http://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2012/01/23/the-afar-saga/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-afar-saga
The Afar Saga
Africa
*by Abeje T. Chumo | on January 23rd, 2012 | *
Last week, as I was scanning the news media, I landed on tragic news coming
out of Ethiopia, a country I am deeply indebted. In Afar region, gunmen
have killed five foreign tourists for unknown reason. Indeed that is so
sad. What puzzled me though is the prompt response from the Ethiopian
government. Like many in the occupy movement, I believe in a government
that works for the people. What I am hoping to do here is to argue for
that. To question the statement Addis Ababa is making. To do so I don’t
have to be affiliated with any group. I am the one percent, sharing what I
see so others can see. Just buckle up on my ride.
It is of course, bad news for Afar’s fledgling tourist industry though it
is not the first time that armed groups in the region have targeted
foreigners. As in previous cases, the Ethiopian government was quick enough
to blame the attack on militant groups from Eritrea. When that claim was
made, there was no clear and convincing evidence to support it. As far as I
see it, Addis Ababa is continually playing the Eritrea card to build its
case against global terrorism, disregarding the genuine demand of its
people. As the old saying goes, “The complete lack of evidence is the
surest sign that the conspiracy is working.”
In a press release this afternoon, The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity
Front (ARDUF), a rebel group fighting for greater autonomy for their
region, claimed responsibility for the attack. ARDUF said 16 Ethiopian
soldiers were killed, about a dozen others wounded and an unspecified
number taken captive. ARDUF also said the German nationals as well as
Ethiopian soldiers, whom it said were in safe hands, would be released once
peaceful mediation is conducted by Afar elders. Though Ethiopia accuses
Eritrea of the attacks, ARDUF categorically denied of Eritrean government
involvement. “The fighting occurred between ARDUF and TPLF led Ethiopian
forces. Both European Nationals and Ethiopian soldiers were killed in
battle with ARDUF. The press release makes Ethiopia’s accusation of Eritrea
baseless and unfounded.
Since the 1998 Ethiopia-Eritrea border war, ARDUF took Ethiopia’s side and
declared a cease-fire in operations against Ethiopian forces. In 2002, one
faction of the ARDUF went even further in its reconciliation with Addis
Ababa and declared that it would permanently abandon armed struggle in
favor of peaceful involvement in Ethiopian politics. In March 2011, the
armed ARDUF faction claimed to have killed 49 government soldiers in the
area. Recent reports indicate that ARDUF still dominate life in the desert
region.
Whatever the roots and ideological aims of ARDUF’s attack, one clear
priority should be clear. The Afar problem needed to be addressed in broad
and comprehensive manner. Such initiatives must encompass issue of human
insecurity, economic and political development and participation in
decision making in Addis Ababa. It is equally clear that under all of these
manifestations lie the same root cause – a persistent trajectory of
underdevelopment and misgovernance in that part of the country.
There is an old proverb that explains my whole argument here “The trouble
with political jokes is that they get elected “. Following the attack, the
Ethiopian Foreign Ministry was busy in campaigning in political joke to
provoke Asmara. The Ministry noted “The government cannot and should not
sit idly by while the regime in Asmara continues to sponsor acts of terror
within Ethiopia’s territory with impunity,” As I see it, such provocation
is not well thought and overlooks two important facts. Mr. Zenawi is
consistently using the blame game to averting attention from the mounting
internal problem. By doing so, he wanted to send a clear message to the
international community that he is the one and only partner to relay in the
fight against terrorism. In his latest actions: convicting two Swedish
Journalists of terrorism, cracking down the media, the opposition and human
right groups in and outside the country, charging them with heinous crimes,
he proved that he is indeed unstoppable. This in turn, sparks more
opposition to his regime and open door to question his genuine intension as
a partner to work with.
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Received on Mon Jan 23 2012 - 10:57:40 EST
