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Origin of Tribalisation of Ethiopian Politics: From Fascism to Fascism

Aleme Eshete

From Baron Prochazka to Benito Mussolini "Legge Organica" the"Charter" for the Tribal Dismemberment of EthiopiaPART ONE Printer friendly

I. Background

The Nazis of Austro Hungary had already in the 1930's targeted Ethiopia as athreat against white supremacy, and white colonialism in Africa, in much the sameway as the Bush administration talks about Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction"and threat to "Western Civilization." In the case of Ethiopia, the classic work onthe subject, which we have repeatedly introduced to the Ethiopian public, myselfand the Ethiopian patriotic Diaspora in Germany, was , of course, the book by theAustrian Nazi, Baron Roman Prochazka's "Abyssinia the Powder Barrel" (Vienna1935), translated in all the major Western languages (including American English,as the following text shows) before the Italian invasion in 1936. Baron RomanProchazka was posted for two years as Austrian Consul in Addis Ababa until hisexpulsion in February 1934, as we say now for activities not compatible with hisjob of a diplomat. The Italian translation of Prochazka's book entitled ABISSINIAPERICOLO NERO meaning �Abyssinia the Black Threat or Danger� was

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published in 1935, which is a year before the Fascist invasion .Starting from thefirst page, Prochazka alerts his white public by stating that since four years thatEmperor Haile Selassie's Ethiopia, in "close co-operation with Japan," wasengaged "on a life and death struggle with the white race, the consequences ofwhich are incalculable. The targets are the colonial powers in Africa withoutexception. It is hardly possible to imagine a more unhappy situation of a whiteman than to have to live under the oppression of an Abyssinian grandee. Theprevalence of this contemptuous invective is characteristic of the mentality andattitude of the natives who imagine themselves to be infinitely superior to thewhite race."

Strikingly, the solution proposed by Prochazka is, and that is where he brings usto to the subject under discussion, is the tribalisation of Ethiopian politics for thepurpose of divide and destroy. Prochazka was the first ever to have spoken of"self determination "as the most handy instrument for the dismantlement of theEthiopian State. Here in brief are the highlights of Prochazka's strategy:

"The numerous peoples and tribes who inhabit the territory of the Ethiopian state,and which differ in race, language, culture and religion from the ruling minority ofthe Abyssinians proper, would long ago have thrown off the Abyssinian yoke ifthey had been given the right of self-determination. Instead, they are being forciblykept cut off from European influences and from the advantages that progressivecolonization

could confer upon the country. The final aim of (Abyssinian) policy of antagonismto the white race, in co-operation with Japan, is nothing less than to act as thechampions of all the colored peoples of Africa... It is incumbent on the legations ofthe civilized nations in Abyssinia to warn their governments to take a definitestand before the Abyssinians attack and destroy western culture and civilization inits entirety. There is no such thing as a united Abyssinian people. The greater part

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Negat

Finote Radio

Medhin

Voice of Ethiopia

of the non-Christian tribes in Abyssinia has no more burning desire than to befreed from the tyranny of the Amharas� If they would vote freely they wouldcertainly prefer a European protectorate to universally hated extortionists andslave drivers. This country is cracking at all its joints and has only been kepttogether up to the present by methods of ruthless coercion."With all the talk of the"right of self determination" in the 1930's, would you say the CIA's Ethiopia policyof the right of self-determination and nations and nationalities has not beencopied word for word from the Nazi Baron Roman Prochazka, for the tribaldismemberment of Ethiopia?

With Fascist occupation of Addis Ababa on May 5, 1936, and through the law of18, 1936 independent Ethiopia had ceased to exist "the territories and peoplebelonging to the Empire of Ethiopia have come under the full sovereignty of thekingdom of Italy." Fascist strategy was very clearly the "smembramento"(dismemberment) of the Ethiopian nation into several walled tribal colonies eachwith a legal personality; in other words, with "the right of self determination" thewhole was to be regrouped under one faceless name of "Africa Orientale Italiana"( our present "Horn of Africa� ). Each "Governo" was divided into"coimmissarato", itself divided into "Residenza" and "vcice Residenza." Underthe circumstances there was no one colony but five colonies including theGovernorato of Addis Ababa which was itself considered a separate colony."superior to the rest, and itself having its own legal personality" With Amhara(Shoa) defined as the principal enemy from where major resistance andrecalcitrance was expected, each tribal government was encouraged to have itsown language and script encouraging the use of Latin and Arabic, and its ownreligion with Islam defined as "pupil of the eye" of Fascism, as well as its ownelementary educational system, at the expense of Amharic and OrthodoxChristianity. "Amharic was displaced as the official language and Arabic,Galligna and Kaffigna were ordered taught in schools." Each one of these tribaland regional colonies were largely autonomous and "autarchico" having little or

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nothing to do with each other, and each one empowered through its governor todirectly deal with the central government in Rome (Ministry of Colonies ) overeven the head of the Governorato Generale in Addis Ababa, (article 12) evenpolitical and military affairs, specially following the end of the administration of theinflated Fascist viceroy and Governor General Rudolfo Graziani (1936 -December 1937) to be replaced by Amedeo Duca d'Aosta as Governor General.That is also why several academicians of Italian colonial studies spoke of a non-unitary "federation" of tribal and regional colonies. Is it, therefore, exaggeration tosay that the CIA-Weyane have made a carbon copy from Fascist Mussolini? Doyou see any difference in strategy and objective with CIA-Weyane "federation oftribal states" and the tribal dismemberment and annihilation of Ethiopia of today.The conventional war against the Fascist invaders lost at Mai Chew, to alarge part to air bombardment and the intensive use of chemical warfare to whichthe Ethiopian warrior was not prepared nor accustomed to. Emperor HaileSelassie gone to exile, with Fascist occupation of Addis Ababa on May 5, 1936,consecrated the occupation of Ethiopia. However, the Ethiopian people, thepeasants, the ordinary men and women, did organize, elect their leaders and startthe heroic guerrilla war of liberation that fully demonstrated the wealth ofEthiopia's heritage in the business of defending her liberty all over the country. Inthe war of liberation the role of the Ethiopian clergy was phenomenal. The entry ofRudolfo Graziani as Governor of occupied Ethiopia in May 1936 replacingBadoglio coincides with the rise of the war of resistance and the simultaneousbrutal repression by Graziani, the butcher already known as the "hyena of Libya."

Mussolini's "Legge Organica" or "Basic Law� or Charter and Constitution drawnfor the conquered Ethiopia in June 1936 was an instrument of "divide et Impera"following Prochazka 's strategy of tribal dismemberment. According to Mussolini's"Legge Organica" Ethiopia was divided into five tribal units:1. Governodell'Eritrea (including Tigrai)

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2. Governo dell' Amhara

3. Governo dell' Harar

4. Governo dei Galla e Sidama

5. Governo Della Somalia (capital Moqadisho, including Italian Somaliland, theEthiopian Ogaden, southern lowlands of Bale, Sidamo and Boran.)

To this was added the autonomous government of the Chartered city of AddisAbaba .with jurisdiction of the territories around extending to 60 kilometers.

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As Del Boca says, "What immediately appears evident, from an analysis of theterritorial division of these governments (done with excessive haste) is thepunitive concept which has inspired the legislator. The Ethiopian Empire hasbeen dismembered, recomposed on prevalently tribal basis, and renderedunrecognizable." The Fascist propagandist Professor Raffaele di Lauro wrote:

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"The choice of the capital of each tribal government and border demarcation ofthe five component territories have been decided following a clear politicalcriteria , that is to say, consideration of political opportunity and verification ofunfailing positive result. The legislator has made every thing possible to keepstrictly to the principle uniting under one government, people of the samelinguistic, and ethnic, and historical identity. And the territorial borders of thecolonies are living evidences of the care and attention paid by Fascist legislatorsto the political situation in Ethiopia, to the disposition of the various peoples andevents that have marked the history of Ethiopia in the last century. Everybodyknows the centralizing propensities of the Shoan government at the expense ofthe peripheral peoples of Ethiopia. Shoan xenophobia in general, and Italophobiain particular is also well known. The Fundamental Law (Legge Organica) for theorganization of the colonies has dealt a severe blow to the �bubboneScioano� -Shoan tumor- by eradicating even its very name, so that there is notrace to-day of the existence of a province called Shoa, which had been thecenter of all anti-Italian activity under the Negus."Compare this text with MelesZenawi's interview with Paul Henze soon after Meles rose to power. You will againwitness a carbon copy! Regarding Shoa however, the Fascist authority willreintroduce the province as we shall soon see.

Let us now see Mussolini's five tribal governments one by one and compare themwith CIA-Weyane Fascistic apartheid and bantustanization in order to discernsimilarities and differences. We will see in several instances that the CIA-Weyanehave carried the tribal dismemberment of Ethiopia and the crime of ethniccleansing, massacres and mass deportation to a much higher stage than waseven contemplated by Mussolini.

II. Fascist Governo of Eritrea (1936-41)

Being the "primo genito" and being the most trusted region, the Governor of

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Eritrea was probably the most important Fascist personage in the colony, moreimportant even than the viceroy in Addis Ababa as we will have occasions to see.He was called "Gran Governatore". Tigrai was governed as part of Eritrea.Although nominally under the Governor of Amhara, Shoa, as we shall see, wasunder the Gran Governatore of Eritrea. The "Governo" of Eritrea was divided intothe following "Commissariati" until July 1939: . There was no independent"Governo" of Tigrai. Tigrai was broken up into several "commissariati" of Eritrea,namely Western Tigrai, Agame, Enderta , and Tembien:

1. Hamasien (Asmara) with Residenza in Asmara;

2. Serae (Addi Ugri) with Residenza at Addi Ugri, and Vice-residenza at AddiQuala

3. Akle Guzai (Addi Qaieh) with Residenza at Addi Qaieh and Vice-Residenza atArafali and Deqe Mehari

4. Eastern Lowland (Massawa) with Residenza at Massawa , and Vice-Residenza at Ghinda

5. Western Lowland (Agordat) with Residenza at Agordat , Barentu andTessenei, and Vice-Residenza at Om Hagere

6.. Western Tigrai (Adowa) with the

Residence of Adowa ,

Residence of Axum,

Residence of Ende Sellassie, Ad Daro , Enticcio,

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7. Adigrat (Agame) with Residenza at Adigrat, Hausien, Azbi, and Vice-Residenza at Agula and Au

8. Mekele (Enderta) with Residenza at Mekele,

9. Tembien (Abbi Addi) with Residenza at Abbi Addi, Samre, and Abergalle

10. Dancalia (Assab) with Residenza at Assab

Adding up the parts we will find out that the borders of Tigrai annexed to Eritreaupon Italian occupation of Ethiopia in 1936 were the traditional historical bordersof Tigrai as we have known them to the end of the 19th century and the beginningof the 20th, - the Tekezie-Tsellari-Ashenghe border, not CIA-Weyane's enlarged,redoubled Tigrai, with the annexation of Gondarine and Wollo territories. Althoughnot indicated in the list, as a chapter of the objective of tribal dismemberment,Raya and Azebo as well as Yedju (called

"Galla") were removed from Wollo in Governo Amhara and added to the Governoof Eritrea as a separate Residence south of Enderta (Tigrai) with its seat atAlamata close to Qobbo. Cerulli explained the reason:

"Given the special character of this Residence it was from the very beginningdeclared "Autonomous" and depends directly on the Governo of Eritrea. Amongits dependencies are found two vice-residences, one at Corbetta ) as the capitalof Azebo Galla and the other at the river Ala Weha, extreme southern border of ofthe new Eritrea.. This vast and extremely rich territory is divided into 14 districtsunder native chiefs

selected by Major De Sarno for their fidelity to Fascist Italy.

"These Galla have always been persecuted by the Shoan Amhara dominators

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and by whom they were harassed taking their land as a land of razzia for pillaging.And hence their inextinguishable hate towards the Amhara. The Amhara clergyalso engaged in violent and extensive works of proselytism among the Gallaoriginally all Muslims.

"These facts were well known by our Commando Superior (Supreme Command),as were also well known the proud warrior virtues of these people. And Major DeSarno was charged with the responsibility to attract to his base, train, arm, andlead huge masses of Raya and Azebo to attack the Ethiopian army on the left andright as well as from behind. This was the case in December 1035 and January1936when out troops were engaged at Ende Yesus. Major de Sarnoaccomplished his mission wonderfully and the Galla were of precious helpspecially after Amba Aradam when the retreating Ras Mulugueta (Ethiopia'sMinister of Defense) was attacked by the Galla and broke up hopelessly. The Rashimself was killed by the Galla at the Agumberta Pass. The Galla also impededthe orderly retreat of the Negus (Haile Selassie) towards Dessie during and afterthe battle of Maichew, destroying whatever remained of his army.

"Naturally the Galla conscious of the value of their contribution, and proud forhaving given hundreds dead for the Fascist cause, consider themselves ourallies, very different from other peoples brought under our order. From thebeginning they were promised that Fascist Italy will liberate them once and for allfrom Amhara domination . the Galla still constitute a formidable reserve for thecomplete submission of Wejirat and Lasta. Last autumn when Dejach WendWessen Kassa (brother of Abera Kassa) threatened to march against Qobbo weonly had to send a mass of Galla militia against him, to stop him forever tryingagain. For this service the Galla were paid a lot of money as a prize by H.E PirzioBiroli (Governor of Amhara). No other territory of Ethiopia is quite, safe and loyalas is this region because of the service the Galla are rendering to Fascist Italyand they are proud to depend directly on the Gran Governatore who to them

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represents the Italian Government."

This is also what the CIA-Weyane have forged once again, transforming what hasbeen the southern border of Fascist Eritrrea to become the southern border ofpresent day Tigrai!

III. Fascist Governo of Amhara (1936-41)

The Fascist government of "Amhara" (capital Gondar) bordered on thegovernment of Eritrea in the north and northeast, along a line which follows therivers Setit-Tekezie and that of river Tsellari. From there the borderline continuesto south of Ashenghe near Korem up to the border of Aussa. Thus Amharaincluded among others the province of Gondar north and south of Anghereb up tothe Setit-Tekezie border of Eritrea in the north and the Tekezie-Tsellari-Ashengheborder of Tigrai in the east and south as well as the whole of pre-1991 Wollo.

The Fascist "governorato of Amhara" was divided into the followingcommissariats, residences and sub-residences:

1.Fascist Commissariats of southern Gondar and Gojam: Gondar, withResidenza at Gondar and Vice Residenza at Sengi;

Metemma with V.R at Gadabiet ,Matabia,Celga; Ambachiara with V.R at Adiscia;

Tana with seat at Gorgora, and V.R at Ifag and Dagossa;

Dongur with V.R at Alefa and Gubba;

Begemidre (Debra Tabor) with Residenza at Debra Tabor and V.R atIstie,Semada, Melma, Mechetoa,

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Eastern Tana at Uolala;

Gaint with seat at Arbi Ghebia, V.R at Segala , Sodie, and Mugguia);

Western Gojam (Danghila) with Residenza at Agaw Midre (seat at Danghila)andV.R at Ingiabara and Ghimbiabiet;

Southern Tana with seat at Bahr Dar and V.R at Acefer, Zeghie, Meccia, IlmanaDensa;

Shanqilla (Nilo-Saharans) with seat in Wembera and V.R at kikag (?) andBilinghi;

Eastern Gojam (Debre Markos) with Residenza at Debre Markos, and V.R atMata, Baso;

Damot with seat at Burie and V.R at Dembecha, Farabiet;

2.Commissariats of Gondar North of Anghereb Semien (New Debarek withResidence at Debarek and V.R at Dabat, Amba Ghiroghis, Haggiret, WaldebbaTsegedie;

Upper Semien with seat at Deresghe and V.R at Beieda and Sahalla;

Tselemt with seat at Addi Arcai and V.R at Dima, Ataba and Addi Weseni)

Beyond Setit with seat at Adi Remoz, and V.R at Birkutan, Cafta, Abdelrafi

3.Commissariats of Wollo-Lasta

Lasta-Wag with Residenza at Wag (Socota).

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Wadla & Delanta (seat at Guana) with V.R at Dawnt,Mechiet and Delanta;

Lasta (seat at Lalibela) with V.R at Muggia;

Wollo-Yejou (Dessie) with Residenza at Dessie, and V.R. at Lake Haiq, Albuko,Werra Qallu, Ambassel, Werra Babo, Wadla Wedih;

Bati with V.R at Werra Ailu, Werra Bichu, Rikhie ; Werra Ilou with V.R at Jamma ;

Amara Saint with V.R at Borna, Wadla Weld�ya;

Legaida with V.R at Derra, Legambo and Legagora;

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PART TWO

The Story of Fascist Italian Incorporation Inside Eritrea of Gondar Territory Northof Anghereb

Fascist Italy's tribal "goverenorato" of Amhara, written "Amara" in Fascist Italianliterature, was again arbitrarily taken north of Abbai to be composed of Gojamand Gondar bordering on a separate Shoa "governorato", and Wollo, Wag,Bugna, Lasta and Angot - .This last region was of course the proper home andorigin of the Amhara ! Let us concentrate on Fascist "Gondar." The EthiopianEmperor had lost his capital in the south (Shoa) and had established his new

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capital in the north at Gondar from the 17th to the end of the 19th century,following the Oromo invasion and settlement in southern and eastern Ethiopiabeginning in the 16th century. And as the capital and seat of the Emperor, Gondarhad naturally soon expanded to bring under the direct rule of the Emperor a largeterritory divided by the Anghereb River. The region north of Anghereb (Welqait,Tsegede, Waldebba, Tselemt Semen, Wogera) as we indicated above has hadthroughout history its own independent cultural , religious and linguistic identitylargely dominated by the Agaw Falasha. The original language of the people inthese regions has been the Agaw and their religion Falasha (an Ethiopian versionof Judaism to which they might have been converted since Axumite times.) Due toproximity with Tigrai on the other side of Tekezie commerce and communicationhas apparently been going on for centuries since Axumite times and hence theexistence of important pockets of Axumite-Tigrai colonies spreading Geez-Tigregna particularly in Welqait. Tselemt with its own Shum Tselemt appointed bythe Emperor and paying his allegiance directly to the Emperor had been atdifferent periods of history appearing in the list of the negarits (provinces) of theviceroy of Tigrai until the end of the 16thth century.

But since the Gada-Galla nomadic pastoralist invasion of and settlement insouthern Ethiopia as well as half of central Ethiopia including Angot-Amhara-Shoa, thus mutilating close to three-fourth of Ethiopia's ancient provinces, theentire Ethiopian population had to flee and cram in a small corner constituted ofTigrai and the territory north of Abai (Blue Nile). Consequently also, the Emperorwhose dynasty originated in Amhara-Angot-Shoa, having lost his base populationand his power base, had but to move the seat of his throne to the newlyconquered and Christianized Agaw and Falasha regions north of Lake Tanabetween Dembiya and Welqait. This region will from now on be known as the newAmhara, signifying not Amhara tribe (as the region remained predominantlyAgaw ) but the centrality of the region from where the Emperor ruled his empire,and consequently the adoption of Amharic - the "lesane Negus" or "the language

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of the Negus" - which will spread fast and establish its supremacy together withOrthodox Christianity. That was also where the Emperor founded his new capitalat Gondar! And thus the new "Amhara" between Dembiya and Welqait has beenthoroughly conquered, Christianized and Amharized permanently cutting out anymore Tigrai influence west of Tekezie at that date. And that situation has lastedpractically unaltered through even the Measafint Zemen, under Tewodros, underthe Tigrai Emperor Yohannes IV, Menelik, under Iyassu-Zewditu, under theFascist occupation period, Under Emperor Haile Selassie and the Derg. Theadministrative, cultural and linguistic map of Gondar had persisted even afterGondar lost its status as capital in favor of Addis Ababa . A Gondaradministrative region composed of two parts north and south of Angherebbordering on the Sudan is also what Fascist Italy found upon occupation ofEthiopia in 1936.

For military reasons of repressing Ethiopian nationalist resistance, Fascist Italyhad temporarily annexed Gondar territory north of Anghereb as part of Eritrea intwo steps, first by a decree of March 1938 when Welqait and Tseged weretransferred to Eritrea and then by a decree of July 17, 1939. These temporaryannexations undertaken for military reasons for the repression of patrioticresistance have served TPLF to annex to-day the same large chunks of fertileGondar territories north of Anghereb as part of Tigrai.

The first transfer of Northern Gondar territory had been decreed by Mussolini'sFascist government on March 13 1938. The mountainous and tortuous land northof Anghereb and south of that river bordering on the Sudan in the west and theSetit-Tekezie in the north and east has throughout history been a land of rebellionand resistance to oppression and hegemony. North of Anghereb are found thefamous mountainous regions of Semien, Tselemt, Welqait, and Tsegede. Southof Anghereb is found the legendary Armachiho, the large territory estimated at3500 sq. km. extending south up to Om Hager. The region north and south of

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Anghereb constituted among the centers of the highest resistance to Fascistoccupation and brutality led by patriots like Fitawrari Wubneh (Amoraw Wubneh)and others among whom mention should be made of Bitweded AdaneMekonnen, Killed by the EPRP in cold blood in 1985 at the age of eighty four, afew kilometers beyond the Sudanese border engaged in fighting a guerrillawarfare as leader of EDU against the Derg.

Here is how an Italian officer during the Italian war of aggression describedArmachiho: "Armachiho, thanks to its position, its difficult terrain, covered with athick forest and inaccessible, has remained until to-day beyond any control. Thepopulation of Armachiho live surrounded by a legend of independence andinviolability of their territory, given that since times immemorial, they have neverpaid taxes to the Negus, and his troops have never penetrated in the region toclaim sovereignty. In the recent past Armachiho was considered not only a safeasylum to outlaws and shiftas, but also was equally the storehouse of armspillaged from passing caravans. It is also believed that a section of the Emperor'sarmy while on retreat in April 1936 with 1000 guns was completely disarmed atthe Dawa pass. Furthermore, it is known that a flourishing arms trade with distantcountries is carried on in Armachiho.�Hence the major role Armachiho played inthe resistance against Fascist occupation. That was the background of Fascistdecision to modify the border of northern Gondar. On February 5, 1939 a high-level meeting of Fascist authorities in Eritrea (Asmara) under the chairmanship ofGeneral Teruzzi, Under-secretary of State in the Ministry of African colonies onthe question regarding the temporary modification of the border between Eritreaand Amhara transferring the whole of northern Gondar, north of Anghereb, to theEritrean government, outside the provisions of the "Legge Organica" as we haveseen. Hence the specific statement on the cover page treating thatmeeting:"VERBALE DELLA RIUNIONE PRESIEDUTA DA S.E. IL GENERALEDI CORPO D'ARMATA ATTILIO TERUZZI, SOTTOSEGRETARIO DI STATOPER L'AFRICA ITALIANA IL 5FEBBRAIO 1939 - XVII� PRESSO IL PALAZZO

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GOVERNATORIALE DELL'ERITREA CIRCA IL TEMPORANEO PASSAGGIOAL GOVERNO DELL'ERITREA DEI TERRITORI A NORD DELL' ANGHEREB"

"MINUTES OF THE MEETING PRESIDED BY H.E. GENERAL OF THEMILITARY CORPS ATTILIO TERUZZI, UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FORITALIAN AFRICA, FEBRUARY 5, 1939 - XVII� AT THE GOVERNMENTPALACE OF ERITREA REGARDING THE TEMPORARY TRANSFER TO THEGOVERNMENT OF ERITREA THE TERRITORIES NORTH OF ANGHEREB"

The meeting was also attended by S.E. Enrico Cerulli -Vice Governor General ofAfrica Italiana, a leading Ethiopianist! At that meeting General Teruzzi explainedthe situation and the justification for such a temporary transfer of the Amharaterritories north of Anghereb to Eritrea on military grounds as being commandedby the necessity to crash Ethiopian patriotic resistance in Amhara north ofAnghereb! Referring to the example of Shoa where the nationalist rebellion wasripe, Teruzzi explained how by creating a separate Fascist government under onemilitary direction and control of the centre - Addis Ababa the repression of thepatriotic resistance has been much more successful. On the other hand, in thegovernorate of Amhara and Gojam the situation is different. Special operations ofrepression of patriots in Gojam is already underway under the direct supervisionof the supreme Fascist military command in Italian Africa it was hoped it will becompleted by the end of May. In the same way it was hoped to get a goodpolitico-military result regarding the repression of patriotic resistance and"pacification" of the Amhara region through the temporary modification andtransfer of Gondar territory north of Anghereb because of the lack ofcommunication and the impossibility to conduct the repression of anti-Fascistrebellion in this mountainous and tortuous region from Gondar. Creating a"pacified zone" by crashing the patriotic resistance in the territories north ofAnghereb will also help us to create a buffer zone between Eritrea and Amharaand protect ourselves from the risk of anti-Fascist resistance spreading into

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Eritrea.

TPLF or its consultants have done the necessary research, and have been goodat copying Fascist tribal maps and borders. In this respect the most strikingreproduction of Mussolini's Fascist Italian colonial map is that of thetransformation of the Fascist map of Eritrea (including Tigrai) as the map of Tigraialone in order to justify the annexation (and denomination as "Western Tigrai" ofalmost half of Gondar - the fertile regions beyond Anghereb (Welqait , Tsegede,Waldebba, Tselemt,) � separated from Tigrai by the Tekezie, as well as a large

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chunk of Wollo - extending to the river Alewoha (commonly called Ala in FascistItalian maps) as integral parts of Tigrai. That is why we have written that that Godhad created the TPLF in 1975 with, in its belly or its head, the map (or evolvingmaps) of Tigrai and its borders already carved out. This appears so because,already in its first political programmes (see Map ?) TPLF presents a modifiedand aggrandized , almost doubled, Tigrai so that TPLF's Tigrai border reachesthe Sudan in the west and the Red Sea hinterland in the southeast. And this is theFascist Italian colonial map temporarily annexing to Eritrea, the Gondar-Wolloterritory extending from Anghereb to Alewoha, now reproduced most faithfully bythe TPLF as representing the historical map of Tigrai!This was also the Fascistmap that the British inherited following their victory over the Fascist troops andwhich they made the basis of their colonialist Tigrai Tigregn project during theBritish administration period (1941-1952). The area north of Anghereb-Alewehaborder was also the one indicated for the Tigrai-Tigregn project of the firstWoyane in 1943. That is also the border the TPLF has arbitrarily and fascisticallychosen to inherit from Mussolini invasion as the border of Tigrai! And yet evenFascist Italy had never denied that the regions west of Tekezie and north of theAngherreb were integral parts of Gondar. [See enclosed Fascist Italian map ofGondar]

The Tigrai-Tigregn project, which the TPLF has adopted, since its origin is madeby trespassing the river Tekezie and annexing a large chunk of the Gondar regionwest of the river and extending the southern border of Tigrai north of Angherebvalley, to include Tselemt, Waldebba, Welqait, and Tsegede.

Thus aggrandized in the west and south , TPLF's Tigrai has been blown up fromthe traditional and official size of 65,000 sq. kms to 102,000 sq. kms "restoring"what the TPLF says was land taken away from Tigrai, on the basis of an entirelyunfounded , unhistorical claim and assertion that following the Woyane revolt of1943, "Haile Selassie . incorporated parts of Tigray to Amhara provinces." (see

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TIGRAY - A NATION IN STRUGGLE," a TPLF publication, October 1979). Aglance at the administrative maps of Ethiopia in the twentieth century between1900 and 194 , including even Fascist Italy's maps during the occupation period(1936-1941), is enough to discredit such a baseless claim intended to justifyTPLF expansionist agenda. Christopher Clapham had thus exposed Melesterritorial expansion and opportunism:

"The TPLF needs to define Tigray in such a way as to gain external access, andthe two geographically most appropriate ways of doing so, by claiming a corridorto the Red Sea at Tiyo or Mers Fatma on the one hand, or to the Sudan betweenthe Gash and Setit rivers on the other, are both closed off because they form partof Eritrea. The TPLF has, therefore, instead claimed, part of northern Gondar,asserting entirely fictitiously that for a couple of years in the early 1940's this wasadministered as part of Tigray. It has claimed Wag in northern Wollo on the samegrounds."

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT: PART THREE

THE FAILURE OF FASCIST "LEGGE ORGANICA" TO KILL SHOA: RISING PATRIOTISM ININSPITE OF DISMANTLEMENT AND FEROCIOUS REPRESSION

November, 2003

Copyright � 2003 by Aleme Eshete

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Dr. Aleme Eshete is a historian, and a political scientist engaged for many years in the defenseof human rights and democracy in Ethiopia, as well as in the defense of Ethiopian independence,sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and identity.