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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Thu Nov 04 2010 - 12:35:40 EST
Column: Innocent nation being unfairly labeled a threat
United States simply opinion on location in Africa
By <http://www.thechannelsonline.com/search?q=%22Michael%20Mebratu%22>
Michael Mebratu
November 4, 2010
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20,%201520)> Michael Mebratu
Michael Mebratu
The term "Terrorism" has drastically changed since 9/11.
While many still mourn the horrific event that changed the world, the same
exact term is unrightfully damaging the reputation of several countries.
This is the perfect time to ask the authorities: what is terrorism, or what
constitutes an act of terrorism?
While I do understand the term has its political and emotional value, it may
be hard to define it accurately; however, that doesn't justify the U.S. to
both label and accuse countries such as Eritrea of supporting "terrorism."
According to U.S. State Department, under President Bush's leadership,
Eritrea, "a country that is not fully cooperating with U.S.," has been
accused of terrorism. But these allegations haven't changed under the Obama
administration.
Since when can a country label another country as terrorists just because
they are not fully cooperative?
Or maybe the word is just losing its value.
Eritrea, a poor and war-torn country, resides in the horn of Africa along
with its neighboring countries Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia.
In 1991, Eritrea declared its independency from Ethiopia, and has since
battled for its existence against dictatorship, famine, disease, and the
re-ruling of Ethiopia.
Last year, a journalist who has corresponded for The Los Angeles Times, held
a lecture about the war in "the horn of Africa" and its terrorist activism.
Not once were solid facts that indicated activism mentioned; however, the
country was still labeled in bulk with its neighboring countries.
When the journalist was asked why Eritrea was in the mix, he replied he
didn't know much about Eritrea itself, but it is close to Sudan and Somalia
which are troublesome countries and "known" for its terrorism activists.
To put it mildly, it's as foolish as if a young European student came to the
U.S. expecting them to use the metric system because Canada does.
Yet, the student's excuse is that he is not well educated, what is the
excuse from the United States of America?
However, Eritrea has in fact been the target of terrorist attacks on several
occasions. At one point they were so intense that the Eritrean government
was forced to take measures to protect its people and their prosperity.
This shouldn't be a time where we try to point fingers at each other, but a
time for solution. We, as citizens of the world, should stop the guilty once
and for all, and salute the fallen victims and the survivors of terrorism.
Instead of cataloging countries of these sickening acts, the U.S. and the
supporting countries should work in a constructive way and conclude what
terrorism really is.
>From there we can create allies, instead of operating destructively and
cause more harm towards the "little" nations.
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