By Amanuel Biedemariam
Every time Eritreans come across their Ethiopian counterpart, the favorite statement of Ethiopians is that we are the same. We are brothers. Well, here is your time to prove it!
Prove it by standing with your brothers and sisters. Prove it by standing for justice. Prove it by showing your support and readiness for a new beginning; a beginning towards mutual trust, cooperation, understanding and love for each other for the good of the people in the region.
Every thing has a beginning. Elias Kifle, Sileshi Tilahun and Demise Belete among others made the initiative to visit Eritrea and to talk to President Isaias Afwerki, a controversial figure in Ethiopian circles and returned with a different attitude. They were determined to expose the Eritrean perspectives. They wanted to tell Ethiopians that Eritrea was not the enemy but a true friend of Ethiopia. That Eritrea seeks Ethiopian unity, peace, cooperation and partnership. Mr. Elias and his partners sacrificed a great deal; they were ridiculed and called traitors but they stood their grounds and pursued what they felt was the right thing.
They are not ridiculed anymore. In fact, they are regarded very highly. The price they paid and their determination paid off big time. The interview with PIA was a success. It changed the way many viewed president Isaias and, as a result, many Ethiopians are working with Eritreans now. The chance they took became a platform for the stage we are in today, a stage where many are openly saying “We want to march alongside our Eritrean brothers and sisters and express our solidarity with them on the incoming world-wide demonstration against the unjust UN imposed sanction slapped on Eritrea. In fact, we want to work with Eritreans in many other fields of mutual concern” and are doing so.
Likewise, we, Eritreans, want to be a part of a new beginning, to leave the history of hate and bloodshed behind-us and start anew. This demonstration is the first occasion where Eritreans and Ethiopians are to stand together side by side for a purpose in DC and tell the world that we are not enemies; and we will never be. We are brothers and sisters capable to work together. We are united for a purpose and that purpose is to live together side by side as partners; for our successes and interests and not at the expense of each other. That is what we are determined to achieve; what we are striving for and, that is what we want to tell the world.
We need to march in unity to change perceptions. For centuries the West were relaxed because they can take for granted the fact that we will kill one another for no reason. We will march to change that. We need to show the enemies of our people that we can be smart and stand united in order to challenge their evil ways. We need to march to set example to others that peace is the way. But most importantly, we need to march to set a good example for future generations. We need to be the first, so we can say; we are amongst those who marched first for unity, for peace, cooperation between Eritreans and Ethiopians for a new beginning.
We need to march together because we have a much bigger fish to fry. To get rid of a despot, a master of genocides, a thief and a mercenary. To put in jail a person responsible for so much bloodshed, destruction and displacement of millions; and a criminal whose murderous troops shot at point-blank and killed many youngsters who dared to stand up for freedom. We need to stand together and to march in unity to tell our detractors propping-up despots is not acceptable and their ways are hurting the future of our people and killing progress. Because if we don’t, they will think and believe, they are doing well by abusing our peoples. And unfortunately, the people they care most are the handful that are benefiting at the expense of millions while the millions are condemned for handouts. We are marching to break that cycle.
We need to march to annul the illegal, immoral and UNjust sanction imposed on Eritrea:
Firstly, because as Samuel Johnson English author, critic, & lexicographer once said “An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere”! They sanctioned Eritrea unjustly because they have a bully pulpit, ownership of a defunct world body, the UN. Meles, who is a party to the mischief, has been directly responsible for the arms and the bloodshed in Somalia. Eritrea is in no way capable of shipping arms or providing any other logistical support when the US is controlling the Indian Ocean, the land and air and anything in between. Furthermore, Eritrea doesn’t have the resources. What Eritrea did is stand for justice for the Somali people by asking the world community to allow them to resolve their issues without outside meddling. Eritrea took a moral stand just as many Arab states do on Israel by not recognizing Israel so long as the Palestinian issue remains unresolved.
The UN had absolutely no evidence to back up US and Meles Zenawi’s claims about Eritrea’s support for armed groups in Somalia. South African Ambassador to the United Nations Dumisani Kumalo, who served as chairman of the U.N. Security Council’s Somalia sanctions committee, speaking of Somalia, said that 80% of ammunition available at the Somali arms markets was supplied by TFG and Meles Zenawi’s troops. Kumalo also said that the committee had received details of some 25 military flights sent by Meles Zenawi into Somalia and knew that Meles Zenawi’s troops had brought military equipment into the country to arm “friendly clans.” The UN Envoy for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah also said that there was no evidence to prove the allegations made against Eritrea are correct.
The US does not care about the Somalis’ well being, because if it did, it wouldn’t have supported Meles in his quest for Somali blood. If the US truly was for justice, human rights and the rule of law, it would have supported the Somali freedom fighters instead of encouraging and abating the Meles’ and Museveni’s to help create mayhem in that lawless land. But, then again, who exonerated the US? We all know the US is a party to the conflict as well. I guess “Might is right” as the saying goes.
Secondly, the sanctions intended goal is to boost Meles Zenawi, weaken Eritrea (the only country standing on his ways) and render Ethiopians at the mercy of Meles Zenawi for decades without any serious challenge to his reign. Is that what you want? A murderous thief who is selling Ethiopia to individuals, entities and countries that will not have the best interest Ethiopia. He is selling Ethiopia piece by piece with the hopes that his investors will keep him in power in order to maintain their investments. Therefore to lose focus at this point is irresponsible. We need to march together to stop this madness.
Thirdly, we need to march because success means the defeat of Meles Zenawi and his gang. One of the intended goals of the sanction is to reverse the momentum that is ready to engulf the Ethiopian nation; the undercurrent that has been building due to hatred of the detested Meles’s regime. It is by far the most crucial moment in the history of Ethiopian struggle. This is a moment that will define history. Because if Meles is allowed to win, the bloodshed will continue for a long time because, the change his masters seek are dangerous and will mire the region into bloody conflicts worse than what we are witnessing in Somalia.
Conclusion
This is a time when Ethiopians need to take a firm and clear stand and decide whether they want Meles and the TPLF gang gone. There is no need for those who take a hesitant position and fearful to show that they are working with Eritrea because they are afraid of a backlash. No need for those who want to stay in the background afraid to be in a weaker position if Eritrea loses. No need for those who want to put themselves in a favorable position by taking the middle ground in order to switch sides when convenient ala Hailu Shawel. These people or groups have no stand and can not lead. Do you want Weyane gone? Then take a stand. Show the people of Ethiopia that you can stand against Woyanne and lead.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])
24 thoughts on “Why March with Eritreans”
Really interesting article. Hope we will live peacefully with our Eritrean brothers and sisters. It is because of Meles that we have lost hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian solders and our brothers (Eritrean solders). It is just for meles power that we have lost our brothers in somalia. But international community doesn’t know that meles is a banda who works only to rob ethiopians. He is the source of problem in the horn.
elias, you are my hero. all ethiopians are with you 100% except minority tplf/weyane cadre. elias, we, ethiopians love you.
http://ecadforum.com/blog1/News/897
Hi Amanuel, I am standing with the people of Eritrea against this unjust sanction. On Feb 22nd I will be in Washington DC with my Ethiopian flag along side of my Eritrean brothers and sisters – rain or shine.
We will STAND with Eritrea…Esayas’ and the Ethiopian people’s interest has now been matched! Oust the TPLF and forge a harmonious relationship with our Eritrean cousins…not even cousins, we’re family and neither of us can change that!
Love the writer, he was telling from the bottom his heart. He has nothing to hide. We must work together to get rid of evil Meles and his gangster from power. Eritrea is the only hope for getting rid of Weyane. Meles must be put to death in the soonest time possible, Ethiopian and Eritrea have suffered so much because of him, please let us work together, forget the past and think of future generation. Your children and my children depend on us .Trust me, Meles and his gangster don’t care for future generation. If Ethiopian and Eritrean have a confidence each other, Meles would be brought to justice along with his gangster. Love each other, the only way to defeat the devil Meles
I have not felt so much pressure to discourage us Ethiopians from sideing with the Eritreans like the pressure I am feeling now. I am using this opportunity to find out who are TPLF/Woyanes around me within the diaspora .Some tell me they want to come to my town and go to the suburbs away from the march for site seeing on that day , Others try to tell me I need to come to their town for a better employment , vacation or just so I get close with the so called family (imagine I even got a family that donot want to admit that Ethiopians and Eritreans are victims ) . I am concluding it is either they are scared shitless of woyane or they were woyanes all along , It could be me being a fool I considered them as regular Ethiopians within the diaspora.
We must show our unflinching solidarity with our cousins in the North PERIOD. And, like someone else correctly stated, this sanction has everything to do with our fighting forces as it has with Eritrea. I think that Esayas must be heaven sent to save all of us. I wish him good health if the greedy and self cenetered Americans don’t kill him that is.
Here is a link you guys shoud check out.
We will fly the Eritrean and Ethiopian flags together for our togetherness and the unjust verdict of the UN.
This is the place where we shall wave up high the Ethiopian flag to shine for victory, love and self-respect. This demonstration is against Woyane having the power to do whatever they want to people of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The sanction against Eritrea serves USA more than TPLF but TPLF uses this USA’s misguided sanction to silence Ethiopians and its resistance groups. This demonstration is about Ethiopia against TPLF as much as it is Eritreans against neocolonialists. Lets stand for strong horn by joining Eritreans.
In every Ethiopian web site there is a lot of anger ,frustration and a sense of despair for what is being done to our country and people.My fellow Ethiopians,lets make this march success and show woyane and its supporters that Ethiopians and Eritreans are working against their common enemy.We know that our survival depends on our cooperation.
Hi, I am an Eritrean from Toronto and I am reading the comments left by Ethiopians on this forum. I have to say, I am deeply touched at the brotherly spirit from our Ethiopian cousins. It is inspiring. Victory to the entire horn of Africa region!!
We the people of the Horn of Africa share the same geographic area, same miseries of natural and manmade disasters, but, we do not share an identical political history. Our political history is shaped and interpreted according to the individuals or groups that control the political or economic power in the region at a particular period. Our written history is scant and unreliable except for who and when ruled, with no record of the ordinary people. Therefore our true knowledge of our history is limited and relies on oral stories told by our ancestors and shaped by their local circumstances.
Despite the lack of detailed and comprehensive written history, we inherited an advanced social structure and agricultural economy (plant and animal husbandry) equal or better to any society, in face of the earth. We built Synagogues, Churches and Mesgids places of worships, when the rest of the world followed barbaric rules and killing one another. For millenniums we lived as good neighbors worshiping our God, following the great Prophets according to our understandings of God. Now are being told that our religions are not good enough for us and we do not know how to farm or keep animals. Our leaders are giving away our ancestral farmlands and grazing lands to foreigners, bringing colonialism through the back door. Colonialists couldn’t take it openly in the days of Mekdela,Metema, Aduwa, Maichew or Ogaden. Do they think the bloods of our ancestors spilt in those days were in vain? No this generation is not sitting back and let our treasure be looted and our cultures and religions destroyed; we are going to look from our cultures that unite us than what divides and separates us. We are marching with our Eritreans blood brothers and sisters to end this nightmare once and for all.
We are Saying:
“No to divide and Rule”.
“Take a stand!”
Thank you for posting the interview of Mohammed Hassan (a member of the Labor Party of Belgium). This guy knows what he is talking about, specially he knows the Horn of Africa as it is related to Weyane vis-a-vis US’s policy in the region, while explaining Weyane’s dependency psychology and mental weakness for donation.
I am Somali and I really feel hopefull that we can all come together as brothers and sisters to overcome USA and their puppets to make peace in horn of Africa. USA and Meles made horn of Africa a blood path and we must unite to over come this diffcult time. I am happy to see Ethipians and Eriterians finally getting their act together.
To All Eritreans and Ethiopians brotheres and sisters , We have got historical opportunties to come together and to show the whole world in general and the US, Britain and France in particular that we can not be maipulated and disintgrated for the best interest of some nation who want to secure the future of their grand children at cost of my Ethiopian, Somalian , Eritrean, Djbuitan.Enough is enough let we put our diferences aside and work for our future, for our best interest.We want to live now today in peace and prosperity . Let we wave the Flags of all All Horn Africa countries and march in Washington and tell them leave us alone ,,we did manage our problem before you guys became USA . We have 3000 years of history with 3000 long experience to solve problems.We don’t need harvard degree to solve our problems. Traditionally and effectifely our problems can be solved..Guys march for understanding
March for Solidarity!
March for better life!
March for Unity among nations!
March for going back home to live in degnity!
March for Africa!
March for people of victims of maipulation!
March for freedom and true democrasy!
March for saying NO NO for neo-colonializm!
March for our children to live in peace!
We have to show our unity and brotherhood in this critical moment. This should be a practical message to dictator weyane how they were isolated from the entire horn of Africa. Unity is strength!
Down with criminal Weyane
waqo
All the comments by my Ethiopian bros and sisters reminded me Ethiopian moms’ tears when we Eritreans were deported from Ethiopia by the weyanes. I now know how much deep love there still is between Ethiopians and Eritreans regardless of the manipulative politicians in Ethiopia. Honestly, we Eritreans love our Ethiopian bros and sisters. God bless these people!
This is very relevant article. It provides us the principal reason why we should look beyond our local interest. Unless we wake up now the Horn will get worse and the resources will be lost forever under neo-colonialism.
Wow! I am Eritrean and all i can say is I am really touched by the support on this Article. I always hoped that if “we” Eritrea and Ethiopia could resolve our issues then we could show the world how fast the East will grow when working together. I have restored faith and am excited/proud to stand next to my habesha brother’s and sister’s during these times.
this will be a historic moment for the Horn of Africa. It is absolutely touching to read the comments made by all fellow Ethiopians. this will determine what we will be tomorrow. we are making history and changing by marching with the Eritrean people. I am sure hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians will take to the streets of the western countries for making this historic moment.
It is heartening to read the comments from my fellow Eritreans and Ethiopians. It clearly showed me how we feel about each other. I am really happy and i hope that in the near future we will all live with harmony along side each other and develop our countries.
We will stand for unity and love.
Glad to see that we, the people of the Horn of Africa, are sticking together to show our resistance to being bullied by the so called super powers. Thanks God to technology, the media ground has been leveled to help us connect and voice our opinions about the injustices being done to our people. Once they see us marching together, they might think twice and change their policies in poor African nations from one of dominating and killing to collaborating fairly; or simply leave us alone.
Awet Wetru N’Hafash,
Unity is Power!
Let Peace Prevail in Africa…