Egyptian politicians caught in on-air Ethiopia dam gaffe – BBC
Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile. They were inadvertently heard on live TV proposing military action at a meeting
Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile.
They were inadvertently heard on live TV proposing military action at a meeting called by President Mohammed Morsi.
Ethiopia last week started diverting the flow of the river in preparation for the $4.2bn hydroelectric dam.
The Blue Nile is one of two major tributaries of the Nile.
On completion, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would be Africa’s largest.
It is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts, and its reservoir is scheduled to start filling next year.
Apology
As the participants did not know that the meeting was being aired live by state TV, they spoke their minds unreservedly.
Their suggestions centred around military action as a decisive response to what one of them called a “declaration of war”.
One of the politicians suggested sending special forces to destroy the dam; another thought of jet fighters to scare the Ethiopians; and a third called for Egypt to support rebel groups fighting the government in Addis Ababa.
“This could yield results in the diplomatic arena,” liberal politician and former presidential candidate Ayman Nour told the gathering.
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat, the leader of the secular Reform and Development party, said the presidency should have warned the participants in advance that the meeting would be broadcast live.
“I am afraid most of the politicians who attended the meeting were not well informed about such a sensitive topic,” he told the BBC.
“But the statements made during the meeting do not represent the Egyptian official stance. It was just a chat between politicians who were angered by the Ethiopian plans.”
A presidential adviser apologised for failing to warn politicians.
“I am sorry for any unintentional embarrassment,” Bakinam al-Sharqawi said in a statement.
Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and highly dependent on the water of the world’s longest river.
Ethiopia’s decision to construct the dam challenges a colonial-era agreement that had given Egypt and Sudan rights to the Nile water, with Egypt taking 55.5 billion cubic metres and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic metres.
That agreement, first signed in 1929, took no account of the eight other nations along the 6,700km (4,160-mile) river and its basin.
Those countries have been agitating for a decade for a more equitable accord.
Kalighe June 10, 2013
“Abraham died from malaria.
Weldedawit is from E. L.F and Esayas is from E.P.L.F, so how does he know Woldedawit was going for a mission?
At last you said Esayas never felt Eritrean.Do you think an Ethiopian makes his own country remain landlocked?”
belay nega
“Weldedawit is from E. L.F and Esayas is from E.P.L.F, so how does he know Woldedawit was going for a mission?”
We are talking about when Iseyas was in Asmara (a student), but he was involved in student movement and knew about underground organizations of the time. When the two young men were caught by security people, he was at the scene, and according to Sium Ogbamichael he spread the news, which helped to save others. However, what Sium did not want to say because of lack of concrete evidence, but was always suspected, most probably he was the one who led to their arrest.
“Abraham died from malaria.”
This is not true. He was poisoned, it’s a proven fact. Civilians from Segeneiti area who new about this particular incident were killed by EPLF (on his orders) in later years.
“At last you said Esayas never felt Eritrean.Do you think an Ethiopian makes his own country remain landlocked?”
In an interview with Paul Henze, Melles spoke about Iseyas’ dilemma .. that Eritrean wanted independence, and he didn’t want to face problems. It was like saying he had a different opinion on that, but cannot do much.
anbessaw June 10, 2013
i think the nile is a common ajenda for the arabs and the christians. it is a strig that attachs us together whether we like it or not. so it is better to calm down and come to our nerves and talk in a civilized way or things would get worse ………
Truly truly i say to you June 10, 2013
MightyEmbasoyra, you commented,
“The sad part is that the Nile river related topic generated more discussion than our issues. How pathetic are we? Let the Ethiopians defend themselves – I believe they are qualified to do so.
Don’t we have many hot topics to discuss?”
to that you said, I ask you short above this topic what other hot topic you have? Anyway we do discussing all the time if you mean Isayas is hot topic. If in case you not understand how this hot topic more than any other issue as it is affecting us you likes us to know atleast read from other above comments to learn. And the matter we discussing is also it is not going about to defend or not defend Ethiopia or Egypt interest, but in other word it is to defend Eritrean interest.
Specially these Kalighe´s comments,
“All those who speaks to much every day about Nile ……” You think it’s wrong for Egypt to get unfair it’s share of Nile, …” i say you short, who say you Egypt has no right? but why you like give legitimacy to Egypt you don´t like to give legitimacy for Ethiopia?
But what it ameasing me more is you both dare to tell us as if Nile Issue doesn´t concern us and it is none of our business, so we have to shut our discussion. I tell you despite i have more respect and like most your patriotic comments specially Kalgehe, but this time you really makes me disappointed, because first your sympathy to Egypt it doesn´t seem me, because you much more concerned for our nation interest, but it seems more you are symphtizing with religious motive. But person like me and others when sympathizing with Ethiopia, it is not because of other motive like yours, but because we believe for our national interest, peace and security as well for reconciliation for all our citizens be it for Christians or muslems we believe it more helpful is. Of course we have also an obligation to say the right thing is right, for wrong to say wrong as well. But for you both and alike, and to almost all Eritreans and Ethiopians, in case if the secret is not prevailed for you, believe or not in Nile issue concerned, i assure you, no one has victimizing above like Eritrea in directly.
Truly truly i say to you June 10, 2013
Because the reason Eritrea forced to federate with Ethiopia and after systematically by changing the federation, Eritrea inforced to be the 14th province of Ethiopia, it was i belive as excuse action was for that time token injustice decision by colonial powers to fever Egypt and their others national strategical interests to keep by offering Eritrea for Ethiopia. Even the reason in this Badme border issue now, Ethiopia stays unpunished and even not facing any critic, in contrary even it enjoying diplomatic good approach and gets all kinds of support, despite violets our nation sovereign territory and occupation, i believe It is also an act of continuation, in sufferation of Eritrea it is going on to fever Ethiopia as excuse for colonial powers token wrong decision.
But this secret because it is beyond your imagination and your knowledge capacity, you both ignorantly telling us Nile as if not an Eritrean issue and doesn´t affect us to stop our discussion. What an ignorancey! For me above Nile Issue because nothing has indirectly victimizing us we have deeply and intensively must discuss about until majority our people understands this secret. Like Kibuur abona Tegadalay Tesfay Temenwo said anyone since doesn´t identify who he is his enemy, i say too he is not a fighter. I believe like the bible says our people and nation are perishing because of luck of knowledge and don´t acknowledge the truth.( Hosea 4, 6) and i say to like God´s word say, “Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good(Proverbs 19, 2). Finally for sake of truth and our nation interest, despite Ethiopia by being instrumentalizing by other mighty nations power, many wounds committing against Eritrea, i say Ethiopia like Egypt has full right to use in its own national resources even more than anybody in the region.
Kalighe June 11, 2013
“But this secret because it is beyond your imagination and your knowledge capacity, you both ignorantly telling us Nile as if not an Eritrean issue and doesn´t affect us to stop our discussion.”
Truly
I don’t know about which secrets you are talking, but believe me, we have nothing to do with Nile. Whether Ethiopia has God given rights on it’s water resources or not is primarily an issue that concerns them. If this problem between the two countries leads to serious consequences, and you insist we better be part of it, it didn’t cross your mind that we are the one to suffer most. I hope you are not denying the fact that Ethiopia is the only country in the region that is putting at risk Eritrea very existence as a sovereign State. And regardless who is ruling that country, their strategy has not changed since early fifties.
Eritrea’s national interest is in having it’s borders demarcated. And I think by now, we all know, that is not going to happen any time soon(not before at least more two decades), not because they hate the dictator in Asmara (that is just part of the story), but primarily (mainly, I should say), they have still difficulty to accept the new reality that has made of Eritrea a neighboring country. Now let’s see who is stupid ?. You want go to war in support of a country that occupies you land. As I see it, it’s in my country’s interest to stay out of trouble regardless who is wrong or right, because my country has no interest in siding with either party. Now you may raise a moral issue here: what is wrong to stand with our “brothers” ?. Well, I have not seen anyone who bases interests of such magnitude on moral tenets. In fact Ethiopia is one such country that in war has no regard to humanity, and even in peace never considered Eritreans “brothers”.
Here is a small example of anyone you call “brother” should not do:
When an NGO that was extracting landmines, wanted to have information from Ethiopian military about the maps the had used, so that civilians can go back safely to Shimejana and many such densely populated areas along the border, their answer so was really shocking, but did not surprise many of us who knew what they are up to: “we don’t use maps”. Do you know what that means ?, they wanted people to be killed and maimed for generations to come. What type of brotherhood is these ?, just explain it to me.
If the Ethiopians really want Eritreans to be their brothers/sisters, should stop diving the opposition so that we can remove the dictator, and agree to demarcate the border, so that civilians can safely go back to their land.
Kalighe June 10, 2013
……” You think it’s wrong for Egypt to get unfair it’s share of Nile, …”
These are not my words. You shouldn’t be acting like ‘zogonfo’ : he used to read on a news paper something that is not written there.
What I said above and I reapit it also here is that, it’s not in the interest of Eritrea to get involved in regional conflicts. This has nothing to do with religion, but natioal interests.
The two countries can sort it out without implicating little Eritrea in their quarrels.
The iisue is too complex and too dangerous. We will be safe only if we base our foreign policy on neutrality. And let’s not also forget that we have a number of territorial issues with Ethiopia, and that has nothing to do with religion or Iseyas, it’s about land of the people.
It seems it’s still in your mind, what Ethiopian rulers used to claim: a Chritians island.
That too is a thing of the past , half of the country’s population is Muslim, and yet, I don’t feel any sympathy towards them as long as they continue to refuse demarcation of our common border and work against our national unity.
aus 17 June 10, 2013
during the colonial era, even themselves Egypt, sudan and Ethiopia had no considerations at all, then how would you expect to be abide by that colonial rule? All unjust colonial rules are void nad null.
The blue niles water is an Ethiopian resures as are both rivers of Turky that flow to Syria and Irak, can you challenge that truth???
Why don’t you open your mouth against the Turkish rule? You dare not, you know and I know it!!!!
Kabbire June 10, 2013
Kalighe on June 10, 2013 said:
“Leave is this issue to Eritreans, mind your business. Practice racism in Aiga Forum.”
What Aiga says is none of my business but I will not tolerate the bastard Arabs to use me as their condoms against Ethiopians, for the matter of fact against anyone else. Further more, it is not me who is practicing “racism” here, it is again the bastard Arabs who kept their stinking mouths shut while my sisters and brothers are being raped and their kidneys butchered to serve for other rich Arabs on Arab sovereign territories.
An Arab Abeed like you has no shame to accuse me of “racism” while my sisters are screaming in agony. This only proves the point with bastard Arab slaves like you, not only Eritrea is unable to save its enslaved children but also becoming worthless by the day because your likes can not stand up for your own kind, history, languages and values.
Posted again:
I did not drag the savage Arab Egyptians here first. It was the Arabs who dragged the name “Eritrea” into the Abay Nile river issue (see the video link below). The bastard Arabs see us only as their slaves or Abeed to use the word they describe to any black person.
Watch the video discussion the Egyptian politicians had with their president. They openly said we should use all our sources to destabilize Ethiopia and as a bargaining chip by employing Somalia, Eritrea, Djibouti and the ethnic groups in Ethiopia such as the Oromos.
The bastard Arab has no shame to use me as his condom against Ethiopia. The bastard Arab politicians are saying this while they are raping and enslaving Eritreans in Egypt and jailing hundreds of Eritrean refugees in Egyptian jails.
Repeat, a bastard Arab can not give me any orders as they had done long ago to destabilize the horn of Africa.
Watch this taken from Egyptian national TV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_mpjU2qIdc
——
Kalighe June 11, 2013
“Zban wube kitibil aribuka”
Weldamlak June 11, 2013
I really I was surprised about the stupid Arabs To use US as their condom this shut people even though we have border conflict with Ethiopia one day we will resolve it by our wise peoples between Ethiopia and Eritrea the one headache for Eritreans is this stupid bad boy wedi Medhin
Said June 11, 2013
you keep calling those Arabs stupid. but you’re the one stupid because you don’t know where the opportunity come from. and again idiot.
Said June 11, 2013
at the end of the day anybody can use us, it sounds like. and its look like we’re moving from the main point, our job right now is to move the dictator out of eritran. if you listen to the arabic language very carefully it sounds like they know what they doing. this is for us to respond later on in time. well at least they not go to war but they going to use us. for the dirty job . we take it or leave it this is not for us right now they gonna do what they gonna do. all we have to do we have to be very carefulfor dirty work. scratch my back I scratch your back. what’s my interest that’s what we need to ask??.
Said June 11, 2013
opportunity is knocking on our door. where is my interest what can you do for me. let’s use them too. where is the money where is the help that’s open are mind. we don’t have to be arrogant about it. are you kidding. time is now.
Said June 11, 2013
how long we going to be stupid. come on wake up who cares about the historian a history or whatever the reason maybe play politics. and look for your interest.ertitrean united against a tater.