Ethiopia’s Current Rulers Have to Answer Hard Defining Questions on Their Dialogue Ploy
By: Shabait Staff
December 9, 2003

The invading TPLF regime is resorting these days to a game of public relations saying: “Let’s go back to dialogue” rejecting in the process the peace agreement which was concluded under the sponsorship of the international community in addition to the final and binding decision based on that agreement. Thus the regime has proved in practical terms that it is chaotic and does not honor its words or give weight to international obligations. This diplomatic absurdity may seem new but in fact it’s more or less an old game!

The adventurist regime in Ethiopia which had earlier rejected calls for dialogue and chose resorting to war and was subsequently not only confronted and repulsed, but also compelled to enter into dialogue, is now rejecting the legal decision which is the outcome of the previously concluded agreement. But the regime has no legal, moral or political right to call for dialogue.

Since the announcement of the EEBC decision and the regime’s realization of the decision is against its narrow interest, it is suffering a state of permanent restless worry.

Because of this it continued for one and a half year to put obstacles and hurdles to the peace process. However, the reasons the TPLF regime advances, the doors it is knocking and the boots it licking in a futile bid to escape the Delimitation Decision cannot be counted. In its confusion the regime reached the extent of saying: “The EEBC is not competent” as if the world asked it an assessment certificate on the competence of the Boundary Commission. At the moment, the diplomatic words “Let’s start dialogue” have no other meaning than escaping law and justice which demanded from the TPLF regime the implementation of the decision as the same words also constitute an expression of its despair no more. The rational question: Dialogue on what? Why? When. How?, cannot be answered logically by the regime or the parties it is calling upon for their mediation. The dialogue about, what? Is it for changing or amending the EEBC decision? If it is so, any dialogue with the objective of changing the EEBC decision is but a mere illusive dream which is difficult to contemplate. Or if it is for the normalization of relations, any such dialogue is always based on mutual respect and compliance with the rule of law. Accordingly, this cannot be envisaged or imagined while one of the two parties is occupying territories of the other which it earlier invaded.

The fact proved by history and which we are still witnessing is that the peoples who had suffered from invasion and aggression did not capitulate or surrender. Again, is dialogue for exchange of economic interests? This kind of dialogue also totally depends on the two parties interests which are based on respect for national sovereignty of each other.

And this cannot be accepted if it is tied to other issues in advance. Is such dialogue it on endless issues? Surely, this type of dialogue resembles a futile effort of trying to fill a torn skin bag with water! Hence, this call for dialogue is like saying: “We have become mad! Come to share with us our madness!!” Of course, no sane person can think of this.

In short, the TPLF regime has to define what it wants in exact terms, and what it means by dialogue.