A Short Commentary: No War no Peace

Response to questions raised by readers…

(Aigaforum, Oct 30, 2006):- No one in the right mind will say the Algiers Agreement has been useful to resolve the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. It has become a useless agreement thanks to the ill advised arbitrators. The argument the Ethiopian government is squarely responsible for the bad decision the court passed has been argued many times and is not our intention to raise it here. What prompt us to bring this commentary to you are the emails we received to explain our position in regard to the prime minister's handling of Shaibya(EPLF) Eritrea.

Our position in regard to Shaibya is unambiguous. Shaibya is a menace to peace. Unless one has a magic power to coerced Shaibya to be a peaceful partner we see no reason to waste time to wait for Shaibya to come back to the table. Having said this we also believe Eritrea is a country today. We wish Eritrea to become a democratic country but we agree with the prime minister that it is not up to Ethiopia to decide how and when Eritrea should become democratic. If Shaibya by any luck decides to become a sane government and want to talk peace then we see no reason for Ethiopia not to be a partner. This we believe is what the prime minister said in his interview. Our difference is we do not think Shaibya will ever become a peaceful partner at the moment.

The prime minister has also said while the peaceful approach to solve the issue with Shaibya will remain at the table Ethiopia will make sure Shaibya knows the other alternative will be detrimental. The premier in many words, unlike him by the way, has said the next war will be the last war. The premier said this publicly with no uncertain terms. However some quarters seem to have amnesia and do not remember. We thought it was prudent to remind such forces that Ayni Yebeley Seni yebley type of argument is not good of our country and not good for democracy. It is very much helpful to be a responsible and humble opposition rather than a hair splitting blind opposition.

Ethiopia's stand on the Somali issue is clear. Shaibya did not go to Somalia to help the Somalis'. It is clear Shaibya went there to expand his fight against Ethiopia. This was not missed by the UN or the USA.U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Fraze said during one of her recent interview Shaibya Eritrea is clearly interfering in Somalia affairs simply to open another front of confrontation with Ethiopia. Knowing this Ethiopia has drawn a red line for the extreme jihadist not to cross.

 The stake is high and suicidal for Ethiopia to ignore the Somali Issue. We know Ethiopia's current policy is to let any potential enemy lurking in the horn of Africa that Ethiopia is ready to defend itself. The premier has said Ethiopia will show shaibya its only option is to sit down and talk. He is right! Otherwise if Shaibya was interested to start war, the shortest distance between Ethiopia and Eritrea is through Badme  Ethiopia knows Shaibya has no means to start war and has no lasting power to sustain another war front in Somalia. Shaibya's hope is for the Jihadist in Somalia to disrupt Ethiopia's quest for development. Knowing this, Ethiopia has decided to help the transitional government thus drawn the red line the extreme Jihadist must not cross. This we believe is a sane policy and we support it. 

Some of our Diaspora friends have hard time making sense of Ethiopia's patience with Shaibya. Some have tried to reason using the ethnic card. The EPRDF government may be led by a prime minister who happens to be from Tigray. So is the the Shaibya government by the way! Nevertheless, the TPLF-EPLF relationship has been a tumultuous one . Regardless of the ethnic card the two organizations were never reading from the same page when it comes to nation building. The TPLF leadership unambiguously decided long time a go the Eritrean people deserves to have a say if they want to have an independent country. They remained true to their word and granted a referendum to the Eritrean people in 1993. Since then Eritrea has become an independent country. TPLF knew EPLF was not a democratic entity.TPLF also knew it is not up to Ethiopia to decide what kind of a government Eritreans should have.

 We agree with many of you Ethiopia should not continuously bleed by Shaibya. Ethiopia should do something about it.Where we may disagree with some of you is, we think Ethiopia is doing something about it? Unlike yesterday, today, many Eritreans know Shaibya as a ruthless and dictatorial regime. Unlike yesterday, today, many Eritreans are flocking back to Ethiopia. If there is going to be a lasting peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea, Eritreans have to take matters in to their own hand and decide it is time for Shaibya to go. This we believe is happening at the moment with the no war no peace approach. We think  it is the right policy to emasculate Shaibya short of going to war thus why we are more or less in agreement with the policy of the Ethiopia government... we will not shoot first nor will we return in kind!.

We were not shy to speak our mind when the government was contemplating to accept the Algiers Agreement as is before, and, we will not shy to speak our mind today when the government is doing the right thing. Ethiopia has seen many Akaki Zeraf governments, enough is enough! We are Glad Ethiopia has a prime mister that despises war