Tuesday, November 1
Talking Points
Here is what the Embassies and the Foreign Ministries of the imperialist camp (aka donor nations to the vanguard party) have been hearing louder and louder over the past months like a beating drum drawing closer and closer.
Some of it is text and some of it is subtext but the message is clear to all. Some of it is silly and the rest is deadly serious, but again, the message is clear to all. Some of it is new and some of it is old but the message is of course clear to all:
--the Eritreans are pushing Ethiopia into war (perfect timing huh?) and this time they're really out of control! Of course we accept the binding border arbitration ruling but we also don't accept the border arbitration ... all at the same time.
A war will have far reaching consequences that will destabilize the whole Horn of Africa, even all of East Africa and across the Red Sea! In addition, the opposition is made up of terrorists bent on Rwanda style genocide. The immense humanitarian crisis caused by the Eritreans / opposition will require Western intervention for sure.
Do you imperialists really want to bother with all that? Remember the last war ... there is no telling what all those innocents will have to suffer through by the time we get done fighting each other. The entire Western interest in containing terrorism out of Somalia / Sudan will fail while Eritrea / Ethiopia will become new Taliban era Afghanistans.
--you donor nations can no longer press us on the issue of the opposition and democracy because what is important now is stability. Look how everything is falling apart while you go on about democratic rights this and election that. We are just waiting for a chance to crack down seriously instead of the few thousands that have so far been killed or jailed.
Give us the word and turn away so you never even have to hear about us again ... at least until our policies cause the next crisis. Keep pressing and we might just make things fall apart anyway. Just try us, we're not playing games here - we will rule Ethiopia or there will be no Ethiopia.
Is Ethiopian democracy or human rights worth such a risk to you anyway - all the way from the comforts of Brussels and Washington with so many other problems in the world?
--the generals / our party / the people won't tolerate concessions to the Eritreans or the opposition at this point. No we don't control them firmly like it seems - there is democracy / rivalry that we, as democrats have to deal with in the military / party / population. We can't keep the forces of nationalism and righteous anger against the aggressive Eritreans / treasonous opposition down forever.
Keep pushing us and the real radicals will come who want to capture a port on the Red Sea or who want to take over all of Eritrea. We are the true moderates and all that is standing between utter chaos and peace. Notice how nicely we are communicating with you now.
--sure we're doing all the wrong things possible in terms of economic development, establishment of law & order, popular accountability and all that other touchy feely stuff ... you know and we know it. But, that all keeps us in power, and seriously, what are you going to do about it anyway?
The only thing you hold over us is money because our policies will always keep Ethiopia the poorest nation on earth. Always remember that we'll let all 70 million of our serfs suffer even more if you mess with us, disrespect us or don't forget all about the 'democracy show' while just sending more billions of aid all around.
Some of it is text and some of it is subtext but the message is clear to all. Some of it is silly and the rest is deadly serious, but again, the message is clear to all. Some of it is new and some of it is old but the message is of course clear to all:
--the Eritreans are pushing Ethiopia into war (perfect timing huh?) and this time they're really out of control! Of course we accept the binding border arbitration ruling but we also don't accept the border arbitration ... all at the same time.
A war will have far reaching consequences that will destabilize the whole Horn of Africa, even all of East Africa and across the Red Sea! In addition, the opposition is made up of terrorists bent on Rwanda style genocide. The immense humanitarian crisis caused by the Eritreans / opposition will require Western intervention for sure.
Do you imperialists really want to bother with all that? Remember the last war ... there is no telling what all those innocents will have to suffer through by the time we get done fighting each other. The entire Western interest in containing terrorism out of Somalia / Sudan will fail while Eritrea / Ethiopia will become new Taliban era Afghanistans.
--you donor nations can no longer press us on the issue of the opposition and democracy because what is important now is stability. Look how everything is falling apart while you go on about democratic rights this and election that. We are just waiting for a chance to crack down seriously instead of the few thousands that have so far been killed or jailed.
Give us the word and turn away so you never even have to hear about us again ... at least until our policies cause the next crisis. Keep pressing and we might just make things fall apart anyway. Just try us, we're not playing games here - we will rule Ethiopia or there will be no Ethiopia.
Is Ethiopian democracy or human rights worth such a risk to you anyway - all the way from the comforts of Brussels and Washington with so many other problems in the world?
--the generals / our party / the people won't tolerate concessions to the Eritreans or the opposition at this point. No we don't control them firmly like it seems - there is democracy / rivalry that we, as democrats have to deal with in the military / party / population. We can't keep the forces of nationalism and righteous anger against the aggressive Eritreans / treasonous opposition down forever.
Keep pushing us and the real radicals will come who want to capture a port on the Red Sea or who want to take over all of Eritrea. We are the true moderates and all that is standing between utter chaos and peace. Notice how nicely we are communicating with you now.
--sure we're doing all the wrong things possible in terms of economic development, establishment of law & order, popular accountability and all that other touchy feely stuff ... you know and we know it. But, that all keeps us in power, and seriously, what are you going to do about it anyway?
The only thing you hold over us is money because our policies will always keep Ethiopia the poorest nation on earth. Always remember that we'll let all 70 million of our serfs suffer even more if you mess with us, disrespect us or don't forget all about the 'democracy show' while just sending more billions of aid all around.
# posted by ethiopundit : 11/01/2005
