Habte, why would Anheuser Bush advertise to capture an already captured
black beer drinkers? I think they need the experts of the Mellotti Beer
factory to teach them how to sell without advertising. Besides, the Beer
ad, targeted to the blacks as you mentioned, seems to me a capitalist and
imperialist conspiracy to exploit the black working class. God, I think I
am suffering from 70's nostalgia!
Incidentally, have you watched the recent Bud ad. starring the Frog with
the loooong tongue? Frog or, no Frog, I am a =93Suwa (local, low alcohol
beer)=94 consumer, the one that =93was banned in the Arr School of the old E=
LF=94
. I am no duqa consumer.
Habte, Before I dive into your piece, allow me to make my points clear.
1-I am against presenting the Askaris (Bandas) as victims and poor souls
who belonged to a wronged establishment.
=09
2-Truth, though it might sometimes be bitter, is better served by facing
it =93Nudo Crudo=94.
3- Fairness, honesty and unbiased outlook are important in discussing
history.
4- Regardless of our opinion about Menelik, the battle of Adwa remains an
important station.
Now, Help me God with the rest:
>.......What was the difference between being ruled by the Tigrean army of
Alula and the
>Italian army of Baldissera for the Eritrean peasant?
Were we not a century late, we would have approached Zerai Deres, the
Eritrean, who died for the Ethiopian Flag in Rome. He certainly would have
given you a better answer. Habte, you tell me what is the difference?
>.....Beyond the obvious thatat least you don't have to feed the Italian
army (he actually feeds >you ).......
Is that =93The end justifies the means=94 or =93The means justifies the=
end=94?
>...( It is important to note here that Eritreans have opposed and fought
against the Alula rule >until the end.)...
Here, let me admit that I am totally ignorant of any significant organized
opposition by Eritreans against the chain of occupational forces. You might
excuse my ignorance because, so far, I only saw pieces of materials
covering our past history. I would be glad if you (or anyone else) would
refer to me books on the subject. Until now, innocently, I consider the
period between the 1940 - 1990 the only time in history when Eritreans
decided to stand up and fight for their rights.=20
>I am glad that people like Mandela are not cut in your mold, other wise
the entire black army, >that served during the South African aparthaid
period, would be branded as "mercenaries" of >the whiteestablishment.
I am lost here. What are they then? Patriots who died and killed for their
people and country? Do you think Mandela considers those who jailed him for
27 years as class A patriots? Here, I would like to bring to your attention
that I am not saying one shouldn=92t be forgiving, accommodating and
conciliatory. I am only saying that history has got to be written in BOLD
letters and not hazy Italics.
*****************************
> (1) ...Does Munzinger document any amputations of Eritreans that have
served him, while he >was in the employ of the Egyptians?
I do not have answers for most of your questions but a little about
Munzinger Pasha. First, Munzinger had his hand amputated. Then, the rest of
his body was broken to pieces (I am talking about his statue that stood in
Keren until it was vandalized) in the 50 or early 60s as some elders tell
us. In real life, Munzinger was killed by the Afars who, according to some
reports, cut a part of his body which was more important than his limbs (I
dare not mention that part here).=20
>(2) Why was Alula admonished by Yohannes for the Doggali ambush ( or
massacre or victory), ........
First, you have to decide whether you want to call that a =93massacre or
victory=92=FD=92, then maybe we can discuss it. If you can find one, I recom=
mend
that you read Haggai Erlich=92s paperback on Alula.
> (3) If Yohannes opposed the colonisation of Eritrea by the Italians, why
didn't he smash the >small Italian colonial army in Asmara in 1888,
before he decided to engage the Dervishes in >Metema ?
I am not quite sure. I think he considered the threat by the Mahdists from
the west more serious to his Crusade and needed his personal attention.
> (4) Talking about "Banda", who was the real "banda" ? .... Now, who is
calling whom >Banda?
Is there a real Banda and a fake Banda? are you suggesting that because
Yohannes conspired with the British against Tedros, our Bandas shouldn=92t b=
e
called Banda?
> (5) ....Now what in hell was the Showan King doing with the "foreign"
power that has just >occupied a part of Mereb Mellash? .....Why is Menelik
dealing with a White Power that has >just ccupied a piece of Mereb
Mellash? Is he perhaps betraying the Eritrean land, giving a >tacit
approval to the European power=92s colonalisation of Eritrea if the Italian=
s
could help him >to defeat Yohannes? Is that perhaps being the grand daddy
of all BANDAS?
Maybe he saw it inevitable and he was just laying down and enjoying it .
Get serious Habte. Don=92t we all know why?=20
Menelik might have been a Grand-Daddy-Banda, but he certainly was not the
father of any of the Bandas related to me.
>(6) ....why did Menelik settle for Ethiopia minus Eritrea?
We don=92t need a Las-Vegas psyche to get an answer to that. Theories are
abundant, pick one.
Was it Menelik who branded the =93poor peasants=92=92 Banda? How come we hav=
e
Geza Bandas in Eritrean towns? A Habesha quarter and a Telian quarter at=
that.
>....(unless you are caught up or sick with the "black is beautiful"
syndrome)...
Some Black people and things are beautiful others are Ugly. The same
applies to all colors. I am worried of the =93We are always right, we are
always the victims=94 Malady.
>By the way, all these events are happening long after the defeat of the
Ottoman Empire in the >Crimean War and the opening of the Suez Canal. This
should say a lot about who was in >command of the politics
of the Red Sea.
Well Habte, injera Husum (fueled by weak patriotism) was in command of the
politics of the Red Sea.=20
Have you watched the western movie called =93Un Dollere Bucato=94?
Fessaha gorobet,
1-Colonialism might have contributed to many of the problems that Africa is
facing but, most African problems are of our own creation. Let=92s stop
throwing anything hot to the White folks.
2-what is going on in Somalia has nothing to do with colonialism. It is
rather a war between those who stole each other=92s Camels and between those
who want to cook their meals in villa Somalia - Which, by the way, was
never a Villa Somalia.
3-The whole world was not a voluntary witness to what was happening in
Eritrea between 61 and 90. Most Africans considered us Outlaws and Bandits.
To the rest of the world, we were trouble makers and a nuisance. To use
your expression =93They didn=92t give a hoot=94. The world only became a wi=
tness
our =93qiya=94 forced by our endurance and dedication.
You wrote:
>If that's why you call them "merceneries", I will look that word up in
the dictionary; it
> may not be such a bad word, after all! You and I are doing it. We
are working for wages.
Fessaha, do you really mean that? You are branding the whole salaried
workersof the world mercenaries, just because you want to give the Bandas a
Cart Blanch? I think you need to reconsider that.
>Saleh, create a special thread to get at the "Commands"; do not use me.
Why do you have that feeling that I am using you Fessaha? You do not need a
scapegoat to get at the =93Commands=94. It is an open season until a proper
history is written. Incidentally, the Commands were not forced to fight for
free and were defiant thus negotiated a wage! They were queuing
voluntarily on hearing that enlisting has started. They were encouraged by
folk songs we all know: ezi Hade wedei commandis koynuleye commandis.
Having seen how eager the commands were to be enlisted, I will be surprised
if the Bandas didn=92t get enlisted with the same fervor!
Saleh
Q8
=20
NB: Fessaha, see you at the party on Thursday before you throw a fenjal bun
at me on Friday morning.