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.