Ethiopia Buys Arms as Millions Starve

by Thomas C. Mountain

July 8, 2011

Ethiopia is on another arms buying spree as millions of Ethiopians starve due to the worst drought in 60 years. According to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia is purchasing 200 battle tanks from Ukraine for over $100 million. Was it a coincidence that the day before Meles’ announcement, the British foreign aid office announced a $60 million “emergency food aid donation” to Ethiopia?

Why, you might be excused for asking, does Ethiopia need 200 tanks? There isn’t any realistic chance of any of Ethiopia’s neighbors invading Ethiopia, considering Ethiopia already has the largest and best equipped army in Africa.

One of the primary reasons Ethiopia needs 200 tanks is to conduct its counterinsurgency campaigns against the ethnically based armed uprisings slowly engulfing much of the country. From the Ogaden in the southeast, to Tigray in the north, to Gambella in the west, and now it is reported, even spreading to much of Oromia in the southwest, the Ethiopian regime needs to be able to crush its own people and the latest installment of armor is long overdue. It is already 11 years since Ethiopia invaded Eritrea and in the process lost its best armored divisions, including at least 2 in one day-long disaster called the Battle of Tsorona.

Tanks work well against lightly armed guerilla fighters and even better when it comes to crushing civilian uprisings, something those in the western and UN “aid” agencies are fully cognizant of. Now that Ethiopia has become a source of “peacekeepers” in Sudan, some of these Ethiopian tanks may be used to uphold Pax Americana on the North-South Sudanese border which includes Sudan’s oil fields.

As the western media once again turns a blind eye Ethiopia spends $100 million on tanks all the while millions of Somali’’s starve in Ethiopia’s Ogaden.

Thomas C. Mountain is an independent western journalist based in the Horn of Africa, and has been living and reporting from Eritrea since 2006. He was a member of the 1st US Peace Delegation to Libya in 1987. Read more articles by Thomas C. Mountain.

49 Responses to Ethiopia Buys Arms as Millions Starve

Gutema
July 8, 2011 at 2:57 pm
the sun rise on the fact ,we Ethiopians suffer by brutual dictators. they bougt the tank to crush Ethiopians who asked their right & freedom. by the way Melese regime assighn & pay coment writers in favour him.
LOL @ Eritrea
July 8, 2011 at 3:21 pm
Its funny this air-train booty licker Thomas C mountain can’t even spell Meles correctly, not to mention his defense of the dictator of asmara, Isaias Afewerki.
This idiot wrote that the 4 British citizens jailed and tortured by Eritrea were “mercenaries” with “intent to kill”. Such fabrications comes from the delusional old crazy dictator Isaias afewreki and his parrot Thomas C Mountain.
A disgraceful article from a disgraceful person.
- myipismyname
  July 8, 2011 at 8:05 pm
  You are one dumb @$$ zombie and sheeple minion.
  Go find out what all this means.
  watch loosechange on you tube and you will understand.
Million
July 8, 2011 at 7:15 pm
We Ethiopians need 200 tanks to come to Asmara and stop Al Shabab sympathizers like Thomas C. Mountain. We cannot use human wave again to brake through the Eritreans camped at our border.
This time we do not need an invading neighbor to take action. It will be a pre emptive strike. Mr. Thomas, head to Europe or the US, or you will join the two Sweedes in the beloved Hotel(Jail) in Jijiga.
- myipismyname
  July 8, 2011 at 8:07 pm
  Million and lol@eritrea
  watch loosechange on you tube and you will understand.
  You are one dumb @$$ zombie and sheeple minion.
  Go find out what minion, and zombie means.
  As far as eritrea, sitting behind a computer is not the way to do it.
  come to asmara and i will show you
  - Cellest
    July 14, 2011 at 7:51 pm
    What? “Come to asmara and show you”? you must be crazy to invite us to come to asmara because we can do that in a matter of few hours, as we did last time, may be then you will show us how to plead the UN in the middle of the night to ask ethiopia stop, like you did last time while we were coming to asmara, by then we were only 70 KM away from asmara and we stopped there and went back that is because we respect UN, this time no such thing. In Derg time we fucked your moms and sisters this time we will fuck your brothers and fathers.
    Keep smiling
AFAR
July 8, 2011 at 9:32 pm
MELES AND USA IS THE ENEMY OF PEACE. GOD BLESS DEAR. PR. ISAYAS AFEWORKI AND PPL OF ERITREA FOREVER.
Kebede
July 9, 2011 at 4:07 am
Thomas Mountain is neither a journalist nor a normal person. Although, he is wrong in most of his the so called “journalistic” life, his report here is correct. Thug Zenawi is buying tanks to feed over 14 million Ethiopians who wish him to disappear.
Afewerki is not different from Zenawi or any other killer blood sucking starving children in Africa.
Thomas appears a welfare child of Afewerki…..he would write any thing if he gets paid……as he recently said “he is the only “western” journalist in Asmara becasue he is very independant.
John T.
July 9, 2011 at 7:02 am
Thomas C Mountain is one of the greatest free lance journalist in the horn of Africa. This man always impresses me with his knowledge. He’s the only real journalist calling a spade a spade. What in God’s name is the genocidal tyrant of Ethiopia (Meles Zenawi) doing buying $100 million worth in outdated tanks from Ukraine, while millions of Ethiopians are starving to death? The only solution for this warmongering mad-man is a swift and rapid regime change. Ethiopian people need freedom from this tyrant!
“If there is one country where the fighting of extremists and terrorists was a priority when it mattered, it was Eritrea,” said Ted Dagne, an Africa specialist for the Congressional Research Service. – By Jeffery Gentlemen, Sep, 18, 2007, New York Times
“The Terrorism Stock Market: Ethiopia and Al-Shabab” – must read
http://www.madote.com/2011/07/terrorism-stock-market-ethiopia-and-al.html
Asale...
July 9, 2011 at 7:26 am
Shabya is working without rest to divided historical country Ethiopia in 4 parts but God is not helping Shabia . Egypt Mubrek was working for that for the last 30 years but God took him a way now he is living between death and life. Libya Gadafe was one of the guy who is working to dismantle Ethiopia but God put him in the trash .The Eretria president grow Ethiopia and the country after teach him he worked with Arab mafia and Jihad to dismantle Ethiopia but still he is suffering with different problem .anyone who touch Ethiopia doesn’t have good luck . Eritrean was playing good game when they lived Ethiopia they were milliner but they have been forgot that money and bless from where that came from. Ethiopia gives them a chance more than anyone but they attacked this innocent country and people. But God was watching and after Ethiopian Eritrean war they got what they deserved which is instead of prosperity death, migration, and economical suffering. Yes God is watching. Ethiopia might need 1000 tanks rocket long scud missile and other weapons because the country is surrounded by jihad elements and extern Arab mafia. Last year 80 churches burn in Ethiopia by fundamental Islamic group. We know our problem so we might need more than what we have. Thomas C. Mountain please we know our problem I don’t know why you guys are interfere Ethiopian internal issue after Eritrean referendum you guys jumping every where it is not good idea GOD is watching.
Sisu
July 9, 2011 at 11:16 am
I don’t understand why this Asmara /Eritrea based Tourist , who claims him self as journalist but works as PR for the Asmara regime wants to wrtie about Ethiopia
. He mentioned about the Ethio-Eritrea war as if Ethiopia is invader ; however the UN security council agreed that Eritrea is an invader rather than TPLF. I don’t agree buying thanks should be Ethiopia’s priority whiel million are starving , but Ethiopia has the right to build its military as any other countries in the world do..Mr Thoms please write more news about the Human right violation in Eritrea and how the people of Eritrea are deprived because of the deceitful regime of Isays Afworki who is the God father of Melse /Legisse/ Zenawi both are terrorising the Horn of Africa
Peace be up on Ethiopia the only country in Africa never colonized !!!
ak
July 9, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Regardless of your position on the nature of the Ethiopian government, Thomas Mountain is clearly allowing himself as a propoganda tool of the Eritrean government. There are so many deliberate lies and distortions in the article, I am surprized someone at Foreign Policy allowed it to be published. Clearly journalistic integrity does not apply when it comes to reporting on Africa.
- Jeremy R. Hammond
  July 10, 2011 at 2:27 am
  ak, You are welcome to elaborate and cite an example of a lie or distortion. Even just a single example.
- teddy
  August 10, 2011 at 1:03 pm
  @sisu , u and meles r slaves and ur master r us and eu .best President ever =Wedi Aforki and ERITREA is no 1 in Africa
akw
July 9, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Good grief. Why is the Journal allowing this propagandist/conspiracy theorist to post his garbage? The lies and spin in this piece are appalling, as they are most of his pieces.
- Jeremy R. Hammond
  July 10, 2011 at 2:24 am
  akw, You are welcome to elaborate and offer an example. Even just a single example.
koster
July 10, 2011 at 3:03 pm
A “friendly tyrant” like Meles Zenawi should do everything possible to eliminate his “enemies” /his people. Donors are ready to prolong this reign of state terror and as long as the WEST does not change its policy of supporting “friendly tyrants” unfortunately Ethiopians and elsewhere in developing countries suffer under state terrorism.
historian
July 10, 2011 at 4:16 pm
fellow ethiopians ,do not be fooled by the writer !! he is a parasitic eretrian under a western name …
one day we will be neclear bomb owners
I wish to know what parasites (eretrians ) would say by then .
key ==parasites mean –hookworms,askaris ,tapeworms etc who are dependent on living things .
we were great !!! we shall assume that one day !!!!
- teddy
  August 10, 2011 at 1:18 pm
  @historian , we ERITRANS r very hard workers and work evry day 2 develop beloved ERITREA and hard work paid off , who is beging FOOD & HELP now . BTW WHAT KIND HISTOREAN R U?
Daniel
July 12, 2011 at 10:52 pm
The Ethiopian Agames and the Amhara gala are all
the Mouses of east Africa they live to beg.
Truth
July 13, 2011 at 3:05 am
When was the last time you met an honest Agame or Amhara. Their lies and deception has allow them to buy Tanks and Weapon to further destablize the Horn of Africa instead of feeding starving people. the West will soon reliaze what kind of evil regime they are supporting.
Samson
July 14, 2011 at 4:52 pm
The ethiopian agames and the Amhara
they don’t know how to use their land
because they are brainless they are made
for handout,Egypt and the Sudan are coming
take the Nile for good.