Thomas W

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

At #Accra2026, Dawit SeAre won gold in the men’s 5000m, finishing in 13:16.89, with a strong performance in the final lap.

ዳዊት ሰዓረ ሰዒሩ 😎

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

There are two new books about the great Dr Bereket Habteselasse by two Dehai alumni.

Dr Bereket, the former chairman of the Constitutional Commission of Eritrea (CCE), is 94 years old and has authored over a dozen books on Eritrea.

New books launch on May 23.

PS: if you are going to write some nonsense, don’t do it on my timeline: it will be deleted. 😎

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

Eritrea’s pre-eminent historian, Alemseghed Tesfai, had an event organized by Eritrea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended by the Eritrean Diaspora and the diplomatic community, to celebrate his seminal book on Eritrea’s history (1941-1962) and answer questions from his audience.

This is what he said on Ethiopia’s Narrative regarding the Red Sea:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ethiopians are entitled to their myth. Every nation worth its name has a myth. If you don't have a starting point, then you create myths. Let them create them. They are entitled to it….

The myth of the control of the Red Sea is propagated now by no other than even Abi himself. After the fall of Axum, no Abyssinian, no power south or north of the Mereb River ever controlled that Red Sea region. There is no evidence whatsoever about Ethiopia or Abyssinia or Showa or Tigray or Gonder ever setting foot as a power in the coastal
regions.

Read Jonathan Miran's “Red Sea Citizens” or Joseph Vanosa's “Paths toward the Nation.” There's no evidence whatsoever that that happened.

If you ask an Ethiopian, you know, we don't ask Ethiopians too many questions, but if we were to ask them what kind of ships they had, I don't think they would come around. There was no ships. There were no Ethiopian ships. There was no Ethiopian navigation. There is no trace of any name of an Ethiopian commander lording it over the Red Sea.

Aksum failed because of the Persian Empire controlling the Red Sea. One of the reasons and then the Turks came—the Turks and the Portuguese started to fight for control over the Red Sea. There was no Ethiopian presence in the Red Sea region to protect what they claim was their longlost access to the sea. No, there is no evidence of that. There should be some ships. There should be some story of some sailors. They never had them.

The first time that Ethiopia touched the Red Sea was when Haile Selassie, through the Federation, came to Masawa and, when a year later or so, I think it's right there somewhere a year later or so, when he was cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the naval base, he said inadvertently, “after 1,000 years, Ethiopia has now regained its naval power.”

A 1,000 years.

This 17th or 18th century historian, British historian, Edward Gibbon, I think his name was, I don't know if you know his famous quote he says “after the fall of Aksum, for a thousand years, the Ethiopians slept forgetful of the world by whom they were forgotten.”

That’s the reality that Ethiopians know: we are, we have been, extremely weak, as far as telling our stories the way we lived them.

That's what this book tries to do. The way we lived that story, the way we went from Italian colonialism through British administration through the Federation onto the liberation movement, the way we lived it, the way we know it, the way we experienced it, the way we suffered it. That's what has been lacking and what is still lacking.

https://t.co/6fuPzoUbjK

Begin at 1:26:30 minute mark

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

November 25, 2004: When Badme Was Controversial & Assab Wasn’t

Twenty one years ago, via Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s address to his parliament, Ethiopia offered #Eritrea a “Five Point Peace Proposal”, an alternative to a 2002 international ruling, a ruling both parties had agreed in advance is not subject to negotiations.

Point 2 of the 5-point peace proposal? “To start demarcation of the border, beginning with the non-contested parts, while continuing dialogue on the contested parts.”

Of course, the whole point of going to court and getting a ruling is to no longer talk about “contested” and “non-contested.” That’s why courts say “RESOLVED.”

Back then, Badme (important to Meles) was “contested.” Today, Assab (important to @AbiyAhmedAli) is contested. Tomorrow, when FANO takes over, Omhajjer (important to Zemene) will be “contested.”

Ethiopia is an exhausting neighbor.

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

#Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister laid out a “choice” for #Eritrea:

Option A: Joint sovereignty over Assab, EU-style integration.

Option B: “Non-diplomatic means.”

Translation? We get Assab either way.

This isn’t diplomacy. It’s imperial nostalgia in a suit—EPRDF 1998 script, Prosperity Party polish, delivered in monotone at Ras Mekonen Hall.

From 1941 assassinations to 2025 ultimatums, one pattern holds:
Sign treaty. Break treaty. Blame Eritrea.

Read the full autopsy: “Burning the Termite Mound” 🔥🇪🇷

https://t.co/2dO5hkBUoc

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

Historians well recall the time, in 1907, #Ethiopia|n Emperor Menelik held townhall meeting to consult Ethiopians about a land-guns swap deal. By ceding Kunama lands, Bogos, and Hamasen, Ethiopia (Emperor Menelik) would get 30,000 modern Remington rifles, 28 latest cannons and 500,000 Italian lire in cash, to protect Greater Ethiopia (and neutralize any upstart threats to my throne.) The emperor celebrated the deal, it was money for nothing, “The territories north of the Mereb-Melash [Eritrea] do not belong to Abyssinia nor are under my rule.”

Never had them, never wanted them: and I get paid for it. Women ululated, horses nickered.

And who could forget that time, in 2001, when Prime Minister Meles Zenawi convened the parliament (100% from the same party) for a spirited debate about whether the gov should honor the decision of the Emperor?

Of course, replied Meles Zenawi, in an argument that won large audience at Meskel Square. We know a little something about the Mereb-Melash the Emperor was referencing. You see, it wasn’t a treaty among sovereigns but mere municipal territorial agreements…

But the most flamboyant display had to have been the Cabinet of Emperor Haile Selasse in the gripping Royal Prerogative Debate to see who would observe the highest protocols in agreeing with the God-ordained king. At His majesty’s Imperial Open Audience, and Menbere Bet Sessions, one Ethiopian farmer after another beseeched for the Absorption of the Mereb Melash people back to their Mother. The Land of the True Cross, Our Ancient and Sovereign Empire needs sea access said the large merchant class…

But nobody could top the formidability of Mengistu Hailemariam’s arguments among his Shengo (parliament made up 100% of his own CPE party), as he calmly explained anyone who disagrees with his plan that one failed offensive should be followed by another failed offensive will be summarily executed. Ethiopia First.

Then Meles comes and says “nah, Menelik sold this land but we were here before Menelik and we are still here after him and as ports, renting from many is better than relying on one. Now I gotta focus on the famine and trying Derg officers.

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

PS: For those of you who ask me to summarize my long articles in English to Tigrinya, in this case, it’s been done by #Eritrean poet Yohannes Tkabo, maybe not in the exact order:

ደቂ ባሕሪ ሰብ ከበሳን ቆላን
ኣይንበላዕ ብቆሊባን ብሺላን
መንገድና ዘጋጊ የብላን
ታይዶ ይጥዕም ካብ ዕረን ወለላን

እንታይ ድዩ ዝብል ዘሎ ህዝቢ ኹሉ
ከም ኢዱ ኣይረኸበን ከም ምቃሉ
ደላይ ፍትሒ ክሰምዕ ጽን ኢሉ
ዕድመ ክልተ ጎበዝ ተመንጢሉ
እንታይ ይኸውን ኣሎ ኣቃልቡሉ
ተሰዊሩ ኣይኮነን ተኸዊሉ

ትርጉም ሜላ ናይ ሰላም ቅኒተ
ዕላማና ሓንቲ ሓድነተ
ይኣኽለና’ ዚ ሞት ወዲ ሞተ
ጸላኢና ጸሊም ይቀነተ
ኣስምዑና ጥዑም መለኸተ
ኣይተሳእነን ኣሎ በረከተ
ኣቅስኑዋ ወላዲት ሓየተ

For the rest of us:

https://t.co/9i34PNwwtj

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

#Ethiopia’s “Access to the Red Sea” chant has a neat formula: History + Perceived Injustice = Entitlement. But when the input is wrong, the output is wrong.

https://t.co/EVBwnhQDHH

[Cameron Hudson @_hudsonc]

"Ethiopia’s Abiy Seeks Mediation to Ease Tensions With Eritrea." He could also just stop threatening to invade Eritrea. Im no expert, but that might ease tensions. https://t.co/o3bCAkwWRD

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

Delayed Grief Gives Way To Prolonged Grief Disorder:

From 1991 until 2023 (October), our good neighbors, the #Ethiopians, were not only not allowed to demand the “return” of #Assab, they were not allowed to grieve for its “loss.” In Ethiopia, as in Eritrea, there is one legal opinion at a time.

They were tolerated for a while: the All-Amhara People’s Organization (AAPO, est. 1991) led Amhara student protests against #Eritrea’ 1993 referendum. There were demonstrations in front of the US embassy against this “Ethiopian dismemberment.”

But after that, the only place you could oppose Eritrea’s separation from Ethiopia was in…Eritrea. Of course, you have to wear a uniform and carry a gun and declare #TPLF/#EPRDF as your enemy. If you do that, well the same AAPO that demonstrated against Eritrean independence was based in Eritrea to fight EPRDF. But it still believed in the “unity of Ethiopia.”

It wasn’t just AAPO. It was also Gnbot-7. The original Getachew Redda was Berhanu Negga who once told his party’s alliance with Eritrea was temporary. “It’s not that we are against Eritrea; it’s that we are for Ethiopia’s unity.” Then his One Ethiopia party merged with Arbegnoch, the Patriotic Front, led by that former Derg officer: and you know how that dude felt about Emama Ethiopia and her holy map.

And who could forget the alliance of Amhara and Oromo I mean Alliance for Freedom & Democracy issuing the Asmara declaration where it accused Isaias and Meles of a “secret pact” which is why Meles Zenawi “gifted” Eritrea independence for EPLF support against Amhara/Oromo rivals.

In fact, in #Eritrea, the only groups allowed to criticize Isaias, EPLF or PFDJ are Ethiopian armed opposition groups. As long as they do it discreetly, classy. Like Comrade Berhanu Negga.

The dude from Ethiopian Review, Elias Kifle, railed against Tigrayan sellout of Eritrea, only to name Isaias Afwerki “Man of the Year” in 2009.

The decentralized FANO. It’s not big on statements but it believes in Amhara Nationalism and if they had a political manifesto, Eritrea being part of Ethiopia would be either in the preamble or article 1.

The point. The point is all these individuals and groups, by virtue of having worn uniforms and guns inside Eritrea (trained by Eritreans) had a decent grief interval for the “loss” of Eritrea. They experienced all the stages of grief and they have evolved. Look at Neamin Zeleke: he is uber chill now. It probably would have been quite a crowd-pleaser for him to put his dad’s Navy hat and shriek “Assab! Zeraf” but I guess he has higher priorities like trying to save a country from a man who says rebellion is a tradition in Ethiopia, going back to Emperor Theodros.

The rest? Those who were silenced into not expressing their grief? Well I am afraid the Delayed Grief has morphed into Prolonged Grief Disorder. I know this is a real psychological term because it had an acronym: PGD. This is when your grief gets in the way of everything. Suddenly, being angry about your loss is the most important emotion you must express.

Meanwhile, remember what Abiy Ahmed told you in his “Ode to Machiavelli” book: tell them you are going left then turn right. What is he deceiving you from that you will wake up to, late? I mean this week he showed you “The Railway To Nowhere” without reminding you the last time it was near completion, it was blown up by #TPLF and the Federales. Turkey, its contractor, had to sue to get paid.

One of the things that surprises Ethiopians is Eritreans reactions: why aren’t you freaking out?! You don’t have the cards! In the words of Field Marshall Berhanu Jula “soon, we will be 200 million, how can we be held hostage by 2 million?” Why aren’t you freaking out? Because we are not 2 million and you are not 200 million.

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

This lady keeps bringing her expired coupon to redeem it for a coastline.

Lady, Ethiopia had access to sea for 39 years only (1952-1991) in the last 400 years. Ethiopia having Sea was the exception not the rule, an exception imposed by US, UK and France.

[Ciham’s Uncle @saayEritrea]

•@ethioforum latest takedown of the #Ethiopia|n government words vs deeds is worth a listen, but the part about the #Ethiopian President’s address misrepresenting global reaction to his gov’s Red Sea ambitions is worth translating:

[Samuel @Episteme__]

@kiyakiko @KibreabGaim Let’s not confuse people defending their own territory with support for any government. Fighting for one’s land is different from backing a government. Every Eritrean will defend their country. Sovereignty isn’t negotiable, and any attempt to undermine it will face resistance.

[Thomas W @thomaskw]

@TuoWangLab @MSUChem Congratulations!!!

[Thomas W @thomaskw]

@TuoWangLab Congratulations, Tuo!

[Thomas W @thomaskw]

@BMLenjiso The only period when Ethiopia had access to a sea port was from 1952 to 1991. If you're curious about how that arrangement came to be, these two excellent books offer valuable insight:
https://t.co/ocinTKTWwZ
https://t.co/XowoknnkeT

Happy reading!!!

[Thomas W @thomaskw]

@BMLenjiso

[Thomas W @thomaskw]

@CAS_SOAS Can you share the Zoom link?

[Mohamed Kheir Omer @mkheirom]

The detailed study of the "Red Sea Task Force", written by nine independent #Eritrean scholars on #Ethiopia's claims on the Red Sea. It deals with issues of history, geography & demography, regional & international legal aspects, and economy https://t.co/M4dKFRwY0N

[ⓉⓃ @tesfanews]

🚨DEBUNKED!

His name is Yakob Hailemariam (PhD), an Ethiopian scholar widely criticized for his intellectual dishonesty. He is believed to have misled many Ethiopians with his book "Whose is Assab? / ዓሰብ የማን ናት?", as their arguments often rely on the claims presented in this publication.

You don't need to read his highly inaccurate book, as I've outlined one of his misleading claims here for fact-checking:

Dr. Yakob claimed in this video that "a local Afar Sultanate, which controlled the area at the time, sold a portion of coastal land (there was no port at the time) to the Italian Rubattino Shipping Company without the consent or permission of «Emperor Menelik»". This occurred despite the Emperor's declaration that Ethiopia's frontier extended to the Red Sea."

Now, let me dismantle this claim by presenting facts in chronological order, as that claim forms the foundation of his book's core argument:

➠ In 1869, the local Sultanate sold a piece of coastal land, now known as Assab, to an Italian company called Rubattino Shipping Company.

➠ In 1882, Italy purchased the land from this private shipping company, establishing its first foothold in the region.

➠ Yohannes IV was Emperor from 1871 to 1889.

➠ Menelik became Emperor in 1889, that is 20 years after the Italian shipping company acquired the coastal land and 7 years after Italy took possession of it.

➠ As outlined above, neither Yohannes nor Menelik was in power when the local Sultanate sold the land to the Italian shipping company.

➠ Neither Yohannes nor Menelik ever set foot on the Red Sea coast. Ever!

➠ During this entire period, there was no recognized territory or entity called 'Ethiopia'.

➠ Ethiopia's territorial boundaries were largely established by the time of Menelik's reign, which began in 1889.

Now, help me make sense of his claim. ወፍ የለም!

This intellectually dishonest individual has also made another absurd claim, one so baseless that I won't even bother to embarrass him further.