29. June 2009 by Assimba.

Amdemikael Mengisteab <amdemikaelmengisteab@yahoo.com>

Background:

For the most part the following critical issues and their analyses in this article are exclusively relevant to understand how the PFDJ regime has been consistently handling the Eritrean and Ethiopian ties since its days as a guerilla fighter front in the bushes.

From the outset, the Eritrean and Ethiopian ties for nearly a century can be considered as links filled with never-ending disruptions; where some segment of the population of every generation has been uprooted before it finishes whatever it has started in terms of progress and cohabitation with each other.

To this very day, those same trends of disruptions and disturbances persistently continue to linger around, with no end to the scene in all aspects of livelihoods. To this effect let me point out key factors that keep on disrupting the internal dynamics within Eritrea and even further affect its lasting ties with Ethiopia.

Eritrean Livelihood:

In Eritrea the euphoria of independence dwindled already right at its inception phase long ago before even it was well grasped by the Eritrean public. Contributing factors to such public frustration, anger and out cry for help and cooperative opposition ventures are so many. Let me only summarize the following obvious reasons. The Eritrean population still lingers with abject poverty subjected to untold tough living situations. Key causes include, but not limited to, (a) protracted land expropriation by Shaabia, (b) endless national service programs exerted on the public, (c) crop expropriation and multitude restrictions of trade on food and other items, and (d) seasonal crop harvest decline due to drought. Needless to say, Afewarki’s regime has passed a decree prohibiting the sale or purchase of grain without government permission. Indeed, it has imposed tight control on consumable items including oil, wheat flour, sugar, and the like; where their prices has increased by nearly 40% for a long while now. What does this mean? For the Eritrean population with meagre or no income sources, the main problem are lack of affordability. Even the rations that were supplied through the so called “fair price shops” have been slashed; or are distributed occasionally. On top of these, just as I write, the energy supply crisis is yet unresolved. In a nutshell, with each day that goes by life is becoming extremely difficult and severe to cop with.

In the end, viewed from Eritrean perspectives, the above accounted challenges provide a reflection of the absence of transparency in terms of PFDJ Regime’s handling of decisive matters pertaining to domestic administration. The end result has become quite astonishing. One observes and hears about thousands of recent arrivals who have joined the Diaspora Eritrean groups. These are young escapees or better identified as the Sawa refugees. Vast majority of them are usually concerned with their daily problems of survival, and wish to forget the harsh life they left behind in Eritrea. Indeed several of them shockingly express extreme emotions about their harsh experience and do not want to be reminded of it, or even of Eritrea itself. This is one of the gloomy features of the current Eritrean reality that promotes serious questions in various corners of the globe with deeper implications for Eritrea’s future.

The Moslem-Christian divide

Actually, the Moslem-Christian divide continues in Eritrea. Frankly speaking, it has not yet given chance for “Eritrean nationalism” to blossom and ripen; the means to unify the two distinct groups remains remote. Each religious group’s manifestations are carried out by adopting defensive identities alien to the other religious group. Recently a Kunama organization has accused Afewarki’s PFDJ regime by calling it as the Tigrinya regime of genocide. Likewise the Afar organization along the Red Sea has accused the ELF and EPLF of genocide and has initiated petition to bring the leadership and cadres of these two guerilla forces in front of the ICC. Periodically, red flags and complaints are continuously popping up everywhere from various minority groups ; and yet we are hiding our heads under the hot sand and keep on denying as if nothing is happening in terms of dismay against Afewarki’s PFDJ-regime. As a matter of fact, Eritrea remains distinctly divided into two opposing religious camps whose culture has been moulded around each according  to one’s religious belief; namely the: ‘Moslem-Christian divide’. The gap dividing the two remains distinctly visible both at the leadership and at the community levels. Even outside Eritrea, each religious group living in Diaspora maintains its own distinct habitation and association separately. The depth of the Moslem-Christian divide’ is so severe that the two religious groups have nothing to do with one another as there is nothing in between to hold them together. On a more serious note, the Moslem Eritrean group looks towards Islam and towards the Arab world for its likely change and progress while the Christian group looks towards the sophisticated and the capitalist Western world for its ideological inclinations. Given these two conflicting or contradictory life styles within today’s Eritrea, it makes one wonder why then these two groups even want to live under one roof. And if the nominal marriage of convenience between the Moslem-Christian groups hasn’t worked for the last 6-decades, why do Issayas Afewarki and his PFDJ regime’s cronies expect the Moslem-Christian divide to disappear on its own? Evidently, it is clearly visible as the Moslem group is more pulled towards the Moslem neighbouring communities in the Arab world while the Christian group is ambivalently caught-up with choosing side – either to adjoin itself with its Christian neighbours inside Ethiopia; or remaining aloof by its own for other circumstantial reasons that I cannot dwell on at this moment. In any case, Shaabia / PFDJ regime’s suppression of the Moslem-Christian divide cooking in a pressure cooker for so long is still pretending to tell the wide world that such a problem doesn’t exist within Eritrea; and doesn’t want to resolve it either.

Romanticizing Eritrean Liberation Struggle:

Viewed from Eritrean perspectives, in what follows, I will provide a reflection of the absence of transparency in terms of Eritrean Regime’s handling of decisive matters in lieu of the standing and the obvious Eritrean and Ethiopian ties.

For the Eritrean youth in particular, the 1961-1991 (or the 30 years) skirmishes between Eritrea and Ethiopia are propagated as: “liberating the Eritrean land and people from Ethiopian colonial occupation.” If that was truly the case, let us then ask ourselves the following: didn’t Eritrean populations possess directly their own rural and urban lands within Eritrea proper when we were in unity with Ethiopia in the period ranging between 1961 and 1991? Were there any Ethiopian landlords in Eritrea at that period at all? On the contrary, weren’t many of the Eritrean elite groups enjoying access to and ownership of all types of resources (including land, senior government positions, business firms and other assets) inside Ethiopia? The naked response to this question is that the Eritrean people were directly in ownership of their land better during the so called “1961-1991 Ethiopian colonial occupation” than they are presently having access to and ownership of it under Issayas Afewarki. If liberating “land” can be considered as a strong justification point for the creation of a nation, who had indeed, denied the Eritrean people to make a nation out of Ethiopia where they had extended access to resources on top of what they inherited within Eritrea proper? Who had denied them from running business within the rest of Ethiopia itself? But if it was the sole desire to have a nation all for the Eritrean people – a nation that we don’t want to share with the rest of Ethiopians – then the question to be answered is: why do we opt for that?  If the dream of all the huge sacrifices the Eritrean population made was to establish a democratic nation – then why did handful Eritrean youth and elites struggled along with the rest of Ethiopians for a free democratic Ethiopia, while others opted to go the solitary way deep into the Sahel? If neither the liberation of land nor the aspiration for democracy explains the goal of the 30 years of Eritrean fight against Ethiopia, what could it have possibly been the case that initiated and ignited the liberation struggle in the 1^st place? Was it Egypt that remains suspicious of the Nile that instigated the whole lot as rumors go in some corners? Was it the Arab-patrol-dollar coming to the top echelons of the frontal leadership circle? Were the Eritrean and Ethiopian ties in all honesty a typical colonial relationship for initiating armed guerrilla struggle? Was Ethiopia really that colonialist? Were the Eritrean people deprived of access to either Eritrean or Ethiopian resources during the times of unity? Could the outright conflicting desires of the Moslem-Christian divide be accommodated and enable us for forging a sustainable nation building as such amidst cries being heard by the Kunama and the Afar just to mention the two? Has the PFDJ regime’s militaristic stand a copy paste of the Mafia framework, which we know of since a long while?

I may not have the full answers for all these breathtaking quarries. All I can indicate is the following. Those who do not respect the rights, origin, belief and culture of others, will not genuinely defend theirs. Accordingly I’m not sure if the myth-filled denial and fabricated nationalism that persists in today’s Eritrea under Afewarki and his PFDJ regime’s will ever hold water and remain sustainable as the signs of splinter movements are  underway among non-Tigrinya nationalities of Eritrea. Rest assured key factors are surfacing clearly.

After three decades of armed struggle and two decades of de facto Eritrean independence, most Eritrean people still remain caught-up in a state of denial and in a myth of nation building that never has been and that will not materialize. And the whole liberation struggle and experiences gained thus far point to the following five crucial factors whose socio-economic opportunity costs would have been totally different had it been possible to halt those who brew disillusion from the very start of the liberation struggle:

1)     Both the urban and the Diaspora Eritrean population segments are caught up with deep denial and utter confusion of what they see and hear. Particularly, looked at through a prism and examining matters in search of evidences between to points (starting from one end and moving through to the other end), one may arrive at two distinctly differing results: (a) At the 1st end of the connection, the death tall that have been reached by the fighting forces on either (the Eritrean-Ethiopian) side of the isles thus far boils down to futile attempt. (b) At the 2nd end of the ties, the much boasted about victory talks and anxiety are all echoing quite unreasonable victory dances and crocodile tears for killing each other for nothing. The negative impacts attained through both demographic and material losses caused by the series of skirmishes carried out thus far have depleted the Eritrean population growth rate in particular and its economic progress by significant percentage. The disruptions caused both in rural and urban communities have solely hampered the Eritrean society from potential recovery and progress. The main reasons being the militaristic operations and life styles that were on the ground since the early 1960s; and still the periodical skirmishes between Eritrea and Ethiopia are immensely intensified regardless of the huge human, logistic, economic, and environmental losses made thus far. Indeed, to this very day, the war tension and causing the usual interruptions from normalizing livelihoods are still ongoing as both sides are firmly and decisively standing armed and alert for any likely ignition of further skirmishes along the un-demarcated Eritrea and Ethiopia border lines.

2)     In those days, when it suspected that EPRP could not back, bend, or deliver EPLF’s “colonial Ethiopia” claim, Shaabia quickly broke its ties with EPRP; and immediately opted to inculcate and work together with Woyane (TPLF) as its dependable allay for maintaining their very existence. Since 1997 however, those ties have become dysfunctional. But when we look at the Shaabia-Woyane ties in retrospective: (a) without the help of TPLF, it wouldn’t have been possible for Shaabia to push ELF and soon after that EPRP from their vicinities all the way to Sudan. (b) In the early 80’s, particularly when Shaabia’s armies were diminishing and becoming shaky due to massive death tall and casualties in the trenches of Sahel, it was thousands of TPLF guerrillas that rescued  Shaabia to defend its base against the Dergue army. Indeed the survival of both EPLF and TPLF would have been impossible if the two didn’t cooperate in those decisive moments. Let me cite a case in point. Had they not been in close collaboration with each other and demolish Dergue’s Nadow brigades, neither of these two guerrilla movements would have made it to their respective capitals. Hence for what has taken place as the result of the initial bondage and during the honeymoon period (1991-1997) the two groups remain tied to a stick in common responsibility regardless of the damage was done by both or either one of the two regimes.

3)     Issayas Afewarki’s regime is known for its immense brutality and Mafia-like handling. Without any doubt, PFDJ regime is pulling Eritrea through a classic communistic administration.

4)     A failure in the experimentation of tightly supervised hard labour programmes is an outdated communist style of nation building.

5)     Issayas Afewarki and his PFDJ regime cohorts remain prisoners to fantasies of their own making; and prefer to remain at standby where projection of “colonial legacy” has given them the excuse to impose a totalitarian political pathway that leads solely to military garrisons; to which the overwhelming silent majority of Eritrean people are saying: ‘Enough is enough!

Eritrea’s Survival at Stake  

A critical question that demands urgent attention at the moment is the survival of Eritrea as a nation since it is ill-functioning and speedily moving towards its total stagnation. Another danger in front of us is PFDJ regime’s endless forced labor, which has driven and continues to drive thousands of Eritrean youth out of the country [*See Gaim Kibreab, Forced Labor in Eritrea, Journal of Modern African Studies, 47, 1(2009)]. Thirdly, despite continuous denial efforts being exerted by Afewarki’s regime, Eritrea is a country in deep trouble in all aspects. As mentioned above, its economy is in shambles and on the verge of collapse with worsening social consequences. The reason why we are suddenly held in stagnation reminds me the traditional saying that goes: “LaHmi Hawi weledet, key’tiliHso nededet key’tgedfo weledet”. Its literal translation depicts: “A cow gave birth to fire; she couldn’t lick it as it burned; she couldn’t leave it be; as it was its baby”. There is no shame in siding with the truth. But those who have been burned by Issayas Afewarki’s PFDJ regime, and yet identify themselves with it are always in a dilemma just like the cow that delivered fire as her baby. But the naked question facing us all is: For how surely can the PFDJ sustain Eritrea solely depending on Sawa training camp and its companion project, the so called Warsai-Yikaalo Campaign, and consider them as the sole guarantors of Eritrea’s security? I have my serious doubts as things are on a shaky ground and soon falling apart. 

Conclusive Remarks:

In summing up let me ask the following: Is independence from the so-called “Ethiopian colonial occupation” worth all the sacrifice that the Eritrean people have continuously been paying as an all-consuming-50-year-long odyssey and as the only bloody path it took the Eritrean population thus far? I can only suggest three likely fear-factors that cry out for resolution. Indeed for the sake of humanity, these 3-factors must be resolved or given due response. Without solving these 3 issues it will be difficult for Eritrean society to pave the way and bring lasting peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

·        1stly, as the whole of the Eritrean population has been living and continues to live behind trenches all along the non-demarcated long-border-lines between Eritrea and Ethiopia; it is still too early for Eritrea to claim a victory in its independence. As a result, Eritrea has become an absolute and unequivocal state of collective serfdom; a nation of military garrisons and guerrilla warfare camps where overwhelming majorities of our nearly 4-million Eritrean peoples still remain incarcerated in military garrisons. Eritrean populations are no where near to fully claim that they are free people in the true sense of the word! The burning heat of oppression from the regime circle is felt everywhere. Failure to resolve the Eritrean-Ethiopian key disputes could exacerbate governance, health, and humanitarian problems further. Yearning for lasting solution remains in the distant future. After all, the Eritrean revolution was waged haphazardly, by folks with divergent aspirations.

·        2ndly, Ethiopia’s legitimate access to the sea through the port of Assab is still pending. This issue is a time bomb that may irrupt any moment be it while TPLF is on power or during its aftermath. Beyond today’s short-sighted geographical seizure of Assab port by Eritrea, the two sisterly nations must resolve this serious matter through a negotiated settlement in the way that Assab will no longer become a permanent source of future instability between Eritrea and Ethiopia. If halting disruptions and maintaining sustainable stability and socio-economic relations between these two states is to be given a chance, then the significance of Assab must be given eminent and immediate solutions. In the manner it finds itself now, Assab doesn’t do any good to Eritrea or to Ethiopia; except remaining as a potential time bomb between the two sisterly people; no matter how long this particular matter may be suspended by some delaying mechanisms by either regimes holding power. In fact, the solution is simple. It has to be understandable that the Afewarki regime in Eritrea is sitting in the port that belongs to Ethiopia, and there will be no peace while occupying Assab belonging to Ethiopia.

·        3rdly, as if proving the saying: “A man with one watch knows what time it is; but a man with 2-wtaches is never sure”, PFDJ regime’s is still fighting for “territorial integrity” within Eritrea proper; while at the same time preaching self-determination up to secession of nationalities elsewhere within Ethiopia. But a person living in a house made of glass does not throw stones on others’ glass windows. Hence PFDJ regime’s proxy-war tactics must be halted as it never resolves any of the socio-economic dynamics we are challenged with at the moment or in the long run. So let me say this to Issayas Afewarki and his PFDJ regime. Don’t look where you fall, but where you slipped. Likewise, while seeking revenge, dig 2-graves; one for yourself. Otherwise dwindle the empty pride; face the naked reality; break out differences; and build bridges with neighboring states. These are the likely options that resolve conflicts and feasibly work for all parties to live in peace. These are the alternatives that can reduce Eritrea’s militaristic stand, halt the Eritrean youth mass-exodus for fear of punishments or getting held under Sawa servitude indefinitely. These are the sole choices that help the new nation reach its eventual maturity.

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17. June 2009 by Assimba.

By Obo Arada Shawl

The crocodile group is dead

The animal group is imprisoned

The oak is burning

Shaebia and Woyane, give us a break

Anonymous

BREAKING NEWS OR BREAKING EPRP?

Was this communicant Political, Intellectual or Ideological? We demand answers.

VOA (voice of America) on June 13 - a day of reckoning - broadcasted an interview with two veteran members of EPRP leadership.

The interview by Tizta Belechew was poignantly straightforward. Here are the two main points of contention.

First: Why should you have the same name of EPRP, Mr. Mersha?

Mersha’s answer was that no one could have the same name, legally.

If legally, you cannot have the name of EPRP, then what is the point of having the same name? If we cannot accept the rule of law then are you going to fight with guns in order to retain the name of EPRP? I think it is a lesson that we all should learn to accept defeat. It should be an honorable task to hold on to the true name of EPRP. It is one thing to hold on to a true name but altogether a different matter to live by EPRP’s values and principles. But tacking a small d will not do the trick. EPRP is not a corporation. It is a political party. It is not a separate entity as in ‘corporation’. EPRP is a human name with emotions and feelings.

Second: Mersha claims that Iyassou has gone to Asmara to meet Issayas.

You should have told your audience why, when and how Ato Iyassou met Ato Issayas. If you were doing this just to counter the allegation of signing an “affidavit” for working with Mr. Mellese, this would not work for you but against you.

For me personally, both claims do not only make sense but they are absurd to the core. EPRP since its inception has been struggling

• Politically

• Intellectually

• Militarily and

• Legally in that order

Why this disruption and confusion of the long and arduous pattern of leadership and follower ship suddenly become news for a lot of people? Are we done with the first three areas of struggle of political revolution, intellectual discussion and military operation to move on to the legal (loyal) aspect of struggle? I am sure succumbing to a tyrant and to a dictator while DEBTERAW AND HIS COMRADES ARE IN PRISON will disappoint many people.

That would be my first point.

The second point is that EPRP was well known for working among workers, intellectuals, students, peasants, women and the military. Working among or with them did not in any way mean to spy on them but rather to EDUCATE and if possible to organize them so that they can protect themselves from oppression or exploitation. This is a unique style of EPRP mission and vision, unlike many organizations that infiltrate for spying and policing purposes.

In EPRP’s political culture, there was no polarizing figure nor should there be but there were and are issues that polarize and they were resolved democratically.

1. Take the issue of comrades’ ሀ እና ለ (Ha and Le),

2. Take the issue of assessment and evaluation of the past struggle in order to continue or to abandon the struggle both inside and outside, which was dubbed as run-away (ብተና)

3. Take the issue of walk- away because of dictators in the leadership,

Are they not all ended up democratically? I believe they were.

But this one – altering name with no legitimacy and no moral aspects will be the first of its kind in the history of four decades of struggle. Mr. Mersha you seem to forget that ዴሞክራሲያ was/is the soul and heart of EPRP. It is the raison d’etre of its existence as one intellectual put it and its asset as one politician has said it to be.

In today’s world – a digital age has this to offer: MMT

• My space

• My face

• Twitter

Do these mean anything to you Ato Mersha? I know you are an old guard like me but hey we should adjust to the generation at hand. I advise you to consider the pro and cons of pal talk, radio talk, text messages and many other harmful and useful means of technology.

EPRP from the beginning was denied space – Politically Speaking

EPRP members were denied to show up their faces – Intellectually Speaking

And now are we to twitter of the military?

Where is DEBTERAW, Ato Mersah, answer us, please?

Were you not the last person to inform me about the military operation? Ato Iyassou has outsmarted you even politically when he said “ወያኔ በእጝ ሬሳ ላይ ተረማምዶ ነው ያለፈው” I clearly remember that you were my first hand witness of the so-called final operation to destroy EPRP once and for all. That was then, what about now? Any change?

Please, reconsider your position. You have walked away on the pretext of some dictatorship in the leadership. Promise us that you can walk-in when you have promoted your small d to Capital D. But no more confusion, please, enough is enough. Thanks.

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16. June 2009 by Assimba.

Alex Birhanu – alexbirhanu@yahoo.com

What prompted me to write this article under the title: ‘Ethiopia- Born Again Politicians’? I happen to observe few articles popping-up these days with the news that a paradigm shift and “strategic” power struggle is on the making. Just because such persons abandoned their previous paradigm, and re-created another paradigm the unexpected way, I decided to call them as born again politicians. One such recent article is composed by Neamin Zeleke who in his article titled: “Ethiopia -The imperative for Ethiopians dealing with Eritrea” writes that: “A paradigm shift is taking place, a shift towards the view that in order to liberate Ethiopia from the anti-Ethiopia ruling Tigray mafia, Ethiopians need to make a strategic alliance with the State of Eritrea.”

My view on such stand is the following. Our principal motto should be looking at both sides of the coin at the same time and differentiate the tree for the forest. But I sense the likes of Neamin Zeleke Diaspora opposition lack that kind of outlook and heavily geared in the campaign of demonizing anything on their way. In the past, this kind of benign agenda succeeded taking the country down hill as a result of which we are still battling how best to start democratic politics all over again. Yet the same backward stepping is in the cooking at the expense of back stabbing on the Ethiopian people once again.

George Orwell’s 1984 is a book that changed our language, giving us such words and phrases as “thought police,” “newspeak,” “doublethink,” and “Big Brother”; not to mention “Orwellian.” But what is the relevancy of Orwell’s novel today? Is it a warning about future horrors that may come if we fail to guard our freedom? Does it talk about things that are already present in our lives?
Orwell, the British journalist and writer, penned his book in 1948 as a commentary on Soviet Union’s totalitarianism, a very present danger at the time. The oppressive machine in Orwell’s 1984 is a tyrannical state that maintains total control over the lives and even thoughts of its subjects and brutally crushes all dissent. It is unchecked power, “a boot stamping on a human face forever.” The closest any political force comes to this nightmare vision today, besides such communist relics as North Korea, is Eritrea and the Taliban-style Islamist radicalism.
Yet Orwell’s 1984 provide lessons beyond the totalitarian experience. Take the book’s definition of “doublethink,” the ideal mental state of the citizen of Orwell’s dystopia: it is “the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them,” the ability “to tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies.”

Of course “doublethink” is an absolutely essential way of thinking. How else can you hold the contradictory notions of freedom and socialism? In that sense, Orwell’s 1984 is still relevant because any sane person knows that a “government that is big enough to provide everything is also big enough to take it all away.” And what belongs as a government’s or public property is nobody’s private property. A case in point is the land reform that made all land government property – be it urban or rural.

These days, the G7 leadership and the likes of Neamin Zeleke are the Ethiopian adept at giving us the “doublethink,” the 2^nd thought in doing the Afewarki revelation politics. Recently they have began to campaign for rallying behind Issayas Afeworki’s new political approach towards Ethiopia with their political announcement that they are supposedly ‘born again opposition’ through Afewarki, and they are continuing to fool the naive and the loose cannons among the Ethiopian Diaspora with the same mere talk.

It seems to me few political pacifist liberal types who care less what comes may adore the G7 leadership’s new political approach that inclines itself to Issayas Afewarki’s revelation about fighting the TPLF-Apartheid regime; and see it as almost the Second Coming of Issayas Afewarki as salvager of Ethiopia from the yoke of TPLF tyranny! Now, we have the G7 ardent supporters copy-cutting the great savior from Asmara and shuffling along with this newly devised own form of ‘political rebirth’. Wow it’s all a big song and dance among Diaspora liberals or born again liberals!

The central question in Neamin Zeleke’s article goes: “if Woyane allied itself with EPLF to promote its strategic interest, why can’t the current Ethiopian opposition do the same?” Neamin Zeleke further asserts that Issayas Afewarki “has made it public that his country has no intention of working against Ethiopia’s unity.” Wow this reminds us of the Amharic proverb “YE CHENEKEW IRGUZ YAGEBAL”. Its also reminds us of Pixar’s movie: “A bugs life”, where a million of ants that are tired of being bullied by a handful of grasshoppers sought help from a bunch of clown bugs who can’t seriously be taken as saviors.

Let us not forget that any national political system always has its carrot and stick pluralism moving full steam. Indeed that is exactly the role these ‘political conversions’ play, whether it be Issayas Afewarki-led Bloody G7, OLF and ONLF armed strugglers, the CUD’s ‘Peaceful’ opposition, or the TPLF-power mongers. We must take all these players with a big grain of salt; and not simply at face value. For instance, look into EPLF’s and TPLF’s final divorce that led the two former allies into the 1998-2000 bloody war caused by betrayal between two scoundrels and kept them in total stalemates to this very day. Let us not take Afewarki’s recent sweet words and be lulled into complacency.

Following his flirting remarks the recently carved and crafted ‘Born Again’ type of political manipulation is usually borrowed from the churches, where the pastors and mullah rabbis are specialized in providing fake emotion to their masses of Believers. The newly crafted G7’s born again politicians are trying hard relentlessly to the extent of turning Afewarki’s messages to Ethiopians filled with concocted crocodile tears in full display. They want to tell us that there is no permanent enemy; but permanent interest. They want us to close the past episodes and outstanding controversial cases between Eritrea and Ethiopia once and for all; become Issayas Afewarki followers and born again politicians as a result of whom we can readily open-up a new chapter of comradeships from hereon.

It is indeed with a fountain of energy that some born again politicians go literally to plead to the Ethiopian readers and audience as they keep on asking: ‘Why are we always so misunderstood for holding meetings with Issayas Afewarki?’ For me this was the most comical display imaginable! I observed their expression with instant shock because if I have ever seen glowing desperation in the eyes of anybody, it was in the face of liberal Diaspora Ethiopians who don’t have any binding commitment for a sovereign state or for a united Ethiopia; but blindly want us to cross anything that has to do with principled political stand and simply join hands with Afewarki to walk the walk and fight the fight.

So G7 leadership now wants peace with Issayas Afewarki? In what terms and with what formula of settlements do we bargain on? Hide and seek politics put aside, what are the preconditions to fulfill on either side of the bargain? I won’t be surprised if the born again politicians battle Hymn and national anthem of the Ethiopian Republic says: “Afewarki’s truth is marching on”. What a con! Afewarki had the chance to achieve that kind of deal but made no effort at all to concretize a Peace Initiative with Ethiopia. It is worth noting what the previous OLF founder Lencco Letta disclosed not long ago on how Afewarki resisted to come to consensus as regards inclusiveness and mutual co-existence by forging regional and unitary solutions for Ethiopia.

It has become a newly founded political game where Afewarki wants to play the Messiah or the new regional political Guru who preaches on how global and regional politics should be run; and the G7 leadership and sympathizers his saints and apostles in Afewarki’s retirement age! What a bunch of throw ups! These politicians always have all the personal character of ‘good’ used car salesmen, which is to say none. A wrong and a hasty solution is the worst thing Ethiopians should adapt, because it will ultimately result in negative effects. Indeed I would like to say to genuine Ethiopians: Watch the G7 and their born again revelation political shows but do not be taken in easily.

As a people, as Christians and Muslims, and as people of every political and religious faith and belief, we Ethiopians must denounce this blasphemous use of politics to support — if not endorse — not simply war-like policies but war itself. The Messiah chosen for us by G7 as salvager was tossing in Eritrean anniversaries photographs of EPLF soldiers in battle gear, tanks in battle, and bombers overhead where his leadership words in the fight against Ethiopia were quoted reading: “Have I not commanded you earlier? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged. I will be with you wherever you go and crush the enemy force.” How senseless do we have to be not to see the proximity in this thinking to the words and images that inflame in exactly the same way the TPLF, OLF and ONLF insurgent forces he initiated against Ethiopians battled across the country to this very day? As Ethiopians we are at our wits’ end. Tell us how do we, as a people, retroactively denounce the placing of everything deep and profound in us, everything that makes us human, our individual compacts with our only nation Ethiopia, in the service of such unbridled, ignominious, self-righteous, not to mention looked from civic morale stand point inappropriate behavior? I don’t have the answer. Do you?

As far as I see, trying to convince Ethiopians to accept working with their deadly enemy, for another war and destruction, is simply naivety in the least. A person on the verge of drowning will obviously try to cling on to a straw. But the straw will never save him even if it claims to be stronger and larger than a huge sailing ship. Here we have Neamin Zeleke and his likes along within G7 encouraging us to fight for the slogan ‘Liberty or death’ with the straw as our life-vest; determined to take any chance for the sake of grabbing power.
Most of us may consider Meles Zenawi as a dictator and he is not the patriot we would have liked to see; but Issayas Afewarki is the deadliest enemy Ethiopians should avoid by all means possible. In fact if we can consider Meles Zenawi as the man of the axis of evils, then Issayas Afewarki is the Lucifer of the axis of devils.

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13. June 2009 by Assimba.

Belihu Chekene - bchekene@live.com

This article is the result of 4-recent articles I read as indicated in my reference list below. I’m aroused to write this article as a response to those earlier articles and share my opinion with the wider Ethiopian readers. Hence, comments from all directions are most welcome as this is the only way we clear the shadows of dangerous events from happening. I would also like to thank the different website editors and webmasters for their unreserved and objective services in rendering an open-forum for opinion exchanges and expressions of thoughts on such crucial issues that shape-up our inherent political make-ups. I’m exclusively focused on responding to the 4 articles I read and do not want to dwell on other related issues since these can be tackled and tickled at later dates.

Actually, is Issayas Afewarki the face of hate or the face hero as we know it? My approach to this question is never dogmatic; but realistic. By choosing just a few examples, and concentrating on a single strand of Afewarki’s heroic myth built around him, I would like to provide readers of this article some very specific food for thought. The article may sound provocative to the extent that some Ethiopian websites who are opting to keep tight-lips on the political future pertaining to Eritrean issues. Some may even shy away and refrain from publishing it. But let bygones be bygones. The truth must be told straight on the face. This is no more the time for hide-and-seek-politics to play with. On the contrary, it is time of change; and the wind of dynamic change is surely blowing every where around the globe.

To begin with, by way of an editorial posted on 10^th June 2009 on shabait.com, the well known Afewarki’s propaganda website, Afewarki ordered for the African Union (AU) to be entirely demolished without delay. In fact, Afewarki was blunt about his disrespect for the AU as he was referring to it by its old designation: OAU (Organization of African Union). Afewarki blatantly preaches by stating: “…the only remaining thing to do for us Africans is to throw the organization in the dustbin of history and forming another organization having no relation or resemblance to the current one;” and adding that such a move is: “… perquisite for the development of Africa and its people.” According to Afewarki AU’s crime is its: “… lending its voice and acting as a tool for external forces, western spy networks and the agents of neo-colonialism.” Hence, “… its existence has become irrelevant and also it has lost value and credibility of itself and the African people it supposedly represents.”

In his own words, Afewarki hammers the AU with charges of failing to ensure: “… Africa’s political stability, safeguarding human rights of fellow Africans and directing the course of developmental endeavors in the continent.” To our dismay Afewarki has been violating all and every human right of the Eritrean peoples left, right, front and back under the watchful eyes of the whole world. He clearly undermines the UN, the Arab League to which he once made Eritrea a member; the AU and IGAD. By his own choice he has pushed out most aid rendering NGOs and religious organizations.

In fact, there is no regional or global organization to which Afewarki abides by; and yet he criticizes AU’s impunity and inaction; and calls for setting up a new organization “… that will not become subservient to western forces and their puppets.” Are the folks at the AU, the UN, and the Arab League listening to such messages? Yea, but they and the rest of the Western world have long been desensitized to and ignoring whatever Afewarki’s venomous mouth spouts because they have, rightly, concluded that it is coming from a person afflicted with and exhibiting irrationality and mental unsoundness! Today, Afewarki is a suspect for causing piracy and fundamentalist terrorism in the region. He has been given warning to stop meddling in Somalia’s affairs.

Needless to say, we Ethiopians are also here today because of four decades of Issayas Afewarki’s commitment to derail Ethiopia’s national stability by way of hatching a cocktail of ethnic-led movements that could join hand with him and infest the region with ethnic-led politics. It’s worth remembering that TPLF was constructed from the bones of the very EPLF-organ meant for Afewarki’s destructive servitude and underground military services. There’s a reason as both groups are not total freaking defuses; but they have to deal with the fact that they knew much early the value of playing with their unilaterally carved ethnic-led political cards aggressively and mercilessly.

Entering into opposition pockets:

But nowadays Afewarki attempts to enter into the opposition pockets with a different view points as he needs their vehement support to resolve the border dispute and to shut-up the Ethiopian claims being waged about access to the sea through Assab Port. What a flattery to observe that Issayas Afewarki is selectively flirting with few loose cannons among Ethiopian opposition groups in Diaspora. These sale-outs include: ER, ONLF, OLF and G7-leaders and their sympathizers.

Recently, I was astonished to learn that the hypocrites G7-leadership is openly flirting with Issayas Afewarki by traveling often to Asmara and conspiring about how to solicit support from Ethiopians in Diaspora. It is shocking to hear that G-leadership has been in clandestine consultation with lunatic Afewarki since some years now. Thus far they have succeeded to fool our people at one time; but they can’t fool all of the people all the time. By each day that goes by the true faces of these sinister ER, ONLF, OLF and Gunboat-7 opposition groups continues to unfold; and we know now what they stand for. In turn they continue to make a mockery of themselves; and who cares for them but cut ties with such toxic and vacillating opposition groups.

Spreading Words of Wisdom

Recently, Apostle Elias Kefafle reported in his ER website a well-orchestrated recent interview he made in May 2009 in Asmara with demonic Afewarki. Accordingly we were told part of Afewarki’s revelation taken from his New Testament where it is stated in total defiance and 180 degrees turn of position that: “Eritrea is not threatened by a strong and united Ethiopia because instability in the region will impact Eritrea negatively.” Wow, since when has Afewarki possessed a rational mind that dismisses his Old Testament destructive revelation that he previously preached for too long about self-determination to each ethnic group inhabiting outside the bounds of Eritrea? Under Issayas Afewarki’s New Testament revelation we are preached by his apostles that: “Eritrea will give Ethiopians all the means at her disposal to strengthen the position of Ethiopians.” Holly molly, Afewarki’s Old Testament of successions is no more valid. Succession is now discarded as null and void through the Eritrean referendum that never was. So Afewarki is dictating to “new-born” Ethiopians about his “principled revelation of long standing policy because Eritrea can not live in a vacuum.” What a political ploy and what a surprising new twist taken for political expediency. Ironic enough it is a double-edged sword that cuts both ways. It was not long ago that Aden Sheikh Hassan was praising Afewarki as the inspiration for oppressed nationalities; in which he cited Afewarki’s 1991 speech that goes: “… there is no such thing as Ethiopia; and what there is, is no more than a shadow of a country – a country that cannot be taken seriously as a state. The only reason that there is an Ethiopia is that the US needed it for the Cold War, and recreated it, otherwise it would have disappeared at the end of World War II.”

Contrary to this Old Testament, during his interview with Apostle Elias Kefafle, Afewarki expressed his new political revelation by stating: “Eritrea’s desire and readiness to work with Ethiopians regarding security, economy, ports and all matters of bilateral concerns.” What a change of mind and heart; what a mockery that may convince loose cannon groups. I can’t help re-iterating the Amharic proverb: ‘DORON SYATALILUWAT BEMECHGNA TALWAT!’

As if Issayas Afewarki’s mockery is not enough, his disciples including: Elias Kefafle, Betinachew Tsigie and Birhanu Negadew are out there seriously preaching in favor of carrying Afewarki’s banner of New Testament. They have been trying for some years now to soften the hard-feelings among Ethiopians towards Afewarki; the man who suddenly pretends to shade crocodile tears and sheer mockery about Ethiopia. Forgetting that they are comfortably presiding on Afewarki’s-servitude from the Western metropolis like London and Washington DC, his disciples dare to preach us: “Ethiopians were let down by the West and particularly by the US. As a result Ethiopians don’t have any where or any one to turn to but to their brothers in Eritrea.” Traitors, you may flirt with the demonic Afewarki for now; but you have neither the respect nor a place in our heart. You have been traitors to EPRP; traitors to TPLF; and traitors to KINIJIT. How can we trust traitors who blindly continue to flirt with Afewarki, the mother of all troubles that hatched and planted TPLF inside Ethiopia? As if we are ever green to politics, OLF, ONLF, Elias Kefafle’s ER and the G7-leadership are fighting an uphill battle to convince us and to soften our heart and become benevolent loyalists to Afewarki’s destructive mission. Is it not asking too much? Is it not preaching to us openly to commit suicide and destroy our only home – Ethiopia by becoming loyal cowards of Afewarki? We say: No to their political nuisance. Gone are the days when the Ethiopian youths were marshaled by death only to transform Afewarki’s sinister wanton and wishes in the past.

New Revelation to Ethiopians:

It is funny that Issayas Afewarki’s new revelation as told by Elias Kefafle reads as: “desiring a lasting peace and unity” in the region. Is that not the same Afewarki who continues to follow his conventional outlook and continue to spread regional conflicts and divisive missions restlessly with all neighboring nations indiscriminately? Is that not the same Afewarki who follows his Old Testament by eliminating ethnic resistance movements inside Eritrea among the Kunama and the Red Sea Afar population while at the same time hatching ethnic-led politics elsewhere outside Eritrea? Needless to say, Afewarki episodes remind us the dictum that goes: ‘AYA JIBBO SATAMEHAGN BILLAGN!’

Although he may be considered by those who sympathize with Afewarki’s regime as a face hero within the bounds of Eritrea, Afewarki is the man who spread the face of hate within the bounds of Ethiopia. The demonic and destructive actions he took against Ethiopia in the last 4-decades are living evidence that exhibit his face of hate towards Ethiopia for all the generosity and privileges Ethiopia attempted to bestow on the Eritrean elites; at the cost of depriving similar privileges to her own true sons and daughters.

Conclusive Remarks:

In summary Afewarki and the Eritrean elite groups at large have been victims of myth and empty pride. When all is told and done, still they want everything without any compromise or consensus absolutely to go their own greedy way. At the end of the day, they never care about others neighboring Eritrea; but themselves. It was all about ego, empty pride and myth that eventually resulted in heavy loss and casualties of what they would have otherwise gained thus far. Bad as it was, the worse is yet to come. Even now Eritrea under Afewarki will obviously continue through the same destructive path. We wish Afewarki and the Eritrean regime could come to their senses, make change of mind and realize that it is time to check out the myth, the ego and the empty pride properly; be frank enough down to earth; and for the sake of inclusiveness or mutual coexistence and humanity they must learn how to give way for change and for peace. After all, love cannot be founded on hate grounds.

References:

• http://allafrica.com/stories/200906100968.html - Shabait.com (Asmara) - Eritrea: New and Independent African Union - a Precondition for Development of Our Continent.

• http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10014 - Reaction to President Isaias Afwerki’s interview.

• http://www.ethiox.com/news.php?readmore=897 - Issayas Afeworki: The Inspiration for Oppressed Nationalities of the Horn - Aden Sheikh Hassan

• http://assimbablog.assimba.org/2009/06/12/issayas-afewarki%e2%80%99s-new-testament-versus-his-old-testament/ - Issayas Afewarki’s New Testament versus His Old Testament.

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12. June 2009 by Assimba.

“Old Testament vs. New Testament” - In real world the Old Testament lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the New Testament. As such the Bible is a progressive revelation. If you skip the first half of any good book and try to finish it, you will have a hard time understanding the characters, the plot, and the ending. In the same way, the New Testament is only completely understood when it is seen as a fulfillment of the events, characters, laws, sacrificial system, covenants, and promises of the Old Testament.

How do we grasp Issayas Afewarki’s New Testament versus His Old Testament?

Issayas Afewarki’s New Testament to OLF, ONLF, Gunboat-7 and EPPF supporters (and I guess to the rest of CUD supporters) presumably seems that ethnic-based system should be removed from Ethiopian political arena all together. This very “New Testament” is only completely understood when it is seen as a fulfillment of the events, characters, laws, sacrificial systems, covenants, and promises made of the Old Testament. But during most of the interview session Afewarki held with Elias Kefafle of the Eritrean / “Ethiopian”/ Review, Issayas attacked the ethnic-based regime of Meles Zenawi; and further went on condemning the ethnic-federalist structured constitution created by TPLF with the help of its initial partner OLF. Issayas Afewarki further opposes ethnic-based TPLF manifestos (and those of OLF, ONLF, UEDF, OFDM, ARENA TIGRAY etc). Where did such a world view of Issayas Afewarki come about? The replies made during the interview session are so far away and so far fetched from his principal preaching in his Old Testament where he strived to see a disintegrated and weak Ethiopia. It seems Afewarki’s calculated interview message was addressed to the Amhara audience. To one’s dismay, just a few months ago, Issayas Afewarki was preaching the old gospel or the Old Testament of ethnic-based self-determination to the Ogaden and Oromo nationalists. So which one does he really support?

What we seem to realize is Afewarki’s Old Testament versus Afewarki’s New Testament. As such, we are left to wonder what Issayas Afewarki really has in mind. The interview session manifests a confusing content; one observes Afewarki vacillating between his Old and New Testaments by changing his ideological outlook based on who he is talking with. Sometimes he even forgets to adjust his speech and makes a couple of errors by referring to EPPF as an “Amhara organization.” He was supposed to accept the idea that EPPF is “Ethiopian” organization. Just like the TPLF wants us to believe EPRDF is “Ethiopian,” the Amhara population really wants us to believe EPPF is “Ethiopian.” Afewark’s error was probably his second mistake during the long interview.

Anyway, will Issayas apologize to his long-standing flirting friends including OLF and ONLF for his revelation of national unity comments during the interview? I wonder and doubt it. Most people I discuss with tell me: ‘Afewarki would if he could; but he can’t; so he won’t’. But the OLF and ONLF probably don’t care as long as they get the money and arsenal of arms. That means, Afewarki’s the new gospel of becomes even more confusing since he was actually supporting TPLF’s ethnic-based system in Ethiopia from its implementation phase in 1991 up to 1998; until such time that the border war erupted between the two sinister organizations. After this confusing interview, everything I previously assumed were world known about Afewarki’s political stand and related facts in politics became false. After listening to Afewarki’s interview, I was left with to conclude that: (a) Afewarki has infatuated hatred to Amhara population; that was why he refused to speak Amharic. (b) According to Afewarki there occurs more crime and human rights violation in the Ogaden rather than in Darfur, Sudan. (c) In Afewarki’s view, Meles Zenawi has the ambition to annex Assab and to defend Ethiopia’s territorial integrity and Ethiopian interests. (d) To Afewarki, Meles Zenawi is the sole cause for clan politics to aggravate inside Somalia. (e) Actually, Issayas Afewarki opposes the ethnic-based ideology of TPLF, of the OLF and ONLF those groups whom he vehemently supported initially and still support those in the opposition. (f) To Afewarki

Eritrea is an economic powerhouse and an exemplary democratic country that builds self-sufficiency alone not only within the region but also in the entire globe.

English versus Amharic

I usually care less whether anyone uses Amharic or English or any other language as a means of communication. But it was a moment of surprise to me to watch Issayas Afewarki respond in English for the interview questions asked in Amharic by Elias Kefafle of the Eritrean / “Ethiopian?” Review. Why Afewarki chose that kind of communication? Obviously, most Ethiopians of his generation knew well that Afewarki speaks Amharic quite well since he happen to study both in Dessie and at Addis Ababa during his secondary high and during his 2 years collage education. So was he intentionally trying to prove to his audience his deep-sitting hatred for Ethiopians? May be so; in fact a clue one quickly observes in the interview session comes out when Elias is asking Issayas Afewarki about the Assab Port. The question directed was to find out if Ethiopia will be able to regain Assab port. (Note, most opposition parties in Ethiopia, including UDJ/CUD, UEDF and even the ethnic-based OFDM consider Assab as belonging to Ethiopia). In actual fact, Issayas Afewarki’s indirect answer to the question was basically NO. He tried to bit about the bush by going around the real question as much as possible especially because the EPPF Ethiopian rebels based in Eritrea have always accused Meles Zenawi of making Ethiopia landlocked. But at the end of the day, Issayas was very bold telling that Ethiopians will have to use the port just as any other country would; by sharing or paying for it. 6 years ago Issayas banned the availability of Amharic music in Eritrea as was reported by the BBC. One can check it at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2632399.stm.

So what is the purpose of EPPF in Eritrea? The fact is the original EPPF is no more functional while the pro-Afewarki new “EPPF” is simply controlled by Issayas generals. One can check it at: http://www.abugidainfo.com/?p=3123. As far as Afewarki is concerned the Assab issue is a done deal. From the start both Meles Zenawi and Issayas Afewarki actually share the belief that Assab belongs to Eritrea. But since the purpose of the interview was to get Amharic speaking Ethiopian opposition to support Issayas, the Afewarki accused Meles Zenawi of trying to regain Assab Port. What? This is funny. Wasn’t Meles accused of by the opposition groups alike for having not tried to regain Assab Port? What Elias Kefafle is doing is quite confusing indeed. Issayas Afewarki also accused stating that the clan politics in Somalia persist because of Meles Zenawi. The naked fact is that the clan politics in Somalia has been going on for many decades and may be centuries. As far as instigating the border conflict is concerned the International Commission in Hague actually blamed Eritrea for invading Ethiopia in 1998. For details please read at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4548754.stm. So what does Afewarki mean? Generally, although not comparable at the same degree, both Dictators Meles Zenawi and Issayas have failed to create a healthy economy and democratic system between the two sisterly nations. But Issayas was pretentiously lecturing about economy and justice throughout the interview; as if everything is smoothly progressing within Eritrea. Why all this fuss about the entire quagmire?

Back to Basics

Out of curiosity, when we return to the basis of the whole matter, we fall on to the following case in point. The brief research done by the well known British institution Chatham house gives the reader an idea on how Eritrea came about into being.

”Eritrean nationalist discourse has constructed myths to suggest that Eritrea is a rich country, that successful industrial development under Italian rule was sabotaged by Ethiopia, that it enjoyed rapid growth in the early years of independence and that all this could be restored when peace returns.”

Gunter Schroeder questioned these myths and outlined a more complex reality: “an economy that was static and stagnant up to the time of colonialism; an ecology that was already depleted by the start of the 20th century; food production capable of meeting only 60–70% of needs; little evidence of any significant additional natural resources – in short, all the main characteristic of a poor rural economy. Italian warfare against Ethiopia was a powerful motor for social transformation in the 1930s when 150,000 Eritrean men were under arms out of a population of just 750,000. The soldiers gained skills that gave them alternative opportunities for employment and options to leave the land. Preparations for war also drove Eritrea’s early industrial development, which operated in a protected market, catering exclusively for the Italian army. When the Federation was created Eritrea enjoyed a huge comparative advantage for its industry and its skills in relation to Ethiopia’s underdevelopment. Industry was drawn to the political and economic centre in Addis Ababa, resulting in significant population migration from Eritrea. The result was that modern Eritrean economic elite forged ahead inside Ethiopia, before, during and after the war of independence. This all came to an end in 1998, leaving Eritrea for the first time without a protected market for its industry or its skills. Even when the Ethiopia–Eritrea conflict ends and trade resumes, Eritrea cannot expect to recapture the Ethiopian markets – these have been lost to Ethiopian competitors. Eritrea’s industry is too small to compete with Ethiopian producers, let alone with the Chinese producers who now dominate industrial production for African markets.”

All we can say is Afewarki is confusing the whole matter between his Old and his New Testaments. Better late to convey the truth than never, we wonder what those flirting Ethiopian oppositions have to say about Afewarki’s two differing testaments.

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10. June 2009 by Assimba.

Abrham Berhe

Whenever they see critics of Issayas Afewarki some commentators ask what about Meles Zenawi. Usually a writer has a specific goal and bounds to restrict one’s views when the writer starts composing on a given topic. That means I don’t have to jump all over and address all leaders in the region inclusive of Meles. Here and now my very sole concern is to write about the agonies faced in Eritrea by Eritrea’s highly feared leader Issayas Afewarki.

In his recent interview message, Issayas Afewarki makes it clear that he is unhappy with the current leader of Somalia, the moderate Islamist President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and urges Al Shebab - the radical Islamists, and the people of Somalia to overthrow him because he “changed to partner up with the infidels – the hypocrites of the Western World”. Why is Issayas Afeworki so worried by the turn of events in Somalia? First, understandably, he is unhappy that the radical Islamists - Al Shabab are no longer going to make deeper roots in Somalia – a hope that could only materialize under the leadership of Al Shebab. But his major worry is that, if Sheikh Ahmed succeeds in uniting and stabilizing Somalia, then the Islamist revolution will remain confined within Somalia’s borders only, and that there will be no further interest or incentive for the Islamist revolution to spread outside of it into neighbouring nations. Under Sheikh Ahmed, the nationalist cause would trump the regional and global cause (that of Islamist Jihad). Issayas Afeworki realizes that if Somalia is stabilized as a nation, the first thing that it has to do is normalize its relations with Ethiopia and Kenya. And that means, at minimum, reigning over the militant groups that want to destabilize Ethiopia - and that would be the worst nightmare scenario for Issayas Afeworki. Instead he foresees that the anarchy in Somalia is essential to his contemporary designs both on the international and regional arena, where he is dead set to derail any prospects of Somali nationhood under the rule of Sheikh Ahmed where the Islamist cause would remain confined to the nation.

What are the likely reasons for this line of thinking by Issayas Afeworki? What is in there for him? The strategic location of Somalia, very close to Middle East and other African nations that are considered to be in the “infidel” camp (Ethiopia and Kenya), makes it ideal to his efforts to destabilize few neighbouring nations and internationalize his support to Islamic revolution. While training, and materially and financially supporting Islamist fundamentalist groups in Somalia, the last thing Afeworki strives these days is on ‘how to destabilize Ethiopia through Somalia’. So it is not surprising that when Ethiopia pulled out of Somalia earlier, Afewarki couldn’t hide his unhappiness. To him, the Somalia insurrection was relevant so far as it bogs down Ethiopia in an endless quagmire from which it would be unable to extricate itself; the last thing he wanted to see was for these two forces to disengage from fighting permanently. Moreover, he was hoping that this Islamist insurrection would spread not only to the Ogaden region, but throughout the South Eastern parts of Ethiopia (Balie, Harar, Arssi and Sidamo) where the majority of the population is made up of Oromo and other ethnic Muslims. Thus Issayas Afeworki has put all his hopes mainly on Al-Shebab militant Islamist group that has, self-admittedly, a close connection with Al Qaida and, consequently, has been listed as a terrorist organization by the US.

In fact, at this particular moment, Issayas Afeworki is quite dangerous to the region. Issayas Afeworki’s help to opposition groups coming to Eritrea from all direction is more handy and potent: First, given the geographic proximity of Eritrea, the country has become a hub of armed groups that, at one time or another, have been deployed in Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia. Second, Issayas Afeworki is footing the bill for the training, arming and transporting these armed groups. In the latest UN report on Somalia, Eritrea was identified as the main financier of the armed groups in Somalia. And third, the latest footprint of Iran in Eritrea tells us that it has become a conduit of arms smuggling to militant groups all over the area, one that reaches as far as Hamas in Ghaza. This is what WIC had to say on an interview with the Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia (on March 19, 2009): “In an interview he held with WIC, Ambassador Ben-Haim said the Eritrean government is providing military training, and supplying military logistics for a number of terrorist groups. Ambassador Ben-Haim said that the Eritrea government, in addition to its attempts of destabilizing the Horn of Africa region, is also working to subvert the peace process in Somalia by supporting and arming Al-Shebab, a terrorist group in Somalia. The Ambassador said the Eritrea government, which has put its hands in smuggling weapons, is an arm supplier of Al-Shebab in Somalia and other internationally recognized terrorist groups including Hamas.”

With all the evidence built-up thus far, there is not the slightest bit of doubt that Eritrea has established itself as a terror-sponsoring nation. Given this fact, it is unfortunate that the Bush Administration left the White House without designating it as such. And it is even more unfortunate that Eritrean in the opposition waffled on this issue and missed a great opportunity to unseat the tyrant. But that doesn’t mean all is lost. Now, the same kind of momentum is building up against the Issayas regime, and we should make the most of it. An alliance is in the making, and we shouldn’t miss this boat. Already the US, Israel and Ethiopia are in this boat and France might join soon if the Djibouti case remains unresolved.

The African Union (AU) has taken the unprecedented step of calling on the UN to impose heavy sanctions on one of its own members. It wants to punish Eritrea for helping Jihad’s fighters in Somalia with arms and training which it says have caused the deaths of many civilians and AU peacekeepers. The union has also called for a no-fly zone over Somalia and a blockade of its ports. Neither is likely to happen. Air patrols by America and others might win the Jihad’s more support; a blockade of the long coastline is almost impossible. But the AU may have better luck with sanctions. The UN Security Council has already expressed “concern” that Eritrea may have breached an arms embargo on Somalia.

Some say Eritrea’s arms shipments to Somalia have been paid for partly by Iran and individual rich Arabs. Maybe it is so. But Eritrean support for the Islamist insurgency in Somalia is long-standing. And the AU is fed up with it.

More than any other foreign entity, it is the Eritrean people that have been daily experiencing the terror unleashed under this totalitarian regime. Not a single population group has been spared: students, merchants, farmers, parents, minority religions, ethnic groups, etc. The whole nation has been turned into a huge prison. And lately, with the mass exodus picking up speed, with the killings and massacres at border crossings and prisons, with a full blown famine raging all over the country and with the plan to dislodge entire villages and to dismantle centuries-old monasteries, there is a Khmer Rouge like apocalypse looming over the nation. If we are to save our people from a catastrophe of Khmer Rouge like proportions, the time to act is NOW. And the urgency of the matter gives us no luxury to pick and choose the means by which to finish off this regime. We should be able to grab this opportunity and join this alliance, and do whatever we can to convince this alliance-in-the-making to finish off the Issayas regime by whatever means necessary.

 All past actions and reactions of Issayas Afewarki have proven beyond doubt - to the world at large - the sheer irrationality of the man. His associations and diplomatic relations cannot be expected to have any logic. The 95-page report, “Service for Life: State Repression and Indefinite Conscription in Eritrea,” documents serious human rights violations by Issayas Afewarki regime including prolonged military conscription, arbitrary arrest, torture, appalling detention conditions, forced labour, and severe restrictions on freedom of movement, expression, and worship. It also analyzes the difficult situation faced by Eritrean youth who succeed in escaping to other countries such as Libya, Sudan, Egypt, and Italy.

Nothing could be more diversionary than Afewark’s perceived actions in the service of Iranian and Al-Shabaab’s designs. The interim Somali government recently accused Afewarki of sending two plane-loads of weapons to Somalia in violation of UN arms embargo on that war-ravaged country. The Somali government alleged that two planes from Eritrea landed at an Al-Shabab controlled airstrip in Lower Shebelle Region in Southern Somalia on April 28 and May 1. Voice of America says the accusation is a repeat of events in 2007, when the United Nations said Eritrea was secretly sending arms and missiles to Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. 

Hell on Earth

It is an open secret that Eritrea is not only a grand prison but also hell on Earth. The only Eritrean people who are doing fairly well are those who live in Diaspora or outside Eritrea. Those inside Eritrea are helpless and voiceless held in military and labor camps. Especially those people who live in Soba Debub of the Senafie area; Seraye in Gohaine Eritrea, in Barentu and Tesenei areas are suffering much by Afewarki’s authoritarian regime and its labor camps. For them the road to success and prosperity has become through Wodi Afom’s arrogance and belligerence.

Because of his stubborn attitude and consistent mistakes committed there of, Issayas Afewarki never sees problems that Eritrea is facing; he never ever apologizes; rather he diverts both the problem and the blame to someone else. A case in point is what has happened to Haile Derue. While on a visit to Europe Issayas Afewarki (Telamat Ugum) told many Eritrean residents there about the 1998-2000 war stating that we were beaten by Woyane and decided to retreat. A month later when Haile Derue told the same statement to journalists he was critically considered as “Temberkaki” for leaking the issue to external journalists and thrown to jail; while Telamat Ugum Issu remains as a hero telling us all throughout his motto: “Hade Lib Hade Hizbi”.

Holly Molly there is no rule of law; no justice; and no liberty for Hizbi Eritrea. Issayas Afewarki is the jury; Wodi Afom is the judge and the executor. Regular citizens find themselves in hell locked by Ugum Issu Wedi Medhine Berad of Abashawel. Eritrea and Issayas Afewarki are behaving in the same way as Hitler was behaving just before WWII. Issayas is building his military might and will soon be noticed by the international community. Issayas conscripts the youth into armed forces far more than Eritrea needs; and is eventually planning to carry out his nuclear ambitions. Likewise Wodi Afom exports instability by backing rebels in Chad, Ethiopia and Sudan, and now in Somalia.

What a bunch of communist retards that we are forced to face in Eritrea. May God bless the brave Hizbi Eritrea and the so-called “Gang of-15”? We consider them all as our heroes; and all these hardships shall soon pass just like the earlier ones; it will not be long when true Wedibat holds the power in Asmara.

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10. June 2009 by Assimba.

Alex Birhanu – alexbirhanu@yahoo.com

As a people we must be able to believe in principle and seriously consider that passion should be driven by principle and surrounded by reason. Otherwise, too much passion with no principle or rational reasoning will make the Diaspora Ethiopians to remain emotional and blind fighters. We should not let loose lips sink the ship called ‘Ethiopia’ that we are all sailing on for as long as we are breathing and alive. Why am I writing this article? What motivated me to share this very opinion with you all? The answer is clear. I feel that there is a missing link in our political outlook.

As a matter of fact, there are opposition groups that remain opportunistic and only contribute to enhance destructive political ploys by painting subsequent black images of episodes taking place inside Ethiopia and trying continuously carrying out ideas that encourage marshalling bulldozer politics. This reminds me of the following story I heard once: ‘Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the family business. When he found out he was going to inherit a huge fortune when his sickly father died, he decided to marry a wife with whom to share his fortune. One evening at an investment meeting he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen before. Her natural beauty took his breath away. Instantly he made a move to her: “I may look like just an ordinary man,” he said to her, but in just a few months, my father is likely to die, and I’ll be the sole heir to inherit his $200 million.” Impressed, the woman obtained his business card and three days later, she became his stepmother.’ That is the kind of story that brought the huge divide between EPLF and TPLF; and ever since the mid 1990s this shrewdest politics is keeping us all busy in endless political think thanks and tick-tacks arguing over the un-demarcated border issues as well as Ethiopia’s legitimate access to the sea through Assab Port.

As far as I see it we need to strive for change and change must be transformed through peaceful means at any cost. Particularly, we (people in Diaspora) are actually missing the middle ground on various national and regional issues as most of us run into emotion rather than attempting to be governed by objective reasoning. Extremism/emotionalism is nothing more than an expression of ignorance and greed; what so ever its basis may be. We should not go for bulldozer politics. Rather we should be responsible and rational in opposing or supporting any political opinions/groups regarding this beautiful country that has been and still is suffering in all aspects due to ignorance and greed, but nothing else. Thus, we need to be inclusive rather than exclusive, objective rather than subjective, rational rather than emotional. At the end of the day the middle ground will come as the result of our zealous efforts. Whenever we want to contribute especially to the political discourse of our country, I think, our objective should be how to break the conflict trap rather than how to generate further conflicts by adding fuel to the already burning fire.

Indeed TPLF was born and brought-up by Shaabia inside Eritrea; by no one else but Wodi Afom. All I know is that our peoples (those in Eritrea and Ethiopia alike) are at an alert for sometime now to start the next war at any minute here after. There is no UN-peace-keeping mission or any other war-protective guarantee. In such occasions I have no doubt that Shaabia will try to use the Ethiopian opposition groups in Eritrea as its front-runners to challenge TPLF. But for what good is war really? Cannot we come to round table discussions and resolve our differences for the sake of peace? In a recent interview Afewarki gave to Asharq Al-Awsat at which time he said: “there is no dialogue or nothing to discuss about with Ethiopia.”

We know for sure that Shaabia, the mother source of all misery and suffering in the region as a whole, has a very short life to live. Just now Shaabia is vesting all its interests in the border issue. And if Shaabia and TPLF go to war once again Afewarki is ascertained that this time round the death tall of TPLF army will be more than what it was during the 1998-2000 war. In fact Afewarki is sure that no Eritrean blood will be spilled this time as he has what he calls: “the gallant Ethiopian opposition groups inside Eritrea that are ready to chase the TPLF-army and claim Badme back to where it belongs - Eritrea. And no western power can save TPLF from its last demise since Shaabia has done its home work and will be involved only in the clinical surgery of it in helping remove the cancerous TPLF from the political arena of the region.”

All told, the night may be long but surely and eventually, a day will come soon when Ethiopia will retain access to the sea. Likewise, a day will come soon when Eritrean and Ethiopian peoples will join hands, talk the talk and walk the walk jointly for mutual socio-economic progress and peaceful co-existence. But the main precondition for these factors to be fulfilled is the wearing away of any form of tyranny both from Eritrea and Ethiopia.

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8. June 2009 by Assimba.

By Obo Arada Shawl

June 7, 2009

I am ignorant, please educate me

On Ferenji

I am ignorant

Answer me why the C.I.A. aspire to yoke the Blue & Red of Aethiopia

Answer me, if you know

Why the European Parliament wish to untie the yoke

Tell me, if you know

Why the Asians penetrate unto us

On Nationality

I am ignorant,

Educate me why Mr. Afeworki wants me to be an Eritrean

Tell me also why Mr. Zenawi, his ally don’t want me to be an Eritrean

Answer me why the Oromos want me to be an Oromian,

If and when they become Independent

Not from Eathiopia but from Abyssinia

Educate me why I cannot be a Somalian

Do I have the right to be a citizen of any country?

Please tell me if I can’t be

On Religion

I am ignorant,

Educate me why the Pentecostal Christian wants me to join them

Tell me if you know, why the Catholics want my misery

Tell me again why the Protestants dearly love me

Answer me, why the Muslims find interest in me

Educate me, why the Jewish Community admire my company

How ignorant can I be?

On Language

I am ignorant,

Answer me, if I am qualified to be an Amharic speaker

Please, tell me if I am an Amhara

Answer me, what an Amhara is

For I know many languages

Based on languages

Where does one belong?

In America, Asia or Europe

Tell me if you know

On Politics

Strange as it may sound,

I love the sound of BR ( ብር )

Than the BR itself (Blue and Red states)

I love EE countries, in fact everything about E

Strange as it may sound, I don’t like the Asian mix

For I am Yoga

Connected to by land and Rainfall

Connected to History and Culture (ዘር)

I am an Eathiopian

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8. June 2009 by Assimba.

By Yelfiwos Wondaya

If and when the fate of our nation is determined must be determined not by a small group of elites who desires to control state power but by the people of Ethiopia themselves.  With that said, I for one do not believe that Ethiopians are willing to accept any political gesture that negates what I stated first in my opening statement.  Afresh, alas, ER’s report aside, rumor has it that G7 is taking a Trip to Eritrea; a Trip supposedly compromises its own position of obligation.  So far according to what is being said on the part of so-called Ethiopian Review, G7 is once again flirting with enemy camps to join forces with them in order to achieve its own short-lived political goals.  Given that flirting with enemy is a failure by itself deciding to work with them is even worse than one can imagine and it is indeed a grave mistake and must be corrected immediately.  After all, dealing with enemies and being an exclusive in any important national matters that affect the future of the people is what Meles is known to have been doing against the will of our people.  So making a step forward to a wrong direction is an error that can make your political future miserable.  It causes public outrage and censure as has happened to TPLF and collaborators.  If continue to ignore the calls of Ethiopians, believe you me, you will have gone astray and shall never make it back again. Because, intentionally, holding secret meetings with one of Ethiopia’s biggest enemies is a betrayal for your own nation.  Once you breach the public trust, however, you lose your credibility altogether and that is a moral laps you are committing against your own fate like that of Meles of TPLF! 

Firstly, though one has to take national matters very seriously especially, not to compromise it for the benefit of getting attention and backing from the ranks of some fanatic supporters.  Instead, one has to change a trend and learn how to respect and defend the principles, the commitments, the duties, the beliefs and the ideals of his own nation.  Obviously, though Ethiopians have as much an intense and usually long lasting feeling of hatred, enmity and antipathy for EPLF as they have for TPLF if you will.  So in this case, siding EPLF to fight out TPLF does not make your move right since it is true that both EPLF and TPLF have a bad blood with the nation state of Ethiopia itself.  Are you recognizing Isayas’s contribution to the success of the campaign he has been waging against Ethiopian fate for decades?  We knew for fact that Elias Kifle is doing just that.  Isn’t that true that Isaya is the one who organized TPLF, OLF, and other Ethiopian rival elements in order to divide and weaken Ethiopia?  What makes you pick this time to pay an official visit to him and establish headquarter in Asmara?  And according to ER, forming an alliance with OLF, ONLF and other anti Ethiopian elements in Asmara is one of main agendas you are about to deliver.  . 

Secondly, one has to respect people’s right to self-government without any interference from outside in the name of support and Diplomacy.  Diplomacy aside, TPLF is the only political group that we know of that accepted Eritrea as an independent state and EPLF as a government of Eritrea.  Are you standing by the word and decision of TPLF in order to get help from Isayas of EPLF?  Because, that is the same condition TPLF used to get help from Isayas in the 60s and 70s of their struggle against Ethiopia.  Altogether though one has to take this notion of national independence as a matter of principle and live up to the principal values and beliefs common to the society as a whole.

Besides, there have been a lot of speculations and debates about the behavior of hyper G7 especially, about its political behavior, the way in which it acts and responds in a tense environment and under any other circumstances.  In my view, G7 is unique in many ways.  One of which is that it is Anxious, eager, agitated and obsessed with power and fame.  For instance, it has been extremely busy in giving passionate speeches and interviews about coupe’s allegation and all of a sudden brought us controversial news associated with a Trip to Eritrea.  Up until this movement, however, it spent a restless week fearing that the publicity it has been getting from several news outlets would wither away.  What is next?  Landing at the same category CUD landed?  Recreating the same AFD with the same old parties of course, this time CUD is no more but Hyper G7 is on the scene.  For a strange reason, however, Hyper G7 loves to go on its own way and enjoys stopping at places of its interest just to fulfill its own promise of greatness.  This time the province of Eritrea is found to be the right destination for Hyper G7 to land for another spectacular show! 

However, only a fool would trust G7’s move and invest in its failing scheme for nothing.  Thus far, despite few individuals here and there, the vast majority of Ethiopians are in a state of high alert not to get duped by such moves G7 is making.  We have learned expensive lessons from the election of 2005, and the decision of CUD to go into partnership with the OLF, ONLF and formed AFD.  It has to be stopped there.      

More to the point, paying an official visit to the mastermind of all Ethiopian enemies is like recognizing his bravery with medal as if he has done something heroic and worthwhile for Ethiopia.  Honestly, though without affectation or pretense, it is a known fact that all the integral parts of AFD with the exception of CUD were liberation fronts engaged in an armed struggle against the “Abyssinia Empire”. Now the hyper G7 is replacing CUD to bring the so-called AFD back to life.  Besides, aside ONLF, OLF is an old liberation front and who is also an old hand at the foundation of AFD, which is why millions of Ethiopians were skeptical then and continue to be clear-headed and responsive to that of a new deal made by CUD then and Hyper G7 now.  Fearing that it may result in crisis, however, Ethiopians would not appreciate such dealings and decisions made by such parties behind their back.  Once again fearing that the Holland’s conference was yet about to reinforcing the London’s’ conference many Ethiopians were quick to react against such formation, and questioned it whether or not the intent and the purpose of such parties was to serve Ethiopia’s interest.    And yet the HYPER G7 is in the move to hold the same conference comprising the same parties that compromise the unity and territorial integrity of our nation. 

Next, the so-called liberation fronts are ethnic-oriented, promoting nothing but ethnic politics and often do speak in favor of disintegration. That is why they call themselves Liberators Fronts and declared the fighting open to free their respective regions from the rest of the “Abyssinian Empire”? Amassing all these facts and more of their nature, who can easily be duped into thinking that merging with them is a good decision to liberate Ethiopia from Ethnocentrism?  It is unworthy of serious risk for CUD to suppose then and for HYPER G7 now.  Dealing with liberation fronts by deliberately avoiding Ethiopian organizations at large is the making of Isayas as usual.  However, unlike Hyper G7, the rest of pro unity forces are concerned not only for they find the nature of liberation fronts is threatening to Ethiopia’s sovereignty, they also learned that their political ideology is fetal to the existence of Ethiopia as a nation as well.   Can one imagine that ethnically based liberation fronts would stand in line with the unity forces to go to war in order to preserve Ethiopian unity?  That is unthinkable!  Seriously though this is part of the reason why millions of Ethiopians are still held up with fears and tension, and most important of all, forming an alliance with such forces backed by Isayas of EPLF is unthinkable to say the least. 

Be that as it may, one would also ask the following questions.  How likely things would go well between them in terms of reconciling their diametrically opposite ideologies?  Given that, we believe that Hyper G7 has an ideology of some sort, how can it go to adjust actions with OLF in response to the call of unification?  How can one expect to have the same end result from a unit of measurement that has different values in different context?  Clearly, these are the questions at the core they ought to resolve first.  If not, the carbon-copy of AFD yet about to be formed by the two strangers will suffer a lack of public support and will be adversely affected by the anger and rejection of the public at large. In other words, the vast majority of Ethiopians did not accept their formal piece of writings that would compromise the unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia.  And most important of all, the pro unity forces shall remain adamant to that of their general doctrines and principles that formed the basis of AFD to begin with. 

As a result, one would suspect that the ambition of assuming state power by any means possible is the only factor Hyper G7 might have in common with OLF and ONLF. Whether or not, this formation of alliance was intended for a strong yearning of power to achieve or a set of procedure for achieving something greater than power is yet to be seen. So, at this point in time, neither the political shift G7 made nor the nature of OLF or both can sway the publics’ opinion on their side nor can it change the very deep seated skepticism millions of Ethiopians bound to have about their motives.  Little did we know what the settlement is for, however, one would say for sure that the political shift G7 made to be a junior partner to the OLF and ONLF is good breaking news for the old guys involved.

Ironically, though all parties participated in Holland’s conference CUD included were unanimous in their agreement to work on the so-called Ethiopian constitution. Silly and amusing as it sounds Hyper G7 seems to be willing to implement the same agreement CUD representatives reached to agree with OLF.   The paradox about Hyper G7 is also that knowingly or not transforming itself from centralist to a moderate political ideology that plays down unitary system in Ethiopia.  Meaning it has moved from promoting a unitary system of government to accepting that of WOYANES’ model of ethno-centric federal arrangement. Besides, accepting the basic laws by which Ethiopians are forced to accept against their will is by no means going very much against the interest of the public. Ethiopians are no longer in the mood to deal with a leadership who is devoid of moral compass and irrespective of Ethiopian unity and territorial integrity intact.

Lastly, one has to remember the London’s conference, a conference in which EPLF was the brainchild, and the break away of Eritrea was one of the main topics on the table.  And also, OLF and TPLF were part of the principal forces to decide on the fate of Ethiopia and her people which in the end created the so-called Ethiopian constitution. Primarily, though the so-called Ethiopian constitution was framed by secessionists and ethnically based liberation fronts at that time.  Yes, the constitution was arranged to bring about the “formal withdrawal” of SHABIA from Ethiopian political arrangement altogether and to allow the province of Eritrea to break away from the main land of Ethiopia. The constitution was resolutely put together in a ways things were arranged in an appropriate order so that they can use them effectively against the unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia. Think of article 39 G7.  AFD accepted the so-called Ethiopian constitution for the fact that OLF is part and parcel of the trio conferences that took place in London, Addis Ababa, and Holland and who know where now.

In conclusion, on the part of genuine Ethiopians, tending to make unfair dealings with organizations that do not have Ethiopian agenda is no longer acceptable.  Ethiopians like any other nations deserve to enjoy their rights of government and could not be happy to see another exclusive political club assuming state power without their full consent in Addis ever again. Moreover, it is true that deciding on issues and matters according to a classification system would undermine equal participation of all ranks from within a party and public participation at large.  So such bad practices would also undermine pluralism, equal opportunity and access to determine one’s fate especially, on the decisions and actions that would one way or another affect our national lives.  Taken as a whole, if and when the fate of our nation is determined must be determined not by a small group of elites who desires to control state power but by the people of Ethiopia themselves.     

Long live Ethiopia!!

Yelfiwos Wondaya

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5. June 2009 by Assimba.

Comment- rahel yergashewa

Hi my friends,

I really appriciate your patience and strength to be involved for a long  time in a poletical struggle. It has been 40 year since EPRP started its struggle. You are not able to bring any change for the Ethiopian people who is currently suffering from the tyrant weyane during these 40 year.

Ethiopians are really suffering by the brutal weyanes and I do not think that Ethiopia never experienced such a danger in its history. I hope you better explain and undrestand better than me the current situation. I am not a member of any poletical party but  I strongly need Woyane to be thrown away. My dream and my prayer is always that. But the relationship among the various poletical parties who are fighting to throw Woyane  makes me hopeless. all the time

I was trying to visit your web site how your anti-Woyane struggle is progressing and to get some information about your opinions(stand) about the huge sum of poetical parties who are trying to get rid of  weyane form the oppressed Ethiopians.

I have one point that  I would like to suggest it is about your opinion about the Ginbot7 poletical party. It is bout the article that were posted in your web site concerning the party’s struggle strategy and its leader (Dr Brihanu) . I do not think that this is the right time to accuse any one who is going against Woyane whatever his/ her ideology is . We better come together and save Ethiopia before it is too late. Ethiopia and the people of Ethiopian are in a big trouble. I do believe that this is the right time to be wise ( at least we can learn from  the Woyane themselves how they are trying to use the band Oromos and Amahras to buy time). You are Ethiopians you know  that we have a saying ” yetelate telate wedage new”.

So lets come together and get rid of Woyane and save Ethiopia and the Ethiopian people. We have plenty of time to blame one another.Plenty of time after we have got the chance to be considered as a citizen of Ethiopia in Ethiopia. The problem in Ethiopia is more than anyone can imagine. People are dying, tortured, jailed and children are dying of shortage of food. We have no drinking water, no electricity, no information there is nothing.

Sele Ethiopia hezb belachehu yehanene erse berse manakor akumu.

Thank you

GOD BLESS ETHIOPIA

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