It has been a week or so since Meles run back to Ethiopia to consult his cabinet regarding the new peace modalities born at the OAU's 35th summit in Algiers. Since then until now, the TPLF and its cadres have been telling the world how Eritrea had rejected it by amending new preconditions to the proposal, while on the other hand, the TPLF insisted that it was the same peace conditions they had agreed upon from the beginning. No one in the international community listened to the new accusation, in fact, the world had been expressing its delight at the positive steps towards peace, and Ethiopia's whining has been a one country show in a very embarrassing way. After a week of performance without an attentive audience, the TPLF, perhaps realizing that there is no one paying attention, decided to accept the peace initiative too.

However, the kernel of wisdom, the grace of humble appreciation, the desire for true peace and the vision of Ethiopia's future development had been lost in the shuffles of TPLF's grumbling as it declares the acceptance of the modalities.

Could the grumbling be because the TPLF is now cornered from all angles and have no other alternative but acceptance? Could it be that the TPLF have confused mighty muscle with whining and grumblings? Could it be that the TPLF had no central core reason for their adventure into war that now they find hard to reverse their perspective to peace?

A million could it be wouldn't be able to reveal as to why the TPLF doesn't solidly say, "I am for peace, I graciously accept". However, it does show how embarrassingly short the TPLF falls on some fundamentally crucial elements of leadership.

Unlike how the TPLF interpreted President Isaias' acceptance of the peace modalities at the 35th OAU summit exudes the wisdom of a leadership in recounting the many young Eritreans who had lost their lives in this war; the mothers who would mourn them; Eritrea's delayed development and the vision of peaceful coexistence of two brotherly nations. It is from strength that doesn't hide behind machismo empty military threats, from an exquisite dream of peaceful development as a nation that seems within reach and from strength that sacrifices can and should be made for the good of all. It takes strength of character, knowledge of self and a calculated confidence in one's ability to turn things into positive adventures.

It was the voice of Eritrea pouring out eloquently represented by one man, expressing its undying wish that peace has been its cry for the last year and for the last half a century.

Unlike the TPLF may feel towards their people, one fallen hero in Eritrea is one too many, our delayed progress at the hands of game players like the TPLF and the OAU is shamefully painful. It is the voice of a young courageous nation with a long trip in development and progress on its agenda that stood up to face the OAU delegation and accepted their peace offerings graciously.

Could the TPLF have considered the same issues and done the same thing? If it did, a week is a long time....peace would have been knocking on its door already. But, whine and grumble....throw threats and insults....the machismo mighty might of empty threats as its own structure collapses under its feet may have it feel so powerful for right now.

I have fully understood now the "face saving" term coined by Westerners to describe the solution to the Ethio-Eritrea conflict. Perhaps, we need to allow Ethiopia to have that "face-saving" by allowing ourselves to sift through its grumblings to read its acceptance of the OAU peace modalities and hold it responsible.