Satisfied with the military "victories" he thought he has achieved, the TPLF boss talks more loosely than ever to the media on a range of national issues. Specifically, he talks about the long-term national interests of Ethiopia as if it is a piece of rag that can be tossed up at will whether it is against the will and interests of Ethiopians or not. Because he has the executive power to make decisions (and he has a propensity to make negative decisions against the interests of the vast majority of Ethiopians), there is a serious legitimate concern that warrants alarm to what he says or does for many Ethiopians. But should we be surprised anymore by what comes out of the TPLF den? Absolutely not!

A recent outcry among many notable and ordinary citizens of Ethiopia is about the preemptive strikes Meles made regarding Assab or about the legitimacy of Ethiopia's access to the sea. It appears that after the recent military success of the Ethiopian army, many well-meaning Ethiopians are caught by surprise by the actions or inaction of the TPLF. They may wonder on exactly whose side the TPLF leaders particularly Mr. Zenawi is. It seems to me that many Ethiopians harbored unwarranted expectations, during and after the war, of behavioral change by the TPLF crowd should it come out of the war a winner. Now it claimed victory but it has no vision compatible to Ethiopians. Many Ethiopians who gave their unsolicited support to the war effort of the TPLF under the pretext of supporting "our armed forces" are disappointed. Those who giggled before they were tickled are bewildered. But why did the misplaced trust occur? The TPLF did no "wrong"! It is consistent to its principles as its track records glaringly show.

Time and again the TPLF did not fail to tell Ethiopians and the interested international community that it will never go against the long-term interests of an independent Eritrea. Am I making up this allegation? Not at all. Look for yourself what Mr. Zenawi had to say in an interview he gave to the VOA and posted by Walta Information Center (WIC) on June 26, 2000. When asked to give his wisdom and comment about Assab, he said:

"Well, talking about Assab the Ethiopian Government has repeatedly (emphas is mine) stated that Ethiopia has no wish whatsoever for forcefully occupying Eritrean territories. The question of forcefully occupying Assab is against international law. It is also against the principle and belief of the Ethiopian Government. So this is beside the point."

"... There is that understanding in international law that there should exist an arrangement by which land-locked countries can be assured of having guarantees for having port services. ..."

"The point is that this matter should be perceived in light of the interests of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Well, if we make use of the port of Assab, it is inevitable that we make payments for the port owners in proportion to our utilization of the port and as long as we do so according to international law. So if we use the port of Assab, the benefit is not only for us, but for Eritrea, too. "

"So Assab is not an issue on which we have to battle. ..."

You read that! Fighting for the ownership of Assab is against international law! What international law, you may inquire. Of course a border created forcibly by colonialists has to stand and be respected, he says. Making borders by hostile colonial forces out of an integral country and purposefully strangling the hinterland by denying access to the sea is that international law Mr. Zenawi respects and shoves into the throats of Ethiopians. If wars were consummated to make illegal boundaries in the past as in the present, what happened to rightfully claim what is yours while TPLF is in the middle of it? The problem is, TPLF doesn't believe that Ethiopia has a legitimate right to a sea outlet. Mr. Zenawi clearly affirmed this stance when he said, "It is also against the principle and belief of the Ethiopian Government" to claim Assab.

I am not surprised and I am not going to blame the TPLF for being consistent in what they believe and do. TPLF is doing what TPLF has been doing ever since its inception. They were partly created to make the Italian dream come true; i.e. the creation of an independent Eritrea at the cost of Ethiopia besides an independent Tigray. TPLF fought for the secession of Eritrea. Thus, its leaders and followers alike enthusiastically facilitated the so-called Eritrean referendum in 1993. Individuals, whose paternal roots were from the former province, but dared to excuse themselves from participating in the "referendum," were intimidated and harassed by both the TPLF and EPLF functionaries.

As a standard for the powers to be in Ethiopia, the TPLF rulers never even cared to consult, a matter as grave as secession, with Ethiopians. What mattered then was the crowning of the "victor" EPLF through a tinge veil of referendum for international consumption. TPLF, a very willing partner and instrumental in this illegal process, celebrated the outcome with joy. The process was undoubtedly illegal because it violated the laws that enshrine the territorial integrity of the land by force. The process resulted from armed insurgency through violence. The process was undemocratic because it self-servingly and forcefully prohibited all those who have vested interests from participating in the process. But the outcome was decided ahead of time for all practical purposes by the barrel of the gun. The rest was just sugar coating or face lifting the fait accompli.

The reader may wonder why we have to talk about this "done deal" any more. By virtue of its natural location, the red sea coast has always been the gateway of the rest of Ethiopia to the outside world. It will remain vital for its economy and national security. A realistic assessment of the regional power alignment, colluding interests of these powers and precedence of incursions make Ethiopia so vulnerable than ever before. It is, therefore, far from being a done deal.

The natural right of Ethiopians cannot be smashed by force. Simply put, that region does not belong only to those whose immediate ancestors were settled there. Through victories and defeats, all Ethiopians protected the coastal land of the region. Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians shed their blood from time immemorial to protect it from hostile foreigners. Therefore, it is not out of paranoia or interest to deprive and suppress the rights of the historical residents in that part of the region when Ethiopians claim for their natural outlet. Ethiopia, including the province of Bahir Negash (present day Eritrea), tremendously suffered and paid the ultimate price by invaders from far and near whose only desire was self-interest and control on what does not belong to them. The Egyptians, Turks, Italians and other Europeans attempted to subjugate Ethiopia through the coastland.

It is, therefore, naive to think the gateway solely belongs to the local residents. Illegal seizure may be done by force as in the time of the Italian occupation or as it is now by the EPLF. It may be done by trickery or dishonest diplomatic maneuvers. But it is full hardy to think and expect that true peace will prevail while all the rightful owners are relegated to misery, insecurity, abuse and poverty on both sides. A strategic national interest is at stake here! TPLF or no TPLF, this issue will always surface and resurface until it gets legitimate solutions just and equitable for all interested.

Locked up in their "liberation struggle" mentality and secession fixation, our current rulers and their cadres used to argue and still argue that the right solution was for Eritrea to secede. Whether secession stands against the interests of the rest of Ethiopians was no matter. They "reasoned" that for lasting peace to prevail in the region, secession was the best medicine. They told us there would be no more war in the region. To shore that up, they did everything they didn't do for Ethiopians by way of favor and appeasement to live in "peace" with the forcefully carved out province. They financed its economy. They paid billions of Birr for a port that was rightfully Ethiopian and for that matter built by Ethiopians. But lo and behold! the peace they preached about didn't even last for a decade! What a fiasco! What a bungle?

Someone would think, next time around they will rectify their past mistakes and learn their lesson. Oh no! We are back to square one. TPLF is advancing the same failed argument as before. They say for the sake of peace we should not jeopardize the "territorial integrity" of Eritrea or else, they say, it is perpetual war. What kind of logic propels a mind to such irrational conclusions while it is just weeks old it has been in the midst of the largest war in the recent history of the country is mind boggling. Look at the sheer magnitude of the displaced helpless people on both sides who are mercilessly scourged by this war. Look at the hundreds of thousands of decimated men and women on the war fronts for no strategic purpose. What imaginary war TPLF is trying to avoid in the future is probably an excuse for something else. It is not TPLF's disinterest for war why it is shying away from Ethiopia's legitimate question of the coastland. It is TPLF's commitment for an independent Eritrea.

Some erudite cadres also advance an argument about the strategy of negotiation devised by the TPLF. That strategy is to deny the Eritreans the "Assab card" and rather wait until EPLF submits an "application" asking them to use the port which until then remains as a drinking spot for camels. So they say, hang on, TPLF won't forget about it but is waiting for an opportune moment to get a deal on port service. Nice joke! The fundamental difference between the TPLF and the EPLF people on the one side and the rest of Ethiopians on the other is Ethiopians believe the coastal region belongs to all Ethiopians including the local residents and, according to Mr. Zenawi, TPLF believes it belongs to sovereign Eritrea only.

To expect them to reverse their life-long commitment and "principle" is wishful thinking on the part of many Ethiopians. Mr. Zenawi used to advocate for the interests of Eritreans then and he is emphatically fighting for the interests of Eritreans now. He believed in the sanctity of colonial Eritrea then and he has no disagreement with that illegal colonial carving that created Eritrea today even if thousands of Ethiopians spelt their blood under his leadership. Looking at his statements makes me wonder that the fight is not about a border but about the best way to safeguard the interests of Eritrea by him or the EPLF. It sounds like a leadership race in Eritrea. EPLF people should not get so hyperactive while they surely know their man is at the helm of power in the Ethiopian palace guarding against any move that safeguards the interests of Ethiopia. Look at, for instance, his desire to pay for port services so that the interests of Eritrea would not be compromised as he did for the past seven years (1991-1998). While Ethiopians are rightfully demanding for ownership of the port and beyond, he talks about paying for services out of the meager coffers of the Ethiopian economy. In my view, the TPLF would rather replace the EPLF (if it comes to that) with another friendly group rather than abandon the existence of an independent Eritrea. It is a done deal as far as TPLF is concerned. When I think of TPLF's stand on Eritrea, it reminds me of a biblical quotation about the inability of a leopard to change his spots and an Ethiopian to change his color. So are Meles and TPLF.

A lasting peace, however, may be brought about if and when the artificially divided people come to their senses and flush out the infested thoughts of ethnic politics, secession and all the huffs and puffs of colonial dreams. People should think of an evolving system that takes the concerns of all involved into the strategic calculation. People should see beyond the propaganda cloud and chart the way ahead to a fundamental and systemic change. The roads charted so far lead to more confrontation and dead ends. They are prescriptions for a perpetual conflict in the region. It is a disservice to the innocent people on both sides to dwell on real or imagined past misdeeds by half-baked and vindictive politicians. Think