Opinion: Does Berlin want Russian forces closer to its borders?

Ever since the Russian-Belorussian invasion of Ukraine, which has now been going on for over a 100 days. The Russians has already annexed Crimea in 2014 and been since then inciting rebels and separatist in the Donbass regions. Therefore, the war with Russia was started long before the sudden day in February this year.

The Western nations could see this coming and the allies of the European Union could have supported the Ukrainians earlier. Kremlin and President Putin has used the expansion and adding more members of the NATO as an excuse to takeover or control the former USSR republic’s. This is because Putin wants an empire and revive the “greatness” of the Soviets. That is more important to him than the NATO expansion or anything else.

The ones speaking of a realignment have spoken to soon. The EU and NATO is on the backbone in concern to Ukraine. Yes, certain member-states are going far and beyond to support Kyiv. This being the Baltics, Poland and others who is possibly in the firing-line when Moscow is done with Ukraine. This being Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and so on. There is so many nations in the Eastern Europe and Eurasia, which could easily be invaded next. That is even Georgia, Azerbaijan or Kazakhstan.

While we have seen Berlin being the ugly cousin of Budapest. Berlin is all vibes and no true support. Germany is slow or blocking donated military equipment. Heck, the United States of America also blocked fighter-jets donated from Poland to Ukraine. While Germany has favoured being a close trading partner with Russia and only sanctioned things which isn’t hurting the economy. That’s why there is no difference between Orban or Scholz at this point. They are the same, but just a different package.

However, the Germans should wonder if they want Russian soldiers on their borders? Because, Putin believes the former USSR republics belongs under his influence and control. That’s because they are “colonies” and cannot make “sovereign decisions”. So, who knows if Moldova or another nations can get into the frontline after Ukraine. Berlin should feel responsible for that. They could have avoided it and ensured the Defence of Ukraine was up to speed. Nevertheless, the Germans and the “soft” allies who are trying to “save face” of the warlord in Moscow.

We have seen high ranking officials in Russia speaking of Poland and Kaliningrad. They have talked of corridors and whatnot. So, the Russians could easily get very close to German borders. Who knows if Putin feel attached and that the Russians are righteous owners of the former territory of DDR. Have the leaders of Berlin thought of that? The republic got united after the fall of the Berlin wall, but with people like Vladimir you can never know if he thinks Moscow should have a vassal-state and a capital of Eastern zone of Berlin itself. Therefore, this is just speculations, but never underestimate a warlord like Putin.

That Scholz wants to do soft-diplomacy is fine, but the solidarity talk and vibes aren’t saving people in Ukraine. Neither is it saving or helping the cause of the Western world. No, it is just showing how despicable he is and this is why his just another nationalist like Orban. His more worried about the industries in Germany, than the war happening in parts of Ukraine. The war that can easily go further if the Russians bleed the Ukrainian out. That can happen if they are not getting proper weapons or the capacity to retaliate towards the Russian army.

It seems like the Germans and their leaders wants to be Putin’s friends and not the real allies of the free world. That’s a tragic look. As they are more into the posh words, but inaction in concern to the plights of Kyiv. Instead the German bureaucracy and arms industry isn’t helping in the midst of war. Nevertheless, if it doesn’t do now. Maybe it has to later step up when it gets even closer to its border. They could have stopped it and given what Kyiv needed. However, that was to much to ask. So, now a while later… the Russian forces gets closer to Berlin, which I don’t think the Germans really wants. Peace.

Opinion: Museveni cannot govern… as he blames the colonial British for poverty in 2022…

Here we go again… Museveni blames the ones before him for his inaction and lack of ability to govern…

President Museveni said this words to the leaders from Acholi and Lango sub-region on Saturday:

““When the colonials came here, they made our people grow the crops they wanted: cotton, tobacco, coffee, tea, and then our leaders just copied what the colonialists told them…So, when I studied the issue, I could see danger, number one was only working for the stomach” (…) “They (locals) must work for the stomach and the pocket. But secondly, even the ones who are working for the pocket do so without cura (calculations). That is how you get West Nile growing tobacco. If you grow tobacco on one acre, you will never get out of poverty…” (Oketch & Akullo, 2022).

Since 26th January 1986 the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has been in power. The Ugandan republic has been freed from the colonial toils from 9th October 1962, which is close too 60 years of independence from the United Kingdom or the British. That’s a long time ago and there been several of administrations between Museveni and the British. Therefore, his really stinging it here.

For a man that was supposed to bring “fundamental change” and be different than his predecessors is saying he couldn’t change things. A man that has been in office since 1986 and for 36 years as the heads of state. If someone had the time or the ability as an executive and could appoint the right people in the Republic. That would be the likes of Museveni.

Museveni could have changed the policies, the incentives and the opportunities for the farmers. The President could decree and push the Ministry of Agricultural, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) into new ways of subsidizing or help farmers to choose the right cash-crops. However, the regime haven’t and certainly not tried. They are to busy making cash-grabs, land-grabs and quick-get-rich-schemes for that to fall on death-ears.

President Museveni has had the powers and the ability to make vast difference. He could have had parastatals or government institutions within MAAIF who could do bidding and ensure the sector was taken care off. The President has a choice but has chosen not too. That’s why his blaming Obote and the colonial leaders of the past.

The NRM could have done something, but haven’t done it all. It is like they had their hands tied and wasn’t able to do anything. For all of these years the President was in power. Nothing substantial did happen and he was powerless. That’s why his blaming the colonial leadership and previous leaders after ruling the Republic for 36 years. This is telling of how unsuccessful his at this point. Peace.

Reference:

Bill Oketch & Charity Akullo – ‘Museveni blames past regimes for poverty’ 13.06.2022, Daily Monitor, link: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/museveni-blames-past-regimes-for-poverty-3846976

Somaliland: Waddani Party – Somaliland National Party – Press Release (13.06.2022)

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Teso Affairs: In the Teso Sub-Region they are eating termites to survive the famine!

Residents of the hunger stricken areas in Teso region are now forced to eat termites due the current hunger crisis caused by last year and this year’s prolonged drought. Florence Kulume a mother of nine and a resident of Atira sub county in Serere district goes early morning to look for grass, sort it straight before washing it with roots of a certain tree locally known as “Ekoboi” in Ateso which is sour and loved by termites” (Kampala Dispatch – ‘Starving families in Teso resort to eating termites, Karimojong flee to Kenya’ 13.06.2022).

The Teso Sub-Region is hit with food insecurity yet again. It seems like the Teso Affairs and the state haven’t followed previous recommendations or any sort of thing. As the problems of past is revisiting the area. An area where the state has invested in a fruit factory, the Soroti Fruit Factory, but not secured the farmers or the agricultural sector as a whole. Since, within a few years time and a new drought settles in. The same issue of hunger and starvations sets in.

I have to use the sentiment of a farmer from the last time in 2017. Because the situation hasn’t changed but its more of the same.

Still, a local farmer wrote a piece to the Chimp Reports that has some valuable assessments:

The current hunger in Teso has largely been attributed to drought, while this assertion may hold some truths; there is increasingly evidence that the Ministry of Teso Affairs has not done its part. Hunger in Teso is as a result of both internal and external factors. For many years, the region has been experiencing declining productivity and this was recently worsened by drought. For districts like Ngora, Bukedia and Kumi, land fragmentation has heavily affected productivity” (…) “Clearly besides drought, Teso food systems are in a crisis and our expectation was that the Ministry of Teso affairs working with other stakeholders would work to address this problem. Our view is that hunger should be among the ‘affairs’ that Ministry of Teso Affairs should be engaged in. Agriculture remains a major livelihood for our people in Teso and therefore we require urgent response from Ministry of Teso Affairs on its plans to help our people get out of the current hunger crisis” (Akorikin, 2017).

Minister of State for Teso Affairs, Hon. Christine Aporu Amongin has to accept her faults and lack of good governance. The state haven’t done their due diligence or tried to mitigate it. That’s why it’s happening again after 5 years. We know the state will come with excuses. Last time around another minister blamed the suffering communities for selling their crops and whatnot to get money to stay alive. Therefore, we shouldn’t expect much from the state or the ministries in question.

The Office of the Prime Minister and the Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness should together with the Teso Affairs make some mechanisms and help people out. Not only with the direct aid and need food right now. That what they should do and in such a manner that people can eat nutritious food.

Now that it has happen for the second time in 5 years. The state needs to do more than short-term relief. There is a need for more food security mechanisms that actually can help the farmers and the hit communities in the Teso sub-region. Peace.

Reference:

Akorikin, Francis – ‘OPINION: Government Should Review the Relevance of Ministry of Teso Affairs’ (05.05.2017) link: https://www.chimpreports.com/opinion-government-should-review-the-relevance-of-ministry-of-teso-affairs/

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Ethiopia: It seems like Fano and the authorities of North Wollo is preparing for war….

 

The deputy prime minister who has confirmed that there is no interest in the conflict to get worse and to go to war again, however, on the other hand, has informed the ambassadors that TPLF is still not free from its habit of war and is preparing for a second invasion by recruiting citizens to war” (Ethiopian News Agency – ‘Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen has made a statement to the European Union ambassadors in Brussels’ 11.06.2022).

The reports from Addis Ababa wants to make it seem like everyone is ready for boosting the “humanitarian truce” and generate peace in Northern Ethiopia. However, that is only a smokescreen and not the truth. While Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) is still in Western Tigray and the same is both Amhara Regional Special Force and Amhara Para-Military Group “Fano”. So, it is not like the Tripartite Alliance have retreated.

Alas, there is unverified reports of Fano brigades moved to North Wollo around Kobo Town. While there been reports of possible skirmishes there already between the Tigray Defence Force (TDF) and civilians there. So, possible troop movement to the region would make sense. However, the possibility of non-action and no preparation of war is a lie. There was already reported that the EDF was stationed in Afar region in preparation for a new offensive, which is why some soldiers left their post and was later arrested. Therefore, something is up and the recent updates from both government channels and Amhara media says it all really.

Just read here:

Deputy Commander of the Southern Command Brigadier General Getachew Habtamu Worke community, you are heroes who have made an example of Ethiopian patriotism. For the next war we are going to have, you should destroy the enemy for the last time and confirm your history with the heroic defense force” (North Wollo Communication, 12.06.2022).

Chief Commander Lieutenant General Zewdu Belay said that our army has gone far beyond what our internal and external enemies can imagine with the capacity building activities done by the TPLF” (…) “Lieutenant General Zewdu Belay said that the army is not only preparing itself for the terrorist forces. The preparation we have made is in a way that can prevent attacks that can be fired from any direction” (Amhara Communication, 11.06.2022).

As it is known, for the past 31 years, the Amhara people have not had a social rest and is getting worse day by day. The main reason for this is TPLF led system EPRDF, and after it started the struggle, he wrote a manifesto that says the Amhara people are my historical enemy since it started to struggle, TPLF led EPRDF gave birth to EPRDF and put it on the shoulders of the Amhara people. A constitution that hurts only one people in the 27 years they have been in power. The people of Amhara who he called as his enemy in a structural way have been abusing and committing genocide” (…) “Therefore, our union has issued the following 6 points statement.

1) We call on every Amhara people to get ready to overthrow this cruel system once and for all.

2) Those of you who have been abusing the Amhara people with the two anti-Amhara administrations, it is time to blame the Amhara people, we call you to stand with the Amhara people revolution.

3) We call on every Amhara youth, old man, woman, man, to stand with Fano and prepare for a bitter struggle.

4) Those of you who live abroad, to destroy the people you call your people, we call you to help day and night without saying I am tired or tired of you.

5) Knowing that the only way to save the people of Amhara under God is a strong military and diplomatic struggle, we call on everyone to get ready for this struggle.

6) We call on Amharas who are under different government military structures to stand with your people by understanding the structural corruption that is being done on the people of Amhara.

“The Amhara people will avert the danger they are facing with united arms”” (Ashara Media – ‘A press release from the international Amhara Fano supporters and coordinators’ 11.06.2022).

So, when I read both is written in Amhara Communication pages on social media, which is government sanctioned media. Plus what the Fano is writing in their own press release. That is differing from what is stated by the Deputy President Mekonnen. Certainly, something is up and that with the pictures of movement of Fano militia brigades as well. Therefore, we shouldn’t be shocked or horrified if it escalates soon.

As, the state is just preparing to finalize a new campaign and possible a final offensive, which we have seen before too. Since the “consolidation” of “democracy” is a vial thing for the Prosperity Party. That means the TPLF and others has be either part of PP or get destroyed. There is no middle ground and that should be well-known by now. Any dissent or disagreement with the state would make you an enemy. Therefore, we shouldn’t expect much else these days.

It is really clear that something is brewing and we should be aware. Because, this stalemate will not last forever. Peace.

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