Remarks on the latest so-called "New Peace
Initiative" of the TPLF regime
By: Sam Abrams
November 25, 2004
I read the text of Meles Zenawi's speech and the so-called "Peace Initiative"
he presented to his rubber stamp parliament.
In his so-called "Peace Initiative" Meles Zenawi admits implicitly that he has
been forced to swallow the bitter pill, but at the same time one should be aware
that his speech, and the so-called "Peace Initiative" is a public relations
stunt. A very careful examination of the "Peace Initiative" would show that
he has been advised by his handlers and supporters to play this card, and they
would, on their part, put pressure on Eritrea to accept "dialogue" and come
to the negotiation table.
Eritrea and Eritreans should know that Eritrea's independence was gained and
its sovereignty preserved through the blood and tears of its sons and daughters
both at home and in diaspora.
No Eritrean in his right mind should entertain any kind of dialogue with a regime
that committed untold atrocities and brought about sufferings on Eritreans equal
to that experienced by victims of Nazism, and the Serbian and Rwandan ethnic
cleansers and genocidaires.
If memberss of the international community want normalization and the re-establishment
of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and the wounds Meles and
his TPLF minority regime inflicted on the Eritrean people to heal, they should
do the following.
1. They should tell Meles that there is no need for issuing so-called "Peace
Initiatives" every year. The only avenue to bring peace between the two countries
is to implement the decision of the Boundary Commission without ifs and buts.
2. They should tell Meles to accept the actual demarcation of the border in
accordance with the Boundary Commission's decision. There should be no ifs or
buts here either. The letter and spirit of the decision should be respected.
Meles should withdraw his army of aggression and occupation from sovereign Eritrean
territories and dismantle the illegal settlements -- whether they happened one
hundred years ago or one week ago. Meles should be told that the decision of
the Boundary Commission and the demarcation of the border (which are inseparable)
are not subject to any kind of negotiation and that delimiting and demarcating
the border was and is the sole mandate of the Boundary Commission. They should
tell him unequivocally that they have no power to interfere in the works the
Boundary Commission -- it is illegal and a violation of the rule of law to do
so.
3. They should tell Meles that he would face consequences in accordance with
the stipulations of the Algiers Agreements, the United Nations Charter and International
Law if he continues to obstruct the actual implementation of the Boundary Commission's
decision.
4. They should tell Meles that the dialogue that he is seeking with Eritrea
is a bilateral matter to be decided by both parties. No other power can force
one party to enter into a dialogue with another just because one of the parties
wants to have a dialogue. This is unthinkable and a violation of the sovereign
rights of Eritrea and its people. Such kind of a dialogue is not even contemplated
in family disputes (between a husband and wife) without the consent of both
parties, let alone in inter-state disputes.
5. They should tell Meles that the Algiers Agreements provide for a mechanism
to investigate the cause of the war. It is called the Claims Comission and has
already started its investigation at the Hague. Thus, there is no need for him
to suggest for the establishment of another mechanism/body to investigate the
cause(s) of the war and address them.
In conclusion, I would like to stress that what Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
and his handlers have now come up with is the same old tactic (I would call
it the same old poison coated with honey) -- to create a situation whereby they
want to appear law-abiding and then claim that Erirea is not a willing partner
to make peace, i.e., turn the tables against Eritrea and blame it for obstructing
peace.
I am confident this tried and failed tactic will not work this time around --
it is bound to fail. However, we should not sit down with our hands folded while
the TPLF minority regime's prime minister is playing this card. We should expose
his tactic for what it is - A FRAUD.