From: Yared Tesfay (ytmn2@yahoo.co.uk)
Date: Fri Jan 08 2010 - 23:16:06 EST
EMBASSY OF THE STATE OF ERITREA, LONDON UK Briefing by H.E.
Ambassador T. Gerahtu 8 January 2010
Thank you for accepting our invitation and on this occasion I wish
you a Happy New Year.
The New Year hopes in Horn Region have been disfigured by the horse-
race events that lead to a Sanction Resolution on Eritrea
(1907/2009). It was masterminded under US leadership and greatly
supported by the involvement of the UK. History repeating itself! The
Press Statement of The Government of Eritrea released at the time has
given adequate response to the Resolution. This Press Briefing is
thus meant to address some of the important aspects of reality that
impinge on the shameful Resolution. Four aspects of the reality have
to be checked against this backdrop for a better understanding of the
overall situation. But why is the Resolution shameful?
The reality as relates the essence of the Resolution can be seen in
three interrelated dimensions. In the first place, It is shameful
because it lacks rationality and clearly demonstrated the politics of
power and status (including spheres of influence) inherent in UN
Security Council. Secondly, it is unjust by all standards as it
violates the basic human right of the Eritrean people for an
independent stance taken while on the other hand it appeases and
rewards the main culprits responsible for destabilizing Somalia and
the whole region. The UN Security Council has remained silent on the
continued occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories by Ethiopia in
open defiance of the international law, the invasion and continued
illegal presence of Ethiopia in Somalia, the continuous flow and
trafficking of arms into Somalia by Ethiopia, the US and other actors
in the region. The non-exiting "fabricated border dispute" with
Djibouti has also been integrated into the Resolution to make it
sensational. Finally, it is also illegal and runs contrary to the
basic aspects of international law and the fundamentals of the UN
Charter. In actual fact, the resolution was finally passed after a
long campaign of blackmail, arm-twisting of those who challenged it
and invoking an AU resolution to disguise the main culprits. As one
writer put it "the UN Security council has compromised ‘its
obligation of good faith". But how does the Resolution match the
reality as far the facts on the ground are concerned?
Eritrea’s determination to expose the truth has shown no limit but
the Resolution has shown its motive of negating the reality and
indeed the facts on the ground. The allegations that Eritrea supplies
military support to Somali insurgents is baseless and both the US and
the UN Security Council could never come with any evidence.
Furthermore, while the Somali problem could only be solved by
tackling the essence of the matter, the USA’s role has focused in
complicating the problem. Finally, throughout the last 18 years
Eritrea’s position on Somalia has been consistent and focused on the
essence of the problem. What the Somalis need is the re-liberation
and reconstitution of their nation through their own independent
dynamics. Hence, the effort to cover up the failures by using Eritrea
as scapegoat shows that the US and its collaborators are an integral
part of the problem and not part of the solution. Then why did the US
resort to sanction at this time?
It is not difficult to sense that US hostility on Eritrea has become
another aspect of the reality in the Horn Region. In the last eleven
years efforts made to destabilize Eritrea have all failed. Despite
all this, Eritrea in the last 11 years has enhanced its independent
stance and registered significant economic, social and political
growth against all odds. All conspiracies on Eritrea failed because
of an Eritrean reality that encompasses two interrelated aspects that
reflect the real image of the nation: on the one hand a people
united, committed, tolerant and hardworking and on the other hand a
government and a leadership with a vision, committed to the national
interests, pragmatic approaches to a development based on self
reliance and partnerships, an independent stance of owning your own
decision and a system free of corruption. The hostilities to negate
this reality failed because it is a reality born out of the bitter
struggle and the heavy scarifies of the Eritrean Martyrs to create a
truly independent nation. Thus a greater part of the reality is that
"our biggest responsibility to the Martyrs of Eritrea has thus been
to never, never compromise our national security".
It is because of this reality that a sanction regime passed to
intimidate the Eritrean people and make them kneel down cannot have
an effect. The Resolution will definitely strengthen the unity,
resolve and organization of the Eritrean people and as always will
create opportunities out of the challenges and fast track the
national development prospects of the country. Eritreans everywhere,
inside the country and in the Diaspora have shown their resolve and
commitment that they are an integral part of the Government in
challenging this shameful Resolution. The resounding message is thus
"we have done it before, we can do it now, and certainly it can be
done". The resolution has thus failed in intimidating the Eritrean
people. But does it have any effects and consequences in the
realities of the Horn of Africa Region?
The policies of the US in the Horn of Africa have categorically
failed and this sanction can only work to create further
complications in the region. It is a well known fact that Ethiopia’s
position can be emboldened by the shameful resolution and following
at the footsteps of its appeasers, could take desperate measures
which could further plunge the Horn Region into more conflicts. This
would be another sad episode that can complicate the problems in the
Region, a region that has suffered for so long.
The Region has been affected by a set of patterns of behaviour
manifested in various ways in the last 100 years. In the post-cold
war situation in particular, the US has acted as a sole super power
to complicate the problems in the Region. These patterns of behaviour
include: adherence on geopolitical agendas and interests to
complicate problems; the use of an agent (always Ethiopia) to serve
the interests of superpowers in total disregard to the national
interests of Ethiopia and interests of regional peace, security and
cooperation; ideology of aggression and the politics of hegemony
inherent in all successive regimes of Ethiopia in the last 100 years;
a pattern of behaviour where pretexts of peace, fighting bandits and
terrorists, secessionists, etc.. has been used to create turmoil; the
utilization of the UN and the UN Security Council as an instrument
for implementing the superpower geopolitical agendas and interests,
always in the name of peace. This then warrants the people of the
region to use their legitimate right and obligation to work for
regional peace, security and development without any external
interference. Eritrea has thus always followed a principled position
on this matter. What next?
Eritrea’s main long term mission is to focus on the nation building
process which is geared towards the creation of a viable state based
on a viable economy and a strong social fabric. On the other hand,
Eritrea is always determined to make its modest contribution, despite
limitation in capacity, in regional peace, security and development.
This emanates from the belief that the future of the peoples in the
Horn Region will always succeed on the harmonization of efforts,
peaceful coexistence, tolerance, complementariness and sound
cooperation among the nations and peoples of the Region. It is this
resolve that will finally count in a basic approach that focuses in
addressing the fundamental problems in the regional through the
external dynamics of the people of the region.
It is my hope that the briefing outlined above has shed light into
the real image of Eritrea. It is anti-thesis of the perceived image
created by the US and its collaborators though the distortion of
reality, blackmail, campaigns, corruptive methods and intimidation.
The real image of Eritrea is totally different and irreconcilable
with the image created in the minds of hostile elements through a
myriad of myths about the country. Eritrea is in the right path of
nation building but there is recognition that the goal will require
time and space and commitment. But victory is certain! The realities
outlined above and the orientation on the ground present telling
evidence of a certain victory. That is why this shameful resolution
will have no value and is not only condemned but challenged by all
means. But after 6 decades, history is again repeating itself and the
US and UK bear the greatest responsibility for any further problems
which may unfold in the Region.
Thank you and will call you again to talk about the unending stories
that reflect the real image of Eritrea!
Embassy of the State of Eritrea 8 January 2010
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