COMMENTARY
The haste to build a Berlin Wall for Africa: A colonialist approach to reprimand a nation
By Samuel Fasika: October 23, 2003
A Prelude
By Samuel Fasika: October 23, 2003
A Prelude
Sometimes, many people wonder if the European powers and their Eurocentric friends have ever forgiven Ethiopia for her fierce resistance against colonialism and subjugation. The fact that the old Ethiopia broke the backbones of colonialists of the Western World in Adwa in 1888 is a bitter pill for them to swallow. Hence, their support for the lackeys of the Italian colonialism, Isayas Afewrki and his clique. The fact that the ruler of Eritrea was financed by extreme Arab countries to cede the territory is of no concern to them. Ethiopia has been fighting Arab expansionism and fundamentalism for hundreds of years. The new comers who pledge to fight terrorism and fundamentalism are either at a loss or are hypocrites. Had they known their priority they would never have supported Isayas and bring him to power and destabilize Ethiopia.
The Issue
The question now is that of national interest and the rights of the people to protect their heritage. Every single person with an Ethiopian blood - seventy million of us - and just people around the world, are agonizing by the so-called Algiers Agreement and the subsequent decisions made by bodies that are supposed to implement this agreement. These bodies and the decisions they have rendered against Ethiopia are unjust and detrimental to the nation.
Sadly, the legitimate request of the seventy million Ethiopians is still lacking the means of articulation it deserves. Save the untiring efforts and persistent struggle by few people in the likes of the Reverend Tesfamariam, many of the roaring lions and lionesses of Ethiopia are still in their slumber. This must not be allowed to continue.
At this particular moment there is no greater issue than the looming border demarcation between Ethiopia and the so-called new state of Eritrea. To many of us it is clear that in the long run the people of Ethiopia proper and those that have been forced to be separated by the sinister motives of foreigners and the huge petro-dollar support of the Arabs - mainly Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia, Libya - will come to a fold and destroy the barrier.
Even at this juncture when hate propaganda is being spewed by the Shaebia group - a group that is still an agent of extremists - few Eritreans are boldly attempting to flee to Ethiopia. While it is likely that there may be some Shaebia agents infiltrating Ethiopia as refugees, there is no doubt that the majority of those that are boldly crossing the border are genuine refugees who chose Ethiopia over Shaebia's Eritrea. One would wonder how Shaebia could stop the inflow of people once the UNMEE guards leave our land and go to their respective homes.
Our Interest Is First
However, irrespective of the long term vision we hold on Eritrea uniting with Ethiopia, the full energy of Ethiopians should focus on protecting the immediate /short-term/ interest of Ethiopia. The immediate task at hand is the protection of the interest of the border area people, the security and vital economic interest of the country stretching over the thousand kilometres - from Badme through Irob to Assab.
Any Ethiopian who does not see this as the most burning question and participate with full force and vigour is at a great fault. The lesson from our past history has made it abundantly clear to us that appeals to international bodies by our governments have not brought about redemption and justice to Ethiopia. The West in general gave their tacit approval to Fascist Italy during the Second World War. They, including the United States, imposed an embargo on both the aggressed Ethiopia and the aggressor Italy. Since Italy was manufacturing all that it needed and was Germany's ally, embargo effectively meant punishing Ethiopia. The result was a holocaust against Ethiopians through the five years that Italy attempted to subjugate Ethiopia. Recent studies indicate that over five million Ethiopians perished by poison gas, napalm bombs and mass killings.
The Precedence and Friends at Fault
The League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations which is poised to make similar mistakes, ignored the passionate appeal of the late Emperor Haileselasssie, when he implored the West - the "civilized" nations - to assist him curtail the occupation of Ethiopia by the fascists. The black emperor from Africa was ridiculed and laughed at by the leaders of the League of Nations. It was only when their interest was threatened by the combined forces of nazists and fascists that the West led by England took part in the fight to drive Mussolini out of Ethiopia.
It is an irony when powerful men like the secretary of defence of the United States and other high officials of the Bush administration invoke the name of Ethiopia/Abyssinia/ to elucidate the failure of the League of Nations in order to rationalize their invasion of Iraq. What these officials fail to see is that they and the current United Nation is repeating history. One can only hope that these strong men of this strong Nation - America - will have the decency and the integrity to appreciate Ethiopia's legitimate interest in its quest for its own seacoast and protection of the border area Ethiopians that the ill-informed international arbiters put under the dictatorship of Issayas' Eritrea.
But Ethiopia still feels betrayed by the United States. Despite the lessons learned from the failures of the League of Nations, the United States sanctioned the agreement that gave independence to Eritrea by making Ethiopia landlocked. It failed to appreciate the fact the ill-informed TPLF was not a representative government that could negotiate the ceding of Ethiopian territories to any body. And now there is a cause for concern the US may side with the Security Council and the border commission that are still showing an utter disregard to our nation's interest.
Unity and Internal Cohesion
As always the noble task of keeping our sovereignty intact, our security protected, and our people respected rests on Ethiopians and Ethiopians alone. The awareness to the importance of giving the highest priority to the national interest of Ethiopia has indeed increased in the past year or so. The founding of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) is one giant indicator to the good start of unity in action that Ethiopians are embarking upon. We have started looking at the big picture and significantly reduce the matching shout that dominated our political elites for so long.
But there is still a long journey that we have to make. Our unity or disunity, however influenced by outside forces, is of our own making. The ultimate responsibility for our weak stance, and weak representation of our country in the international arena, rests on us. Although we know that our disunity fuelled by negative short-sighted internal elements, and external powers driven by self interest and historical animosity continue to make us weak, we have not significantly succeeded in overcoming these forces and build a strong unity amongst ourselves. Unless this strong unity is achieved within a drastically short period of time, we will not be able to articulate the just demands and determination of the multitude of Ethiopians to keep their sovereignty intact. Reconciliation is vital for our nation. This is an objective we cannot fail to emphasize enough.
The western world that mostly functions and makes decisions based on the work of interest groups and informants will continue to undermine our demands, aspirations and justified appeals. Shaebia agents have beaten us in this game. Not only are they active in the lobbying business but they have also a team, camouflaged as concerned Ethiopians, that is actively engaged in dividing Ethiopians by capitalizing on Ethnic differences. It is then vital that opposition groups, especially the UEDF, Ethiopian scholars and civic organizations make the territorial issue and border demarcation a standing item in their agenda.
A Positive Step Forward
The current administration in Ethiopia has rejected a portion of the ruling of the Border commission. Knowing that this government has never been receptive to the advice and demands of the Ethiopian voice, many political groups and individuals would not readily want to join hands with it and coordinate the fight against injustice that is being committed against our nation.
But new ways must be tried. While acknowledging the positive move taken by the government, the opposition should ask the government to take the next logical step. It must annul the decisions of the boundary commission and take measures to invite Ethiopians to decide on the issue. It is not difficult to understand that border demarcation and delimitation is not a simple task that can be decided by the believes and dictates of a single political party. Complete consensus by all political groups where applicable is the minimum condition for settling a border dispute.
This will mean that we should admit the Algiers Agreement was a mistake that should be rectified. The government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi should take the bold step of aligning itself with the desires and aspirations of millions of Ethiopians on this issue. In order to do that, the PM must open himself to a dialogue and avail himself for such a noble and important cause. One of the great tasks we have at this moment is to try to convince the government people to extend the envelope, align themselves with us. For some time now concerned Ethiopians and those with vision have been trying to warn the government to move slowly with the Eritrean question in general and the border demarcation in particular
After all, the Prime Minister surely understands that his party, the EPRDF does not and did not have the mandate to decide on itself in matters that change the history and people of the country in a permanent way. He very well knows that in a country where the instruments of informed decision making are at their infancy, where the party that took power by force won the first election, where the opposition and the media are crying foul, where the electoral system is weak and amenable to abuse by the ruling party can not have a government that could be mandated to decide on such a fundamental issue. To take such a position is tantamount, in principle, to a party writing a constitution and asking a country to be governed by it. Subsequent governments can discard a constitution but a border agreement could not be altered at will. It is thus significant that the PM takes this patriotic and just measure of rejecting the EBBC decision and the Algiers agreement in their totality. It is the most just and right thing to do. It is the people, whether its decision is right or wrong, that must decide on the question of the sovereignty of a country.
With the challenge that we have at hand, it is imperative that the government of PM Meles recognizes that a country's interest can be protected though a collective approach. Opposition political groups, intellectuals and the people have to have a say on dealing with this issue. A common stand should be taken on the question of sovereignty. That common stand should reflect the supreme interest of the country. As representatives of the country the most just thing for us is to reject any deal that undermines our security, integrity and economic interest of our country. That is why we fought colonizers, and we have no business undermining what our forefathers had fought and died for. The fact that our brothers in the north want to have their cake and it to does not justify the sacrifice of Ethiopia's interest.
Narrowing the Gap
On the other hand concerned Ethiopians and all political parties should be open to dialogue and to working with the government of PM Meles on this particular issue. Foreign powers and institutions are desperately and hurriedly trying to implement the bogus agreement/ decision as they did in the 1930's against Ethiopia. They are undermining Ethiopia's request for a sober look at the problem. The response by the UN Security Council to the letter written by the Prime Minster and the irresponsible rebuttal by the EEBC chairperson is no less erroneous and unjust than what the League of Nations did to Ethiopia in 1936. We can't afford to be governed by their current unjust pronouncements. Ethiopia was created and maintained by its heroic children. It has survived the onslaught of the Dervishes, the Egyptians, the Italians and petro-dollar Arab hirelings. It will eventually come victorious out of this mess. But the unity of its children is a precondition for this victory. My optimist tendency hopes PM Meles, despite all the wrong decisions he and his government made in the past, will lead the urgent journey to unity of all Ethiopians.
In the past the government of PM Meles lost the opportunity of uniting Ethiopians when it refused to listen to the massive request to protect the rights of Ethiopians at the border area and reclaim Assab as Ethiopia's natural port and sea outlet. One would hope that PM Meles and his government realize the importance of working jointly around this common agenda.
One thing must be clear when we say that Assab is an Ethiopian natural port. The PM as well as his close associate accuse those of us who establish the fact of Assab's "Ethiopianess" as war mongers eager to take Assab and other Ethiopian territories by force. Nothing can be further from the truth. The vast majority of those that claim Assab as Ethiopian port do not believe in a violence and war. The principled stand of those who claim Assab is no different from that of the Prime Minister when he said his government would not shoot a single bullet at Eritrea. It is my understanding that the opposition groups under the umbrella of UEDF do not endorse any form of violence be it infernally or externally.
Ethiopians do not have axe to grind against the current government of Ethiopia and the PM. The only request once again is that he and his government realizes that it is not too late to align himself with the demands of Ethiopians on the question of the sovereignty, security and legitimate request of the people of Badme, Irob and Afar/Assab. One would hope that the PM and his administration would not spoil the atmosphere and stifle the gathering momentum of unity by unnecessarily making public announcements that do not take into account all the genuine requests of Ethiopians.
I would also urge Opposition Forces and individuals to be constructive and substantive in their method of struggle and approach. The age of antagonizing political statements must stop. It is wise to understand that we are at a critical stage in the history of our nation and we do not have the luxury of playing normal politics.
In the past mistakes have been made by the government and the opposition. But we can't afford to dwell on the past. Lessons that could help us to propel forward must be drawn from the past. The need to communicate respectfully and constructively can't be emphasized enough. We have a common people to care for and a common country to protect. There can*t be any reasonable explanation for concerned groups not to work side by side on fundamental points and achieve this common goal.
A Role for the Diaspora
As the current statements of the Ethiopian governments publications indicated the Ethiopian Diaspora is a huge source of economic power. I might hasten to add that it is also a potentially powerful political force that can speak on behalf of Ethiopia and influence decision-making by the leading governments of the world. If the Diaspora is properly handled and creatively sourced, it would more than replace all the aid package and debts that Ethiopia gets from abroad. More so, the skilled manpower, the desire to lift up the country from abject poverty, will play a vital role in uplifting the moral of our people at home and abroad. This new-found energy could have could have a strong political voice which could correct the wrong views that are being expressed by certain governments and the United Nations.
The urgent task now, then, is to create a conducive environment that could allow us to speak with one voice. We should act with one heart as one people on this issue of dealing with a foreign aggressor. The Algiers Agreement and the Commission's decision should either be totally rejected or shelved until such time that all sides are sober enough to deal with it rationally. We have existed with our other neighbours without creating walls. We have no interest in creating havoc in our region. The country that could benefit most from a stable and peaceful environment is Ethiopia. Hence, the ridiculous proposition that states that border demarcation is a prerequisite for peace should be rejected with logic and vigour.
Those who are quick to erect a wall between the people of the region must have other motives different from ours. Our motive is to bring a permanent peace; theirs is to saw seeds of hatred during these unsettled and confusing times. Amharic has a fitting proverb for chaotic situations: Girgir le lieba yamechal that approximately means chaos is the best time for looting. The diplomatic shuttles and pressures to make the parties abide by the rulings of the Commission will only create chaos and unrest.
Ethiopians should unequivocally tell the sponsors of these peace agreements that no walls should be erected between the people in the region. The Western World is literally dismantling old walls, creating common currencies and coordinating the seamless flow of people between the borders of all the countries of Europe. There is no way that the West through its euro centric institutions should be allowed to build new walls in Africa. We can't afford to allow the Berlin Wall to be erected in the Horn. The attitudes of the European powers and their instruments are both condescending and arrogant. They must understand that their colonialist ambitions will not be fulfilled through their divisive neo-colonialist means.
Ethiopia has remained free and independent for centuries and it will remain so. The collective voice of its people, the determination of its leaders, and the ever present heroic fervour of its gallant children will guarantee that Ethiopia will remain sovereign and viable. What we need to do is to be vigilant against those that persistently work to make sure that we remain engaged in trivial and secondary activities in order to hoodwink us and to make us weak. We must be able to show friends and foes alike that we are capable of making decisions that are relevant to our national interest by our own. And we do that without affecting the interest of others.
Last words
I have few words to Prime Minister Meles of Ethiopia. You and your colleagues may genuinely feel that your position on the Eritrean issue in general and the border demarcation process in particular is the correct one. But you also know that the vast majority of Ethiopians - common folks and politicians alike - have a position that is different from yours. Despite your beliefs and understandings your position dictates that you align yourself with the people's desire. I implore you - in the name of the nation - to heed the advice of the reasonable men and women of Ethiopia to create a common front with opposition political parties on this important issue of rejecting all the EEBC decisions and all other venues that lead to its creation.
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