By Dr. Moges Mekuria
Projecting ones nightmares onto others will only lead to insanity and ultimate doom
The Treason charge and conviction once again proves the politics of projection that has been consistently applied on the people of Ethiopia by the TPLF. However, such defenses will not help the TPLF defend itself, except forcing it to try to flee from its horrendous acts hastening its and ultimate doom.
Elementary psychology tells us that failure to adjust to challenging situations lead to certain behaviors marking defective personality. These Defense mechanisms are created when one rejects reality or the emerging change. Defenses such as denial, repression and projection can be detrimental if used as long-term response mechanisms.
Unraveling the underlying behavior of the TPLF regime points to a recurring pattern of psychological defense mechanisms or projection. The TPLF has been using projection- blaming its fault on the opposition- as one of its key policies.
The TPLF policy of projection is a manifestation of its leaders’ psychotic behavior- Delusional Projection of psychotic proportions- manifested by frank delusions and paranoia about external reality, usually of a hostile nature. TPLF leaders still see the Ethiopian people and Ethiopia as a threat to their own paranoid ambitions and psychosis- maintain indefinite control of power and government structures to achieve their untimate goal of dividing and ruling Ethiopia.
TPLF leaders’ operation in the realm of the immoral is a sign of deep psychological derangement. Who could have thought by inciting violence and jailing innocent kinijit leaders, TPLF would reverse the democratic process in Ethiopia at a time when opposition leaders seemed to be on the strongest bargaining position? The answer lies in the realm of the immoral, viciousness and the rules of the jungle.
I think, if one wants to understand the TPLF junta, one has to look for immoral, not moral and ethical cues. Practical examples of such immorality include their accusation of opposition leaders and their supporters of charges of genocide and treason, narrow nationalism or ethnism or ethno-nationalism, inciting armed rebellion, breaking the constitutional order and lying.
The TPLF leadership and cadres are responsible for all the mess in Ethiopia. The experience and the reality of the last 16 years in Ethiopia proved this beyond doubt. They are the ones who contemplated genocidal intent against those who did not vote for them. They are the ones who committed treason against Ethiopia and Ethiopians. They are the ones who strongly advocated for narrow nationalism in Ethiopia. They are the ones who instigated armed rebellion by rigging people’s votes and breaking the constitutional order to attempt to change the course of democracy and freedom in Ethiopia.
At the heart of projection is the behaviour of compulsive lying. TPLF has been, still is, lying to the Ethiopian people. They accuse opposition of lying when in fact they are the ones who lied and are lying. This is another proof of the politics of political projection by the TPLF mafia.
The motivations behind the politics of projection are clear. The TPLF leaders always attempt to hide from the truth because truth threatens them psychologically. They deny the truth and project their lies on the opposition hoping to remove their psychological guilt and insanity.
More importantly, such TPLF psychological defenses are pre-emptive measures aimed at blocking any likely course of action that TPLF leaders perceive the opposition might take, but which they can not stand to hear or see happening. Cases in point include alleged treason and inciting armed rebellion.
Defense mechanisms may help to silence subconscious fears and pathogenic anxiety for a time, but cannot deal with long-term psychological problems or lead to long-term solutions. One has to face the reality to be able to cope with psychological problems in the long-term. Such is true of the TPLF leadership that is trying to avoid reality all the time by blaming the opposition for its vicious faults and paranoid tendencies and ambitions.
The result of such behaviour is obviously insanity and ultimate doom. The junta cannot cheat the nation anymore. TPLF could not outgrow its guerrilla behaviour even after 16 years as government. It could not mature, as it has failed to adjust to the expectations of both the Ethiopian people, the international community, and the 21-st century reality. TPLF will continue to flee from its own shadow and its own paranoid fear and guilt, which will only lead to more viciousness and insanity. Such feelings of psychological inadequacy in TPLF leaders’ minds cannot lead to long-term adjustment and harmony with the Ethiopian people and their legitmate representatives. It will only hasten their viciousness and ultimate doom.