For the first time ever since its ascendance to power in 1991, the EPRDF-led government displayed a military parade last Sunday, March 2, 2008, in the town of Adwa, 800Kms north of Addis, during the 112th anniversary of the Adwa Victory against the Italians. The anniversary, dubbed “Victory of the Millennium”, was organised by the Ethiopian Millennium Festival National Council Secretariat, managed by Seyoum Bereded.
 

Not only were there soldies parading on the ground alongside tanks and four helicopters, three fighter jets blazed through the air. Spectators, comprised of President Girma W. Giorgis and Patriarch Paulos, were reminded by the master of ceremony, Kiros H. Sellasie, that the Ethiopian Defence Forces have no intention of displaying show of force to anyone.
 

The show was only meant to demonstrate what Ethiopians had when confronting a European power over a century ago and today, according to Kiros. His was a disclaimer very modest and mild compared to a tough talk delivered the same morning by Tsegaye Berhe, president of the Tigray Regional State, against the Eritrean government whom he described as belligerent even to the United Nations (UN).
 

He urged the UN to respond to Eritrea’s refusal to let its border force (UNMEE) relocate to Ethiopia in a strong manner, and warned that Ethiopia will not assume responsibility should there be military confrontations between the two countries.