Chapter 23 The sixth wilderness-1

Many people know me.So, if you want to find me, just try to find me, you won't miss me.Then, come on!Otherwise you deserve to be called a coward... However, I can give you a year's reprieve, allowing you to find me in the next year and a day. ——Sir Gawain and the Legend of the Green Knight I returned to the UK in October 1990 after a trip to Israel and Egypt.At that time I made up my mind: I must go to Axum, and the best time was January 1991.If I can get there by the 18th of that month, I can go to the Epiphany ceremony.I wish the Ark of the Covenant would be brought out during the mass procession during that time.

The Falasha priest I interviewed in Jerusalem, Rafael Hadani, had doubts that the real ark would be used then. "I don't believe those Christians would bring out the real ark," he told me. "They wouldn't. They would never show it to anyone. They would use a replica." This warning comes from From a man who has been to Axum himself in the hope of seeing the holy relic, so it disturbs me very much.Still, I had no other way but to go with my original plan, and that meant overcoming my own fears. The situation of the Ethiopian civil war has always been unfavorable to the government, so if I really plan to go to Axum, I will have to hand myself over to the "Tigray People's Liberation Front", which is beyond doubt.I know that over the years they have allowed a dozen foreigners to operate in their area of ​​control and have done no harm to those people.However, I am very worried that they will hurt me.Why is this?

The answer is: because between 1983 and 1989, I had close ties with the Ethiopian government. At the end of 1982, I gave up my career as a journalist to start a publishing company, publishing books and other documents for a wide range of clients, including some governments in Africa.One of my earliest deals was with the Ethiopian Tourism Board.In fact, as described in the first chapter of this book, it was that business that brought me to Axum for the first time, in 1982. The result of that trip was a beautifully bound picture book (Graeme Hancock, Richard Pankhurst, Duncan Veletz: Under the Ethiopian Skies, London and Nairobi, 1983 Edition, reprinted in 1987 and 1989—author's note).Senior officials in the Ethiopian government liked the book so much that they commissioned me to complete other similar projects.

In the process, I got to know quite a few figures in power, such as Shmailis Mazenga, the ideological head of the Workers' Party, and other activists from the Politburo and Central Committee, including Berhanu Bai, Ka Sa Kebid, besides a figure of paramount importance who has been called the "Red Emperor" of Ethiopia, is President Mengistu Haile Mariam himself.The military strongman who seized power in the mid-1970s is perhaps unparalleled in all of Africa in his ruthless repression of dissent. I have a feeling that when you work closely with people, you gradually start to see things the way they do.I ran into this in the mid 80's. After 1985, I have become one of the staunchest supporters of the Ethiopian government.I never approved of the domestic coercion adopted by that government, but nevertheless I managed to convince myself that some of the positive steps they took were reasonable and beneficial.

Notable among these measures: Between 1984 and 1985, the government embarked on a new policy aimed at relocating more than a million farmers from the famine-stricken Tigray province (which was still under government control) to the country Go up on virgin ground to the south and west.At the time I thought it was "necessary" because large swathes of the north had been turned into "uninhabitable wastelands and were on the brink of total and irreversible economic collapse" (Graeme Hancock: Ethiopia: The Hunger Challenge, London 1985, p. 110).However, the political leaders of the TPLF saw the emigration in a different light, seeing it as a serious threat to the rebels, who were trying to build up the strength of the rebels.They are convinced that the real purpose of this "criminal" policy is to deprive them of the support of the people in their home regions (as it is clear that every peasant removed from Tigray means one less reservist soldier from the Liberation Front).Therefore, in order to support the government's immigration policy, I have publicly expressed my attitude on many occasions. Therefore, I openly and directly violated the interests of TPLF.What's more, I have also expressed my close relationship with the Ethiopian government in other ways.

Finally, in 1988 and the first half of 1989, my involvement with the Addis Ababa regime shifted to a new frontier.Over the course of that year, I made a series of bizarre trips between Ethiopia and its neighbor, Somalia. In Somalia, I also had a good relationship with another dictator in Africa, President Mohammad Siad Barr, who was still in power.The purpose of the trips is to facilitate diplomatic talks between the two countries on a slow-moving peace process. At the time, I thought I was taking on a glorious mission in a good cause, worthy and aboveboard.What's more, this mission made me proud because I acted as a "faithful mediator" between two rivals, Mengistu and Barr, both powerful and dangerous.However, such psychological motives caused me to completely ignore the adverse effects of my activities on me, namely, that I had to enter into a close personal relationship with these two cruel and calculating people, the consequences of which might be ruinous and destructive. endanger my own reputation.

An old proverb advises that he who dines with the devil should have a ladle at hand. In 1988 and 1989, I served briefly as an amateur diplomat on a whim, during which time I dined with two devils - but unfortunately: I didn't even have a ladle with me.Have I rid myself of this tainted experience?The honest answer to this question is a resounding "yes."Of course I've gotten rid of it.I may also add: I regret my actions at the time.If I were to live again, I would not let flattery and personal ambition lure me into the company of such despicable creatures. However, I now have to live with the consequences of my mistakes.One of the results of my mistakes is that the Ethiopian-Somali peace process (which I was a part of) has now taken a new turn: the two sides have now reached an agreement to each cut off all financial and military aid.And this of course affects the interests of the TPLF, because they have had a back-up office in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, for several years.In doing so, I showed once again that I was an enemy of the cause of the people of Tigray and a friend of the dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam whom the TPLF considered evil incarnate.

That was the background of my first visit to TPLF's London office in November 1990.To be honest, I did feel a little terrified at the time.The most likely outcome, I foresee, is that they flatly refuse my request to go to Axum.However, delusions and guilt also lead me to think of another outcome, even more disturbing: the guerrillas may agree to take me to the holy city of Axum, but after I cross the Sudanese border and enter Tigray province , they will create a fatal "accident".This fear of mine may sound like drama, or even nonsense, but it was very real to me. Pursue or hide?

They weren't overly surprised that I took the initiative to go to TPLF.Yes, they know who I am.True, they were also surprised that I should have proposed going to Axum.However, they did not object to my plan. But there is a problem.I had to get a visa from the Sudanese government before flying to Khartoum.Similarly, crossing the hundreds of kilometers of border between Khartoum and Tigray province also requires a letter of authorization for international travel issued by the Sudanese government. Regrettably, in the last months of 1990, the Government of the Sudan did not issue any visas and permits to British citizens.At the time, the danger of a large-scale military conflict in the Gulf, in which the Sudanese government sided with Iraq and Britain with the United States, seemed inevitable, thus making the British citizens of Khartoum "persona non grata".

Is there no way for TPLF to bypass this ban?They told me: Yes, they have a way.However, this effort of theirs is reserved for visiting friends, for those who actively help their cause.I am not their friend, nor can I offer them anything that would directly benefit them, so I must go to the Sudanese authorities myself.If I get permission from the Sudanese, if I can go to the town of Kassala on the border by myself, then the TPLF will take me across the border there and then allow me to go to the city of Axum. So I went to the Sudanese embassy in London, only to add to my frustration and disappointment.As a writer, I had to submit a visa application to the Sudanese Press Counselor.The counselor is Dr. Abdair Wahhabi El-Avatar.He is a young man in a neat and smart suit.He politely told me to give up hope immediately: because in the current political climate, there was absolutely no chance of me being allowed to enter Sudan, let alone travel across the border from Khartoum to Kassala.

"Would things be easier if TPLF agreed to my plan?" I asked. "Of course. Will they agree?" "Oh... not agreed yet. They have some preconditions." "Look, I'm not mistaken," Dr. Affandi sighed, apparently expecting this result, "You're wasting your time." I asked, "Can you send my visa application to Khartoum?" The press attache laughed easily, and spread his palms upwards, clearly expressing his heartfelt apology: "I would love to do this, but I can assure you that it will not do any good." Throughout the month I have been in touch with Dr. Affandi by phone.He has no news about me. After my first discussion with the TPLF on November 2, I went to the TPLF office again on the 19, this time to meet the head of their mission, Teward Gobru.During the meeting, I had a feeling that this clever negotiator was probing my motives with skill; he wanted to find out whether my going to Axum was a cover, and whether my real reason was the same as Addis. The military ambitions of the Berba regime have nothing to do. Of course, I do know that my interest is in the Ark and nothing else.But it occurred to me that my so-called "investigation" could easily be seen by the TPLF as a disguise for espionage.At the end of the conversation, Tward told me that he would contact the ThLF office in Khartoum and ask them to approve my visa and travel permit.After hearing these words, I really don't know whether I should feel joyful or apprehensive. trade For the next three weeks, I heard nothing from the TPLF or the Sudanese embassy in London.Things were going nowhere and seemed to be on hold, so I began to feel that something had to be done to speed things up. The idea I finally came up with was pretty simple.Inside Ethiopia, a fierce propaganda war has been going on alongside the war.The government accuses the ThLF of looting and burning churches (but this accusation may be wrong), which is an integral part of the propaganda war.So I decided that if I could provide the TPLF with a TV news report about religious freedom in their province of Tigray, maybe I could get the rebels to cooperate.In that TV news, TPLF will have the opportunity to refute the allegations against them. I don't intend to make a public statement in the media in support of the TPLF - partly because I still have a residual loyalty to those government officials, including Shmelis Mazenga, who has helped me over the years ; and partly because I find the prospect of that big throwback not at all to my liking.It is true that my views on Ethiopian political issues have changed and continue to change, but nonetheless, standing up for TPLF just because I want to go to Axum is the most contemptuous thing I have seen in recent months . The solution I devised to solve this difficulty, however, was almost equally ill-conceived.I don't want to report this TV news in Tigray Province myself, and I don't plan to appear on the TV news.I want someone else to do it for me.The man I was thinking of was an old friend, a BBC producer named Edward Melner, who had been doing independent production for the past few years.Edward recently returned from the South American country of Colombia, where he filmed a special for Channel 4 News on British television.So I thought he might be interested in filming the story of Tigray and feeding it to that TV channel. Of course, he had no problem directing his interest in any direction.I know he has integrity; I also know he will insist on editing the film entirely by himself, and insist on being honest about what he saw there.Still, I figured that if I could rely on this ruse, linking my study trip to a major TV news report, the TPLF would be more interested in my application to Axum.In my experience, all anti-government groups are keen on propaganda, so I think the facts will prove: ThLF is no exception. So, on Wednesday, December 10, I called Tward Gobleu again. When I met him on November 19th, he had told me that he would ask the TPLF office in Khartoum to approve my visa and travel permit, and now I asked him if there was any progress on this matter. "No progress," he replied, "our people in Sudan are very busy, and your business is not on their schedule." "Would it have been different if I had provided you with the TV coverage?" "That depends on the content of the report." "It will cover religious freedom in Tigray province in its entirety, and Tgy's relationship with the church. You may be winning on the battlefield, but you are being defeated in the propaganda war..." "What basis do you have for saying that?" "I can give you an example. The government recently accused you of looting and burning churches, right?" "yes." "Is this a disservice to you?" "To be honest, it's done a lot of harm to the people and it's spread internationally." "Are the government's allegations true?" "No. Not at all." "Even if it wasn't true, the accusation was made after all. Once that kind of mud is thrown on your road, your car will sink," I continued to play the trump card in my hand, "Obviously, this is a government attack on you. A well-planned propaganda campaign. I want to read you a story in The Times of October 19." In front of me was a folder of newspaper clippings that my research assistant had prepared for me.I read: "The government of Ethiopia especially needs the church to support the government in its struggle to stop the situation from deteriorating further. President Mengistu recently said: Our country is a product of a historical process that has existed for thousands of years. The historical relics that survive confirms this. Ironically, the President also wanted to contrast the situation in the regions he was liberating with the ongoing destruction of communism, anti-religionism seen as a separatist movement..." "I'm familiar with the content of this kind of reporting," interjected Trevord Gobleu, "that any emancipation that Mengistu is going through is nothing more than a cynical ploy to cheat the support of the people because he Seeing now that he has no way of defeating us on the battlefield." "But that's not the problem. The problem is that you have to do something to cleanse your anti-religious image. It would help you a lot to have an official news report on TV all over the UK. If I filmed In the case of the Epiphany (I am going to Axum), then the mass procession and the atmosphere of the whole festival will help to show people that the TPLF is not against the Church, but is responsible for this most precious historical tradition. defender of the "You may be right." "So, should I go and implement the filming of this TV report?" "this is a good idea." "Do you think you will be able to arrange a visa and a permit for me in time if I get this done?" "Yes. I think I can guarantee that." last minute Immediately after meeting Trevord Gobru, I called my friend Edward Melner, cleared him up and asked him if he would be interested in filming a TV channel 4 news program about Tigray Provincial reports. He was intrigued, and on Wednesday, December 12, got a commission from the station.We faxed the Power of Attorney and details of Edward's passport to TPLF.We enclosed a letter saying that we would leave for Tigray no later than January 9, 1991—that was just before Epiphany. More than two weeks have passed and we have not received any definitive reply from TPLF.We desperately need visas and travel permits now, but they are not coming. "Call me right after New Years!" Tward gave us this advice. By Friday, January 4, 1991, I had completely given up hope and had begun to re-experience that feeling of chagrin mixed with relaxation: my chagrin was not completing my research; my relief was I have done my best, and I am content with my honor, and also because I now seem to be free of all danger, real or imagined, because I am beyond the reach of Tigray. save. Then, that afternoon, Tward called. "You can go now," he announced, "everything is arranged." So Ed and I flew to Khartoum on January 9th according to the schedule.From there, in less than a week's more overland trek, we reach the holy city of Axum.