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Readers Comments
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Dear Aiga,
Shaebia may be economically bankrupt to start a new war, to build new clinics or schools or run the old ones , but with the help of our traditional enemies, it may very well be capable of sowing new ingredients of instability in our country. So, I don’t see why they should be given more time to go back to the laboratory and fabricate new ones. Just like the UIC’s immediate impact was visible on the Ethiopian Somali Region, Tigray, the border towns in particular, even in the absence of an active war is being negatively impacted by Shaebia’s actions. The TSZ , I think, was established for a very good reason , which was to keep away Shaebia’s invading army at a reasonable distance from our territories. Shaebia’s troops at this time at some locations are under a Kilometer away from Ethiopian positions, according to the Prime Minister’s testimony to parliament, not 25 km away as they should be pursuant to the Algier’s agreement. Remember all those tanks (Eritrean combiners) that were deployed to harvest in the Temporary Security Zone are still there in a harvesting mode. So, I think Shaebia has to be dealt with just like the UIC. It might have required the Ethiopian military to go as far as Ras Kamboni to dismantle the UIC, but this time with Shaebia it might not be necessary to go all the way to Ras Kesar to get the job done. Considering the morale and daily desertion of the Eritrean army, all that is needed is to shake the hive and the peace-hungry Eritreans will do the rest.
Zenebe

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Aiga,
I don't see any need for a change of policy in dealing with Shaebia. Ethiopia's policy of containment is working very well. Proof of that is the current sad state of Eritrea. It has met the conditions of a failed state. There is no constitution, the only higher educational institution has been closed, 80% of the population lives off food aid with people still lining up for bread every morning, etc. The situation has become so hopeless youngsters are risking their lives to reach Ethiopia or Sudan. It is this reality that Shaebia is working hard to hide by externalizing and blaming its problems on Ethiopia (and increasingly now on the U.S.!) to deflect attention. With such state, Shaebia is not in a position to be more than a nuissance to Ethiopia. With Somalia emerging from being a failed state and the like of OLF no longer having a launch pad for their terroristic acts into Ethiopia, the threat from Shaebia is pretty much finished. In the north, we have the Ethiopian army to keep Shabia at bay with UNMEE acting as a "trip wire".
One area where I think the Ethiopian government should go on the offensive is to provide support for Eritrean opposition members, specifically helping them set up Radio and TV stations to beam inside Eritrea. The Eritrean people are currently lied to day after day and the country is virtually a police state. The only way to change that is to allow Eritrean opposition forces to allow them to relay their information from Ethiopia.
NewEthiopia

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Dear Aigaforum

To quote President George Bush, "If we don't fight them there, they will fight us here".
As far as Issayas-Shaebya is concerned, the issue is not about Badime anymore. It is about the damage done to his prestige. He is not the once sainted, selfless leader that most Eritreans have come to trust. The war and its aftermath have dealt a death blow to his stature in the eyes of the Eritrean people and the world at large. His image has been tarnished beyond redemption. And how do you mend a broken dream? And how do you rewrite history and refurbish a lost reputation? Well! for starters, a decisive victory over Ethiopia or the demise of Prime Minister Meles may help. As a result, there will be no peace in the area, unless, Shaibya or both of the leaders leave the scene. Shaibya is a wounded animal and pent on self-destructing. Shaibya hate losing. Losing means the end of Issayas prestige.
Gobezay

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Dear Aigaforum
Thank you for being one of the best and honest media outlets for the reasonable and concerned Ethiopians. I do really appreciate your sticking to the truth and rejecting temporary opportunism.
Now to the point:
I think, like every body else in and outside Ethiopia , that our government knows very much who is responsible for what. The problem is we have a young government which has faced domestic and foreign pressures regarding the choices which it thinks are real and right. But like any weak, poor and above all divided country, Ethiopia's destiny have been decided partially, I can even say predominantly, by powerful forces of the world who have direct or in direct interest in Ethiopian politics.
Now Shaebia is a mafia government which cannot think beyond the barren of a gun is a simple fact that can be seen from its daily activities. It is also clear that as long as Shaebia lives we cannot breath a clean air. We can and should force our government to hit the nail right at the head rather than .... you know it. But the big problem that we Ethiopian among themselves have a big problem of trust with each other. If EPRDF were to lose power nobody is sure of the now functioning institutions whether the coming new government (whoever it is) would keep them (at least the fundamental ones) intact. Some of the power-mongering groups snatch power by any means and turn every body to the second class status as before. So what can we do against a 'foreign' enemy while we look each other as enemies, at least with the extremists? I would take measures at the same time against Shaebia and its messengers at the same time. They are two sides of the same coin as far as Ethiopian problems are concerned.
Conclusion: If the Ethiopian government were clever enough and real representatives of the Ethiopian people including those who leave at the border close to Eritrea, who live daily in fear and threat, it would immediately give Shaebia an ultimatum either to resume peace talks, re-install the UNMEE at its own original stations, OR accept the bitter consequence that Shaebia will be held liable for violating the Algiers agreement. This must be done not only with words but also with actions. I say this because the no-peace-no-war policy is hurting the Ethiopian people at the border very much. But we do not hear the killings that occur on daily basis because of the Shaebia hatched so-called liberations fronts that have become a big threat the peace of the people at the border areas. So let's urge or force our government to swiftly act against Shaebia and finish the stand off like what happened with regard to the UIC. I hope this time the government would listen to its own people which support it unreservedly.
Thank you for giving us this chance!
Abel Asgedom

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Dear sir,
I think,if Meles had thought for one minute that he can get away with a war against Eritrea, he would have done it long ago. He knows it won`t be a tanks- vs pick-up- wagons-wargame. I would advise the leaders in Addis to count their blessing and not play with fire.The people in Ethiopia and Eritrea deserve peace.If reaching Barentu in the 2000-war had a price of 100000 innocent Ethiopian lives what will be the price of trying to march to Asmara? War is destructive and should not be one`s option. We would like Ethiopia to exist.
C.I.

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Thanks for asking for views of your readers. I think it's a good idea if you do this more often on more diverse issues. Now, here is my two cents....
I have been thinking about this subject for sometime now but failed to make up my mind so far. I can imagine how hard it's to deal with the problem for those on power.
It appears that the threat's source is the government of President Isaias. But then, if domestic governance improves (both government and opposition inside & outside working together) and there is good relations with neighbours, that threat wouldn't be there to begin with. Therefore, the best and least cost approach to remove or minimize the threat of destablization is for the government to reach out and the oppositions (peaceful and armed) to be willing to compromise as well as to strive for improved relations with neighbours. This is the long term solution. Is there an immediate solution?
The immediate solution is to replay the south Somalia experience. This entails dealing with the aftermath. Pacification is not easy in countries previously repressed. This is where it's not clear to me if there are better solutions than reapply the same methods and let the chips fall where they may. I have been more and more inclined to accept the argument that it could be better for both people and their future relations if the government of President Isaias Afewerqi is allowed to continue to show how good or bad it's for the people it's governing. A solution largely from the people of Eritrea themselves may have a long lasting stablizing effect than intervention from outside. More focus and energy should be placed on long term stability.
God bless the two brotherly people,
Honest from USA.

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