For the sake of chronology let me start from the Arab bashers. Arabs may want to destroy Ethiopia for obvious reasons, but the instruments of destruction have been flowing from Ethiopia itself, same direction as the Blue Nile does. Wasn’t Weldeab Weldemariam who started blackmailing Ethiopia from Radio Cairo in the 1950s? Wasn’t the present TPLF, created by university-educated elite who followed the steps of the former and expanded the range area of blackmailing and defaming Ethiopia? TPLF in tandem with Eritrean fronts was engaged in blackmailing Ethiopia and Ethiopians, and Arabs rewarded them for doing so.

What about those western educated elite in relentless pursuit for power and position who ended up fighting between themselves dragging with them innocent youth to their perdition? Was it wise to conduct urban or rural guerrilla warfare to weaken the ability of the country at a time when it was in dare situation to preserve it’s territorial integrity? Instead of fighting over who is who, the concept of a country should have taken precedence. Alas, that was not what the country got from the educated elite who were worshipped by their junior followers. Such reckless behavior towards the people was ultimate betrayal.

As for the EEBC and UN and western powers concerned, they are simply feeding us what we had been cooking during the 17 years prior to 1991. We were waging war against our own interest from inside and outside, thanks to the educated elite who knew everything. We damn well know what happened. They were cozying up with separatists in the name of undefined philosophy- freedom of nations and nationalities- without giving due consideration of it’s final outcome. That’s betrayal.

Issayas Afework has done nothing wrong. He led a front to liberate what he believed to be a country called Eritrea. He succeeded through armed struggle. He is not a traitor. He betrayed no body. In fact, he is a man of his word. He achieved what he was set out to do. Be it resorting to devious propaganda or treacherous scheme he used it as a means to an end. The question whether it has been beneficial or not to Eritreans is a subject for them to judge. Likewise, the wanting to have more territories from Ethiopia and have a recognized border makes him a statesman from the point of view of Eritreans. Accusing Issayas for the miseries Ethiopia is facing is like blaming a thief who was allowed to steal.

The opportunistic educated elite from Amhara, Oromo and Tigray jumped to the bandwagon of EPRDF knowing well what this regime had in store for Ethiopia. It wasn’t hard to discern what TPLF was up to; yet personal ambition overrode the sovereignty of the country. This is betrayal in its highest form.

Let’s equally delve into the problem of ethnic strife. What did our educated elite do to promote ethnic cohesion and tolerance? None. The best example is the Ethiopian Diaspora where there are a considerable number of educated elements among the émigrés Ethiopian population, at the same time where ethnic polarization is disgustingly glaring. If our best-educated people were honest, such unacceptable degree of intolerance and animosity couldn’t exist. Unless they are benefiting from this state of affairs, or they plan to capitalize on it in the long run, one does not see the reason why they can’t come to terms with their conscience. This is another case of betrayal.

All along, the educated elite has been obstacle to the containment of Ethiopia’s integrity. Not to betray ones country does not only mean not to participate in inflicting damage, to stay mute or not to participate in its defense is also betrayal.

Unless our educated men and women sincerely shed off their egocentrism and start preaching the virtues of confraternity and mutual acceptance, I am worried for the survival of Ethiopia.