The Reporter (Addis Ababa)
Yemane Nagish
22 December 2007
interview
Dr. Fisseha-Tsion Menghistu, an Eritrean by origin, was formerly a Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Finance and Head of the Legal Department (excise tax) in Ethiopia during the last years of Emperor Haile-Selassie in the early 1970s.
He holds an LL.B degree from the Haile-Selassie I University (AAU), an LL.M from University of Leeds, England, and a Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam. He also holds several post-graduate diplomas from The Hague Academy of International Law and International Relations, the Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, and in International Development Studies, University of Oslo, Norway. He also undertook extensive research at the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD) on foreign investment, international business, national and international taxation and technology transfer issues for development for no less than 10 years. After that he became a senior research fellow lecturer at the Department of International Communication, University of Amsterdam. He has also been for some years a guest lecturer at MA Program in International Development lecturing on EU-ACP relations, NEPAD, and the Politics and Political Economy of Oil and Mineral Resources, University of Amsterdam. In addition, he has in the past organized four major international conferences on the Changing Roles of Ambassadors in the 21st Century and in the Era of Globalization in Amsterdam, The Hague and Brussels, where no less than 80 Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic world and professors participated. He has published many articles on many of his core competences and interests related to the above issues. He is now an Executive Consultant with Development Services International (DSI).
Outside his profession, he has been actively and selflessly involved as a human rights and political activist for no les than 30 years in the Eritrean and Ethio-Eritrean politics and in raising and promoting awareness on the need to have peace and reconciliation, freedom, respect for human rights and the rule of law, democracy and development in the Horn of Africa and the rest of Africa in particular and other developing countries in general. Dr. Fisseha-Tsion has been trying to create viable, credible and strong Eritrean opposition parties that can challenge the incumbent Eritrean government. A few months ago, he organized a Second Eritrean International Conference in Amsterdam, trying to reconcile differences vis-à-vis the two groups of Eritrean Democratic Movement (EDM). He founded the Hadish-Tesfa Movement. He talked to Yemane Nagish of The Reporter on the current general situation of Ethio-Eritrean conflict and Eritrean opposition groups.
Could you brief us on your political life?
I have been very active for more than 35 years of my life in trying to build peace, stability and a sense of brotherhood between the peoples of Ethiopia and Eritrea. So, I can say that I have spent half of my life basically trying to build bridges of understanding whereby the two brotherly peoples can live together in peace and prosperity. I'm basically known to have been involved in this issue for more than 35 years of my life.
You were a classmate of Isayas Afewerki at high school. How do you describe the behavior of Isayas during his youth?
My memories in that period were that Isayas was not the sort of trouble-maker as he is now. But, in other aspects, the very people who were my schoolmates actually wanted to become the leaders of two organizations, one headed by Isayas (EPLF) and another one by Mister Seyum Iqubamikeal, who died nearly two years ago. Now he is replaced by Mister Weldetensea Amar (ELF-RC). But I had a different approach.
What makes you different?
Basically, I know my roots, my history. I was not driven by emotion. I know where my family came from. We are deeply Eritrean by origin and, at the same time, having the same family root with the present day people of Tigray and having links with the rest of Ethiopia. This means that when some joined in the sense of liberation, they really honestly felt this. And I must confess that at that moment I always believed that the peoples of Eritrea, particularly the highland Eritreans, are inseparable from the people of Tigray. These people are culturally, economically, historically, politically and/or by any criteria one. Therefore, I felt that creating an artificial border between the two brotherly peoples was unnecessary. If there were problems I felt they could be solved by peaceful means. I didn't say there was a need for bloodshed that had taken a generation. We can't keep on causing blooshed on to Eritreans and Ethiopians. At that moment my line was different. When some joined EPLF and others ELF, I always rightly or wrongly, I must admit, felt that we have a common future. And, therefore, there was no need to join these secessionist political parties. I was more interested in reason. I was more interested in trying to alleviate poverty. We've a common problem: both the peoples of Eritreans and Ethiopians. These are the unacceptable state of abject poverty, under-development and destitution. I want to reverse it. And I really felt that the only way this can be achieved is by bringing our minds together. The bigger we are the better. That was what I felt then. I have a different policy and a different vision that has been the case ever since. Of course, I must also admit that my view was a minority up to 1991, the day of Eritrean independence.
What have Eritreans benefited from independence?
For me independence is not only having a flag, waving a flag. It means satisfying the basic needs of the people. Not only the basic ones but also higher needs focusing on solving our poverty and overcoming technological under-development. And, you know, I want to see Black Power in Africa with dignity. That is crucial for me. Therefore, if we are bitterly divided among ourselves, then there is no way such a vision can be realized. I have lost two brothers and more than twenty of my relatives in the war. This is only from a single family; many other families in Eritrea have lost many. The question is what Eritreans have gained from such a bloody war over 30 years. To me nothing, just destruction, psychological trauma and broken families. We become like the scattered Jewish people all over the world. I believe that this is a crime against humanity. These people who have wrought this misery upon our people have committed a crime against them as I understand it.
How was the dictatorial behavior of Isayas during the 30 years of the liberation struggle?
Isayas and I met at high school at Prince Mekonen Secondary School. Isayas had not come from decent family. If people do not have proper upbringing from early childhood, they are bound to be brutal at the end. As far as I am concerned, Isayas has been a dictator since Eritrea won its independent. But many people did not realize this. I remember that when we were in the university there were friends of mine who went to the field and were liquidated by Isayas. We had realized, individuals like myself, that he had a dictatorial tendency. What I feared then has now come true. He has been a dictator since Eritrea won the war. But many people didn't realize it. They may be deceived by lots of propaganda. But the fact remains that many Eritreans through innocence or ignorance have struggled and debated on the side that turned out to be one of the most brutal dictators in the world. After years of struggle, Eritreans have gained nothing. It was a total loss and tragedy. This has its own roots. There are controversies here that are, I think, partly true. Issays and some of his gangsters have Tigrian origin. So why are they against the people of Tigray and the people of Ethiopia? They should have been trying to build bridges between the two peoples. And yet, they have been destroying the types of bridge people like myself try to build. So, to me, individuals like Isayas are evil people. They should have been imprisoned. But as you know, in the third world, armed people assume power. This is the tragedy that we are witnessing.
What do you think about Isayas's stooges?
I believe that aside from dictators, there are also dictator makers. Isayas is not alone; there are people who are supporting him. Therefore, Isayas alone is not to be blamed. There are others who makes him a proto-dictator. They are also responsible individually and collectively for the tragedy.
How do you describe the objective situations in Eritrea?
It is a total tragedy. There is no free press, independent judiciary and basic manifestations and pre-conditions for any democratic climate. Until now there have been a number of former G-13 who have been in prison incommunicado. Those are the people who have fought with him. You can see the event of helplessness, hopelessness, frustration and disillusionment. In a way, it was a total tragedy that we have to overcome. At present, no brother trusts his brother; no husband trusts his wife; and no soldier trusts another soldier. So it is like the communist regime that we have observed in Romania and Albania prior to 1999. This is also one of the most brutal regimes. It's a shame for Africa. It is a shame for the people of Eritrea who have scarified so much but have got nothing or very little. And this should not be repeated. So, there is a need for a change of regime as soon as possible in return. The Eritreans cannot endure so much suffering, so much bloodshed and politics of hatred. This requires the need for a united, credible and effective opposition. Unfortunately, many Eritreans are divided, including civil societies, political and human rights organizations. There is a need to bring our minds together to bring about change of regime, and to establish a government that Eritreans want, a government that is responsible and accountable to the Eritrean people first, a democratic government that takes care of his own people. What we have now is basically much worse than the Mafia.
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Dear Dr. Fissehtsion.
I am deeply rooted orgin Eritrean. your idea is very constructive for any society who want to build democratic nation. We Eritreans, We where so blinded simply by the word independence. After we gat it, We did not look closly what to do next.We thought we gat every thing what we need. Mr.Afewerik stole the people of Eritrea and his comrads.
Thank you Wedi Bahre