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

Eritrea Condemns Denial Of Its Right To Address Security Council

State-of-Eritrea

In the afternoon hours of Wednesday 30 November 2011, members of the UN Security Council were suddenly summoned and asked to immediately endorse a resolution drafted by Gabon and the United States designed to tighten sanctions resolution against Eritrea.

The ploy came as a surprise to the members of the Council. Whereas the Russian Ambassador to the UN, Mr. Vitaly Churkin, declared: “We were asked to approve the draft following a very sudden summons; we could not understand why in such a hectic manner.” Similarly, many members of the Council did not accept the very rush move either. And certainly, why the need to adopt a resolution in a hasty and restless way? As close observers assert, the reason behind adopting a resolution on Wednesday pm. is that the Presidency of the Security Council is scheduled to be handed over to Russia from Portugal. Thus, is it because it was ‘deemed’ an opportune moment to press for the adoption of the resolution before Russia assumes the Presidency?

As stipulated in Article 32 of the UN Charter, “Any State, be it a UN member or not, is entitled to appear before the Council to defend its case whenever an issue concerning it is presented to the Security Council”. Why deny Eritrea, a member of the United Nations, this very right? In opposition to the move, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Li Baoding, declared: “We do not accept any resolution adopted in haste… it is proper that we invite the President of Eritrea to appear before the Council in person and explain the matter”.

All members of the Security Council, with the exception of the United States, have not only opposed the adoption of a resolution on an issue of major importance like that of sanctions but also underlined as being illogical denying the leader of the state concerned the right to appear before the Council and explain the case.

In the wake of mounting opposition, the US Ambassador to the UN was compelled to heed the obligation that the United States, as host country, is “obliged to issue a visa to any Head of State wishing to visit the UN Headquarters”.

It is to be recalled that the unjust anti-Eritrea UN sanctions resolution 1907 was adopted in the end of 2009 under similar hectic circumstances, i.e. on the eve of Christmas merriment through misleading members of the Security Council. This time too, resort is being made to a repetition of the same drama. But why opt for adopting resolutions in such a bizarre manner?

Eritrea

By: Berhane Woldu

On August 10 th 2011, Susan Rice U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations stated that Eritrea is a destabilizing force in the region. Furthermore, that there is a famine in Eritrea and that the government of Eritrea has denied the UN agencies and NGO’s from delivering food aid (dead aid) and the people are left to starve.

Yet she is working on additional economic sanction on Eritrea. The statement that there is famine in Eritrea is far from the truth, in Eritrea there is abundance of food. The truth of the matter is that there is famine in Ethiopia 4.2 million of its population is starving a country that is allied and nurtured by the USA. Why not help Ethiopia eradicate hunger.

Mrs. Rice has failed to listen to Eritrean diplomats who repeatedly stated that Eritrea does not hold any ill will to any of the African Nations and has never worked to destabilize its neighbors. Maybe Mrs. Rice needs to hear a new voice. The song “Your Embrace” (Kedeinkna) By Wedi Tekabo with his modern jazzy voice is my selection. The lyrics are so true and articulate in describing the misery that the people of the African Continent face due to the failure of their leadership and neo-colonialist force. “Your Embrace” in my humble opinion should have been one of the top ten songs of the year 2011. It did not, sad as it is living the judgment to the professional’s let me return to the lyrics and the story the song tells.

The lyric says “ululate mothers of Eritrea; ululate ladies of Eritrea mothers of virtue ululate as brighter days have come. Where others have failed, you have become victories.

Those East, West, North and South of Eritrea are rich. They have gold and diamond. Their leaders have chosen to become wolves they have divided the people using religion and ethnicity. Instead of sharing the wealth with their own people, they have chosen to collaborate in the grand larceny with foreigners”.

In Africa Grand Larceny, using the apparatus supremacy leadership has developed into Africa’s most stylish and money-spinning industry. The story of Black Diamond and The Prime minister of the Minority Government of Ethiopia who has been in power for only 20 years and amassed billions of dollars in foreign banks are some of the prime example. It involves group of actors businesses set as legitimate based inside the country and their agents scattered in places like USA and Europe (where it is believed that the Prime Minster of Ethiopia Melese Zenawe has been buying property). These facilitators come with different profession some are lawyers, accountants’ investors and bankers. There are others born with a silver spoon in their mouth “fixers” with political and business connections in the passageway of power in the western countries. These are people that collaborate with the Dictators in Africa help them making fortunes disappear from Africa only to reappear in America and Europe (remember Mobutu of Congo). A foreign partner speed flawlessly and undetectably through an impenetrable net work of accounts in several countries then reaches its destination as a high-value possession at choice locations around the world. The African regimes are ruling through fear and violence. They with the help of their Western backers have developed sophisticated and horrific instruments to cow their population and rob the National treasure chest. The First ladies of these countries have also become the most successful businesspersons of the Country. Case in point; Azeb Mesfin of Ethiopia in the last 20 years has become the richest woman in Ethiopia. The way of doing business is simple and with no risk of failure. The first ladies simply seize shares as high as 50% of successful companies then just sit back and milk the “cash cow”. Governmental power is the ultimate as it is a license to print money. The process of Grand Larceny necessitates a huge number of powerful people and big businesses in the Western democracies; it is hardly surprising that the whole issue is shrouded in secrecy. The elite and powerful in Africa immersed in the obscenely pretentious and ultimately disgraceful luxury of the palaces and fortress they had built for themselves around the world, they had lost all touch with or sympathy for the people they had been duty-bound to care, for they have become wolves.

“Your Embrace” goes on “Mother you who shade no ill will; you promote unity the nine nationalities live in harmony. While our neighbors kill each other and become the laughing stock of the west. You Mother that prays in church and mosque Scared, as you are nothing evil converges. During the war of liberation with all the challenges, hardship and the ground on fire, you marched forward with genuineness like a caterpillar.

Your enemies bragging as if they had destroyed you; as if you were an easy foe. With all that deep pain you shouldered you have bear freedom and offered us peace. You have emerged from eternity to be free like a butterfly bringing the flag with olive tree. The days have become bright with sunshine realizing our potential to live rewarding life”.

Not long ago there were symposiums given by different ministries and regional administrators in different region of Eritrea. The ministers and governors gave in-depth analysis of the achievements of the last 20 years and the five-year development plan.

The different symposiums avowed food security has been the priority in the national drive for development. Hence, Agro-Macro policy was devised, Irrigation based agriculture was introduced to increase output and create surplus in cereal corps, vegetables, fruits, and livestock. Dams, micro-dams and water diversion schemes were constructed. Since 1991 in Gash Barka region alone 67,754 hectares of land has been cultivated 35,500 hectares by irrigation, 20,980-splash irrigation 2,257 hectares uses spray irrigation and 1,100 hectares use drip irrigation. Agro-industries have also been put in place case in point; Aligider cotton farm, Elabered agro-industry, Mersanni, Afhimbole, Gerset, the Fancos and Ad Omer agro-industry. In the Northern red sea region with the focus on agriculture, over 90,000 hectares have been utilized and a number of agricultural infrastructure programs have been implemented which increase domestic consumption. The Red Sea coastline is rich in fish, lobster, shrimp, crab and anchovies. Annually 80,000 tones of fish and 50,000 tones of Anchovies and Sardines can be harvested for export. In-addition there is abundant of fresh water fish for domestic consumption. Poultry farm, honey farms and animal husbandry are new industry. The animal husbandry at Alebu is one set to export meat and hide. The North, Central and the Anseba regions all have large farms. One can drive from Asmara to Adi-Begiou near the border with Ethiopia on the Northern side crossing the Menguda National reserve coming down hill to reach Shiketi. The farmland starts from Shiketi until your reach Adi-Begiou. In-addition, the Hazemo, Halai, Kohaito plains and Saho settlements are all farmlands. The land is reach and looks as if one is crossing the wheat fields of the Mid-West in America. There are 50,000 hectares of land available for farming in the Northern region alone, 138 dams, and 256 ponds that hold 50 million meter Quebec water. In the last 15 years, the Eritrean Agriculture has emerged from subsistence farming to a modern agro-business.

It is human to be concerned and assist the less fortunate the 4.2 million starving Ethiopians the 200,000 homeless that sleep on the street of Addis Ababa and the many more East African countries need help. Eritrea on the other hand as avowed in the aforementioned paragraphs has leaped forward into agro-industry, has become a nation of self-reliance, and does not need food handouts.

Mrs. Ambassador; The Eritrean people want nothing more than to make their own choices, live according to their own values and to do so without relying on others. Self-reliance treasured in Eritrean traditional custom and highly cherished has been the national asset and not food handouts NGOs or UN. For once, think as a mother and not as a diplomat. A nation and people that is working hard as ever to capitalize on its water resources toiling its land to ensure food security does not deserve to be sanctioned.

By Amanuel Biedemariam

After the US managed to pass the illegal Resolution 1907 (2009) to sanction the people and the government of Eritrea, His Excellency President Isaias Afewerki went on tour to Zoba Debub of Eritrea. President Isaias went to observe the local progress that is based on the food security campaign that Eritrea is engaged in. After visiting various villages, cities and towns and after meeting with the farmers of the region; he drove into the city of Mendefera. On arrival he was greeted by thousands of exuberant residents that wanted to shake hands and cheer him as he walked through the heart of Mendefera. After a joyous long stroll, the president was then directed to a tent that the people of the region and the administration of the Zoba set for him as surprise. President Isaias did not expect such a reception and was not prepared for it.

The reception was an opportunity for the locals to express their gratitude, ascertain unwavering support; show solidarity with their government and to vent against the unjust and illegal resolution the US hatched and imposed. It was also a glimpse into Eritrea’s history as perceived by a generation that witnessed the Italian, British and Ethiopian colonial rules. During the heated venting (m’ndar) Sheiks, Priests, elders- men and women of the community expressed their views. Amongst them one man stood and said this about the sanction: “The sanction measure they placed on us means nothing because we Eritreans have seen it all. Throughout our history all they have done is try to destroy us. However, no matter what they do, we always come out victorious at the end. The sanction on Eritrea is not new and it will not change anything as long as we have our ploughs and shoulders. And no one can sanction us from tilling our land.”

Those words resonate because they vividly show the free and independent mindset that Eritreans have. It expressed the spirit of people with a-can-do attitude undeterred by the most daunting obstacles that the US, other powers and, their surrogates imposed. It is evidence that Eritreans have always believed that they are under sanction by the powers. And most importantly; that captured the spirit of Eritreans that was expressed in every corner of the world. Eritreans were and remain angry about the injustices and are determined to do all that they can to change it. Just a month after the imposition of the illegal act, on February 22nd, they demonstrated in major cities around the world in large numbers.

However the US and the UNSC have been keeping the sanction quiet and pretended like it is not there because they knew that it was a shameful act conceived illegally. It is an evidence of the continuation of the flagrant abuse of their powers. However, Eritreans are determined to tell the world and hold those responsible to account. They are determined to make sure that they reversed the decision. To that end, Eritreans waged an “Action Month’ Campaign by faxing, emailing and calling The Whitehouse and UN Secretary General to call on the responsible parties to: repeal UNSC resolution 1907 (2009) that imposed unjust and illegal sanctions against Eritrea and its people, urge Ethiopia to end the illegal occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories and work for a viable and comprehensive peace in the Horn of Africa. The campaign started on November 20 and lasted until the 20th of December. The Action Month was designed to remind President Barack Obama, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and other responsible parties that it year old sanction must be repealed and repealed immediately!.

Eritreans around the world successfully planned, organized and conducted that “Action Month” and achieved great success with future ramifications. Many have said the sanction is a blessing in disguise and Eritreans are discovering how true that is. The “Action Month” was a success on many levels. It delivered measurable results in terms of the reach it was designed to achieve. It also provided plausible benefits for Eritreans in more ways than expected. In less than one month 59,953 faxes and emails were sent from the US cities alone. Alenalki.Com reported, in one week more than 23,700 faxes and emails were sent-out through the website. The number of emails and faxes that Eritreans sent is simply astronomical. Thousands from the US and around the world called The White House, UN and The State Department.

The question is how can one quantify success in an effort such as this when there has been no precedence for this kind of undertaking?

One thing all those who participated need to know is the fact that every document, email, fax, letter and phone call to the White House and State Department are by law a public documents thus documented as a public record. In the White House electronically and in the State Department manually a person will collect them as they arrive. The UN received the phone calls and emails but there were some difficulties with the faxes. There were reports that the State Department Africa Office was frustrated and complained that they were not able to do their jobs.

Eritreans are cognizant what the sanction decisions was designed to achieve. It was designed to frustrate the people and create a wedge between the people and government of Eritrea. However, the sanction did the opposite. It united Eritreans around the globe. It empowered Eritreans and enabled them to stand up in creative ways. It made them stand more by their government. It also exposed the sinister approach of the global powers. And for those who doubted that was the case, the reality check downed on them like a lightning bolt! It made Eritreans realize that they can never let their guards down and that they will always have to deal with these challenges head on.

Every Eritrean deserves the praise for doing a good job and for daring to take a stand. This undertaking was huge and dispersed around the world .To make that a reality, it took a certain vision and dedication and, Eritreans pooled it off successfully. There are three reasons why this campaign and the previous campaigns were a huge success.

Firstly, the confidence that it instilled on all Eritreans around the globe. When the campaign first started prior to the historic demonstrations of February 22 2010, the Campaign Committee spearheaded a letter writing campaign ahead of the demonstration. While it was a success; people were not certain how the process worked. During this campaign however, it became easier for people to call, fax, email and write letters. That confidence will continue to serve Eritrea in the future no matter what the challenges are. Eritreans are empowered. And the beauty is this campaign is a grass root effort that others pay a great deal of money for.

Secondly, it united Eritreans. Eritreans have always been united and faced their challenges together. However, this time Eritreans are within an arm reach of each other. They have created a web of connection that interconnects them with each-other throughout the globe more than any other time in Eritrea’s history. They are active in the social networking internet sites. Cities, states and countries are linked in a way that can bring them as needed instantaneously. All the leaders are familiar with what the leaders in other areas are doing to facilitate for their needs. This is all done for one purpose; love of their people and Eritrea. They did it with all the love and dedication a mother can offer and delivered mightily.

Thirdly and this is, by far, the most significant: the campaign was led by Eritrea’s youth. They are the brains, the power and the vision that led the effort. Eritrea youth were meeting day in and out corresponding, texting, emailing, meeting and teleconferencing regularly. They set up the structures, wrote letters, set banners and disseminated information while creating a network of common cause. They set up contacts, collected all the information needed to make this a success. Eritrea is blessed to have youth that is living a meaningful life to be envied by other communities. This is why parents need to be proud for bringing up such youth that are centered and focused around their people and their country. It is also a blessing and thanks for the youth when many are aimlessly wondering and getting in troubles; Eritrean youth are focused on the betterment of their lives centered on Eritrea’s culture and value.

Therefore, by all measure, this was a success. Eritreans are not going to rest until the powers stop manufacturing their hostile approaches. Eritreans will not be deterred and they will pursue all legal means to reverse the UNjust sanction the US hatched and delivered as a Christmas gift to the Eritrean people. All Eritreans are seized on this matter and will not rest until the Obama Administration reversed course and live up to its campaign promises. We will campaign and make sure the voices of Eritreans are heard and heard loud and clear by the world. Eritreans are focused and united on their efforts. The History of Eritrea is unique and always successful and this will also bear fruit.

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

By Ibrahim A

United States of America dominance of the UNSC, and its wrong, and distorted attitude placed Eritrea into toothless and illegal sanction. It was clear from the outset that there existed not even a single evidence to back the accusation. Despite deficiency of proof the sanction passed.

Wiki leaks has proofed that it was the former assistant secretary for African affairs at the state department behind the work of this ill advised act.

In contradiction to the expectation of the designers to sanction and with that  to undermine Eritrea and its leadership, was once again become an opportunity to demonstrate the unison of the people and government of Eritrea. The sanction as it was hoped to be a means of divisive tool to the people and government has become a testimony and hopefully a lesson to those designers and executers who wished to see Eritrea a failed state.

On the other hand, Eritrea followed its path to development, through building infrastructures, hospitals, air land and sea ports, health centers, schools, etc expeditiously. It is not exaggeration to articulate that the sub-Saharan Africa may not have seen such development relied fully on its internal resources at a very challenging time and with the speed of the progress made.

Eritrea once again is shinning as a symbol of all is possible, provided having confidence on self, will and dedication to achieve goals previously scheduled to benefit the sole people who own their grandeur dignity and sovereignty.

Unlike other countries in the continent that are rich with natural resources and rich with hard working population, the leaders have proofed to once again sell them for contemptible political and probably very diminutive hand outs.

So far Wiki Leaks have shown the logics and games of dirty politics and the true owners who impose the ideas and ideologies directing the leaders especially in the continent of Africa. A lot might wonder when this kind of game might end, but few might be surprised by to know who is assigned to do the dirt works on their behalf.

The game does not end there, it only started to illustrate what is being cooked and done with in the political arena some may have so far not well aware the true picture of their leaders, who spoke to them something but are doing something else.

It is high time to remember “Truth delayed does not mean Lie prevailed”.  It is only a matter of time that all the truth nothing but the truth will suffice once again.

By Amanuel Biedemariam

Dear President Obama,

On Christmas Eve Dec 23 of 2009, The US Ambassador to the UN, Dr. Susan Rice stepped in front of the microphone at the UN and said, “I want to talk about the resolution we just adopted imposing sanctions on Eritrea. This was an African initiative. It was the consequence of a decision taken by the African Union.”

Dear President Obama,

The sanction imposed by your administration on Eritrea is an example of an ill conceived decision that can have a far reaching long term negative consequences on US national interests and on the legacy of your presidency for many reasons.

Firstly, the unjust and illegal resolution lacks a moral authority because the US is a party to the conflict. The US has a long history of involvements in Somali affairs particularly during the cold war and continued into the early nineties when the US soldiers were entrapped. Moreover, the US completely failed to live up to its statements, which asserted that the US is a “friend to both Eritrea and Ethiopia” and failed to hold Ethiopia accountable for not abiding by the final and binding Algiers Agreement.

Secondly, the US is biased against Eritrea. Ethiopia gets regular financial, humanitarian, developmental and military assistance in large part to “Serve US interest” in the region. Ethiopia is also a key player to the conflict and is a country with a long history of enmity with the people of Somalia. In violation of UN mandate that precluded any military involvement of countries that share borders with Somalia, with the help of the US, Ethiopia invaded a sovereign nation and caused major humanitarian disasters.

Thirdly, the sanction against Eritrea was based on accusations of Ethiopia and others that are parties to the conflict and, unsubstantiated claims. The US led a biased approach while ignoring the role Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia played in funneling arms into Somalia in violation of UN resolutions. This arms trafficking was carried out after Ethiopia invaded Somalia.

Fourthly, the resolution was premeditated. The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Dr. Jendayi Frazer, pursued a very aggressive and punitive approach toward Eritrea. She tried to place Eritrea into the list of countries that Sponsor Terrorism and was rejected by congress for lack of evidence and merit. Moreover, leaked documents show detailed punitive options for Eritrea were discussed with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni well in advance. What is ironic is in June of 2009; Yoweri Museveni became the Chairman of the powerful UN body of the United Nations Security Council and tabled the sanction measure against Eritrea.

Dear President Obama,

The process and criteria your administration employed was unbecoming of a nation that bases its ideals on fundamentals of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are ideals that are the core of America; a nation that was once endeared by the world because of the values that it professed and believed in. The standard required to sanction a nation is a threat to international security. Eritrea poses no threat to international security. However the US, over the past few years, has been exercising a brazen assault on the international process regarding Eritrea. And in this case, your administration invoked, African name to draft and impose a sanction to absolve your administration from this sinister decision against the UN charter. But as you know well, if it was up to the American majority, Afro-Americans will probably still be slaves to date.

Mr. President, Eritrea’s long suffering and deaths are directly attributable to US policies that ignored the will of the people in pursuit of US interests. And the sanction cannot be seen differently. US policies in the region have been disastrous for the people in the Horn of Africa. That is the hard truth. However, the recent international developments provide a great opportunity to reconsider US positions and to press the reset button with Eritrea. One of the first steps that can bring-back the hope you generated across the globe during your election would be for US to “apologize and repeal” the illegal and unjust sanction it imposed on Eritrea.

Eritrea, as part and parcel of the region, has every right to be concerned regarding security matters of the region. The Somali people are Eritrea’s neighbors and friends of the people of Eritrea. The people of Somalia pose no threat to the people of Eritrea and conversely Eritreans are genuinely fond of the people of Somalia and the region. What Eritrea wants and stated publicly is to allow the Somalis to find a solution without outside interference. Eritrea’s position is the right position and the US will be served well by adopting this approach and fostering amicable relationship with Eritrea that can endure for generations.

Eritreans around the world are hoping for you to guide the nation in the right path by correcting this injustice and by repealing the illegal sanction measure imposed against Eritreans. It is also high time that you reverse the half-a-century old misguided US policy towards Eritrea and Eritreans. The people of Eritrea are the allies the American people desperately need in reconnecting to the world. Eritrea is a peaceful country with so much to offer and it will be a mistake for your administration to squander yet another opportunity. Wish you, your family, America and Eritreans happy holidays.

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

By Amanuel Biedemariam

Note: this article is a repost. The original was posted on Nov 27/2009. The revelation by Wikileaks on the role of Uganda’s Museveni and Dr. Jendayi Frazer played to hatch the ILLEGAL sanctions on Eritrea confirms what Eritreans have been saying all along. It is a travesty to see the one of the greatest nations to resort to this low! President Obama needs to repeal the ILLEGAL sanctions NOW!

For centuries, African leaders have done tremendous harm to Africans equal to that of the European colonizers by selling Africans to Western slave masters and by allowing foreigners to exploit Africa for their selfish interests. The exploitation of Africa using African leaders is pervasive. African resources are exploited by the West and other powers using African leaders who work for the interest foreign powers. These include leaders such as Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and the notorious Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia amongst others.

These leaders do not represent African interest, but worse, everything that they pursue is at the expense of the people they are supposed to lead. In the process, they are destroying the harmony, cultural heritage, the economies, health, agriculture and customs of the people in Africa. They are standing on the way of traditional cross-border trade amongst neighborly countries by igniting wars in an effort to fulfill the interests of their masters.

Over the years this tactic was used by many international actors. Since World War II, US governments have empowered and employed African strong Men to do their bidding in Africa extensively. During George W Bush´s administration however, the roles of these surrogates have expanded into many areas to achieve different geopolitical interests. They are being used as advocates for African related matters at the UN, as peacekeepers in sensitive areas where direct Western military involvement could conjure up anti-Western backlash and for PR purposes around the world. They are providing cover for Western powers to pursue questionable strategic interests and provide unfettered access into the countries of interest. The sole purpose is to exploit resources; and always at the expense of the lives and livelihoods of the people.

The human rights records of these surrogate African leaders are abysmal and should put them in jail for crimes against humanity. Their grade for governance is, Fail. The futures of the countries they lead are bleak. They are looting the resources and have neglected the infrastructures; health, agriculture, education and business opportunities are limited to the privileged few and foreigners. Their countries are ready to disintegrate from religious, ethnic and regional strife. We saw this in Kenya during the 2007 election-violence that paralyzed the country and in Ethiopia, during the May of 2005 sham election, with Ethiopians taking to the streets to protest against the criminal Meles regime, which responded by massacring innocent students by sharp shooters while the world witnessed in horror. The recent ethnic violence in Uganda that threatened to destabilize the country was quelled by violent Ugandan army that butchered people on the streets.

That is the hallmark of these leaders .But the irony is that they have the green light from the West to do as they wish in order to quell any popular uprising that could rise up against the interest of the West. The atrocities Museveni commits in Uganda and throughout the region is a shameful reminder of the warped justice Africans are subjected to. The West is making a mockery of justice as they employ it at will based on their geopolitical economic interests. Those on the payroll of the West can commit any crime ala Yoweri Museveni, Meles Zenawi, Mwai Kibaki and others while The International Criminal Court (ICC) looks the other way. But if you fail to tow to the whims of the West you are certain to face the fury of justice, or threat of it, as we have seen attempted on Sudan´s Omar Al Bashir.

Yoweri Museveni has constitutionally outlawed all other political parties and is ruling Uganda using his militarized one party dictatorship. He disbanded the presidential terms for him to rule indefinitely. Yoweri Museveni is one of the key US operatives in Africa and he doesn´t even care to hide it. When the ICC came out with Omar al Bashir´s indictment, he was the first to come out and express his intention to put President Bashir in jail while the rest of Africa unanimously denounced the process and stood by Bashir. The irony is Uganda and Sudan share common borders. Sudan is a huge country with untapped potential that could create opportunities for Ugandans. Instead, Museveni chose to aggravate the situation instead of inviting cooperation between the two countries.

It is evident Yoweri Museveni cannot keep peace and stability in his own country but at on behalf of his masters, he sent Ugandan forces into Somalia as peace keeping forces with disastrous results. Ugandan troops are mowing civilian populations from behind their barracks in Mogadishu using heavy artillery. He does that because that is how he makes money. The Somalis are unfortunately surrounded by leaders that entirely depend on Western support and as a result they are suffering mightily with no one to speak on their behalf. That is why Somalia cannot free itself from perpetual misery.

The geopolitical games at play are bearing deadly consequences for the people in the Horn of Africa in particular and Africa in general. The conflicts are widening and the international actors are desperate to assume full control using any means at their disposal. They use political, economic and military pressure to achieve their objectives. They are imposing leaders on the people of Africa and the weaker the leader the easier for them to control, exploit and impose their will. Therefore the main idea is to place a “leadership core” however possible. That is the West´s modus operandi. This means, third world nations will not be allowed the opportunity to create their indigenous governance policies. Instead, they will be subjected to leaders imposed by the West in contradiction to their own history which allowed them go through political strife to establish systems of their choice as in the case of the American Civil War. During the French revolution the US deliberately remained neutral.

The problem with this approach is that it is impossible to achieve. It is a fool´s dream certain to create human calamity much worse than the holocaust. It´s already created tremendous loss of life and resources with dire ramification for future generations. It is certain to fail for many reasons:

Firstly, the problems are overlapping and the issues interlock creating chains across borders and throughout the region. Unlike the Middle East, the situation and actors in the Greater Horn region remains unsettled. It is impossible for any imposed leader to be effective because of the complicated ethnic makeup of the region. Kenya and Ethiopia have Oromo ethnic population, Ethiopia and Somalia share Ogaden while Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia share the Afar and/or Issas´ and on and on. These overlap is multiplied across borders throughout the entire region. Many of these nationalities are fighting for some form of recognition, and in some cases they are fighting for total independence as in the case of the Ogaden. There are border issues, ungovernable and ungoverned areas. There are regions that claim to be independent and operate independently as in the case of Somaliland and Puntland.

These countries have competing economic and geopolitical interests making it impossible to create harmonious trading and political partnerships. For example: Ethiopia depends on Djibouti to access the sea. Djibouti needs Ethiopia because Ethiopia is the main source of income. Therefore, the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia serves Djibouti well because if Ethiopia utilizes much bigger ports in Eritrea Port Djibouti will be out of service. Moreover, the situation in the region is complicated by competing security interests, suspicion and history based-on-bloodshed.

Secondly, some international actors have always played and continue to play negative roles. All the problems in Somalia are byproducts of colonial and cold war legacies. And unfortunately, Somalia and the region are beset by foreigners with means and resources determined to their own interest at any cost to the detriment of the lives of the people.

At the height of the Bush era war-of-terror, Chinese oil explorers were killed in the Ogaden while under the protection and guidance of Ethiopian army. US oil companies´ have had licenses to explore oil in the Ogaden since 1945. The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) is claiming to have controlled sizeable territories from Ethiopian forces, which is a major development! While at the same time, the US operatives like David Shinn, in a complete change of tone, is accusing Ethiopia of human rights violation in the Ogaden. This is taking place in the backdrop of what is taking place in Somalia, a country that once claimed Ogaden as her own and went to war for it in 1976-1978. Consecutively, the US is trying to assert control in Somalia by putting in place a transitional government hatched by the failed diplomat Dr. Jendayie Frazer in Djibouti at the waning hours of the Bush Administration. Furthermore, in the same period, to satisfy foreign interest, Djibouti started unprovoked conflict against Eritrea and on and on…

Thirdly, the leaders in the region are susceptible to the very conflicts hatched by the West. Since they are surrogates and dependent on Western direct support, they have to parrot any agenda being pushed. It is to be recalled Dr. Jendayie Frazer threatened to place Eritrea on the List of States that Sponsor Terror. To satisfy Dr. Frazer, from the offices of African Union in Addis Ababa, the surrogates led by Meles Zenawi went on full gear to blame Eritrea for the problems plaguing Somalia. The Irony is these countries are key-parties to the conflict in Somalia.

Fast Forward
Uganda is a TEMPORARY member of the Security Council. And instead of using that time on a useful agenda that can foster development in the region and Africa they are using it to undercut and weaken Eritrea. Uganda is circulating a draft resolution at the UNSC to slap sanctions on Eritrea for alleged support of Al Shabab. These are Somalis fighting to rid Somalia from outside forces like the Ugandan-army responsible for the death of thousands of Somalis.

The regional organization that sponsored the draft includes Kenya a country that is admittedly arming and training Somalis. Djibouti is a country that has turned into a Trojan-horse for the region and has become a major nuisance at the behest of US and France. Somalia; the transitional government is a government in exile with no legitimacy on the ground. Ethiopia is a country at the center of the problem and responsible for the displacement and death of millions of Somalis. Meles Zenawi should be put in jailed for crimes against humanity he committed in Somalia, Ogaden and other places in the region.

The question here is who gave Ethiopia the right to invade and occupy a sovereign nation against UN resolutions with impunity and without consequences at the cost of millions of Somali lives displaced, dead and wounded. Who is the international arbiter to decide who is guilty? Why not sanction Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya for arming, training Somalia flouting international law? Why is the US exonerated? Is the US interest more important than that of the interest of the people in the region? Who makes the US above the law? Does it mean that a Superpower can use international law and mechanism to punish others and accord themselves immunity from justice regardless of the crimes? What does this mean for the future of the region? Do the people in the region have to be subjected to hardship that surpasses the holocaust in volume and impact until US interests are fulfilled? How is justice going to be served on the true crime that is being committed by Museveni? The questions are endless.

What this shows is a broken international system and, if allowed to continue, it can threaten international stability and disrupt world trade because the area is a major international waterway. And the people in the region will suffer endless conflict cycles.

The UNSC has diminished its stature by allowing its permanent members to use dictators that are unaccountable to their own people and region in order to fulfill ill conceived agendas. Yoweri Museveni is a dictator with criminal human rights and poor governance record. He is alms dependent and beset by civil strife. In other words, a criminal is playing a prosecutor for one month because of a broken international system.

This also shows the hypocrisy of the international organizations that claim to represent the interest of justice, human rights, freedom of speech and the like. Organizations like Enough Project, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters without Borders and individuals who claim to care about humanity. But what these organizations are Faucets that can be turned on and off on queue based on the interests and the whim of their respective governments. They are PR tools. They use justice as a tool in places where they can help the powers in subjugating these nations.

Conclusion
If the mercenary, Yoweri Museveni, is seeking stability in Somalia, he needs to get out of Somalia and give the Somalis a chance to solve their own problems. The money he earns for providing soldiers is not worth the destructions he is causing. Using Eritrea as a scapegoat is not going to change the situation in Somalia. Nor, will it exonerate or absolve Uganda and Ethiopia from the crimes they have committed. The Somali people have a legitimate right to cast their path and must be allowed.

As history shows all the attempts by foreign powers to control the resources in the region failed because it doesn´t belong to them. It belongs to the people and they should be allowed respite to gather their nation. The Somalis must be allowed to go through the process of re-forming their nation and become responsible international citizens capable to exploit their wealth while satisfying international appetite based on market dictates. Furthermore, it is incumbent upon all and particularly the people in the region to stand for the rights of the people of the region!

Amanuel Biedemariam

On a cold snowy day in February 22 of 2010, Eritreans from around the world and the US gathered in front of the Whitehouse and State Department to denounce the unjust sanction. They demonstrated to demand the repeal of the illegal and UNjust sanction the US authored and implemented against the people and government of Eritrea. Thousands showed up. Most took a day-off from work to voice their opposition. College students sacrificed and parents allowed their kids to skip class for a day in order to join that momentous Eritrean event. Eritreans from all walks of life, young and old, congregated to register their objection to the decision the UNSC made in the name of global security. Amongst them, a charismatic eight years old boy named Dawit stood out in a historic way.

The sanction measure was adopted in the name of an international body, the AU. However, for those who follow the events of the region it was easy to see who the key players and what their intentions were. Eritreans have followed the events that established the foundation to make the case for the sanction from the beginning until the sanction measure was put in place. The whole idea was hatched by the US State Department Africa desk which at the time was under the control of the Dr. Jendayi Frazer. Her initial goal was to put Eritrea in the List of Countries that sponsor terrorism. However, that met a stiff opposition in the US congress because they saw the absurdity of the lies that did not connect with the reality in the ground. Therefore, she proceeded to the next best thing, to slap sanctions on Eritrea however possible. This was taking place on the wee-hours of the Bush Administration and during the 2008 US election.

At the time, Nov 11, 2008, I posted an article on response to a hearing the US/Dr. Frazer staged under the auspices of the UN. I called the article High Tech Lynching of Eritrea. An excerpt:

On October 23rd, the UNSC staged a hearing about a border dispute between Djibouti

and Eritrea. The hearing was conducted because on June 12, 2008, Djibouti alleged Eritrean forces seized her territories militarily. On June 13 2008, a day later a call to urge Eritrea to withdraw immediately; and without examination or investigation, voices of condemnation reigned on Eritrea from the US and friends. “Their statements were suspicious, well coordinated, unjustified, fabricated and misleading. For the seasoned observer of the region however, it is clear this was fabricated and part of a much bigger agenda. There was no motive, evidence or genuine effort to understand and present a resolution. And there was not an established mechanism and ability to validate the claims made by Djiboutian authorities.”

The statement above is a clear starting point for the lies the UNSC based its sanction decision on Eritrea. In fact, the lies were eerily similar to the farce claim the Bush Administration spewed leading up-to the disastrous Iraq war that turned world opinion against the US. The US, under George Bush, pursued an aggressive unilateral policy that bullied nations into following US lead by any means necessary. And unfortunately, the hubris with which the failed Bush Administration pursued its strategic goals in the Horn of Africa resulted in genocides. Thousands were killed, millions were displaced and social infrastructures decimated for decades to come. However, when the Obama campaign preached change, engagement and the audacity of hope; Eritreans and the region were hoping for a new attitude and a change of direction by the US.

The region was hungry for peace and stability. But unfortunately for the region, the new Obama Administration appointed an over zealot hawkish Susan Rice as US Ambassador to the UN. Ambassador Rice embraced President Bush’s aggressive policies. And more importantly, President Obama elevated the UN Ambassadorship into a cabinet level position independent from any congressional scrutiny and impediments and freed her to make and implement decisions. That meant the Obama Administration pursued a more aggressive policy than his predecessor. And a year after Ambassador Rice came to power; she succeeded to slapping UNjust sanction on Eritrea based on fabrications and trumped up unfounded accusations.

Worse yet, it was sad to see the US took such a step on Christmas Eve and to deliver the news to Eritreans and the world in a most dismissive tone. Ambassador Rice told Eritreans and the world on Christmas Eve:

“I want to talk about the resolution we just adopted imposing sanctions on Eritrea. This was an African initiative. It was the consequence of a decision taken by the African Union.”

This statement is a revealing testimony that Ambassador Rice and in effect the US, is trying to deceive the world and Eritreans. Here is why: Firstly, and according to the UNSC charter; the UNSC is the principal organ that can carry out decisions on matters of international security. No other organization has authority or mandate to carry out such decisions. Secondly, it was disappointing to see the Obama Administration use a disgraceful excuse to pretend justice was being served on behalf of an international security body based on a “demand of the majority.” In this case, Africans represented-by the African Union. However, here is the fact: If it was up to the majority, Ambassador Rice and President Obama will still be slaves. And the sad part is President Obama is a constitutional scholar well versed on why minority rights need to be respected. Yet, that is how President Obama and Ambassador Rice have decided to bestow their injustice on the people of Africa in this case Eritreans. The intent is an attempt to systematically decapitate Eritrea into serfdom.

That is what motivated little Dawit Daniel, an eight year old boy, to skip class, join the demonstration and to express his views. He got up on the stage picked-up the microphone and tapped on it to make sure the sound is ok and asked the participants; “can you hear me?”… This young boy was covered by an Eritrean flag from head to toe as he stood on a stage that was facing the State Department. This is what he said:

“First, I just want to say a couple of reasons why I thank God; first, I thank God that I am part of Eritrea, people that care about their country more than anything else…and I thank God… we are all here…, because at the end of the day…we are going to make difference.” Dawit was fully aware that his presence can and will make a difference. Pumping as if he is getting ready for a fight; little Dawit continued…” Why you people are wondering why an eight year old is here in a school day because school is a priority…? I am here so people can hear my voice about what I think about the UNJUST sanction.”…

Making it clear to all why he was standing there. After a few comments and, questioning the reasons why the US and the British pushed for the sanctions he stated that these sanction have no legal basis. He went on…If the UN was to use a border dispute to justify the sanction…he asked; why didn’t the UN sanction Ethiopia while is violating a legal and binding decision? Please note this is eight year old kid asking. Continued:

…” also…I want to give a message to Barack Obama. Ok…, you know…; when you were running for president…I…loved you! You were my leader. I followed you on every stump. You were my role model. But then…, the happiness you gave me…; turned into sadness…During the inauguration… you said, you will give hand to those countries who want to make peace…Eritreans are making peace in the best way they could…how come…, you don’t give hand to Eritrea?”

This is a kid that felt betrayed by his hero.

…” I want to give a message to Susan Rice. First, you give us a present that is the sanction and then you said; you…care for us…!? Stop trying to fool us because Eritreans have gone through a thirty year war. You can’t fool us. We learned a lot of experiences…so.”

Dawit’s statements were a reaction to calloused and disingenuous statements Ambassador Susan Rice made when she announced the sanction decision on Christmas Eve. Quote:

“The United States stands with the people of Eritrea who have fought long and hard for their independence and to build a country in which we have great hope for the future. Thank you.”

Dawit is right to call-out Ambassador Rice. The US has never sided with the good people of Eritrea. To the contrary, it is the US that drowned the people of Eritrea into a quick-sand of colonialism by an African country while consciously denying Eritreans a right to self determination. The US handed Eritrea to Ethiopia for its own strategic considerations. That is a historic fact that Ambassador Rice knows well. Furthermore, Ambassador Rice was disingenuous to claim the US stands with the people of Eritrea after slapping sanctions that attempt to tie Eritrea’s hands while at conflict with a very hostile neighbor, Ethiopia – a country that survives on US aid almost entirely. And contrary to her claims, the US is hell bent on seeing Eritrea weakened and is a subservient to their client State, Ethiopia.

Concluding remarks

Imagine being sentenced to death without legal representation; imagine being convicted without a due process and imagine; once convicted, there is no process or mechanism for appeal. That is what the Obama Administration and the UNSC did to Eritrea. They sanctioned Eritrea based on trumped-up, fabricated and unsubstantiated accusations. What is ironic is, the US is a full participant in all that is taking place in the region or Somalia. The US, with a rogue ally Meles Zenawi, invaded Somalia and took part on the mayhem that took the lives of thousands and displaced millions unnecessarily. Somalia is awash with armaments in large part with arms supplied by the criminal regime in Ethiopia. This is a public record. In addition, the US, while claiming to support the final and binding Hague decision, has been supporting Ethiopia, a country that is occupying sovereign Eritrean territories in violation of international laws. Yet that is the kind of justification the powers to be fabricated to justify their sanction on Eritrea.

The decision to sanction Eritrea was a clear exposure of the injustices and failures of the UNSC led by the US. It was an overreach, and irresponsible abuse of power. The reason to sanction Eritrea has nothing to do with global security, regional security, the stability of Somalia or a border dispute between Djibouti and Eritrea. It is a punitive measure designed to chip-away at the strength and stability of Eritrea.

Unfortunately, Eritreans have learned this the hard way. Eritreans have suffered for decades and paid dearly with the lives of hundreds of thousands of Eritrean lives for decades. Millions have been displaced and scattered everywhere around the world as a result of these injustices. However, Eritreans have learned to turn this tragic imposition of injustice into a positive experience. Eritreans have learned to challenge them -united and effectively, regardless where they are and, regardless of the impediments they encounter in their daily lives. That is their salvation and hallmark.

It is that spirit that propels Eritreans young and old to face these challenges. That is why the little Dawits of Eritrea are sprouting incensed and ready to tell the world of this bullying perpetrated in the name of justice, democracy, stability and terrorism. They are ready to stand up to do what it takes to reverse the UNjust sanction and to campaign the US and the UN to stop their hostile unfair approach toward Eritrea.

On 20 November 2010, on the sanction’s one year anniversary Eritreans around the world will be launching the 30 days of Action for Eritrea, to call on the Barack Obama Administration and the United Nations to annul and repeal the unfair and unjust Resolution 1907 (2009) that imposed sanctions on the people of Eritrea.

Eritreans know they can not rest until this injustice is reversed. Thus, they have decided to reach out, in any way they can, to their communities at all levels be it local, regional or nationwide.

“The Illegal & UNjust Sanction must be Repealed, and repealed NOW”!

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

ASMARA (Reuters) – Eritrea has responded angrily to a report by a U.N. monitoring group alleging that the Asmara government is still supporting insurgent groups fighting the Somali administration.

In December, the U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions on Eritrea, accusing it of backing rebel groups in Somalia, where at least 21,000 people have been killed in violence since the beginning of 2007.

The latest report by the U.N. Monitoring Group on Somalia, which is being discussed by the Security Council this week, said Eritrea had continued its support in 2009.

In a statement issued on Monday, Eritrea’s Foreign Ministry described the allegation as “concocted, baseless and unfounded”, adding: “It is indisputable that Eritrea had not and would never extend any support to Somali armed groups.

“The government of Eritrea challenges those quarters indulging in utterly baseless allegations through fabricating and disseminating naked lies in the name of the U.N.”

Eritrea repeated its call for hard evidence to be presented publicly and demanded an independent platform allowing it to respond.

EVIDENCE THINS

The new U.N. report softens accusations made previously, saying there is less evidence Eritrea is still providing military support to insurgents.

However, it says Asmara continues its diplomatic, logistical and financial support for the rebels.

“By late 2009, possibly in response to international pressure, the scale and nature of Eritrean support had either diminished or become less visible, but had not altogether ceased,” the report said.

“It is the opinion of the Monitoring Group that the government of Eritrea has continued to provide political, diplomatic, financial and — allegedly — military assistance to armed opposition groups in Somalia.”

A Western diplomat told Reuters it was regrettable the charges against Eritrea could not be more widely substantiated, but said there was evidence that could not be made public for security reasons.

Asmara says the lack of hard evidence makes the sanctions resolution illegitimate and illegal.

When Ethiopia, Eritrea’s neighbour and arch-enemy, invaded Somalia in 2007 to drive out an Islamist administration in the capital, some of the leaders sought refuge in Eritrea.

The Islamists formed an opposition party but the leadership split when Sheikh Sharif Ahmed joined a Western-backed peace process and was elected president of Somalia in January 2009.

His former ally, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, left Eritrea last year and is now leader of the Somali insurgent group Hizbul Islam which is fighting Ahmed’s government.

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

Eritrea said on Wednesday that its economy will be unaffected by the U.N. sanctions imposed on the nation, which were an international response to Asmara’s alleged support of Islamist rebel groups in Somalia.

Punitive measures including an arms embargo, travel restrictions and asset freezes for some of the country’s top officials raised fears the limitations may slow an economy reliant on financial and moral support from the diaspora.

Remittances from Europe, the United States, the Middle East and other African nations are Eritrea’s biggest source of foreign exchange. Analysts say they continue to flow because high-ranking Eritreans travel to other countries and drum up support for the Red Sea state.

Eritrea has dismissed concerns saying sanctions would not slow development.

“The sanctions should not have any impact on investment, no impact on trade, or Eritrea’s external ties with its economic partners,” Yemane Ghebremeskel, director of the Eritrean president’s office, told Reuters in an interview.

“Our development strategy is not really based on injections of development assistance anyway. There are still extensive development plans in place designed to enhance productivity and expand services in education and health,” he said.

The country would build more than 50 new schools this year, he said.

The U.N. imposed sanctions last month because Security Council members say Eritrea has given support to Islamist insurgents in Somalia who are battling the U.N.-backed transitional government. Violence in the Horn of Africa nation has killed at least 19,000 people since the start of 2007.

‘IT’S WEDDING SEASON’

Yemane said average Eritreans were disappointed in the United Nations over the sanctions but they remained fairly indifferent to the measures themselves.

“They know these sanctions have nothing to do with justice or international law. People don’t give it undue weight — it’s January, wedding season, people are getting on with their business and going to parties,” he said.

Yemane reiterated the view of President Isaias Afwerki that the sanctions are baseless and contravene international law.

“Those sanctions are not based on international law. The accusations have not been proved and Eritrea has not been given the opportunity to make its case on an independent platform.”

Last week the President told local media that no solid facts have been produced against Eritrea and no proper legal procedures have been applied to discover the truth.

“In the final analysis, the conspiracy was essentially masterminded by U.S. intelligence agencies, especially the CIA,” the President said.

Eritrea’s economy contracted sharply in 2008 while inflation surged to double digits, according to the International Monetary Fund, but better rains in 2009 could have boosted growth to about 3.5 percent. Source: (Reuters)