Posted 16th May 2008
By Girma Kassa
Sabagadis fought with the Turks to get Ethiopia access to the red sea. Ras Alula Aba Nega defeated the Italians in the battle of Adulis (near Massawa). In Gundet and Gurra (also in Eritrea) tens of thousands of our fathers sacrificed their life so that we, their children can live in freedom and dignity. Many died to preserve the National Unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia. That was part of our noble history we are all proud of.
One hundred years later, we have dictators in power that are playing with our country as if it is a kid’s toy. They made Ethiopia landlocked. They divided us in ethnic groups so that we cannot be identified as “Ethiopians” but as something else. They chipped away our territories to give them to the Sudan. That is our shame today.
Three years ago, in a debate with opposition leaders, foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin defended the action of his party in making Ethiopia a land-locked country by bringing the example of Switzerland, a landlocked country at the heart of Europe. He explained that if Switzerland can develop without having sea outlets, there is no reason why Ethiopia would not develop.
His boss Ato Meles Zenawi has been unapologetic in saying the same thing over and over again. He has been telling us that development has nothing to do with sea outlet, that Ethiopia does not need Assab or Massawa. Ato Meles argued that the other alternative would be war with Eritrea if Ethiopia insisted on having a sea outlet. (Every one recalls that the promised peace in exchange of making Ethiopian landlocked was not realized and that more than hundred thousands of our brothers and sisters died in vain)
“Ethiopia is prepared to secure its vital trade corridor with the Red Sea port of Djibouti in the event of any conflict between Djibouti and Eritrea, its Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Thursday.” reported Reuters. “ummm” I said to myself. It seems if war broke out between Djibouti and Eritrea, Ethiopia will have no choice but to be involved in a war again.
Something clicked to my mind when I read this report from Reuters. Ethiopia is also extensively using the port of Berbera in Somaliland. With the emergence of the Islamic Court Union (an ally of Eritrea) Somaliland could have easily fallen under the control Mogadishu. Could it be the case where the EPRDF invaded Somalia to save Somaliland and the access to the sea via Berbera? It seems the Americans, as they were misled by Ahmed Challabi of Iraq, may have been misled big time by Ato Meles et company when they presented their war of aggression against Somalia as beneficial in the war of terrorism. (Instead of invading Somalia, engaging the moderates of the Islamic Court Union could have brought stability in Somalia and cleansed that region from terrorists)
When the EPRDF leaders gave away Ethiopian lands to Sudan, it is obvious they would get something in return. There are reports that road are being built from Metema, now part of Tigray region, to the port of Sudan. With situation in Somalia not stable, could it be the case that the EPRDF is selling our land to get access to the sea via the Port of Sudan?
Hasn’t Prime Minister Meles told us that Ethiopia does not need a sea outlet? If we are willing to give away our ports and made Ethiopia landlocked, why are we willing to go to war to save ports in another country?
It seems Ato Meles et company may have found out the need of a port. Otherwise they would not have gotten in all these problems to get access to the sea. I think by stating that Ethiopia will go to war to defend Djibouti, by invading Somalia and secretly making treasonous agreements with the Darfur criminal Omar Al Bashir, prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his comrades have endightened themselves and showed that their unilateral decision to make Ethiopia Landlocked is one of the most damaging and treasonous act ever done on ETHIOPIA.
I call for the armed forces of Ethiopia to take immediate actions against these individuals and take strong decisive steps to undo the damages done the last 15 years. Let the Ethiopiawinet Spirit that we had under Sabagadis, Ras Alula, Atse Yohannes, Atse Tewodros …engulf the mind and heart of our soldiers in Ethiopia. I think it is time to stop once and for all the gradual disintegration of our country.
Author contact details: Muziky68@yahoo.com
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Read Reuters report below, on Meles willingness to fight for Djibouti
[1] http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN538313.html
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Thank you dear let God bless you
There is one tell ” if you want to chase change your chicken by a fowel” after giving what our fathers and mothers kept us for centuries with their blood. Now our ‘brothers’ tell us “ethiopia secure……” such a bitter joke. plaing with the blood of our brothers, just to secure a rented port why not for our own one if they really think of ethiopian.
Any way let God bless ethiopia
But one thing Let get together love each other, avoid the heatrate that our “bothers” create in btween us then lets ask God to forgive us if not it is useless effort to ask God for blessing while we hate each other.
Girma Kassa aka MUZKY
Here you are beina paper tiger yet on PalTalk you are a key advocate of soft opposition group just as LEDEU AYALEW.
Dear Girma Kassa Instead of posting “smart” articles have some courage to support the struggle instead of denouncing Dr. Berhanu and his new vision. Thus far you are not doing any thing to support the Peaceful or Armed struggle
Enough of being a Paper Tiger
I am wondering. when they said, Ethiopian armed force. to come up to defined Ethiopia. the Armed Force on present is not belong Ethiopian. it is organization belong TPLF financed by Ethiopian tax payer ,but guarding TPLF
party. please do not call that as Ethiopian force to defined Ethiopia territory the leader of the armed force are filleted belong the party so why you guys call for Ethiopian armed force. they are in the country, they see every thing what happen on daily base they can not move to do some thing to their country. first who was killing during 2005 election protest, the army by it self .this is what they call it Ethiopian armed force. please do not full our self to call Ethiopian armed force.
The Foreign Minister Siyoum Mesfin maybe brain locked himself and he does not even know Histiory and Geography. Switzerland is not land locked. The Rhein River flows from Basel Switzerland to North sea and fully navigable. It has heavy traffic with accomodation of Large ships.
Most importantly , Switzerland did not give its own ports to foreign lands.
TPLF had a dream to include Assab inside Tigray Killil just as tehy annexed lands from Gonder in the west and Raya and Azebo from the east. because of such shifts, Tigray Killil has now international border with Sudan. Ethiopia can not compete with other African nations being land locked. Foreign investors are not interested in a land locked country where transportation cost is too high. Do you know that Ethiopia has lost its own Navy at Massawa ? More than 500 sea men from Ethiopian Navy have escaped with 17 war ships to Yemen and few ethiopian commercial ships are now docking at Djibouti Port paying high fees in Dollars. how sad.
How many ethiopian leaders gave their land away? i’m sure it is not one.
we should criticize all. not only those who are not our group.
God bless ethiopia.
YOU ETHIOPIANS STOP BLA BLA BLA YOU HAVE NO PORT AT ALL.
IF YOU BECAME UNITED AS WEYANE TRY TO UNITED YOU WE ERITREANS
WE HAVE ABILITY TO DIVAIDED YOU AND MAKE YOU FIGHT EACH OTHER.
DOWEN WITH WEYANE.