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From: Daniel Abraham (abraham_d2001@yahoo.co.uk)
Date: Sat Sep 25 2010 - 05:32:45 EDT
PROMOTE PEACE AND PROSPERITY NOT WAR (Response to Gregory R. Copley)
Having read the article published by Gregory R. Copley on 26 August 2010 (ref: http://oilprice.com/Geo-Politics/Africa/Energy-and-Security-Issues-in-the-Red-Sea-Transforming-as-the-Age-of-Gas-Begins-in-Earnest.html ) which misrepresents and distorts the reality in the Horn of Africa (in particular Eritrea) and in the light of the subsequent coordinated campaign of defamation against Eritrea, I have come to a conclusion that we ought to respond to each and every attack no matter how trivial and undeserving they may appear. It is the loonies like this guy who end up being quoted as “the horn of Africa expert, analyst, etc” by the world’s dictatorial institutions like the so called “UN”.
As if it is not nauseating enough for the article that has no relevance to prospective investors to appear in Oil Price .com, the DC based Coley is being introduced in the web by some publishers as the man who has been working “for almost four decades at the highest levels with various governments around the world, advising on national security, intelligence, and national management issues”. If this is true, then it explains a lot. The War Lords in the west are relying on the advice from loonies like him to stir up conflicts all over the world causing in mass death, displacements and calculable miseries.
In response to his article and to straighten records, Mr Copley and the like of him should be aware of the following:
1. “Egypt and Eritrea” do not need to “struggle to keep Ethiopia landlocked” because Ethiopia is Landlocked. Period!
2. “Ethiopian Navy” was decimated by the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) under the offensive code named “Operation Fenqil” in February 1990 as a prelude to the down fall of the Dergue regime of Ethiopia a year later.
3. An English translation of Bari Negash (Bar Negus) is the Kingdom of the Sea (not Kingdom of North). Bear in mind that Ethiopians traditionally referred to area south of modern Eritrea as the North (Semien) but not Eritrea. Therefore the traditional Eritrea was always associated with the coastal area of the Red Sea. In fact, historically Kingdoms within the area which is now called Ethiopia were always afraid of the sea and none of their historical Kings ever reached the coastal area of Eritrea.
4. Eritrea was occupied by Ethiopia for 3 decades (1952 to 1991) not because Ethiopia was powerful but the United States decided so (see below *) and was actively involved in preventing Eritrea from ever becoming independent during that time. During the occupation close to a million Ethiopian soldiers died, over 200,000 defenceless civilian Eritreans were murdered by the ruthless Ethiopian regimes of Hailesilasie and Mengistu . In addition 70,000 selfless Eritreans paid the ultimate price so that Eritrea is free. So, Mr Copley can’t lecture us about his theory of “friendly separation”. Eritrea was not “encouraged” to declare independent but was made independent in May 1991 following the total military defeat of the Ethiopian Government by the EPLF (Eritrean People’s Liberation Front) which resulted not only in the liberation of the entire Eritrea but also the capture of various areas inside Ethiopia with military significance
including the air force base in Debrezeit and the capital Addis Ababa by the EPLF commandos. The current regime in Ethiopia came to power protected by the EPLF tanks that strolled in the streets of Addis Abeba in 1991.
5. Between 1991 and May 1998 Eritrea allowed Ethiopia free (with no tariff) access to the sea. During this time, Ethiopian Ministers even admitted this was equivalent to having their own port albeit with no hassle of administering it. In May 1998, under the sponsorship and advice of the CIA, Ethiopia unilaterally boycotted Eritrean ports hoping to cause the collapse the Eritrean economy and capture Eritrea “quickly” following a “short” offensive. This was never materialised. The Eritrean resistance was far beyond their expectation. The Ethiopian Government conducted 3 large scale invasions until 2000 when their dream of the capturing the port of Asseb quickly faded away with a total loss of 150,000 Ethiopian soldiers. This shattered the dreams of those hoping to control Eritrea that’s why now they are now resorted into campaigns (like this article) of defamation to tarnish the image of Eritrea.
6. Cross border ethnic and linguistic similarity are common even in modern Europe. Mr Copley is using his very limited imaginary means of “redeeming” the rulers of Ethiopia of the “curse of being landlocked”. Even to the extent of encouraging the Ethiopian ethnic Afars on the Ethiopian side (who are cattle herders along the Awash valley) to invade Eritrea to annex the Eritrean Afars (who are fishermen and traders) so they can delivery the regime in Ethiopia the port of Asseb on a “silver platter”. If Mr Copley wants to play with “fire” using the “ethnic and religious” cards, he better kiss goodbye to his beloved “mama Ethiopia” together with his financial interest of his masters in the “oil business”. The Somalis in Ogaden will be gone the Oromos and others will follow too. There will be no client “mama Ethiopia” to lobby for and MrCopley should probably consider a career as a reporter of ethnic conflicts (I
could picture Copley drooling and salivating of the idea).
7. Eritrea is not “economically destitute”. On the contrary, Eritrea is strong culturally, economically (and militarily). Eritrea is the only country in the region who feeds its population and without asking for alms from the West. Its progress and achievements in the health, education and food security sectors to mention few are envious. Eritrea is amongst the handful African countries that are the set to achieve the UNDP Millennium Development Goals.
8. Eritrea is also one of the most peaceful countries in the world where you can travel anywhere anytime without being mugged, murdered or raped, etc. By contrast, Ethiopia is just like a house of cards. With over 80 ethnic groups actively involved in political and armed opposition, it can not survive even a single day without the active political military and financial support of the West.
9. Lastly my advice to Mr Copley is to promote peace and prosperity in the horn of Africa by refraining from war mongering to say the least.
D. Abraham 25 September 2010
*From the point of view of justice, the opinions of the Eritrean people must receive consideration. Nevertheless, the strategic interests of the United States in the Red Sea Basin and considerations of security and world peace make it necessary that the country [Eritrea] be linked with our ally, Ethiopia.
—John Foster Dulles, 1952
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