The Duplicity of IGAD Continues Unabated
Berhane Alazar
June 18, 2008
We all have seen it before and we all have heard it before and I don´t imagine this may be the end of some nonsensical comments that seem to be spewed out by some self serving entities. So there was really nothing earth shattering or even "New" on the latest Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) "Communiqué" of 15 June 2008. http://www.igad.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=140&Itemid=92
That communiqué was apparently issued to appease the host government and its handlers, which are apparently hell-bent on demonizing Eritrea; and was held in the capital city of modern day crimes, Addis Ababa. The meeting was attended by none other than a bunch of clueless Horn of Africa aficionados that seem to have relinquished any leadership wisdom or farsightedness that they may have had.
It is exactly because of such inept and corrupt leaders that the Horn of Africa region has been condemned to be a playground of some powerful foreign interests. It is precisely because of this kind of leadership that it continues to embolden some foreign powers to play with the lives of the people of the area. It is these kinds of gutless leaders who are willing to look the other way when the people on whose name they amass considerable wealth remain hungry, sick and least educated. Perhaps it shouldn´t have come as surprise; and indeed it may be too much to ask and expect anything good coming out of this kind of summit except the ever-regurgitated meaningless communiqué habitually directed against Eritrea!
If these leaders have any decency and integrity, one of the basic questions they should have asked themselves was why Eritrea has suspended its IGAD membership in the first place. That would´ve been some prudent and an appropriate issue to tackle before making a boiler plate type of communiqué. In case their memory may have been altered by whatever drinks they may have been served in the hotel lobbies of the decadent city by the equally morally bankrupt rulers of Ethiopia, suffice is to state that their meeting was held in a place controlled by the Tigrai People´s Liberation Front (TPLF) gangs who have refused to abide by the rule of law. The TPLF have created non-conducive environment by illegally occupying Eritrean sovereign territory. They continue to create an atmosphere of insecurity and hostility by their incessant denigrating the Eritrean people and government. They continue to covet some Eritrean assets, which they intend to incorporate in their unattainable pipedream, the creation of the republic of "Greater Tigrai".
We remember very well, and we will never forget, the treatment of our diplomats in Addis Ababa by the TPLF during the TPLF initiated war of aggression against Eritrea in May 1998. We also remember that the OAU and IGAD did not raise a whimper about the clear violation by Weyane (TPLF) of the norms of international law.
What have these leaders of our neighborhood done to resolve the Ethio/Eritrea so called "Border" issue that their hosts, the Weyanes, have refused to abide by the final and binding decision of the Eritrea Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC)? They have done nothing – absolutely nothing – except to kid themselves by issuing the usual and inconsequential statement, "We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint". That is a cheap shot and a cowardly statement, which is intended to remain ambiguous and chastise the victim along with the crime perpetuator and thus a meaningless exercise in futility! It amounts to the classic husband beating on his wife and for the village elders to state "You people need to work out your differences and live harmoniously ever after" without ever reprimanding the guilty party (violent husband)!
What, if any, have these leaders done in defense of a fellow IGAD member state in good standing, Eritrea, when the powers of the day were accusing her of things they know Eritrea hasn´t done - like the phantom 2,000 Eritrean troops that were reportedly in Somalia and somehow managed to mysteriously disappeared in thin air? -
What have these Weyane accomplices in crime have done to help secure the two Eritrean reporters that have been kidnapped from Kenya; and taken to somewhere in the Weyane land for nothing but being Eritreans?
What has the IGAD leadership done in the wake of foreign-instigated Weyane aggression against a member State of Somalia when even a "Peace keeping" force was not supposed to come from any neighboring countries? And what, if any, have they done to protest against several unfair bombings and manslaughter the Somali people seem to be condemned to receive from American aerial attacks?
We know they haven´t murmured a word when the Weyane mowed down hundreds of young people in Addis Ababa on two separate occasions for nothing more than peacefully protesting the broad daylight rigged Ethiopian election results.
What have they done to help resolve the issue of in fratricidal fighting that was witnessed recently as a result of election irregularities in Kenya, a member of IGAD?
What have these unscrupulous leaders done to help resolve the "Darfur" issue which is a province of a member state? To my knowledge, they have done nothing that amounts to any significance of resolving the issue - short of the AU sending some "Peace keepers" at the command of forces that are actually aggravating the situation.
For the IGAD leaders, conveniently meeting in Addis Ababa, no doubt at the encouragement of foreign interest groups, to accuse Eritrea of invading our neighbor, Djibouti with out an iota of evidence is nothing but a theatrical and intentional misrepresentation of facts on the ground.
Frankly, being not a member of IGAD these days is not a loss for any country and certainly not for Eritrea, a country that values highly its stated principle and, which does not budge on issues she holds near and dear to her heart. Surely, the organization has been hijacked to serve other than the people it was supposed to represent; and unless IGAD wakes up and begin in earnest to serve the wishes and desires of the Horn of Africa region; and hopefully work collectively to the betterment of these downtrodden Horn of Africa people, then I am afraid, IGAD will continue to be seen as the facilitator and accommodator of foreign powers´ interest at the expense of the Horn people; and will continue to remain insignificant organization despised by the stake holders.
With Friends at IGAD, who needs enemies!
That communiqué was apparently issued to appease the host government and its handlers, which are apparently hell-bent on demonizing Eritrea; and was held in the capital city of modern day crimes, Addis Ababa. The meeting was attended by none other than a bunch of clueless Horn of Africa aficionados that seem to have relinquished any leadership wisdom or farsightedness that they may have had.
It is exactly because of such inept and corrupt leaders that the Horn of Africa region has been condemned to be a playground of some powerful foreign interests. It is precisely because of this kind of leadership that it continues to embolden some foreign powers to play with the lives of the people of the area. It is these kinds of gutless leaders who are willing to look the other way when the people on whose name they amass considerable wealth remain hungry, sick and least educated. Perhaps it shouldn´t have come as surprise; and indeed it may be too much to ask and expect anything good coming out of this kind of summit except the ever-regurgitated meaningless communiqué habitually directed against Eritrea!
If these leaders have any decency and integrity, one of the basic questions they should have asked themselves was why Eritrea has suspended its IGAD membership in the first place. That would´ve been some prudent and an appropriate issue to tackle before making a boiler plate type of communiqué. In case their memory may have been altered by whatever drinks they may have been served in the hotel lobbies of the decadent city by the equally morally bankrupt rulers of Ethiopia, suffice is to state that their meeting was held in a place controlled by the Tigrai People´s Liberation Front (TPLF) gangs who have refused to abide by the rule of law. The TPLF have created non-conducive environment by illegally occupying Eritrean sovereign territory. They continue to create an atmosphere of insecurity and hostility by their incessant denigrating the Eritrean people and government. They continue to covet some Eritrean assets, which they intend to incorporate in their unattainable pipedream, the creation of the republic of "Greater Tigrai".
We remember very well, and we will never forget, the treatment of our diplomats in Addis Ababa by the TPLF during the TPLF initiated war of aggression against Eritrea in May 1998. We also remember that the OAU and IGAD did not raise a whimper about the clear violation by Weyane (TPLF) of the norms of international law.
What have these leaders of our neighborhood done to resolve the Ethio/Eritrea so called "Border" issue that their hosts, the Weyanes, have refused to abide by the final and binding decision of the Eritrea Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC)? They have done nothing – absolutely nothing – except to kid themselves by issuing the usual and inconsequential statement, "We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint". That is a cheap shot and a cowardly statement, which is intended to remain ambiguous and chastise the victim along with the crime perpetuator and thus a meaningless exercise in futility! It amounts to the classic husband beating on his wife and for the village elders to state "You people need to work out your differences and live harmoniously ever after" without ever reprimanding the guilty party (violent husband)!
What, if any, have these leaders done in defense of a fellow IGAD member state in good standing, Eritrea, when the powers of the day were accusing her of things they know Eritrea hasn´t done - like the phantom 2,000 Eritrean troops that were reportedly in Somalia and somehow managed to mysteriously disappeared in thin air? -
What have these Weyane accomplices in crime have done to help secure the two Eritrean reporters that have been kidnapped from Kenya; and taken to somewhere in the Weyane land for nothing but being Eritreans?
What has the IGAD leadership done in the wake of foreign-instigated Weyane aggression against a member State of Somalia when even a "Peace keeping" force was not supposed to come from any neighboring countries? And what, if any, have they done to protest against several unfair bombings and manslaughter the Somali people seem to be condemned to receive from American aerial attacks?
We know they haven´t murmured a word when the Weyane mowed down hundreds of young people in Addis Ababa on two separate occasions for nothing more than peacefully protesting the broad daylight rigged Ethiopian election results.
What have they done to help resolve the issue of in fratricidal fighting that was witnessed recently as a result of election irregularities in Kenya, a member of IGAD?
What have these unscrupulous leaders done to help resolve the "Darfur" issue which is a province of a member state? To my knowledge, they have done nothing that amounts to any significance of resolving the issue - short of the AU sending some "Peace keepers" at the command of forces that are actually aggravating the situation.
For the IGAD leaders, conveniently meeting in Addis Ababa, no doubt at the encouragement of foreign interest groups, to accuse Eritrea of invading our neighbor, Djibouti with out an iota of evidence is nothing but a theatrical and intentional misrepresentation of facts on the ground.
Frankly, being not a member of IGAD these days is not a loss for any country and certainly not for Eritrea, a country that values highly its stated principle and, which does not budge on issues she holds near and dear to her heart. Surely, the organization has been hijacked to serve other than the people it was supposed to represent; and unless IGAD wakes up and begin in earnest to serve the wishes and desires of the Horn of Africa region; and hopefully work collectively to the betterment of these downtrodden Horn of Africa people, then I am afraid, IGAD will continue to be seen as the facilitator and accommodator of foreign powers´ interest at the expense of the Horn people; and will continue to remain insignificant organization despised by the stake holders.
With Friends at IGAD, who needs enemies!
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