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A Passionate & Reasoned Plea to End Sanctions against Eritrea
Posted by Dr. Samuel Mahaffy on October 19, 2014 at 4:12pm
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An Open Letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
To Your Excellency:
The United Nations sanctions against Eritrea are causing undue harm
and hardship to the people of Eritrea. I plead the case to
immediately end sanctions against Eritrea that are unjust and
counter-productive to the cause of peace in the Horn of Africa.
While United Nations sanctions are ostensibly sanctions against the
government of Eritrea they are causing undue suffering and hardship to
the great people of Eritrea. In my nonprofit work with a practicing
Eritrean physician, it has become evident that the United Nations
sanctions against Eritrea are creating a great barrier to access to
essential medical supplies and equipment.
The issue of United Nations sanctions against Eritrea has become a
personal sorrow for me. Medical equipment and supplies that have kept
me alive in my treatment of an aggressive cancer are being denied to
the Eritrean people because of the burden of sanctions. While I am a
U.S. citizen, the Eritrean people are my people by virtue of my birth
in their country and the generous spirit with which they have welcomed
me as one of their own.
The thinly veiled agenda of those who use United Nations sanctions as
a wedge to try to effect policy or regime change in Eritrea has become
utterly transparent. When a member of the United Nation's Somalia
Eritrea Monitoring Group (SEMG) printed on United Nations letterhead a
blatant agenda to destabilize the government of Eritrea, the United
Nations response rightfully ought to have gone far beyond accepting
the resignation of this individual.
Printing a suggestion for regime change in Eritrea on United Nations
letterhead, by a member of a supposedly independent monitoring group
(
http://www.tesfanews.net/tag/semg/), defies the foundational values
of the United Nations. There is a fundamental and urgent need to
reevaluate the sanctions against Eritrea. An objective evaluation of
the United Nations sanctions against Eritrea will inevitably lead to
the conclusion that the sanctions are unjust, a detriment to the cause
of peace in the region, and a wholly unwarranted burden on the people
of Eritrea.
That the United Nations sanctions against Eritrea are unjust should
now be abundantly clear. The case for sanctions against Eritrea
simply do not meet the United Nations standard of "verified
information and documents" to substantiate allegations. In light of
the blatant misrepresentation of facts, the United Nations sanctions
are not only unjust but shameful. As a strong supporter of the United
Nations charter and mission, I am utterly disheartened that the agenda
of a few individuals and power brokers who harbor ill-will against
Eritrea is allowed to preempt the high standards that ought to
characterize any action by the United Nations.
By continuing sanctions against Eritrea, the United Nations misses an
historic opportunity to promote peace in an unstable region of Africa.
Eritrea has been a vocal advocate for peace processes in the Horn of
Africa. They have expressed their "determined" will to support peace
initiatives in the region and followed their words with actions. The
United Nations would do well to recognize that Eritrea is a
stabilizing force in an unstable region. It is in keeping with the
United Nations mission "to unite our strength to maintain
international peace and security" to support Eritrea as a regional
force for peace rather than constructing obstacles to their meaningful
participation in peace initiatives.
Eritrea is not without its faults in terms of actions and policies. No
country is. But, it is the dawning of a new and positive chapter in
the history of Eritrea. The writing of a new chapter in Eritrean
history ought to be celebrated and supported in the United Nations.
The United Nations would do well to follow the lead of multiple member
nations that are opening diplomatic missions in Eritrea and exploring
avenues for mutually respectful collaboration. Eritrea is stepping
into full participation with nations that are seeking peace and
stability and supporting the United Nations mission to "end the
scourge of war for future generations." Last month, Eritrea joined in
support of the United Nations Conventions against Torture (CAN). The
country of Eritrea is focusing on improving life for ordinary
Eritreans as evidenced by significant progress made toward United
Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Eritrea's support for
meaningful efforts to end human trafficking in the region.
It is now time for productive dialogue with the Eritrean government
rather than oppressive sanctions against the people of Eritrea. The
statement made by Your Excellency in Libya that "all problems can be
resolved through dialogue" applies equally to the country of Eritrea.
There is no alternative to dialogue in regard to Eritrea. Sanctions
are no longer a meaningful option or alternative to respectful
engagement with the government of Eritrea.
I share my thoughts as a global citizen who deeply respects the work
of the United Nations and cares unequivocally for the people of
Eritrea. I engage with Eritreans, both in their country and around
the world, and affirm that their self-identification of "Eritrea as a
peaceful country" is not simply a cliché, but represents the heart of
this people and nation.
For more than three decades, I have been engaged in supporting
peace-making efforts at the family, community, national and
international level. As long as I have voice, I will be a voice for
peace and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. I turn my voice for
peace to the United Nations making a passionate and reasoned plea for
the immediate lifting of sanctions against the people of Eritrea.
The immediate lifting of sanctions against Eritrea would be a
courageous and compassionate action that supports justice, peace and
conflict transformation.
As Your Excellency also stated in Tripoli on Oct. 11, 2014, "the
pathway of peace-building is always difficult." No matter how
challenging that pathway, let us follow the pathway of peace-building
and embrace Eritrea as it steps more fully into the global community.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dr. Samuel Mahaffy
Founder, East Africa Institute
Senior Advisor, Salaam Urban Village Association
http://www.samuelmahaffy.com
Received on Thu Oct 23 2014 - 22:08:39 EDT