving hands of all the politicians and self-serving scholars.
Intellectuals should refrain from making confusing remarks instead take a proactive stance to educate themselves as well as the public. In case of arson, there is no use arguing who struck the angry match; the sober thing to do. It is time that we would be to put out the tiny flame before it grew to consume everything in its path. At this point, we are fighting for our survival as a nation. That fact alone must be the focus of our attention. In the absence of justice, the Tigrean people throughout their history shown that their collective willpower of survival is their bravery of resistance. We need to continue to resist by every means at our disposal to tyrants.
Steve Biko in one of his interviews reproduced in Write What I like, describes a confrontation with his jailors “if you guys want to do this your way, “you have got to handcuff me and bind my feet together, so that I cannot respond. And I am afraid you may have to kill me in the process even if it is not your intention.” Biko died in prison, having written his own inscription “It is better to die for an idea that lives than to live for an idea that dies”.
Tigray will prevail.
From Global Society of Unscholarly Tegaru (GSUT) BEREKET K.
