Witnessing the recent high-level defection of the Getachew and Tsadkan group to the Prosperity Party, General Yohannes Gebremeskel being picked by Abiy Ahmed to lead the 2020-2022 offensive in Tigray, and General Samora (Mohammed) Yonus serving as Abiy Ahmed’s source of military intelligence, the formation of the Hara Meriet (free land) splinter Army may seem a new phenomenon in Tigrayan politics. Yet, for those familiar with TPLF politics, these events echo longstanding patterns—surrenders, capitulations, defections, and betrayals. To highlight that these are recurring features rather than exceptions, this short article will review similar defections and betrayals that occurred during the last 10 years (1980–1990) of TPLF’s 17-year armed struggle against the rule of Colonel Mengistu Hailemarim’s Military Junta.
The Defection of a TPLF official using a captured MI-24 helicopter from Samere, Tigray.
During the early 1980s, an Ethiopian MI-24 military helicopter mistakenly landed in a TPLF stronghold area called Samre, a small village 57 kilometers south of Mekelle. TPLF captured the MI-24 helicopter and its crew, covering it with tree branches to protect it from aerial attack. Transitioning from this incident to a notable example of defection, a few months later, a TPLF official who decided to defect to the Ethiopian Military Junta asked the captured helicopter crew to fly him in the vicinity of Samere village. He also invited two others, junior TPLF Cadres who oversaw the area. Once airborne, the TPLF official ordered the crew to head to Mekelle and land at the airport, now Alula Aba Nega International Airport. With radio communication disabled, there was no contact between the helicopter and the airport. When the long-lost helicopter circled to land, Ethiopian military officers hesitated before eventually allowing it down. Upon investigation, they discovered the TPLF official was a defector, and the two juniors had been misled. Accordingly, the two TPLF cadres were sent to prison and eventually may have been executed.
The Parallel of “Zendo” Army and Current Hara Meriet Splinter Group.
During the 1980s, the “Zendo” or Python army operated near Mekelle. This group, made up of TPLF defectors, was retrained by Lieutenant Wolde-Aregay Yohannes, who had a mixed Eritrean and Tigrean background. After graduating from the Ethiopian Harar Military Academy, Lieutenant Wolde-aregay joined the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF). When the ELF was forced out of Eritrea by the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF), he surrendered to the Ethiopian Military Junta and became the trainer for the Zendo defector Army. The Zendo army troubled TPLF by cutting supply lines, infiltrating areas around Mekelle, and targeting civil appointees. Their use of TPLF-style uniforms increased confusion among the population. The formation and actions of the current Hara Meriet splinter army echo the earlier Zendo army, showing how splinter groups of defectors continue to play similar disruptive roles in TPLF’s history.
The capitulation of Abraham Yayeh and Gebremedhin Araia.
The two former TPLF mid-level officials defected to Col. Mengistu Hailemariam’s Military Junta during the late 1980s. While Gebremedhin Araya served in the Finance and Logistics department of the TPLF, Abraham Yayeh described himself as a TPLF Diplomat based in Sudan. The two individuals were not only defectors but also comedians. They were very skilled in exploiting Colonel Mengistu’s feeling of loneliness and were his chief entertainers. They were the staples of Ethiopian TV and often appeared in the then-Military Junta’s Parliament. Colonel Mengistu was often seen laughing at the comedian-like speeches of the two individuals. The two individuals had deep hatred for TPLF and EPLF and expressed it without reservations. The surrender of Getachew and Tsadkan and the services of Mohammod Yonus and Yohannes Gebremeskel to the Prosperity Party are simply a continuation of such a long history of TPLF defections.
The History of Red Terror in Tigray and Its Parallel to Dr. Abraham’s Belay’s role in the 2020-2022 Tigray Civil War.
Ethiopian rulers have repeatedly used Tigreans against each other by offering power and money. In the 1970s, Tigrean leaders were central to carrying out the Red Terror in Tigray, rounding up and executing students, civil servants, and farmers suspected of TPLF or other clandestine connections. These acts were designed to instill fear and force obedience, commonly left victims’ bodies in the streets of Mekelle, and forbade families from reclaiming them. Leading Tigreans like Lieutenant Desta, Bahre, Tsegaluel, and an executioner named Kahsu were directly involved. Similarly, during the 2020-2022 Tigray Civil War, Dr. Abraham Belay held a key role in targeting Tigrayans. The main distinction is that Abraham Belay relied on modern technology, such as drones, while the Red Terror group used conventional firearms, showing how similar patterns recur with updated methods.
How did Ethiopian Leaders use the Tigrean Defectors?
It is difficult to say whether Tigrean Defectors had any significant effect on the TPLF’s Struggle against the Ethiopian rulers in Addis Ababa. However, they were important in waging a propaganda war against the TPLF and creating confusion and division among the Tigray people. For instance, Abraham Yayeh and Gebremedhin Araia may have given Colonel Mengistu’s Military Junta a false hope. But they never saved it from being defeated by the TPLF. In fact, when TPLF was getting closer to Addis Ababa, they themselves had to flee to Kenya and Uganda. Similarly, the Zendo defector Army may have obstructed TPLF operations around Mekelle, but it did not protect Colonel Mengistu’s Military Junta from being toppled. Accordingly, if someone believes Getachew, Tsadkan, Mohammod Yonus, and Yohannes Gebremeskel will save Abiy Ahmed, they do not know history. They are not more than seasonal headaches.
Conclusion,
The TPLF has often been susceptible to defections, capitulations, and betrayals. The current defections of Getachew Reda and Tsadkan, and Mohammod Yonus’s and Yohannes Gebremeskel’s choice to turn against the TPLF are not new. TPLF will likely reorganize itself and neutralize the Defector’s effort to sow conflict and division in the Tigray population. It may take time, but history leads us to believe that it is also a game TPLF played before.
Eternal Glory to Our Martyrs and Victory to the Masses.
