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Is federation of Ethiopia and South Sudan possible?

Posted on by EthiopianReview.com

Nations and Nation Builders

By Msmaku Asrat

The following is a rather elaborate response to the objection raised by the good Sadiq Abdulrahman regarding my views about a future federation of Ethiopia with both South Sudan and self proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland (formerly British Somaliland). Sadiq and I have more in common than he realizes. We both have the courage of our convictions and invoke our names to speak truth to power.

The Treaty of Westphalia of 1648 defined the principles of sovereignty and equality of nations and this became the blueprint for the formation of nation states of what is normally referred as ‘modern times” i.e. the period after the Treaty. The great nation builders of Europe, Ethiopia and Latin America were contemporaries – Bismarck of Germany (1844-1913); Garibaldi of Italy (1807-1882); Emperor Menelik of Ethiopia (1844-1913). Simon Bolivar of Latin America (1783-1830) could also be included in that category. Even the famous British Imperialist of the “Cape to Cairo” fame, Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), is in the same category, although on the other side. His plan was to expand the British Empire believing that the Anglo-Saxon race was destined to greatness. He also believed that Britain, US and Germany would dominate the world of the future.

But all nation builders did not ethnically belong to the country they built but were nonetheless dedicated to their “adopted” nation. Alexander the Great was a Macedonian(there is currently a dispute between Macedonia and Greece largely about his legacy); Catherine the Great of Russia was a German; Emperor Napoleon of France was an Italian; Hitler was an Austrian; Mahatma Gandhi was a South African; Kamuzu Banda of Malawi was an American; Isayiyas Afewerki (and Welde ab Wolde Mariam) were Ethiopians. It is hard to place the half-Eritrean Meles because he is perennially subservient to Isayiyas and also a narrow Tigrean tribalist.

Bismarck said that nations are formed by “blood and iron” when he brought together the various principalities of Germany and formed the German Nation. Menelik said that he would not be “an indifferent spectator” when nations come from faraway places and encroach his land. What makes him a great statesman besides being a military genius was his ability to have preserved what he can do and cannot do when far more powerful European powers were snatching his land. However, he has to make a last stand to defend the survival of his country and win decisively. Menelik is considered the greatest African general since Hannibal, who had vanquished the Romans, the ancestors of the Italians whom Menelik has conquered. That happened, two thousand years earlier!

We may recall that Menelik was the only modern Ethiopian leader who has vanquished a foreign enemy. Yohannes was defeated by Sudan and was beheaded; Theodros was defeated by the British and killed himself; Haile Selassie was defeated by the Italians and went into exile in Britain and to Geneva to appeal to the League of Nations. Menelik with his multi ethnic army shot like an arrow from the middle of his Empire and confronted the Italians at Adwa. He was riding segar beklo, fast paced mules 30 of whom were saddled and ready by his side and him transferring from one tired mule to another without breaking a stride. His military genius is recounted by George Berkeley : The Campaign of Adwa and the Rise of Menilik. The British deservedly called him Menelik the Great for several years afterwards, but the title was discontinued after repeated and fervent appeals by the humiliated Italians.

It was Menelik that put Adwa on the map. Nobody would have ever remembered that tiny dusty village of Adwa, in Tigray, if it were not for him. Austerlitz and Waterloo represent the rise and fall of Napoleon and are always associated with his name, Likewise, the glory of Adwa is associated with Menelik and is the legacy of the Ethiopian people and even beyond that the legacy of the subjugated people of the Third World. No one could snatch Adwa away from him and from the Ethiopian people and from the people of the Third World. Adwa will forever be associated with Menilik till Kingdom Come. And the Ethiopian people will continue to be proud of Adwa no matter what. This is a historical fact.

What I would like to point out to Sadiq Abdurahman is that no nation in history was formed by a single ethnic group. The nearest that came to this was Somalia. But even that was a fiction. Somalia did not include the almost one million Somali Bantu or Gosha living along the banks of Juba and Shebelle rivers. I have seen some of them when I visited Afgoi near Mogadishu. The other fiction of the now defunct Somalia was that it pretended that in due course, the new Somalia will achieve an ingathering of the Somali people scattered in neighboring countries. It was a pipe dream. The population of Djibouti is equally divided between Afars and Issas and in fact that was its official name before independence. Ogaden in Ethiopia has been settled also by many ethnic groups from all over Ethiopia for hundreds of years. So his objection is a non squinter. British Somaliland was an independent state and agreed to unite with Italian Somaliland five days later when the latter gained its independence from Italy. It was largely the work of the Somali Youth League which was active in the anti-colonial struggle. If one goes to the Somali Paltalk rooms we find almost a hundred of them every day, each promoting its specific clan. One is reminded of the old Somali saying “my nation against the world; my clan against my nation; my family against my clan; and me against my family” Unfortunately; It seems that the Somali has been broken to pieces like shattered glass. It would be wise and prudent to look for alternatives.

Another people who wanted to forge a country from one ethnic people are the Kurds. As time passes this is becoming increasingly impossible since the Kurds have a stake in whatever country they belong in and are turning their back to such esoteric dreams. Nations are continuously forming and breaking apart like Somalia. No other country was as visible as Yugoslavia after the Second World War, especially among the countries of the Third World. It was brought together by the powerful personality of the anti-Fascist patriot Marshall Broz Tito(a close friend of Emperor Haile Selassie.) However, after his death Yugoslavia is no more, it has been broken into seven separate states and the break up is continuing. The same happened to Czarist Russian Empire which was inherited by the Soviet Union. When it collapsed, 17 new states were created and more might be created. Belgium which has committed unspeakable crime against its colony of Belgian Congo is held by the skin of a teeth and is about to break up along linguistic lines any day now. Wherever we look it is the will of the people to live together that is the hallmark of a viable nation.

If Meles has his way Ethiopia would have broken up into six or seven countries. It did not happen because they are artificial and arbitrary entities. Take the case of Oromia. The people of Oromia have migrated north in the 17th Century occupying the place of the former inhabitants vanquished by Ahmed Gragn and his Turkish supported army. In the aftermath, the country had been weakened and made vulnerable to the aggressive conquest of the Oromo. What they could not destroy they absorbed in the age old tradition of the MOGASSA. An eye witness account of this very period was written by Aleka Bahri (who was from Gamu and not an Amhara as others allege) in his book Zenahu ze Galla (History of the Gallas.) Ato Yilma Deressa, a ”Galla” from Wellega, and the most prominent Minister in the Haile Selassie Government has also written a book about this 17th Century called The South to North migration of the Galla. He emphatically declares that he is proud to be called a Galla.

The humongous area designated as Oromia by the Weyane is a total fiction as half of the inhabitants of the area are multi ethnic. It is as ridiculous as calling Addis Ababa “Finfine” since Finfine (or Filwoha) occupies only about five percent of Addis Ababa. The same is true about trying to give Harar to the Adere who number a few thousand and their greater number lives in Addis Ababa and thus outside Harar. What is the opinion of Sadiq about the ¾ of a million Somalis living in Addis Ababa. They are not going anywhere soon. They are part of the city fabric.

The greatness of Ethiopia is that it has existed as an entity for thousands of years and has perfected the craft of living in peace and harmony. Even the two great religions Christians and Moslems have lived together in peace for over a thousand years which no other nation on earth could match. This harmony has been created not by governments but by people. Wise leaders like Emperor Haile Selassie have said that “a country is shared by all; but religion is an individual affair” promoting unity in diversity. The 15 years study conducted by the Derg about the “history of the peoples of Ethiopia” produced in several volumes confirmed just that. Since it did not serve the agenda of the Derg it was shelved. The Weyane would never allow the study to see the light of day. I hope those who participated in the study would muster courage and publish their findings.

Meles Zenawi in one of his frequent moments of monumental stupidity (which his Tigrean admirers regard as wisdom), had asked rhetorically “what is Axum for the Welayita or Lalibela for the Oromo.” It is a historical fact that the Agazi, the predecessors of the Tigre, were nowhere there when the Axum obelisks were erected. In fact the Welayita may have more to do with Axum than the Tigre. It is similar to the Arab claims to the Pyramids. They only came there in the 7th Century. The Fedayeen; the Nubians the Ethiopians, the Punt have more claim to the Pyramids than the Arabs. There is even a story circulating by non-Adwa Tigreans about their fellow ethnic Adwans. They say that the Adwans became the most evil among the Tigreans because they are a product of bastardization. When Menelik’s army came to Adwa these multi ethnic soldiers slept with thousands of Adwa women and these are the products of the union – half Tigre and half every other ethnic group! That is a way of absolving themselves and showing their particular hatred to other Ethiopians. There is even a treacherous curve along the road from Addis Ababa to Asmara, passing through Adwa that is popularly known as libe Adwa (the heart of Adwa) Those who say this must also be aware that there is another curve nearby along the same road which is called libe Tigrai (the heart of Tigrai). These are local folklores of no historical significance, but show the psychological makeup of the people in the area.

Here we might cast our attention in the direction of Eritrea. The perennial boss of Meles, Isayias Afewerki is the father of Eritrean nationalism. Unlike his vassal Meles he wants Eritrea to be a multi ethnic Nation. During the long drown out war Isayiyas encouraged Eritrean women to “sleep with the enemy”,-the Ethiopian army – as a sort of low-cost, low- maintenance espionage spread (no pun intended). The result was what Isayiyas has not anticipated but should have. Many unions resulted in love and marriage, but hundreds of thousands of these unions caused hundreds of thousands of children to be born. These children were half-Eritrean and half-every other ethnic group of Ethiopia. Such was the result of 30 years of union. However much Isayias tries to deny their existence, the future of Eritrea is more theirs than his. They are the ones who would shape the future of Eritrea.

Another historical fact is that about a third of the Hamassen of Eritrea have Gojame grandparents. The reason is this. Gojames are the traditional merchant class of Ethiopia (the Gurage are very recent arrivals in the field). For centuries they have been travelling beyond Ethiopia. Even Addis Ababa has Gojam Berenda since its infancy and no Gurage berenda (there is a Gojam Berenda in Khartoum as well). The merchants of Gojam are known as sirara Negade, with their long caravan of huge and sturdy mules who travel up to North Africa as far as Tripoli, Libya. One of their stops is Geza Aba Shawel of Asmara. Aba Shawel is the name of a prominent Gojame merchant. This place was where the caravan of the famed Gojame, Aba Shawel, stayed for R&R and the place was named after him. As is well known, no Eritrean was allowed to spend a night in Asmara during Italian colonialism. They were permitted to do their domestic work in Asmara during the day but have to go out of town at dusk. They stayed at Geza Aba Shawel, the other side of Asmara. – a practice the Fascists never dared to impose during their short occupation of Ethiopia. There is also folklore of another Gojame in Eritrea. He was called Aboy Mengesha. He occupies a similar reverence in Eritrea like the famous folkloric wisdom attributed to Aleka Gebre Hana of Menelik’s time in Ethiopia. Mengesha’s witticism is still told and retold to this day especially among the old folk. An old Eritrean gentleman who was my cellmate at Makelawi prison used to delight us by telling Aboy Mengesha’s witticisms.

Something is quite different to the Weyanes which is not exhibited in any other ethnic group – not to that extent. Maybe the Tigreans are the most parochial and xenophobic tribe in Ethiopia. They seem to find refuge in their ethnicity, similar to those ethnic entrepreneurs who promote the idea of OLF. However, those who propagate for OLF are a miniscule minority blinded by hatred and fired with ambition to rough-ride their ethnic unit. Fortunately they are constantly confronted and rejected by the masses of Ethiopian Oromos who are infinitely wiser. Twenty years have shown us that the Weyane are only interested in theft and pillage for the benefit of themselves and their ethic group. The entire Tigrean elite fully backs the Weyane pillage, to their etrnal shame. Their former Prime Minister, the Amhara-hating Tamrat Layne, stole millions in short order and deposited it in Swiss Banks. Only the powerful Alamudin was able to recover his loss. The rest was given to Tamrat by his fellow gang of thieves as a parting gift. It did not matter because the money is not theirs but the property of the Ethiopian people. Conveniently, Tamrat, the smart-alec thief, now says that he received a revelation when God talked to him in prison. He become a Pentecostal convert and he is now living in the US, endlessly recounting at church sermons his daily conversations with God and the gullible stand up and applaud. No mention about his loot or his crimes.

All told the crimes of the Weyane could not amount to ¼ of the crimes committed by the heinous Derg. The Khamer Rouge of Kampuchea and the Derg were the two most brutal murderers of the last quarter of the 20th Century. Pol Pot of Cambodia escaped justice by dying. Mengistu is thumbing his nose at the world from his comfortable exile in Zimbabwe He needs to face the International Court of Justice at the Hague. His associates who have committed genocide and crimes against humanity should be given the death sentence and hanged if justice was to prevail.

The recent development in Tunesia should serve as a warning shot for the Weyane. 20 years of dictatorship is more than enough.

(Msmaku Asrat, Ph.D., can be reached at [email protected])

34 thoughts on “Is federation of Ethiopia and South Sudan possible?”

  3. You amharas don’t cease to amaze me. You lost your kingdom to woyanne and now you wanna subjugate the somali and sudanese? What are you smoking Mr. PHD? did you go to school in in kazakistan? Do you wear short pants with suspenders?

  4. I wish the author of this inspiring article had enlightened us with some facts why Sadiq Abdulrahman rejected to the federation of Ethiopia with South Sudan and Somaliland; nevertheless, I agree a hundred percent with Sadiq Abdulrahman’s rejection about Ethiopia to be federated with South Sudan and Somali land.

    Dr. Asrat has given us so many good examples how nations are created and how they are also disintegrated into fragments. It is like volcanoes that create islands, but after many years, the islands are also destroyed by their creators – the volcanoes.

    Right now, Ethiopia has a hard time how to even keep united what she has had; for example, Eritrea has gone her own way, and she may never come back unless Ethiopia goes to war with Eritrea and force her to join Ethiopia, but such violent action on the part of Ethiopia is against the “international” rule of law and order. Some Oromos are also threatening to secede from Ethiopia and form their own government depending on the Ethiopian Constitution that allows any Ethiopian province has the right to secede from the mother land of Ethiopia, which I totally reject the part of the Ethiopian Constitution that permits the disintegration of Ethiopia.

    One big problem for South Sudanese to be federated with Ethiopia is the color; they know how much they have suffered by the North Arab Sudanese: they were sold like slaves, beaten up like slaves, and completely humiliated, and many of them even killed. They were considered animals by the Arab North Sudanese; therefore, South Sudanese know very well the history of Ethiopians who used to buy and sell dark skin people like slaves. They know they will be discriminated and dubbed “baria” by some Ethiopians, especially by the North Ethiopians. One of the reasons some Oromos want to secede from Ethiopia is for the same reasons the South Sudanese complain about the North Arab Sudanese. In my opinion, it is better for them to stay where they are and should not be federated with racist Ethiopia; I myself would never give my daughter to one of those dark skin Sudanese, and when I say this, I am telling the truth, and you can call me a racist, and I don’t care as far as I am telling the facts, and I know how to read the minds of some Ethiopians who may agree with me. Because of this color barrier, the South Sudanese could not be able to live under a federal state with the Semitic Ethiopians.

    It is well known Ethiopia has been a land of Christianity, but now that beautiful name is disappearing because of the over 40 million Ethiopian Muslims living in Ethiopia and spreading Islam, thanks to the Saudi Wahabbi, all over the Ethiopian regions and building thousands and upon thousands of Mosques throughout Ethiopia by the help Al Amoudi and the Saudi government. Many of the Ethiopian Christians resent the Muslim population is outnumbering them. For this legitimate concern, the Ethiopian Christians, especially the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, reject Muslim Somali land to be federated with the Christian land of Ethiopia. If this happens, the number of Muslims in Ethiopia will triple, and history tells us whenever Muslims become the majority, the minority Christians will suffer tremendously; case in point is the minority Christians in Egypt, in Palestine, in Iraq, in Pakistan, in Turkey, in Saudi Arabia, and in many other Arab-Muslim countries. When the Ethiopian Muslims become, God forbid, the majority, they will immediately establish the Sharia law from which the South Sudanese are running away. For this and many other reasons, I object the federation of Somali land with the Christian Ethiopia.

  5. “Endemn Walachuh Telba Eyezeran new/ Kemy Twuelu Entati’e Nzere Alena”

    Your headline was about the possible Federation of Ethiopia and South Sudan but you are talking Endabashawi, Adwa, Gojjam, Menelik and so many false stories. First of all Menelik was not real the hero African General because he camped very far away from the war and he was surrounded by his Amhara troops not to mingle with Tigrayans because he knew what he did to Yohannes at Metema. Menelik was responsible the death of Yohanness, Menelik mercenaries were the one assassinated Yohannes knowing that after Metama the Tigrayan were to March against Menelik in Shewa. Had his wife encourage him to go to Aswa, he would even show up in Adwa. The Adwa war was fought by solely by Tigrayans led by Ras, Alula, Ras Hagos (Grand father of Issayas Afwerki brother of King Yohannes), Ras Mengesha Yohannes and Ras Mekonnen, all of the from Tembein. The Oromo soldiers chased the fleeing Italians and fought and killed many of the Italians in one of the valley of Adwa. Do not forget Menelik was the one who told Italians from Somalia to go after Eritrea when Ras Alula left Eritrea with his armies to fight Mahdi at Metema to save Amhara people and their churches but the Amhara Menelik instead of joining Yohannes and Ras Alula and liberate his people, he sent his mercenaries to kill King Yohannes in Metama and informed the Italians to take over Eritrea to weaken the Tigrayans (present Tigray and Eritrea). So, the bravado of Menelik the African General is a myth, he was a traitor not to Tigray but to Gonder Amhara people who were being killed by Mahdi and their churches were setting fires and destroyed many of them.

    I am still waiting to her from you why Ethiopia and South Sudan should be federated and what other information do you have to say they may be federated???

  6. It is always the same mistake, be it OLF, TPLF or MSMAKU ASRAT. Because they are intellectually lazy, if any thing fits to a pattern they explain Ethiopian history in that pattern.

    What has Bismarck to do with Emperor Minlik at all, excepting their amazing coincidence of date of birth and date of death? In Bismarck’s case there were WELL DEFINED nations of Prussia, Bavaria, etc who have their OWN well defined kings and territories and maps. Bismarck united these WELL DEFINED entities into one German.

    In Ethiopians case, there was NO nation called Oromo, Tigre or Afar. THere was no well defined territory called Somalia. THe only truly recognizable authority and King was MINLIK. Most of the land that was brought back into Ethiopia’s fold was a land that was VERY CLEARLLY KNOWN TO ANCIENT Ethiopian kingdom who were lost in the times of the princes. MINLIK’s main reason to going after some southern territories was to “BRING BACK THE OLD TERRITORIES OF ETHIOPIA” which were lost during the era of the princes.

    It is just too sad to see idiots making a mockery of Ethioopian history. If you don’t know the history why don’t you shut up instead of trying to find any pattern so you can fit your stupid theories into.

  8. It is an interesting story. But I doubt if the title fits the content of the writing. One problem with the bantustanization of woyane is the group called Amara. I wonder if there ever existed an ethinc group called Amara, though there are Amharic speaking people. History tells us that there were different kingdoms ruled by respective kings and who are ‘vasals’ to the King of Kings. Thewodros, Yohannes, Menelik changed hands as king of kings in the recent history of the country. I believe the ‘absolute Monarchy’ came during Hailesillasie. Therefore, there were the Gondar, Wello, Gojjam, and Shewa kingdoms, but not a kingdom called Amhara. Tigray could qualify as a kingdom of its own. The other kingdoms were Keffa, Wollayita, Jimma, Sidama, Arsii and Wollega also had their own kind of Chieftains. Menelik even did not ‘conquer’ Oromo as an independent political unit, as the hardliners OLF’ites claim.

    We should get the fact straight and try to resolve our differences by genuine discussion rather than playing dishonest politcal games based on fabrications, distortions, and treachery.

  9. I am not a historian I do not know much about history, but I can see the author meddling in things that he has no idea about. uniting south sudan Ethiopia and somaliland is his dream. But he has no reason and base eve to consider this unattaiable dream. south Sudan is now to be come a independent country. It fought 55 yars to reach at this goal. why would it be necessary for southsuddan to seccede from North sudand and be federated with Ethiopia. Ist his idea ubsurd? why also somaliland to be federated with Ethiopia when Somaliland decided to be indepenedet from the greater Somalia. Ok he is dreaming of the coast line of Somaliland and the oil of south Sudan. I can imagine how selfish he is. and his dream is taking him to salivate to have oil pumping to Ethiopia. why cannot he think about good neighbourliness to have cooperation and common markets that establish common beneift to the people of the Area. He wants to have to dominate someones wealth.
    After all The ethnic groups in Etiopia are not treated equally .and I know anyone from southSudan will abhore this idea of the poor wuthor. I am sure it would be much more appealing for the south sudanese to remain in sudan than to contempleate to join Ethiopia. Every one would abhore of the idea. when he heard of oil in southsudan he started salivate to get a portion without pay by decieving the south sudanese people into federation.. I think any one who has seen this article from south Sudan or Samali will get appaled by the idea.

    Another thing is this author does not have any idea to comment about Eritrea, be it political, historical, social or cultural. He must know that not alone Esayas to tell people to sleep with enemy no single person would prefer to get married by Ethiopian soldiers. If anything happened and child was born Eritreans consider him Eritrean and that baby is also to claim to be Eritrean.To let him know if there were children born to Eritrean mothers or fathers throughout the 40 years of Ethiopian occupation they could be just a couple of dozens.Eritreans who lived in Ethiopia all their lives were not that much mixed. But I do not see anything wrong of having mixed parents children and they are Eritreans. if they were by father Ethiopians they have to choose one. Either Eritreanism or Ethiopiansim . and they know where their limits are.

  10. #5 Halafi Mengedi,

    Tigrenetih chinqilatih lay wetito eyasilefelefeh new. Yihen ye Buna lay were ezih lay yizeh memitah tinishinetihin yasayal.

    What evidence do you have that Menelik has killed Yohannes? Why don’t you talk about the known and recorded history of the mercenariness of Yohannes rather than ranting about the unfounded and fictional story of Yohannes death. Yohannes marched on Ethiopia collaborating with the British Army (that is a real history)
    We know that this propaganda was fabricated by Woyane and told to Tigres to agitate them.

  11. I found the article very catchy, day light dreaming. I love the intension only ‘which is UNITY’. (i was born in Ethiopia Addis – lovely place to be),
    The word UNITY is an inspiring word form, just because unity paramount strength.
    However, the term UNITY used in Ethiopia,(in my opinion) has different meanings.
    When Eritrean execute its Referendum and after, people were not happy just because it violate the meaning of UNITY.

    During ERI/ETH war people were excited to evict THE VERY VERY ETHIOPIAN (now Eritrean) out of his/her city – Addis Ababa – build and run mostly by the ERITREAN until the crunch day (badime/asseb excuse war). It was like Heads We Win, Tails You Lose game things.

    Why the so called ‘elite Ethiopian’/’ the now Ethiopian’ use this bloody word and gamble on African soul. Why the so called educated the now Ethiopian, think twice like the indigenous Ethiopian(now Eritrean). Work work and work instead of talk.

    Hell to lazy and ignorants.
    Peace for real Ethiopian

  12. I don’t understand as to why some people are always day dreaming about procuring other people’s territories and properties like the masterful manipulation and acquisitions of Eritrea, first as a federal arrangement and later as a forced complete integration in to an underdeveloped medieval style backward society of unitary state of bad governance that ended miserably with Eritreans fighting for some 30 years and gaining their original independence.

    What has changed in content and substance even to this very day with regard to governance, pluralistic democratic sustainable society development when the country is still being ruled by a minority dictatorship one party medieval style exclusionist group. To join such a society and form of baaaa..d government will only bring more conflict and more dissatisfaction and more violence which will end only in the divorce of the marriage of convenience.First better put your utterly backward house in order and only after that invite guests and friends and acquaintance for joint projects and cohabitation.

    If you have your house in order,clean appetizing and pleasing to the human spirits, eyes, the mind and the physical body even others will surely ask to join you in any form in order to work together and create more goodies out of the symbiotic synergy.

  13. In terms of vision and development of sustainable good society as well as putting together and pulling together diverse human and natural resources to create synergy and the greater good and the greater economic , political, social and all the other goods this is an excellent and viable idea to the say the least.

    But it needs a democratic and pluralistic broad based modern day good governance devoid of playing the usual and the familiar cat and mouse endless games but goes straight for the new and stable majority rule and strong citizens participation and civil society activation.

  14. Some body has to make you swallow this truth pill. You narrow nationalists any idea that some body brought is amara’s making. Stop bull shitting and come to reality. Amara never ruled Ethiopia. Tigray’s feudal, Oromo’ feudal every kind of feudal was ruling Ethiopia. Aba Jiffar used to be biggest slave trader. Tell me ab jifiar was an amara. The same is true with the other feudals. Miniik was a gala, H. Slassie was a 7 house gragie, mengistu was a Dorzie, Tefri Banti was a gala. You f–up oromos olr gala blame you own people. Why is it fashinable to blame amara. For every thing ill in your society faces. Yohanes killed by mahadi army. You stupid mahadi army was not an amara.

  15. First the title doesn’t merit the content of the article. The author starts by giving a tilte of federation of Southern Sudan, Puntland with Ethiopia, ok great, then a couple of paragraphs later, we are reading Gojam Berenda, Aba Shawul and how the Gurages followed the Gojames inbecoming merchants, come again? and second if there is any discussion about federating the teritories of southern Sudan, puntland with Ethiopia, it is intended in multipling our suffering and destruction and possibly utter colonization of our ancient country by oil hungry capitalists, and this my friend will not hold water to the fiercely independent Ethiopians.

    I think the wise men of Amhara would say, “Ye quatun bila ye bibtuan talech” a truly bifitting proverb for any one who is out of touch with the reality in Ethiopia. At this time we can’t even manage the Ethiopia we have at hand, we are on the verge of total collapse and fragmentation thanks to the notorious Adwa-Hamasien’s banda, wedi Zenawi (the short boy with bulging eyes and a big belly, borowing Prof. Tecola’s asute discription of the creature) who is a mercinary for many outside forces: Arabs, the west, the world bank, IMF (the great lords of famine) and the global investors in the bio-fuel industry, as well as the mega agrobuisness executives, tilling our lands to the bones while our country and our people are fed via foreign food aid tube year after year after year. We are tying to hold on to dear life by keeping Tigray, Amhara, Oromo and Somali provinces together, that our Heroic and visionariy fore-fathers, bless their souls passed to us. The struggle should focus on one thing and only one thing, on bringing down the barbarian Meles, anything else is secondary and only gives another second, minute, day and months to the dictator to hold on to power.

  16. Ayda:

    In history, there was NO kingdom called “Tigray.” There simply was nothing called like this until HaileSillasie created it.

    In past times, there were regions called Tigre ruled by Tigre Mekonen and Agame which were clearly ruled by Agame warlords. Forget Wolkayit and Tsegede because these were NEVER EVER part of Tigre or Agame.

    Throughout history when one said Tigre, it only meant Shire, Axum and Adwa and nothing more. The concept of “Tigray” came into existence thanks to Haile Sillasie.

    Agames are a clearly defined people and territory who are well known through out history. Infact historically they appear in the Axumite times when they were conquered by an unkown Axumite king but they clearly must have bounced back because throughout history they are known to have destroyed the Tigre Mekonnen. In that regard, Dejazmach Sebagadis who SPOKE Saho and was a muslim is mentioned first and foremost. Since Atse Yohanis was a decendant of Sebagadis, he too is more of an Agame than a Tigre. The only time the Tigre ascend to the throne is now thanks to Tigre Meles Zenawi. I dont believe Agame Seyum Mesfin is in power anymore.

    So this is the REAL history that needs to be told.

  17. Halafi Mengedi,

    You are selected a very nice name when you called yourself Halafi Mengedi.That is exactly what you are.
    The story that you are writing about King Yohannes 4th is that it is Isayas Afewerki’s fabricated story that was distributed among the young people of eritrea in Sawa military training camp to brain wash the young and instigate hatrade and create a feeling of intense hostility.
    Since you are one of Isayas products, I will not be surprised if you have your own version of story. But, the truth of the mater is history about Ethiopian kings is well documented and agreed upon by all corners of historians except Isayas Meles co and a rotten byproduct like yourself .

  18. I read Assta Be Gettu’s different articles since early 2009 and every time I read it, I am surprised to see a person in this time to think like him. Lately, the writings are far sophisticated than the previous articles by their content and mastery of language. I was contemplating for more than a year that this bogus name and guy called Assta Be Gettu is Elias Kifle himself. He is using this name to instigate and inject very sensitive issues among diaspora so he could get more infuriated people to participate on his website and later brag about the number of people that visits his website.
    Elias Kifle wrote one article about Gambela’s deforestation two months ago and put a 2008 Brazilian deforestation picture as a supporting document on his Nov. 23, 2010 online news. I will not surprised if he is playing as assta be gettu and Elias at the same time. From his track record one could easily deduct that he would do anything like this one.

  19. Well, whether you liked it or not surely south sudan will be federated with Ethiopia. Aklilu Habtewold may be smiling in his grave right now. That is the best thing that could happen to us and to our brothers in South Sudan. Actually why not one world government. Who cares. For those who worry about this, fear not.

  20. Intresting reading….one clarification

    Many Eritreans can trace their roots to Ethiopia – Gojam/Gonder and defently Tigrai. It is not a shame it is a historical fact and a heritage and we are all proud of our ancestors. As case in point is our own graceful President whose back-ground includes a Tigrian heritage.

    However, we Eriteans have a distinct identity than that of Ethiopians. This identity was forged through blood and sweat and no body can take that away from us.

    By writing this piece, i hope you were not trying to make it sound a beaking news. We know our history!

    You sound like a smart guy. Here is what you need to do get in your smart head – being an Eritrean is a STATE OF MIND!

    I bet you will never understand that nor expereince it EVER!

    Thanks again for the intresting article.

  21. I don’t even bother to read this kind of article. What in the world goes in one’s mind to even think such a crazy idea. I’ve no idea where some people live at all surly not on our planet.

    After we Ethiopians had a headache about federation and cessation and after the southern Sudanese soon will get their independence after a bitter struggle, how can some one comes with this crazy idea?

    I don’t know but this shows me simply the guy is really out of touch with reality or simply a crazy guy.

  22. Right on! Msmaku Asrat – There is nothing wrong with your aspiration of Federating the region.

    Msmaku Asrat’s wish is nostalgic Ethiopianism as some put it. So what? Ethiopian Nationalism shown in the persona of Yohannes, Menelik , Alula, Balcha etc. is known to be in the blood of most Ethiopians. It’s the original African/Black nationalism. Our differences today is in how to bring it back to its old glory.

    BTW, unlike the South Sudanese, Eritreans controlled the business sector of greater Ethiopia and they were the rich and the connected in the old Ethiopian Empire. However, Eritrean referendum became a choice between “slavery” and “freedom”. The rest is history. Was the “color” of their skin has anything to do with it? I am not sure.

    On the other hand, the South Sudanese have a lot in common with today’s Ethiopia proper. They won’t have religion issues to begin with.

    EPRDF’s questionable ethnic federation may allow the Sudanese who are similar with Ethiopia’s South to develop their culture while benefiting from a Federal Government and nation that has a long glorious African history. Why re-invent the wheel?

    The fact that today’s Ethiopian leaders are deputy PM a Southern Ethiopian and the PM himself who is half Raya Oromo and Kunama (according to Prof. Tecola H) won’t hurt the attractiveness of joining the strong Ethiopian Federation.

    I can elaborate more but suffice is to say the story told by the author is intriguing and fascinating.

    Cheers!

  23. Halafi Mengedi:

    First of all Alula Abanega is an Oromo by his ancestry. The name Alula was always used by Oromos to identify their own.

    Second of all, it was the “Wisdom of Minlik” which won the day at the Adwa war. Tigre soldiers have been defeated two times by Colonel Barderi. Just a year before Adwa, Ras Mangesha’s 7,000 troops fought against Barderi’s 340 troops and Mengesha was defeated in Adwa despite the numerical Advantage.

    Minilik defeated the colonial army because he was outstanding general, a man of courage and above all VERY WELL EDUCATED man. That is why you and your ilks of Bandas to this day badmouth his name in an attempt to avenge the defeat that he delivered to the Colonials. The colonials sure did transfer their disgust and hate to your type of little brain bastards.

    More of this story will come as soonn as I have time.

  24. well!
    good gestur! who would not like to be united and live in peace!
    But the author has nothing at hand to substantiat his wanna be ” deep skin analysis” and fails to understand and respect the freewill of the populations and ethnic groups.
    that is why i found the article just an act of desperation due to the creation of new geopoletics in the horn of africa which contradicts the Old east africa and africa as a whole.
    The author seems not ready to accept the reality but rathers blubbers and fails to dictate it but that is not the real remedy for your old ego.
    stop writing!bcs u cant stand against the wind….!my friendly advice! with due respect!
    peace!!!!

  25. Hey, get your history and facts straight. The first African leader who soundly defeated foreign invaders is no other than Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (who is better known in Ethiopia as Gragn Ahmed. He defeated not only some of the emperors of Ethiopia; he also dealt a death blow to those Portuguese who came to help them. History records that the first African victory against a major European power of the time was that of Gragn Ahmed in the 16th century, more than three hundred years before the emergence of Menelik. Although many Christian Ethiopians do not consider Gragn as an Ethiopian, he is no less an Ethiopian than any other. And although the Somalis claim him as their own, all indications testify that he is from the Afar ethnic group. If we consider the Afars as Ethiopians, and there is no reason to consider them any anything else, it does not make any sense to refer to Gragn Ahmed as an invader because by definition invaders can come only from the outside.

    If is very common to refer to Gragn Ahmed as an invader of Ethiopia even by those who seem to be well versed with Ethiopian history, but their opinions and analysis is void of any substance. Some historian allege that Ethiopia’s territory went as far as the port of Zaila on the south and extended to present day Yemen in the east. Let us just set aside that thought for a moment and agree that Ethiopia’s territory was not properly formed until the emergence of Menelik II. All of southern Ethiopian was conquered during Menelik’s reign; there is no argument there. Then, what makes Menelik’s expansion of the empire a noble cause and that of Gragn Ahmed’s march to the north a disastrous invasion? Well, the only difference I notice between the two historical figures is their religion; and that makes all the difference to some narrow chauvinists to worship one and denigrate the other. But that is to avail, one cannot write history as one wishe

  26. I unreservedly disagree with your assertion that Wayane’s crime against the Ethiopian people is ¼ of that of the Derg’s. They have killed and imprisoned as much if it is not more. Derg did it the name of protecting the country’s territorial integrity. What for are the Woyanne’s killing for? How about the treason and betrayal against the country? I believe treason and betrayal are universally despised heinous crimes the world over

  27. Although I like your article and sounds fact. Yet, you still need to base your proof and it sounds pro Amara rather than mulit ethnic Ethiopia. Another thing, content of the article does not ellabroate the title also?!

    Still, it was a good article. Please people keep telling us from seniors of course and fact the history of Ethiopia without becoming pro ethnic. Of course some of us will manipulate fact and the true history of Ethiopia to support your agenda or your ethnic group. I don’t think Ethiopians are interested in that but we want motivational Ethiopian history that is inclusive and it is ok to call spade is spade.

  28. Great proof to show these blind and ignorant pro ethnic groups DNA testing! Amazing they are becoming the Hitler era when the Gestapo tests people how pure white their people were for their agenda of ethnic cleansing. Weyane, Shaebia, OLF can start their DNA testing and boy will they be really surprised how diverse Ethiopia is. Their claim of pro ethnicity will be a fallacy!

  30. Assta,

    I am finally beginning to think that you are not stable. One minute you are pro Amara, one minute you are pro the South, etc, and your racism is showing clearly. It is people like you that is bleeding Ethiopia and allow groups like Shaebia and Weyane a country like Egypt to take advantage of Ethiopia. I think you are double agent.

  31. Molla,

    Brilliant, I like your analysis. Just because Amharic turned out to be the common language of Ethiopia, if there was such domination as Amara then kings of Gojam, Gonder, Wello, etc could not have existed and it would be the Amara kingdom. This makes sense so much! This is one proof that the claim made by Tigre and Oromo extremes is bogus and unfounded! Let us also remember however that if you happen to be Amharic speaker and since the foundation of Addis Ababa was based on Amharic language itself, people who were affluent in Amharic, hence modernization of Addis was more advantageous for them. Again we can also continue to research that why Amharic turned out to be the common language and powerful is the reason because of the respective kings that became powerful, like any other nations.

  33. The question we should ask is why do we need these federations? we have to be honest. We don’t have any common history.

    1. Is it because South Sudanese have oil resources? I am sure it is not just because we love them.
    2. Would one have thought of federation with South Sudan if they didn’t have attractive resources.
    3. The same goes for Somali land. Do we really like them as people or we just want the Indian ocean access?

    You know what is in your mind. The Southern Sudanese and Somalis also know the intention very well.

  34. Ashebr A.

    Unfortunately Ahmed Gragn had thousands of Ottoman Turks who sent back home thousands of Ethiopians from Ogaden to Tigray as slaves. Ahmed Gragn the defeater of foreign forces HAHA, you must be a new graduate of Dedebit

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