“Organized and experienced people are more potent than
artillery” Dr. Debretsion
At this time of political insanity it is the cool-headed
leaders who are critically needed. When a mad man comes running towards you and
you also run towards him with equal fury the logical result is you both clash
and die or be injured. What the sane person should do is to keep calm, use his
brain, and think of a method to subdue the mad man without hurting himself.
I really admire the patience and wisdom by which Dr.
Debretsion is handling the political "hot-potato". What he needs most
to succeed in this is the full cooperation of the people of Tigray including
opposition politicians. Tigray is in a situation it has never experienced
before. The litmus test for being a Tigrean in any walk of life and in any part
of the world is to help Tigray pass through the bad days with dignity.
As Dr. Debretsion rightly put it the most critical possession
any nation can have is its people. Why did Germany and Japan rise so soon from
the ashes of bombardment by so many superpowers? Everything was in ruins except
their most important resource፡ their people! Then within a few years both became economic
and technological superpowers.
While adequately but quietly preparing for any eventuality
the people of Tigray must noisily engage in economic development which is insurance
for future security. Being politically strong without being economically strong
is like being a balloon; single prick of a pin can blow it into tiny pieces.
Being economically strong will make you politically strong without working hard
for it. It does not matter how many you are. Many of the most prosperous, as a
result, feared and respected nations of the world have small population sizes.
In hindsight, it was really unwise to think that the political power of TPLF
would endure long enough by the enrichment of a few while millions of Tigreans
still remained poor. I don't mean Tigreans have to be economically strong so
that they can rule Ethiopia. NO! This is not the intention that 60,000 Tigreans
perished for. The intension was to help Ethiopian nations and nationalities to
rule themselves. What I am trying to say is if Tigray has had economic strength
every political charlatan wouldn't have salivated on the face of its people.
Why do we think the entire Spain is very busy preventing Catalonia-Barcelona
from separating while many are expressing their happiness to see Tigray go?
Catalonia though small in size is an economic powerhouse of Spain. The latter
cannot afford to lose it. In Ethiopia, added to the senseless hatred, Tigray's
minimal economic contribution to the National GDP seems to have become a
convenient soft weapon to torment the people Tigray. Many take the pleasure to
say "We don't need to invade them; continue to harass them in every
direction and by every means, and then they will separate. If they do they will
perish on their own".
Putin the Great did not start challenging the economically
and militarily superior west as soon as he came to power. He had to provide
enough bread for the disgraced Russians. He knew that it was the West that
tricked Soviet leaders into disintegration and poverty. He also knew that he
will have ample time in the future to shame the West by bringing up Russia into
economic and technological prominence. That is what he accomplished already.
Now Russia has become a formidable superpower under Vladimir Putin. How did
Putin achieve this? By building strong fortresses to defend Russia; at the same
time building mammoth economic and technological capacity behind the
fortresses. I am full of hope that Dr. Debretsion will be the "Putin of
Tigray".
