15. February 2009 by Assimba.

By Obo Arada Shawl Febreuary 13, 2009

I have plenty of questions but I do not have the answers

The persistent past of political economy

For the last 150 years, the ideologies of Marxism, Nationalism and Liberalism have divided not only the Adam & Eve Society in particular but also had divided the whole humanity. Ideology refers to systems of thought and beliefs by which Aethiopians as a group or individuals had attempted to explain how the social system functions and the principles applied. The Marxists led by EPRP, the Nationalists led by EPLF and the Liberals led by EDU were at the center of economic analysis before and on the eve of the Revolution. The Eathiopian Student Movement has attempted to explain the Eway Revolution in such a manner.

On the one hand, the conflict among those Eathiopian intellectual groups was based on three moral and intellectual positions that have revolved around the role and significance of the market in the organization of society and economic affairs. The three ideologies were -

• Economic liberalism ጥቅም ለኔ ብቻ VISION OF EDU

• Marxism ለእድገት እንስራ VISION OF EPRP

• Economic nationalism ጥቅም ለጝ ብቻ VISION OF EPLF

The Liberals of EDU and the traditional Marxist of EPRP consider the integration of a society into world economy to be a positive factor in economic development and domestic welfare. Both agree on this position.

EDU like most liberals were for economic development via trade. But their domestic sources of growth were to depend on foreign flows of trade, capital and technology.

Marxists, on the contrary believed that the external forces could promote economic development only by breaking the bonds of Aethiopian conservative social structures. And that was not desirable though necessary condition.

The Nationalists believe that the world economy only operates to the disadvantage of their domestic economy and domestic welfare. Trade in their view was an engine of exploitation and for underdevelopment only.

These three controversy of EDU, EPRP and EPLF over the role of world market economy in the global distribution of wealth, power and welfare constituted the underlined problems of Aethiopia, as a result of these positions, EDU had collapsed quickly during the Revolution, EPRP still persists and EPLF is still fearful of global economy. Today, we can still speak of ideologies not of “theories” as applied to trade, investment and development. Once more, the current governments of Aethiopia are confusing issues of TID (trade-investment-development). What a tragedy!

While on the other hand, many copycat organizations such as the DERG, TPLF, and many others have differed on broad range of questions such as:

• What is the significance of the market for economic growth and distribution of wealth among groups and societies?

• What ought to be the role of markets in the organizations of domestic and international society?

• What is the effect of the market system on issues of war and peace?

Each of these three perspectives has strengths and weaknesses. It is clear now for the entire whole wide world that no perspective provides a complete and satisfactory understanding of the nature and dynamism of these ideologies. Together all three can provide useful insights for our future.

These were the main issues for our Eway Revolution. I believe that the Aethiopian Student Movement had embarked on a political Revolution to be followed with economic revolution and it is in this light that the struggle of EPRP should be evaluated and judged. Not the other way round. I heard a group who were discussing on why EPRP did not build roads and bridges. What an argument!

Having said this let me go to the current irregular conditions to be concluded by suggestions for posterity.

ANOMALIES that may persist in the future

Paguemen 13 is equivalent to Friday the 13^th

Paguemen is the 13^th month in Aethiopian Calendar, which consists of only 5 days (September 6-11). The slogan of “Ethiopia a country of 13 months of sunshine” has been a welcoming gesture of tourists. But most important is the fact that Aethiopians do not pay bill as they work for free during this month. What a wonderful concept!

Friday 13^th is a superstition about a day of good or bad luck. The fear of Friday the 13^th is called Paraskavedkatriaphobia = 23 letters which is derived from the Greek words of

Paraskevi = Friday

Dekatreis = Thirteen and

Phobia = Fear

The history, rate of accidents, occurrence and its social impact of phobia of thirteen are too much to tell. Suffice to say that the number 13 was considered as irregular transgressing completeness. The number 13 is incomplete as reflected by the 12 months of the year, 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 hrs of the clock, 12 Apostles of Jesus, 12 tribes of Israel, twelve gods of Olympus and so on and so forth.

From Jesus to Christ

This week “Frontline” on PBS (public broadcasting service) is broadcasting this journey to the public. It is important to see this program. No judgment here.

DEBTERAW vs. OBAMA

When I compared these two individuals in terms of education, experience and ability, individuals scolded me for my views and some websites refused to post the article of comparison. My message was simply to expose the fact why and how Americans put their man on top of the job while we Aethiopians put our man with the same caliber in dungeon.

What about now? This week we are witnessing that President Obama is celebrating Honest Abe who kept the American Union pursuing Civil War and Emancipation. By the way Abraham Lincoln used to worship in 1313 N.Y. Ave. NW. Washington, DC.

This week we are approaching the third wave of Eway Revolution that will herald the end of TPLF and EPLF tyranny and dictatorship respectively. No doubt DEBTERAW’s long struggle in keeping EPRP alive and intact for the purpose of Unity and Revolution of Ethiopia will be celebrated. It is a matter of when and where.

Unification Churches vs. All Souls Church

What is the difference? Both Churches are located along the 16^th street, to be specific; Unification Church’s address is at Columbia Rd., NW Washington, DC 20009. The address of the All Souls Church is located at 2935 16^th street, NW Washington DC 20009

The are located on 16^th street along the Golden Gate to the White House facing each other though their entrance is located from different location. The thing I don’t understand is why all the meetings organized by Ethiopians are held in the Unification church. I might add that the Symposium that was organized for DEBTERAW was held in the same church. The organizers for DEBTERAW, I believe chose this place for its low budget. But there are rich organizations that have and still conducted their meeting in this unification church. May be Ethiopians love unity than diversity!

On Adam & Eve

Who comes first E or A? Eve was tossed from the Garden of Eden for a minor offense but now she is dealing with her mate, children and disappointed father as described in Elissa Elliott’s Eve. Elliott asks was Eve the first lady? Who knows may be it was Lucy of Aethiopia!

Innocent and Lucy ገርሂ እና ድንቅነስ

The archeological bones that were discovered in the highland of Eritrea and in the lowlands of Ethiopia are named to reflect the wishes and desires of people. Of what people! People of the gods or of GOD, I wish I knew the answer.

What is preferred to be an innocent or a beautiful? Innocence is a hallmark of old generation while beauty is a hallmark of this generation. Can’t Aethiopians have both attributes? Cash flow has destroyed our innocence. The current rulers do not seem to grasp the concept of finance let alone cash money. Should we not be aware of the history of money since king Ezana’s time? Let us first learn the use of money before we try to run for money.

Also, a piece of advice to our women folk, where do you stand in the following ranks of history. When a woman is between 15-20, she is supposed to be wild like Africa,

When she is between 20-25, she is beautiful like America

When she is between 25-30, she coarse like Germany

When she is between 30-35, she is mature like France

When she is between 35-40, she is rough like Russia and

When she is between 40-45, she is old like England

On Issayas (E) vs. Meles (Z)

How does Issayas apply his name in relation to the Bible? Does he sign his name with an E or an I? Why is he not forthcoming to his identity? Why did he keep people guessing who he is and his philosophy? I bet nobody asked him directly for he does not believe in questions, as he does not delve in democracy of any sort except in jokes.

What about Melese? Why does he not use his given name? Is he still in a disguise format? Who is he and what is his personal philosophy and what does he want out of the Ethiopian and Eritrean people? Why does he behave in a tyrannical way? I bet deep in his heart, he is GUILTY about his friends who died for real DEMOCRACIA. Fear is killing him just like his predecessor Menghistu Haile Mariam.

On Iyassou (E) vs. EPRP

What about Iyassou? Why does he not use the letter E? He is one of the founding members of EPRP. He is also one of the leading collective leaders of EPRP. Since he is still in the business of struggle of empowering the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea via DEMOCRACIA, I understand his position to use pen name also known as nom d’guerre የትጥቅ ሱሪ and so on in various languages. What is in a name, call me by my name?

Why do current/ex members and supporters blame Iyassou for nothing? If he is not a democrat with a capital D, he is a democrat with a small d. has he not fought all his life and is he not still fighting to establish a system of democratic government in Aethiopia. Or is fighting with ideas and thoughts are irrelevant in the struggle for Aethiopia? Is it not true that the pen is still mightier than the sword? In actual fact, our fighters have not used swords but guns and bombs, which they have not manufactured themselves.

What is better for Aethiopia or Eathiopia or Ethiopia? What is in a name? What is the solution? A choice among, Dictatorship as in Eritrea, Tyranny as in Ethiopia or Democratic Republic with EPRP will have to be made soon. We need to choose!

On Africa’s Ghadafi

President Ghadafi openly admitted that no democracy is needed for Africa. He is now the head of the African Authority. What a shame!!!

What is the relationship between Libya, Eritrea and Somalia? I wish I knew the answer.

On Al Gore vs. Earth

Al Gore, the Nobel Peace winner told the Senate Committee, … “would bring a screeching halt to human civilization and threaten the fabric of life everywhere on the Earth – and this is within this century, if we don’t change.”

When John Kerry, presidential candidate asked Al Gore to tell the Senate Committee about the energy solution, he quickly answered that it is Geothermal

“Geothermal energy. This has great potential; it is not very far off.”

I bet Al Gore know the territory of the Afar from where Lucy came. The Afar land was and still is hell – a burned face of the Earth. Geothermal is plenty in the Afar land. I hope he was not speaking about this land – an inconvenient truth!

Trillion is 1,000,000,000,000 = 13

The year of many trillions is in place for stimulus and bailout. Could the year 2013 be for solutions for our perceived solutions?

CONCLUSION

Currently in Aethiopia, Will power is in short supply, but good intentions abound. How about a kick in the rear by external forces if good intentions can’t cut it? A kick from Issayas or Melese in our case, a kick from Ghadafi in the case of Africa or a kick from President Obama in the case of America. Definitely a kick from President Obama and DEBTERAW would be desirable as both are qualified for a kick! But not from the others.

For us, there was a call from DEBTERAW. While he was corresponding with me about his whereabouts I asked him what the solutions would be for all Eathiopians. He said the solutions lies in AAGMELAGO (see this in call me by my name…). Since DEBTERAW had suggested this term some years back, I have been trying to figure it out as what he meant by that concept. By the way Geothermal is plenty in Eathiopia. I wish Mr. Gore have seen the place where the human civilization is discovered and where the Geothermal energy is located. Currently, Mrs. Lucy is in Washington Seattle while the geothermal energy is along Awash River.

What a coincidence of history and culture HC = ዘር A clash of Geez and Latin letters. Or a convergence of alphabets!

Truth will prevail

For questions and comments

woldetewolde@yahoo.com

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15. February 2009 by Assimba.

By Firdu Yitayew

Surprisingly, both Afeworki and Zenawi still continue blowing their whistle of fictitious and self-proclaimed theories of Eritrea and Ethiopia thesis; and try to mobilize their respective public to join drum-beating for war yet to come. Nearly 2-decades after Afeworki and Zenawi have seized power, the Eritrean sovereignty question remains on shaky-grounds and at stake. Its internal and external problems reflect distinct political, economic and instable sovereignty crisis characters. More so, Afeworki’s Eritrea remains isolated from the rest of the world due to his contemptuous and malicious internal and external actions since he came to power in 1993. My assertions to these crystal clear Eritrean crises are based on the following 11-points:

1. Contemptuously spearheaded by Meles Zenawi, TPLF/Woyane/ cohorts were sworn in to recognize Eritrea’s self determination already since TPLF’s inception in the heart of Eritrea.

2. Principally TPLF worked hand and glove with the EPLF/Shaabia/ during the anti-Derg armed struggle ascertaining to Afeworki and EPLF army the fraternal belief TPLF holds as regards Eritrea’s self determination question.

3. In 1993 when the de facto Eritrean independence was declared, TPLF cohorts were the first to declare their recognition of the verdict of EPLF leading to its brokered power seizure in Eritrea.

4. During the 1998-2000 border conflict Meles Zenawi ordered the Ethiopian army to withdraw from land it occupied deep inside Eritrea; simply to live-up to the oath he and his cohorts made during the comradeship with EPLF.

5. Playing on the fear-factor of the Eritrean army, Meles Zenawi is telling the world that no provocation is coming from the Ethiopian side and that the TPLF-leadership will not be the first to shoot the bullet under any circumstances. What he does not say is that TPLF has the might to crash any such venture by Afeworki’s army.

6. To this day there is no clear demarcation between Eritrea and Ethiopia putting the sovereignty issue of this young nation questionable and leaving it in critical breakout of war at any time in the near future. Heaven knows what may happen if and when one of these two despotic tyrants is toppled from power.

7. Issayas Afeworki’s who once said: “we don’t rule out federation or co-federation in 1991-2” eventually started the 1998-2000 war on the excuse to regain the Bademe area which he called it “meaningless or senseless” later on.

8. Although every reasonable government and organization of the world is asking the two Ethio-Eritrean tyrants to enter into unequivocal dialogue, demarcate the boarder and provide Ethiopia and its 80 million population an outlet to the sea, out of empty pride and sheer contempt both Afeworki and Zenawi keep on refusing to arrive at feasible solutions; in fact both have given deaf ears to pleas and suggestions for negotiated settlement coming from the world community.

9. Particularly, Afeworki and his dictatorial regime keep on taking provocative stance including evicting the UN-peace keeping mission from the buffer zones.

10. Afeworki’s and Zenawi’s contemptuous and despotic policies seem not to open the space for bringing peace and fair universal suffrage including opening the access to Assab Seaport; rather, both leaders exert their despotic power on both Eritrean and Ethiopian public. As a matter of fact, neither Eritrean nor Ethiopian will benefit out of the decisions made by these senseless war-mongering dictators; except Afeworki’s and Zenawi’s diehard cohorts. War with Eritrea’s neighborhood is Afeworki’s hidden agenda for suppressing internal uprisings; and crying foul while ready to invade is Zenawi’s outright military tactic.

11. Eritrean youths are fleeing the country by thousands simply to escape anticipated war and tired of lingering in the boring SAWA-military garrisons where there is unilateral life-style of fighting and carrying arms.

Diaspora Ethiopian and Eritrean communities as well as the international community at large remain keen witnesses to the fact that arrogant dictator Issaias Afeworki had, since the start, been rejecting the path of peace. Viewing the quest for peace through its warped vision of military exigency, Afeworki has demonstrated an appetite for the peaceful option when faced with military defeat, while rejecting that same option when it believed it had the upper hand. In the end, Afeworki ensured the failure of the Algiers peace talks with its customary intransigent positions; but to no avail of viable solutions.

That means the fate of Eritrea to date remains in limbo and in stiff stalemate. The Eritrean elite community that helped in the write-up of fictitious arguments about Eritrea’s colonial claims seems silent as the despotic Afeworki continued to rule his people hard-handed and given them a blow calling these elites as self-aggrandized capitalist running dogs.

2-Grave Diggers Dumped into Despotic Ditches 

Whereas Afeworki’s Shaabia regime in Eritrea prohibits “ethnic-self determination up to secession” doctrine within Eritrean bounds of nine (9) distinct ethnic sub-regions; Afeworki continues to advocate for national unity and integrated cohabitation policy within a united Eritrea run under one flag, one nation and one leader; and that leader is – Issayas Afeworki. Likewise, Afeworki strictly works to bring into semblance the two common religions (Christian and Muslim) existing within Eritrea.

On the contrary to the Eritrean outlook, Afeworki and his tyrannical regime persistently preach and persuade ethnic-led manipulative political leadership within Ethiopia. Indeed, the Shaabia tailored motto for Eritrea reads: “United we stand; divided we fall”.

Decades back, the motto tailored by Afeworki and his Shaabia cohorts for likely consumption by liberation fronts’ coming from Ethiopia reads: “Divided we stand firm; united we fall.” Hence, Afeworki’s manipulative and ethnic-led political whim establishes its “national self-determination” notion on the basis of what was fictitiously fabricated, exclusively tailored, spear-headed and spread with clandestine intents made between Afeworki and Zenawi to enhance the good-old Shaabia’s principal dream of keeping a divided and weakened Ethiopia at bay. But this same tactic is negatively affecting both regimes. Tirelessly Afeworki is urging and supporting opposition groups like OLF, AFD, EPPF, UIC, Al Qaeda, G-7; while Zenawi is supporting Eritrean opposition groups led by Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) embracing 13 sisterly Eritrean political organizations.

To this day, I have never ever read, heard or witnessed the kind of crime and animosity done by any other leader against one’s own citizen and nation as is happening with Afeworki and Zenawi. By virtue of their affinity and kin-tie, the former remains tyrannical forcing Eritrean people to dwell within labour and SAWA camps and pay by their sweats, tears and blood in the name of self-sufficiency; while the latter keeps Ethiopia as a land-locked nation where tribally divisive polity of Kilil keeps on killing consistently the nationhood and national spirits of Ethiopians by each day that goes by. Afeworki and Zenawi can fool some people some of the time; but they cannot fool all the Eritrean & Ethiopian people at all times. Consequently, they are paying the price for their malicious actions in the same manner as they incurred their tyrannical acts on their own nations and peoples.

TPLF continues to hold power in Ethiopia under gun-points and have no respect at all towards the nation and its people. When and if needed, it uses TPLF’s specially trained invading forces that shoot and kill on the spot mercilessly; and takes everything it feels important for its advantages and mere existence. The entire TPLF cohorts are buying time simply by snatching Welqite-Tsegede, Tselmet, Alem Wouha Zuria, Woldiya, Kobbo, Alamata and other nearby places from Gonder and Wollo regions and keeping them within the newly devised bounds of Greater-Tigray. To any rational minded person this reflects TPLF’s bad-ego and self-centred thinking. For as long as Ethiopians at home are left without quickly healing from this TPLF–spread hate-cancer (which is founded on TPLF’s Ethnic Apartheid policy known as Kilil), Ethiopia will regress backwards and continue to allow TPLF to play its deception, scam, hoax and swindle, smoke and mirrors by shading snake oil and strengthening tribal centers and fortifications; while at the same time pretentiously pushing tribal-power to the regional institutions for its own full power-control in all of the six regions designated within TPLF’s amputated Ethiopia where parties and communities are instructed to play within the bounds of TPLF’s ethnically divisive political cards only.

At the end of the day, the outcomes of these actions has left the two sisterly populations with 2-distinct geopolitical controversies that still remain as key sources of constant tensions; that may even trigger bloody conflicts and war. These unresolved 2-weak-points of EPLF and TPLF include, but not limited to, the following quarries: (a) the 1000km long border disputes between Ethiopia and Eritrea are not yet demarcated; will this be realized at all? (b) Ethiopia’s access to the sea has never been a point of discussion for Zenawi’s dictatorial regime. Would Assab port remain unresolved? Would Assab be inclusive during future settlement attempts? Or would it indefinitely remain as a source of tension between the two sisterly nations?

What do these conditions mean to Ethiopian and Eritrean stakeholders? It means that stakeholders must immediately face the good, the bad and the ugly challenges intertwined within these two key national socio-economic issues. It means that it is high time for them to pave the way in which feasible or plausible solutions are arrived at in a timely manner. Stakeholders representing the two sisterly nations must talk the talk and walk the walk in order to arrive at palatable and sustainable solutions that can revitalize the socio-economic conditions there of.

But evident enough, Afeworki continues spreading his ethnic-venomous political propagation focused on sheer hate and revenges all around the region surrounding Eritrea. Contemptuously, Issayas Afeworki’s despotic regime continues to dig its own final grave as his own malicious deeds and creations are pushing him more and more towards his down fall from power. For instance, faced with tough times, the political and economic plights in Eritrea continue to cause untold exodus and dispersion of young Eritrean people due to Afeworki’s one-man tyrannical and oppressive regime. Although totally alienated from the rest of the world and from the African Union, Afeworki continues to commit flagrant violations of human rights by turning Eritrea into a country where democracy and justice are absent; where its population yearnings for independence and freedom are ultimately trapped in intimidation, indecency and serfdom. The time is becoming ripe enough for consistent challenges coming not only from its neighbouring countries but mainly from Eritrean opposition groups operating in Diaspora. One such group is the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) embracing 13 sisterly Eritrean political organizations. In its 9-year on operation, the EDA has laid out its strategy, on how to dismantle and up-root Afeworki’s persistently repressive rule and tribulations eventually.

As far as Ethiopia’s socio-economic interest is concerned, no matter what comes may the issue of Assab Port must be resolved instantly with regard to Ethiopia’s rightful access to the sea. Otherwise, this may eventually become one of the serious points for popular opposition against the TPLF-led dictatorial regime. Possible rationales for the access to the Assab seaport concern the following 4-points: (1) Ethiopia needs an outlet to the sea in order to maintain its socio-economic interests and geopolitical security; (2) for quite a long while, prior to 1935 and between 1952 and 1990 Assab Port used to be part of during which time this Port was prearranged by TPLF to be given as a good-will gesture to Eritrea without asking the consent of 80 million Ethiopian population; (3) the 1993 Eritrean referendum was conducted on emergency grounds; without formally carrying-out the border demarcation prior to the 1993 de facto Eritrean independence inauguration date; (4) keeping Ethiopia landlocked will prolong the suffering of both the Eritrean and Ethiopia peoples since it will remain the source of constant tension and fear factor for any future skirmishes between the two nations.

Putting contempt and empty pride aside, Eritrea becomes a stable nation when and only when it forges the proper geopolitical ingredients for enhancing mutual coexistence with Ethiopia. Peace, stability and economical prosperity will shrine in Eritrea only when Assab Port is left as Ethiopia’s legitimate corridor to the sea.

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