On 25 May 1999, under "The Ethiopian-Eritrean War; U.S. Policy Options," Dr. Susan Rice gave a testimony to the Africa Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on International Relations--sort of a summary of the on going war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. I read the text of her speech and I noticed that people who are even only half-way familiar with the war will find her speech way too simplified and offers no "U.S. Policy Options". Still, it is interesting to note that what she said and what she didn't say are both revealing and eye opening. I will ignore some statements she made that I felt were pretty cheap, such as Isayas joining Ghadaffi's Comessa. Dr. Rice, for your information, it is not President Isayas but Eritrea that joined the Community of Saharan and Sahelian States--and Comesa is not Ghadaffi's.
Dr. Rice opened her testimony with several general, fairly obvious statements such as: "the border war threatens a broad swath of Africa as well as United States' interests in the region as a whole." "The Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict, which began in May 1998, has substantially damaged the economic growth and development of Ethiopia and Eritrea and has led to humanitarian suffering on both sides of the border." "Tens of thousands of lives have been lost and thousands more have been maimed." She "stressed the need to repair, over the long term, strained relations in the Horn" and correctly stated that "[t]he task of rebuilding both countries and mending ties between Ethiopia and Eritrea to ensure long-term sustained peace and mutual security will be especially difficult. It will require due attention and support from the United States and the international community."
She further stated the obvious and she speculated a little: TPLF & EPLF joined forces against Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam. Mengistu's brutal Derg regime was toppled in 1991. Eritrea gained formal independence in 1993. A border skirmish occurred on May 6, 1998, at Badme. Eritrea sent troops and armor into and beyond Badme into territory administered by Ethiopia.
So far, okay.
Some of the most interesting points are made when she directly contradicts statements by Ethiopian authorities, or when she doesn't even mention what they tirelessly try to portray as the 'truth'. She essentially is calling them liars, on both counts; that's why Eritreans believe that the Ethiopian government is not to be trusted and that they are unpredictable and not trustworthy to the core. For instance:
Ethiopia's claims that it bombed Asmara International Airport after Eritrea intentionally bombed a school in Mekelle. Dr. Rice said: "[I]n June of 1998, Ethiopia launched airstrikes against Asmara airport. Eritrea made retaliatory strikes against the Ethiopian towns of Mekele and Adigrat, south of Zela Ambessa, hitting a school." Eritrea hit a school accidentally and its airforce was only making "retaliatory strikes against" (Dr. Rice's, not mine) Ethiopia, AFTER Ethiopia launched airstrikes against the Eritrean capital.
In this fact Dr. Rice directly contradicts the outright lies and fiction of Mellesovic of Ethiopia and Co. This is only the beginning and somebody ought to keep a score. So far, Dr. Susan Rice 2 (two), Black Mellesovic & Gang 0 (zero)--in a single sentence. "Betri Haqis tQeTn `mber aytsbern!"
A few moments later, she simply states a fact, a damning fact against the black Mellesovic: "Fighting resumed on February 6, 1999, when Ethiopian forces attacked, eventually displacing Eritrean forces from the disputed area of Badme." Notice that she said "fighting resumed when Ethiopia attached Eritrean forces". What is interesting is, not only what she said but what she didn't say as well. Remember the Weyanistas claim that they re-started the war in early February, 1999, AFTER Eritrea bombed Adi Grat. She not only contradicts them on who started the war, but never even mentioned what Ethiopia claimed. We knew all along that the phantom bombing of Adi Grat in February was a lie--even residents of Adi Grat described that stated night as peaceful, no air bombing, no artillery fire, no nothing. However, Ethiopia, against the U.S.-brokered airstrike moratorium, not only bombed Eritrean military targets both at the border and deep inside Eritrea, but also bombed students, a church, refugees, towns, villages, a port.... She said: "Ethiopia employed fighter-bombers, helicopter gunships, and reconfigured transport aircraft in tactical support of ground operations." What is disappointing is that I don't read any feeling of anger by the US (through her, that is). After all the moratorium was brokered by the USA! Who knows, this time around, too, because "things happen so fast", Ethiopia probably informed the US (as per the moratorium) that it will break its promise to President Clinton and bomb Eritrea.##
As far as the US interests go, she said: "The United States has significant interests in ending the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea as soon as possible. The current conflict threatens regional stability and to reverse Ethiopian and Eritrean progress in economic and political development.... The United States has important national security interests in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia's and Eritrea's neighbor, Sudan, has long supported international terrorism, fostered the spread of Islamic extremism beyond its borders, actively worked to destabilize neighboring states, including Ethiopia and Eritrea, and perpetrated massive human rights violations against its own citizens. Since the conflict began last year, Sudan has increasingly benefited from the hostilities between its former adversaries. Eritrea recently signed an accord with Sudan to normalize relations. Ethiopia has renewed air service to Khartoum and has made overtures to Sudan for improved relations as well. Both sides have moved to reduce support to Sudanese opposition groups." I am sure that several people will agree with me that the US is becoming its own nemesis. If it wants to see its enemies in the international arena, it should just look in the mirror.
About the spread of the war into other countries of the Horn, Dr. Rice says: "We are very concerned by credible reports that Eritrea has delivered large quantities of weapons and munitions to self-proclaimed Somalia President Hussein Aideed for the use of a violent faction of the Oromo Liberation Front. The terrorist organization Al-Ittihad may also be an indirect recipient of these arms. Ethiopia also is shipping arms to factions in Somalia. The recent upsurge of violence in Somalia is, in part, related to these new developments."
I don't know if any of the above statements are true, but Ethiopia admitted using helicopter gun ships as early as 1994/5 to attack Somalia. It attacked Eritrean border posts in 1998 and Kenya's in 1998-99. It has already captured some small towns in Somalia, too. Now, Dr. Rice, who is the aggressor?
We are accustomed to the lies of the Mellesovics. For instance, if Eritrea says that 32,180 Eritreans have been forced from their homes in Ethiopia and shows about 24,000 of them to international journalists while actually crossing the border (btw, the journalists are all in love with Isayas and are homosexuals, or paid by Eritrea, or are generals of the Eritrean Defense Forces), Ethiopia frequently states that 32,189.4 Ethiopians have been forced from their homes in Eritrea. Furthermore, 87.2 of them were abused by Sawa-trained soldiers, 4 women (usually from a street in Mekelle) were raped. Typically, those beaten by Eritrean forces have Muslim names and they were working in professional fields in Eritrea.
However, Dr. Rice has not even mentioned a single Ethiopian who was raped (or even allegedly raped) by Eritreans or deported because his great, great grand father was from Ethiopia. But, she clearly stated that "[a]n estimated 60,000 Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean descent have been deported from Ethiopia to Eritrea"--which is what the Eritrean government figures also stated as recently as a few days ago. But, in a truly disappointing statement she stated that the "nature of these expulsions and the arrangements made for transfer and holding of property were clearly susceptible to abuse." Susceptible to abuse? How about calling it by its rightful name: gross human rights violations? The UN-Commissioner for Human Rights called it just that, almost a year ago!
Rice's statement that the US has "made clear that we consider the practice of deportation to be a fundamental violation of individual rights" is not only petty for the families affected by the cruel deportations and lootings, but it means nothing to the Ethiopian government--a government composed of liars. And liars they are! Dr. Rice has given us the proof.
Dr. Rice stated that "[i[mmediately upon the outbreak of hostilities in May 1999, I led two interagency missions to Ethiopia and Eritrea to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the dispute. Working with the government of Rwanda, we proposed a series of steps to end the conflict in accordance with both sides' shared principles and international law." Since the OAU wouldn't repeat what it publicly told Eritrea was meant by Badme and its environs, what was the meaning and scope of the mission Dr. Rice led?
The Eritrean acceptance of the OAU peace plan "was welcomed by the United States and the UNSC but was greeted with skepticism by Ethiopia. Ethiopia instead demanded Eritrea's unconditional, unilateral withdrawal from all contested areas that Ethiopia had administered prior to last May." Dr. Rice notes clearly that this is a new condition by Ethiopia--outside the scope of the OAU framework and I am sure she realizes that conditions like these will only extend the war.
She mentioned Mellesovic's April 14 statement that sounded like an offer for peace. However, at a score of Truth (10,000) vs. Mellesovic and Gang (0), I just don't trust the TPLF government in Ethiopia. Remember he sounded like he was offering the olive branch on June 4th, 1998, and bombed Asmara the very next day--because "things happen so fast"!
Ethiopia continuously says that Eritrea wants war. However, Dr. Rice stated that "Eritrea continues to demand a cease-fire prior to committing to withdraw from disputed territories" while Ethiopia insists that it should get things its way. Contrary to what the joint mission of the "Organization of African Unity/United Nations effort to urge both sides to accept a cease-fire and begin implementing the framework agreement continues." Which is essentially what the Eritrea government is saying.
Dr. Rice finally said: "There is a need, however, to not only end the conflict as quickly as possible but also ultimately to repair, over the long term, strained relations in the Horn." Amen to that! But, I am afraid that the longer it takes to resolve the crisis, the deeper the mistrust will go.
One thing is glaringly obvious: Dr. Rice failed to mention "The Greater Tigray Map" or the TPLF manifesto or that a stated aim of the TPLF is for Tigray to be independent and to have a direct access to the sea. These are at the heart of the conflict--it is neither the Nakfa, nor Badme that is at issue. It is the very meaning of Eritrean independence that is at stake, because by "direct access to the sea", I believe the Weyanistas mean the Red Sea and I don't believe they are talking about making an arc via the Sudan. It is either they plan to make Djibouti an Ethiopian ethnic enclave or they are hoping against hope that they are on their way to march to Aseb.
An Ethiopian tried to positively spin Dr. Rice speech by saying: "We feel an outdated form of protocol forbids her [Dr. Susan Rice] expressing her own "frank" opinions in public." Oh, boy! I wonder what "her own "frank" opinions in" private would be! In public she essentially called the Ethiopian government a government of liars, time and time again. Of course, she is a sophisticated woman and wouldn't use these words, but she did. "nlebam amtelu: nAsha dorgaHalu!"
And my own view? It is time for the US to stand for truth and to force the warring parties to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the war. We know the words of the big ole USA don't mean much to Ethiopia: Ethiopia broke the US-brokered airstrikes moratorium, it refuses to give in to international demands that both of them talk without any precondition. Ethiopia "accepted" OAU's framework of agreements before even going out of the meeting hall. In any case, what the US is losing is not its battle against the terrorists in Sudan. It is losing its credibility in the eyes of peace-loving Eritreans, Ethiopians, and Sudanese. The sole super power can ill afford such a loss. And Africa can ill afford losing its boys in senseless killings. The USA could help stop both by acting and it should act sooner than later.
We should all thank Dr. Susan Rice for giving us the American version of the proof that Mellesovic and his Gang are a bunch of liars. WodeHankum!
For the sake of peace in our world we hope we shall soon say, one Mellesovic down, one Mellesovic to go.
Mobae
##Please don't think that I am implying that Ethiopia could win the war by using its Ethiopian Air Farce. Even the USA & nato [Sal, that is intentional :-)] had to go for over 32,000 sorties, 71 days (and nights) and 900 targets against a third-rate military in Serbia. If we can, we should return the MiG-29s and get some damn accurate air defense system. Or, let the Ethiopian Air Force finish off its planes by dropping them from the great skies of Ethiopia, during training. :-)