Obo Arada Shawl

April 13, 2010

Why the Horn? The Horn looks like a peninsula and it juts into the Arabian Sea and it lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. Physically it stretches to 2 million sq. km and demographically houses app one hundred million people.

According to the classification by the State Department of USA, the Horn of Africa comprises, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti and currently it includes Eritrea but not the Sudan.

The Horn of Africa is defined by geography and by geopolitics that was why President Bush has established OEF-HOA (Operation Enduring Freedom for the Horn of Africa).

The recent past two conferences on the Horn of Africa – one was held in Arlington Virginia and the other – in San Jose, California were meant to deal with the pure and localized politics of Eathiopia. Whereas, ምሁር አካል the M’hur Akal of Eathiopians define the Horn in terms of Africa’s wholeness, the ጽንሐተ ምሁር Tsin’hattee Muhur Akal class of Eathiopia refers to the politics of Ecountries – the base of our Ethiopian Revolution.

Why is the M’hur Akal class is interested in the so-called Horn countries? I believe because they see the map of Africa protruding into the sea of Somaliland. Ironically, by doing so they seem to symbolize all of us in a country with a non-working government. Their inner feelings reflect in physical geography as opposed to political geography, which is fundamental to our understanding for the success of the two conferences.

The choice of Eathiopia’s Tsin’hattee Muhur Akal ጽንሐተ ምሁር አካል depends on the political geography of SEEDS (Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia). An honest and correct step for people’s integration could follow. For no one in his right mind plant seeds without soil preparation, and this preparation we call it a la DEMOCRACIA.

The conference on the Horn of Africa that was held in San Jose was beneficial in the sense that different alternatives have been presented. They were as follows:

• Federation by Prof. Daniel Kinde – meaning -‘we are all equal’

• Confederation by Professor Tesfazion Medhanie – meaning – ‘separate but equal’

• “Undemocratic atmosphere” prevails in Eritrea emphasizes Prof. Mesfin Araya

• “Under these dictatorial regimes, neither confederation nor federation can be viable alternatives “ says Aregawi Berhe (PhD.)

• “Non-violence struggle” as an alternative by Obo Jawar Mohammed

• ‘Healing and embracing one another’ preaches Ato Obang Metho

• ‘Healing and reconciliation’ as a process says Ato Abebe Gellaw

It is true that the above alternatives are beneficial and viable but the question is how.

First things first, let us have a proper name for our country, then let us delimit boundaries and then address one another by Ato or Weizero. Ethiopia and Eritrea do not represent the Horn, rather they represent themselves, are not creation of men. In order to do these we all need to understand the rudimentary concept of democracy if not DEMOCRACIA.

Democracy in two countries but one system

In our case, the first ADWA has happened 104 years ago. The educated muhur Akal has yet to settle the issue of ADWA First in order to move on. Most of them are stuck with it.

For one, ADWA I became a cause for Eritrean nationalist separation and Somalia’s claim on Ogaden, Oromia’s claim based on Minilik’s victory, and above all – the Shewans glory of Minilik in the name of Ethiopia camouflaged also in Minilik first name.

To settle these issues of claim and counter claim, the second AADWA II came into play not to add fuel to the nationalist contest but to move on the path of development of governance, stability and prosperity via DEMOCRACIA.

AADWA II, was genuinely embarked by the University students of Eathiopia not only to heal the rifts between the victims and victors but also to initiate, develop and transfer the positive aspects of ADWA I.

Unfortunately, despite the huge sacrifice of human, destruction of animals and plants (HAP). The Eway Revolution has been damaged and arrested thanks to the vicious leaders who came from the same place of controversy.

What is to be done?

The first step is to take sides. There are three alternatives if and when good governance, development, peace and security are to prevail.

• Those who want to move on with the concept AADWA II, stay and continue the struggle for justice and the rest of freedoms

• Those who want to stick with ADWA I go and enjoy conferences – it is not a new phenomenon we did it before

• Those who want to follow the current leaders whose leaders were born in the same village but not associated with both ADWA AADWA II and I – please go and vote to be voted out. No excuses. We had enough of it.

In other words, ADWA ONE depicted the past; AADWA TWO reflects the future while the TPLF leadership represents the present moment – make a CHOICE.

TRUTH WILL PREVAIL

For comments and questions

woldetewolde@yahoo.com