From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Feb 25 2009 - 06:57:39 EST
Eritrea: Ten Major Security Achievements in Ten Years
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Written by Amanuel Biedemariam
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
http://www.biddho.com/content/view/9740/79/lang,english/
ImageAgainst all odds Eritreans achieved what many countries take for
granted, independence and many successes relative to the short history.
However, the achievements of the last ten years standout because of the
existential threats Eritrea faced from every direction.
Eritrea faced military, economic, diplomatic and political challenges in
addition to the massive humanitarian challenges posed as a result of
unwarranted aggression by Ethiopia's minority regime sponsored by the US and
EU. Eritreans were uprooted and displaced by the hundreds of thousands;
their fertile land rendered out of use as a result of occupation that was
meant to frustrate Eritreans into submission. It was a death sentence
averted by the strength of the people of Eritrea.
How Eritrea achieved independence is the foundation and a formula for her
successes and survival. The formula: regardless of the raging wars, hardship
and no matter what is happening; a disciplined, principled approach to
governance and development efforts must go on. Let the Camel March!
During the anniversary celebration occasion of Dimtsi-Hafash (a key radio
program during the struggle for liberation) in Nov of 2008, Mrs. Weini
G/Zgiher of ERiTV told a story of her start. She stated she was not familiar
with broadcasting. At the time of her start, wars raged throughout Eritrea.
And her first job as a reporter was to talk about domestic matters.
Naturally she felt that she betrayed her comrades for not fighting by their
side. However, her mentors assured her she was doing equally as important
job fighting with words rather than bullets and the domestic reporting was a
crucial piece. The Ministry of Information, ERiTV and its programming are
byproducts of Dimtsi Hafash in a larger scale. The formula was the same for
agriculture, education, medicine, road construction and so forth. Start
small with big intent, grassroots bottom up approach.
ImageAt the core of the formula lies a mindset that puts priority on the
social consciousness of the Eritrean public to be aware, organize, arm to
defend and develop (In Tigrigna, Hafash Yinkah, Yiwedeb, Yiteatek; Sine
Aemurawi Mahberawi Haili). The mindset is the salvation of Eritrea from the
Neo Colonialism US and EU consistently push on Africa. Eritrea's
achievements are based on peace, strength, stability, flexibility, truth,
independence and the ability to adapt to any situation.
>From 1998-2008, in 10 years, Eritrea achieved a great deal. And the
accomplishments listed below are national security related and stand out for
brilliance.
I) PR Victory over TPLF led by the Chief Mercenary Gang Meles Zenawi
Eritrea was caught off guard by major PR offensive unleashed against her.
After the war broke out in May of 1998, Washington Post published a front
page article showing horrific pictures of women and wounded kids in Tigray.
Eritrea became the aggressor and the guilty party in the public opinion. The
image took a long time to repair because the world was not familiar with
situation. The minority regime in Ethiopia played a perfect victim. They
used the conflict with Yemen and enlisted the help of Sudan to turn Eritrea
into a war mongering nation. David Shinn, Paul Henze, Gail Smith and the
like came out to reinforce the message and paint a distorted deceitful
picture of Eritrea. They painted Eritrea as aggressive, Tiny-Eritrea,
defeated Eritrea by the superior Ethiopian army and a frail Eritrea that is
going to collapse. The desperados of Eritrea came out of their
hibernating-cocoons, smelling blood and chanting TWGAHMO from every
direction. They used democracy freedom of speech and religious rights to
label Eritrea dark and as a country in a state of confusion.
That changed after the FINAL and BINDING Hague Decision in 2000 that ruled
Badme to be Eritrean. First the TPLF gang claimed victory but later changed
their mind. They insulted The Hague decision and the Court to justify their
rejection. Meles, Sium and the Weyane gangs kept changing their minds for
political expediency first accepting it, later accepting it in principle,
then a conditional acceptance, dialogue and on and on; while Eritrea
remained steady and committed to the ruling with a disciplined message that
never wavered. The flaps, duplicity, lies, deceit, and the bad intent
exposed Meles and his gang. The international community, the region and most
importantly Ethiopians saw the criminals for what they are, as worst
political prostitutes. Meles said and sold anything, gambled with lives of
the people of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and region as a whole. Meles
received unparalleled financial, logistical, PR and institutional support on
Capitol Hill. However, Eritrea foiled all attempts rendering the
fainthearted who claimed Eritrea didn't know diplomacy mute. Eritrea is a
key force for peace in the region.
2) Exposed the True Actors of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Conflict Bare
ImageAfter the Cold War President H.W. Bush proclaimed a New World Order.
The world was unaware of the meaning and its impact. The message and
politics used at the time was smart. It was easy to sell USA particularly
after liberation of Kuwait. President Clinton played even smoother politics.
He came praising African leaders including Eritrea as the new generation of
African leaders. However, that was the kiss of death. After the conflict
erupted between Eritrea and Ethiopia, US, while consistently claiming to be
friends with both countries sided with Ethiopia creating major problems for
Eritrea. First the US used African Union and UN leaders to put pressure on
Eritrea into making concessions that can give Ethiopia strategic advantages
like the Temporary Security Zone 25 miles inside Eritrea and the flight
moratorium. Eritrea accommodated for the sake of peace. Ethiopia, with the
green light from US attacked Eritrea in violation while the US envoy Richard
Holbrook was in Asmara in talks with president Isayas. However, Ethiopia was
defeated with thousands killed in the volcanic grounds of Aseb, a defeat
that forced the signing of The Algiers Agreement.
The campaign to change the ruling never stopped, diplomats and envoys like
Lloyd Axworthy were summoned to pressure Eritrea. Eritrea stood firm
demanding complete demarcation while Ethiopia danced with the help of UN
lead by Kofi Anan. That too failed. Eventually the real actor, US, emerged
with Dr. Janday Frazer leading a cartographic expert unit to demarcate the
border like a cake and stated she didn't want to split a church. Eritrea
didn't play the game. Dr. Frazer undeterred took ownership of the situation
and made it a personal mission thus exposing the US as noted by Ambassador
Bolton in his book "Surrender is No Option."
Image
3) Achieved Demarcation of Eritrean Ethiopian Borders
The confused minority regime called the Virtual Demarcation a "Legal
Fiction" insulting The Hague judges as comedians. However, after President
Gadafi's initiative to solve the border dispute; Meles is on record asking
for political concessions? Every attempt to change The Hague ruling by
Ethiopia and US failed. The Hague concluded its work by handing the final
map to the UN to be recognized by the world! Nothing Meles can say or do to
change that!
4) Nudged UNMEE out of Eritrea
Throughout its history, the UN is notorious for its lack of achievements,
corruption, incompetence and legacy that embraced pedophilia. It is also a
tool for the West to undermine the sovereignty of weak strategic nations.
The UN summoned the Carabineri Italian police as UNMEE soldiers and
attempted to control the streets of Asmara. UN and its masters believed
Eritreans could identify with their fascist colonizers and allow them to do
as they wish. They were wrong! Eritrea stopped all attempts designed to
undermine sovereignty. The UN and its creator's agenda had nothing to do
with the demarcation of the border; they created UNMEE as part of a much
bigger agenda.
Eritrea's systematic nudge is the first and a big blow to UNMEE/UN. Eritrea
remained firm embracing the rule of law and ascertained to the world
clearly, Eritrea is a nation that can stand her grounds. That was a major
trial and clearly a delicate balancing fit to achieve. It was a victory and
commendable achievement for the leaders and the people of Eritrea.
5) Repatriated IDP's.
It was heart breaking to witness Eritrean kids learning under trees after
their schools and houses were destroyed by the minority TPLF clique.
Thousands were forced to vacate their land and relegated to makeshift
habitat away from their fertile land and were subjected to handouts. These
are proud and capable people rendered helpless as a result of unnecessary
and unforgivable aggression. Eritrea was masterful in carefully repatriating
hundreds of thousands balancing their security, shelter, medical and school;
agricultural land, economic and social needs while under tremendous duress.
This does not include the 70,000 plus that were forcibly expelled out of
Ethiopia by the Criminal Meles Zenawi.
6) Reversed Diplomatic Advantages Ethiopia enjoyed
The duplicitous two timing Gang leader Mercenary Meles Zenawi succeed in
creating alliances of conveniences with Sudan and Yemen. The security
implications could have been dire for Eritrea because Sudan and Yemen sit
atop a strategic maritime gateways and share boarders with Eritrea. The
alliance was meant to isolate, marginalize, and suffocate Eritrea by killing
all her trading options as well as to frustrate the people of Eritrea into
revolting against the government.
Eritreans need to be proud of the way Eritrean leaders convincingly
reestablished firm relation from a position of strength reversing any
advantages Meles enjoyed. How Eritrea reestablished ties with the Sudan was
remarkable for its witty, decisive, forward looking and lasting approach.
However, it has been overlooked because Eritrea's challenges are always
seismic. It is also significant because it evicted Eritrean enemies from
Sudan denying them a staging ground for their terrorist activities and sent
them to Addis for crumbs from Aite Meles.
7) Affirmed her position from Strength
Eritreans must be proud of their leaders for standing on principle; for not
selling- out their long term goals for short term gains. For understanding
what it takes and for sticking to their guns no matter what. During an
interview with Voice of Eritrea DC in 2000, General Sibhat Efrem made a
remarkable statement that is eerie but true. He said, "Eritrea, as a young
nation and like many before her will face major challenges. If she prevails
she will be successful as a nation." That is the mindset that withstood all
the trickery and deceitful strategies of the West peeling layer by layer,
exposing their true nature. Eritrea is the embodiment of strength, and
example of how to stand for the greater good based on firm grounds. The
people of Somalia have learned, people of South Sudan have benefited from it
and the stability of the Horn will stem from it. Al-Arabia noted the first
country that came out with firm stand against the Israeli annihilation and
massacres in Gaza to be Eritrea. Soon there after, many countries responded
to public outrage and took the same position. The diplomatic advantage
gained from it by winning the populace was immeasurable.
8) ERiTV
ERiTV is a nightmare to the enemies of Eritrea, a tool of communication and
a credible source of information for the people in the Horn of Africa. After
the war broke out in 1998, information was limited. Eritreans in the Metro
DC run to the ECCC to collect information, briefing and press releases. The
rest came from BBC and other Western media outlets. The information was
biased, agenda driven, misleading and geared at making Eritrea look small in
every sense. It was frustrating because the situation was fluid and the
developments were not apparent. Most people were on the phone with each
other creating network-groups of information to try to keep up. Information
was scarce; the source for the internet information was the same, Western
sources that set the agenda, the story line and the winners and losers. The
picture of the war was distorted because they elected not to show Ethiopian
atrocities, denying the world truth. Eritreans were frustrated, but thanks
to ERiTV, Eritreans get news directly. It is a crucial pillar for any nation
but for Eritrea it is a tool for survival, a sense of pride, a tool to stay
in touch, show developments of the nation and a source of connection for
Eritreans around the world. It also takes away media advantages from the
West and it gave the people of the region a credible source. The Ministry
deserves kudos!
9) Overcame the deadly Bush administration
ImageThe Bush administration was the most dangerous administration since the
fall of Nazi Germany! President Bush wanted to dominate the world by
trickery, fear, threat, intimidation, coercion, sanctions (stated and
unstated), using international organizations, leaders and force. He made a
perfect team with Meles Zenawi. Together they schemed day and night to bring
Eritrea down to her knees. They used every thing at their disposal including
threats to put Eritrea in the States who Sponsor Terror list and made
tremendous efforts to weaken Eritrea using unlimited means and ways.
However, Eritrea was undeterred, and told them, "The only time we kneel is
when we pray and shoot!" The world was too scared to stand up to Bush,
Eritrea did. Every move Eritrea made caught them off guard shocking and
confusing incompetent leaders like Dr. Janday Frazer rendering her helpless
to the point of looking like she was walking backward even as she tried to
step forward.
10) Affirmed Stability
Eritrea is an Island of stability in the most turbulent oceans with big
waves the size of Mount Kilimanjaro coming at it from every direction. The
source of her stability is the strident and brilliant people of Eritrea led
by smart experienced leaders. To paraphrase what General Sibhat Efrem stated
in an interview with VOE DC in 2000; it is natural for any nation to be
influenced by its neighbors, if your neighbors are developed you are likely
to want to develop and if they are unstable that instability is bound to
spill and affect you. Instead of succumbing to the negative influences of
ethnic, religious, regional and clan conflicts from Ethiopia, Djibouti,
Somalia, Sudan and Yemen; Eritrea has become the voice and example of
stability. Eritrea is selling peace and stability by example; by securing,
availing services to Eritrean kids, mothers and daughters. There is no
ethnic, religious or regional conflict in Eritrea. That is because while the
TPLF sells hate, ethnic division and terror; Eritrea became a positive
influence and a force for peace by selling unity. At the end of the day
peace will win-out because people want to see peace. Eritrean leaders are
wise to gamble on peace to take hold, and it will. The people in the region
are fed up of wars and thugs like Meles.
Image
Conclusion
The key to Eritrean achievements always lie in the hands of the Eritrean
people. Eritreans know their start and where they need to be. Eritreans know
exactly where the nation is and her capacity without undermining or
exaggeration. No one can tell Eritreans how their country is because they
know detailed information about the life of Eritreans in a daily basis. It
is that honesty that serves as a trajectory to the future Eritrea.
Regardless of the challenges we face today, it is hope that inspires
Eritreans every where to work united in order to achieve a peaceful,
successful and prosperous Eritrea.
Zelalmawi Zikiri N-Suwa-atna
Wetru Awet Nhafash!
