It’s Time for mutual cooperation and ‘winwin’ approach
Mohamed Kedir
10-10-14
Recently the newly elected Egyptian President Abdulfetah Al-Sisi has
expressed
his
desire
to
work
cooperatively
with
the
Ethiopian
government with regards to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
construction.
In addition to this, according to the recent briefing Ambassador Dina
Mufti, FDRE Foreign Minister Spokesperson, made to journalists,
General Al-Sisi is interested in coming to our country to have talks with
his Ethiopian counterparts on their common interests.
And if this is the true intentions of the Egyptian government, this could
set straight all the antics of the previous Egyptian leaders on issues
related to the Nile River. I think it will especially play its own role in
wiping out backward thinking in this civilized day and age.
In the 21st century, where the world has narrowed down into a single
village courtesy of the globalization web, solving problems democratically
with a round table discussion is one display of civility. As disagreements
are common phenomenon within social interactions, it is believed that
their solution should not be undemocratic.
1
The solutions in solving disagreements should be a path where all
involved parties comes out equally benefitting. It shouldn’t involve
hatching sinister plots and singing war tunes, by flaunting obsolete and
antique thinking. This type of undemocratic outlook not only is
detrimental to the parties involved, but it will also cost a hefty price, by
being isolated from the international community, for the party involved in
the type of distorted outlook.
As this type of olden times way of looking at things and thinking is
unacceptable and does not have a place in the new age - it should be
shrugged off.
In order to shake off this inhumane thinking, that had degraded down
Africans from humanity, they had either separately or collectively fought
against it; losing their lives, homes and being brutally tortured in the
process.
So, this racist cancer cannot be even entertained let alone being carried
out in the continent. The colonialism thinking, that’s buried and dusted,
did not have any acceptance at the continent’s former organization, nor
will it under the new union organization.
However, some of the Egypt’s ruling elite and oppositions, who seems to
not exist in the present day Africa, really wants to dust off this colonial
thinking that has shamed and exploited the whole continent and bring it
to foray in this day and age. And this act has led some to raise the
question, “In which century are Egypt’s leaders living?”
The proponents of this thinking, very few brass of Egypt’s ruling elites
and the oppositions, have attacked both the national interest of Ethiopia
2
and the will of its people to escape poverty by condemning the
construction of a dam through citing colonial-era treaties – a dam that’s
important to our fight against poverty and a dam that’s built in an
underlying principles of cooperation and mutual benefit. They have been
plotting sinister schemes which ranged from occupying Djibouti so that
they can stop Ethiopia from importing the equipments needed for the
dam’s work, up to suggesting that they are considering “all options” –
including military action.
According to this “official” plan of theirs, they were suggestions to send in
their spies and destabilize our country by assisting rebel forces fighting
the government in Addis Ababa in order to interrupt the building of the
dam.
Not only this. They have even gone as far as saying direct military action
should be taken against the dam, if the aforementioned options are
unsuccessful. Of course the public and academics of the country have
focused on their own internal problems rather than Nile politics.
As they were occupied with their own agenda of protecting their
revolution from being hijacked by the Muslim brotherhood; Morsi’s
regime and some backward Egyptian politicians’ effort to gather antiEthiopian sentiment has failed.
All in all, it can be said that the empty threats and intimidation of these
dinosaur politicians, who turns to colonial-era treaties in the 21st
century, did not amount to anything. As any reader of this article knows,
there weren’t any stones left unmoved by previous Egypt leaders with
regards to conspiring to deter Ethiopia from using the Nile River.
3
Shameful and unacceptable comments like, “we will sabotage the project
through our spies; we will weaken Ethiopia by assisting rebel groups so
that it can’t build the dam”, made by some of the country’s politicians,
who are having hard time moving on with the times, can be mentioned to
support the above claim.
It can safely be said that these types of comments are made out of not
knowing, the peace loving nature of our people and the desire of East
Africa countries to work cooperatively and develop as one.
This is because our country’s government and people in addition to living
peacefully and with respect with other countries of the region, they are
economically intertwined so that they can reap the economic benefits
that come from mutual development.
Also, as they are well aware of the negative impact of one country being
unstable have on the development aspirations of another country, I don’t
think they’ll open their doors for Egypt’s sinister plots.
If the Egyptians went on with this unrealistic fantasy and plot to
destabilize Ethiopia through Somalia, then they are in for a big mistake.
This is because our country has a peaceful people-to-people relation
which is laid on a firm base.
The people and government of our country have exerted huge efforts for
the creation of the new Somalia and for its people to have some peace.
And we can mention the brotherly ease Ethiopia’s government and people
gave to the people of that country when they were struggling during the
21 peace less years; and the fact that they gave refuge to them as they
would their own.
4
And this has enabled the brotherly people for that country to consider
our country as their second home and used it to get through their
problems. Surpassing this, our government has played an irreplaceable
role in weakening, destroying and in making Union of Islamic Court and
Al-Shabaab; which are the troublemaker and menace of the region,
irrelevant. Both the Somalia government and people are well aware of all
this.
So, it would be unthinkable for a government and people to exchange
this brotherly support for being an outlet of Egypt’s sinister plots. And if
the Egypt’s are thinking of using Al-Shabaab as an option, they will hurt
themselves before they can harm Ethiopia. I can name a few examples to
substantiate my claim.
First of all the terror group is marginalized from its own people as a
consequence to its inhumane cats it carried out on its own people, and is
currently heavily weakened. And secondly, the terror group has declared
itself as an Al-Qaeda faction and is blacklisted as a terrorist by
Washington, a key ally of the Egyptian government.
Thus, I think it would be naiveté to think the terror group, which is
weakened and marginalized, would be the outlet for Egypt’s sinister plot.
The group is not capable to shoulder Egypt’s sinister conspiracies
considering the fact that it’s marginalized from its own people, it doesn’t
have enough manpower, its ailing economic capabilities and the repeated
military defeats it’s sustaining from African Union forces.
Even if the group is chosen to carry out Egypt’s dirty work, the outdated
Egyptian politicians will not only be in squabble with Somalia’s federal
5
government, but also with African Union (AU) – as supporting the terror
group also means clashing with the Mogadishu government and the
African Union forces who are fighting the terror group.
In addition to this, the fact that the terror group is blacklisted by the US
government as terrorist and the fact that its Al-Qaeda’s faction will
thwart the desires of Egypt’s ruling elite. This is because, if the outdated
Egyptian politicians decide to work with the terror group in order to
destabilize Ethiopia, then they will face strong condemnation from the
western
world
and
other
peace
loving
countries.
Surpassing
condemnation, they might face hefty sanctions by being labeled as ‘terror
sponsors’, just like the Eritrean government.
Considering these facts, I think it’s obvious that Cairo’s outdated and
backward covert conspiracies plotted in the name of unfair and unjust
water utilization will fail miserably, as it’s an intuitive and illogical
calculation that doesn’t bode the continent’s new position in to account.
Of course Egypt’s ruling elite might look into using the Eritrea
government, who has an agenda of its own to destabilize Ethiopia so
much that every time it gets a mission to destabilize the region it gets a
kick like using a ‘drug’.
However, just like Al-Shabaab, the regime does not have the ability or
capability to carryout Egypt’s sinister agenda. Nowadays, the Asmara
regime is not even in a position to stand on its own two feet, let alone
carryout a mission of this magnitude.
6
As the Asmara havoc squad is a dictatorial and
undemocratic
administration, it’s vehemently hated by its people. Its rule has enabled
Eritrea to be in the front row seat in violating human rights.
The regime is stirred by a very few handful peoples. There is no such
thing as election in the country. As the hatred of the people including the
Diaspora community is intensifying more than ever, and as its rapidly
losing popular support, Shabiya is left without any considerable support.
The Ato Isaias administration; which orchestrate, train and arm
terrorists through the 2% remittance tax it takes from its Diaspora
citizens, is seeing the back of its entire citizen once its havoc agenda
became clear for everyone to see.
And some of the countries are even expelling Eritrea consulates who are
found collecting revenues for terrorists – (note here that recently Canada
has expelled Eritrean diplomat for using the consulate to shake down
citizens for‘national defence’).
Today the ailing Eritrea’s economy is in a downward spiral because of
Shabiya. In addition to this, there are no openings for the regime to come
back from its isolation from the international community, and for it to
gain financial support.
And if it decides to serve as a lackey to Egypt’s ruling elite, one to quench
its
havoc
proclivities
and
secondly
to
gather
its
anti-Ethiopian
colleagues, its internal problems and external pressure will inhibit it
from doing so.
7
Following hints that showed the regime’s vulnerability to a military coup,
on top of its ailing economy, it’s clear that it does not have the ability or
capability to carry out a lackeying job.
Nevertheless, if Ato Isaias decides to directly invade for the second time
just like he did during the Hosni Mubarak era, supporting the position of
some outdated Egyptian politicians, personally I would like to remind
him of Ato Meles Zenawi’s one time comment – “we will make sure it (the
regime) won’t invade us for the third time”.
And if anyways the Eritrean regime, just to fill its money sack, decides to
disrupt our developmental aspirations by infiltrating its anti-peace and
terrorist minions into our country, it should know the heavy arm of our
valiant armed forces will be waiting for them.
So,
considering
the
Asmara
administration
is
freezed
by
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), it’s dried up
financial source, and the pressure it’s sustaining from the army, it won’t
be any of help for the Egyptian politicians.
Instead, it would be behoove of some of the current Egyptian politicians
(on the new government), who are having hard time to shrug off the
Mubarak-era thinking, to know this kind of Canoodling with the Asmara
aggressor-squad will marginalize them from the region countries.
Thinking of destabilizing Ethiopia through the Eritrean regime; which is
in its death bed, will have serious repercussion that can reach from
Asmara to Cairo.
And the anti-Ethiopia minions the Asmara regime is sheltering don’t
have the capability to be used as a lackey for the Egyptians. I say this
8
because they have now reached an irrelevant state, vis-à-vis a rapidly
dwindling number.
After many of them were caught by the peace loving people of our
country and as most of them give their hands to the authorities – since
they don’t have any kind of cause or objective.
If it helps, I will raise an instance that shows how much the antiEthiopia forces that are based at Asmara are of no use – ‘OLF’, the terror
group that started its lackeying job by shamefully claiming “we oppose
the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam because it
hurts Egypt’s interest”.
This terror group is not only wanted by the people of our country for its
terror antics; as a consequence of its lack of commitment for its cause,
the group has fractured into many parts so much that only Ato Isaias
and its leaders can keep up with the exact numbers.
As far as I know, the group has splintered into: ‘Geleta Dilbo’s OLF’,
‘Lencho Leta’s OLF’ and “Brigadier General Kemal Gelechu’s OLF’ etc …
Maybe it’s even more than this.
And there are some talks floating around that claims the Asmara’s
‘havoc’ administration has detaining some OLF members under house
arrest.
In addition to these factors and to make matters worse, the terror group’s
has reached an irrelevant state after its forces were beaten by the brave
men of our forces.
9
This kind of weakened and narrow-minded collection of people that don’t
have a strong commitment to their cause would inevitably be brushed off
by our valiant forces or will be caught by the peace loving people of our
country, as its marginalized from the people as a consequence of its
inhumane acts it carried out on the people.
So, ‘Can this terror group is capably of carry out Egypt’s backward
politicians havoc strategy?’ – No, it can’t.
Thus, understanding that using anti-Ethiopia forces, including this
terror group, for their dirty work won’t amount to anything, it would be
advisable for Egypt should turn their attention to the new age thinking of
mutual cooperation.
Let us now move into the violent rhetoric made by the backward
Egyptian politicians, which is taken as an alternative should the
aforementioned options don’t materialize.
I think even the few Egyptians, who are proponents of the antique
colonial-era treaties; agree that war is destructive and unimportant for
all the parties involved. Unless it was through development or by working
cooperatively, there was no nation that came out of the destruction of
war.
In this day and age where war is quickly moved aside from the table as
an option, it’s quite baffling that some of the Egyptian politicians are still
looking at war; which takes the lives of human and destroys properties,
as an alternative.
10
Of course Ethiopians since the olden days are known for their peace
loving attitude. However, they have never been intimidated nor
threatened by anyone that comes to them not in peace. If they had been
intimidated, they wouldn’t be able to pass to us a country that’s free,
sovereign; and a country that’s having a rapid and sustainable growth.
And I am sure that our Egyptians brothers are very aware of this identity
of our people.
According to some history scholars, Egypt has directly invaded our
country more than 14 times. And have lost directly.
One of those invasions is the ‘Gura’ war that was fought during the reign
of Emperor Yohannes in 1869. In this war, the Egyptians were heavily
defeated by the Ethiopians, which were led by the Ras Alula Nega.
All in all, it should be noted that our country and its people, which gives
peace priority, are more than capable of defending either direct or
indirect attack that can come from either some backward Egyptian
politicians, local oppositions or their lackey, the Eritrea government.
Thus, it’s wise to know that there’s no chance to disrupt the dam’s
construction, through terrorists and anti-peace forces, will work.
So, our country and the people will continue on building the dam
regardless of any intimidation and threats, as there is no force under the
sky that would stop them from doing so. I think the recent interest
shown by the newly elected President Al-Sisi to work with our country is
a good thing.
11
Of course our country has previously been not able to utilize the Nile
River for its development due to poverty and short-sightedness – of
course notwithstanding previous Egypt leaders’ intimidation and threats
on Ethiopians.
However, today those short-sighted outlook and poverty have been
broken by the sound policies and strategies of the FDRE government and
by the strong commitment of our people.
With it we have been able to be taken as a benchmark for rapid economic
development. And this suitable environment has enabled us, the people,
to build the GERD on our resource for our own national interest.
As the dam is being built by our people, who have been mobilizing from
border to border; it’s protected by the people themselves.
So, the realities of our country don’t allow for war or any other
destructive ways to get the better of it in anyway.
And it should be known that every possible openings are closed even if
it’s tried. This is because trying to make the Nile River a personal
property, using an outdated political game or through threats and
intimidation, won’t have a happy ending in the new Ethiopia’s politicoeconomic reality.
Therefore, adhering to modern principles like discussion, mutual
cooperation and ‘win-win’ approach, which benefits all the riparian
countries, instead of an outdated undemocratic thinking is the way to go.
12
The fact that the new elected President Al-Sisi came to Ethiopia to have
talks on the common interests with Ethiopia is great move forward – as
the other options are not beneficial for both countries.
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