By Kebede Anemut

Dear Sophia, I read your articles from time to time. I tell you they are repetitive and boring. I am not as such concerned about the nature of your articles here. I am writing to bring to your attention that it would be good to focus on the solution to the border problem rather than add fuel to the fire. I think you are on the side of those who don’t want to find a solution other than rigid implementation of the Boundary Commission’s decision. I believe Tigrean brothers are not ready to take the ruling as is because they see and for that matter many in the international community see anomalies in the ruling.

As far as I am concerned, I don’t really care whether Bademe is gone or not. What I am so concerned about is the peace of these two impoverished countries. Why waste our resources on war and kill each other. I don’t think the Eritrean people are concerned about Bademe either. It doesn’t make much difference and so it is not a big deal. What is a big deal is the lives of youngsters who burn in the flames of war. As you well know, crazy Issayas started the 1998-2000 war and lost big time. He was humiliated by the forces he so much belittled. Until his forces were routed out of Bademe in a lightening speed, he used to think he was invincible, a super hero. However, when the Ethiopian army entered Eritrea and controlled 1/3 of the country, he cursed himself for starting the war and vented out his anger and frustration by arresting those who questioned the conduct of the war.

Dear Sophia, you talk of the lack of democracy and the arrest of opposition leaders in Ethiopia. At least opposition leaders have their day in court in Ethiopia. How about in Eritrea? Do you know where Haile, Petros, etc. are arrested? Are they visited by their families or international organizations? If you were a fair minded person, you would have showed concern about these Eritrean heroes who fought for the liberation of their country for over three decades rather than write about Ethiopian election or the arrest of Ethiopian opposition leaders. Any sane human being would be concerned about the unjustly arrested fighters when they are doomed to languish in prison without a single day in court. But cadres are like parrots. They repeat what their masters say.

As far as I am concerned, I struggled against Woyane for almost fifteen years because I don’t like their ethnic policy and that has put me in the opposition camp. However, I am quite aware of the malicious design of Shaebia. The main goal of Shaebia is to weaken Ethiopia and make it an Eritrean satellite or instigate ethnic conflict and create chaotic situation in the country. To achieve its goals of weakening and/or fragmenting Ethiopia, Shaebia trains OLF, ONLF and even Militias from Islamic Court based in Mogadishu. However, all these are in vain and a sign of growing frustration. As pervious events have shown, Shaebia is perceived by most Ethiopians as enemy number one and therefore they closely watch its moves. When it comes to Shaebia, we all united regardless of our differences with the government and I am absolutely certain that we will frustrate Shaebia by giving it one last lesson on warfare. Last time around, the bulk of Eritrean army saved itself by retreating but this time around, even retreat will be a luxury.

Yours,

Anemut Kebede