(Blog) Why did Eritrea's Prez choose English during Amharic interview?
By Blogger Jaalala
I usually care less whether anyone uses Amharic or English or any other language. But i was surprised when Eritrea's President Isaias used English language to answer questions asked by Amharic in the interview by Ethiopian Review website. Why did he do that? Everybody knows he speaks Amharic very well, especially having learned in Ethiopian schools and Ethiopian college during his young days. Did he want to show that Eritrean Govt hates Ethiopians this much? Who knows.
The only clue about his intentions came when the interviewer asked Isaias about the Assab port issue. He was asked if Ethiopia will be able to have Assab port. (note, almost all opposition parties in Ethiopia, including UDJ/CUD,UEDF and even the ethnic-based OFDM say Assab belongs to Ethiopia)
President Isaias's indirect answer to the question was basically NO. He tried to go around the question as much as possible, especially because the EPPF Ethiopian rebels based in Eritrea have always accused Meles Zenawi of making Ethiopia landlocked. But at the end of the day, Isaias was very bold in saying Ethiopians will have to use the port just as any other country would, by sharing or paying for it because, as he said repeatedly, Eritrea is a sovereign nation and so the "Assab question" is unquestionable. So This might be one hint. Well, another one might be ofcourse Isaias simply dislikes anything that has to do with Ethiopia. Everybody remembers when President Isaias banned Amharic music in Eritrea 6 years ago. Even the BBC reported about that one. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2632399.stm
So what is the purpose of EPPF in Eritrea one might wonder? Honestly, i have no idea. But according to some Amhara websites, the original EPPF is actually gone and the new EPPF is simply controlled by Isaias generals. http://www.abugidainfo.com/?p=3123
So Assab issue is a done deal now. The funny thing about that interview was that Meles Zenawi and Isaias Afewerki actually share the same belief that Assab belongs to Eritrea. But since the purpose of the interview was to get Amharic speaking Ethiopian opposition to support Isaias, the President accused Meles Zenawi of trying to get Assab port...... What? Wasn't Meles accused of NOT trying to get Assab port ? Very confusing indeed. My head started to hurt with confusion after that comment by Isaias.
Isaias also said the clan politics in Somalia are there because of Meles Zenawi. Isaias also said the Meles regime invaded Eritrea. All of this was another puzzle because the clan politics in Somalia existed for many centuries before and the International commission in the HAGUE actually blamed Eritrea for invading Ethiopia in 1998 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4548754.stm So who should we believe? I have no clue.
And everybody knows both dictators Meles Zenawi and Isaias have failed to create a healthy economy and democratic system. But Isaias was lecturing about economy and justice throughout the interview.
Anyway, the new Isaias Gospel to EPPF supporters (and i guess to CUD supporters) seems that ethnic-based system should be removed in Ethiopia. During most of the interview, Isaias attacked the ethnic-based government of Meles. He even condemned the ethnic-federalism constitution created by the TPLF with the help of its then partner OLF. Isaias said he opposes the ethnic-based manifestos of TPLF (and thus OLF, ONLF, UEDF, OFDM, ARENA TIGRAY etc) . In my opinion, President Isaias said what he said because he expected his audience to be only Amharas. Just a few months ago, President Isaias was preaching the gospel of ethnic-based self-determination in front of Ogaden and Oromo nationalists. So which one does he really support? I really have no idea. It was another confusing part of the interview. But he seems to change his ideology based on who he is talking with. Though sometimes he forgets to adjust. President Isaias even made a couple of errors by referring to EPPF as an "Amhara organization." He was supposed to accept the idea that EPPF is "Ethiopian" organization. Just like the TPLF wants us to believe EPRDF is "Ethiopian," the Amharas really want us to believe EPPF is "Ethiopian." The Isaias error was probably his second biggest mistake during the long interview. Anyway, will Isaias apologize to his OLF and ONLF friends for his comments during the interview? I wonder. But the ONLF probably does not care as long as it gets the money and arms.
In general, the new gospel of Isaias became even more confusing since he was supporting TPLF's ethnic-based system in Ethiopia from 1991 to 1998 until the border war erupted.
After the confusing interview, i have to admit i had a big headache. Everything i previously assumed were world known facts in politics became false. At the end of the interview or after listening to the Isaias interview, this is the list of "facts" that i am left with.
- Isaias does not speak Amharic
- There are more crimes in the Ogaden than in Darfur
- Meles Zenawi wants to annex Assab to defend Ethiopian territorial integrity and Ethiopian interests.
- Meles Zenawi invented the clan politics in Somalia
- Isaias opposes the ethnic-based ideology of TPLF, of the OLF and ONLF he supports.
- Eritrea is an economic powerhouse and an exemplary democratic country.
I have to say , Eritrean and Ethiopian politics must be the most confusing one in Africa.
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