I hope both individuals will regret for what they said. But this must be clear and underlined- the essence of war is not changed. The means of war have been changing throughout history and a lot of transformation has been recorded with the change in technology. It is destructive and its consequences sever. Who will benefit from war? Do they know the long-term consequence that will not be healed by one or two generations? What did Egypt profit from previous attempts of war from Ethiopia? Is war as simple as these individuals spoke? I think Alula Aba Nega, Khedive Ismail Pasha or Werner Munzinger must not be alive to remind these guys about the consequences of Gundet and Gura. Irrespective of the truths on the ground and rather than sorting out constructive arguments that will benefit the Nile riparian states, the two individuals run to yell about war. Ethiopia’s call is one-let us share the waters of the Nile together for mutual benefit. Ethiopia must not and will not shackle its hand not to utilize its water resources while its people are dying of hunger and live in darkness while the whole Egypt turned to a shining jewel and while the Sahara desert is turned into something green. Ethiopia’s aim is one-to meet its energy needs and to lift up its people from poverty and hunger. Thirdly, it should be clear for Egyptians that there is no one in upstream-Ethiopia to harm Egypt. By denying this fact as if they are not heard, the remarks proved to us that, they are still in their old school and fortress made by Sadat and enhanced by Mubarak which will profit nothing except suspicion and mistrust. Secondly, it is a publicly stated position of Ethiopia that Ethiopia has called downstream Egypt and Sudan that they should share the costs of the dam because they are also the beneficiaries from the end results of the GERD. Hence they have the right to utilize the waters of the Nile for any thing they want, at any time in accordance with international law and good neighborhood and brotherhood as children of one river-the Nile. The Nile is a gift of all the riparian states and their people. Firstly, the Nile is a pride and honor of all peoples and countries sharing the river. These issues must be clear to these people and all Egyptians. And I hope and I think the government of President Mohamed Morsi is wise and knows what to say, what action to take, when and how-to maintain the good relation between the Nile Riparian states and to use the fruits of the Nile waters for mutual benefit. What he missed is there is other route to reach to Ethiopia despite the short way goes long but left a scar on the relation between the two brotherly countries. Sabbahi is talking about using the Suez Canal to punish Ethiopia to stop it from utilizing the Nile waters. It is because they are from the old school and thinking incubated by Anwar Sadat and his successor Hosni Mubarak who only sees the Nile from one angle and denying other states as if they are not there with their people. Though, I do not blame these individuals for what they said. While talking about Egyptian pride and honor these two individuals seem to forget the pride and honor of Ethiopia and other upstream states. Hamdeen whil considering Ethiopia’s dam project tantamount to declaration of war, he said that “If such a war is forged against us, we are ready to fight and we will embark on it with all our strength to defend our honour.” Sabbahi on his part going on saying that Ethiopia’s decision to go ahead with the project – only days after President Mohamed Morsi’s state visit to the country – was “extremely humiliating to Egyptians.” From this we can understand that, their concern is not the reality on the ground but the honor and pride of Egypt which it unfairly claimed for long due to the unjust help of its colonial master Great Britain. In one way or another the tone of these two individuals known Egyptian opposition leader and former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi and Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya mufti Abdel-Akher Hammad is similar. Today two known figures from Egypt have aired their views about Ethiopia’s mega project on the Nile-the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). This piece is my response to the remarks made by two public figures from Egypt. The Roar and the Reality: What Hamdeen Sabbahi and Abdel-Akher Hammad Missed
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