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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)”

  1. Sleshi: Your way of interviewing is fantastic,you know from where to start where to end.You seem a very experienced journalist.I don’t know exactly what you are trained in. Thank both for such excellent interview.

    Pres. Isaias knows Ethiopian politics more than an Ethiopian and he actually exposed the secrets that was hiden from Ethiopian People. Woyannes wrote the constitution, approved it and as the same time break the law.

  2. I would like to ask PIA my apology for for my ignorance. I have missjudged him for so long out of pour ignorance and negligence. The truth is the man knocked some sense to my thinking. He said “if I wanted week Ethiopia, all I have to do is back down and do nothing; because the weyane are doing a good job of it.” People! Think about that statement! Is there any more truth than this? Thanks to Sileshi and Elias

  3. woyane has been destroying Ethiopia for the last 18 years. Now I understood very well from the Eritrean leader interviews why the woyane are destroying the country. Great Tigrai is the woyane dream that has been exposed by the Eritrean government in the last 10 years. The Ethiopian cinstutution is written to benfit their own dream as i understood from this interview. They have been moving all the economy of the country to Tigrai since they got into power. We Ethiopian need to be aware of woyane intation of our country. Thanks for bringing this interview to us.

  4. I hope you will post # 4 and 5 today since it is weekend and many of us have only this time to get time to watch it

    You have done great in connecting the two people together and revealing what is been hiden for years- thank you Elias and Seleshi

  5. Thank you Wedi Afom for putting into words what I feel in my heart! Yeah, the right to self-determination up to secession is self-destruction. Elias, keep up the Great Work!

  8. Wow,

    I am very amazed by the interview, how resourceful the president not only in Ethiopian politics but even he revealed the deep secret of Woyanne. He made them empty. Meles has not no words to say. What a crocked guy he is. This message is not for the diaspora, but for the officers of the woyane and their support. The president said what is going to be unfortunate if this phenomena is not addressed a head of time. I wish he was Ethiopian president. I know he will be a dictator but who cares as far as he stands for the nation

    Love him , Viva president
    Thanks sileshi and elias

  9. IT is getting very interesting, we had been brain-washed for so long, we were paranoid on the issue concerning Eritrea and its leaders. These discussions should have been done long a go. I think, he is very frank and concern for the Ethiopian regime. When a leader talks about peace, stability and development there is a light in the tunnel. Good Discussions.

  10. hi elias and selish, what you are doing is not only journalistic excellence, but also you are trying to bridge the gap created by continuous propaganda to make these two people in a state of animosity and suspicion. if i am not mistaken, there is a saying in amharic “truth may delay, but it will not stay hidden forever.” roughly translated, both Ethiopian and Eritrean should not allow the hate mongers and ignorants define how we think of each other. let’s wake up and make a genuine effort to talk heart to heart and embarrass the hatemongers.
    THUMPS UP FOR THE COURAGEOUS
    JOURNALIST ELIAS AND EPPF POLITICIAN SLESHI.

  11. I am an Eritrean deported by the woyane regime from Ethiopia. As the president said,it is only a matter of recognizing Eritrea as free nation and accept it that leads to Eritreans and Ethiopians live in peace and love.

  12. First of all I would like to say thank you for Elias and Silesh for their courage and time taken to interview the Eritrean president. It is valuable to have the Eritrean perspective on the situation in our country as well as our leaders, which is often very limited.

    Anyone who follows the situation in our country will be well aware of the following facts and why it is essential to change our LIAR leaders:
    – The Eritrean President’s philosophy is one of self-reliance for Eritrea; Ethiopia, on the other hand, is the top foreign aid receiver in the world. In fact, a UN study reported that the life expectancy in Eritrea, a country without foreign aid, has increased to 66 years of age. In Ethiopia, the life expectancy is lower yet the economy has doubled in growth.
    – In Eritrea, there is “freedom of media” in so far as it is not divisive of the people in its country; In Ethiopia, on the other hand, there is “freedom of media” in so far as it supports and legitimizes the existing regime.
    – The government of Eritrea is non-corrupt, whereas the government of Ethiopia is one of the most corrupt in Africa. For example, the Eritrean President’s wife is a modest woman who owns very little; the wife of Prime Minister Meles, on the other hand, is one of the richest in Ethiopia.
    – Contrary to what has been reported in the media campaign, Eritrea provided moral support only to Somalia. Prime Minister Meles, on the other hand, sent troops into Somalia to divert attention from Ethiopia and in the process sacrificed many of our people.
    – President Isayas was clear from the beginning that as soon as the border problem was resolved, he will hold elections. Most Eritreans supported this plan. The elections in Ethiopia, on the other hand, were rigged, all opposition leaders were arrested, hundreds of protesters were killed, and thousands of CUD supporters were arrested.
    – President Isayas explained that the arrest of a “Swedish journalist” (Dawit) was to hold him accountable for his role in disseminating propaganda for the purposes of dividing people and ethnic groups and others. On the other hand, BIRTUKAN and TEDDY AFRO are political prisoners.

    In addition to the above, there was the genocide in Anuak and Ogaden and Ethiopian wealth is moving to North “Tigray”.

    We need to use this interview as an opportunity to unite with our neighbouring country Eritrea and work together to change the regime. As we know, this government was formed illegally. Long live Ethiopia!

  13. I am an Eritrean; which I am very impressed by the boldness of these two ethiopian journalists to cross the line and conduct an interview with President Isaias.I am not surprised by the brilliant answers of our President because collectively our leaders are the most visionaries of our time not only for Eritrea but for Africa as a whole which we are blessed as Eritreans. To come to my point; the EPLF (Shaebia) vision from inception was all natural resources in east Africa whether you call it port; mineral or human resources belongs to the people of east Africa. So by positioning all the resources we have; we can be not only competitive but a dominant force for change in Africa. This Philosophy of EPLF is the same yesterday; today and tomorrow so lets strive to archive this lofty goals by working together.

  16. To my surprise, president Isayas has touched the issues that would make Ethiopians feel good. I appreciate the journalism portrayed by Elias and Sileshi as a great contribution to bringing about the otherwise polarized regional elites(in a way that is obviously damaging the common interests of the people) to the light. This should be how understanding between institutions develops. That said, as a devoted politician, I think it was easy for the president to say what he has been formulating as yet another strategy that will only reflect and expand the interest of Eritrea. By blaming all the ills on Woyane that is obviously reproducing enemies just like its predecessors, it is easy to imagine who is at the advantage at this moment. I was wondering about the president’s analogy of 999:1 possibility of marginalization transforming into cessation. Does that mean Eritrea was the result of that assessment? You can guess what I am thinking. But the fact that Ethiopia is more complicated than that proves how hard it is to rule. Nothing is proven yet unless Elias interviews Meles as well.

  17. first i thank you elias and seleshi when i realize it has been 18 years that ethiopians suffer under TPLF it burns me badly inside how long this is going to continue i will say we have to work with ERITREA and president ISAYAS to over throw this blood sucking lich woyanes and bring peace to the horn of Africa.

    insh alah it won’t be long to see the end of woyanes.

  18. Issayas is a man of principle he has no any hidden agenda he believes in strong and united Ethiopia. If you want to know more about issayas go to the web site youtube and see what he said 40 years ago you will be proud of him.

    Good job Elias and Sileshi

  20. I think we all are grateful for what happen so far, how about, start talking, what we can do Together, to transform it, in to concrete practice, I think we have to start somewhere.

  21. Great questions Elias and Sileshi. Very nice to hear PIA say he considers 999 out of 1000 possibilities for unity and only 1 out of 1000 chances for separation. He sounds more Ethiopian than the current rulers of Ethiopia. Unfortunately, a lot of damage has been done by the Woyanes over the last 18 years to the cause of unity. It is not too late though. The Ethiopian people can still get rid of those hyenas.

  22. no wonder why some writters belive eritrea is the hope of africa, i think i have to admit and agree with them. after i have seen the three part of president issais interview i begun to see things differently about the horn of africa’s future and i feel good about it. i hope other follow ethiopians feel the same way. we have been misinformed about this great eritrean leader for so long. now it is time to stand up and work with eritrean for the betterment of these two people.

  23. OMG, he is genious. I am not sure if it is pretense but he is way better. Why can’t he lead Ethiopia too? ER you made me change my mind about Issayas

  25. Ertrawi

    Great interview, time to stop going back, it is time to go forward. Thank you for opening this new chapter between Eritreans and our brothers and sisters (Ethiopians). We need to look forward meaning 30 years from now, what kind of nations do we want to build for our children? I have always said if the previous regimes of Ethiopia (Heilesilase and Mengstu) have tried 30 years of peace instead of war I think by now we would have been united or would have been very close to unity. Our generation have a duty, our duty is to make sure we lay the ground of understanding through stage by stage integration of economy culture and values which will be our common identity, it is this shared value that is required for peace stability and unity in our region. The question of unity is not our responsibility (unity comes as a result of integration) for that reason it will be the next generations challenge. If we had 30 years of peace instead of war by now we would be thinking on these lines but sadly we had 30 years of war. So we need to move forward and make the current generation be the first generation to begin the creation of peaceful and viable horn of Africa.
    To these how are still thinking about taking parts of Eritrea (Asab), I would say you must have been in a coma, have you not seen enough wars and distraction, stop asking the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea to go though the same cycle of war for the next 30 years. I can guaranty you Eritreans will never give up their hard won independents. So if anyone wants to pursue that issue i would say they are declaring war not only on Eritrea and Eritreans but on Ethiopians too, because Ethiopians just like the Eritreans are sick and tired of endless wars. If Eritrea was willing to give any part of its territory it would have done so a long time ago. Remember I as an Eritrean, I am not your enemy have not been your enemy will not be your enemy. All I ask is the respect of my identity as an Eritrean. This identity did not just come by chance, it was build through an imaginable sacrifice of Eritreans just like Isaias Afwerki, and he is just a representation of all these Geganu (Gegnoch) who have paid the ultimate price with their life. Now if we want to create a strong unity between our people please, please, please… stop the war mentality lets pay the same sacrifices to create a united and unique identity between our people, that will forge the ultimate goal of achieving independent society (free society united, at peace with itself and free of external dependence and foreign powers).
    New beginning new dawn, the beginning of building our common identity and values for peace, stability and unity, let’s make it happen!

  26. thank you elias for this interview.
    This is just a tip on the iceberg what you have heard about
    isaise, if you open your eyes widely open and your ear.you will know him how good is he not just for eritrea but for the horn of africa. this is why we love him so much if there is an election tomorrow the Eritrean people would vote isaias there is no doubt for that but the country is on war with tplf. if there where no war with tplf in this 18 years Eritrea would the richest country in africa.Why we love isaias is;-
    -His is not a corrupt leadr
    -He opposes african leaders stealing public money
    -He is the only one free to walk in the street

  27. These two journalists deserve a lot of congratulations. They brought the truth out. All the time I believed that president Isaias is for Ethiopian unity. Now we see it for real in this interview. And he has to be. In my book he is a true patriotic Ethiopian. It is about time that he will bring Eritrea into the fold of its motherland, Ethiopia. And with our new leader, Isaias Afwerki, Ethiopia will be the leader not only of the Horn of Africa, but of the whole continent of Africa. That has been and still is the dream of Isaias.

  28. I FEEL ASHAMED AND GUILTY FOR BEING PART OF THE EMOTIONALLY DRIVEN AND BRAINWASHED BY WOYANE PROPOGANDA TO WAGE WAR AND DESTROYING ANYTHING INSIGHT BY HIGH TECH WEAPO0NS IN ERITREA A DECADE AGO.

  29. Thanks Elias and Shileshi. You have opened a new chapter and close the old one with miss guided. We Eritrean like to see a strong Ethiopia from Day one. In 1988 EPLF helped Woyane to fight against Mengstu regime in Shire Enda Silassie. EPLF told WOYANE to go fight with Ethiopian in other part of Ethiopia but the answer was mine your business SHAIBIA.

    1989 Woyane liberated Tigrai for one year doing nothing but hanging around Mekele and roaming around Sudan to see if they can live without the rest of Ethiopia. Shaibia told to Woyane to go fight along Ethiopians and liberate the whole country as one nation and they do so with some hidden agenda to use Ethiopian resources and man power to build ABAI TIGRAI (Greater Tigrai).

    This is the history we know as Eritrean and let sit down and tell you the story a lot about Woyane.

    Love to all Eritrean and Ethiopian
    Simply Eritrean

  30. BRAVO ELIAS AND SILESHI,
    THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TPLF AND EPLF IS THAT ALWAYS EPLF THINKS UNITING PEOPLE BUT TPLF IS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT GREATER TIGRAY.
    READ MANIFESTO TIGRAI 1976

  31. Great interview guys. i m sure by now abebe, meles, legese, whatever his name is, and his gangs are wetting their pants. I know they scare of isaias like hell. I can’t wait for the next interview. cheers.

  32. wow i like this man. i never knew he is this kinda person. What a great man is this! But one thing i wish is he will keep his word. I’m hoping he is man of his word. God bless him for he opened our eyes.

  33. Woyanne is like a wounded hyena. Ethiopian from all walks of life need to come together and work with Eritrea. PIA in his interview emphasized peace, development and tranquility for both nations is in our disposal.Let us once for all send woyane to his grave. Dayton man.

  34. my fellow Ethiopians u have full time brothers n sisters north of you n they r called Eritreans, no more ignorance we all belong to eachother, n we can make it at last,lets be genuine n be honest to our selves, lets not get fooled by the primitive low life weyanes misleadind propogandapeace to insite hate between both broptherly ppl.Peace and rain to the ppl of the horn.elias what a great job.

  35. ahmed says:
    “It is about time that he will bring Eritrea into the fold of its motherland, Ethiopia. And with our new leader, Isaias Afwerki, Ethiopia will be the leader not only of the Horn of Africa, but of the whole continent of Africa. That has been and still is the dream of Isaias. I don’t know what “ahmed” (comment #167)is talking about. But Isaias has never dreamt of being a leader of Africa and you know it. You are full of sh’t that even you stink more than the Weyanes. What do you mean by “he [Isaias] will bring Eritrea into the fold of its motherland, Ethiopia. I haven’t heard him say that. Wey gud! A typical distractor. Here we are trying to narrow the group that existed between our people as good neighbors, and “ahmed” tries to inject a source of disagreement. Whoever you are “ahmed”, Ethiopian, Eritrean or something else — you are an evil person in my books!

  36. I’ve been cheated and became victim of weyane’s propaganda campaign which over a long period of time has made me to think that “Eritreans were our enemies, and Kebur President Issias Afewerk was an enemy of Ethiopia.” Now thanks to this timely interview and the very much appreciated efforts of both Ato Elias and Ato Shileshi, I have come to realize I have been lied to and cheated by the weyanes who are dividing Ethiopia. The interview has opened my eyes to see things I couldn’t possibly been able to see in the past. I have an utmost respect and gratitude for the people of Eritrea and their President, and I hope to see a day come that we both live in peace and harmony as good friendly neighbors. That day seems to be nearer and nearer each time Ethiopian unity is threatening the weyane regime, and now that we’re becoming friends and close allies with our neighbors, I have no doubt it has expedited the downfall of weyane, and shed light to an upcoming new era of lasting peace and stability in a weyane less horn of Africa.
    God bless the people of both Ethiopia and Eritrea.
    Love knows no borders; and bullets have no names.

  37. What a great piece and interview.

    Congratulation to ER and EPPF for breaking the logjam and for opening the dialogue with Eritrea and Ethiopia.

    I am a fan of Isias now.

    Dawit

  38. Elias you have done a good job , but have you thought to interpret PIAs interview to those who can not or understand english to Amharic or to any Ethiopian language? You have done a good job. But you have this homework to translate to those who can not understand English.

  39. IT IS REFRESHING TO READ THE COMMENTS BY BOTH ETHIOPIANS AND ERITREANS TYING TO REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER. I AM ONE HAPPY ERITREAN WHO ALSO SHARES THE SAME VIEW OF THE REST OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

    I RECALL THE POSTING BY BOTH ERITREANS AND ETHIOPIANS DURING THE BORDER WAR OF 1998 – 2000 WHICH WAS FULL OF VENOM AND HATRED. READING THE POSTINGS TODAY, IT IS VERY CLEAR, WE HAVE ALL MATURED AND RECOGNZIE OUR ENTWINNED FUTURE.

    ALL I CAN SAY IS THANKS TO ER AND PIA FOR OPENING THE MUCH NEEDED COMMUNICATION FOR MUTUAL PEACE.

    THIS INTERVIEW HAS MADE ONE THING VERY CLEAR – THE EIRTREAN PEOPLE AND GOVENRMENT ARE NOT ENMIES OF THE ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE.

    ER – PLS CONTINUE THIS NOBLE CAUSE OF ESTABLSHING OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION FOR LONG LASING PEACE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

    THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS

  41. Isaias is a principled person,that is why i admire him. i think the wishy-washy weyanes must be terrified of event developing in such a pace .For the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea the ultimate objective should be the removal of this narrow minded and Poisonous regime. For us in diaspora there is nothing paramount to see a peaceful Ethiopia and Eritrea so that we would be able to go back home and contribute to the development of our respective countries .

    peace be to both people !!!!!

  42. Long over due interview that could have prevented misunderstanding, suspicion and hostility. A historical interview which transcript could be referred to ,long after Issayas and all of us are gone.

    Elias, at last you are well defended in your support of this leader.
    Sileshi, once and for all, the EPPF is officially stamped.

    -His position on article39 is very clear and joins any sensible Ethiopian.
    -His analysis of “army”, doctrine and usage is interesting.
    -Woyaney’s security apparatus is well highlighted than most might expect the “army”.
    -National service: very interesting as opposed to a grand army.
    -“Sustainable democracy”: It seems he defended the fact that he in the past concluded, “Election in Eritrea could take as long as three to four decades.

    Eritrea is a much smaller country than Ethiopia. Some of his suggestions are great, but to apply to Ethiopia is a much grander step. He is believable and likable in spite of past history., more into doctrine and may be still attached to Ethiopia as well as prevent future threat.

  43. Well done interview. I can not wait to listen the last part. This man really has the will to contribute his own part to wards establishing a unified and integrated Ethiopia. What remains from all of us to contribute our part.

  44. I just called Eritrean Embassy to congratulate president Isayas for his interview with Ethiopian Review (Elias Kifle). There will now be solutions to problems that we have not seen for quite some time. When we are working together will shorten the woyane clique. God bless Elias, Seleshi and President Isaias Afeworki. We will fight until the cancer is cured. We will not stop fighting the (woyane cancer) until the cure is found. UNITED ETHIOPIA FOREVER!

  46. I say very good job to the journalists. Very good interview.

    There is one very important point that bothered me a lot. That is democratic elections in both Ethiopia and Eritrea. President Isaias essentially stated that both the Ethiopian and Eritrean peoples are not ready for democratic elections because national unity and concept of democratic elections are not developed in both nations. My question is that who decides whether democratic culture are developed or not. If it is the leaders who decide then that is called by another and its proper name dictatorship.

    Is president Isaias advocating tyranny for both Ethiopia and Eritrea. I do not like his answer to that one very excellent question. Then what is the difference between prime minister Meles and president Isaias. It appears to me that both are advocating dictatorship but they are coming to it from different angles. I would have liked a follow-up question to that disturbing answer.

  47. WAW what interview…It really opens a lot of things, which normally doesn’t seem imaginable. After this Interview my thought about Eritrea and this man totally changed in positive way, I wish this interview was 10 years ago, we should prospered a lot togather. And I really appreciate the courage of Elias and Sileshi, thank you guys.

    Let be togather again and march towords VICTORY.
    Viva Ethiopia Viva Eritrea.
    W.

  48. Weyane rank and file members!

    Refer to interview six. President Isaias said that Eritrea Was asked by Weyane through diplomats to abandon the different opposition groups supported by Eritrea in exchange for Bademe and other areas. The President confirmed that both requests are not negotiable for Eritrea now and in the future. But for Melese and the gang, everything under the sun is negotiable as long as they retain power to plunder Ethiopia. Weyane rank and file members, mark the point and dissociate yourself from the gang in time as the gang have no an iota of Tigrean nationalism and will abandon you in no time.

  49. Good job! It is good to work with Eritreans. But not only that We need help to save the Ethiopians. Tell me what do you do when you are in a plane over the sky of Asmara and same thing wrong happen to the plain. I am sure you ask help form the ground in Asmara for landing. In a short while you fly to your way successfully. And what we need now is runway for departure, thanks to the peoples and government of Eritrea everything is ready.

  50. First of all I would like to say thank you so much Mr.Elias and Mr.Sileshi to take this hard step. It shows that you both are open minded and practicing your professionalism in board way to different level. I am very surprise the way Mr. President Isaias answers to each questions. He answered all of them in detail and in sensible way. He seems intelligent and knowledgeable person. Not taking any assistance from other countries to teach his people hard work, pride, and self-esteem is a good principle. Also he believes with open communication and meeting to resolve a problem and issues. That is plus for him. Also he believes one strong united Ethiopia. I have seen some of the comments are written about this interview. Some seem bothered by Mr. President Choice of language. I don’t. Why should we? He must not know Amharic as much. Anyway language is a powerful tool that brings people together regardless of our difference and similarities. I admire Mr. President to speak the 2nd language as beautifully as possible with extended and rich vocabulary. He isn’t even living in English speaker country. At least we got a way to be answered our questions. That is the beauty of language. Mr. Elias please we need more this kinds of interview. We want to hear from Mr.Meles as well. Thank you for the hard work.

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