The Horn of Africa cannot afford another warPress release 21 March 2012.On Thursday March 15, 2012, the Ethiopian military launched unprovoked attack against its northern neighbor, Eritrea, violating international law and undermining global and regional efforts to stabilize the Horn of Africa. Thursday’s military incursion deep into Eritrean territory which according to a senior Ethiopian official was reinforced by a follow-up attack two days later on Saturday , is a flagrant and arrogant act of aggression that has the potential to engulf the entire region into a full blown war. By any standard, the action of the Ethiopian army is a thoughtless act of aggression, but more than the action itself, the way the regime informed its act of aggression to the world seemed like the regime was jubilantly proud in violating international law.The 1998-2000 war between Ethiopia and Eritrea has already shown the world how devastating and costly a war between these two nations could be. Therefore, Ginbot7 urges the international community to restrain the war mongering attitude of the Ethiopian regime and not allow its perceived threats to lead to an unprovoked attack on a sovereign member of the international community.For the past twenty years, the Ethiopian regime has been at war with its own people at home and with its neighbors far from home. The dictatorial regime in Addis Ababa has repeatedly used internal assaults and external aggressions as a primary means of extending its grip on power. Its vicious attack on its own people and its most recent military incursion into Eritrea are primarily focused on silencing the domestic opposition and deflecting the question of freedom, justice and democracy at home.Meles Zenawi’s proxy war in Somalia and the genocide in Gambela and Ogaden are glaring examples of crimes committed by a leader who once was praised as a “new breed” of African leaders. Today, Ginbot7 and the Ethiopian people strongly believe that the one man regime in Ethiopia is a huge danger to the security of its own people, to the Horn of Africa, and to the world at large. Ginbot 7 takes this opportunity to express its sincere concern that Ethiopia’s recent act of aggression would further destabilize the region, cause unprecedented mass exodus, and inconceivable human suffering in the already volatile region of the Horn of Africa. Obviously, Ethiopia is a large country that can play a pivotal role in stabilizing the Horn of Africa, but as long as Ethiopia itself is ruled by a belligerent dictator, it could as well be a major force of instability in the Horn of Africa. Ginbot 7 urges the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, the African Union and all peace loving people of the world to condemn the bellicose regime in Ethiopia and send a clear message that the world does not tolerate the wanton invasion of sovereign states.
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Received on Fri Mar 23 2012 - 09:57:16 EDT
