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Interview with President Isaias Afwerki (Part 1 – 6)

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

The following are Part 1 to 6 of the Ethiopian Review and eppfOnline.org interview with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The translation of the interview to Amharic will be posted as soon as it is ready.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

317 thoughts on “Interview with President Isaias Afwerki (Part 1 – 6)”

  4. Bravo Elias and Sileshi:

    This is what I call journalism. You asked the questions that are in every body’s mind. Very important questions. We were afraid that you may not ask such questions.

  6. I think this interview is really good. I hope to hear more of it. I want to hear what Meles and some of his followers would say about it. I and you know, they won’t be happy about it. It is true though that Aiga and some other websites will start moving thier tales to hear deep inside but they would never beleive it. What ever they think that’s really good Sileshi and Elias did.

  9. Never thought Isaias is this kinda person
    i know most ppl talk things but they dont live it
    But seems like this guy is
    Good for the ppl…good for Africa

  10. Elias,

    I can’t wait for the rest of the interview. Good job! Bertu.
    But why president Esayas don’t like to speak in amharic? Is it because he understands it only? Language is a means of communication anyway.

  12. President Isaias Afwerki is articulate as always. Good news for all Ethiopians and Eritreans. Great job Elias and Selshi. Now is the time to put your money were your mouth is and help the opposition.

  13. Please post part two…..soon! it’s vivid this genuis leader ultimate goal seem to be about creating a well developed Horn Of Africa, a sort of mini China version of the 21 century!

  15. Ethiopia has a choice of remaining to be a subject of poverty and corruption, because it’s lead by corrupted tyrant thugs or to rise up and kick these embarrassing puppet leaders once and for all so that Ethiopians can live in peace. Eritrean leadership is paving positive ways for Africa and the opportunity is there to be taken. Ethiopia has been hungry since 1984, yet Ethiopia has so much resource that can feed half of Africa. Why don’t Ethiopians even question why their country has become the embarrassment to Africa? Weyanes are naturally evil and will never change. The one reality is Eritreans put them where they are and Eritreans will bring them down. Time is ticking and the end of the dirty, evil minded Weyane is so near.

  16. THank you Elias and Sileshi!
    This interview reshape my life time thinking about Presidant Issayas and Eritrean people. I hope my fellow Ehiopians have the same kind of understanding and work together with Eritreans to destroy Weyane from our beloved country.

    Thank you thank you thank you…

  17. Journalism at it’s best. Well done. We have to break taboo to succeed. This (21st C) is the age of information technology. Mr Elias and Mr Seleshi are a head of their fellow journalists. Don’t listen to the negativity of Woyane’s disinformation.

  18. Your interview with President Isayas is a more potent weapon than a lot of guns combined. I am glad you are presenting it one part at a time because the wisdom President Isayas imparts is better grasped slowly.

    The true wisdom and knowledge and wisdom gained from this kind of interview will help our peoples recognize what the goal is and eventually contribute to a united action to bring about the kind of peace we desire for generations. Woyanne’s fear and paranoia will rise to its highest level because their propaganda that managed to fool many Ethiopians will flat on its face and their power will erode as a result of this interview. This will spur Ethiopians and Eritreans around the world to close arms and lead us towards a united action to bring about peace and prosperity to our peoples.

  19. wel done elias and sileshi

    this is very important step in improving the relation of the two brotherly people and well done Isaias as he explained all the truth… we will wait you elias to interview meles and expect the truth of meles too. I am eritrean and i need information from both sides before I believe things. we should consider all and we should stop being selfish to our side.

    well done once again

  20. Great guys, you all look very good. I wished President Issayas spoke in Amharic. If I am not mistaken he would speak better in Amharic than English

  21. Brilliant and worth watching! United Ethiopia would not be a threat to Eritrea. I thought we are going to be united. May be not. Sir, that is why you were being interviewed to at least hint towards that goal. I have to cringe every time he says, “hostage of history.” What is it? good job guys!

  22. Ghion,

    Please fix your computer, this vedio is as good as any professional videos out there. It is very good to hear at least President Isaias wish for Ethiopian unity. Integration with Eritrea. Good Job Elias, you have done better than the so called “Hamburger“ organizations.

  23. 1) At first I was skeptical about this interivew. But after hearing Isayas, He was on point on most all issues. I belive a united strong Ethiopia will be an asset for Eritrea not a threat. I also liked his vision for the horn of Africa in general. Horn of Africa needs to integrate politically and economically and be a force to be recoken with.

    2) As to someone who asked why he did not speak in Amharic. That is I think a wrong question to ask. As a president of a sovergin nation, he should speak in a language that is commonly understood in both nations.

    3) some people may have doubt why deal with a guy who does not respect human right in his own country. I think that is a legit question and needs an answer from the president. I think if Isays releases all the politcal prisoners in his own country and respect press freedom etc, he will be admired and respected by Eritreans as well as Ethiopians and his vision for the future will be realized. Otherwise, it will make him hypocrtical.

  24. This is briliant! If the president of Eritrea means what he says, and works hard towards it, I think we will have a bright future. Not only in Ethiopia but in the entire region.
    Thank you Elias and Sileshi!!

  25. WE have been living in a mythical world that things, people and perceptions would not change. if you do not open the door and windows of a house, you would live in a stinking and foul smell. but if you open up for new ideas and change, then the dynamics change. Meles is still playing with our emotions. Woyanne is trying to make us hate Eritreans and Eritrea by allowing them to come and take their money and property. It is planned to create hatred since it believes that Isayas would be sweet talking to Ethiopians. It is great to talk and see that the other side also has something to say. Elias – it is a good ice breaker for the peoples of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The clouds of perceptions and hatred of Aigaforum and Ben’s servitude page are dispersing and dialogue between Eritreans and Ethiopians is starting.

  26. Elias,

    You’re a true Ethiopian. I’m really proud of you. I’m sure people will not know what the sound of a true leader is. Isaias is a unique leader. That’s why people hate him. Even his people – they don’t understand him.

  28. People and views grow up and change. If Isayas is untrustworthy, it would be his problem. This is the age when people have to be good for their own sakes. Even if Isayas has his own agenda, I could work with him as far as my interests are concerned. When the line is crossed, I would reckon my moves. Who does not have problems with his dad, mom girlfriend or spouse and later move on with a new chapter. Imagine not going to the kitchen when you are fighting with your mom. Ethiopians and Eritreans shall look beyond their leaders and the present and grow up for their respective interests than not using their human and economic resources by acting like estranged spouses. Nations do not act like kids and live in their secluded fantasy worlds.

  29. As far as I can tell President Isaias Afeworki is consistent in his thinking since he spoke at the conference in 1992. At that time, he said that he would consider confederation between Ethiopia and Eritrea. If it was not for woyanne, Eritrea and Ethiopia would have a strong relationship that would shape the future generations. Now I declare woyanne is the number one enemy of both people.

  31. I am an Eritrean and I have not watched the video yet. I will very soon when I get the time.
    However, I find the comments left by people to be very touching and I can say that I am excited about the future of the horn of Africa. If we can all think on the same page, nobody can stop us from achieving!

  32. ሰይጣን መስቀልን እንደሚፈራ ሁሉ አቶ ኤልያስ ለወያኔ እንደ መስቀል ማስበርገግ ከጀመሩ እንሆ ዓመታት አስቆጥረዋል:: ስለሆነም ነው የወያኔ ካንጋሩ ፍርድ ቤት በሌሉበት የሞት ፍርድ የበየነባቸው:: የሞት ፍርዱን ወደ ጎን እንተውና የአቶ ኤልያስ እና የአቶ ስለሺ ቃለምልልስ ከኩቡር ፕረሲደንት ኢሳይያስ አፈወርቂ መለስና ቡቹሎቹ በያሉበት እያስቀመጣቸው መሆኑን ከወዲሁ መተንበይ አያዳግትም :: በሞሆኑም የባጥ የቆጡን መቀበጣጠር መጀመራቸው ከወደ አዲስ አበባ የሚነፍሰው ነፋስ እየነገረን ነው ድንገት አቶ ኤልያስ አስመራ ምሆናቸው ዎያኔ እንደ ሰማ ደንገት የዝንጀሮ ካቢኔውን ሰብስቦ ከኤርትራውያን ዘርፎ የበላውን መልሶ መትፋት እንደሚፈሊግ በበረከተ መርግሙ በኩል እያላዘነብን ነው:: ያስፈሩኛል ብሎ ያመነባቸው ትቀናቃኞችም በየእስርቤቱ ማጎርና ማወካብ የወያኔ ድንጋጤ መረን መልቀቁን በግልጽ የሚያሳይ ነው:: ስለዚህ አቶ ኤልያስ ወያኔን ብቁሙ የሚያበላሽና ፈስ በፈስ የሚያደርግ ስራ እየሰራህ መሆኑን አውቀህ ቀጥልበት ብቻ ማለት ነው እኔ የምፈልገው::

  33. So much thanks to Elias and Sileshi the best Men of the year. We Eriteans and Ethiopians we need to talk talk and talk. Not talking each other means our future is like the fate of Middle east (Israels and Palestains). We have many many good things in common to share than killing each other or woking against each other. From this minute I consider every Ethiopian men as brothers and Ethiopian women as sisters not my potential enemy as before. We Eritreans and Ethiopians should give peace the chance. Our people deserve to live in peace. If there is peace and friendship then As President Isaias said sky is our limit.

  38. I really appreciate the way that Isayas thinks,if what he is talking is true.The most fascinating issue i heard was that he is very much concerned about the future generations to come,however Ato Meles never mentioned the word”future generation”at any occasion that tells he is crooked and selfish.
    Elias and Sleshi you have done good job.I cann’t wait for the second part.

  40. Elias i appreciate your courage to find the truth what in our community think about Issayas afewerki, you was asking really what was in my mind, thx bro.

  41. I enjoyed the interview with President Issaias Afewerki, like many of the discussions we have with him in the past he surpassed my expectations again, I have said in the past that listening to Issaias Afewerki was better than reading a 500 page book.

  42. Let’s not hear the terrible sound of Woyanies who are our slaughterers, who want to fragment the Nation State of Ethiopia, who don’t believe in integration within and without. Woyanies want to see Ethiopians, Eritreans and as a matter of fact, the whole subregion devouring each other; it has been witnessed. The Woyanies are irresponsible because they represent destructive death–just study their performance records. Isayas is opening his heart to whole world. His heart, as I can see now, is as wide as the ocean; you can swim in it; he wants us to exchange helping hands and ideas from the grass-root level. President Isayas is very well aware of the past mistakes, and he tells us not to be hostage to history while we can work hard to achieve our freedom that both people share in common. What do you think fellow Ethiopians? I think the source of evil thoughts is Woyanie; the one that receives it from Woyanie is passing it over to the other and to the other and still to others, and such is the way distortions are multiplied. It is high time, I think, we need to cooperate; the more we try to run away and hide, the more trouble we will be creating to ourselves in the near future. Beware of distortions!!!!! For now it is enough and I shall give my comments on part II of the video.

  43. Elias,

    Thank you again for the Job well done.

    One Key Phrase of Eritrea President Isayas Afwerki.

    “A strong united and prosperous Ethiopia can not be a threat.”

    Yes, a prosperous country can not oppress its people and it will not also export this kind of oppression and threat to other neighboring nations.

  44. I am an amhara. I lost my beloved brother in Dekemehari- Eritrea during the Derg regiem. I used to picture Isayas Afeworki as a cruel man and an inventer of Woyane and always behind woyane to destroy Ethiopia. But this interview washed away everything. I am sorry about the innocent Ethiopians who are kept hostage by the woyanes. Who doesn’t want to learn from this genius person? He is the living witness for all the past and present mess of the Ethiopian/Eritrean politics. He knows Ethiopia better than the narrow-minded woyanes.

    By using my citezenship right as an Ethiopian, I endorse him to be my president- at least an honerary president of United Democratic Ethiopia. Shme on you Meles Zenaw! You are such a crooked and snake person. Look your friend how he is genuine when telling history. He was so humble as well. President Isayas is cleared himself and won’t be accountable to the past history. I liked his genuinity. Imagine if he was Meles to be interviewed. You would have collected hundred of insults. he would have told us that you are Demegnoch, Neftegnoch, timkhitegnoch. Meles is really a snake.

    After I listened the interview, I have found another point to hate Derg. They should have created peace agreement with Isayas/Eritrea and this parasite Woyanes should have left out. Today, we would have enjoyed United Democratic Ethiopia, which would be a proud home of Tigres, Amharas, Oromos, Gurages, Benshanguls, somalis,….

    Hope Isayas can do something before he gets old.

  46. WOW is the word of the day. I still think that we have missed a lot previously. We have been kept in the dark even before this hodams in arat kilo. We never had the chance to actualy understand Eritrea and that is to hear it from the horse’s mouth. I am speechless to say the least. Just part one but gave an angle of thought I never imagine could entertain. This man is to be trusted and even when you go back and look at paterns and how things went in the past.

    Thank you Elias

    eternal glory to Ethiopians and Eritreans.

  48. Thank you Elias on behalf of all Ethiopians!!!!!

    now the silence is broken between two people it is time to put our differences and woyane behind. work for bright future.

  49. I am eritrean. I believe that if the sovereignty of eritrea is respected, ethiopians are the number one people who are close to us culturally, historically and we would like to work with them for the development of our people.

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