Siye criticizes PM Meles for stopping the last War with Shaibia early! Is he right or wrong?
Click to listen to the interview…. Interview
If you think Siiye is wrong to criticize PM Meles for stopping the war before Shaibia was completely defeated what do you have to say on Siye’s argument that Shaibia strong man Isaias Afeworki was a menace to peace as he is now thus he see no reason justifiable for the current Ethiopian government stand against Shaibia?
If you agree with Siye, do you think Ethiopians were united then, as Siye wants you to believe on how to build Democratic Ethiopia and its institutions unlike today that is? Siye said though Shaibia is menace to peace, then not now was the time to fight Shaibia head on. Now is the time, says Siye , to reconcile and have heart to heart talk among Ethiopians. Have Your say either way!
he is right. But I still do not like Siye and his poltice..
No Meles was right coz this is the good time to distroy Isayas
Siye is exploiting it for his own agenda.
If he used to insist that what is the problem if it comes now even late. The question should be; is that right policy to follow or not?
and two mistakes don’t make it right
They learn that Shabia never learn and they make change in their policy , what is wrong with it?
Actually Ethiopia is in better position now, the western world used to support for Shabia, now they know who Shabia is (even Shabia is under sanction) and we are in better position economically.
The change in policy doesn’t lean fullfuldged war against Shabia and invade the country but may be react in kind when the do some evil stuff like bombing in Addis..respond by hitting them by aircraft whatever and see how it goes…be a bit bitter to them.
Siye is insane like the other hate-monger extreme opposition parties, they are against EPrdf/Meles what ever miracle he said/brings. Hatred is running in their mind, all the time and that is counter-productive, they can’t in better way and that is why they never make any progress.
They don’t know consensus and agree in national interest of the conuntry regardless of their difference. They should learn from Lediatu.
Interesting Siye is trying to picture the country as if it is in crisis. If it is in crisis now, it was in worst position when he was in power and he was there for 10 years, what was he doing?
I guess Siye is just a military commander he only know how to fight hard and architect. He doesn’t seem he see the whole picture. Conquering Asmara militarily doesn’t mean the end of Shabia and it is heavily costly…that should not be underestimated.
It is easy to say it. In my opinion it is better to exploit all possible options before forcing to full-fledged war. That should be only last resort.
I believe Meles is a wise leader though he make big mistakes when you come to Eritrea’s case.
Yes I believe seye, and I wholeheartedly agree with him : we could have and should have advanced to Asmera, instead of halting the Ethiopian lions at the gates of dekemhare, mendefera and keren , and prematurely nipping the bud of our the successful offensive in year 2000, that nearly drove away shabia in to the dustbin of history.
On that fateful occasion, Meles and co made a gargantuan mistake, compunding all the prior mistakes they committed vis-a-vis the Ethio-eritrean kindling point, a recklessly ignited inferno that still burns uncontrollably, and sadly, at the expense of the innocent Tigrayan and Eritrean peoples in particular and Ethiopia and the Horn in General. However I can say t5his; it is never late to rectify such pervasively haunting us , existential, still ongoing mistakes, provided we have an honestly and publicly artriculated national agenda with guarantees that clearly delineate the benefits towards Ethiopia.
For a starter ,the EPRDF has to accept the mistakes it did time again , and pledge to not repeat them again. The easiest thing to start with is scrapping away the nefarious Algiers’ agreements, which, by the way, had long been spitted upom by shaebia and by the so-called international community.
Baby sitting the thankless Tigrigna speaking Eritreans, be those with shabia or against it, has no value for Ethiopia in general and/ or for Tigray in particular . Therefore, Ethiopia should actively support the Kunamas, afars, Sahos and the other oppressed tribes in their life and death struggle to break away from a serfdom spearheaded by the Tigrigna speaking neftegnas. We all know, It is very easy for Ethiopia to help the Red Sea Afars to liberate their state, which will then serve as a model for the other tribes in Eritrea to follow . Tit for tat is what Ethiopia should have gone for since the day shabia started to plant bombs and merceneraies against Ethiopia. Now the pandora box is opened, Ethiopia can and must go as far as completely scraping off its recognition of Eritrea as a sovereign state, for the latter has failed us in the realization of the original reason of us acknowledging it as such , hoping to bring back the then as in now sorely lacking peace in our region .
To the hell with warmongering, terrorist Eritrea sitting on our neck, it does not deserve the then unmitigated sympathy of our exceedingly naive leaders, particularly Meles Zenawi’s .
Don’t even warn shabia any longer, keep the factor of surprize to your advantage, and knock down Asmara with all Ethiopian might. There is no lasting Developement without lasting peace, as we try to make poverty a history, shabia should also be forced down to trek its inevitable path to hell!
wufere tebeges, B’awetka tedebes!
Dear Nikedimos – I advise you to think before you air some ignorance. Please remember that eritrean people are our brothers and do you want to go to war for another 30 years. May be you don’t have family in Tigrai, we do and we don’t want another war. Think before you sink !!!
The bottom line is to find tangible answers to the following questions: 1.What is the rationale for the present situation that Siye and P.M.Meles are refering to?
2. What are the facts at hand?
3.How serious is the threat from Shabia? What is our objective and goal? 4.Is it the right time to deal with it?
5.What ways/methods do we need to delve into the present and claer
danger if any?
Unless we have the answers to these questions, most of our retorics seem to just flame words that might mean nothing. The Ethiopian govenrment have the answers and would be at its best side to explicate the facts of the matter at their hands. And through the PM’s interview we have been getting some of the above answers but not really much more than that.
The way PM handeled the case is a wise move towards defeating Shabia diplomatically in the international arenas. But the question is, is that enough? This could be answered by the Ethiopian government.
In any ways, one must remeber that to avoid war in any way possible is the best option for all.
Yes, he is right, if it was Meles who stopped it. But after watching a video of a meeting held somewhere in Germen chaired by the ex-foreign minister of Eritrea (Haile W. Tensae), I felt that there was some kind of delicate deal b/n the GOE and the dissents of sha’ebia to oust the reckless leader. If you watch the video (entitled ‘tetelakina ena’ by some activists, which i adore it very much) Haile W. Tensae has conceded about the gallant Ethiopian forces and his erie was on the verge of being engulfed by the woyane. According to him there was no any humane power who can save them from the surge of the WOYANES/EThiopians at that time, but a sort of promise from the ‘G-15′ to do their assignment to oust the devil at home (seems) the only way out and they tried it, though in vain.
That’s why, i sometimes feel, if it was Meles who convinced his colleagues this scenario, I think he must be softly criticized for his role, on one hand. On the other hand, he must be admired for his strategy which left the regime and rogue supporters naked in front of the whole world.
Siye (ayana), please don’t try to shed your shiny history with little blame or regenge games. You are a hero! No body can denied that. You might have the chance to shine more, but that’s the only thing you missed, which is SHINING MORE (like the ‘devil’ in Arat Kilo). But you have shined and done a lot for your country.
Anyways, We love you brothers, hats off (both to Siye and Meles)
Meron,
from Lebu Hills
It is very vivid that PM Meles was wrong that time mot because Siye is saying it but we all Ethiopian know! Siye has brought nothing new this time. We respect him as he is one of our heroes no matter what he is now doing. Actually, it was not only PM Meles but his party and the parliament was wrong to decide our march to vanish Shabia once for all to be halted at the very verge!! Mind you that the mistake is even that of Siye’s and he could not hide that! The people knows very well. The most mistake is mow Siye to do another mistake for we to be eaten by Shabia! The worst mistake! It is expected from him, from Siye, to be on his country side by not trying to create chaos in Ethiopia and instead be fully organised to dismiss outside enemy as we can do the homework at home after success. Siye is completely wrong and history will blame him twice for the mistake he is doing! We should not at all wait to vanish Shabia or made it change its policy!!!! Its time and we have time to do things at home after that.
All,
Please do not clobber the blog by repeatedly posting from the same pc using different names . We have been removing posts from repeated offenders. The blog intention is not to measure the number of supporters one way or the other… just to share our thoughts on the thorny issue Ethio-Eritrea!
Thanks.
To think wedi afom and his hit men/women were and are the source of all the problems between Eritrea and Ethiopia, thus , defeating him during the previous war would have solved all the issues Ethiopia have with the then Shaibia and Eritreans, is to think lightly and reduce the issue as simple one!
Siye of all people should have known a dangerous belief called “Eritreansim” championed by Shaiba and its followers was the main problem for the last war. And ..ism does not exist simple because few harbors it but because of millions of followers do! In 1998 almost all Eritreans were intoxicated by such ism and were feeling invisible so much so they march down death ally head high. Today it is all a different world, a different Asmara so to speak! Eritreans are walking head down to neighbor countries and if there is any … ism left it is in the few “almotbys” diehards!
Shaibia is naked and Eritreansim as we know it then does not exist anymore! What exists today is Eritreansim that believes in living in peace with Ethiopia! Ask the many opposition forces who call Ethiopia home and the thousands of Eritreans who call Ethiopia home in Shemliba and elsewhere refugees camps. Today Asmara is not “Tsada” but charcoal black! Therefore Siye is wrong to think it was easier to defeat Shaibia then than now.
Siye could raise legitimately questions regarding the military operation or battle strategies that may have served or not so served Ethiopia during the war, but, if you ask me , he is ill equipped to comment on the politics behind Ethio-Shaibya and the Algiers agreement. Why you ask? Siye is deeply immersed in love hate relation with Meles and TPLF/EPRDF, so much so all his political analysis is based on his hate to Meles and his onetime comrades. Politicians that are easily subdued by hate are not good leaders, they make mistakes easily. Siye jumping from TPLF to Kinijt type politics is one such mistake!
Ethiopians are not any less united in building the democratic order than they were in 1998 Siye. Infact they are more united now. Siye be honest and were you ready to accommodate election 2005 politics in 1998 Siye? Hedeg endo Siye! You were not even tolerant to your own comrades who disagree with you let alone, you allowing Eng Hailu and Negede Gobeze inspired politicians to run for office! Therefore you are wrong to assume then was the time to defeat Shaibia because Ethiopians were united!. Ethiopians are united to defeat aggressors any time Siye! That has nothing to do with democracy but nationalism that we inherited from the days of Atse Yohanis and Atse Minilik who were not known for their democratic administration.
To be fair to Siye PM Meles obviously have a lot to explain in regard to his government policy towards current Eritrea. His government needs to explain was his no war no peace policy aimed at dislodging Shaibia? If it was why didn’t it work?
Siye’s credibility may well be questioned as he is seen as a rival and direct victim of the of the prime minister but he certainly makes a very sensible point about Ato Meles’ historic decision to pull back the gallant armed forces of Ethiopia when they were days away from putting the Shabia and its war machinery out of action forever. If in deed the prime minister has concerns/ worries the Shabia could destabilise his country , he wouldn’t have handed the Shabia liberated Ethiopian territories on a silver platter by signing the Algeirs agreement and losing the legal battle by failing to put together the strong evidence he said Ethiopia always had in the run up to the 1998 war. Surely Mr Meles must have either come to the realisation that his appeasement of the Shabia has produced no results or he is admitting making a grave mistake to stop the army from removing the regional menace when it was most appropriate to do so. The unfortunate thing is one big mistake by someone like Ato Meles means huge costs to the country not forgetting the lasting negative impact that it may have for posterity.
In the final analyses if Ato Meles goes to war now, it can only be a vindication of the correct stand taken by Ato Siye and his 11 other colleagues whose political careers came to an abrupt end in the organisation they helped build from scratch.
One must hope the tough talking prime minister will not take on the Shabia at a time unity in the country appears to be not at its strongest because really that may be trickier than it seems. And what about the GTP we all want to see happen ? I’d say to our often wise PM, don’t risk the GTP . Plough on with your policy of containment or appeasement to put it in rather sarcastic tone.
Long live Ethiopia
Hi Aiga forum!
I appreciate your effort with regard the gathering of the public opinions on the topics of the issue under discussion. However I don’t agree with the way you frame and open the dialogue. My comments are not based on glorification of personality cults of this or that individual. My opinion is solely focused on the war like scenario that is looming between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Primarily I have few unresolved questions that disturb my mind now and then. For the first time the Ethiopian government has committed it self to carry out massive economic and social transformation within five years. Up to the recent time the Ethiopian government has been rallying the Ethiopian diverse nationalities to get prepared in all aspects for such developmental transformation. Nevertheless abruptly Prime Minster Meles recently hinted that war is likely to happen between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Is it not contradictory and conflicting situation for the Ethiopian government? On one hand promoting massive developmental projects that require huge amount of investments and on the other hand declaring war against any subversive or trouble-making country untimely is short sightedness. War in all its modalities has no easy formula to wage it and end it. No one knows the out come of a war? Historically at one time France and England have waged a war that lasted hundred years. Ethiopia has to prioritise and decide either to wage a war or stick to its former policy. At the present time Ethiopia does not afford to wage an open war or else it will be suicidal. Ethiopia can’t do two things simultaneously waging a war and promoting economic and social transformation. War is a continuation of politics. There might be an end to a war but there is no end for politics. Politics is a mode of life and as long as life continues so is politics. Ethiopia has every right to defend its sovereignty but in no way is justified to declare war unilaterally against sovereign state of Eritrea for regime change. Eritrea provoking Ethiopia by its continuous subversive and sabotaging activities I feel it has become successful to draw Ethiopia to posture itself as an aggressor or war-mongering nation amongst the International Community. In short the recent declaration of Ethiopia’s policy change will definitely portray the country as an aggressor. Being labelled “an aggressor” is a bad reputation for Ethiopia diplomatically. Tactically and strategically it is unwise and undiplomatically to call for an open war despite the level of injuries you sustained from the inflicting enemy. If the policy change is meant to enable the Eritrean opposition forces in Ethiopia to take power in to their hands, let it be but not in the name of the Ethiopian government and at the cost of its economic and social transformation.
Thank you,
Tsega
Thank you Zeru The best answer to all political ingnoranies and unconcious
Eritreans . Siye is wrong many times. Because he is like our brothers in Eritrea. They are so imotional and psycho, like Isaias and Ali Ziabede.
Zeru you said it all thank you igain.
wedi Agame and Agazian
The way Meles dealt with it was actually wiser in the long term,Siye can be gung ho sometimes but still respect him for all the that he sacrified,would have been wrong and costly to just sit in Asmera and be an occupation force,and get bogged down in running another country,the eritrean opposition needs to step up to the plate in case they need to fill the void when shabia expires.
Just a thought for Aigaforum,I used to be a fan of your website for some time,am sensing the site has turned into a psudo government kind of site,absolutley no objectivity at all.Anybody who critices the government of Ethiopia for whatever reason is not neccesarly anti progress and development, it would actually help the domestic politics to have a strong and healty oppositon in the long term.
I think no one can certainly tell the oustanding reason why PM Meles, at that particular time, decided to halt the war. Im my view, there can be various reasons, say for instance some foreign powers, which Ethiopia perhapes does not like to anagonize, might have put some preasure on him to stop the war or not to push further than the area where the Ethiopian military forces had reached within Eritrea. It is only the PM who knows the main reason behind the game and usualy as a political leader you don’t have to disclose such preasures that come from the back of the door publicly because it is not good for your international image. I thik Siye is opposing the measure taken by the PM and he is trying to use this point as a game card to play with.No, that is not right we can simply understand the sinister motive of Siye. Actually if you look into the matter very seriously,you would be compelled, taking the leadership capacity of the PM in many aspects in to account, to believe that there must be one or more important reasons that have
Allow me to start by reminding this worth mention Amharic proverb “LE LELA SEW GUDGUAD ATKOFIR. DINGET KE KOFERK GIN BETAM ARKEH ATKOFIR. MIKNIATUM ANTE RASIH LITGEBABET TICHLALEH ENA”. This can be closely or directly translated as; (Do not dig a whole to bury some one. Incase you have to though, don’t dig it very far. Because it is very possible that, you yourself can get in into that self made whole).
Siye is trying to tell us that this is not the right time to push Shabia justifying himself that the prevailing economic and political situation of Ethiopia doesn’t permit to do so. If Siye has ever been concerned about proper timing, I think he is proving himself wrong when he expresses his extreme sense of regret for not advancing to Asmara 10 years ago. Every Ethiopian knows that the economic and political situation of the country is way better at this time as compared to the then period where he was insisting to stay longer in war tension which could have been damn expensive to us in all parameters. I believe Meles did right to stop the forces from not going further, anticipating all the bad consequences on the other face of the scenario. Siye is missing the other factors when he tries to make a point that Isayas / Shabia should have been destroyed by Ethiopias full involvement, where the out come would be definitely the worst; not only to the people of Eritrea but also to the people and government of Ethiopia.
Despite his attempt to convince us that he has never been supporter of Shabia, his advocacy against the new active policy on Erithrea (primarily- diplomatic and political and course at last through military intervention), made me to highly suspect him of a hidden agenda to protect Shabia/ Isayas. This could be possibly true due to the common goal he shared with Berhanu Nega, who is currently in Asmara working hand in hand with Isayas to un sit EPRDF or specifically attack Meles.
It was shocking to me when Siye in his interview asked the following bold question which he though is an analytical or tough question. “What kind of strategy will the government will apply to make Shabia refrain from it’s destructive policy or change it. ? “ What a nonsense question”.!!! Siye, do you think any normal person would dare to give you an answer to your question publicly? You can only understand EPRDF’s secret on how to tackle it’s enemy being within it, not an outsider like you are now. You should know better about how the defense and security business operates. However, the EPDF never seeks your blessing in its action against the tyranny in Eritrea. As usual, .it will just move on in a calculated manner and execute the right decision, at the right time in the right direction.
Finally, I respectfully would like to remind Siye that his attempt to equate northern African countries and Ethiopia as far as possibility of undertaking revolution is concerned really sucks. His analysis specifically in this matter made him look apolitical or just a confused or wrong politician.
If the then war continued to unsit Isayas, he would have remained hero forever. He was respected by most of his subjects in Eritrea or abroad. It would have strategic mistake to do so. But now the Eritrean people themselves are tired of him, they want him removed in what ever means exist. But still I dont think it is wise to do so now. We dont need war.
Hi Aiga,
What disturbs me the most is the assumption that unseating Isaias is the choice of TPLF. Do not misunderstand me as if I were the fun of Isaias. I am not. But let alone unseating the president of Eritrea, TPLF has no any right even to criticize him. Eritreans fought for thirty years to keep away any one from their internal affairs. They voted at 99.8% to cement their desire for independence. After all this, TPLF talking about overthrowing the president of Eritrea is an insult even to those who do not like him. Please tone down your voices on this issue. Because I am sure it is not in the benefit of the people of Tigrai. What we need right now is the respect of the rule of law. Anything that moves away from that, I am definitely sure will be dealt heavy handedly. It is time to learn from our mistakes. Eritreans are law abiding people and any one who wants to impose unlawful scenario on them will not accept it and they work to defeat it. Given the propaganda and support TPLF have had over the last ten years it would have been easy to convince the people of Eritrea that the boarder problem was not an issue. But that did not happen because the Eritrean people perfectly know that injustice has been done and that needs to be reversed. That is what binds them and if not corrected as soon as possible then other issues are secondary. We know that the world is unjust place that tilts always to countries that serve their interests best. However that will no deter Eritreans from fighting against injustice. Before any talk about normalization injustice has to be reversed. Eritreans will not accept any injustice and they will fight it at any cost.
Could Meles be preparing Ethiopia right now to confront future problems that might arise with Egypt? If Ethiopia cleans up Eritrea right now, Egypt will not be able to use it as a spring board to attack Ethiopia from. I am just wondering as to what to make to Meles’s statement about the warning to Eritrea. Could a terrorist action supported by Isayas in the middle of Addis Ababa start the next war with Eritrea? Once you start talking, you better follow it with action when the time comes. After all, it would be viewed as a weakness (politicaly) of Meles if he doesn’t order action.
I am just saying.
One thing we can all agree on is the fact that we, ethiopians, are still in the dark about the circumstances that led to the cease fire and the reasoning behind our government’s decision to abruptly withdraw from Eritrea. I,for one, have always had a nagging dout about the PM’s understanging then of what advantages we Ethiopians had in directing the whole thing to our advantage or even had completely understood theramification of the cease fire deal with the rogue EPLF government. However, I still hope and believe that PM Zenawi did what he did with all the best intentions at heart for his country and no second thought about any second chance for the government in Eritrea because we Ethiopians, in general, and the people of Tigray in particular have done everything we possibly can to help the people and government of Eritrea. Going forward we can only be concerned about our strategic interest and not about a nation that never stops blaming us for all its ills.
Of course, Siye is right. And most decision makers in the EPRDF agreed with him back in 2000. Most supported an Ethiopian push for Assab at the end of the last war, and Meles went against them when he quickly suspended the operation and went on to sign the terrible Algiers Agreement.
Meles’ official excuse to diplomats was that Ethiopia could not handle the international pressure if it took Assab. This is clearly nonsense. Ethiopia had a good legal case once Eritrea started the war. Ethiopia had as good a legal case as Eritrea had in 1991-94 for separation! Apart from the legal case, Ethiopia had both the military and geopolitical strength to take and keep Assab. If Meles is saying no, then he is simply admitting that he is a poor leader and administrator!
So why did Meles really pull the plug on the Assab operation? I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter. The point is that it was the wrong decision and both Ethiopia AND Eritrea are paying the price. And of course the EPRDF is paying the price.
Why? If Assab were in the hands of Ethiopia, then we would have lasting peace and economic cooperation with Eritrea. Ethiopia would no longer be landlocked and would bear no grievance with Eritrea. So it would have no incentive to have bad relations with Eritrea. Eritrea would for a while have borne a grudge about Assab, but it would have come around as the Eritrean revolution was never about Assab, but about the rest of Eritrea and freedom from what Eritreans saw as Ethiopian tyranny. Assab was just the icing on the cake, and so if Ethiopia had taken Assab in 2000, it wouldn’t have been a big deal.
Once Eritreans got over the loss of Assab, Ethiopia could have slowly normalized relations, perhaps entered into free trade, open borders, or other economic arrangements that would greatly benefit Eritrea and to a lesser extent Ethiopia.
But because of Meles and co’s mistake, we have now a bad situation for both countries. Ethiopia is landlocked and Eritrea is in a siege mentality.
Now of course Ethiopia can no longer attempt to take Assab militarily. We just have to wait until things change in Asmara (and perhaps in Addis) and enter into negotiations to exchange access to Assab for free trade.
In the meantime, the Ethiopian economy suffers immensely because we can’t export manufactured goods cheaply mostly because of transportation costs resulting from no port of our own.
All in all, a terrible mistake by Meles.
It seems so many of us forgot that Ethiopia had paid blood & treasure dearly for almost 40 YEARS to unite Eritrea in the union or else to keep Assab in its hand. It would have been too tragic and too foolish if EPRDF / Meles would have followed the same path like their predecessors.So, it would have made no sense either to fall back again to the mantra of Dergue within a short period of 7 years of its down-fall. Of course, the difference was only Siye instead of Mengistu.Please see the fallacy! That is why Meles was right to say no despite it is politically unpopular. and Siye was wrong then, and he is wrong again!!! I respect a leader like Meles that does not give in to the cheap popular politics at the expense of the nation it self!