Tedla Asfaw
TPLF's boss, Melese Zenawi, on his ten minutes sleepy parliament answer to question planted from one of his cadres (May 20) on the recent border crisis affirmed that he is working hand and glove with the Darfur butcher, Beshir, to add him a big chunk of land which has been under Ethiopia's control throughout history based on the the so called General/Major "Gwynn" agreement with Emperor Menelik in 1907. We have seen such rush to demarcation using illegal treaty of the 1902 Ethio-Italian agreement with Eritrea which led Badme and its surroundings to Eritrea by International Arbitrator after Badme war.
This is Badme in large scale and Ethiopians have to rally behind and derail this deal until Ethiopians freely debate this border issue openly. Where are the two points to make this line? And according to TPLF and Sudan it is their choice and they can establish two points and make the line. Moreover, Melese is telling us not to worry because no one will be displaced, meaning he or she can live as Sudanese because of the generosity of his beloved Sudanese..
That is a trick to buy time. Why should an Ethiopian or Sudan live and start a family which does not belong to him or her. Is it because of the kindness of the Sudan which Melese told us in his boring lecture ? On his recent interview, Professor Mesfin told us the historical background of this border demarcation and during Haile Selassie as he said the demarcation was stopped by the people Representatives of the region and the rebellion of the people and Melese avoided wisely the reason why it was not demarcated then.
Mengistu was waging war with Melese and in no time Sudan army threaten our people like now by burning villages and arrest Ethiopians because they know very well that Ethiopian army will get an excuse to get deep inside their territory to fight Sudan army and TPLF command structure.
The so called 1996 chasing of Sudan's army by TPLF is a fabrication. Sudan became an "enemy" of Ethiopia after the failed attempt on Mubarek's life in Addis Ababa in 1995 by Sudan sponsored terrorists. Then there was an alliance of Ethiopia and Eritrea on the line of the "new breeds" of African leaders against "terrorist" Sudan serving USA interest but in no time there was any war and Melese's allegation of taking Sudan land on that war and giving it to Ethiopian investors is a big lie.
Sudan currently is on the road to split in many parts and Beshir's rush to demarcate is understandable . They know that there will never be better time than now and tried to put their marks on the ground after secret negotiation for many years. However, Ethiopians say no to any marker on their land and that is where we are now.
TPLF buying of time is also tactical to infiltrate farmers, the word no doubt was given to Beshir on Seyom Mesfin urgent trip to Khartoum.The resistance which is growing and got wide support can only be defeated within. The leaders of this insurrection can be eliminated slowly until the people be left defenseless and then both TPLF and Sudan army will finalize their deal. It is time for Ethiopians wherever we are to support this resistance before permanent settlement supported by mercenary armies destroy our communities. This resistance we can call it Ethiopia's Western Boundary Protection Force (EWBPF).
Regarding the so called "EPRDF" which I now call it " Ethiopian People Re Demarcation Front" that failed misrably to draw a boundary between Eritrea and Ethiopia should not be given another test to draw any line call it Gwyne or Melese's line on our watch in Ethiopia's western front.
A man who claimed that he wiped out ONLF and it takes him only two weeks to finish the "Somali jihadists" in Christmas 2006 invasion of Somalia and only stayed there after it was requested by elders in Somalia can care less for starving Ethiopia where children are dying of hunger daily and many Ethiopians go to bed without food. However, he has got plenty of time to re demarcate our border to shrink it in size to satisfy his beloved Sudanese and cash in big time.
We should learn from recent the now "disappeared" ONLF what it did to deny TPLF and foregin forces to control large swat of land in Ogaden after they displaced the nomads to exploit oil and gas. This dream could have been easily realized were it not for a fierce resistance form the people and ONLF and we can do the same in the area that is now agreed to cede to Sudan in Gonder if we rally behind EWBPF.
