Currently, a grand objective of General Tsadkan Gebretensae and his old colleagues like Gebru Asrat is to create conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. General Tsadkan thinks the only way for him to consolidate power in Tigray is to have a federal army on the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. He falsely claims the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) old guard, led by Debretsion Gebremichael, is communicating and trading gold with Eritrea. He considers that a threat to his power in Tigray. He wants the federal army to apprehend the Debretsion-led TPLF old guard and dismantle the TPLF-loyal Tigray Defense Force (TDF) generals.
In his new book titled “Azurit”, another senior inner-circle Tigrayan general, Yohannes Gebremeskel, lists General Tsadkan among the few Tigrayans who secretly met, decided, and planned an attack on the Northern Command. The Northern Command was attacked by 200,000 Tigray Special Forces and militia on November 4, 2020. General Tsadkan, who was fired by Meles Zenawi for his dismal war planning in the Tserona front during the 1998–2000 Ethio-Eritrea border war, is very eager to return to power not only in Tigray but also in the federal government.
The irony is that the Northern Command, which he decided and planned to attack and dismantle four years ago, is now being called upon by him to come to the Ethio-Eritrea border to protect him from the TPLF and TPLF-loyal generals. Why is General Tsadkan, who built his name as a leader of the TDF during the 2020–2022 Tigray War, now afraid of the TDF? Why is his friend Gebru Asrat calling the TDF a protector of the Adwa dynasty and warning it not to take power in Tigray? Who is General Tsadkan?
He was chief of staff of the Ethiopian Defense Forces (ENDF) from 1991–1998.
When the border problem between Eritrea and Ethiopia started in Badme and Bada areas (1996–1998), he was the chief of staff of the Ethiopian Defense Forces. He was also a member of the Ethio-Eritrean committee tasked to resolve the border problem before it erupted into a full-fledged war. He oversaw the brigade that crossed into Eritrea through Adi Murug (Bada) and dismantled the Eritrean administration, closed schools, and expelled teachers from the area. His friend Gebru Asrat was the president of the Tigray region, doing his bidding in the border areas and beating the drum of war until this day. Thus, we can safely conclude that General Tsadkan was the architect of the 1998–2000 Ethio-Eritrea border war.
During the 1998–2000 Ethio-Eritrea War
During the 1998–2000 Ethio-Eritrea border war, General Tsadkan planned to attack Eritrea on the Tserona front, Egri Mekel. He planned to break the Eritrean defense line using close to 12,000 infantry, 5,000 Tigrayan civilians with donkeys, and a large 20th mechanized division. As written by General Yohannes Gebremeskel and by Tesfaye Gebreab, it was carnage.
After the war ended in a complete defeat, General Tsadkan himself said, “I have led many battles in my career. I have fought in many wars. I have seen a lot. I have never experienced this kind of utter failure. It is bad.” His army was decimated, and Tsadkan had to flee ten miles away to save his life, crying on his way.
In a war review conducted in Infara (Tigray), General Tsadkan’s crying continued, and it was decided he should be fired and gradually pass his position to General Samora Yonus. In revenge for his defeat in Egri Mekel, Tsadkan ordered his army to rape Eritrean women in Kohito and other areas around Senafe, Eritrea. Such crimes are documented in the Red Cross office in Geneva, Switzerland.
Also, after losing hope in his plan to march to Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea, Tsadkan ordered the capture of Assab. That also ended in a disastrous defeat. Now Tsadkan wants to try again. “You cannot teach an old dog a new trick.”
After the 1998–2000 Border War
Suddenly, General Tsadkan, who was fired from his position of chief of staff due to incompetence, became a millionaire in Ethiopia. How can a fired general in the Ethiopian Defense Forces, with a meager pension salary, become a millionaire overnight? He owned villas in Addis Ababa and was a major partner in a beer factory in Tigray. What was the source of that money? He was a conflict entrepreneur. Possibly, the money was stolen from the salaries of close to 100,000 deceased Ethiopian soldiers during the war.
During the 2020–2022 Tigray War
Up to the time leading to the Qeerroo (Oromo youth) revolt that expelled the TPLF from the federal government seat in Addis Ababa, General Tsadkan was writing articles supporting the revolt against the TPLF. Later, he became a regular in Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office.
Surprisingly, General Tsadkan reversed course, traveled to Tigray, and became one of the top people who secretly decided and planned the gruesome attack on the Northern Command. This attack sparked the Tigray War and led to the immense suffering of the Tigrayan people.
Inviting the Ethiopian Federal Army to the Ethio-Eritrea Border
General Tsadkan has already forgotten that the Eritrea-Ethiopia border is currently free of the federal army because he decided to neutralize the Northern Command. Now, General Tsadkan, who boasts of commanding 270,000 Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), wants the Northern Command to return to the border to defend him from the TPLF old guard and TPLF-loyal TDF generals.
Pretoria Agreement and Tsadkan’s Unfulfilled Expectations
When Tsadkan signed the Pretoria surrender agreement, his main expectation was to hold on to power in Tigray and create a conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Conclusion:- If the Tigrayans believe that Tsadkan and Gebru Asrat would bring peace and democracy to Tigray, they are wrong. Tsadkan and Gebru have only one objective: to hold on to power in Tigray and avenge the TPLF for firing them during the 1998–2000 war.
All their agenda is laced with revenge and greed for power. As birds of a feather flock together, they are coordinating with others who have similar grievances. Will they succeed? Time will tell.
Awet N’Hafash and Eternal Glory to Our Martyrs.