Visit the new AsenaTv Website

https://asenatv.com

Egyptian politicians caught in on-air Ethiopia dam gaffe – BBC

Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile. They were inadvertently heard on live TV proposing military action at a meeting

Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile.

They were inadvertently heard on live TV proposing military action at a meeting called by President Mohammed Morsi.

Ethiopia last week started diverting the flow of the river in preparation for the $4.2bn hydroelectric dam.

The Blue Nile is one of two major tributaries of the Nile.

On completion, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would be Africa’s largest.

It is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts, and its reservoir is scheduled to start filling next year.

Apology

As the participants did not know that the meeting was being aired live by state TV, they spoke their minds unreservedly.

Their suggestions centred around military action as a decisive response to what one of them called a “declaration of war”.

One of the politicians suggested sending special forces to destroy the dam; another thought of jet fighters to scare the Ethiopians; and a third called for Egypt to support rebel groups fighting the government in Addis Ababa.

“This could yield results in the diplomatic arena,” liberal politician and former presidential candidate Ayman Nour told the gathering.

Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat, the leader of the secular Reform and Development party, said the presidency should have warned the participants in advance that the meeting would be broadcast live.

“I am afraid most of the politicians who attended the meeting were not well informed about such a sensitive topic,” he told the BBC.

“But the statements made during the meeting do not represent the Egyptian official stance. It was just a chat between politicians who were angered by the Ethiopian plans.”

A presidential adviser apologised for failing to warn politicians.

“I am sorry for any unintentional embarrassment,” Bakinam al-Sharqawi said in a statement.

Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and highly dependent on the water of the world’s longest river.

Ethiopia’s decision to construct the dam challenges a colonial-era agreement that had given Egypt and Sudan rights to the Nile water, with Egypt taking 55.5 billion cubic metres and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic metres.

That agreement, first signed in 1929, took no account of the eight other nations along the 6,700km (4,160-mile) river and its basin.

Those countries have been agitating for a decade for a more equitable accord.

aseye.asena@gmail.com

Review overview
182 COMMENTS
  • A.Salim June 7, 2013

    Egyptians want all of the water and in addition to that they also want to f..k Woyane.

  • fithawi June 7, 2013

    Hi guys,
    The Egyptians know well what would face them if they try to solve the issue militariky. History has taught them well the consequence of engaging in to war with yesrerday “Abyssynians” today’s “Eritrea & Ethiopia”. you guys don’t mislead your minds with the current boarder issue between the two countries. We are and will remain two separate sovereign nations, but sister/brotherly people who would help each other in every aspect, including militarily. We wish both countries to solve it on the table, otherwise sooner or later the stupid greedy arabs will face it. The issue is about justice and fairness. No one should tell you to remain starved to death while God’s bread (mana) is at your door steps. The so called colonial treaty which was totally meant to serve the British cotton plantation is null and void, by the way you cant even call it treaty, it was a self declaration by the beneficiary alone.

    • fithawi June 7, 2013

      ……………… And remeber what the stand of Egypt was, when we entered in to clash with Yemen regarding Zukur and Hanish. Remeber evencthe language they used.

      • A.Salim June 7, 2013

        That is true but the Egyptians never waged a bloody war of aggression against us and they are not occupying our lands.

        • Robel June 8, 2013

          A. Salim:
          You are dying to align Eritrea with Egypt. That would be a catastrophe for Eritrea. May be you have a personal association with Egypt, who knows you could be their agent. When you look at Eritrea’s national interest, solving the problem with Ethiopia should stand first before even thinking to align with Egypt because Egypt does not and will not care about Eritrea. At least from the Ethiopian side, when the border issue is solved, there is a much better and common understanding on the future of both Eritrea and Ethiopia in regards to economic and social cooperation. Even military, intelligence cooperation….the potentials are immense. But what will Egypt provide to Eritrea?

          • A.Salim June 8, 2013

            “You are dying to align Eritrea with Egypt.”

            No, I am seeking my own Eritrean national interest. What the Egyptians do with Woyane, f..k them ..etc is not my business as long as my enemy (Woyane) gets weakened.

    • sara June 12, 2013

      @ firhawi, did u say brothers? you ppl have no shame, I can not believe you say that. we never been bothers and will not going to be for future period.
      Ethiopian’s as far as I know u are the #1 enemy of Eritrean’s.

      assna for the love of God post Eritrean issue

  • Kalighe June 7, 2013

    Hey, if you want insult Arabs do it on your forums.
    If you have problems with Egypt and think it’s about Arabs being racists talk to them directly.
    Don’t pose here as Eritreans because we know who is who.
    If you are serious about your hate of Arabs no need to involve a small country like Eritrea:
    you have enough power to stand on your own and declare war on them on your forums.
    This is about national inerests of both countries. Don’t use it as an opportunity to insult Eritreans. Stop being emotioanal, because no matter to whom, obviosely , there is no racism that can produce love.

    • A.Salim June 7, 2013

      You are one of them.

    • Kabbire June 8, 2013

      I don’t need to talk about Arab racism against Eritreans and many Africans be it Darfur, South Sudan, black Libyan or a Zanji in Iraq or Eritrean refugees, here is what my brothers and sisters go under the bastard savage Arabs:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEd8nT66W4s

  • Truly Truly i say to you June 8, 2013

    Please to day allow me to speak as like i am an Ethiopian because in the matter of Nile river like i told you above, i 100% beside Ethiopia and sympathyized with them . Ladies and Gentlmen, this Nile river PM Meles´s ambitious project for me is, like Nehemiah´s “the wall of Jerusalem rebuilding project.” I don´t know how many of you knows the story, but every bible reader knows how Nehemiah was saddened, morned and weeped, because sees his ancestors city Jerusalem ruined and its gates been destroyed by fire. So Nehemiah after prayed to God to help him and asked the good will of the king to that time was mighty like today´s America to let him rebuild the city and after got the good will, he ambitiously was started to rebuild the wall to put an end the disgrace like today Ethiopia their disgraced because oh hunger to stop they doing dam ; we know how Nehmeiah overcome strong opposition from the Useless persons call Sanballat, Tobia and Geshim ( like today´s backward Egypt stupid politician call Saad, Al Katantni , Younes Makhious and alike speeched)when heard what Nemeiah ( PM Meles )with fis people were planing to do,like they laughed at them and said, ” What do you think you´re doing? are you going to rebel against the emperor? (President Morsi of Egypt? like speech )Please read all Nehemiah book (Nehemiah, 2, 16-20) will continue

    • A.Salim June 8, 2013

      Kabbire=Hopeless=Truly Truly= Tigrayan

      • Robel June 9, 2013

        Ali Salim:
        When you are hit hard with the facts, you go on the offensive…the usual Weyane, Tigraway mina min. So let us talk about the current Eritrean’s predicament both in Egypt and Ethiopia. Let’s start with Egypt (your favourite): Eritreans in egypt are humiliated, tortured, burnt with melting plastic bags (first time I saw such a thing happened to a human being) their organs stollen, their families forced to pay crazy money, families going bankrupt…and what does the Egyptian government do about this? NOTHING. NOw let’s look at Ethiopia: Eritreans provided with refuge, allowed to flourish in businesses, going to Universities around the country, living their normal day to day life, offered (of course by UNHCR) to relocate to a third country (normally USA, CANADA, New Zealand, etc). Even I hear of stories that Eritreans are going to Ethiopia to invest in the current economic boom. So tell me in your mind which country has shown to be in the best interest of Eritrea. May be you have some other ulterior motives, but trust me Eritreans will only side with Ethiopia if Egypt tries to attack Ethiopia. So please go and preach your nonsense to people who hate Habesha for what ever reason.

        • A.Salim June 9, 2013

          Robel,

          Why are you trying to act like a stupid person? Woyane is occupying Eritrean lands.

          Egypt wants all of the water and on top of that to f..k Woyane. There is nothing that we can do.

    • sara June 11, 2013

      sorry but I have no time to listen this cockroach Ethiopians problem go and solve yr problem.

      Eritrean pls stay out of this issue.

  • Truly Truly i say to you June 8, 2013

    And Sanballat (useless egypt politician Younus Makhioun)when saw the Jews( Ethiopians) had began rebuilding the wall( Dam) he became furious and began to ridicule at them. Like today we seen in video clip ( Thanks brother Kabirre for sharing this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=b_mpjU2qIdc ) some savage useless Egypt politicians reacting, infront of his companions and the Samaritan troupes Sanballat said, ” What do this miserable Jews( Ethiopias) are doing? do they entend to rebuid the city?(Dam?) Do they think that by offering sacrifices they can finish the work in one day? Can they make building stones out of heaps of burnt rubble? And Tobia by supporting these ridicule speech he added , “What kind of wall (dam) could they ever build? Even a fox could knock it down!” please read ( Nehmeiah 4, 1-3)similarly stupids Egypt politicians because i heard ridiculously despising the Ethiopian ambitious project, because i offended, i would like to assure them like Nehmiah´s project succeeded with the help of God and the strong courage and work of the people,as well this dam project also will be succeeded similarly, God´s will. May God with be with my brothers Ethiopian and give them courage them to rebuild and finished the project!

  • Kabbire June 8, 2013

    Here how Meles put it in a layman’s language. He said we have nothing to fear of Egyptians, we know Egyptians:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ILWYNjR4-TQ

    Do you know that Egypt had already started an $8 billion dollar agro industry project in 1998 in its south western desert to inhabit eight million Egyptians by taking more water from the Nile without consulting Ethiopia and any other African nation? I think it is called the Toshka project.
    This only shows the savage Arabs disrespect to Africans. This is the reason the racist Arab regimes and their semi literate intellectuals and media kept their stinking mouths shut while half a million Darfurs perished nor did these Arab xenophobes say a word when the sub Saharan Africans were hunted like witches in Libya.

    I did not even mention the slavery of my Eritrean brothers and sisters in Egypt’s Sinai and the deportation and jailing of thousands of Eritreans from Egypt, Libya and Sudan.

    The sad and shameful part among some Eritreans who went on Sadam Hussien, Gadaffi and Gamal Abdel Nasser so called scholarship is when they pretend more Arab than the Arab and burned Eritrean languages. Some inferiority laced Eritrean monkeys or shall I say Abeed even said “we are Arabs”.
    A Darfur man said once the selfish Arab comes to your village only to rape your wife and daughter, kill the man or take him to slavery and burn down your language, history and heritage, so as to wipe your identity.

    The Arabs are so selfish they want the entire Nile and other Ethiopia waters of which 85% comes from the Ethiopian highlands for their own use only while Ethiopians and other Africans are starving for lack if irrigation water. I have more respect to Meles Zenawi now than before for telling the savage and racist Arabs to get lost through his initiative on the Great Renaissance Abay dam is going to insure Africans get their fair share.

  • MightyEmbasoyra June 8, 2013

    The sad part is that the Nile river related topic generated more discussion than our issues. How pathetic are we? Let the Ethiopians defend themselves – I believe they are qualified to do so.
    Don’t we have many hot topics to discuss?

    • Kalighe June 9, 2013

      All those who speaks too much every day here about Nile and how great Ethiopia is (Kebbire and his country men), keep silent when Eritreans want them to demarcate the border and implement international law, giving the dictator a major excuse to remain in power.
      International law is the same everywhere. You think it’s wrong for Egypt to get unfair it’s share of Nile, but at the same time, you want to remain on our sovereign land by refusing to implement your obligation under international law. Isn’t that also unfair ?. By doing so you are part of our suffering, you are giving the dictator chance to remain in power.

      • Kalighe June 9, 2013

        Antum sebat !! gudayna nigber !!, tzeghematna alena !!

        • A.Salim June 9, 2013

          anta kelbi Woyane, guday Woyane gudayka mKwanu resiEkayo diKa? kuluKum aklabat Woyane teCHeniQkum aleKum..kkkkkkk!

          • Kalighe June 9, 2013

            A. Salim, you are good only at insults. I know you can’t do more than that ..

      • MightyEmbasoyra June 9, 2013

        Kalighe,
        I am not sure what you are talking about but I am not against demarcation. I agree the dictator used it as an excuse and that’s why Ethiopia is helping isayas. The weaker Eritrea the better for Ethiopia. But that’s what Isayas wanted – he is working for them – my personal belief (I could be wrong).
        However, at the same time, the dictator claims there is no demarcation issue.
        My point here is we shouldn’t talk about Nile river here – it is not our business, period. If you say otherwise, you are being an Ethiopian or the other countries where Nile river originates.

        • Kalighe June 9, 2013

          I totally agree. The Nile issue is none of our business. It’s in the interest of Eritrea not get involved in regional disputes. Some Ethiopians on this forum want sell their problem to Eritreans who have no idea of foreign policy issues. Usually anti-Arab propaganda drums the Ethiopians beat continuously when they visit Eritrean forum, are part of a strategy to isolate Eritrea from it’s neighboring countries.
          You are not the only one to think Iseyas was at one time an Ethiopian agent.
          When Abrham T. was poisoned in Alaa, the incident was reported by their agent in the group to Ethiopia intelligence community in Eritrea. That is how an anti-insurgency adviser of Ethiopian government at the time, the late Dr. Haggai Erlich came to know about it. The killer and the person who reported the incident is believe to be Iseyas. Another equally important incident is the jailing of Sium Okbamichael and Weldedawit Temesgen who were sent by ELF to organize underground work in cities. Some one who knew about their mission (an insider) informed the enemy long before they reach their destination.
          Who was the mole ?, again finger is pointed to Iseyas.
          Some of this cases happened long before his visit to Kagnew Station with the help of Tesfanchiel Giorgio. Another important incidents is, the mistreatment of members of an Ethiopian delegation by the very government who had sent them to Alaa, but apparently, an Ethiopian spy (a mole) in the group reported back to Ethiopia that the delegation did not do well it’s job properly.

          There are some people who think, Iseyas never felt he is Eritrean, partly because is spent an important part of his age with his uncle in Dessie.

          • MightyEmbasoyra June 9, 2013

            Then, we are in synch!

          • belay nega June 9, 2013

            Kalighe

            Abraham died from malaria.
            Weldedawit is from E. L.F and Esayas is from E.P.L.F, so how does he know Woldedawit was going for a mission?
            At last you said Esayas never felt Eritrean.Do you think an Ethiopian makes his own country remain landlocked?

        • sara June 12, 2013

          @mightyembsoyra
          thank you bro. this is not our issue and we must stay our of it.
          u are right Isayas is doing Woyane dirty job.
          Eritrean’s must stay out of this issue.

    • sara June 11, 2013

      I think all Eritrean’s must stay out of this issue.
      Ethiopians has no gut or money to start war. NGO and RED CROSS are tired already feeding their poor people.

  • nayezgi June 9, 2013

    i stands for Ethiopian , this is absolutely 100% their natural resource . remember this is 21th century . so they have absolute right to use their resource and so we stand with our bro and sisters (Ethiopians).

    • sara June 12, 2013

      @nayezgi, don’t insult Eritreans if u are DIKALA, go ahead and support Ethiopians. Eritrean’s have no business with this issue.
      ertrawi tetkwen kemze ymbelkan, kemakan zeykmakan kab adna awtomna zelew.

  • Kabbire June 9, 2013

    To whom it is concerned,
    I did not drag the savage Arab Egyptians here first. It was the Arabs who dragged the name “Eritrea” into the Abay Nile river issue (see the video link below). The bastard Arabs see us only as their slaves or Abeed to use the word they describe it.
    Watch the video discussion the Egyptian politicians had with the Egyptian President. They openly said we should use all our sources to destabilize Ethiopia and as a bargaining chip by employing Somalia, Eritrea, Djibouti and the ethnic groups in Ethiopia such as the Oromos.
    The bastard Arab has no shame to use me as his condom against Ethiopia. The bastard Arab politicians are saying this while they are raping and enslaving Eritreans in Egypt and jailing hundreds of Eritrean refugees in Egyptian jails.
    Repeat, a bastard Arab can not give me any orders as they had done long ago to destabilize the horn of Africa.
    Watch this taken from Egyptian national TV:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_mpjU2qIdc

    ===

    • Kalighe June 10, 2013

      Leave is this issue to Eritreans, mind your business. Practice racism in Aiga Forum.

  • Tamrat Tamrat June 9, 2013

    157 comments! And they tell us we have nothing in common!

POST A COMMENT