From: awetnayu@hotmail.com
Date: Tue Mar 10 2009 - 23:34:55 EST
RSF and Anna Gomez in Desperate Quest for Relevance
Amanuel Biedemariam
Anna Gomez, a failed parliament-member of The EU wrote a statement-article on March 5th, 2009 to oppose proposed EU assistance for Eritrea. And the very next day, a press statement was released by RSF (Reporters sans frontières) vilifying the government of Eritrea and criticizing EU for deciding to give the people of Eritrea €122 for “development assistance.” The articles were synchronized, made similar statements and reasons to disqualify the people of Eritrea from receiving assistance from EU for the first time in a very long time.
The statements were unethical, incendiary, racist, condescending, logic defying, deceitful, self serving and fraught with unrealistic representations of Eritrea! Nothing about the articles is coincidental because it is part of a campaign that is geared: A) to create maximum negative publicity against Eritrea and give the appearance of human plight such as the image they seared for the Sudan. B) To resuscitate the flat-lined enemies of Eritrea who parade as Eritreans by giving them talking points C) and give RSF but most importantly the failed Anna Gomez relevance etc…
In the statement quoted below RSF was kind enough to be concerned about Eritrea’s humanitarian needs. However, RSF also wants EU to micromanage the funds so Diaspora Eritreans won’t think the EU has given Eritrea a blank check? Who in the Diaspora you ask? Does it represent me? Did RSF conduct a poll? The quote:
“Certainly the country needs humanitarian support and development aid, but the Isayas Afewerki government does not readily allow the EU to ensure a proper follow-up of the use to which these funds are put, in this case, money given to its Eritrean ’partner’ by the European Development Fund amounts to something like a blank cheque and is seen by the people and Diaspora as a sign of support for the regime.”
This is highly unethical and indicative of the behavior of this defunct organization. Think about this; RSF thinks it is more important for the people of Eritrea to get news than food. RSF believes Eritrean people are not informed. RSF assumes Eritreans are in a cocoon not knowing what is going on around the world. RSF wants to be my representative and convict the government of Eritrea on my behalf. RSF is telling Eritrea how to conduct her security on my behalf. RSF wants the world to know that they care about Eritreans in Eritrea more than me or people like me. It is public record and a known fact that Eritreans in the Diaspora help sustain the lives of millions and have been for decades while RSF and organizations like them have, as they are now, consistently stood and placed barriers on Eritreans from trying to advance their living standards. Who anointed RSF to speak on my behalf you ask?
The truth; what RSF wants is to have their agents planted in Eritrea so they can legitimately disseminate their propaganda for Western consumption and help them with the very DEMONIZING campaign they are conducting!
Eritreans are well informed about what is taking place in Eritrea. It is a small enough country to know exactly what is happening throughout the country and who is doing what. They know where they have been and their direction, upward. Eritreans do it with wits, brains, muscle and united zeal that brought independence of Eritrea. Eritreans don’t need some schmuck from some office in Europe or N. America to tell them about their country. In fact, this speaks to the very ignorance of the RSF; the Horn of Africa is a Mecca for information. It is impossible to hide from the news in the region. It has been for centuries and it will remain so, forever.
In the other hand, Anna Gomez is a celebrity in Ethiopian-Diaspora-circles. She has been a true advocate for their cause over the last four years. However, Crime Minister Meles Zenawi has effectively rendered her ineffective. Her voice and plea’s to the EU has fallen on deaf ears. She is effectively a talking-mute, irrelevant! In other words the EU always pursues agendas regardless of the prevailing humanitarian issues as they have with Meles by handing him millions for years.
What is sad is Anna Gomez has never championed the cause of the Eritrean people. In fact, while she was in Ethiopia in 2005, millions of Eritreans were suffering as a result of unnecessary occupation of fertile sovereign Eritrean land by the thugs of TPLF led by crime Minister Meles Zenawi. Anna Gomez never uttered a word about the millions displaced Eritreans who were suffering in make shift camps, she was mute. It is clear evidence of her ineptness when you see her make statements like this:
“As members of the European Parliament we are appalled by the Commission's intention to allocate €120 million to Eritrea, one of the world's most oppressive, totalitarian and aggressive regimes. The Commission claims it has to keep diplomatic channels open, but its quiet diplomacy has failed. It is about time to take a tougher stance and we know that we speak for Eritreans and Europeans alike when we say that human rights need to be a condition for any development co-operation with Eritrea.”
Appalled? Appalled by assistance to the good people of Eritrea? How disgraceful can one be! Eritreans didn’t beg EU. In fact, any one with common sense could consider Eritrea’s efforts for self reliance as noble example for capacity development in other parts of Africa or at least consider using it as a pilot alternative from the failed EU/West programs that put many countries in perpetual debt cycles. Eritrea accomplishes more with less than any other underdeveloped country. That is the hallmark of Eritrea but, these accomplishments are too distant for Anna Gomez to connect with because that is not what she is interested in.
The European Union decided to disburse the assistance after sending representatives to Eritrea in order to investigate Eritrea’s Warsay Yikaalo Developmental campaign. This is Eritrea’s development effort to build the nation’s infrastructures and ensure food security by developing agricultural capacity with meager resources. The program is also designed to expand human resources skills through education and hands on training at a very high rate. Obviously EU saw merit to Eritrea’s successful campaign and decided to give assistance to the people of Eritrea.
Eritrea is doing things never done in Africa catching all by surprise. Eritrea is forced to take these measures to ensure perpetuity and put the countries independence in solid footing. That means aid can play a role as long as it is complimentary, targeted, temporary and consistent with long term development strategies. Most importantly, it should not attach conditions that undermine sovereignty. These are noble ideals and solid basis for the future of the country. The foundation for this emanated during the struggle for independence and rages usefully and successfully to-date. It is successful not because it is building bridges and dams at a frenzied rate; it is successful for the legacy and a new culture that it introduced. This is a culture that holds a can do attitude at the core of its foundation, a culture synonymous with Eritreans.
Once that legacy is established it is always easy to build anything-any-time. That is the beauty of Eritrea. Eritreans know this. This is how Eritrea came to light. This is how Massawa was rebuilt after Ethiopia deliberately destroyed it. Eritreans put back the Electric grids instantly and the lights were on. Destroyed homes were replaced by waterfront living complex for thousands, and new port and airport facilities are built. There is a Marine Sciences college in Massawa run by Eritreans who never had any idea the riches the Red Sea waters hold. They are building their own boats and exporting them. In ten years Eritreans born during independence will earn their PhD’s clean from any colonial-grip and will cast their future as they wish free from dependence from any one. Eritrea is marching along putting in place every thing needed to facilitate that.
Eritrea is building dams (used as a nice back drop for music videos) and introducing water diversion schemes to replace subsistence farming and to expand agricultural production, building roads to facilitate trade, tourism and expand services. If others follow Eritrea’s lead, aid programs led by IMF, EU and others will become obsolete. Aid can serve some good in emergency situations but will not be the way of life like it is now for Ethiopia and others, perpetual welfare states! Isn’t that what the Gomez’s should have aspired for?
Anna Gomez is oblivious to the political dynamics of the region and the publics involved. That is why she assumed she will be embraced by Eritreans in the same manner Ethiopians embraced her. Eritreans have been wronged by the West far too long to embrace her. In the other hand the West sides with Ethiopia every time. Ethiopians believe Meles doesn’t represent their interest. In the other hand his Excellency; President Isayas Afewerki is the George Washington of Eritrea. Anna Gomez is also oblivious to the fact that Eritreans are keen at determining their future at any cost. That means when she steps out of line, they will tell her to STEP like Janday Frazer because Eritrean knows how to lift the torch for Eritrea without the help of mercenary surrogates like RSF and Anna Gomez!
RSF and Anna Gomez represent the same agenda the ICC does at a different level. While the ICC is one of the greatest invention of the West set up to undermine sovereignty the RSF is a perfect tool to undermine foreign media. Their agenda is to dilute media institutions and have a controlling stake by pressing for press freedom and media access. Anna Gomez and the likes are the clappers. In the past their approach was effective because they talked about all the things that Africans want such as peace, human rights, freedom of press etc… but now, Africa is realizing these people are the very impediments for all that. They use these principles for their own agendas and to demonize others as they wish while their bloody hands can fill oceans!
Anna Gomez has rambled enough about one subject, Ethiopia, for a long time, so it is natural for her to try to expand her base to be considered a regional player. Anna Gomez is blindly claiming to speak for Eritreans as she stated ”WE speak for Eritreans and Europeans alike,” but it is a big lie because she never visited Eritrea and doesn’t know the people of Eritrea to represent their interest. So, I challenge Anna Gomez to visit Eritrea and debate ninth graders about democracy and social justice. But first, she must apologize to His Excellency President Isayas Afewerki and most importantly the people of Eritrea for disrespecting them. Only then, can Anna Gomez ask the people of Eritrea for permission to visit their country!
Eritrean-Women-Rules!
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