By: W. Yilma 07/09/09
I
read
Dawit Woldegiorgis, and his likes opinions posted on ethiomedia website. The
same as his comrades, he tried his best to convince Ethiopians that, it is ok
to work with Shabia to shape the future of Ethiopian politics.
I disagree totally with Dawit suggestions, because his opinions are full of
lies, contains many distorted information. I do not understand what motivated
Dawit, a previous “proud infantry army commander” to confessed at eleven hours
that Shabia is not working hard to destabilized Ethiopia. Who is the host
country for notorious terrorist groups at this time? It is Shabia who is
training, arming and providing logistic supports to terrorist groups that are
determined to destabilize Easter African regions, in particular Ethiopia. How
Dawit failed to understand this reality while he was in Asmara many times to
meet Shabia’s leader to conspire against his own country. He also lecturing us
as a failed professor the importance of good neighborhoods with Eritrea. No one
is opposing people to people relationship, especially between Ethiopian and
Eritrean. The bond is not simple, it sealed with blood. However, I do believe
we need to look separately the majority of Eritrean population from Shabia and
its hard line supporters who hated Ethiopians, and still claiming that we are
their enemy. If we truly believed to make lasting peace between these two
brotherly people, NO engagement is necessary with Shabia, until the government
represented by the people become to power in Asmara. This government is a rebel
group and do not have legitimate right to establish reliable agreements with
any external forces, especially with Ethiopia. I do not think joining Shabia,
who is ruling his own people with iron fit could bring lasting peace between
these two people. The government who deprived freedom to his own people do not
have a moral ground to preach about democracy for other people. It is
unthinkable to get pigeon from sneak egg!.
Opposing this idea is not a matter of supporting the EPRDF. The notion
generally is not genuine to bring a positive changes both for Ethiopian and
Eritrean people.
The idea of working with Shabia at this stage is not only betrayal of the
Ethiopian people, but the Eritrean people too. The cruelty of Isayas is not
comparable with any one in our time. Even he is the cruelest person than Col.
Mengistu! This is not personal, this is based on what he had done in the past
and what he is doing now! A million word could not change the images of Shabia.
How Dawit failed to understand the feeling of Eritrean? Why not he discussed
with the ordinary Eritrean at home or abroad? I have an opportunities to
discuss with many ordinary Eritrean, and the majority of them openly admitted
that life, and relative freedom before “independent” were by far better than
today. This is not because of their independence, but the abuse of power by
their own “government” . Mr. Dawit this is uncontroversial fact, and you are
advising us to join this mafia gangster group who failed to satisfy the basic
necessity to his own people, and deprived them a basic right?
As far as I know, Shabia would have more advantages than the EPRDF to exercise
democracy in Eritrea. Because, the social diversities in Eritrea is less than
Ethiopia, Eritrea have less total land area than Ethiopia; loyalty, and
willingness of the Eritrean people to do whatever is necessary to their
government, and good and peaceful neighbors. However, not as Dawit want to
lecturing us, Shabia abused all these chances, and missed the opportunity to be
part of peace maker in our region.
We Ethiopians should deeply think beyond politics the root cause (after
independence) of the conflict between Ethiopia and -Eritrea. It is an economic
war instigated by Shabia. This is an open fact which was confirmed by the third
parties. Therefore, as long as Shabia is sure that he will not get an opportunity
to exploit Ethiopian economy as he has done during a honeymoon era with the
EPRDF, this government will not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to
destabilize Ethiopia. Shabia could not be a good friend, as many oppositions
are advocating now. Isayas is still the same Isayas! No medication will change
his mind to think good for Ethiopia.
Although I do not support the way the EPRDF has handled the Eritrean case from
the very beginning, one thing has become clear. Shabia, and the people of
Eritrea understood that they could not survive without Ethiopia! All this up
and down about Bademe (which for Dawit and his cohorts Bademe is nothing, but a
dusty tiny village) is nothing but a pretext to cover up the real intention of
Shabia. Shabia do not have a willingness to make peace with Ethiopia (no matter
who is in power), until he make sure that Eritrea should be a primary
beneficiary from Ethiopian economy.
I do not understand either what Dawits woldegiorgis motive is. If he is
persuading us to work with Shabia now, why then he defected from the military
government who served as loyalist for more than 12 years (Idget behebret
yeserana ewket zemecha Mikitel Astebabary, Commissioner for Relief and
Rehabilitation, vice minister of foreign affairs, governor of Eritrea)
As if he was just wake-up from hybernation state, Dawit go further by
confessing that he together with Shabia was the one who organized the failed
coup led by known military generals. How far he was sure that Shabia did not
sabotaged the coup? How a military personnel who clamed he got the most
education in military science failed to understand this? Shabia always dreams
to see weak Ethiopia.
If our politicians do not understood the felling we Ethiopians have regarding
Shabia, their attempt to join this brutal government will be a failure. What is
not clear for me is, if some oppositions want to work with Shabia, a government
who do not have a constitution, economic, cultural or educational policy, what
is the problem to engage with EPRDF? Whether the oppositions like it or not,
EPRDF is a government who have a legitimate power to decide the future of
Ethiopia. This government is representing Ethiopia in international arenas, and
made international agreements. This government have (although we do not agree
with some of its policies) a constitution, have economic, cultural,
educational, social and political agendas. Unless some oppositions have their
own hidden agendas, I do not see the reason why they failed to do so (I am not
defending the unwillingness of EPRDF to handle political differences, but the
oppositions need to exploit all opportunities offered by the government).
When we speak about Ethiopia, we need to take into consideration the diversity
of its citizens. When we said about unity, we need to take into consideration
the right of its different nationalities. Crying for unity or peace will not
bring us a miracle solutions, unless we know how to handle, and solve our
political differences. We need to look our problems very deeply, patiently and
honestly. To solve our problems by joining Shabia is not easy as Dawit and his
likes are advocating now. They only want to create more complex situations if
their group interest is not addressed. We as a people think and sensed the
danger. Only dead fish go with flow. How many times the Ethiopian people are
asked to pay sacrifice? Who is going to sacrifice his life? For whom and to get
what? The Ethiopian people deserve to get a clear answers from the oppositions.
Now a days Dawit and his cohorts are busy in teaching us about Ethiopian
history, who protect Ethiopia from external enemies. History knows who
protected Ethiopia from her historical enemies. No one denied the role some
Eritrean played, but Ethiopia was protected by Ethiopians. Don’t try to
distorted history. We Ethiopian should not be blamed for all problems Eritrea
is facing today. Shabia is the primary problems what Eritrea is facing today.
They fought us for the last 40 years to get their independent. They got
independent, but after “independent” do we get peace from Eritrea? The answer
is NO! Even after “independence” Shabia become a headache not only for us, but
also for the entire world.
From my childhood up to now, Eritrean problems grown up with me. I do not want
to pass to my children’s the same very tormenting problems. We need to solve
it. But to solve, we Ethiopians should restrain from taking irrational
decisions, a decision which Dawit and his likes are advocating now.
Dawit desperate attempt is not limited by joining Shabia. He also advised
Ethiopian religious places to conspire against their own country. He want
churches to become a place of hate, instead of peace, forgiveness, tranquility,
among diverse Ethiopian communities. This is a desperate call from an old man
who lost hope within himself. It is shame for me to see a former “proud army”
as he claimed himself, conceded with the bandit government to harm his own
country. Where is the pride of Ethiopiawinet? I advised people to read Balu
Girma book “Oromai” to know the true personality of Dawit.
Mr. Dawit, stop preaching us a Machiavellian doctrine, repeated lies will never
become truth!
Dawit also said that “Woyanne has made Ethiopia technologically the most
backward countries in the world” This is what I do not like from Ethiopian
politics. Every politician or successive Ethiopian governments blames their
predecessors, as if nothing was done in the past. Every past and present
governments have their shortfall and achievements. It may not be to the level
where every one is expected, but there are acceptable economic as well as
technological achievements under this government. Any one can refer the World
Bank, and IMF reports. However, one thing must be clear here. No matter who is
in power, the multifaceted Ethiopian problems will not be solved as long as we
are not willing to solve our political differences in civilized way. It is not
secret, economic, technological and socio-cultural development is unthinkable
if there is no sustainable peace.
I understood, most “politicians” could not control their anger when it comes to
the present government. This have three reasons. One is simply hate, the second
is eagerness to seize power by any means, and the third is to see in Ethiopia a
real democratic system and free societies. To me the first two sentiments are
wrong (it must be clear here that some Diaspora oppositions hate is not limited
to EPRDF/TPLF. It goes to a specific ethnic group. We as a people need to fear
this danger, and take precautions not to get in their trap). No matter how the
EPRDF is wrong, we need to pursue a decent and peace full politics. The
Ethiopian people are a huge potential to make a decisive social and political
change if they get a party who listen them and work for their interest. Unfortunately,
the ethics of Ethiopian politics is not country first, but group politics
first. I discussed with many individuals, and attended numerous communities
forums, I read many articles posted in various journals and web-sites. My
conclusion is, nothing good comes out of Diaspora politicians.
It is sad to see how we Ethiopians become more vulnerable to manipulate easily
by external enemies. At one time when I discussed with one Eritrean friend, he
told me that Eritrean will never turn their guns against each other no matter
what differences they could have. I asked him why? He told me simply it will
never happened. I understood him, because they knew how foolish we are, easily
turning our guns against each other.
Lastly, Shaleka Dawit, if you choose Shabia than the Ethiopian people to solve
the Ethiopian political problem, I wish you a good honeymoon, and Enjoy your
journey to Asmara!
Long Live Ethiopia