UMD Media, December 10, 2024
The following UMD Media translation is based on the original Amharic news analysis by Ethio Forum.
Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, responded to President Isaias Afwerki’s Nov 30, 2024 interview on Eritrea’s state television with sharp insults, calling him “an aging dictator clinging to his throne,” “a nation-destroying and poisonous individual,” and “a jealous man unashamed of his reckless words.” Such statements were unsurprising, given that the relationship between the Prosperity Party and Eritrea’s sole ruling party, Shabia—or between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Isaias—has rapidly deteriorated to its current state.
Once-celebrated alliances, such as the duo’s public displays of camaraderie at Hawasa, Gondar, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and Addis Ababa, have now devolved into a bitter exchange of accusations. The Prosperity Party’s reponse of December 9, 2024 on its Fana Television to President Isaias’ interview remarks exemplifies this shift. The Prosperity Party now openly frames Isaias as the very embodiment of destruction, in stark contrast to earlier praise for his role in fostering peace in the region. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed himself once asked in Parliament about the Tigray war, “What would we have done if Isaias and Eritrea hadn’t supported us?” Now, Isaias Afwerki is being condemned as an aspiring regional power intent on destabilizing nations.
The Prosperity Party’s response—reportedly crafted by Ethiopia’s Security Bureau and the Prime Minister’s Office—also revisited historical grievances. There are those who believe that Isaias Afwerki’s recent remarks advising that the TPLF as a party with 50 years of experience should not be mired in internal factionalism have angered the Prosperity Party. This remark is particularly contentious given that just a few years ago, Isaias collaborated with the Prosperity Party in a joint effort of ‘political cleansing’ of the TPLF. Additionally, his criticism of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government’s declaration of war on the Amhara region has further fueled tensions.
Isaias’ long-standing history of working against Ethiopia’s stability, including training militants and fostering divisions, is not new. However, suggesting to members of the Prosperity Party three years ago that their wartime ally, Isaias, might harbor ulterior motives would have been considered treasonous.
At that time, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed publicly praised Isaias as a passionate lover of Ethiopia. Abiy even described Isaias as a regional peacemaker, committed to fostering stability and harmony. Ethiopia’s Parliament witnessed speeches declaring mutual love and admiration between the two leaders. Abiy described Isaias as a visionary leader dedicated to stability in the Horn of Africa—a stark contrast to today’s accusations of a force “destroying a nation and destabilizing a region.”
The Prosperity Party also took aim at Isaias’ perceived hypocrisy. How, the Fana Television report asked, can a leader who governs a nation without a constitution critique Ethiopia’s constitution? How can someone who presides over a country lacking basic infrastructure question Ethiopia’s development projects, like GERD?
Isaias Afwerki’s current rhetoric on Ethiopia’s constitution and sovereignty echoes past sentiments dating back to 2018. During the height of his honeymoon phase with Abiy, as displayed by their joint appearances at the Bishoftu Ethiopian Air Force base and the historic site at Jimma Abba Jiffar, his critique of Ethiopia’s constitution was ignored by the Prosperity Party.
Another issue highlighted in the Fana Television report—where Abiy Ahmed’s social affairs advisor, Daniel Kibret, known for his inflammatory rhetoric during the Tigray war such as ‘“Satan was the last of his kind. And they must also remain the last of their kind.” ‘, serves as the board chairman—is the accusation that Isaias Afwerki is engaging in an anti-Ethiopian campaign. This campaign, according to the report, involves forming an agreement with Egypt and Somalia in Asmara.
It is worth recalling that less than a month ago, Ethiopia’s Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, stated, “We are surrounded by friends, and those who claim we are surrounded by enemies are merely spreading rumors.” This statement now appears to contrast sharply with the allegations against Isaias, highlighting potential inconsistencies in the Ethiopian government’s narrative regarding its regional alliances and threats.
Abiy Ahmed’s recent acknowledgment, in a clip played in the Fana Television report, that 15,000 troops were deployed to disrupt the GERD further underscores the growing mistrust between the two nations.
The reality of the Prosperity Party’s governance over the past few years is that President Isaias and his forces were armed and supported by the Prosperity Party, enabling him to exact revenge on the people of Tigray for the international isolation Eritrea faced following the 1998–2000 Ethio-Eritrea war.
Isaias Afwerki has not only looted Ethiopia’s heavy weaponry but also seized industrial equipments with the permission of the Prosperity Party.
Notably, the Fana Television report made no mention of Ethiopia’s compromised sovereignty or the territories still under Eritrean occupation, further raising questions about the government’s stance on these critical national issues.
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