Comments on the Peace Initiative

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Zeru Hagos
(Aigaforum, 12/17/04)

If the belated news coming from WALTAINFO about people supporting the peace initiative is meant to suggest the people of Ethiopia are behind this peace plan, I sincerely hope, for the sake of our peace loving people,it is true and not an age old propaganda rhetoric.

The peace plan as I see it is a done deal approved by the prime minister government and the parliament. I am baffled why the government is trying to belittle the Ethiopian people by asking them to approve an already approved proposal. What if the people at large rejects this proposal? Is the government ready to be ridiculed and be forced to pull the plug on this peace initiative? If so, would it not have been better to float the idea and hear what the public has to say? Why not pass this peace initiative before the public before it became legalized by the parliament? The Tehadso movement of the past three years was supposed to mend this flawed and undemocratic way of doing things by the ruling party. It used to be the few high men of the EPRDF leaders were the ones that decide the fate of the country;eventhough, there was a sitting elected government. Now it seems the job has been transferred to foreign governments and the riches of the world. Of all the things this government does to irritate its own subjects, for what ever reason, none is worst than this process of legalizing the unjust and illegal arbitration decision. The government knows how sensitive this border issue has become with the public. Yet, it went ahead to introduce this peace plan/proposal with out any consultation. To make it worst, the government was not ashamed to ink in this proposal one of the reasons for its becoming a peace plan was to please the Eritreans!(entay eu meatu!).

Time is critical element to solve life's challenge and Ethiopia certainly has a challenge at hand and needs time. Nevertheless, there is an exception to this rule as far as Ethiopians are concerned; the border issue will not and is not going to die through time unless it is resolved amicably. If the government is buying time to weaken our resolve it is mistaken. If there is one clear unambiguous trait of Ethiopians it is: They love to be Ethiopians rich or poor. It is futile to convince Ethiopians to make room in their backyard for Shaibya at any time or for any reason. Eritreans have the choice to make. It is to live as Eritreans with a peaceful Ethiopians as neighbor else live as Shaibyans with a hostile neighbor. Legalizing the unjust and illegal ruling under the current duress brought by the riches of the world will bring no lasting peace. Some say Menelik signed the 1900 deals under duress and look where we are now. Some say EPRDF made the separation of Eritrea under tumultuous time where the survival of greater Ethiopia was at stake, look where we are now. Some say Meles stopped the last war under duress from his western supporters and look where we are heading now-towards capitulation and the creation of millions of dishearten Ethiopian souls!. This must not be done and must be stopped.

Our people must be consulted about their future, is it a noble thing to do! I know EPRDF as an elected government is there to lead. As an elected government EPRDF must have consulted the people on this issue. In true democracies bills and laws are passed by consensus and are discussed by professionals and the public at large thoroughly. It is not the other way around. Once the highest body of the country passes its approval it is the law. Any thing after is just a gimmick and by the way no western country that I know try’s to spent a dime to legalize the legal! Waltainfo stop being predictable!

The peace plan may work and to condemn it out right may be wrong. What is however troubling is this peace plan is presented to the public as a panacea to the problem we have at hand. I think our peace is at the hand of Aite Issayas Afeworki. Sad but true. With this peace plan it is all up to Issayas Afeworki. If he accepts it according to the government wishes we may have peace if not we don’t have peace. To assume far away friends will struggle for our peace is really the worst lie of all. We were aggressed for over two years and no one came to help us attain our peace sincerely. Our peace was brought by the sacrifices of our hero’s, the likes of Gemchu, Hussien, Teklay, Maru, and the many other heroes that died in Badme and beyond. I never expected prime minister Meles to be duped in to believing Issayas can be a partner for peace. Something is missing!

The prime minister is a smart person and of all people he should know that western policy towards Africa is short lived and is subservient to other regional policy. There is no single permanent friend of Africa from the west. Their friendship is based where the riches of Africa's are.If they were interested in Afirca's and ours development from their heart, they would have helped us before when we were at peace and the many other African countries that have been at peace for many years. Even South Africa, their darling during the white minority rule, has been abandoned after the coming of Nelson Mandela. Look where Zimbabwe is today for heaven sake!. There is also no reason why Britain after the end of Tony Blair's rule will not abandoned the much heralded African commission and altogether abandoned Ethiopia!.

Ethiopia must primarily depend on its own means to beat poverty. A divided and wounded nation will not get lasting peace and it is exactly a divided nation and a wounded soul that we will be waiting if this sham ruling is legalized as is. This is by no means to suggest the west must be confronted.No one with a sane mind should confront the west and stand against their interest these days.However it should be noted also no country should be at ease to submit its nationhood lightly. I recognize Ethiopia has a problem and must be careful not to antagonize our friends however temporary their friendship might be. The problem is our problem can not be solved by giving up land or condemning our people to be an alien to their mother country. The right thing to do in this case is, to tell us where the red lines are so that we support this peace plan. On sovereignty matter we should not be playing the hide and seek game.

Derivative commentary on the fringes amidst us

Admittedly the new Ethiopian government peace initiative has succeeded to give life to shaibya. The double speak in this initiative has enough bits and pieces for every one to chew the prime minister alive. Surprisingly cadres of Shabia can not get enough adjectives-street smart, Machiavellian maneuvering, charm offensive, medieval philosopher etc...etc are used to describe PM and his tactics. For people who base their existence on the notion that they are better than their once upon a time mother land, such deluge, of adjectives is an indication that he has indeed had them.

On the other hand are the PM’s detractors on the Ethiopian side who think they have at last gotten the Prime minister whom they consider to be working for Eritrea. They are way into their spinning head, so much so, they are conspiring on open air to take out the PM. These can not be a product of a functional brain. Then again assassins are always dysfunctional and no surprise here.

It so seems some of the Diaspora websites are helping dreamers to dream for their never-never wonder land, where they will be building their match stick castle by feeding on each other. Is this the best they can do? It is given in due time the hype will settle down in the coming weeks. What will be left of their credibility? Short of rewriting history, no one in the TPLF leadership,old and new,can escape the blame the Prime minister is getting for all bad decisions and policies ensued.

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