WONDERS NEVER END IN SHA’EBIA LAND

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Getahun Gebre-Amlak
05/12/06)

Everyday something new, something bizarre, something out of the ordinary happens in Eritrea under the leadership of the Sha’ebia boss, the one and only one Isaias Afeworki. But, what you hear or read regarding developments in that poor county is never positive. It is as if the poor people of Eritrea are destined to suffer or witness others suffer individually or collectively. Stories of mass arrest, killings, extra-judiciary detention in such horrible camps as Wi’a and Awshait are so common that one stops to wonder and ask one-self what next? This is because no move taken by the dictator is predictable. In the meantime the people who fought for justice, freedom and equality continue to suffer and there seems no end to their suffering which seems to grow by the day. Where are the former government officials that were taken into custody for asking for change? Have you Eritreans forgotten them? The dictator has, for reasons known only to him-self, closed the offices of all aid giving agencies including the US Aid. The country is suffering from acute food shortages and more than two-thirds of the people have nothing to eat.

The fact that many of the Eritrean towns up and down the country have no electric supply is a stale story. There is no fuel available and what little there is it is reserved to high officials. Many people are forced to walk to and from work, that is if they do have work, or cycle. There is no doubt the bicycles will sooner or later stop moving for lack of tires. Eritrea has no foreign exchange earnings to speak of and thus cannot import essential commodities including fuel. The major source of foreign exchange earnings of Eritrea was Ethiopia. Eritrea used to earn over a billion Ethiopian Birr from port fees and demurrage. What is more 60% of Eritea’s export was to Ethiopia. This stopped when the sha’ebia invaded Ethiopia. The dictator in a bid to cover-up his mistakes and appease the people by telling them false, purely fabricated stories about situation in Ethiopia. According to song or should we say the psalms of Isaias number 1000057 that is repeatedly broadcast over the Eritrean Radio and Television, Ethiopia is so short of fuel supply that vehicles are not moving. Most Ethiopian towns have no electric supply. This of course is the case of sour grapes, and nothing could be farther from the truth than this bizarre statement from Asmara.

There is no such thing in Ethiopia. All the highways and city streets across the country are busy full of moving vehicles, from the ever-growing number of private cars, buses, taxis, trucks and what have you. He did not dare tell his people that the number of towns benefiting from 24 hours power supply is growing every year. Instead he tells false story of power shortage in Ethiopia. All Wereda capitals have become beneficiaries and this is now being extended to the Kebeles to say nothing of the towns along the main highways up an down the country, irrespective of their size, are also beneficiaries and in the next four years all the towns irrespective of size of population and 50% of all the households in Ethiopia will have electricity. He will not tell his people that electricity in Ethiopia is supplied from hydroelectric power stations. Gilgel Gibe II, Tanna Belesse and Tekeze I when completed in the next two years or so will also supply over 1180 MW of electricity. This is more than one and half times the current output of electric supply. Preparations are also being finalized to supply electric power to Djibouti, Kenya and the Sudan. This will be realized soon. Surely these are not signs of shortage! Poor Eritrea could have benefited from this had there been a different reality in that country. Surely these are not signs of shortage. Ethiopia is booming whether he likes it or not.

We always knew that the dictator in Asmara has been trying to undermine Ethiopia. In his bid to realize his nefarious dream he has befriended former Dergists, butchers who killed many innocent people largely the youth in Ethiopia and Eritrea. His new bed follows are the very people that many Eritrean young people paid the ultimate price, gave their lives fighting. But Isaias is saying my enemy’s enemy is my friend, and is thus siding with the Derg men. There is no doubt that he would go in league with the devil if that serves his scheme. There was recently some spate of bombing in Addis. Who do you think was involved in this act of cowardice and apprehended Red Handed? Who else but Sha’ebia men and the OLF. The dictator should know that such acts of folly will not get him anywhere. The Ethiopian people will not succumb to his foolish devices.

I have always held that the Eritrean dictator is not mentally stable. No sane man will act the way he does. The latest proof of his madness is a wanton distraction of the beautiful, historical Melloti mansion in Massawa. It was only recently that we learnt that he took possession of the building and a diplomatic car and ousted the Italian Diplomat who visited Massawa within 24 hours notice. The Italians retaliated by dismissing an Eritrean Diplomat. But see what he has done to that very beautiful mansion. He has totally demolished it and reduced it to rubble. To see the pictures of the building as it was and then when it is destroyed is the most saddening thing for any thinking rational person. If this is not the act of a mad, mentally deranged man one does not know what to make of it. Isaias is mad whether you like it or not. God save the poor people of Eritrea from this mad dictator! Reading the web site awate.com about the on going debate makes you wonder why so many Eritreans try to minimize what happened in Massawa. Can’t they see that the man has hit the bottom and is not worth defending? By the way credible sources indicate that the dictator witnessed the demolition of the mansion in person. As it happened he and his stooges stood on the side and seemed to enjoy seeing the building crumble. They seem to believe that they had accomplished something good.

However we notice that these days a growing number of Eritreans are beginning to realize that Isaias is a liability and not an asset. They are writing a great deal of what is wrong with their country. This is a good beginning. Even then the opposition groups are divided and ill organized. Yet there is no one but the Eritreans themselves that can save Eritrea. This has to go beyond mere rhetoric. Opposition groups must unite setting their differences aside for the good of their country. Leaders of the opposition must forget about power and work together. It is then and only then that Eritrea could be saved. To continue thinking about being the leader of one splinter group in the long analysis does not add-up to anything. It is much greater honor to work for change and a better to morrow for the people. Leave self-interest aside and work for common good. Given the opportunity there is no doubt that people will choose their leader when the time comes and normality is restored. If things continue the way they are the suffering will be aggravated before they can get any better. Fight the dictator, be prepared to pay the sacrifice it requires then and only then will you be free.

Let us hope there will be no more distractions, but then one cannot be sure with the mad dictator still at large.

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