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When Peace Is a Problem

By Michela Wrong Ms. Wrong has spent over two decades reporting on the African continent, visiting Ethiopia and Eritrea repeatedly. June 8, 2018 If nature abhors a vacuum, politics abhors a military standoff, especially between two nations in one

By Michela Wrong

Ms. Wrong has spent over two decades reporting on the African continent, visiting Ethiopia and Eritrea repeatedly.

If nature abhors a vacuum, politics abhors a military standoff, especially between two nations in one of the poorest, most volatile and most strategically sensitive regions of the world.

And so there was much excitement when the government of Ethiopia announced on Tuesday that it would fully accept the ruling of an international tribunal in the country’s boundary dispute with Eritrea — some 16 years after the judgment was issued.

In 2002, a special international commission delineated the border between the two countries, as they had agreed in the peace deal that ended their 1998-2000 war. Demarcation on the ground was expected to start swiftly, allowing cross-border trade and cooperation to resumeBut none of this happened.

Ethiopia accepted the ruling in principle but called for further dialogue and, crucially, kept its troops in place, including in what had been declared Eritrean territory. A few years later, the boundary commission dissolved itself, and in 2008, the United Nations peace monitoring force meant to oversee actual demarcation pulled out, its services unwanted.

What once seemed unsustainable — an indefinite state of neither peace nor war — became the norm. Both countries hosted guerrilla groupscommitted to overthrowing the other one’s government. They cynically fought a proxy war in neighboring Somalia. There were repeated flare-ups at their border, triggering apocalyptic predictions that Ethiopia and Eritrea were going to fight again, and next time to the bitter end.

Legally, Ethiopia clearly was in breach, having committed in the 2000 peace deal, like Eritrea, to uphold whatever decision the boundary commission issued. The United Nations, the European Union, the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) and the United States had pledged to act as guarantors, and so were also in the wrong. Eritrea, for its part, had good reason as a fledgling country to crave international recognition for its borders.

But given the choice between a giant traditional ally led by an emollient prime minister and a tiny new-kid-on-the-block with a notoriously prickly president, the major Western powers opted to side with the bigger player — and all the more readily because it cast itself as an ally in the fight against Islamist terrorism.

So what prompted Ethiopia’s announcement this week? Age and sickness is one answer. Over the years, local analysts and former guerrilla fighters have told me that Ethiopia’s dispute with Eritrea was partly being kept alive by animosity between the two countries’ longtime leaders and their immediate entourages.

Years ago, Meles Zenawi and Isaias Afewerki, whose families both hail from the Tigray region that straddles the border, joined the forces of their rebel movements against Ethiopia’s Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam. They managed to oust him in 1991, paving the way for Eritrea’s formal independence from Ethiopia in 1993 — and then Mr. Meles’s rise to prime minister of Ethiopia and Mr. Isaias’s to president of Eritrea.

Source: The New York Times

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Review overview
16 COMMENTS
  • Simon G. June 9, 2018

    I decided to call baba isu and I thought I have good reason to call…
    ————————————————
    ኢሱ: መኒኻታ ኣብዘይ ሰዓትካ ትድውል?
    Simon G.: ኢሱ ኣነ’የ። እንታይ ደኣ ሎምስ ሰዓት ሸሞንተ ዲኻ ክትድቅስ ጀሚርካ?
    Simon G.: ዶ ዋላስ…………………..
    ኢሱ: እእእእ! ሳይሞን ታዕባን! ጠፊእካ ‘ባ ሎምስ
    Simon G.: ኤእ! ኢሱ: ሰብ ንዓይ ኣይኮነን ጠፊኡ ዝብለኒ ዘሎ።
    —————————————————–
    Simon G.: እንታይ ደኣ ኣስ ቂጥካ?
    ኢሱ: ከማኻ መዓስ ኮይነ። መዓት ሓልፍነትኳ’ዩ ዘለኒ
    Simon G.: ዋእ! ዲጋ ኣይጠዓየትን ድያ?
    ኢሱ: ቀዳማይ ነገር: ዲጋታት ምባል ጀምር። ብዙሓት ዲጋታት ‘ኳ ‘የ ሰሪሐ ዘለኹ
    Simon G.: ኣስሪሐ ማልትካ ድዩ?
    ኢሱ: ኖ! ሰሪሐ። ናተይ ‘ኳ ‘ዩ። ኤርትራ ‘ኳ ናተይ ያ። ህዝባ ድማ ናተይ ባሮት ‘ዮም። ዋላ ስኻ
    Simon G.: ኤእ! ኢሱ: ነቶም ርእሲ-ዕትሮ ማለትካ ‘ዩ ምበር: ከምዚ ከማይ ደኣ ዋርዲያ ከማን ኣይምቖጸርኩኻን
    ኢሱ: ኣታ ወዲ ‘ዛ ካላ…
    Simon G.: ኤእ ኢሱ: ጸርፊ ኣይንጀምር። It is not nice. ኣነ’ኳ ስለ ዝጠፋእካስ “ከሪብካ” ከይትኸውን ስለ ዝሰጋእኩ’የ።
    ኢሱ: ከሪብካ? How does 100 years sound? ገና ‘ለኹ። ኩሊት: ጸላም ከብዲ: ከም ገለ ተኾይና
    ኢሱ: ሳላ ሳዋ ናይ ሓደ ሓዊ-ሓዊ ዝጨኑ መንጢልካ ምቕያር ‘ዩ።
    Simon G.: Really? ኣይትገድፍን, you are a very dangerous man!
    —————————————————

    Simon G.: በል ‘ስከ ክሓተካ
    ኢሱ: ሕተት: ፈሊጠካ ኣለኹ: ናይቲ ዳክተር ‘የ በሃሊ ዝተዛረቦ ዲኻ
    Simon G.: ኣንታ ኢሱ ዳክተር ‘ዩ ‘ኳ። Don’t worry, he is a doctor and you are dictator!
    ደሓር ከኣ ‘ታ ኩዕሶ ኣብ “ፖርታ ዓዲ ሓሎ” ደርጊመያ ‘ለኹ ኢሉ
    Simon G.: ንስኻኸ ታይ ትብል? ኢንተርነት ጠፊኡ ከይከውን ግን ቁሩብ ተጠራጢረ
    ————————————
    ኢሱ: ኡስ በል! ‘ቲትጽሕፎ ዘለኻ ‘ኳ ኩሉ የንብቦ’የ።
    Simon G.: ኣበይ?
    ኢሱ: ኣብቲ ናይቲ ሎኽመኛ መርበብ
    Simon G.: ዋእ! ‘ታይ ደልየ ኣብ መስከረም ክጽሕፍ?
    ኢሱ: ኖ! ናይቲ ቀያሕቲ ዕማባባ ብገንዘበይ ዝዓበየ
    ————————-

    Simon G.: Ok. ናብ ሕቶይ ‘ንዶ ተመለስ ሕጂ
    ኢሱ: ሳይሞን! ‘ዚኣ ዓባይ ሕቶ ‘ያ። ግዜ ትሓትት ዓባይ ሕቶ ዱብ ኣቢልካለይ
    Simon G.: እሞ: ሓገዝ ተኾነካስ ከምዚ ዘይትብል?
    Simon G.: “ዘረባ ስለዘይንፈቱ ክንዛረብ ኣይመረጽናን”። ሓንቲ ቃል ድማ ሓዳስ መሃዝ on your way for your በሃማት: ርእሲ-ዓታሩ follower
    ኢሱ: Good idea. ሳይሞን: ሓደ-ሓደ ግዜ’ኳ በላሕ ኢኺ!
    Simon G.: ኣንታ ዛ “ኢኺ” ‘ንዶ ግደፋ
    ኢሱ: ሶሪ ሶሪ, my bad.
    ———————————-

    ኢሱ: ንግዜኡ ግን እንታይ ከምዝገበርኩ ኣስተውዒልካ ‘ዶ?
    ኢሱ: ነቶም “ዝኽፈሉን ዘይክፈሉን” ኣባላት እንታይ ከምዝብሉ “ትእዛዝ” ኣመሓላሊፈ’የ።
    ኢሱ: ርኢኹሞ ኢኹም ድማ። ኣብ መርበባት ሓሰና (assenna): ዓመተ (Awate): መሽረፈት & ተስፋ-ኣልቦ ኒውስ (both obvious nicks) ዘርጊሕናዮ ኢና
    ኢሱ: ብፍላይ ኣብ መርበብ ዓመተ ኮሜንት ዝገብሩ active ኣባላት ኣለውና።
    ኢሱ: Forget about those obvious individuals; like nitricc, semere t., hope, mahmud s., etc. ሓደ’ሎ መን ምኻኑ ዘይገጥምክናኦ! blink ዝብል ሳጓ ድማ ኣነ’የ ባዕለይ ኣጠሚቐዮ
    Simon G.: Really, and they obey?
    ኢሱ: ሃሃሃሃ! ትእዛዝ ‘ዩ! ግብ ነዛ ተሌፎን

    ዓሕ ከይቀደምኩዎ ግብ ኣበላ ኣብ እዝነይ። ወዲ ርግምቲ!

    • Simon G. June 9, 2018

      BTW, ዝረሳዕኩልኩም : ተስፋይ ተምንዎ እንታይ ‘ሉ መስለኩም?
      ብሰንኪ ደቂ ሰምሃር ‘ዩ ኢሳያስ ንኤርትራ ኣብ ዑና ቀይርዋ ዘሎ።
      ሕጂ ድማ ንበዓል ማሕሙድ ሳልሕ ምስረኣኹ ኣማን ብኣማን ኢለ።
      This guy doesn’t even care about the people on the boarder of Eritrea/Eritrea. take a look at his comments at Awate.
      A lot of these commentators don’t even care about the affected people. I straightly tell the them Fuck you and your direct group.
      You don’t respect a single Eritrean, I tell you are not Eritrean but Isayas followers. Long live wedi Temnwo! ዕሱባት ደቂ ሰምሃር። ሓሳዳት!

  • Almaz June 9, 2018

    Isayas was cought offgard. He is now totally exposed and am sure this is giving him heart attack. He was liying to his supporters, the people and the world that he was happy about the no peace no war situation;that he was maintaining it and using it to stay in power. He used it to reign on opponents. Now ethiopia accepted it unconditionally, he is hiding himself when the people are expressing their happiness. Well the happiness of the people is not his happiness. It is his sadness. All Eritreans should be warned about any desperate trick that he might be thinking or try.

  • Hagherawi June 9, 2018

    Iseyas dragging feet every time there is a chance to make peace, in not new.
    He was literally forced to sign the Algeris Peace Agreement after Haile Durue and others have reminded him at every stage, that he has to ‘reply to phone calls, meet a delegation, send fax agreeing to a draft… etc.”. And finally even when they managed to get him to go to Algeris to sign the protocols of agreement, he was sitting in a hotel room, absent from the occasion, when dignitaries (Heads of States, Diplomats etc.) were waiting for him, as if this was not his business. Haile Durue reminded him that the world is waiting for him to sign the agreement papers, which finally he did, almost under duress.
    Now you tell me that this man is a proud Eritrean, a leader, and expect him to start a process that will protect Eritrea’s territorial integrity ?
    I don’t blame an enemy I blame those who work for him.

  • annabailey June 9, 2018

    When we acknowledge who we are and where we came from, a clearer path of where we can go will emerge.. The possibility of civilization ending conflict is increasing. Huge arsenals of weapons of mass destruction still exist. Some of these weapons may have “disappeared” from former control.. Ethnic strife and international terrorism are increasing. Borders offer scant protection. Ecological crises are transitional, truly global. . The mess we are in is our responsibility to clean up..When we curb our violence we will demonstrate that we are worthy to be considered a candidate to be invited to join a rule-based Cosmic Federation.

  • Simon G. June 9, 2018

    I just came out from from an Eritrean bar, in Oakland, CA.
    Forgive me if I sound off.
    I met a Somalian guy who doesn’t fast and he apologized to me. I said to him, he is a saint compares to me.
    Then, he said that Eritreans are highly probable the least civilized and highly talkative people on Earth.
    I have asked him why he thinks that way and he said I never met a person who supports the govt he had left at home because he hates his governing and changed his view 180 degree in no time.
    It is so weird to leave your country and claim as a political refugee in another world and start supporting the same regime you tried to run away from it.
    This is INSANE!
    Well, he is right. Nothing to add here.

    • k.tewolde June 9, 2018

      A little tipsy Simon? so am I,it’s the weekend we deserve it,we work hard.Even the Somalis are noticing,’INSANE’ is not the word,let me find another ‘%$@#*!’. Love your last holler to the hibernating Eritrean Pharaoh.

  • Hagherawi June 9, 2018

    “BTW, ዝረሳዕኩልኩም : ተስፋይ ተምንዎ እንታይ ‘ሉ መስለኩም?
    ብሰንኪ ደቂ ሰምሃር ‘ዩ ኢሳያስ ንኤርትራ ኣብ ዑና ቀይርዋ ዘሎ።”

    Simon G

    Dear Simon,

    Iseyasists come in all colors.
    Although the overwhelming majority are Tigrigna speaking Highlanders and in particular those from Hamasen, there are many who come from all other regions and groups.
    You may think there are no Afars, Sahos, even a few Beni Amer and Kunamas etc, who support the dictator, but unfortunately there are. This makes Tesfay Temnywo’s claim that Iseyas depended on Massawino to destroy Eritrea is a bit exaggerated.
    Historically, Region No. 4, headed by Omaro was internally divided ideologically into two sub groups:
    A. group headed by Omaro with a purely nationalist agenda, and a second small group headed by Ramadan M. Nour with Maoist tendencies.
    Iseyas with the support of the latter group destroyed the first.
    Many in the first group then joined Sabe (politically).
    From the very beginning many Massawino, the majority, were very wary about Iseyas and suspicious about his connections, but could not do much because they were quickly outnumbered when the PLF was formed and Highlanders started to join the revolution in big numbers.
    What T. Temnuwo is probably saying is that Iseyas used the Maoist Massawino group to his advantage, which is true. But we are talking about 10 to 20 veterans who in the internal balance of power of the EPLF could not have changed much.
    Let’s be open a bit on this: Do you think Iseyas has no supporters in Akeleguzai and Seraye ?, of course he has. I know may people who hail from these regions, who are killing their own people to protect Iseyas’ regime. I am not talking about the two men who run Hagherawi Dihnet and mange Eritrean Gulags, there are hundreds from these regions who are bleeding Eritrea.
    Ieseyas has no political agenda that he uses to attract supporters, he never had one.
    From day one his only and time tested set of tools are: religion, region and tribalism.
    I think it’s clear who should be blamed, obviously not Iseyas, but we.

    • Simon G. June 10, 2018

      Hi Hagherawi,
      Thanks for clarifying it but that was my intention. Now, I have been reminded by individuals like Mahmud Saleh, again. That took me back to Tesfay T.’s comment.
      To me, people like this guys are more dangerous than the HGDF itself. Their intention is so evil. Pure and simple. We got fooled before and we shouldn’t allow this to happen again. We should be much smarter than before. Thanks to technology!

  • Mahari June 9, 2018

    ወዲ መድህን በራድ ዚረግፃ መሬትን አይአምናን- እዛ ውእሊ አልጀርስ ትተግበር ትብል ፃዊኢት ሠላም “ነገር አላታ!” ኢሉ ጠርጢርዋ- ቅድሚ ሂዚ “ወያነ እንታይ ኪገብር ከምዝሃሰበ ሀውተት ኢልካ ኢካ ትረክቦ!” ዝብል ሪኢቶ ሂቡ ሥለዝነበረ ሂዚውን – መልሲ ከይሀበ ወያነ እንታይያ ሃሲባያ ስምምዕ ይተግበር ትብልዛላ ኢሉ ኪማራመር ድምፁ አጥፊኡ- ሀደ ካብቶም ጥርጣረ- ሠላም እንተወሪዱ ደቂ ሣዋ ናብ ሲቪል መነባብሮኦም ምስዝምለሱ- አብ ከተማታት ሥራህ ምስ ዝስእኑ ናዕቢ ኪፈጥሩዮምዩ- እቲ ካልአይ ሠላም ምስ ዝፍጠር ዝተወዘፈ ህንፃፃ ሕገመንግሥቲ ተተግቢሩ ብምርጫ ዲሞክራስያዊ መንግሥቲ ምስ ዝትከል ዝስዕቦ ሀደጋዩ- መንእሰይ ኤርትራ ኪመርፀኒዩ ዝብል ዕመነት የብሉን!- “ክፉእ አይትስራህሞ አይትፍራህ ዝበልዎ ወለድና” ያስግዖሎ – Isayas will never play with his own life! Why do you think he dismissed the Asmara university for the sake of one person?, why do you think he put the G-15 to rot in prison? Isayas is by nature not risk taker! He prefers to eliminate every suspect on his way! That makes him the most dangerous man on the planet!

  • meretse June 9, 2018

    Contnued to Mamhmud saleh’s article: New or Recycled
    Mahmud, thank you for revealing yourself finally. Our suspicion was right then. By making a complete “U TURN” you are became the exact person that you were hoping to be. No one prayed for you to remain the same person that you have been prior to the present days; nor wished to be something for us rather being for yourself. Of course, you are free to go to your old place in the circle of compatriots. What is wrong is– you trying to tell us how wrong we are always but not you and your old compatriots. Our response to you is thank you, but not thank you. In order to validate your story there was no stone left that you did not turn. You have tried to tell us who we should trust and who we should not. A. Do trust the Tigray people (stated fact Alula) B. Do not trust the Amharas (stated fact IHS) C. Do not trust TPLF ( because they tricked DIA).
    Analysis: Do not trust Alula —- very old story, but let us touch some bases for the sake of arguement. Brother Alula is dead but “Isayas the closet relative of Alula is alive and he is your emperor. Don’t trust Amharas — Iseyas uncle is had never been an Eritrean and he was a proud Ethiopian (Governer of Wollo, Hagos Kisha is your treasure (live Alula) …..you konow this has only the beginning.
    So your DO NOT TRUST, DO NOT TRUST MECHANICAL is out of lubrication oil. The time has changed: hope for something better. Kill your hatemongering words to yourself. By the way, why are focusing only at one direction. Have you forgotten when how many Eritreans were kidnapped, raped, sold as slaves by your next door Rashayda? Or, because Rashaydas are good for you and your boss and they are trusted. Oh! We can not talk about them because their ancestors are from Suadi Arabia. What ancestors? They are still foreigners. I do not trust them as well as I do not trust your wild and untamed neighbors or who ever they are.
    Regarding the Ethiopian Prime minister’s bold move: I wish him a sucess at home and abroad. So far he is the right guy for his country as well as neighboring countries. His charasmatic move deserves a welcome hand not thumbs down like yours. If you were a genuine justice seeker you should have felt jealous. He told tplf you have done your best for the country but now the country needs a different vision, to the Oromos the the same, to what so ever the same. What a move.
    Now What Eritrea hopes to accomplish is the the same. Hgdf you are tested, you have failed the country, and you are not even good for RECYCLING – so go to HELL. How about that? Eritreans deserve Eritrea. Eritreans had had enough be it with those still are in the country and those who represent them in diaspora-MEDREK

  • rezen June 9, 2018

    Quote: “From day one his only and time tested set of tools are: religion, region and tribalism.
    I think it’s clear who should be blamed, obviously not Iseyas, but we.” Unquote Hageherawi, June 9, 2018

    Commentary, 9 June 2018
    Yes, “religion, region and tribalism” have always been the week point of Eritrean solidarity when it comes to the critical point. But we refuse to accept our weakness, and continue to give a different image. As I put it in many of my (almost countless) commentaries, we will keep on denying the sociological and historical facts on the ground and keep on posturing as one people with one aim. It is wishful thinking. One hundred and thirty (130) years of cruel experience demonstrated, with doubt, who and what we are. “Eritrea” is unlucky country – even the name is not indigenous, no matter how sophisticated we make ourselves to be for convenient denial.
    And finally, as Hagherawi pointed out “it’s clear who should be blamed, obviously not Iseyas, but we”. It is not a smooth assertion to swallow, but we have no choice but to swallow it, keep our heads up, with puffed chest, and do what has to be done. Less than that, it would be a matter of time before we see “Eritrea” disintegrated into pieces. And that will be the END of a pathetic society. THE END

  • Sarah June 10, 2018

    Is this Tigrean-Weyane owned site?…….it sounds like it.

    • Simon G. June 10, 2018

      You are confusing it with Adi Halo’s office.

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