Eritrea – A Convenient Fall Guy!
Berhane Alazar
July 17, 2009
If there was one thing the world historians could agree, perhaps it would be the consistent and persistent way in which Eritrea and the Eritrean people have been mistreated, abused and down right insulted by the powers of the day ever since their national identity was at stake. Eritrea bashing simply has become a preferred past time; and a seductive choice when one wants to play the blame game in the volatile Horn of Africa region instead of addressing the real malice, which has been affecting the neighborhood at large. In fact, we have been hearing how the long arm of Eritrea reaches the Middle East and as far as the Indian Subcontinent! Considering the totem poll where Eritrea stands among the world nations, such a fit would be nothing short of truly amazing accomplishment!
Eritrea has been accused by various interest groups of many things for a variety of "breach of norms" – none of which have ever been verified! But, perhaps the most bizarre and persistent mother of all lies has been and continues to be Eritrea´s "Destabilization" activity in the Horn region and beyond. The most commonly presented preamble to demonizing Eritrea and its government paradoxically starts on how Eritrea has gone to "War with all its neighbors" regardless of the veracity of such blanket statements or the distinct possibility that Eritrea could have been the victim of such "Wars". But, that would be a topic (or topics) for another day.
Such unhelpful rhetoric were conceived by the current Ethiopian government, was given a Cesarean birth right by the US and is being nourished by some unsustainable life support by the UNSC, which of course, is dominated by the most powerful nations on earth. For those of us who are regular visitors of the Horn region, we kind of got used to the senseless and repeated allegations that Eritrea was somehow involved militarily in the unfortunate predicament the Somali people find themselves. Nothing could be further than the truth!
The latest, and by far, the weirdest blackmailing of Eritrea came from the "Holier than Thou" western surrogate, the inept AU, presumably at the encouragement of an equally disjointed and corrupt organization, the IGAAD. That irresponsible call, among other things, asks the UNSC to impose sanctions against one of its member states for Eritrea´s alleged military support to the Somali Islamist forces. This cowardly call came on the heels of our newly appointed State Department Africa point man, Mr. Johnnie Carson´s assertion of "incontrovertible evidence" that Eritrea was supplying the Islamists and "Terrorists" with military hardware! Hmm! Somehow, that sounds familiar. Haven´t we heard it all during the waning days of the disgraced Bush Administration? Ironically, wasn´t another black person, Dr. Jendayi Frazer, which was huffing and puffing to blacklist Eritrea as a "Sponsor of Terrorism", whatever the hell that means - but failed miserably for she did not have an iota of truth to back up her Weyane-fed lies? What do these two people have in common besides serving the same office for different US Administrations? One obvious thing is that they are both black people. Does it follow then that these black officers can, were and are discriminating against their fellow black people who happen to reside oceans apart? That is something worth pondering.
At any rate and for the record,
What happened to the "2,000 Eritrean troops" that were allegedly deployed inside Somalia in 2006 and mysteriously melted away by the searing heat of Somalia [I suppose]?
How is it possible for a small third world country, which is in a quasi war state with a major neighboring country supported by the US, to be able to deliver "plane" loads of weapons and ammunitions when some of the mighty international maritime forces are within a "stone throwing proximity" as we say it in Tigrigna? Folks, we are talking about the US, French and other major naval and air forces who are routinely stationed and scanning the air and sea sphere of the area. This suggestion that Eritrea, somehow was able to sneak in the weapons is even sillier when one considers that Eritrea does not even have a common border with any parts of Somalia! There is definitely something funny about the entire make-belief scenario – a scenario that is neither backed by any facts or delivered with shrewd political consideration.
How is it that the "Concerned" powers of the world do not murmur a word or two about the fate of a couple of Eritrean journalists who were "Captured" in Kenya by the Kenyan authorities, flown to Somalia and handed over to the despicable Weyane government? Where is the constant cry we have been hearing about "Free press" and the free movement of media personnel?
I haven´t heard any condemnation of the Ethiopian Army who has illegally entered Somalia, a UN member state, many times and brought in massive war machinery in broad day light for all to see ostensibly at the invitation of various "Legitimate governments" which were foreign installed and made up of some criminal war lords.
How about the persistent report that some of the AU troops, stationed in Somalia, were selling the US provided weapons to some "Islamist" forces for the mighty Dollar? Hey, as the saying goes, "What is good for the goose is good for gander" or has that idiom changed its original meaning when it arrived in the Horn?
The Eritrean people, through their government, have repeatedly denied of providing any arms (plane load or otherwise) to any of the Somali forces who are heroically fighting against a US supported and Ethiopian spearheaded naked aggression directed against their country and their way of life. Nobody has the right to impose any foreign doctrine or way of governance without the explicit wish of the Somali nation. Eritrea, being the principled country that it is, believes in this golden rule and it walks the talk unlike, unfortunately, many countries, who should have known better, doing the double talk and basically pay only a lip service to this cardinal sin – invading and imposing one´s will on people´s and cultures without their willingness to participate in such "Change of government". How many "Change of Governments" will it take to convince the US and UNSC that such exercises won´t work ever? More importantly, how many Somalis would have to be killed, maimed and otherwise displaced before the ivory tower wizards in Washington and New York would consider their unwise move to be "No-starter"? Only time will tell.
As to Eritrea, it stands by its assertion that it does not provide any weapons to any fighting forces in Somalia short of its political support to see to it that the Somalis be left alone to resolve any differences they may have amongst them without the big brother knows it all mentality. If left alone, I am sure, they are capable of addressing their national issues no more and no less than Ethiopia and the US could.
Finally, the IGAAD and AU, instead of beating the drum of "Sanction" against one of their own, they would fare better if they first place their house in order before pointing an accusatory finger at Eritrea which by all standards has been an exemplary member state and continues to be an envy of friends and foe alike.
"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"!
Happy 18th Eritrea!
Awet nHafash!
Eritrea has been accused by various interest groups of many things for a variety of "breach of norms" – none of which have ever been verified! But, perhaps the most bizarre and persistent mother of all lies has been and continues to be Eritrea´s "Destabilization" activity in the Horn region and beyond. The most commonly presented preamble to demonizing Eritrea and its government paradoxically starts on how Eritrea has gone to "War with all its neighbors" regardless of the veracity of such blanket statements or the distinct possibility that Eritrea could have been the victim of such "Wars". But, that would be a topic (or topics) for another day.
Such unhelpful rhetoric were conceived by the current Ethiopian government, was given a Cesarean birth right by the US and is being nourished by some unsustainable life support by the UNSC, which of course, is dominated by the most powerful nations on earth. For those of us who are regular visitors of the Horn region, we kind of got used to the senseless and repeated allegations that Eritrea was somehow involved militarily in the unfortunate predicament the Somali people find themselves. Nothing could be further than the truth!
The latest, and by far, the weirdest blackmailing of Eritrea came from the "Holier than Thou" western surrogate, the inept AU, presumably at the encouragement of an equally disjointed and corrupt organization, the IGAAD. That irresponsible call, among other things, asks the UNSC to impose sanctions against one of its member states for Eritrea´s alleged military support to the Somali Islamist forces. This cowardly call came on the heels of our newly appointed State Department Africa point man, Mr. Johnnie Carson´s assertion of "incontrovertible evidence" that Eritrea was supplying the Islamists and "Terrorists" with military hardware! Hmm! Somehow, that sounds familiar. Haven´t we heard it all during the waning days of the disgraced Bush Administration? Ironically, wasn´t another black person, Dr. Jendayi Frazer, which was huffing and puffing to blacklist Eritrea as a "Sponsor of Terrorism", whatever the hell that means - but failed miserably for she did not have an iota of truth to back up her Weyane-fed lies? What do these two people have in common besides serving the same office for different US Administrations? One obvious thing is that they are both black people. Does it follow then that these black officers can, were and are discriminating against their fellow black people who happen to reside oceans apart? That is something worth pondering.
At any rate and for the record,
What happened to the "2,000 Eritrean troops" that were allegedly deployed inside Somalia in 2006 and mysteriously melted away by the searing heat of Somalia [I suppose]?
How is it possible for a small third world country, which is in a quasi war state with a major neighboring country supported by the US, to be able to deliver "plane" loads of weapons and ammunitions when some of the mighty international maritime forces are within a "stone throwing proximity" as we say it in Tigrigna? Folks, we are talking about the US, French and other major naval and air forces who are routinely stationed and scanning the air and sea sphere of the area. This suggestion that Eritrea, somehow was able to sneak in the weapons is even sillier when one considers that Eritrea does not even have a common border with any parts of Somalia! There is definitely something funny about the entire make-belief scenario – a scenario that is neither backed by any facts or delivered with shrewd political consideration.
How is it that the "Concerned" powers of the world do not murmur a word or two about the fate of a couple of Eritrean journalists who were "Captured" in Kenya by the Kenyan authorities, flown to Somalia and handed over to the despicable Weyane government? Where is the constant cry we have been hearing about "Free press" and the free movement of media personnel?
I haven´t heard any condemnation of the Ethiopian Army who has illegally entered Somalia, a UN member state, many times and brought in massive war machinery in broad day light for all to see ostensibly at the invitation of various "Legitimate governments" which were foreign installed and made up of some criminal war lords.
How about the persistent report that some of the AU troops, stationed in Somalia, were selling the US provided weapons to some "Islamist" forces for the mighty Dollar? Hey, as the saying goes, "What is good for the goose is good for gander" or has that idiom changed its original meaning when it arrived in the Horn?
The Eritrean people, through their government, have repeatedly denied of providing any arms (plane load or otherwise) to any of the Somali forces who are heroically fighting against a US supported and Ethiopian spearheaded naked aggression directed against their country and their way of life. Nobody has the right to impose any foreign doctrine or way of governance without the explicit wish of the Somali nation. Eritrea, being the principled country that it is, believes in this golden rule and it walks the talk unlike, unfortunately, many countries, who should have known better, doing the double talk and basically pay only a lip service to this cardinal sin – invading and imposing one´s will on people´s and cultures without their willingness to participate in such "Change of government". How many "Change of Governments" will it take to convince the US and UNSC that such exercises won´t work ever? More importantly, how many Somalis would have to be killed, maimed and otherwise displaced before the ivory tower wizards in Washington and New York would consider their unwise move to be "No-starter"? Only time will tell.
As to Eritrea, it stands by its assertion that it does not provide any weapons to any fighting forces in Somalia short of its political support to see to it that the Somalis be left alone to resolve any differences they may have amongst them without the big brother knows it all mentality. If left alone, I am sure, they are capable of addressing their national issues no more and no less than Ethiopia and the US could.
Finally, the IGAAD and AU, instead of beating the drum of "Sanction" against one of their own, they would fare better if they first place their house in order before pointing an accusatory finger at Eritrea which by all standards has been an exemplary member state and continues to be an envy of friends and foe alike.
"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"!
Happy 18th Eritrea!
Awet nHafash!
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