Amanuel Biedemariam

President Obama undermined US diplomatic protocol, longstanding US diplomatic process and the State Department when he moved-up the UN Ambassadorship of Susan Rice to a cabinet level position. The move is a serious blunder that will undermine US diplomatic structures and processes and its negative effects to be felt for decades to come. There are many examples of these colossal failures.

Ambassador Rice has a horrific record as US point person of Africa during the Clinton Administration in which she stood by as a bystander and witnessed the Rwanda Holocaust unfold. And as a UN Ambassador, Susan Rice is doing serious damages to US political and moral high ground by undercutting US diplomatic leverages and, infringing upon American citizen’s rights by conspiring with some of the most atrocious human rights violators and genocidal tyrants of Africa.

Moreover, Ambassador Rice or President Obama are denying the American people congressional oversight by outsourcing US political agendas to international organizations like the Arab League, African Union and other regional organizations in Africa such as IGAD and ECOWAS. This is a convenient shortcut of pursuing US interests. It only requires pressuring tyrants and leaders of client states to echo US agendas. This approach gives Rice cover to push resolutions and decisions that have long-term implications with a lightning speed.

The problem with this approach is multi-pronged. Firstly, the process excludes the American people and congress. Secondly, and absent of informed public, US congressional representatives are less likely to be inquisitive and as a result not as invested as they should be. This approach avoids open discussions of US diplomatic endeavors and, in this interconnected global environment, to negate the American people and congress opportunities to meaningful understanding of world politics and engagement is serious abrogation of responsibilities.

In addition, the approach renders the State Department impotent at worst or, diminishes its influence greatly. Because regardless, of the communications that take place between the State Department and the US Mission at the UN, the focus of world leaders will be UN and the UNSC. This empowers the UN greatly while diminishing US diplomatic upper hand globally and reduces the US State Department to a mere bureaucratic shell.

Case in point, the recent Sanction measure against Eritrea Resolution 2023 adopted by the UNSC December 5, that passed with thirteen “yes” votes and two abstentions Russia and China. A simple glance at the votes makes the sanction measure look successful. However, upon digging deeper we can uncover layers of disturbing patterns that ought to concern every American.

One of the basic tenets of the American way of life is the jurisprudence based on US constitution that observes certain inalienable rights such as the ability to defend oneself and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. While that is not-always forthcoming and apparent in foreign policy matters, there are certain precedents and protocols as well as rules the US is expected to follow. These norms, values and laws, even if they are not adhered-to as they should they are universally accepted principles. And for the US, the standards are higher.

However, in this case, everything was thrown out the window. Ambassador Rice failed to bring a credible case against Eritrea. Rice failed to embrace fairness and American values. Rice presented fabrications to the UNSC to make a case in order to pass sanction measures against Eritrea. She pressed the measure in unprecedented fashion to catch the members of UNSC by surprise into voting without deliberation at 5pm on Tuesday Nov 29, to be voted on the next morning shocking all. She usurped the UN process and gave the matter unwarranted urgency in order to pass the measure. She put the measure in Blue prematurely as if the situation is dire, of utmost urgency and importance.

The members reacted negatively and denied the vote with Russia threatening to veto the measure. China said that President Isaias Afwerki has requested to come and address the UNSC in October and, according to UN charter that is the right of every UN member-country and demanded President Isaias address the council. Of course she did not want President Isaias to appear in front of the council. Her remarks were unbecoming of a diplomat. It was a shameful act and display of utter arrogance that future generation American diplomats cannot model after. She disrespected the Eritrean people by saying I have met the Eritrean delegation in July, we do not want a “circus and is not to my taste.” Her comments are an example that the US needs to seriously reevaluate its diplomatic approaches. Because, Rice acted as if she is above a president and undermined the UN process by disregarding concerns of other members and abused the privileges of being a host nation by using the issuance of a visa as part of her maneuvers. The circus that followed was a must see TV for the whole world to laugh at.

Ambassador Rice went on a two day negotiation spree in which she was forced to say we are obligated to grant a visa to President Isaias and his delegation on Friday Dec 2, 48 hours before the measure was to be voted on. According to Rice, the visas were granted on Saturday and the vote was scheduled for Monday. The president was slated to address the council and make a case for his country in a matter that could determine the fate of his people on Monday morning December 5after travelling 16 hours from Africa.

On Christmas Eve in 2009, Ambassador Rice passed a similar measure in a stealthy manner and placed an arms embargo against Eritrea a nation at war with Ethiopia denying Eritrea a right to self-defense. This was based on fabrications by using Somalia and a border dispute with Djibouti while ignoring Ethiopia that is occupying Eritrean territories illegally. She called this an African initiative and used Africa to pressure China and Russia to pass a sanction measure.

In July of 2011, the African Union (AU) rejected for lack of evidence, Ethiopia’s plea to send yet another bogus statement to the UNSC against Eritrea. The accusations came from Ethiopia and alleged that Eritrea was caught trying to bomb Addis Ababa during the AU gatherings. Ethiopia is at war with Eritrea and the accusations came from a country that is party to the conflict. Gabon, a country that has no connection to Eritrea, tabled the measure at the urging of the US to give it an African cover. The evidence provided to the UNSC is laughable. It is absurd that Rice tried to convince the UNSC, Eritrea, a nation that is capable to wage full scale wars and have successfully defeated Africa’s strongest army to gain independence, can resort to this joke of terrorist act fabricated by a genocidal regime that is using terrorism as a cover to quell decent and make money from the West.

The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations said as follows… “The text of the resolution contains a range of provisions that lack adequate foundation, and the role of the group of experts has been expanded beyond measure. In that respect, we refer in particular to the “planned terrorist attack” in Addis Ababa during the African Union summit there. The Russian Federation is categorically against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. However, in this case, the Security Council was not presented with convincing proof of Eritrea’s involvement in that incident. We have not seen the results of any investigation of that incident, if indeed there was one.”

This is diplo-speak that means the accusations are fabrications, in other words lies. The barrage of accusations and allegations Eritrea faced was designed to put maximum pressure on China and Russia to pass punitive measures by using Africans. Kenya accused Eritrea of flying arms to Al Shabab in Kisamyo South Somalia. All one has to do is observe the map of the Horn of Africa and observe in order to reach Kisamyou, Eritrea must fly through hostile air space of Ethiopia and above heavily monitored Indian Ocean Waters. The Djibouti case was also a farce since Djibouti has already agreed and signed to allow Qatar to mediate the “dispute.” Ambassador Rice created a circus by having the accusers address the UNSC from Addis via satellite in order to put more pressure and failed. By doing that, Rice empowered the UNSC over the US.

The reality, Djibouti is a client state of the US that hosts over 3,000 US soldiers stationed in Camp Lemonier Djibouti. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta just visited Djibouti to highlight the importance. Ethiopia and Kenya are in the same boat. The Transitional Government of Somalia is very dependent on the US and Ethiopian soldiers for its very survival. In other words, they are all parties to the conflict.

The US used The Somali Monitoring Group, a group formed by the US to give recommendations on Somalia related issues. In this case, the Monitoring Group presented to the UN everything Ethiopia gave them including names of Eritreans that support their birth country. These law-abiding Eritrean American citizens have resided in the US for decades. The Sanction recommendation the Monitoring Group gave targeted remittances these citizens send to their homeland. The monitoring group gave specific sanction measures to decapitate Eritrea from existence prompting the Russians to react and rightfully say…,

“We also have doubts with respect to the provision in the resolution that gives the Sanctions Committee a mandate to draft, with the support of the expert group, guiding principles for States on maintaining vigilance in their cooperation with Eritrea in the mining sector. When it comes to guiding United Nations Members, guidance should be provided by a resolution of the Security Council and not by the preliminary work of subsidiary bodies, as that can lead to various interpretations of resolutions that have been adopted.”

The monitoring group is not a legal body, an elected representation or a neutral and transparent investigative organ. It is political tool the US and Ethiopia use to further their agendas.

More than what is described above, the most disturbing aspect of Ambassador Rice’s adventures is what Wikileaks exposed. Ambassador Rice conspired with African leaders and discussed on how to impose restrictions on US citizens of Eritrean decent from sending remittances to their home country. Cables on May and August of 2009 reveal Rice talking to various Ethiopian officials in cable after another. This is what Ethiopian official recommended. Cable quote:

“ Tekeda said, cutting off the flow of money to Eritrea was essential. Particularly, remittances from the U.S. was a major source of funding for Eritrea, which used such funds for arms procurement and support for extremist elements.”

On August 17, 2009 Rice conferred with Ethiopian representative Tessema, cable quote:

“Ambassador Rice emphasized that any new sanctions Resolution should reflect the common ground between Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia.”

This is a pattern that shows Rice conspiring against American citizens with leaders of other countries. The list and detail is abundant for all to research. Rice called Eritrean Americans, “The Diaspora” and decided to infringe upon the rights of American citizens that she calls “Diaspora” in order to get at the country of their origin.

One of the most disturbing aspects of these developments is to know how easy it is to infringe upon US citizen rights without any congressional oversight and the citizenry finding out what is really taking place. Moreover, today, it is Eritrean Americans, who is next? It may be easy for the average American to overlook these developments because it is happening to obscure unfamiliar communities. However, these are outstanding law abiding American citizens most of whom arrived in the early to mid-80s. Their kids represent a first generation of Eritrean Americans that are brilliant excelling in many areas. There are many Eritrean doctors, engineers, army officials, athletes and successful exemplary Eritrean American citizens. It is criminal and libelous for Rice to incriminate entire communities of American citizens for foreign policy agendas in order to pass a flowed resolution based on fabrications.

Concluding Remarks

Over the years, the US has showed the world the ways and, meanings of diplomacy in good and bad times. American diplomats epitomized patriotism and international legal savvy. Most importantly they knew the importance of keeping the political upper hand while retaining the moral high grounds. Above all, they placed the rights of American citizens above everything. They accorded it the dignity that it deserves. Howard Baker, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Henry Kissinger to mention some. They always knew how to keep their eyes on the ball while keeping the long and short term goals of the nation intact.

Ambassador Rice is a departure from that. She represents street diplomacy of thug like bullying underhanded mischief; petty shortcut diplomacy, fabrications, obvious-threats and intimidation. Her approaches are gifts to Russia and China because due to her belligerence they are looking like saints. In this latest debacle, China and Russia came out with moral high ground because they were talking transparency and following the UN rules and laws. Susan Rice on the other hand, was always on the defensive and looked petty. Her tactics were a reach by any standard; the strategy she applied was flawed giving Russia and China opportunities to play her like a child.

The people of Africa are suffering terribly due to the incompetence of foreign officials Such as Susan Rice. This episode is likely to lead to more wars and bloodshed. Examples are aplenty. Susan Rice’s name is synonymous to The Genocide of Rwanda. The irony is, after a failure of that magnitude, her incompetence was rewarded by promotion to a much higher and significant position of high impact.

Susan Rice believes that she has picked a soft target to bully, misrepresent, fabricate harass and undermine the rights of Eritrean American citizens in order to pursue her feeble agendas. Certainly, Susan Rice will not try the same strategy on other American groups such as the Armenian or Jewish communities. She felt that Eritrean Americans are soft targets to stigmatize. This Eritrean American will not sit idle and watch American rights stripped brazenly.

All Eritreans and concerned citizens need to call for the firing of Susan Rice and hold her legally accountable for conspiring against American citizens with foreign nationals and governments.

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

With Europe and North America currently enduring economic hard times it should come as little surprise that a number of companies and enterprising individuals have begun to seek out new and potentially lucrative markets.

Africa is seeing unprecedented growth in a variety of sectors ranging from aggregates and agriculture to telecommunications and the service sector.

What might once have been seen as frontier markets are now entering the mainstream and such is the demand for solid market intelligence and credible contacts that the Horn of Africa Business Association (HABA) has been launched in London with the intention of facilitating business engagement with and within the Horn and the Greater Horn. HABA works with the following countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Somaliland (The Horn of Africa), Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda (The Greater Horn) as well as forging further business links with Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania.

“China and India have both recognized the opportunities and we are aware that businesses in other countries are waking up too. HABA is endeavouring to meet a real need and the market is considerable: 12 countries – 278 million people – 1 dynamic region.” – Mohamed Ali, Operations Director, HABA.

As well as having a consultancy division HABA offers a range of benefits to its members:

• Supplying them with a wealth of useful information through programs and communications, including policy and market developments

• Offering seminars, symposiums and workshops with a view to more effective understanding of the dynamics and opportunities of the region

• Facilitating networking between members

• Leveraging on commercial/ trading relations; key relationships with embassies and high commissions in London and with governmental entities throughout the Horn and the Greater Horn.

Such has been the interest in HABA that it has already been approached to establish chapters in Dubai (UAE), Kampala (Uganda) and Mumbai (India).

By Amanuel Biedemariam

The Russians know the history of Somalia well because Somalia was an ally of the Soviet Union. Somalia became independent in 1960 and shortly thereafter, the Soviet Union was Somalia’s key ally. To counter US presence in the Horn, the Soviets eyed Somalia and provided comprehensive military assistance and training. In exchange, the Soviets built Berbera Port and used it as a staging ground as well as missile storage facility. This continued until the situation in Ethiopia changed in 1974 changing US and Ethiopian relationship and in turn, changed the dynamics in the region.

In 1977, the US started to warm to Somalia because by then the Soviets established ties with the Marxist Mengistu regime in Ethiopia opening a door for the US to come into Somalia. The US then signed an agreement with Somalia, started providing military assistance, and gained access to facilities in Somalia.

Central to all the geopolitical-juxtaposition was the conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia that attracted many players. Egypt saw Somalia as a destabilizing factor against Ethiopia and assisted Somalia. The Arabs also assisted Somalia for religious reasons. Italy was key arms supplier. In the late 1980s, China was also a player until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 which changed the dynamics in the region one more time.

In 1991, Siad Barre’s reign ended while at the same time the current regime in Ethiopia came to power. The US then resumed its relations with her traditional ally Ethiopia and started to take incremental moves to regain access into Somalia using Ethiopia and some of the countries in the region including Eritrea a new nation then. In addition, in 2003, the US tried to enter Somalia under a humanitarian cover using the armed forces and was repulsed.

Ethiopia having always seen Somalia as a threat started to arm various factions and reignited a new era of internal conflicts in Somalia. Ethiopia is the number one destabilizing factor in Somalia.

Whilst Somalia was always a weak nation dependent on foreign assistance for defense and humanitarian needs, prior to the civil war, all the actors knew Somalia as a nation.

The above is a snapshot-background of Somalia and its relations with the US and other members of the Security Council. Additionally, Great Britain as well as Italy was in parts of Somalia during the colonial era.

Somalia was always prone to interference but it retained its sovereign identity until the Bush Administration started to focus on Africa. The Bush Administration used the war on terror to infiltrate Somalia. Moreover, in December of 2006 Ethiopia the archenemy of Somalia, and the US collaborated to invade the sovereign nation of Somalia in violation of international laws and Security Council resolutions that governed the situation in Somalia. Ethiopia is archenemy of the people of Somalia and a party to the conflict yet, at that time none of the Security Council members objected to the breach of international laws on behalf of the Somali people.

The people of Somalia fought the US Ethiopian invasion hard and it led to untold death and suffering. This was done openly in brazen disregard to the wishes of the people of Somalia. Furthermore, the US openly flouted the idea of recognizing Somaliland, Puntland and Jubaland while at the same time recognizing one Somalia Transitional Federal Government after the other by imposing leaders that are unaccountable to the people of Somalia. But what is significant here is the fact that the Transitional Governments are flaunted as leaders of Somalia. These are leaders, at one time considered terrorists or affiliated with labeled organizations. These leaders are nails, that the hammer, meaning the US and Ethiopia use to seal the coffin that is Somalia.

In the backdrop, as the Wikileaks cable after cable revealed, the minority regime in Ethiopia has basically owned Somalia and used it, for monetary gains from the US and others in the name of fighting terrorism; for diplomatic advantage in the name of bringing peace in Somalia; for military support from the US and other Western nations; to suppress the people of Ethiopia in the Ogaden and Oromo regions in the name of fighting terrorism and to suppress any dissent in the name of fighting terrorism. While at the same time using Eritrea as a scapegoat in an effort to weaken and isolate Eritrea using the US at the Security Council and, achieving key strategic objective of weakening Somalia for good.

Since 2006, the bloodletting in Somalia has continued with impunity. Any hope of resuscitating Somalia to viability kept being hammered by Ethiopia, Ugandan, and Burundian troops in the name of African Union with US taking a leading role. The US in the mean time kept trying to force government after failed government to ensure US interest disregarding the interests the people of Somalia. Those that opposed the US intervention in Somalia whether they are Somalis in the Diaspora or inside Somalia are deemed terrorists or threatened to be labeled as one and silenced. Those nations that opposed the imposition on the Somali people or spoke out against US policies in the region face sever reprimand. Furthermore, in order to cover up and distract the world from the atrocities being committed, they have consistently used Eritrea as a scapegoat.

Eritrea is on the US blacklist for a regime change hence no lies are spared to label Eritrea the spoiler, destabilizing agent etc… whilst US, Ethiopia, Kenya and others physically perpetrate the spoiling and destabilizing. They even managed to push a UNSC resolution to sanction Eritrea based on fabrications and they are still targeting Eritrea to impose harsher sanctions designed to dissolve the nation from existence, all based on fabrications.

While that is at play, the ambitions of the US expanded and at present, we are witnessing another violation of Somalia’s sovereignty by Kenya. This time US drones, French aerial support accompanied Kenya to occupy Jubalnd in Southern Somalia.

Kenya’s incursion into Somalia is like an atomic bomb dropped onto the area. Millions of Somalis and Kenyans will suffer as the result. The conflict will expand into areas of Kenya and beyond. It will affect Kenya’s economy severely due to the instabilities that will ensue as a result. In 2007, the civil unrest that broke out in Kenya brought Uganda’s economy to a complete halt because as a landlocked country Uganda depends on Port Mombasa Kenya for its imports.

Not surprisingly, like Ethiopia, Kenya is using Eritrea to divert attention and scapegoat it by claiming Eritrea is flying-in military support into Somalia while Kenya is the perpetrating the violation. This is an area and airspace actively monitored by French and US troops. It is absurd to see Kenya openly fabricate accusation against Eritrea while Kenya is in violation of international law by invading Somalia to pursue a “Jubaland Initiative” that has been in the works for a long time. This is taking place while Ambassador Susan Rice of the US is actively pushing for sanctions against Eritrea by fabricating claims that Eritrea is destabilizing Somalia as an African initiative. This is perfect “Wag the Dog” approach to hit two birds with one stone. In one hand, the US pursues Jubaland Initiative while diverting attention by making Eritrea the bogeyman and, punishes Eritrea with sanctions; however, this is a nuclear option.

This raises many questions about the UN body, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) key organ tasked to facilitate peace and security in the world. The situation described above will lead to more bloodshed. There is no end game because what is happening here is not geared to bring peace and lasting solutions for the region. Its design is to dismantle the area into pieces to benefit the powers to be at the expense of the people. Furthermore, if any conflict arises in the region which is likely, then the entire region will be up in flames beyond control. Thence, why is the UNSC, a body comprised of handful veto wielding countries allowing this genocidal holocaust to take place?

Why is Kenya, not held to account for the violation? Why is the US, not being questioned by the members’ UNSC for flying drones openly? Why are the rights of the people of Somalia not in consideration? The UN just reported the number of “children being caught on attack and crossfire is increasing.” Why not assign responsibilities? Why are the rights of these people trampled by the Security Council? What is even worse, why so much complacency and disregard to such hardship, death and suffering? Why is the Security Council not looking for real solutions instead of interest based geopolitical conflicts that is destroying life? The questions are endless.

Conclusion

The world is denied peace to accommodate the interest of the powers particularly the five members in the Security Council. There are no checks, balances, and repercussions for wrongdoing. Nearly all the problems the world faces is directly attributable to it. It is about time to say, “Enough is enough”! It is time to speak out and act against this world madness.

Please spread the message to all peace loving people to avoid further bloodshed.

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

President I. Afwerki and Y. Museveni

On arrival at Entebe International Airport, he was accorded warm welcome by President Museveni, senior Ugandan government officials and Army commanders, as well as Ambassadors and Eritrean nationals residing in Uganda.

During the warm welcome accompanied by the national anthems of Eritrea and Uganda, a 21-gun salute featured and the residents of Kampala city staged songs and dances.

Following the welcoming ceremony, Presidents Isaias and Museveni held extensive discussion focusing on bilateral relations and regional issues of mutual interest.

In the course of the visit, President Isaias would conduct meetings, in addition to visiting various economic and trade institutions.

In a statement it issued in connection with President Isaias’ visit, the Government of Uganda pointed out that the visit would play significant role in promoting peace and security both at the regional and continental level.

By Amanuel Biedemariam

For a while many Tigrayans, some openly and some behind the curtains, have been ripping some benefits from the tyrannical Meles regime unashamedly, boldly and with impunity.  They are benefiting at the expense of all Ethiopian ethnic groups in many ways in the name of Tigray.  Why this issue warrants an attention is the fact that they are benefiting more than any ethnic group; while claiming to be Ethiopians. But most importantly, they are doing it at the expense of the people in the region be it Ethiopians, Somalis, Eritreans or The Sudanese and in many ways.

It is ironic that the genocidal tyrant Meles Zenawi repeatedly cried Interhamwe when the Voice of America broadcasted reports that he didn’t like. While that rant was an effort to rebuff pressures from his Western masters; in reality, the resentment, which is building up on Tigrayans continues. It is, therefore, possible for the majority of Ethiopians to lash out in ways that are unpredictable and downright genocidal. That is the brutal truth. It is recent history that unexpected events led to the most horrific genocide of our time in Rwanda when the Hutus’ killed 800,000 to 1,000,000 Tutsis’ in a short period of time. While there is no history of enmity amongst the various ethnic nationalities of Ethiopia at the level of Hutus’ and Tutsis; they have not lived a harmonious coexistence either. It is also worth noting that what caused the genocide in Rwanda could not have been expected to create such a historic holocaust in Africa. The genocide was sparked by the death of the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, when his plane was shot down.

The question then is now-that a sizeable number of Ethiopians resent Tigrayans, what can Tigrayans do to change that resentment?

The resentment stems from the fact that Tigrayans are in power with full control of the economy, military, information, political and everything else in between. To deny that, is to deny reality. Ethiopia, since 1991, has been and is still being controlled by an ethnic minority clique from Tigray. The amount of monies, material wealth and the resources under the control of these Tigrayans is simply put, insane. They have gotten extremely rich simply by the sheer advantage of occupying the Menelik Palace provides. It accords them unchecked diplomatic prowess and political cover from any PR attacks around the world. In addition, control of the military gives them almost impenetrable power-base from which to control the nation and its agendas regionally and internationally.

In fact, prior to the election of 2010 that brought a nominal reshuffle of the cabinet, on June of 2009, Gunbot 7 and other major Ethiopian organizations released a list of names in Senior Command Posts in the Ethiopian army. And listed General SamoraYunus, Chief of Staff, Lt. General Tadesse Worede Training Department, Lt. General Geazi Abera Logistics Department, Brg. General Gebredela Military Intelligence Department,  Lt. General GebreEgziabiher Operations Department, Lt. General Berhane Negash, Engineering Department,  and Brg. General Mola Haile Mariam air force are all from Tigray. Throughout the entire army, 98% of the core-leadership groups are Tigrayans. They also exposed the systemic domination of Ethiopia in all sectors of the government including agriculture, transportation and all other government ventures.

This is the reality of Ethiopia today and many have written about it ad-nauseam and Ethiopians know that is the case. However, they are unable to do anything about it. In 2005, the election they thought could bring change, served as tragic transitional point in Ethiopian history. It defined a new Ethiopia with uncertain future and direction. It destroyed the vision Ethiopians have had for their country – at least temporarily. It generated unnecessary suspicion on each other and a period of unease. Unfortunately, that has not changed one-bit since 2005. In fact, the tension is building up with Ethiopians wondering; if the Tigrayans truly believe that they can go on like this indefinitely. It is a political and societal conundrum for Ethiopians who are vehemently incensed about the ruling clique yet, always cognizant that their words and actions could likely ignite unnecessary tension with Tigrayans. They were afraid that Tigrayans could be forced into a bunker mentality if they believed they are ganged up on.

According to Human Rights Watch, “Ethiopia is a de facto one-party state masquerading as a democracy. Its ruling party, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), permeates the state and goes to great lengths to ensure citizens’ political loyalty. In parliamentary elections in May 2010, the EPRDF won 99.6% of the seats. In local elections in 2008 it won more than 99%.”

Moreover, there is a definite resentment because Ethiopians are-not convinced the Tigrayans, ruling the country by force, are Ethiopian nationalists. Because before they came to power in 1991, they fought for the rights of the people of Tigray -with the idea of creating Greater Tigray (Abbay Tigray) in mind. This is documented on their Tigray-manifesto of 1976. In fact, Ethiopians are convinced the idea behind article 39 is a ploy designed to give the clique and in effect the people of Tigray the possibility of seceding from Ethiopia if they choose.

Article 39 gives all Ethnic groups in Ethiopia a “Right” to be break away from the union. It states, “The right to self-determination up to secession of nation, nationality and peoples may be exercised: where, the demand for secession is approved by a two thirds (2/3rds) majority of the legislature of the nation; where, the Federal Government within three years upon receipt of the decision of the legislature of the nation, nationality or people demanding secession, organizes a referendum for the nation, nationality or people demanding secession; where, the demand for secession is supported by a simple majority vote in the referendum and where, the Federal Government transfers power to the parliament of the nation, nationality or people which has opted for secession.”

Under this arrangement the TPLF clique could claim, they respect the rights of all ethnic groups while giving themselves opportunities to become independent at any given time legally at a time of their choosing. To emphasize its meaning, one can look at a statement that articulates; “If the demand for secession is approved by a two thirds (2/3^rds) majority of the legislature of the nation, any ethnic group can secede.”  That means, Meles can order the handpicked rubberstamp parliament to vote for secession and Tigray will become independent. This is a clear example on how Ethiopia can break apart.

Furthermore, the Tigrayan minority clique stands-out for their history and propensity for merciless brutality. They have committed genocides in Gambella, Ogaden and Somalia. Countless have lost lives in Southern part of Ethiopia and everywhere in the country. Their human rights records are atrocious by all standards. The sense of instability and insecurities that permeate throughout every aspect of Ethiopian life is palpable. That is now compounded by massive land-leasing program they have embarked on displacing millions under the guise of development. They have created an environment that is full of pressure and can explode in uncontrollable ways difficult to contain once unleashed.

The Tigrayan minority clique has reached a point of hubris that is unparalleled. Leading up to the sham election of 2010, The Human Rights Watch documented some instances of the withholding of donor-funded food aid from families with malnourished, hungry children on the basis of political affiliation. On November 29 William Davison of Bloomberg reported the Ethiopian government has relocated about 150,000 people in the eastern Somali region in the past five months. The VOA and others reported; Meles Zenawi is forcibly uprooting million Ethiopians in the Gambela, Afar, Ogaden, and Benishangul regions from their land. This is consistent with the story The BBC reported accusing the TPLF of using Aid funds for arms. In simple terms the crimes of the Tigrayn clique is beyond redemption. They are getting their way by using every dirty trick under their sleeves to the detriment of the people of Ethiopia and the region. In Ogaden they quarantined the entire population and isolated Ogadenis from the rest of the world denying them access to everything. Under the guise of fighting terrorism and development they are destroying lives and a way of life of millions of people of Ethiopians everywhere.

Moreover, everything the Meles led minority clique from Tigray tried have failed. Regardless of how rosy they claim things are or will be; it is a time proven that everything they utter is a lie. After the sham elections of 2010, the regime effectively rendered itself illegitimate. Even if it falsely certified itself with a rubberstamp parliament and 96% victory; what it did is tell the world how belligerent it has gotten. It showed that Meles Zenawi is playing a different game. On the recent reshuffle of his cabinet Meles tried to defuse blame of his failures by throwing his former partners under the bus (ala Aboy Sbhat) to extend his reign. And to show diversity he brought-in individuals that have no popular support, constituencies and represent no viable party. As a result, Ethiopia will not enjoy leadership continuity when the regime falls. Ethiopia would have to start all over again in the least predictable way as it did during the last two transitions.

The Key

Whereas the country is governed by a rogue and illegitimate despot…Whereas the country is being divvied-up torn to pieces and given away to multinationals…Whereas the country that is rich and full of promise is rendered to abject poverty with no hope for change …Whereas all hope for continuity through a consensus have disappeared and the nation is dominated by a handful rich-elite…Whereas the nation is divided ethnically creating a perfect template for disintegration….Whereas citizens of a nation are rendered helpless and hopeless… Whereas citizens have decided that change is possible only through the barrel of a gun…Whereas the illegitimate government have lost all political capital in the region…Whereas there exists no good-will or intent by the ruling clique…Whereas there exists no trust or confidence on the ruling mafia clique…Whereas the minority genocidal regime is totally convinced that peace does not serve its best interest…Whereas the clique have decided to impose its hegemonic agendas with the nations on the region wantonly…Whereas it has become clear that the mischief by the clique will only worsen…Whereas it is proven that no ethics or humanitarian logic binds the clique to the people of Africa and the region…Whereas it is established that compromise, the rule of law, fair play and do-good for goodness-sake amounts to mean crime on their dictionary.

It is high time for the average Tigrayan to be asked where they stand on these matters. It is time to ask, are you with the people of Ethiopia and the region seeking a peaceful coexistence? Do you accept these war mongers as your leaders and embrace them as is? Do you believe the people of Ethiopia are happy with the minority clique from Tigray? Are you proud on how the clique is handling Ethiopia? Do you think the people of Oromo, Ogaden, Gambella or Amhara are happy with the way they are being treated? Do you believe fair election, which is inclusive has taken place to satisfy the people of Ethiopia?  Do you believe Ethiopia is headed on the right direction? How long do you think the TPLF clique can hold-on to power without the support of Ethiopians? The questions are endless.

Ethiopia is at crossroads. More than any time in its history, Ethiopia finds itself at a delicate stage. During the commemoration of the 2005 Ethiopian election in DC, Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch warned the people of Tigray; ultimately the people of Tigray will end up paying the price for the crimes the genocidal Meles regime is perpetrating. He stated “My job is to identify trends that could cause genocides and what I am witnessing in Ethiopia is a great deal of concern for the people of Tigray because the regime is committing these crimes on their names.”

That is the truth whether one chooses to accept it or not. Because, the origin of the leaders in Menelik Palace is Tigray; the people of Tigray fought alongside the ruling clique for the rights of the people of Tigray. Therefore, rightly or wrongly the perception exists the criminals in Menelik palace are representatives of the people of Tigray. That is the prevailing belief. The question is then; what can the people of Tigray do?

Concluding Remarks

To quote Gandhi, “An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.”  There is also a saying in Tigrigna “you can lace poison with honey but the taste inside will never change.”

So the moment of truth is here. Ethiopians all over the world are coming together and the momentum is building up against the thugs in Menelik Palace. In this and other future endeavors, Eritreans have embraced Ethiopians and vice-versa to charge ahead. The failed regime is on the defensive all over Ethiopia with his morally defeated soldiers on the run in Ogaden, Gambella, South and Central Ethiopia and most significantly; TPDM is chasing his soldiers in Tigray. Moreover, all these groups are coming together and putting the criminal regime on the defensive more and more.

Moreover, all of what the regime tried to achieve was based on mischief and trickery but all that is come to an end. The alliance that he set up with Yemen, Djibouti, and Sudan in order to strangulate Eritrea failed. He is now the odd man out. What he calculated with Eritrea failed completely and now Eritrea is poised and on the right track. The no-war no-peace agenda he set up ended up isolating Ethiopians from their natural trading partners all around. Eritreans didn’t fail as he expected instead they are vibrant and flourishing. In all, what he banked-on was the misery of Eritreans but he forgot that Eritreans are resilient. It was a big mistake to bet against the people of Eritrea. He was dismissive and believed he can strangulate Eritreans economically so he shut all doors by telling Eritrea, “let them quench the thirst of their camels from the waters of the Red Sea” when he abandoned Eritrean ports. Eritrean camels are drinking water from the dams in every corner. Eritrea is not the isolated nation he was hoping it to be. To the contrary, it is flourishing in every way be it in sports, diplomacy, agriculture, mining and in all aspects Eritreans are on the move.

As a result, the warmongering and hate mongering mouthpieces at Aigaforum are not saying Eritrea is poor any more. They are saying Eritrea is becoming rich! Therefore it is going to hurt us what is Ethiopia to do? They are going crazy, completely at a loss for any sane strategy hence, they are calling Eritreans “Egyptian-army” that are coming to hurt us. These people are no-more in the realm of sanity they are delusional to the point of pity.

Therefore, the choice is clear. In this defining moment; do the people of Tigray want to be with the people of the region and coexist in peace or will they believe on the hegemonic agenda of Meles? Do they want partnership or hate? Meles like the past leaders will crumble and crumble badly. So the choice is clear: Meles or the people of the region in peace. The people of Tigray need to denounce the criminal regime and stand with the people of the region openly-soon for the sake of their own people. One more thing to ponder; it is certain at the end, the world will side with the people of Ethiopia and the region. So should the people of Tigray.

This case is not a concern for Ethiopians only; it concerns all peace loving people in the world. It is obviously a great concern for Eritrea and the region because it directly impacts our securities and that means we will do what it takes to ensure peace. Hence, let the rising momentum engulf these criminals for good. The people of Eritrea are peace loving and their interest is peace and prosperity of the people in the region.

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

Qatar

DOHA – Qatar said on Monday that Eritrean troops have withdrawn from an area they controlled in Djibouti as a result of Doha’s mediation bid to end a territorial dispute between the two neighbours.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani was quoted by official QNA news as saying that Eritrea has already conducted “a withdrawal from disputed border areas,” a move verified by a Qatari observer force.

The Qatari mediation provides for the formation of a committee, headed by Sheikh Hamad, which is empowered to appoint an international firm to demarcate the border, with Eritrea and Djibouti’s consent, QNA said.

The Qatari observation force is tasked with monitoring the border between the two countries “until the conclusion of a final agreement on settling the conflict,” QNA reported.

The force, made up of about twenty soldiers, arrived in Djibouti on Friday, according to Djibouti press reports.

The long-running border row between Djibouti and Eritrea over the disputed Ras Doumeira promontory on the shores of the Red Sea led to clashes in 1996, 1999 and again in 2008.

Qatar, a small Gulf country rich in natural gas and oil, has offered to mediate in various conflicts, including internal strife in Sudan, Yemen and Lebanon. (Middle East Online)

By Charles Wyatt (Minesite) – Not very often we start a mining article with a combined geography/history lesson, but in this case the only way to make sense of the recent moves by a number of mining companies into Eritrea is to understand exactly where the country is, what surrounds it, and what has been going on there.

The region is described loosely as the Horn of Africa but a close look at a map shows that the real Horn juts out south of Djibouti into the Gulf of Aden and largely consists of Somalia, with Ethiopia to its west and north. Djibouti has coast along the Red Sea and Somalia has a massive coastline in the Gulf of Aden as well as the Indian Ocean. That is where the pirates lie in wait for their victims, remember?

Ethiopia, however, has no coastline at all and that is why it has for generations made a pest of itself to Eritrea which cuts it off from the Red Sea, running all the way up from Djibouti to Sudan, with Egypt a bit further to the north.

Before the Second World War Eritrea was an Italian colony, but was taken over by the British in 1941. Once the war was over, in 1952, the United Nations decided to establish it as an autonomous entity federated with Ethiopia as a compromise between Ethiopian claims for sovereignty and Eritrean aspirations for independence. Ten years later the Ethiopians tried to annex it, triggering a war which lasted for more than 30 years. The result was victory for Eritrea which declared independence in 1993, leaving Ethiopia landlocked. The two countries hardly became good neighbours, with the issues of Ethiopian access to the Eritrean ports of Massawa and Assab, and unequal trade terms, souring relations. In 1998 there was another flare-up that lasted a couple of years and again it was Ethiopia trying to get access to the Red Sea.

Since 2000 there has been an uneasy peace, with Eritrea trying to rebuild its economy after a devastating period of war. It sits, however, in a difficult area and every time there were problems in Sudan, Djibouti or Somalia near its border, Eritrea was held responsible by the UN. This culminated in the adoption of a package of sanctions against Eritrea last December.

What has to be seen in the background of all this is the dark art of US diplomacy. The US wanted its favoured candidate Ethiopia to have access to the Red Sea and found Eritrea much too independent for its liking. Eritrea is fighting its corner to get the sanctions lifted.

In the meantime, as Ambassador Tesfamicael Gerahtu pointed out in London yesterday, the country is straining every muscle to become self-dependent in food production and improve education and health services.

Anyone arriving in the capital of Asmara today could easily think the plane had been re-routed to Italy, according to Rupert Baring of gold explorer London Africa. There are wide streets, Italianate architecture and a coffee culture, with plentiful cafes.

The people he describes as proud, independent and honest and he has never seen any sign of the corruption endemic in so many parts of Africa. These are just some of the reasons why mining companies, big and small, are taking a serious look at Eritrea. The biggest reason of all, however, is the fact that the country is unexplored in modern times and underneath Eritrea, as well as under the other countries in the Horn of Africa, lies the Arabian-Nubian Shield which is an exposure of pre-Cambrian rocks on the flanks of the Red Sea. The Shield also crosses over into Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. In the north it’s exposed as part of the Sahara Desert and Arabian Desert, and in the south in the Ethiopian Highlands.

The Arabian-Nubian Sheld was the site of some of man’s earliest geologic efforts, principally the Egyptians who extracted gold from the rocks of Egypt and north east Sudan. New gold discoveries have been made in Sudan, Eritrea, and Saudi Arabia. Last week Tim Goyder, executive chairman of the Australian gold explorer Chalice Gold Mines, was passing through London and he laid out a map which showed that his company’s Zara and Koka projects lie on the same pre-Cambrian shield as Centamin’s Sukari gold mine in the Western Desert of Egypt. For reasons of history and politics, the amount of modern gold exploration that has taken place in Egypt – Centamin apart – is modest, but none at all has taken place in Eritrea until recently. Someone has to be the original pioneer, and it appears to be the Canadian company Nevsun in this particular case. Nevsun is bringing its high grade gold, copper and zinc Bisha deposit into production later this year.

Tookie Angus, chairman of Nevsun, confirms that the Bisha project has received continuous support from the Eritrean government, which granted the mining licence in January 2008. Bisha will be the first modern-day mine in the country, with production slated to return over a million ounces of gold, 9.4 million ounces of silver, 734 million pounds of copper and more than one billion pounds of zinc during its life. The really interesting aspect, however, is the deal between Nevsun and the government of Eritrea. Under existing Eritrean mining legislation, the State of Eritrea has an automatic right to a free carried 10 per cent interest, but under an agreement with Nevsun it also has an additional 30 per cent paid participating interest. This 30 per cent contributing interest was agreed upon in October 2007, with a provisional US$25million payment made to Nevsun. The remaining balance to be paid to Nevsun will be determined by an independent valuator, and will be based on the net present value of 30 per cent of the project, as evaluated upon the first shipment of gold from the mine.

Not for Eritrea the black empowerment requirements of South Africa which so often end up with a 26 per cent stake in mining companies being effectively stolen by entities which have no intention of paying their way as partners. The Nevsun deal is straightforward stuff, with the Eritrean government setting out to get a significant stake in a project which should ensure it a satisfactory return. And it goes further than this. The Ministry of Energy and Mines is helping to organise a regional Geo-Conference in Eritrea in September which will showcase the potential for mining. It is especially interesting that Centamin has been invited from Egypt, La Mancha with its Hassai VMS mine, from Sudan, and Citadel which has the Jabel Sayed copper gold deposit, from Saudi Arabia. The whole region underlain by the Arabian-Nubian Shield is being represented, and little Eritrea is taking the lead. And that’s hardly what the UN envisaged when it put in the sanctions at the behest of the US.

There are now getting on for 20 mining companies active in the country. The Chinese are there, the Koreans are there, and now some of the big boys are following the juniors in. The country has a very sensible mining code, modelled on the Australian one. Antofagasta, one of the world’s largest copper producers is in a joint venture with the Canadian company Sunridge Gold on the Adi Rassi copper gold project within its Asmara project, and Anglo American is involved in the Thani–Ashanti Alliance. Newmont is also said to be taking a close look, which is another reason for the UN to reconsider its decision on sanctions. The Amir of Qatar not only owns the Asmara Place Hotel, where Brits and locals alike watch English football in the Green Bar, but is also building a summer home at Massawa overlooking the Red Sea. Eritrea, with a history that has precluded any exploration in modern times, is the new frontier and everyone is taking a look. The reaction from mining companies and fund managers alike has been universally positive, so this is likely to build up into a big story even if it is one that will not hit the headlines in the States.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has backed calls for Africa to be “blanketed” with bed nets as part of the battle to eradicate malaria.

Dr Rowan Williams said in spite of being preventable and treatable, the blood disease – caused by a parasite transmitted by the mosquito – was still killing nearly a million people every year.

In a message recorded to mark World Malaria Day on Sunday, Dr Williams called on the world to put its “energy and imagination” behind efforts to achieve the goal of getting rid of malaria deaths by 2015.

“One of the things that I was taught when I was growing up was that among the greatest achievements of modern science was the identification of where malaria came from, the great steps that have been made to eradicate malaria from the world,” he said.

“That was many years ago and in the intervening years, tragically the challenge of malaria has grown worse not better.

“Half the world’s population is at risk from malaria, about a million people die because of it every year and not surprisingly the cost is highest among those most vulnerable and the youngest.”

The message was recorded by Dr Williams to support the global coalition United Against Malaria.

Campaigners are working towards a United Nations target of providing bed nets to everyone at risk by the end of this year with the aim of eradicating malaria deaths by 2015.

Ethiopia, Rwanda and Eritrea have been highlighted for their success in reducing malaria deaths by more than a half in just a few years through the use of bed nets, medicines and spraying.

Malaria sufferers experience flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache and vomiting. Without treatment, the disease can result in permanent brain damage and death. Source: (The Press Association)

Westerwelle

DPA- Berlin – German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and Development Aid Minister Dirk Niebel are to begin a five-day visit to Africa on Wednesday, with stops in Tanzania, South Africa and Djibouti.

In a joint statement Monday, they said the trip demonstrated their alliance to shape foreign and aid policy “in the same mould.”

Westerwelle is leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Niebel is a senior official of the same party, which has unsuccessfully pressed Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition to merge the two ministries into one.

In Tanzania they are to hold talks with with President Jakaya Kikwete, meet with president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Charles Byron and open a German cultural centre, or Goethe Institute, in the port city of Dar-es-Salaam.

In South Africa, a regular binational commission meeting is to take place with Vice-President Kgalema Motlanthe representing the South African side.

President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti is to receive them both on Sunday on the last leg of the trip.

Westerwelle is also to pay a call on German military units in Djibouti comprising a liaison unit with Operation Enduring Freedom, a NATO anti-terrorism deployment, and Operation Atalanta, the European Union naval mission to protect shipping on the Somali coast against pirates.

German business people, cultural figures and aid executives are to be in the tour delegation.

Earlier, in a newspaper interview, Westerwelle said Germany should pay more attention to the opportunities offered by Africa.

“Africa faces enormous challenges: warlike conflicts, natural disasters and pandemics such as AIDS. But we want to put more of the focus on opportunities: its creativity, its economic potential and its wealth in raw materials,” he said.

Video

Extract from State Department Special Briefing:

AMBASSADOR COUSIN: Thank you very much, Ambassador Carson. I’d also like to thank the members of the press for your presence and interest in covering these important issues related to Somalia. As Johnnie Carson stated, the Somali people have suffered tremendously during the more than 20 years of conflict in their country.

The Somalia Monitoring Group, more commonly known as the SMG, submitted their report to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee this past week. This SMG report – the SMG reports directly to the Security Council on implementation of the Somalia and Eritrea sanctions regimes. We take the work of the Somalia Monitoring Group very seriously and we are studying its recommendations.

Next week, the Security Council will meet and receive the regular 120-day report from the Chair of the Somalia Sanctions Committee that will include a briefing on the committee’s discussion of the SMG’s final report. The Somalia Monitoring Group report contains a number of recommendations, including those regarding the work of the World Food Program in Somalia. We at the U.S. Mission to the UN agencies in Rome are active members of the executive board of the World Food Program. This board regularly examines the work of the World Food Program and the perils its dedicated staff face around the world, particularly in places like Somalia.

In December of 2009, the World Food Program presented a briefing on the – its Somalia program to the World Food Program executive board. After the December board meeting, WFP did take internal measures to address the concerns raised in this internal report. Some of the same types of allegations were raised in the Somalia Monitoring Group’s report. So this morning, the executive board recognized that regardless of the process mandated by the SMG, the board has a responsibility for oversight and governance of the WFP operations. Consensus was reached by the board to ensure that all practices of the WFP in – WFP team in Somalia are in line with the organization’s policies and procedures.

We will continue to work to ensure that the generous contributions of the American people to support the work of the World Food Program are managed in an accountable and transparent manner. We express our gratitude to the WFP staff for their commitment to meet humanitarian needs in the most difficult of circumstances. The United States remains strongly committed to meeting the humanitarian needs of the people of Somalia. We continue to seek ways to ensure that the Somalian people receive the assistance they require.

I’ll end here, Assistant Secretary, and look forward to any questions from the media. Thank you.

MR. DUGUID: Before we get to the questions, I would like to make a correction for the record. I described Ambassador Cousin’s – one of her official duties rather than her official title, which is – Ambassador to U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome is her official working title.

As we call on you, please identify yourself and which ambassador you would like to speak to.

Matt.

QUESTION: Matt Lee with AP. Ambassador Carson, you mentioned at the very top – you were talking about a number of recent press reports. Can you be specific about what these reports said? I’m not asking you to identify whatever organization they were responsible. But what did they say? And what is wrong – what was wrong with them?

Secondly, you said that the Djibouti process was supported by IGAD, the AU, and all the countries of the region. But that’s not entirely true, is it? I mean, there is one country that doesn’t support it. Or has Eritrea changed their position? And then –those two very briefly – but then on the military aid that you talked about the several tons of weapons that have been provided to the TFG. Are there any concerns that those weapons may be leaking out in the same way that the food aid was described as leaking out to insurgents?

AMBASSADOR CARSON: Let me say, the most prominent article was one that appeared approximately a week ago in The New York Times, written by Jeff Gettleman, and I think co-authored by one of his colleagues, which asserted or carried the assertion that the U.S. Government had military advisors assisting and aiding the TFG, that the U.S. Government was, in fact, helping to coordinate the strategic offensive that is apparently underway now, or may be underway now, in Mogadishu, and that we were, in effect, guiding the hand and the operations of the TFG military. All of those are incorrect. All of those do not reflect the accuracy of our policy, and all of those need to be refuted very strongly. I think my statement clearly outlined what we are doing and why we are doing it.

You indicated that one state in the region has not joined in, and that is absolutely true; that is Eritrea. But Eritrea, in fact, stands alone. What my statement said was that all key states in the region, all the important states in the region – and I would include among them Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and other members of IGAD –

QUESTION: You’re not planning to meet up with President Isaias anytime soon, are you?

AMBASSADOR CARSON: Whenever an opportunity presents itself to engage President Isaias in a conversation that will lead to peace and a cessation of Eritrean support for spoilers in the region, I will do so.

With respect to military weapons, we try as best we possibly can to ensure through a number of mechanisms that any assistance, any assistance that we give to the TFG, directly or indirectly, is accounted for and audited through mechanisms that we believe are very good.

Sudan – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched an information campaign in Sudan on the risks of irregular migration as part of a broader effort to tackle key migration issues in East Africa and the Horn of Africa.

The campaign, which will target seven states in eastern Sudan, will be implemented as part of an Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) programme to address gaps in migration management in the IGAD region. It aims to inform irregular migrants and potential migrants of the risks they face on their journey to Europe and the Middle East.

With more than 7,600 kms of land borders, 853 kms of coastline and nine neighbours, Sudan lies in the middle of the East African route to the Mediterranean. It is one of the three main routes used by mainly Ethiopian, Eritrean and Somali irregular migrants en route to Europe via Libya and Egypt as they seek to escape poverty, conflict and increasing environmental degradation at home.

Sudan is also a country of origin and destination for irregular migrants. More than 100,000 refugees from the Horn of Africa are currently being hosted in camps in Khartoum, Gedaref, Red Sea, Kassala, El Gezira, Sennar and Blue Nile states, with the camps recognized as a source and transit point for flows of both asylum-seekers and economic migrants to, within and through Sudan.

Sudanese nationals seeking a new life abroad using irregular means can often become stranded in transit. All irregular migrants are vulnerable to human trafficking and abuse during their journey, often because of a lack of knowledge about what the journey will actually entail.

Posters and flyers with information and advice are being distributed in Arabic, Amharic and Tigrinya in the seven states. Dialogues are also being held with community leaders in the camps. The campaign, funded by the European Commission, is also using radio and other means to reach irregular migrants and potential Sudanese migrants with materials based on true-life stories designed to target specific ethnic groups, cultures and motives for migrating.

As well as highlighting the risks of irregular migration, campaign materials will inform migrants and potential migrants on the requirements and opportunities for regular migration. This will include information about how to obtain travel documents, work permits and visas, and and about the immigration laws of host countries.

Implemented in collaboration with the Immigration and Passport Department of the Ministry of Interior and the Sudanese Commission for Refugees, the campaign is a step towards a more established response to combating human smuggling and human trafficking in the country by building the government’s capacities on migration issues.

Westminster

UK Members of Parliament discussed regional security in the Horn of Africa during a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday. Ivan Lewis, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, responded to the debate representing the UK Government.

The debate focused on issues of security and stability in Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen acknowledging the strategic, economic and cultural importance of these countries. However, a great part of the discussion in Westminster Hall centered around the border problem between Eritrea and Ethiopia as a driver of conflict in the region.

Conservative MP Mark Pritchard opened the discussion on Eritrea and Ethiopia by stating, “What happens in Addis Abeba matters”. Mr Pritchard supports his view by arguing that Ethiopia is one of the most stable countries in the Horn. He told attending MPs that he recently made a visit to Ethiopia and that the country reflects stability regardless of ongoing disputes and tensions with Eritrea.

Mr Pritchard was asked by Jeremey Corbyn, Labour MP from the Islington constituency, if he was able to discuss the issue of border dispute with the Ethiopian Government during his visit to Addis Ababa and whether he believes that there is any chance that the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling might be accepted by both parties.

Mr Pritchard replied that he had discussed it with the Foreign Minister of Ethiopia and other representatives of the Government. He said that it would help if the court would make the effort to visit the border rather than making judgments based on a map from a room in a European capital.

Throughout the debate the Conservative MP appeared to support Ethiopia accusing Eritrea of causing instability in the Horn with the support of Libya, Qatar and Iran. While the Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs tried to emphasise the complexity of the forces driving conflict in the Horn.

“I wonder whether we are not sometimes too simplistic in looking at goodies and baddies, and whether a much higher degree of involvement is needed,” Mr Corbyn said for instance.

Moreover, Labour and Liberal Democrats seemed to support the view that the Algiers Agreement and the Court of Arbitration ruling might be key to solving many problems in the region.

Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ivan Lewis responded to the debate saying,

“To my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North who raised the issue of the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, I have to say that there was arbitration. The Eritrea-Ethiopia boundary commission made a very clear decision on the border.

Despite our friendship with Ethiopia and our tremendous admiration for the progress it has made, we continue to press it to implement the decision following arbitration. The matter will continue to be a running sore and a cause of much instability until it has done so.

I say to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr. Davey) who asked the question that we continue to make the case for that recommendation to be implemented, because it is a root cause of the significant instability.”

“We support the sanctions regime against Eritrea because we believe that country has consistently flouted international law, which is why we supported UN Security Council resolution 1907. However, that is not an alternative to engagement. Of course, we want to engage with Eritrea, as well as to insist that it does not behave in a way that undermines stability in the horn. It is very important to get that balance right.”

Watch the debate on link below:

WESTMINISTER HALL VIDEO