መቸም ህዝብ አምኖ በተዋችሁ ጊዜ ያልፈፀማችሁት deception የለ ያው ካሳውን እየተፋችሁ ቢሆንም
Deception ያላካሄዳችሁበት ዘር የለ!Based on historical accounts of imperial Ethiopia, particularly during the reigns of Emperor Menelik II (1889–1913) and Emperor Haile Selassie (1930–1974), there was a systematic process of administrative, political, and economic marginalization of Tigray that included land annexations, leading to widespread famine and socioeconomic crises among the Tigrayan population.
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Annexation of Fertile Lands
Emperor Menelik II Strategy: After becoming emperor, Menelik II (a Shewan Amhara) sought to diminish the influence of northern feudal rivals, particularly Tigrayan elites. He reduced the size of the Tigray province by shifting productive, fertile lands—such as those in Western Tigray (Welkait, Tsegede, and Raya)—towards Amhara-dominated provinces (Gondar and Wollo).
Role of Western Tigray: The lands now considered Western Tigray were historically known for their fertility and cash crops (sesame, sorghum, cotton). Removing these from Tigrayan administration was aimed at weakening the economic independence of the region.
Bargaining Power: Menelik II sometimes used these annexed Tigrayan lands as bargaining tools with colonial Italy (e.g., Treaties of Wuchale and Feres Mai).
Famine and Hunger
1958 Tigray Famine: Following decades of political marginalization, a massive famine hit Tigray in 1958. Emperor Haile Selassie's regime was accused of delaying relief efforts and masking the disaster, resulting in the death of up to 100,000 peasants.
Cyclical Famine (1950s-1970s): Tigray was systematically excluded from development, and severe famines occurred in 1957–58, 1965–67, and 1973–74, weakening the population while the imperial center remained largely untouched.
Punitive Measures: Following the "First Woyane" rebellion in 1943, which occurred as a response to excessive taxation and lack of regional representation, the imperial government punished the region by further changing administrative boundaries to ensure poverty and lack of local authority.
Legacy of the Dispute
The territorial adjustments made during the imperial era have remained a flashpoint, with many Amhara elites considering these territories (like Welkait) to be historically theirs, while Tigrayans consider them annexed land. These disputes, combined with the marginalization of the region, have been cited as drivers of recurring conflict up to the modern era