Negotiation, sadly a tool to further one's real agenda and not a means to achieve a lasting peace
Posted: 14 Jun 2022, 18:24
Any negotiation should be welcomed and applauded as it is much more preferable than destruction and wars. Unfortunately, the current so called negotiation may not bring the desired fruits but instead most likely be misused by both sides.
Both the federal government and TPLF very well know there is nothing to negotiate. Negotiation is when both parties have an issue that can be resolved with some kind of compromise and when both parties are sincere to achieve a lasting peace. The issue between the federal government and TPLF was and will always be the federal power which PM Abiy is not willing to share at any cost and TPLF will always try to grab at any possible opportunity.
Every other "disagreement" from both sides is secondary and a cover up. At the core of their dispute lies a power struggle and there is nothing, absolutely nothing to negotiate here. Both are very well aware that the destruction of the other party is their guarantee for survival in the longer run.
But both are trying to use "negotiations" for their own purpose. The government will try to use it to get economical and financial benefit from the west. This will then help it strengthen the economy thereby helping the government to better finance and prepare its army for the inevitable.
The TPLF on the other hand is not in a position to wage war at the moment but has a huge pressure from its supporters to do so and take control of "Tigray lands". TPLF knows it is not in a position to do so right now and it can't wait forever without doing something. So negotiation is a welcome excuse to have some break from the constant pressure coming from its supporters to star a war that TPLF surely knows will end up losing even more Tigray lands.
Negotiation has also another advantage for TPLF. If through negotiation TPLF manages to get some budget from the federal government it can then use it to strengthen its fighting capability which is a welcome opportunity.
But whatever outcome the so called negotiation may bring, one thing is for sure that both parties will use it to arm and prepare themselves for the inevitable show down as the underlying conflict between the two can't be resolved through negotiations.
It is just a matter of time before one of the parties feel prepared enough to try and eliminate the other. That is for sure!
This negotiation reminds me of the many negotiations request TPLF sent to Eritrea to resolve the Badme dispute. The Eritrean government clearly knew and understood that there was an underlying issue at the core of the dispute between both parties that can't be resolved through negotiations. TPLF tried to use negotiation not to achieve a lasting peace but just to impress the west and get some benefits but the Eritrean government was honest enough to reject this game.
Ethiopian government is not honest but is playing along with the TPLF playbook of taking advantage of the so called negotiations and using it to its benefit. Both know that there is nothing to negotiate when it comes to the core of their dispute and they are an existential threat to the other. But for now they are playing the negotiation game in hopes to strength their army to be able to destroy the other side one day.
Sadly this negotiation most likely be a preparation for the show down rather than for a lasting peace.
Both the federal government and TPLF very well know there is nothing to negotiate. Negotiation is when both parties have an issue that can be resolved with some kind of compromise and when both parties are sincere to achieve a lasting peace. The issue between the federal government and TPLF was and will always be the federal power which PM Abiy is not willing to share at any cost and TPLF will always try to grab at any possible opportunity.
Every other "disagreement" from both sides is secondary and a cover up. At the core of their dispute lies a power struggle and there is nothing, absolutely nothing to negotiate here. Both are very well aware that the destruction of the other party is their guarantee for survival in the longer run.
But both are trying to use "negotiations" for their own purpose. The government will try to use it to get economical and financial benefit from the west. This will then help it strengthen the economy thereby helping the government to better finance and prepare its army for the inevitable.
The TPLF on the other hand is not in a position to wage war at the moment but has a huge pressure from its supporters to do so and take control of "Tigray lands". TPLF knows it is not in a position to do so right now and it can't wait forever without doing something. So negotiation is a welcome excuse to have some break from the constant pressure coming from its supporters to star a war that TPLF surely knows will end up losing even more Tigray lands.
Negotiation has also another advantage for TPLF. If through negotiation TPLF manages to get some budget from the federal government it can then use it to strengthen its fighting capability which is a welcome opportunity.
But whatever outcome the so called negotiation may bring, one thing is for sure that both parties will use it to arm and prepare themselves for the inevitable show down as the underlying conflict between the two can't be resolved through negotiations.
It is just a matter of time before one of the parties feel prepared enough to try and eliminate the other. That is for sure!
This negotiation reminds me of the many negotiations request TPLF sent to Eritrea to resolve the Badme dispute. The Eritrean government clearly knew and understood that there was an underlying issue at the core of the dispute between both parties that can't be resolved through negotiations. TPLF tried to use negotiation not to achieve a lasting peace but just to impress the west and get some benefits but the Eritrean government was honest enough to reject this game.
Ethiopian government is not honest but is playing along with the TPLF playbook of taking advantage of the so called negotiations and using it to its benefit. Both know that there is nothing to negotiate when it comes to the core of their dispute and they are an existential threat to the other. But for now they are playing the negotiation game in hopes to strength their army to be able to destroy the other side one day.
Sadly this negotiation most likely be a preparation for the show down rather than for a lasting peace.