Isaias’ Paranoia towards Meles and the US

By Gubae Gundarta

The whistle-blowing website, Wikileaks disclosed that the Eritrean president Isias Afeworki thinks America has intentions to thunder down his residence in Massawa with a missile and kill him. Also, the website indicated that the president said Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi attempted to assassinate him 14 years ago even before the Ethio-Eritirean war broke out.

With that magnitude of distrust of the US, Isaias either kills or sends to prison all who happen to dissent his power for he perceives them as messengers trying to accomplish the American conspiracy. The incarceration of opposition leaders, journalists and even officials from his administration and individuals who remain to be unaccounted for can all be put down to this particular paranoia.

The overly apprehensive Isaias Afeworki had to attend some festivity in Kenya back in 1996. On his way home he had to use the Addis Ababa Airport in transit. Former US ambassador to Eritrea, Ronald McMullen told Reuters that the president said Meles was conniving to detonate his plane when he touched down. He said that Isaias has always been afraid of the US and Meles Zenawi.

Asked to comment on the issue, the Ethiopian Government Communications Office, State Minister Shimelis Kemal said he wouldn’t even comment on it because it was a baseless accusation.

Mesenazeria, Amharic Weekly