I left Addis Ababa after few days visit, with a mixed feeling of pride and sadness. I feel honored to have been able to walk with my chins high and alive after surviving a genocide. And this is possible, because of our brothers and sisters who paid a price with their life,
When war broke out in Tigray, my kids with their father were stranded in Mekelle while I was in AA. In the morning when I woke up to the news on the internet, my then friends started calling to break the news one at a time at which point my body was shaking.1/n
My biggest fear for post war
#Tigray
was to return to where we were, or somewhere worse. And every time I shared this thought, everyone would respond “ካብዚ ንዳሀር እማ ከሙ አይከውንን”; “Nothing will be the same again”. But I ask what has CHANGED?
So we have an internet connectivity close to a Dialup , we are obligated to have air ticket at the terminal like buses, we cant withdraw more than 3k from a bank. We are in a new form of siege … breath but not really !!
Two years ago on this day, I came to Mekelle, leaving behind my home town, friends and career path. The war that started in
#Tigray
on November 2020 changed every cell in my body and how I perceive the environment I lived in.
#AshendaTigray2023
was electric! After missing it for three years, it felt like the whole city turned upside down with joy of being alive and reconnecting with family and friends. The street was packed with people and shops were filled with customers.
Just asking … does our interim government assigned a spokes person? or are we expected to learn and follow stories on social media from ‘close sources’.
#Tigray
deserves clarity! Periodic press conferences are critical as we need to put things on RECORD!
The one thing but the most important we have lost and destroyed in our community is Trust! Trust in ourselves, relationships, organizations, government or even on humanity has been shaken to its core.
As I grew up in Addis Ababa, I didn’t have a unique relationship with #ለካቲት11 until I came to Mekelle and attended the 35th year anniversary and there after. Since then I started to understand the history and was fascinated with the stories I learned.
Starting last week, my gut is filled with sadness, sobbing and most of all rage whenever I see and hear the news of our brothers and sisters memorial at every corner of each neighborhood. A sense of hole inside my heart seems to give me ache!
For those who still can’t come home for various reasons, let’s keep talking about this issue of mental health, while taking care of yourselves and limiting your exposure to negative news and keep positive works. But most of all ask for help if and when you feel burned out. 19/n
But to this point I will never forget how the news of war brought a helplessness and mostly powerlessness feeling. It tore my inside with a mix of rage, anger, and ended up depressed eventually led to disrespect for “Ethiopianism” 6/n
To all
#Teachers
in
#Tigray
who have taught our kids in the most challenging times and keep on doing so. You have shown us courage in the face of adversity…Appreciation and big respect!
Therefore, we need to understand the first and most important person we need to fight for is ourselves. If we don’t give enough attention to our wellbeing, then our enemies have succeeded in defeating us at all levels. 14/n
In the past two years, most city dwelling
#Tegaru
had to undergo different changes at an individual level. To begin with most people had to adjust living at a minimum cash, cutting down all luxury or even at times necessity.
In the morning of ሰኔ 21 we had a feeling things will be closed soon and went to the bank. But there was interruptions in the service the whole day and wasn’t able to withdraw any cash. Around 3pm I went to an IDP center were kids, pregnant and lactating moms were hosted.
Inshallah hopefully soon I will be able to visit Tigray and fulfil my vow to pray two rakat at the historic Al-Najashi Masjid.
Bless Ethiopia. Bless Tigray.
May the green shoots of peace continue to bloom.
Reflecting on a successful
@tdrfund
Annual Board meeting - progress made, new leaders elected, and future goals set. A warm welcome to our incoming board and a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing members for their impactful service. Here's to an exciting year ahead!
#Gratitude
we were in for a long and destructive road that was designed for
#TigrayGenocide
. I even witnessed when there was a one-minute clapping session for ENDF on the streets of Addis Ababa to honor its mission in Tigray 🤦🏽♀️ while my entire family and heritage were trapped. 5/n
You are not apologizing, your just yet using the opportunity to look humble and capitalize the coverage … when yet your heart is still dark. I would have banned you from even flying over
#Tigray
let alone step in it!
For those who reacted to the video from yesterday, you have a valid point. I do now understand your concerns. Therefore, I would sincerely like to apologize. I should have been more sensitive and more cautious.
I sincerely believe we are being put in constant conflict, chaos or difficulty just so we don’t grow to our full potential and enjoy the bounty of the creation because of greedy minds that can’t grasp abundance! As individuals or nation we should see this and break the chain!
My gut burnt with a cocktail of emotions, I could taste its awful palate on my tongue (honestly not a metaphor). Being stabbed in the heart, betrayal and mostly waking up stateless in the midst of savages and war mongers threw me out of place. My dream crumbled on my face.7/n
which was usually broadcasted when the country went to war with a foreign force..but now for our own brothers and sisters! The pain started to kick in. The cruel and sad stories coming out over the internet few days in to the war, clearly showed 4/n
I’m avictim of the war on
#Tigray
my right arm is amputated and my right side hip bone is broken in multiple parts.
I get this problem cause I said no for rape!
My message for the GBV victims don’t be ’s them who should feel ashamed.
#TigrayGenocide
“መስመር እዩ ሃይልና” I have taken this phrase to mean VALUES are what we stand for and builds our PRINCIPLES as
#Tegaru
. Similarly “መከተ” is protecting it from any oppressors that tries to disrupt it.
But now am asking what are our values and principles? 1/13
After two years of pleading for access for humanitarian corridor, we are now stuck again in appealing for the lift of aid suspension.
@USAID
and
@WFP
should have known it’s impact on millions of people as well as it’s implication on the values of humanitarianism.
I spontaneously lashed out on my Facebook wall, as if the world could hear and do something, including God! I continued receiving mixed phone calls throughout the day, some asking genuinely if I am ok while others were only prying if I knew some intel!2/n
Our diaspora community have been highly affected in this regards. Imagining worst case scenario, and hearing traumatic news I would say is as distressing as actually going through it. Even if studies say intense feelings of 10/n
Even if my head was imagining the worst case scenario, I stayed calm and responded all will be well soon… at least that’s what I wanted to hear for myself.
But when the radio stations started playing Tilahun Gessese famous war song ‘Ethiopia’ 3/n
As we can see, those that should have nightmares and resign for the crisis are moving on with their lives, which could be yet another source of pain. But note that we are no good to any cause if we are not healthy and love ourselves and life first; if we r to serve others! 15/n
One of the most important thing I have noticed from moving back home is, it is important to connect with family and friends even if they are in the worst conditions. For those that can make a trip I highly recommend it, as it’s part of a healing process. 18/n
Even if
#Tigray
is in a state of “peace” we still have to deal with trauma and remaining issues that seek our resilience to be a voice for the voiceless. So we ought it to ourselves to watch for signs of our health if they impair our ability to function in our daily life. 16/n
It killed all the motivation I had to wake up every day and go to work.
I decided to mostly spend my evenings at home surfing aimlessly and extrapolate information unlike my previous socially active life. Sleeplessness coupled with loss of appetite gave me a weak energy to 8/n
anxiety, sadness, grief and anger are healthy and appropriate, but some people may have a more profound and debilitating reaction to war. This reactions could range from physical pain up to emotional and psychological. 11/n
Wasn’t a round of table discussions and a press release enough? Or this was part of ‘Pretoria’ too? Anyways it only gives the vibe of “የጠላቴ ጠላት ወዳጄ”… wish for a more matured handling of diplomacy … we said build
#Trust
not flirt 😏
Even if your relentless effort as diaspora in advocacy and contribution in all means, have made sure
#Tigray
remained in global agenda, the most dangerous thing is, neglecting oneself, when immersed in pain.
12/n
This years #ለካቲት11 should be nothing but a time of diagnosing how we ended up being in and survived
#TigrayGenocide
, and what to do to leapfrog the crisis through inclusive and resilient system building. Much respect for our Martyrs!
Our mothers are still lined up for basic services! Peace takes courage but who is taking the burden?
@SecBlinken
while you visit 🇪🇹let the
#Tigray
people need be your priority as well!
Traveling to Ethiopia and Niger to discuss shared global and regional priorities. African nations are critical partners in food security, the climate crisis, global health, human rights, and peace. They deserve greater representation in global institutions.
If there are delegations coming in everyday and meeting with top leaders, why are they not giving a press conference where we can ask both sides openly on record ?
If I were to stay in the same situation I was in prior to coming to Mekelle, I might ended up in a very bad place unless I took a conscious decision to stop the misery and the mental fatigue I was enduring. 13/n
The peace agreement
#Tigray
signed was said to be made out of painful concessions. Even if we are yet to learn what this compromises are, the peace that came along seems to have given hope to parts of
#Tigray
.
We all are concerned there aren’t enough WOMEN in leadership. But then are there enough MEN? We usually have a ruler, boss, tyrant, grandiose or incompetent dictators sitting in the positions but not a true leader.
We can browse the internet if we have any of this lingering symptoms of war trauma and talk to someone or seek professional help. For those in
#Tigray
and around I hear this good news from
@haqi_foundation
and we should all use it. 17/n
#HAQI_Foundation
has finalized to establish a toll free helpline. This help line will serve people in need of psychosocial support in Tigray. People will be able to call form everywhere in Tigray and get the service.
#Let_us_heal_together
.
#healing_through_wisdom
Watching televised opinions of higher officials on corruption, embezzlement and lawlessness in recent days, felt like a dejavu! After confessing to በስቢሰና in the past; the same circle is currently doing the critic on its members and the system it has created mercilessly.
face the day, and ended up underweight at 40kgs. In just a month, I was depressed and developed alopecia (ላሽ) on my hair since my body couldn’t bear the emotional turmoil. My decision to come to Mekelle once opened was never ever to feel such pain from far among others. 9/n
Rwanda has sent a humanitarian aid cargo plane for the people of Gaza, containing medical supplies, food, and milk.
29 years ago Rwanda needed this very much and the world ignored us, today we are helping those in need.
Leadership bruh…
Last Friday, my house keeper had an accident. She fell from a ladder while cleaning for holiday. Seeing her blood on the floor, her bruised face and my kids screaming for help was a disturbing seen. I took her to emergency room where they did a procedure and is stable now.
I called a family member in central Tigray. He said we are willing to share animal feeds but there is no leadership to mobilize this. I believe we have our own resources to withstand this shock before
#TigrayFamine
takes the livestocks. Let’s mobilize in-kind donations!
@TdrFund
My husband had to stay at the gas station for a whole full day till 7:30 in the evening to fill his cars tank. This is as narrated by him … (please don’t think this is luxury).
As for me, I hope I will not have to relocate once more because of a decaying politics ,inefficient governance system and immoral and irresponsible citizens which don’t make their state abide by rule of law!
Significant portion of
#Tigray
population with an enormous potential for change is YOUTH (age 18 - 29 for this context; However without a census for over 2 decades, exact figure remain obscure 😏). Currently war, siege and previously Covid-19 have affected their lives immensely.
Did you know Abraha Castle had a direct visual vista with Atse Yohannes Castle until interrupted by Momona Building!
Preserving heritage only makes a society respected and its city livable through its Architecture!
#TigrayTourism
#LivableCities
#HeritageMatters
Abraha Castle (in the middle) would be dwarfed by the new hotel building (if built). Unacceptable.
Plus the risk of the heritage being damaged during the construction of such a huge structure is very high.
#SaveAbrahaCastle
#HeritageNotForSale
#HistoryNotForSale
I started to gag and tears were coming involuntarily. I was feeling free and breathing for the first time. The heaviness in my heart was amazingly gone. I said to myself … is this how liberty supposed to sense! That’s when my sister and I ordered beer after so long and 🥂
So if the investigation takes one year …
#Tigray
will remain starved regardless of the alarming rate of aid needed ? This is just mind blowing action and makes me speechless !
Am grateful for nearly 3 decades of peace and development I enjoyed because of it as well. Yet it sadness me to see the memories of such great achievements are fading away … just because … 🤷♀️🫤
I am eternally grateful for this day and those that fought. My father and many others were given a second chance to live. If there was justice, Mengistu wouldn't have been free living in exile today.
The defeat of Mengistu Hailemariam was a win on humanity. 5/5
🚨Urgent Call for Action🚨
Deeply saddened by recent tragic events in Tigray, we demand justice for victims.
@TDRFund
stands firm, calling for transparency, accountability & safety.Let's unite against these atrocities.
#ZewduHaftu
#EndViolenceAgainstWomen
To add salt to our wound, aid diversion aka corruption or embezzlement, in its general term crime has halted emergency food assistance delivered by donors. Even if such incidents appear with regular frequency virtually everywhere,
It’s been 4 months since I started my Monday tweet and intense Twitter engagement.
With 16 episodes season 1 came to an end 😝. I have met a vibrant community and grateful for your encouragement and guidance so far.
All our Martyrs from past and present will ask us “what have you done with the freedom we paid for?”. I hope we have an answer besides partying every year and only blaming one party for all the bad that happened but rather making Individual responsibility come to the forefront.
Once the peace deal was signed and life seemed to be back to normal slowly,
#Tegaru
are still struggling to met ends and still living with uncertainty. Their hopes and aspirations needs a carful curating, and they expect a transparent and accountable social system to thrive.
Who are this people and why are they fundraising in the name of our kids? Don’t give your money to anyone that isn’t accountable and transparent organization with clear objectives and plan of action!
@EgleGeek
I was in Addis the first month of the war, i have witnessed the 1 minute clap and prayer for the **** and my “Friends” sharing it on social media, all knowing my kids and entire family is trapped in that war zone… after that nothing was the same ever!!
It’s commendable the committee presented the draft and to implicate its own government! On a serious note how is it
@USAID
able to miss such amount of aid while it has an organization called
@CIA
in its back 🫤
government as "a system of social control under which the right to make laws, and the right to enforce them, is vested in a particular group in society".
Do we have one 🤔? The case of
#ZewduHaftu
and
#SemehalProtection
is making me ask if we have that group of adults🙄
I don’t know why they try to fool each other … cause no one is buying their s**t…. If hypocrisy, manipulation and crookedness had a face it would be today in
#Tigray
!
In a way the fact that we were away from the hate is the reason we survived. Had we been witnessing the hate and also going through the siege probably our collapse rate would have been high. But now we are in a better place to learn about it!
Relatives from Tigray who recently came to Addus are predominantly upset at the Ethiopian government.The network shut down shielded them from the immense hate that was shown to us by everyday Ethiopians.
Anyhow.......this is important.They need to know what was going on.
In some countries it is common for students to have what they call a 'Gap Year’ after finishing high-school, in order to help them figure out what they want before college year. This gap year has been forced upon students in
#Tigray
in all age group and for over three years.1/n
fathers who were not able to access their accounts or the remittance money from their families, these people found a way to live yet another day in the dark time. Families found a way to reconnect through voice messages, children started learning informally through play,
In the end I am fully aware, it’s a city I can’t avoid due to the weird relationship we are in. Therefore, I will be using the capital as needed but always remember the high price paid to bring the ‘peace’ so we can travel freely until we have a sustainable living relationship.
limbs and traumatic experiences. This same thought brings me sadness as the price is too high and irreversible. The youth didn’t deserve to have lost their life while city dwellers are all warm and comfy in their homes.
Call for immediate elections in
#Ethiopia
's
#Tigray
The leader of Ethiopia's Tigray People's Liberation Front (
#TPLF
) party, Debretsion Gebremichael, has called for immediate elections in the northern region of Tigray.
The TPLF agreed a peace deal with government last
Finland’s War with the Soviet Union. Extracted from “Upheaval:Nations is Crisis” book summary. A good reflection point if you read through!
As you probably know, Finland is a Scandinavian country of about 6 million people which borders Sweden to the west and Russia to the east.
It’s heart reckoning, humiliating and agonizing to share the same city and yet not being able to do anything about it 😔💔😡 Thank you
@XimenaBorrazas
for being truly the voice of the voiceless!
When my colleague Edgar and I decided to travel to Tigray to work in the field, we proposed it to many media outlets as an assignment, but nobody supported us. As we are quite stubborn we decided to go anyway and it was the best decision we could have made. ⬇️
What kind of moral compass allows one to write “… past abuse” while still witnessing new and enabling it? However in time we will make sure truth is established, victims hold perpetrators accountable, compensation and justice is served along with guarantees for non occurrence!
Transitional justice is essential to address the root causes of systemic human rights violations, to heal wounds of past abuses, and to consolidate a viable path towards sustainable peace and reconciliation
In all honesty, I would have loved to see first the IRA provide the clear data in collaboration and verification by
@UNOCHA
along side partners. Then acknowledge those that responded first, make them part of it before opening another wave of accounts! Build trust first!
The Tigray Emergency Response (ህፁፅ ምላሽ ንትግራይ!!) is officially launched & declared three bank accounts! Wegagen Bank - 1001077411101; Lion International Bank - 00112180095-49; Commercial Bank of Ethiopia - 1000592420809