Friday, June 29, 2007

ETP Editorial: On the Prime Minister’s speech to Parliament

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

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Court finds Siye Abraha GUILTY on one CHARGE, NOT GUILTY on THREE - sentencing July 4


- EPRDF LED PARLIAMENT TO REPLACE SEATS OF MISSING MPs(making sure there is no possibility of CUD leaders in Kality taking seats in parliament)
- Ethiopian Premier Admits Errors on Somalia
(Good morning Mr. Prime Minister, you’re finally waking up. Admirable. Now, Before you go back to sleep, would you like to face up to any errors on Ethiopia?)
- Ethiopian Soldiers Killed in Roadside Bomb Blast in Mogadishu
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ETP EDITORIAL - The Prime Minister in his latest speech to the house of Peoples' Representatives devoted a significant amount of time portraying his government as being tough on Eritrea. Naturally, this was an attempt to put out the fire Sebhat Nega (Aboy Sebhat) ignited after his controversial radio interview in which he unwittingly exposed the objectionable principle in which TPLF has been operating under for years.

Several foreign news agencies bought into the story, some intentionally and others inadvertently. But there were few who got it right. Agence France presse (AFP) for instance, rather than echoing the "Ethiopia ready for Eritrea war" story - hit the nail on the head by going with "Ethiopia accepts border ruling"

Hidden in-between a clutter of words and phrases is the key point of the Prime Minister’s speech;

“despite flaws in the decision of the Boundary Commission, we have repeatedly and unequivocally declared our acceptance because it is the Commission's verdict.”
Two weeks ago Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin expressed his shock and indignation when the Associated Press ran a story which said Ethiopia, as stipulated by the ruling of the boundary commission, is prepared to give Badme to Eritrea. Now here, just a few days later, the Prime Minister is publicly testifying that AP’s story was spot on.

Badme is a thorn on the side of this administration because it is an unambiguous and constant reminder of how lightly it takes the lives of its citizens. Tens of thousands have died in the fight for Badme; people from all walks of lives answered the government’s call believing their country was in trouble; from East to west, south to north - they came. After all the sacrifice, the government with one stroke of a pen undid what they had done. Many were left wondering what the point of it all was.

No sane Ethiopian wants conflict with Eritrea. The people of Eritrea have endured decades of war and are now under the rule of a tyrannical government which arguably is as oppressive as the Taliban. They too don't want war; they want freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, just like we do. These two nations are family; sharing history and culture. The majority of Ethiopians as well as Eritreans want to live in peace, putting into practice mutually beneficial policies.

That being said however, when the leadership of a country constantly and openly advocates in favor of another, at a disadvantage to its own national interests, as TPLF’s core directorate has been doing for decades, then it is easy to understand the suspicion of some that maybe Ethiopia has clandestinely been colonized.

Also:
-[Video] Dr, Berhanu Nega on National Security
(Must see)
-EthioMedia asks, Who is in power in Ethiopia?