From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sat Jul 18 2009 - 04:34:11 EDT
Eritrea – A Convenient Fall Guy!
Berhane Alazar
July 17, 2009 - America Chronicle
If there was one thing the world historians could agree, perhaps it
would be the consistent and persistent way in which Eritrea and the
Eritrean people have been mistreated, abused and down right insulted by
the powers of the day ever since their national identity was at stake.
Eritrea bashing simply has become a preferred past time; and a seductive
choice when one wants to play the blame game in the volatile Horn of
Africa region instead of addressing the real malice, which has been
affecting the neighborhood at large. In fact, we have been hearing how
the long arm of Eritrea reaches the Middle East and as far as the Indian
Subcontinent! Considering the totem poll where Eritrea stands among the
world nations, such a fit would be nothing short of truly amazing
accomplishment!
Eritrea has been accused by various interest groups of many things for a
variety of "breach of norms" – none of which have ever been verified!
But, perhaps the most bizarre and persistent mother of all lies has been
and continues to be Eritrea´s "Destabilization" activity in the Horn
region and beyond. The most commonly presented preamble to demonizing
Eritrea and its government paradoxically starts on how Eritrea has gone
to "War with all its neighbors" regardless of the veracity of such
blanket statements or the distinct possibility that Eritrea could have
been the victim of such "Wars". But, that would be a topic (or topics)
for another day.
Such unhelpful rhetoric were conceived by the current Ethiopian
government, was given a Cesarean birth right by the US and is being
nourished by some unsustainable life support by the UNSC, which of
course, is dominated by the most powerful nations on earth. For those of
us who are regular visitors of the Horn region, we kind of got used to
the senseless and repeated allegations that Eritrea was somehow involved
militarily in the unfortunate predicament the Somali people find
themselves. Nothing could be further than the truth!
The latest, and by far, the weirdest blackmailing of Eritrea came from
the "Holier than Thou" western surrogate, the inept AU, presumably at
the encouragement of an equally disjointed and corrupt organization, the
IGAAD. That irresponsible call, among other things, asks the UNSC to
impose sanctions against one of its member states for Eritrea´s alleged
military support to the Somali Islamist forces. This cowardly call came
on the heels of our newly appointed State Department Africa point man,
Mr. Johnnie Carson´s assertion of "incontrovertible evidence" that
Eritrea was supplying the Islamists and "Terrorists" with military
hardware! Hmm! Somehow, that sounds familiar. Haven´t we heard it all
during the waning days of the disgraced Bush Administration? Ironically,
wasn´t another black person, Dr. Jendayi Frazer, which was huffing and
puffing to blacklist Eritrea as a "Sponsor of Terrorism", whatever the
hell that means - but failed miserably for she did not have an iota of
truth to back up her Weyane-fed lies? What do these two people have in
common besides serving the same office for different US Administrations?
One obvious thing is that they are both black people. Does it follow
then that these black officers can, were and are discriminating against
their fellow black people who happen to reside oceans apart? That is
something worth pondering.
At any rate and for the record,
What happened to the "2,000 Eritrean troops" that were allegedly
deployed inside Somalia in 2006 and mysteriously melted away by the
searing heat of Somalia [I suppose]?
How is it possible for a small third world country, which is in a quasi
war state with a major neighboring country supported by the US, to be
able to deliver "plane" loads of weapons and ammunitions when some of
the mighty international maritime forces are within a "stone throwing
proximity" as we say it in Tigrigna? Folks, we are talking about the US,
French and other major naval and air forces who are routinely stationed
and scanning the air and sea sphere of the area. This suggestion that
Eritrea, somehow was able to sneak in the weapons is even sillier when
one considers that Eritrea does not even have a common border with any
parts of Somalia! There is definitely something funny about the entire
make-belief scenario – a scenario that is neither backed by any facts or
delivered with shrewd political consideration.
How is it that the "Concerned" powers of the world do not murmur a word
or two about the fate of a couple of Eritrean journalists who were
"Captured" in Kenya by the Kenyan authorities, flown to Somalia and
handed over to the despicable Weyane government? Where is the constant
cry we have been hearing about "Free press" and the free movement of
media personnel?
I haven´t heard any condemnation of the Ethiopian Army who has illegally
entered Somalia, a UN member state, many times and brought in massive
war machinery in broad day light for all to see ostensibly at the
invitation of various "Legitimate governments" which were foreign
installed and made up of some criminal war lords.
How about the persistent report that some of the AU troops, stationed in
Somalia, were selling the US provided weapons to some "Islamist" forces
for the mighty Dollar? Hey, as the saying goes, "What is good for the
goose is good for gander" or has that idiom changed its original meaning
when it arrived in the Horn?
The Eritrean people, through their government, have repeatedly denied of
providing any arms (plane load or otherwise) to any of the Somali forces
who are heroically fighting against a US supported and Ethiopian
spearheaded naked aggression directed against their country and their
way of life. Nobody has the right to impose any foreign doctrine or way
of governance without the explicit wish of the Somali nation. Eritrea,
being the principled country that it is, believes in this golden rule
and it walks the talk unlike, unfortunately, many countries, who should
have known better, doing the double talk and basically pay only a lip
service to this cardinal sin – invading and imposing one´s will on
people´s and cultures without their willingness to participate in such
"Change of government". How many "Change of Governments" will it take to
convince the US and UNSC that such exercises won´t work ever? More
importantly, how many Somalis would have to be killed, maimed and
otherwise displaced before the ivory tower wizards in Washington and New
York would consider their unwise move to be "No-starter"? Only time will
tell.
As to Eritrea, it stands by its assertion that it does not provide any
weapons to any fighting forces in Somalia short of its political support
to see to it that the Somalis be left alone to resolve any differences
they may have amongst them without the big brother knows it all
mentality. If left alone, I am sure, they are capable of addressing
their national issues no more and no less than Ethiopia and the US
could.
Finally, the IGAAD and AU, instead of beating the drum of "Sanction"
against one of their own, they would fare better if they first place
their house in order before pointing an accusatory finger at Eritrea
which by all standards has been an exemplary member state and continues
to be an envy of friends and foe alike.
"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"!
Happy 18th Eritrea!
Awet nHafash!
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/110522
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