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From: michael seium (michael.seium@gmail.com)
Date: Mon Dec 06 2010 - 04:59:34 EST
*The E-Smart campaign: Smarter than the “Smart” sanctions.*
* *
*By Mike Seium*
* *
As the one year anniversary of the ILLEGAL sanctions that took place
against Eritrea is approaching us on December 23rd, 2010 the fact remains
that the sanctions are just a tool that were created to scare the people &
Government of Eritrea. However, the sanctions have emboldened and even made
Eritreans stronger than ever. To use a great example, it is almost like when
the great athlete Zeresenay Tadesse a world record holder in the half
marathon sprints to one of his finish lines and goes on to receive his Gold
medal from the podium. Just like the great hero the people and government of
Eritrea are about to reach their destination. They are sprinting away
leaving behind those who don’t want to see Eritrea succeed. The reward for
being patience is a share of Economic empowerment, food security and a
revival of the nation in every sector of society.
Headed to the second phase of development that was delayed by the brief
1998 unwanted war, which was another form of trying to bring Eritreans into
their knees, Eritrea’s economic outlook seems to be one of the fastest
growing in the world. This according to the Economist Magazine which has
been in the frontline of news organizations to defame Eritrea for so long,
but when it comes to statistics the Economist or anyone for that matter
can’t lie and they had to print the facts.
Unless on paper rarely does any country have enough leverage to make
sanctions work. Weak countries may not be able to handle it and Eritrea
according to some of these UN members was looked upon as a weak country.
However, these UN members underestimated Eritrea once again. Some members of
the Security Council did not agree with the illegal sanctions against
Eritrea but a few powerful countries like the USA & Great Britain who have
the influence necessary to enforce effective sanctions on their own did. So,
as usual they went through the United Nations Security Council in the hopes
of imposing comprehensive sanctions that looked like they had the broad
support of other member states. Those who had moral values for which such a
world body should stand for did their duty and the people of Eritrea will
not forget.
On that cold winter day in December the very same body that betrayed
Eritrea 60 years ago committed the same FOUL PLAY against Eritrea once
again. But as one of the very few countries in the world that know their
right as a member of this sometimes unfair international body, Eritreans and
their government mobilized and showed the world that they are not to be
played with. Together as one people the Eritrean SMART campaign was created
to let the world know that ERITREANS KNOW THEIR RIGHTS! & THE ERITREAN
SANCTIONS MUST BE ANNULED & REPEALED TODAY!
The Security Council abused its power to impose sanctions on Eritrea
illegally. When & how is international peace being threatened or for that
matter diplomatic efforts have not worked when it comes to Eritrea? It is
when these two obligations occur that sanctions are resorted to according to
the reason why the sanction method of punishing a country and Eritrea’s
accusations were purely without any proof on the ground. All the lies that
were cooked up by Susan Rice did not hold any water. The lady who tried to
cover up the 1998 war by creating a quick fix to the solution once again
tried using an old trick.
A trend that is toward targeted or so-called "smart" sanctions, which
includes economic and trade sanctions, arms embargoes, travel bans and
financial measures, such as freezing assets were imposed on Eritrea. While
most members revisited the issue and found it to be unfair, unjust &
illegal, the USA went as far as sanctioning an Eritrean individual member of
the government through the treasury department. Meanwhile during the recent
UN general assembly meeting in New York that sanctioned person made his way
down to the nation’s capital and came right into downtown Washington D.C to
the dismay and surprise of many. To an audience of an E-SMART Mekete dinner
the Eritrean hero Yemane Gebreab got a warm reception and expressed his view
to the audience, which was a clear indication that the sanctions don’t hold
any water. Why? Because the sanctions were based on lies and unacceptable
behavior by members of the Obama foreign policy team. Once the Security
Council imposes sanctions, such as the ones against Eritrea, there are
usually several specialized U.N. agencies and other intergovernmental
organizations that play a role in their monitoring, implementation and
compliance. In Eritrea’s case it was the ICG (International Crisis Group),
which ended up getting busted for lies, and their art of deception was so
contradictory that it failed miserably. Based in Belgium this organization
has strong links to the UN through its lobbying efforts and vice versa.
But despite the Obama administration’s efforts to enforce “smart”
sanctions on Eritrea, many experts say they are ILLEGAL to begin with and
could set a dangerous precedent in international law. It is also to be noted
that the E-SMART is much more smarter as well. Regardless of the campaign of
disinformation and intimidation the Government and people of Eritrea
reaffirm that they will hold on to the core issue of building a strong
nation and the illegally concluded sanctions will be defeated by Eritreans
world wide using the E-SMART Campaign.
The time is also now for President Barak Obama to act and take the
illegal action of his team against the people of Eritrea immediately. Even a
nine-year-old Eritrean-American boy has eloquently expressed the message of
the Eritrean people in a clear language. Mr. Obama ANNUL & REPEAL these
sanctions OR DO WHATEVER YOU GOT TO DO to remove them today.
ERITREAN SANCTIONS MUST BE ANNULED & REPEALED TODAY! Not Tomorrow or next
week. Meanwhile Sanctions or not the Camel will keep moving to the promise
land.
LOG ON TO http://eritrean-smart.org Your E-SMART headquarters for all the
details on how to fight the Unjust and Illegal Sanctions.
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