It is not very often that you see such a rapid change of direction. But hardly had the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Dina Mufti, stopped speaking than the sparks began to fly.
One can only speculate on what his masters had to say and ask how long Mr Dina will be in the post.
His declaration that Eritreans and Ethiopians longed to return to being a single country caused a storm.
“By the way, each and every Eritrean, they won’t be asked, but if they were, they (would admit that they) don’t celebrate the day they separated from Ethiopia.They don’t like it. The ones (Eritreans) abroad confess it. Ethiopians also have the same feeling.Let alone with Eritrea, it would be good to become one with the rest of our neighboring countries. The relationship we had with Eritrea is, we are one people, we are one country.”
Now has come the reversal. It could hardly be more grovelling.
“In my weekly briefing on 30th March 2021 , I have cited the fact that Ethiopia and Eritrea as close neighbours deserve wholerounded relationship. I also said both Eritreans and Ethiopians equally abhore the unfortunate war and adversity. Ethiopia is committed to the Eritrean sovereignty and I have been also equally committed . Therefore I would like to bring to the attention of fellow Eritreans and others that there has been an understanding of my presentation out of the context .l humbly apologize for the confusion . Long live Ethio -Eritrean solidarity!!!!!!”
The Ethiopian ambassador to Eritrea was forced to join the apology.
The US Embassy in Asmara also gently joined in, with this timely reminder.
Hm, yes Eritreans are very proud on their struggle, and rightly so. But if the US embassy would not take merely the proud but also the suffering into consideration, the insults Issaias has said e.g, during a speech at Independence day, that the US was forced to close down US Aid, the fate of Eritrean refugees brought back to Eritrea then I wonder if the Eritrean population and diaspora are amused with this declaration.
Wow! A word now, the opposite next. What can one say, except the fact it is – the well known sign of a falling regime !
Given the anything-goes world the Ethiopia administration is inhabiting now, that Dina Mufti has recanted what he said yesterday is not surprising. What is surprising is when journalists like you, Martin, provide plausibility to this implausible conspiracy theory. All that you had to do was ask, what would Isaias gain by federating Eritrea with Ethiopia, not to fall into this trap that paranoid Eritrean nationalists keep peddling with whenever they see a ‘threat’ of their own making.
Let me tell you Mr Spokesman, I was born Eritrean, lived my life Eritrean and I shall die Eritrea! I do not say this with any bad feelings against my Ethiopian brothers and sisters whom I admire and like.
The Ethiopian and Eritrean people could live in harmony side by side if it was not for the evil and cursed leaders. I have no doubt about that whatsoever.
Our two people must come together to overcome these evil leaders who care about nobody else but themselves. We, the people must learn, the bitter lessons from our history.