Dueling Dictators

I advise the people of two most backward nations to cooperate and build their poor economy. Besides, the ruling elites must be stopped from taking their nations and their people to undesirable war. Please understand the nature of African politicians. They do anything and everything to remain in power. The best example of such kind of determination, to stay in power with all cast observed in the behavior of these nations??? leaders. Their policies proved wrong in the last 17 years but still give wrong promises and fantasy stories. In my opinion it is time to see new faces with new ideas. I am surprised by the nationalist feeling, and expression of the supporters of these two undemocratic regimes. When I say undemocratic I mean they do not allow real multi party system, they abrogated systematically or openly freedom of speech, freedom of expression and monopolize power. Yet these comments may be the opinion of their cadres and people benefited form their regimes blindly support them. finally please realize who you are in the real world, the poorest in the world, beggars, from the whole world, technologically, economically, politically, financially, socially and academically inferior from the whole nations in the world, please don???t further antagonize the people. When you open your mouth your brain can be seen.

Interesting enough for people to post this many comments. A healthy discussion and an exceptional article.

http://www.abesha.wordpress.com

Shanka is right on the money. Stop waging war, feed your people, stop begging... in short get your country in order. Reporting facts is not meddling. The article does just that. your medieval mind set can't comprehend that?

Shankardada2 is right on the money. Stop waging war, feed your people, stop begging.... in short get your country in order. Reporting facts is not meddling. The article does just that.

One thing the westereners should know is that Ethiopia has no a slightest interest to go to war because she is busy fighting her eternal enemy-poverty. So, don't equate a democratic and civilized governement of Ethiopia with a war mongerer regime of Eritrea- led by the rentseeker Isayas Afewerki. Ethiopia through out her very long history didn't go to war as an agressor, but it was attacked so many times by different forces from the dervites of the sudan to Eritrea. But no one of such aggressors were able to defeat Ethiopia. And if Eritrea would launch an attack again it will get the fate of its predecessor aggressors.

Tadesse

Another arrogant article from a westerner "reporter" who understands nothing about the two countries. If the reporter had done his homework, he would have found out that the war has nothing to do with the border of the two countries. It was an invasion by Eritrea to in order to gain access to the Ethiopian economy. Naturally. Ethiopia had to defend itself and that is what happened. If it were not for you Westerners meddling and misshandling the whole situation, it could have been resolved long time ago. Your former president, Clinton had a lot to do with encouraging the Eritrean bully think that he had Americas support.

Don't bring this Islam Chritian Bullshit. Eritrea is neither Islam nor Christian. It is both so does Ethiopia. Lets make the past History, and not point fingers who is right or wrong. The issue has been resolved by the commission period. Lets move on!!. You don't go to court if you can't live with the decision!

Don't bring this Islam Chritian Bullshit. Eritrea is neither Islam nor Christian. It is both so does Ethiopia. Lets make the past History, and not point fingers who is right or wrong. The issue has been resolved by the commission period. Lets move on!!. You don't go to court if you cant live with the decision.

Fish, Phoenix

Don't bring this Islam Chritian Bullshit. Eritrea is neither Islam nor Christian. It is both so does Ethiopia. Lets make the past History, and not point fingers who is right or wrong. The issue has been resolved by the commission period. Lets move on!!. You don't go to court if you cant live with the decision.

Fish, Phoenix

Why are they at war? Islam (eritrea) v. Christian Ethiopia.
Obviously ERitria no longer believes the quar'an that Ethiopia is to be protected.

What is a peaceful moslem?

to mr.henock, i fully understand your points. One point you didn't mention why eritrea started the aggression as even the court defined. why did eritrea started the war i( aggression and invasion of sovereign ethiopian territor) in 1998 ? THIS IS THE POINT !

i cant belive i spent my time readin ur full of crap article ...its amazing when u call ur self a journalist, do a little research about Ethiopia before u call PM Zenawi a dictator ....shame on u!!

PART-1)

The author of this piece needs to read more and research more before writing a news piece. One thing he forgot in this case is the April 2002 ruling is FINAL and BINDING. If the author of this report has difficulties of understanding it means, both nation governments signed to abide by the outcome no matter what, there is no ifs or buts, just accept and translate the verdict on the ground. Eritrea and Ethiopia confirmed their commitment just prior to the date the announcement was to make, as soon as the ruling announced both nation governments again confirmed their acceptance on April 13 2002. The accord calls for implementing the ruling within six months of the ruling as per FINAL and BINDING. Eritrea was waiting for the claims court to come with their finding, meanwhile Ethiopia requested clarifications to eighteen points in the ruling, although such request was not allowed, but the Eritrean Ethiopian Border Commission entertained the request and gave a thorough clarification, again they asked for clarification of the previous clarification, the commission understood the game was designed to delay, however understanding the destruction that took place during the war they patiently replied second clarification, and told Ethiopia there is no more clarifications can be submitted. Ethiopian prime minister angered by the reply and called the commission as "irresponsible" and "illegal."

As you stated in your report, both nations hired lawyers to argue their point and both nations understand the document they signed is FINAL and BINDING. However, because the verdict did not go according to their expectations, hence they refused to abide by it. From April 2002 until November 2004 Meles Zenawi and his TPLF organization refused to accept the ruling, then Meles comes up with his own "resolution" with five-point precondition attached to it. Mind you this is taking time, making the situation very frustrating to Eritrea as she is unable to use the 25KM land the UN peace keeping contingent is stationed at, meanwhile the UN peace keeping violate the law of the land, some were caught abusing children, others were caught smuggling human cargo, others were caught spying for foreign agencies. Frustrated by do nothing policy by the UN personnel, Eritrean government requested in October 2005 those extra personnel from the UN who are roaming in the capital city leave the country within certain period. Just calculate the amount of time that took for Eritrea to be frustrated by do nothing UN personnel, While the agreement calls for six months time frame to implement the ruling, but the case took more than 3.5 years and nothing has been done. Now the Ethiopians are accusing Eritrea has violated the December 2000 secession of hostilities by bringing 200 military personnel to work on the land, which happens to be in the 25 km TSZ. This would not have happened had Ethiopia allowed the cartographers to come and demarcate the border according to the agreement.

PART-2)
Simply speaking Ethiopia is creating a vicious cycle to take as much time as possible so Eritrea would be frustrated and give in to their demands. Surprisingly, the plan was to hold Eritrea in no-war no-peace trap and bring the economy to a stand still (stagnant position), their plan was met with a re-arranging of the Eritrean force personnel. The Eritreans are extremely versatile, they changed the formula and used the military to watch from the side of their eyes across the 25 KM TSZ while being productive working on roads and buildings and fixing the cities and small towns Ethiopia bombed during the war. To the surprise of American and British financiers of the TPLF war machine, the Eritreans government re-arranged all the work force according to the need of the country's economic sustainability. Many of began working on the land while others continued to work on construction and roads to rehabilitate the land and keep the economy afloat. In the mean time, Ethiopia continue to receive massive cash injection into its economy and yet they are still dependent on foreign assistance ~ 70% of their economy is on life support while Eritrea is free of any form of support or assistance.

Eritrea has always been advocating remaining within the disputed areas, while Ethiopians marched deep into Eritrean territories and looted everything they can and burned what they cannot take. Some 40 KM deep into Eritrean they looted and burned an evacuated town during the invasion of Eritrean. Ethiopia had never had upper hand during the war, Eritrea signed the agreement when the UN requested both accept secession of hostilities. The notion that Ethiopia won is flawed and for that reason they continue to feed the world that lie, and somehow they deserve to hold onto what they gained during the war including Badme. One more thing, when I got to what the lady in your report said, her son is in the army, and she is afraid of "cannon fodder," ask anyone you want even an Ethiopian, Eritreans do not use cannon-fodder, it is Ethiopia that use their soldiers to get into a fire, because they have more soldiers to spare. Eritrea could eject Ethiopia from Badme by force, but we have the law in the Eritrean side and there is no need to launch another war, but we reserve the right to evict them at anytime of our choosing. With respect to Assab, it is Eritrean territory. Ethiopia has more claim to Djibouti than to Assab, for the whole Eritrea only forced to merge with Ethiopia in 1962, and just prior to the merging the Eritreans run to the jungle to fight for independence. European colonizers made the whole of African map during the scramble for Africa meeting in Germany in 1884/85, and Eritrea was a colony of Italy since that time until the ousting of Fascist Italy by the Allied from all its colonies in 1942. So, please be sensitive when writing about historical facts, because, some of us get really offended by sloppy writing, please refrain from doing an incomplete job.

Thanks Newsweek for a fair assessment and attempt to prevent an impending war.
The one people and two nations of Eritrea and Ethiopia have leaders that are nothing but the Jim Jones (the People's Temple) of the Horn. The fact that NOTHING can stop them from resuming the war is empowering their egos. The US could, but our policy is to protect our interest and not avert human rights violations or human catastrophe. So, we shall wittness another 100K lives to be maimed for nothing again. What a pittiful planet we have made it to be!

Thanks Newsweek for a fair assessment and attempt to avert the impending war. The people of Ethiopia and Eritrea are one people in two nations. Their two leaders are nothing but the Jim Jones of the Horn of Africa, doomsday cult leaders of the region.
The fact that nothing can stop them from resuming the war, is what empowers their egos.
The US could, but our policy is to keep the US interest more so than human rights or even human lives. Thus, another 100K lives shall perish soon, and we will have more news to read to prevent boredom. What a pitiful planet we have made it to be.