TPLF regime’s policies and its destabilization of the
Horn of Africa
By: Shabait Staff
May 13, 2004
The Sudanese government issued recently a statement declaring that the TPLF
regime occupied certain Sudanese lands under the pretext of chasing some forces
opposing its rule. Despite the fact that the Khartoum government broke its silence
lately to declare both to the world and the Sudanese people the enormity of
the recent excesses of the Ethiopian regime, this is not, however, a new development
or a surprise act.
The Sudanese citizens residing in the areas neighboring Ethiopia have always
been expressing their protest and opposition to for the usurpation of their
lands by the TPLF regime, demanding the Khartoum authorities to put an end to
encroachment and occupation of their land by the Ethiopian regime.
It is not the first time that the TPLF regime occupied Sudanese territories
under the pretext of chasing opposition elements. This regime has become addicted
to the policy of invasion and occupying neighboring countries’ territories,
and it did this in many areas. It is a minority racist regime suffering from
the outcomes of internal civil war as well as practicing the war of racist attrition
against all those Ethiopian peoples opposing its rule. The regime’s objectives
from these aggressions are to promote its expansionist agenda and for materializing
them on the ground under the pretext of routing groups opposing its rule.
The policy adopted by the TPLF regime is a literal translation and implementation
of the TPLF project of 1976 regarding the “State of Greater Tigray” extending
from the areas adjacent to Gonder and the lands of Welkayit and Tsegede, in
addition to parts of Sudanese territory. This is the agenda or manifesto mentioned
above, though the TPLF regime is now camouflaging the whole process with the
‘justification’ of chasing opposition groups.
When the TPLF regime occupied Eritrean sovereign lands in the area of Adi murug
in 1997 it came out with similar acts of so called justification, i.e. chasing
opposition elements. In his words, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi,
wrote to President Isaias Afwerki saying: “Our forces are present inside your
territories with the objective of controlling the areas of the opposition forces”.
This is the ‘justification’ and explanation made by the regime’s Prime Minister
when his army occupied sovereign Eritrean territory.
Then hastily the occupiers dissolved the Eritrean administration there declaring
unashamedly that the land they occupied is ‘Ethiopian land’. Under different
excuses and pretexts, including chasing Ethiopian opposition groups, we are
witnessing the Ethiopian regime occupying Somali territories establishing constant
military garrisons there. In addition, it is occupying lands that lie in northern
Somalia under the pretext of chasing fighters of the Oromo Liberation Front
and ‘combating terrorism’. This is tangible evidence that the TPLF regime is
indeed an expansionist one. Such irresponsible practices and policies have dimensions
that go beyond this, i.e. preparations for occupying extensive Somali territories
by transgressing the territorial unity of Somalia and undermining peace efforts
in Somali by arming the opposition elements to fight the Provisional Government
of Somalia.
Following the same expansionist orientation and practice, the TPLF regime is
attempting to occupy Kenyan territories under the pretext of destroying camps
of Oromo forces. For stopping, such practices, the Administration of the suburbs
and villages appealed to the central Kenyan government to continue taking strong
measures. The TPLF regime has not stopped at this extent, but is presently practicing
violation of Djiboutian sovereignty by applying economic pressure and other
arrogant postures. The TPLF regime, with a view to securing its narrow tribalist
interest, is practicing the policy of divide and rule in dealing with Ethiopian
nationalities to engage them in a state of civil war, thereby depriving them
of security and stability.
For materializing its expansionist ambitions and prolonging its stay in power,
the TPLF regime is fabricating feeble pretexts and excuses to create a state
of instability and insecurity in the Horn of Africa. The peoples of the region
will not enjoy stability and security while the TPLF regime continues to practice
its policy of expansion and occupation of the territories of other states.