Defaming Shaebia: Potemkin Party’s Fabricated Shield for Internal Failure and Decay

By Debessai Tsegai

Since the Potemkin Party took power in Ethiopia, it has consistently deceived the public with false promises and grand rhetoric. Today, however, the much vaunted wind of change has transformed into a heavy storm of destruction and ruin. To conceal the internal power crisis and economic collapse it created, the regime is now launching a defamation campaign by turning its gaze toward Eritrea and Shaebia.

Colonel Abiy Ahmed’s appearances in Parliament, where he alternates between insulting and praising Shaebia and the Eritrean leadership, have become a common spectacle. What is truly astonishing is that the same Ethiopian leaders who yesterday declared, “Eritreans are our brothers, and Isaias is a man of peace” securing their grip on power with Eritrean support are today making wicked attempts to portray Shaebia as the primary enemy of the Ethiopian people. While the majority of the Ethiopian and Eritrean people are well aware of this, the confusion created among a few cannot be ignored. This contradictory behavior is clear evidence that the regime lacks a firm stance and changes its words solely to cling to power.

The regime may believe that defaming Shaebia will solve Ethiopia’s problems, but the truth is far from it. While drowning the Ethiopian people in severe poverty and war, the regime’s current attempts to stir nationalistic sentiment by talking about the Red Sea and ports is a calculated tactic to escape its internal wounds. Shaebia’s firm stance in the Horn of Africa is well known; Shaebia seeks peace and truth, neither giving away what is its own nor coveting what belongs to others. This is a truth recognized by the entire world, and it will not be tarnished by the Poverty Party’s web of lies. By defaming Shaebia, the Potemkin Party thinks it can pull Ethiopia out of its current abyss, but instead, it is dragging the nation into deeper conflict.

The so-called “Prosperity” regime preaches that it has brought economic growth to Ethiopia. In reality, the Ethiopian people’s livelihood is in grave danger due to the internal conflicts and friction created by this very system. By using the national army as a tool for personal power and jeopardizing the relationship with Eritrea, the regime brings no benefit to the Ethiopian people. The grand speeches heard in Parliament stand in total contrast to the grim reality of hunger and displacement on the ground.

As any citizen of the country or observer can see, the propaganda of hate being waged against Shaebia is designed to tarnish the historical bond between the two brotherly peoples. The Prosperity Party uses Eritrea as an excuse to hide the ethnic conflicts and power struggles within its own borders. However, it has forgotten that Shaebia is not a force to be shaken by such deceptive tactics, and it overlooks the fact that the world is witnessing the collapse of the Prosperity system from within.

Abiy Ahmed’s accusations against Eritrea regarding violations of sovereignty in Parliament are a reflection of his own ignorance and the arrogance of his no one precedes me attitude. After being saved from collapse by Shaebia’s support, his attempt to now portray Eritrea as an enemy forgetting the favors done for him exposes the regime’s betrayal and historical failure. This contradictory behavior endangers not only Ethiopia but our entire region.

In general, the Potemkin Party will find no solution by defaming Shaebia. Ethiopia’s problems can only be solved when the regime steps out of this complex web of lies and moves toward peace and genuine political dialogue. Defaming Eritrea or Shaebia will not extinguish the fire burning within Ethiopia. Therefore, the regime must move beyond words and return to its conscience, or it will inevitably be swallowed by the tide of destruction it has created.