March 14, 2020
Tesfaye Yigzaw
Historically, present Egyptians are descendants of tenderfoot’s settlers of the seventh century after pushing native Africans, the natural owners of the land, towards south. Subsequently, several empires such as Greece, Turkish and British colonized this land. A Hollywood Movie, embellished mystical queen Cleopatra was a descendant of Greece. Because of this, Alexandria was a center of an Orthodox Church. Presently, this city has been the center of radicalism rather than a true religious teaching. The colonizers, except the British, made their settlement around the banks of the sea shores, where Abay (Nile) drain its water. It was a British empire that formulated and expanded the current territory of Egypt. Ethnically and religiously, Egyptians are neither Arabs nor true Muslims. True Muslim cares for peace, humanity, and forbid jealousness according to the teachings of a prophet Mohamed. The September 11, attack on twin towers in New York killed thousands of lives spearheaded by Egyptian radical group. Those who allay with Egypt would condemn the true foundation of Muslim teachings. Egypt is the main cause of conflicts in Africa, Arab and Middle East countries because of its selfish benefits. This is a reason it opened an Arab league in Cairo to control Muslim believers, which has been contrary to a fundamental teachings of religion to organize in a form of political associations, and to counter the African Union.
Abay (Blue Nile) is a God given natural resource of Ethiopia. As it is true that no country has a right to claim petroleum resources of any country, the water of Abay (Blue Nile) is the water source belonging to Ethiopia, and no earthly force able to stop to utilize its God given gifts. However, it is true, and is natural and humanly to share the outflow of water.
Almost a hundred years ago, British, then a master of Egypt, divided the outflow of the Nile water approximately sixty percent to Egypt, to a small fraction usage to Sudan. Back then, most of the water served the British cotton plantations, which still remains under Egypt usage. Naturally, Cotton plantation demands extremely large water consumptions than any agricultural farmsteads, thus should be reconsidered on the agreements of improper usage of the water. It is also true to note that, the British did not treat its colonies equally, because of their dark skin, Sudan portioned the water about twenty percent, while Egypt was given a lion share.
Again, Abay (Blue Nile) carries tons of trillion fertile soil from Ethiopian highlands each year, and Egypt must pay for reforestation to keep the life of a river vigorous.
Ethiopia, the only independent country where over eighty percent of water generates, and about fifteen percent water contributors of African countries were all absent when the British allocate all the water to Egypt.
During the Great Recession, the USA had crafted the great innovations, a breakthrough landmark, one of the best wonders America made to prosper. This was intended to build dams on its rivers to generate electric power and irrigation for agricultural usage. Since then, the USA has not experienced a single starvations. “What is good for the goose is good for the gender”. We are all immigrants to this great land, we came to the USA for different reasons, in fact, and not all immigrants are perfect. Those whose parents, great parents or themselves abused humanity elsewhere are mingled among innocent populations, yet make themselves to be known with their innate views on occasions. There is no righteous place in the world than the USA. Nevertheless, sometimes politicians make a senseless, and baseless statements. There is a saying; “There are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends, only permanent interests.” This saying does not go along with Ethiopian sentiments. When Ethiopian be friended, they give their own precious lives over causes of others. In the same token, when they were done wrongs, they will never forget for generations. A person who took side with Egypt, does not reflect that of the views of the people of the USA. He is a political appointee not a public servant and his views by no means represents the American people. But, as a person representing the office of the USA government, he should be accountable over his statements. History repeated itself, retrospectively during Italian invasion, and now, the mouth piece of Egypt, the Arab league, and the Secretary of finance of the USA, both ridiculed justices. For true believers, including Christians and Muslims alike, this is unjust.
The leaderships of Ethiopian government should be applauded for its strong guidance, the late Meles Zenawi, Hailemariam Desalegn, and now a young vibrant leader Abey Ahmed. There is no a perfect leadership in the world, with their weaknesses and strengths but for their efforts to build the dam, and all those involved in technical and managements, must be appreciated for their efforts. Above all, the Ethiopians effortless contributions of their hard earned money to see a bright future. Now, Ethiopians should have learnt from their mistakes to agree on inviting in the USA, they should take back the matter to African Union. This dam is an emblem of Ethiopian’s self-reliance, built in the absence of funds from IMF and WB that have taken part in alliance with Egypt. These organizations are well known to perpetuate poverty and miseries for Africans.
Egypt invested heavily for years to destabilize the country and East African regions, as well as the Middle East countries. For example, it is directly or indirectly responsible for the crises and lawlessness in Somalia. Retrospectively, in the early 1970’s, Said Bare was partly funded by Egypt to wage a war to which ultimately disintegrated the country and he fled to die in exile. Similarly, Egypt has sponsored the most inane group, and radicals, such as the Oromo Liberation Front to disseminate hate, and lodged in conflicts among other ethnic groups. I believe Ethiopia must sue Egypt in a world court for the loss of lives and property damages caused by hooligans funded by Egypt. It is also appropriate for the Ethiopian government to crackdown those groups involved in such crime especially when Abey government has opened up a peaceful political platforms, and those individuals, groups or parties directly or indirectly allied with Egypt to destabilize the country must be accountable for their crimes. There is no such a thing called human rights when the national interest of the country is on a threat.
Egypt has neither historical nor natural rights on the Nile River. It is only the goodwill of downstream riparian countries to share their water. However, it is humanly to share the Nile water only when Egypt ceases its belligerency and bulling the regions. War is not an alternate for cooperation. No country, even the superpowers ever controlled a piece of lands with invasions, had Egypt relies on its might, it should think twice as there is unrelenting fire on the other side too, and Ethiopia is not a “Banana Republic.” The Nile River has enough water for all countries to utilize wisely for regional developments based on a benevolence cooperation. Would Egypt insist with an era of colonial law, then it has to invite back the British to recolonize the country so that riparian countries would deal with more civilized manner.