As many other Ethiopians who have witnessed  the brutal action taken against innocent Ethiopians in Eritrea by the Denakurt Shaebia before and after the war, I always have great pain and concern that our government have done anything for its own people. I have the statistics and I am an eye-ear witness for all the brutalities of that took place against our people.

 

More than 125,000 Ethiopians has been expelled between 1991-95 (prof. Tekeste Negash: Brothers at War). We all remember what the likes of Seye, Gebru, Aregash Adane have said on ETV in response to the brutal act -  "the Eritrean government has all rights to expel foreigners and these are the left overs of the Derg". The then president Meles Zenawi wrongly act and even ignored the case as if nothing happened. Those people live and became beggars in many Ethiopian towns including Addis because they had no any chance to take their properties. In fact, they were confiscated even their Work-Tirs and work-kelebet and even forced to sell their "TV for one birr or leave it".

 

The war in 1998 brought another brutality and I witnessed it from the front in Central zone (Mereb river), Zalambesa area, Badime plains and Humera area. Our people again humiliated, confiscated, bitten to death, raped disappeared (more than 220 women), poisoned to death,amputated, more than 5000 people disappeared in Dankalia container prisons, forced labour at one bread a day, put in trench during the war (tiyit makezkezja) etc etc etc. Those lucky ones including the girl who was blinded her left eye by her Eritrean father for choosing to follow her Ethiopian mother arrived home after a long suffer in prisons of Eritrea. However, the Ethiopian government again failed to rehabilitate them. They were just given small money for bus ticket to go home from the reception camps. And even failed to make a sound court case against Eritrea. I am aware that the Kassa commission have handled cases and made a decision partly against Eritrea but no individual cases and crimes against humanity are addressed in the issue. The water wells which are poisoned by the Eritrean army in three places in Irob, Badme area are not in the list. The poison was proved by experts.

 

My point is Ben, what is the government doing on this issue? We hear and see everyday in local medias are talking about the normalization of the two people. How on earth will this be realized by still treating the Eritreans as Molkaka yebet lij while ignoring your own and the very much grieved citizens? Why is it not requesting at least to the international community to look for our disappeared citizens in Eritrea? Haven't we heard few months a go by the VOA tigrigna that many deportees have been suffering in the Adwa transition camp for months for shortage of cash for bus ticket? While the Eritrean refugees are even given a chance to go and live with their relatives in different town.

 

We have heard recently that the Eritrean government jailed and bitten Ethiopian deportees from Egypt. And in return, Ethiopia is feeding a run away Eritrean soldiers who killed our innocent children. I am not saying we have to act like the Shaebia but everything must be to citizens first. Those extremist Eritreans, especially those who were expelled from Ethiopia are the right hand of Shaebia this time and the Ethiopia government is giving them a privilege. There is no doubt they will return to Addis and pretend as peaceful Arada but will exploit us and smuggle resources and money to Asmera in the name of import-export via neighboring states. Crimes will be doubled the sooner or later.

 

Where are the drivers taking us? Why is it not possible for the Ethiopian government to live without them? Don't we all know that every single Eritrean is blaming the Ethiopians for all failure and never admit that their leaders are the source of all evils of the past and that is taking place? Isn't it dangerous to bring them in again before they learn and swallow the bitter medicine?

 

 I am confused Ben, I as a strong and long time supporter of the EPRDFcould not get any clear explanation when it comes to the Eritrean issue. You might say all is being done for normalization of the two people, but I belive normalization from one side will never be realized. When the Eritreans wake-up from their dream they will make an effort to be a good neighbour by themselves by first normalizing their hearts and minds and reconcile with their own skewed mentality , then will be treated like any neighbour. What the hell is going on?

 

Ben, teyzo yale limena yeEthiopiawiann kurat ena kibr yemikens new. Aznalehu kelib. 

 

I thank you so much and hope you will raise questions from the new law and our own citizens who has never been a concern as much as the Eritreans do.

Paulos

Click HERE to go to the source of this article.