Mesfin Woldemariam’s volte face on Eritrea

By Berhane Kahsay
Tigrai Online, November 8, 2015

Mesfin Weldemariam a new born best friend of Eritrea, but until when? ዝብኢ ክሳብ ዝነክስ ይሕንክስ, ጅብ ኢስኪ ነክስ ያነክስ

Mesfin Weldemariam, who personifies the old and brutal period of our country, attended a day-long conference on Ethiopian-Eritrean relations in Washington DC that was organised by ESAT, the mouth piece of G-7, on 18 October 2015. Also in attendance apart from the usual suspects were David Shinn, the former US ambassador to Ethiopia, and Herman Cohen who is paid by Esayass to ‘’bring Eritrea in from the cold.’’

After years of opposing Eritrean cession, the die-hard chauvinist has finally succumbed to Shabiya’s temptations and recognised the former Ethiopian province as an independent country. Mesfin Weldemariam also stated during the conference that’’ Eritrea has not allowed the imposition of the will of the West and other superpowers on it and for that it is paying a very serious price.’’ But in the case of Ethiopia, he said ’’ the country is still dominated by the West and this is because we are weak and don’t understand our history.’’  

Just to remind Mr Woldemariam that the reason Eritrea is ‘paying a serious price’ is due to gross violation of human rights committed by his sponsor Esayass and for financing and arming terrorists in the Horn region as reported by the UN’s Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group. Not surprising at all to hear complete and utter nonsense from a disingenuous ‘academic’ who would say and do anything for power and reverence.

Poverty is the primary reason why developing nations come under the influence of super powers. And Eritrea happens to be one of them and the claim made by Mr Mesfin Woldemariam in relation to Eritrea being independent of the West’s sway is simply crap. Is he not aware of the reality that Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in the world where a loaf of bread is hard to come by for its citizens? Furthermore, is he not cognisant that on daily basis 5000 Eritreans abandon their country because of economic hardship and persecution under that hail of bullets?

For the sake of argument let us accept Mr Woldemariam’s proposition that’’  Eritrea has not allowed the imposition of the will of the West and other superpowers……’’ and pose this question----how has this benefited the ordinary people who are finding it difficult to cope with the exorbitant cost of living and the absence basic food items ? Only recently the EU approved aid to Eritrea because it accepted clear instructions to tighten its borders and stem the flow of refugees to member states. Is this not a clear instance of the ‘imposition of the will of the West’’?  

We all know Eritrean ‘’self-reliance’’ was simply a myth concocted by Esayass to enhance his stature in the eyes of the international community. Now the world view him as a tyrant who is a danger to his own people and his immediate neighbours; and the futile efforts by Mr Woldemarim and Herman Cohen would not prevent the demise of Esayass. The length Mr Woldemariam is prepared to venture to quench his desire for power beggers belief.                  

It is to be recalled that Mesfin Woldemariam was chairman of the Inquiry Commission created by the Dreg to investigate the Emperor’s officials, and without the due process of law, they were eliminated with the full knowledge of the chair person. This callous criminal undertaking was intended to consolidate the chairman’s position within the military junta.     

To impede the advance of the EPRDF and inherit power from the  military government which was about to collapse , Mesfin Woldemariam came up with a peace plan in 1991 that stipulated the formation of a provisional government of council of elders lead by none-other than the ‘reputable intellectual.’ The rationale behind this ‘initiative’ was to forestall a bloodbath that he believed could erupt as a result of military clashes between the advancing combatants of the EPRDF and the retreating Derg soldiers. Nobody fell for this gimmick and the country was liberated from 17 years of brutal rule and the chaos and civil war that were confidently predicted by Mesfin Weldemaraim his ilk never materialised. The ‘know-it-all academic’ was simply outwitted by ‘Woyane’ and his grand ambition for power was completely wrecked.  

But Mesfin Weldemariam never gave up, and to keep his political ambitions alive, he established the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRC) not long after a new government was formed in 1991 and made himself its chairman. In no time, EHRC became an outspoken political critic of the new government and this went on until its chairman resigned and formed a political party named Rainbow Ethiopia: Movement for Democracy and social Justice in 2004.

And a year later this party became a member of Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and competed in the 2005 general election wining substantial House of Representative and municipal seats but refused to enter parliament and to administer the metropolis. Subsequently, CUD fractured and a new party called Andinet was formed and Mesfin Weldemarim joined but the ‘’champion of democracy and rule of law’’ was unceremoniously ejected for his authoritarian and disruptive behaviours.

But after long a hiatus, the chauvinist has been drafted by the lobbyist Herman Cohen to bring Eritrea from the wilderness and to be part of G-7 in the fight against ‘Woyane’ in violation of Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism law. Out of absolute hate for ‘Woyane’ and anything Tigray, the ‘super Ethiopianist’ is colluding with a dying and rejected regime that has been working relentlessly to cause the disintegration of Ethiopia by supporting separatists movements such as the OLF and ONLF.  Anything to satisfy his yearning for power.

A coalition of traitors and spent forces would not threaten the position of ‘Woyane.’ But a combination of corruption and bad governance would definitely bring it to its knees. Combating these scourges require water tight systems and mechanisms coupled with stern and punitive legal measures that would severely punish the culprits and act as a deterrent to others.

In Thailand possession, consumption and distribution of certain class of illegal narcotics is a serious offence and can result in severe penalties including death sentences. Thailand’s Narcotics Act is strictly observed and has positively impacted on the circulation of hard drugs. To avoid the collapse of a government that came about as a result of huge sacrifices, an Act of similar nature that has to be rigorously implemented should be enacted as a matter of utmost urgency.