From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Thu Nov 05 2009 - 04:34:46 EST
Existence of united Ethiopia: Unwavering Eritrean Stance
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 10:14 | Written by Shabait Admin
The fabrication of non-existent national threats so as to addle the
attention of the people from the mainstream political status quo to other
less critical issues has been an age old trick employed by regimes bereft of
popular support in their bid to lengthen their power hold. And as it is
often the case, a regime that is on the verge of collapse every once in a
while attempts to dig up and employ an old trick from the book; today we
witness the TPLF regime repeat the claims of the previous Ethiopian regimes,
that the Government of Eritrea is working to cause the rift and division of
Ethiopia supposedly because Eritrea is a small nation that can not withstand
the existence of united and strong Ethiopia.
It is very naïve to assume that this age old dirty trick will work for the
despotic TPLF regime when it has failed to work for the past Ethiopian
regimes. And also, it is out of place for the regime to speak about
Ethiopian unity and oneness, as it is to be recalled that, the regime, in
its infancy and days of its political toddling, authored the 68 Manifesto.
The objective that is stated in that manifesto set their specific target to
forward the regime’s desires, than work towards the unity of Ethiopia.
The EPLF opposed and asked for the revision of the Manifesto from the
beginning because it fundamentally believed that the question of the
Tigrayan people was a question of colonization as opposed to a question of
self-determination. Even after the TPLF clique seized power and ratified
article 39, an infamous article that made secession legitimate, the
Government of Eritrea openly voiced its concerns, although it was a decision
that belonged solely to the Ethiopian people. Such and many more incidents
illustrate the fact on the ground, that it has never been the desire of the
Eritrean people and their leadership to see a divided and weak Ethiopia.
The Eritrean stance on the issue of Ethiopia has always been ever clear and
unwavering since the times of our struggle. The people and Government of
Eritrea have never entertained a ruse to divide Ethiopia. The EPLF worked
jointly with different Ethiopian political entities not because it wanted to
divide Ethiopia, but rather because it sought to open a new chapter of
mutual cooperation and peaceful coexistence. It is the desire of the
Eritrean Government and people to have a united and strong neighbor,
because, strength and unity in Ethiopia, adds further strength to Eritrea.
Considering that the past successive regimes of Ethiopia caused havoc in
this region by becoming willing tools of external forces, there may be some
elements that look united and strong Ethiopia as a threat. However, the
people and Government of Eritrea harbor no such sentiment. Because no matter
how much the power of Ethiopia is stretched the people of Eritrea have
proved it time and time again that it con not be a threat. It is the display
of the confidence the people of Eritrea has that, during the struggle for
independence they defeated the Haileslasie regime and its westerns allies,
crushed the biggest army in black Africa and even allowed the prisoners of
war to leave Eritrea peacefully. This was once again repeated after
independence, when the people of Eritrea successfully foiled the TPLF war of
aggression.
For this reason, a united and strong Ethiopia can not pose a threat to
Eritrea. And Eritrea has no strategic reason whatsoever to attempt to divide
Ethiopia. A desire to divide and weaken others is something that could only
be conceived by a regime like the TPLF. The people and Government of
Eritrea, however, are firm believers in the need for the existence of united
and strong Ethiopia.
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