Two Average Folks discussing on Prime minister Meles government Policy towards hostile Shaibya

Nov 17, 2007

The ONLF is clearly a terrorist organization. It is also being used as proxy fighter by shaibya (Eritrean government) to cause harm on Ethiopia and Ethiopians. Prime Minister Meles is quoted many times that Ethiopia will not go to war with Shaibya unless Shaibya fully invades Ethiopia! In this clip Ethiopia Television is reporting Shaibya soldiers were apprehended in the Somali Ogaden region fighting side by side with the ONLF. We all know what OLF is doing there.

For the average people like me, and there are millions of them in Ethiopia too, the prime minister's response to such clear violation of Ethiopia’s sovereignty is confusing. I as an average person would like the prime minister to explain me in simple language why he as a prime minister allows, I paraphrase here, Shaibya to do harm on Ethiopia and Ethiopians any time any where so long it does not declare an all out war? If I may ask all of you readers also, why would Shaibya declare an all out war if it can bleed Ethiopia and Ethiopians day in day out with out paying a price? Or do you think it [Shaibya] is paying a price now? [Zeru Hagos, Nov 17, 2007]

Response to Mr. Zeru’s Comment
There is one important point an average person should not miss. There exists a significant difference between what an average person wishes and what a leader of 80 million plus souls can do and cannot do. Admittedly, as an average person, I get confused when I see some people obsessively call for war while the mood of the majority is otherwise. I can’t imagine the kind of world we would have if every other leader goes to war by provocations of such magnitude. An average person should not be too naive to advise his/her own government to go to war against a terminally ill enemy. [Desta B., 11/17/2007].

Dear Desta, Have you ever heard many leaders faced with similar situation saying those harming us will be brought to justice! I trust you have! All I was asking is for the prime minister to stop saying we will not fight Shaibya and tell friends and foes from far and near that any terrorist act and harm done to Ethiopia will not go unpunished! Nothing more brother. Isn’t he doing that with the OLF by the way? Or are you saying the war with the OLF is not a war? [Zeru Hagos, 11/17/07]

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Dear Mr. Zeru,
First, please be informed that, from the various articles and comments you provide over AIGA, I would never assume that you are barely an average person. I honestly believe that you are more than that. Nonetheless, as far as the issue of Sha’ebiya is concerned, I suspect you are a little bit driven by the bad feeling you have (like all of us) towards Sha’ebiya.

Yes, the government is at war with ONLF. But it is a war in which the government is engaged in cleaning its own mess. If we are going to criticize the government, let us criticize for its failure to deny a breeding ground for ONLF. Let us ask the government in clear language to have law reinforcement personnel (army, police, militia) at every inch of the land. The problem is not the government’s failure to declare its rights and options of bringing criminals to justice. It is its failure to provide security and protection to the people at every other village. Let us stick here.

As far as I am concerned, the government is at war with Sha’ebiya in its real sense. I appreciate the government in this respect. It is demonstrating its stamina to annihilate Sha’ebiya without firing a bullet by keeping it in a ‘no war, no peace’ state. This strategy, not only enables us to defeat Sha’ebiya for good, but also its financers (our historical enemies, in fact the historical enemies of the people of the horn in general). When all your enemies agitate you to go to war, and your friends are asking you to calm down, the best thing to do is to calm down. Our enemies need us to go to war. And you understand that our engagements in the southwestern and eastern plains are drawing even more enemies. [Zeru Hagos, 11/17/07]