Rohan Marley Unhappy With Infighting In Ethiopia
While Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is being praised by many Rastafarians, after he took full command of the army and went into direct combat to suppress combatants from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Bob Marley’s son Rohan Marley, is not so inclined.
Ethiopia is the spiritual home of Rastafarians. Bob Marley made his pilgrimage to the country in 1979 and stayed in Shashamane, the village formed by those who had taken Emperor Haile Selassie I’s offer to settle on 500 acres of land there, when he visited Jamaica in 1966.
Earlier this week, the 45-year-old Prime Minister, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the Ethiopian National Defence Force, handed over the management of the country to his deputy and went into battle.
He was shown in videos on his Twitter page, patrolling in bushes in military gear and scanning the horizon with binoculars, apparently for rebel fighters. By Wednesday, Ahmed, a Noel Peace Prize winner, had declared victory over the Tigray combatants, and in addition, defended his frontline actions.
On Tuesday, Rastafari TV had shared a video clip of Ahmed on the front lines, and noted that “many are calling him a brave lion”. “I say any leader who goes on Frontline with his troops is a rare sight in these days and should be given the respect he deserves. What say you?” Rastafari TV had noted.
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In response, the disconcerted Marley had said that he was not happy with what was taking place in the country his father revered.
“Only thing thou, we fighting against our brothers… This is a tribal war, in which should have pass this stage long ago. All the work of THE EMPEROR no one take heed of how to bring peace. Outside influence shouldn’t stop brothers and sisters from agreeing on the common good,” he stated.
On Wednesday, The East African publication noted that Ahmed’s office said that his decision to join the army in the battlefield did not mean a change of the government’s position for a peaceful solution to the conflict in principle.
“Rather, he is averting the conspiracy of terrorist organisations and their foreign allies… His decision has boosted troop morale and emboldened the people of Ethiopia to resist and push back the threat of a terrorist organisation,” a statement from the PM’s office said.
However, Ahmed’s move to join the fighting prompted a US-led international call for a diplomatic solution to the crisis and an immediate ceasefire.
The East African quoted Getachew Reda, TPLF’s spokesman, as accusing Ahmed’s soldiers of bombing a crucial hydroelectric dam on the Tekeze river, “plunging Tigray’s capital Mekele into darkness, as the dam is the main supplier of electricity”.
Marley’s post evoked a lengthy exchange as several Ethiopian nationals claimed the TPLF were hell-bent on fragmenting Ethiopia, by putting their tribe above all others.
“@romarley, the TPLF trying to sell Ethiopia and we have to stop them. It’s not a tribal war, we are fighting with the criminal group or homegrown terrorist who wanted to destroy and divide our beloved country,” yene_ethiopiawit wrote, to which Marley responded: “but the innocent lives are suffering because of a small group of individuals…So they selling the country ?? So who’s In deals with China & Russia?”
The Ethiopian in turn replied: “@romarley… They have been killing innocent Ethiopians for the last 27 years and even if you heard the genocide of “Mai kadra” over 1500 innocent and poor Ethiopians who don’t even involve in politics. Massacred because of their identity or tribes. Ethiopians are saying #NoMore to TPLF. Please join the movement, if you really love Ethiopia like your father Bob Marley!”
“TPLF wanted to destroy and even hate to call the name of Ethiopia. They wanted to build the country called Tigray and destroy Ethiopia. I am 100% Ethiopian… I believe in unity and One Ethiopia. After TPLF, the country divided in many pieces.. they stole the Ethiopian’s wealth, sucked the blood of poors…They played in Ethiopians money…I say no more to that,” he added.
There were more references to Bob Marley as Ethiopians continued to make their case to Rohan.
“PLF represent 7% of the population and has the western media backing so they start a war and put innocent people life in danger because they want all the power…. The Government is Democratically elected which is what the west promotes. So what’s the issue. As Bob said, “Many more will have to struggle, many more will have died, don’t ask me why,” Zion.negus said.
Rohan also lamented the possible loss of precious artifacts during the incursion.
“Imagine how we wipe away our own history… Only we do that, Brits still have their empire, we destroyed ours… Here we go again in modern times fighting the same war as before… We will never learn… We better wake up before it’s too late,” he said.
There were others Rastas though, who came out in staunch opposition of Ahmed’s actions, some claiming that his actions were tantamount to ethnic cleansing and he was causing the destruction of archeology that is most important not only to Ethiopia but to the entire world.
“This government never been elected. This man decided to dismiss the election by using the excuse of cov!d19 while he knew the ppl aren’t willing to elect him. #Fact, yesrasta said.