Missing a “Large Chunk” of Ethiopian Territory?
By Alemayehu G. Mariam
When the going gets tough…
When the going gets tough, the tough go looking for distractions and diversions.
The past few weeks have been tough going for dictator Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia. Secret cables released by Wikileaks provided stunning revelations on Zenawi’s secret world. The U.S. believes Zenawi’s security forces staged a bomb explosion in 2008 and blamed an opposition group for committing terrorism. Zenawi made a thinly-veiled {www:solicitation} to the Americans to “remove the Bashir regime” in the Sudan. The Americans knew Zenawi was cooking the economic numbers to show economic development unseen anywhere in the world. They called his claims “mythic economic growth”. Torture is routinely practiced in Zenawi’s prisons; and the list of horrors goes on and on. Famine is spreading throughout Ethiopia and the Horn according to the recent U.S. Senate testimony of one high level American official. The Ethiopian economy is in shambles, according to a secret International Monetary Fund report which Zenawi has requested not be made public. Inflation is no longer galloping; it is flying high in the Ethiopian {www:stratosphere}. Bad news for Zenawi all around.
When the going gets tough, Zenawi always finds something to distract the people’s attention and show that he is still in total control. Last week, he paraded out two Swedish journalists and charged them with terrorism. He also arrested dozens of imaginary opponents. To put icing on the cake, he even jailed Debebe Eshetu (first jailed after the 2005 elections), one of the greatest and much-loved Ethiopian stage and screen actors of all time. Nice try but…
What happened to a “large chunk” of Ethiopian territory” in 2008?
Some of my readers may recall that in July 2008 I gave a long speech challenging Zenawi’s factual basis and the legality of the secret giveaway of Ethiopian land to the Sudan. I argued: “Zenawi’s defiant refusal to be {www:transparent} and open in making public an ‘Agreement’ (treaty) that gives away a large chunk of Ethiopian territory to another country is a {www:monumental} breach of constitutional duty for which he should be held accountable.”
Wikileaks now provides confirmation to the widely-held belief that Zenawi had secretly handed over Ethiopian land to the Sudan. According to highly placed sources briefing American officials, in a move to deal with “on-going tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan”, Zenawi had turned over land to the Sudan “which has cost the Amhara region a large chunk of territory” and tried to “sweep the issue under the rug.”
This revelation is solid confirmation of the slow and {www:methodical} dismemberment of Ethiopia. First, the Port of Assab was given away in the mid-1990s; Ethiopia became a landlocked nation. In 1998, Badme in northern Ethiopia was invaded; and after 80,000 Ethiopians sacrificed their lives and repelled the invaders, Zenawi delivered Badme to the same invaders in international arbitration. In the last several years, Indian, Middle Eastern and other “investors” have been handed free land without even asking for it. Then there is the insidious “ethnic federalism” which has created the equivalent of Bantustans (ethnic homelands) for the Ethiopian people.
What really happened in Western Ethiopia in May, 2008?
On May 11, 2008, Zenawi issued a statement which categorically denied the transfer of any Ethiopian land to the Sudan. That statement accused the “media” and “irresponsible” elements outside the country for creating fear and alarm over something that did not happen. When Sudanese officials publicly announced acquisition of territory from Ethiopia in mid-May, Zenawi’s officials started backpedalling on the initial story. They said only preliminary work on border demarcation had been done, but nothing had been finalized. Within days, they changed the story once more and announced that they were merely “implementing prior agreements” concluded by the imperial/Derg regimes with the Sudan.
As the Ethio-Sudan Border Affairs Committee began to aggressively investigate what was really happening on the ground in the western border areas, Ethiopians victimized by land giveaway began giving interviews to the Voice of America and other international media outlets. They complained bitterly that they had been driven out of their ancestral lands by occupying Sudanese forces. Their farm machinery and tools had been confiscated and scores of Ethiopians had been arrested and detained in Sudanese jails. The victims also reported that they were attacked by helicopter gunships of Zenawi’s regime for defending their homes, farms and towns. At that point, Zenawi had no choice but to “fess” up; and on May 21, Zenawi publicly described his agreement with al-Bashir of the Sudan:
We, Ethiopia and Sudan, have signed an agreement not to displace any single individual from both sides to whom the demarcation benefits… We have given back this land, which was occupied in 1996. This land before 1996 belonged to Sudanese farmers. There is no single individual displaced at the border as it is being reported by some media.
Zenawi insisted on keeping the actual agreement secret, but his public statement provided important clues on the basic terms and nature of the secret agreement. Zenawi’s statement provided solid confirmation of the existence of an actual “Agreement” that has been “signed” either by Zenawi or someone authorized by him. While the detailed terms and conditions of the land giveaway remained secret, Zenawi put on the record the nature of the subject matter in the Agreement which included: 1) the question of non-displacement of persons in the giveaway territories, 2) the preservation of benefits of all persons affected by border {www:demarcation}, 3) restoration of land rights to Sudanese farmers on land supposedly occupied illegally by Ethiopian farmers, and 4) cession of lands (“give back of land”) “occupied” by Ethiopia “in 1996” back to the Sudan.
It is important to underscore the fact that “The Agreement” Zenawi “signed” with al-Bashir, by his own description, has nothing to do with the so-called Gwen line (setting the “frontier between Ethiopia and Sudan”) of 1902. It also has nothing to do with any other agreements drafted or concluded by the imperial government prior to 1974, or the Derg between 1975 and 1991 for border demarcation or settlement. Zenawi’s agreement, by his own public statement, deals exclusively with border matters and related issues beginning in 1996, when presumably the alleged occupation of Sudanese land took place under his watch.
Where is the Agreement?
Why has Zenawi kept the actual text of “The Agreement” secret from the public and the “Council of Representatives” in violation of Art. 55 (12) of the Ethiopian Constitution? Zenawi as a “public official” has an affirmative constitutional duty to perform his official responsibilities in an open and transparent manner. This duty is unambiguously mandated under Article 12 of the Ethiopian Constitution which provides, “The activities of government shall be undertaken in a manner which is open and transparent to the public… Any public official or elected representative shall be made accountable for breach of his official duties.” Article 12 applies to ALL “activities of government” and to ALL government officials. It makes no exceptions for secret deals by “prime ministers”. Transparency and openness in government is a mandatory constitutional duty of ALL public officials, not an optional or discretionary one. The refusal to make public an agreement that gives away a large chunk of Ethiopian territory to another country is a monumental breach and evasion of constitutional duty.
There is one question that needs to be answered now that the world knows the truth: Why does Zenawi keep secret and refuse to make public an Agreement that gave a “large chunk” of Ethiopian territory to the Sudan?
Previous commentaries by the author are available at: www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/ and http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/
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I started reading your article with interest but was quicly turned off when I realized you are nothing but a die hard Amhara chauvinist who still thinks Assab and Badme belong to Ethiopia. To suggest that Assab somehow belongs to Ethiopia is to deny the existence of internationally recognized colonial borders, on which the entire African continentis based upon. Assab is, in fact, the genesis of present day Eritrea and is an integral part of it whether you like it or not.But the two countries can mutually agree on how to use the port facilities in a peaceful manner.Unfortunately,the regime in Addis has failed to respect international law by refusing to abide by the verdict of international arbitration on Badme.
Dear Al Mariam, I usually read your articles and find them stunning as well as contentful. Nevertheless, I dont understand why you dont use clear and an international English; the jargons that fill in your articles lessen the worth and the to-be-conveyed message of the article(s). I dont believe you are unaware of the importance of a clear and easily understanble language in any scietific paper or article. I please you to bear in mind that I am not writting this because of my low English. It is rather to suggest that the technical words you usually use complicate the articles and the intended messages. You rather try to employ simple English than otherwise.
happy new year!
God bless Ethiopia
To Alex
What do you mean missing large chunk of ethiopian land, laughable
It has been disclosed that the fascist and racist Meles Zenawi has given away a chunk of land to Sudan. Different sources in the TPLF say that the land give away decision was taken by Meles Himself and kept secret. When the secretive decision saw the light of the day (after confirmation by the Sudanese media and authorities),Meles was quick to inform his cadres in Tigray that no Tigrayan land was given away and Sudan was only given back its lands taken over by the expansionsit and oppressive Amhara rulers. Meles defended his secretive land transfer by saying that he stands for justice and is redressing the injustices done by the previous Amhara rulers. This is what he said to his cadres in Mekelle to defend and justify his crimes against Ethiopia.
Aite Meles always defends and justifies his crimes and treason by blaming what he calls the previous oppressive and anti-Tigray Amhara rulers. By fortune or otherwise, aite Meles is always able to dupe the Tigrayans using his anti-Amhara politics and sentiment. He always succeeds in selling his anti-Ethiopia politics to the people of Tigray by using the Amharas as scapegoats and beating his anti-Amhara drum. The is the key to his success in holding and using the people of Tigray as his instruments.
You are right as useully bro and good article you have today.Marsh bara….
If you look at it from an “ethnic politics” perspective, the issue becomes even more revealing. Zenawi was willing to have thousands of Ethiopians get killed for a tiny dry land called Badme just because it is in Tigray. On the other hand, he gave away thousands of hectares land belonging to the Amhara, without even being asked to give it. This is how narrow this tyrant is, so hateful and diseased.
Many people might not know this but the area that was given away to the Sudan is inhabited by some of the most patriotic Ethiopians you can imagine. They are patriotic because they have been persecuted by the Sudanese through out history. Atse Tewodros’ father was from that area and was killed by the Sudanese because he wouldn’t allow them take over his land.
I am mentioning this because some people might have the wrong idea that the area was just a worthless border no man’s land. It is not. And the farmers infact suffer a lot under an alien nation.
The saddest part is it was not even Sudan’s intention to colonize this area. Sudan did not even request to be given any land from Ethiopia. It was Meles Zenawi’s initiative to give them “Amhara land” just so he can have the people of that area in perpetual conflict with the Sudan.
I do not know when this sick tyrant will be gone, but I hope it will be soon.
Every cabaland secret web about weyane is now out. The criminal and antisocial Legese and his closest advisors are indeed have put everything in the country for a sell. It is shame on all of us for playing ethnic politics while the country is destroyed on our watch. We have talked too much thus far; now, we need men from Gondar and Gojam, who will be volunteers martyrs like Meyesaw Kassa to eliminate, in day light, Legese’s faction from Addis. It is all over for us; it too has to be over for him now. There is no U.S.A on your side anymore; Ethiopians are against you, Eretria too would like to see you go, after this revelation Sudan’s Al-Basher will find a way to get even with you. Where will be your hiding place coward? How long do you think you will remain immured in Menelik Palace? You thought you are the most valuable person in the diplomatic sphere the U.S has.
And you even dared to eliminate a seated government Visa vise U.S.A because something passed before you, and AlBashir. Luna! Anti social like you will never trust even your own children. Instead of seeing your plan executed you learn the hard way that you are now seen as the real culprit. You stand condemned by your own words, watch my word Legese, it is a matter of time, without any shadow of doubt you will face ICC. Slow learner U.S diplomats just find out whom they have been dealing with: world known anti social criminal, a known substance abuse who foments state sponsored terrorism upon innocent citizens.
Professor AL!!
I like your Articles, But today you lost a point. Eritrea with Assab in 1993 by Referendum (after 30 years war, won by Eritreans), again in 1998 BADME after 200,000 people died, we went to international court, and we won. So ASSAB and BADME legally and historically are part of ERITREA. I can understand the land grab, Meles is giving away to different nationalities, and you can make your arguments (fucus) there instead.
Don’t be like ETHIOMEDIA editor, who is obsessed about ASSAB, regardless that MASSAWA is FREE ZONE the work is done already soon will be ASSAB too, you can make business like everybody freely, ofcourse in PEACE. Otherwise you guys will remain dreaming forever!
Thank you Prof. Alemayehu:
Below is two articles related to the border issue, in which the Chinese gov. provided funds for the so called border demarcation. The fund was available in two instalments:the first instalment (see below)and the seconed instalmentwas much large amouinted to in millions and was handed over to w/ro Azeb Mesfin.
The issue of give away of the ethiopian land was solely determined with secrecy by the following tplf officials: (1) Meles Zenawi (2)Azeb Mesfin (3)Sebhat Nega (4) Militia General Samora Yenus (5) Getachew Asefa and (6) Bereket Simon.
Many people even within the tplf circle cannot figure, while Sudan is too weak to confort ethiopia in all sphares why on earth the tplf leadership bow to the sudan is a mistry. According to rerliable sources within the tplf mafia machine, the main reason appears to be a personal business relation between Meles wife and the wife of sudanese vice president Ali Osman taha, and the investment of the tplf efort fund on the sudanese companies under meles are part of the reason.
In related to the issue: the border comission are doing good job in these regard and should be supported by every one.
===============================================================
Ethiopia: China Provides 150,000 USD for Ethio-Sudan Border Demarcation
ENA
30 September 2005
________________________________________
Addis Ababa — The Chinese government has provided 150,000 USD for the demarcation of the Ethio-Sudan border.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told ENA that Director General of African Affairs and Special Envoy of the Ethiopian Government to the African Union (AU) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Ambassador Konjit Senegiorgis has received the cheque for the amount from Chinese Ambassador Lin Lin.
==================================================================
China provides funds for Ethio-Sudan border demarcation
2005/09/30
China has provided funds for the demarcation of the Ethio-Sudan border, according to a news release from the Chinese embassy in Addis Ababa on Spet.29 (Thursday).
The news release said Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Lin Lin gave the check to Konjit Senegiorgis, director general of African affairs with Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry.
Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador Lin said the demarcation of the Ethio-Sudan border will have ample contribution for the peace and stability of the region.
Lin also indicated his country’s determination to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries that showed improvement in all aspects.
Konjit on his part said Ethiopia and Sudan have reached agreement to demarcate their border, and appreciated the support provided by the Chinese government at a time when preparations are underway to properly demarcate the border.
Source: China Africa friendship Council
Dear Paulos and Mulugheta and other Eritreans with Ethiopian names in Ethiopian affairs,
Assab and Badime are great examples and our beloved true Ethiopian Professor Al Mariam is right.
Our beginnings of hating Meles starts with Ethiopian port of Assab and Mestiwa given to Eritrea as gift by TPLF.
Enjoy Assab now while we have non Ethiopian Meles as leader. It is coming back home to Ethiopia very soon.
Thank you professor Al! Great article and big slap to face for a lot of enemy of Ethiopians!!!!!
pro. alem don’t to distort history eritrea is assab and assab is eritrea first clean up your home then you can talk about other country do not mix eritrea with ethiopia problem,if you do you are trying to divide 90%of common ethiopian problem,THAT IS WOYANE.
I followed your article with interest, but it started to faulter when you raise the issue of ASSAB and BADME. Unfortunately you do not abide by international law and norms. Both cities were and will remain Eritrean. You can say and write whatever you want, you can day dream for the rest of your life but you and your likes and any worldly power will never never change the reality. Take my word.
Any agreement made by the illegitimate and racist rule of Meles Zenawi is not binding. The border with Sudan and Ethiopia`s rights to Assab port er critical issues to be decided upon by all Ethiopians. Both Sudan and Eritrea can not live in peace with their illegal ownership of lands and port which belongs to Ethiopia.
Thank you professor Alemayehu as usual great article.
It is obvious that Melese and his TPLF mafia group don’t have love for Ethiopia/ns and they are buying time and at the same time robing the country blind in the hopes to join their Eritrean brothers and sisters someday. The port is so long and so faraway from Asmara and Ethiopia should have never been left without a port, but the TPLF dictator that despise Ethiopia never tried to negotiate or to keep part of the seaport for Ethiopia. Instead, tyrant Meles intentionally left Ethiopia landlocked and handed Eritreans every inch of Ethiopian seashore with additional gift of a billion dollar of Ethiopian Tax Payers money. It is disheartening to know that Ethiopians are living under one of the most brutal tyrant that ever created in the land of Ethiopia and hates everything about Ethiopia except its money.
Well, how can we expect any less from a subhuman that doesn’t have an ounce of kindness in his body and has no respect for human life.
Brain washed Eri’s shut up!
shillanat:
Improve your English. Getting a degree from Civil Service College can make you only read (without understanding) the highly regarded articles by Prof. AlMariam. He is writing to an International Journal based in California not to regular readers of papers from Aiga forum. Go there to read your cadres’ (colleague) ordinary articles. Or turn pages to read meaningful articles and analysis by the likes Prof Tekola Hagos.
The world knows what the tpfl facsist regime is doing day by day. Giving land without deliberate request by the beneficiary, systematic genocide in Welqalit and Tegede people by day light, mass murder in Ogaden and Gambella etc…..no time to list all here. Much more public relation work had been amassed and tplf fascists and supporters have now nowhere to go when the time comes. Depart yourself earlier than later from fascists and you will be saved.
Amoraw
Dear Ethiopian brothers and sisters, you can easily notice here how this website is very good to Eritreans. Though I am not a fun of Professor Alemahayohu, I like what he said about Badme and Assab in this article. These issues are two important things which Meles has failed to win. I know in Badme, the gallant Ethiopian soldiers defeated the shaebian solidiers and hunt them down to Barentu, Tesenei, Sen’afe, and where heading to Asmera if Meles hadn’t saved them. On the other hand, there is no History that Assab belongs to Eritrean. It has been my question why Prime Minister Meles Zenewa and other EPRDF officials simply awarded this port to Eritreans. Near in the future or whatever, Assab will be Ethiopian by international law.
I can see how much headache this article has caused to some of the aggressive Eritreans visiting this website, and this simply indicates what they mean to Ethiopia. This is what we can get from them.
Peace!
Mulugheta;
You should thank Butros butros ghalli (egypt) and Meles for your ‘freedom’ if you call if you call living under the tyranny of afeworki, freedom.
You should know that 100s of 1000s of people died for ethiopian unity on the eritran soil, genuinely believing their cause. they deserve recognition for their sacrifice, a day will come when these heroes will be remembered.
The woyane and shabia did a back room deal with the help of egypt to do whatever they liked. they held a bogus referrundum which the ethiopian people were cruelly excluded from having a say in such an important affair as leaving the country land locked.
Even president Carter who was the US president at the time said ethiopia should not loose its port of assab.
With out the consent of the majority of the ethiopian people and without a government in ethiopia representing ethiopian interest taking part the deal between shabia etal is NIL AND VOID.
All accountability lies on all TPLF members, supporters and other fantasists. Fascist Italy didn’t match what TPLF did in the whole of Ethiopia.
Here is why:
1. We (tplfs) give large chunk land of Amhara to Sudan and none of the Tigray’s land is given. Meles talked about this in secret meetings and Cadres repeated it in North America and
Europe. You (all responsible people) didn’t ask why Ethiopia’s land should be given away to another country and kept quite. Some land of Oromos, Benishangul and Gambella’s is also given and you kept quite as well.
2. We (tplfs) killed as many Amharas as possible and resettled the land with former TPLF fighters and now HUMERA, Welqaite and Tegede are nearly 100% occupied by the people of Tigray.
3. We (tplfs) gave the OLF weapons when we came to power to slaughter Amharas or to throw them to pits while alive, and you(all responsible people) kept quite.
4. We (tplfs) annexed the Northern Wello fertile lands to Tigray and forced to marry the beautiful Amhara women of that area with only Tigray men… and then you(all responsible people) kept quite.
5. We (tplfs) did whatever we wanted in the vast Oromia region. We destroyed their forests, sold lands to Asian countries and we have billions of dollars now to do what we want. The truth of the matter is Oromos never experienced draught and famine which they continue to live on only after tplf came to power.
6. We (tplf) did what we want on Ethiopian Somails and also within Somalia the county itself and are not satisfied yet. We can get the oil in Ogaden and can sell it if we (tplfs) want too. ……many more
To the stupid Anon: a very child in this era can write better than you. you may be emotionally immature. Anon said “we need men from Gondar and Gojam, who will be volunteers martyrs like Meyesaw Kassa to eliminate, in day light, Legese’s faction from Addis”. Where is the place of women in Ethiopia for you? How far do you know the contribution of other heroes in other region including Tigray? Atella Neh
Bimbo,
Get lost you lumpen! You have not written one sentence, before you start to insult me.
You need not a respond from me, but the reiteration of my former message. you try to highjack the topic by what appears your care to defend inclusivness.The main concern you have with my idea though is the intensity of its message to target the Melese faction by men from the regions of Gondar and Gojam.Yes thy are the ones I am appealing to volunteer for martyrdom. You scare don’t you? Too bad you gutless bands still think that Gonderians and Gojamians will sleep sound when Legese and his cadres justify their blunder. Come on my country men; we need not to deviate from the central issue at hand; Legese need to pay, not tomorrow, but Now, for the secret sell of Amhara lands to the Sudan. We need now volunteers from Gondar and Go jam now; Melese and his must pay now by the brave sons of Ethiopia.
I really criticize both Eritrean and Ethiopian visitors of this site. Geography made us neighbors, and we can not flee to other neighborhood. The only option we have is to stay together in harmony, at the same time to accept the fact and reality on ground.
The fact of Assab is doubtful, as Eritrea got independence not only by force, but also by the will of its people…99+% of the total population decided to be free. Meles can’t be accountable for something that was legal issue and the international community recognize.Thus, lets forget about having Assab as Ethiopian territory, lets just think about how the land lock Ethiopia can use the port.
As for Badime, it is very unfortunate to loss may Eritreans and Ethiopian fellow for the small piece of land… do not worry about that, as it was not border dispute, but conflict of two men or two dictators. They will both be kept accountable for all the crimes and attrosities they committed to their fellow citizens.
Else, forget about the past dark spot created by all the past dictators and kings, both in Eritrea and Ethiopia, just think about future. Lets both get rid of the dictators, and latter lets live with peace and harmony, respecting one another. lets avoid fantasy and day dreams and lets avoid quarreling in cyber-rooms. I will be very upset and very disappointed by both of you if you continue in this way.
God Bless the two brotherly people
Elias, with all due respect I had for you, why did you not post the piece I wrote? Just because I did not agree with the writer and calling him an Amhara nefTegna, should you not have the journalistic character of accepting views even if you don’t agree?
I am saying that Badme and Assab are Eritrean and it does not help anyone , not least Ethiopians to regurgitate an old wish and scratch the wounds we have instead of healing them. So when the writer states that “Badme was invaded”, he is telling an out right lie. If Badme is Eritrean, how can it be invaded by Eritrea? Silly, is’t it?
When are we going to believe in “let bygone be bygone” and work to word cooperating as neighbors? Is that such a hard concept to comprehend?
For shabian dogs
The issue of asseb, we will sort it out soon, ethiopia is in a comfortable position at the moment to crush the shabian ragtag and forcfully conscripted army, most shabian soldiers are now they don’t have the will to fight most of them are joined the army just to have three meals a day because if they go back to their family they know their families are unable to feed them, this is an open secret in eritreia especially the sawa recurits.
The shabian soldiers the used to be tough fighters and determined in the so called independence war but not any more now, most eritian soldiers those who are in front line bankers are day and night yearning about life in America, Canada, Australia and Newzealand.
Regarding international boundary, UN, bla bla once ethiopia crush once for all shabia, business as usual international community support the winner.
A MATTER OF TIME, WATCH OUT
Hi Weygud!! Elias Kifle loves eritrean even more than anything else, many presumed. Personaly he is a good guy when it comes to aganist woyane, however, as he is a political activist then he is not an independant journalist.every article send to him must be at least not aganist eritrea; not aganist OLF; not aganist G7. we know the reason why, but …
In any case, you people of asmera orgin think twice before insulting ethiopian. in 1991 at the time of euphoria what you said aganist the ethiopian people in tandem with meles is on the record. Meles is an agame(using your word) and from seraye who is aspiring to unify the eritrean and the Tigre of ethiopia and become thier king. his agenda is in the offeing: the recent eritrean intelectual meeting in the occupied land of ADDIS aBEBA is the first step of his kingdom. In that meeting Bereket has applogized for the eritrean people for deporting eritrean during the conflict. You see, at least you got an applogy but ethiopia never got any thing except looting thier wealth and dividing them on ethnic bases.
The Jebha leftovers are in addis fealthing my country and praising meles thier darlling son. Please tell them it is not in thier interest to work with Meles, and deamning ethiopia.