IS THE TURMOIL IN THE HORN OF Africa easing?
BY EAIM OUTLINES
BASIC PRINCIPLES ON PEACE, STABILITY AND CONFLICT.
There are nearly 200 countries and over five billion people living on the planet. Countries differ in historical conditions, social systems, level of development as well as in their cultural tradition and values. There cannot and should not be a single development model, a single set of values and social system. The diversity of the world should not be an obstacle to the development of relations between countries but the sources of an impetus for them to interact with, complement and enrich one another. Every country has the right to choose a social system, development strategy and way of life suited to its own national condition.
All countries large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor should be equal members of the international community. International orders whether existing or what some call “new world order” should be based on the principles of peaceful co-existence and other established norms governing international relations. We see the endeavor for domination on one hand and the struggle for survival on the other.
SITUATIONS CONSIDERED ERA OF PEACE AND STABILITY
Harmony between nations is a kind of relationship, which is virtually no conflict of interests or values. It can be said that it is the feeling of solidarity and bonding that members, nation’s citizens feel when they share a common cause that is development and prosperity.
Peace involves high level of cooperation at the same time as awareness and pursuit of conflicting interests. Parties, nations, countries value their overall relationship more than specific self-interests. Separate interests are pursued within peaceful, institutionalized dispute settlement mechanism; parties feel no military force to safeguard security against the others. Creation of democratic institutions enables communities to realize peace and stability.
SITUATIONS OF CONFLICT AND INSTABILITY
Tension, crisis, war are situations of conflict between groups, parties or nations. Conflict is present when two or more parties perceive that their interests are incompatible, express hostile attitude, or take pursue their interests through actions that damage the other parties. The parties may be individuals, small or large groups, and countries. Interests may include:
· RESOURCES---Territory, money, energy, food, etc.
· POWER---hegemony, control and participation in political decision-making.
· IDENTITY—concerning the culture, social and political communities to which people feel tied.
· STATUS------whether people believe that they are treated with respect and dignity and whether their traditions and social positions are respected.
· VALUES—particularly those embodied in system of government, religion or ideology.
Not all conflicting interests are pursued with violence. Societies can progress when parties’ changing needs are identified and accommodated. Some differences in the advance of democracy are type of letting vent rather than to prevent. Violent conflicts happen when parties go beyond seeking to attain their goal peacefully and try to dominate or destroy the opposing parties’ ability to pursue their own interests. Such actions by an irresponsible party lead to instability in a region or country.
CAUSES OF CONFLICTS—INTERNAL AND CROSS BORDER
Root cause of conflicts is directly related to absence of democracy and failure of economic system. Other causes of conflict include, resources (water, grazing land), ethnic tension, migrant workers, environmental aspects (such as building a dam that affects the flow of water to neighbors, illegal activities (making counterfeit currency and trying to weaken economic activities of your neighbor, exporting other countries products as your own).
TYPES OF CONFLICTS
Conflicts can be internal or cross boundaries. They include:
Boundary and territorial conflict.
Civil wars and internal conflicts.
Succession conflicts.
Political and ideological conflicts.
SOMALIA FROM ANARCHY TO TFG
It has been almost sixteen years since the law of the jungle governs in Somalia. By all accounts Somalia is expected to be stable and peaceful than any other African country for the reasons below:
· The people of Somalia are of one nationality except for tribal and clan lines. This should have been a blessing for cohesiveness.
· The Somalis are all Moslems and this is another factor for being unified.
· They all speak the some language except for some dialect that means there is no communication problem that leads to misunderstanding of each other.
The people of Somalia are believed to be the last migrants from the Arabian Peninsula into the horn of Africa. They don’t have the Middle East Arab blood, but by virtue of being a Moslem country it is a member of Arab League. The Arab League members are some secular governments; others are non- secular Islamic chose to be governed by Shari a law. We believe the Arab League influence played a big role in the fabric of clan rivalry in forming the warlords which led to anarchy for the last sixteen years, besides the supper powers negative role played during the era of Said Barrie.
The UN, EU. AU, IGAD, AL and the world community in general let the Somalis bleed each other for the last sixteen years, but now Ethiopia gave it a momentum and we say it is up to the world nations to act to give the evolving TFG to breathe and establish itself as national government of Somalia.
ETHIOPIA’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGION
Ethiopia is still virgin land, ample rainfall in most part of the country and most of the rivers flow year round and are good enough for developing hydroelectric power. The potential for development is real.
The country used to be administered by feudal lords for decades, which had no desire of investing in the country, but prefer to safe guard their luxury by investing in western banks. Then brutal military regime administered the country for seventeen years. Terror was the order of the day. I wouldn’t say there was a clear beneficiary of the country’s economy, but the western banks and the arms dealers.
I dear to say a revolutionary change took place in Ethiopia with military victory of the present government over the military junta.
· The first thing the government tackled is the constitution of the country. They drafted and enacted a constitution that recognizes the political right of nationalities. This is great satisfaction for Ethiopians who have been deprived all this years of such political right. People if they feel free they vote for their interest. I don’t think elitist democracy will work in Ethiopia any more.
· Rural areas are the main beneficiaries of the Ethiopian economic development these days.
· The euphoria of military victory over the military junta in 1991 tempted them to use it against other governments like Sudan and Somalia, but quickly realized their adventurous activities that violets sovereign rights and are now building healthy relationship with it’s neighbors except Eritrea.
Even though there are sporadic armed conflicts in some parts of the country, civil disobedience on certain occasions one can say Ethiopian democracy is inching towards peace and stability.
The seventy plus million people of Ethiopia are half Christian, half Moslem. After the military junta take over in 1974 from Emperor Haile Selassie we don’t think it is fair to call Ethiopia a Christian country that some are calling it to bring the connotation of being a crusader. The federal government is a secular government with commendable constitution and appreciable democratic governance.
The present government of Ethiopia had and is having enough cross border attacks which hamper economic development and stability. Most of the attacks are from Somalia and Eritrea. In Somalia, there was no government to take responsibility. To minimize such attacks, Ethiopia helped in the formation of TFG of Somalia recognized by world organizations and countries. But the now scattered Somali Islamic court leadership made public threat to attack Ethiopia and made a claim to the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. At the same time the Islamic court leadership moved to get read of TFG militariliy.
When Ethiopia got a call from the TFG to help strengthen it militarily, Ethiopia saw this opportunity that helps them solve their national security problem and jumped for it and executes it with admiration. We say people should understand how Ethiopia got involved and we don’t think Ethiopia’s intervention in Somalia is a breach of sovereign rights, invasion, occupation as some governments, organizations and individuals try to portray it, but legitimate national interest.
THE NUAGHTY BOY AND THE ERITREAN PFDJ DICTATORIAL REGIME
Our country of origin and first home is suffering at the hand of brutal and incompetent dictatorial regime.
Eritrea became a member of the world nations after thirty years of armed struggle. We believe what we learnt during these thirty years is to be trigger happy.
Eritrea is mired with internal and external conflicts. The Eritrean government was expected to be busy with the following post freedom activities.
· Infrastructure recovery {water, sanitation, shelter and transportation)
· Food security and agricultural rehabilitation.
· Urgent health, education and basic social welfare requirements, employment.
· Demobilization, refugee repatriation, and rule of law promotion.
Instead the dictatorial regime chose to bully the Eritrean people, and destabilize the neighboring countries.
The PFDJ government started war with neighboring Sudan in the name of vanguard of anti-terrorism. Attacked Yemen to hide and expand foreign military bases from the Dehalak Islands to the Hanish Islands. Invaded Ethiopia to cover up its failed economic policy. Eritreans now are prisoners in their own country with no friendly neighbor.
As soon as freedom was won Eritrean political organizations asked for inclusive transitional government to be established but got deaf ears from the dictatorial regime and started servitude labor in the name of national service and is practicing it to this date. Young Eritreans at present are being herded in military camps waiting to invade Ethiopia in the name of Bademe. We do not think they have the armaments because the Eritrean economy cannot afford it, but the dictator lives with miscalculations and illusions and might say the “stick is mightier than the gun”, cut all the eucalyptus trees in the country and arm them with that and tell them to hit the road, then perish on the valleys as usual. Every political organization was branded as terrorist or traitor. Eritrea now is hell to live in. The whole world is saying demarcation needs dialogue between the two parties involved, but the dictatorial regime does not get it. As one honorable Eritrean American doctor who went to law school in the U.S. said once,” educated Eritreans feel unpatriotic to criticize what they call their own government”, but forget their main responsibility as educated individuals. I say what is patriotic is to fight for the betterment of the people, but not to safeguard dictatorship. The main source of revenue in Eritrea are the ports, resources from the red sea, and our ports will be busy only if we understand how to co-exist with our neighbors.
The dictatorial PFDJ regime has to look for ways to get out of the cage of isolation and what he found out is to be a delivery regime of arms and other logistics from some Arab Leage members to the Islamic court leadership in Somalia.
It is not story but historical fact that young Eritreans perished in the Mediterranean Sea and forests of Libya as” BANDAS “ sent by the colonial powers during the second world war. Can we say history repeated itself in Somalia, young Eritreans herded like sheep by PFDJ dictatorial regime packed to Somalia and perished in the Indian ocean and forests of Somalia. The body counts will trickle because it is not some thing the regime can control it.
Fellow Eritreans, where is the out rage, where is the bravery of our armed struggle, where is the heroism of Idris Awate!! It is long over due to do the right thing by getting rid of these despots and set the country in the right direction.
THE TIMID ERITREAN OPPOSITION- CAN IT DELIVER?
We say there is no better time than these days for the opposition to mobilize, organize and device plan of action to get rid of dictatorship. By opposition we mean the EDA. It looks that the EDA is careful to avoid offending some Arab League donors even when Eritreans are perishing in Somalia. Donations should not muzzle our principles. This was the best opportunity to expose PFDJ dictatorial regime when our young and bright are perishing as “BANDAS” in Somalia. Three things which seem to be relevant should receive urgent attention by EDA.
· SECULAR government in Eritrea should be stated by the EDA with the religious activities practiced unchanged. Clarity is needed now more than ever, to avoid misinterpretation, confusion and hidden agenda. Eritreans should learn a lesson from what is happening in Somalia. The word democracy or religious rights only lead to lip holes rather than to clarity.
· The transition to national army is urgent and we say it is now or never. Allow us to clarify this with a story. An ant climbed on to an ox’s horn. The ant said do you want me to get down off your horn. The ox replied Idon’t even know where you are. Having fragmented military wings is not going to be effective to subdue the dictatorial regime. If farther clarification is needed we can post our article on TRANSITION TO NATIONAL ARMY which was posted several times.
· Areas of strategic relationship of democratic Eritrea we expect the opposition (that is the EDA} to hammer out can be categorized into three.(our focus would be strategic relationship with Ethiopia on this article).
· ECONOMIC –Ethiopia and Eritrea have been using each others products through out their history, even during the colonial era. At present Ethiopian products are being imported from the Arab countries into Eritrea. Eritrea has good ports, while Ethiopia is looking for easiest, safest, quickest, and cheapest way of delivering of its imports and exports. This is a win- win situation where every nation gains. Energy resources are plenty in Ethiopia where Eritrea could have easy access that keep both countries economies sustained and growing. The economic advantage is not limited to the ones we mentioned, but a lot to be added. Eritrea and Ethiopia should not be countries that compete, but cooperating ones instead.
·
SECURITY-RELATED- Eritrea
is a neighbor to at least seven countries and the same with Ethiopia.
Cross-boarder violence is a concern of both countries, but their strategic
relationship can minimize it if not eliminate it. Terrorism and sabotage is the
drawback to development and innovation that the two countries have to tackle
together. They can be effective in their voice of weapons of mass destruction
if they work together. There is a lot to gain, but nothing to lose if strategic
relationship is achieved.
· POLITICAL- Past political experience of the two countries whether destructive or constructive is a shared one. There is a lot to analyze and learn and set for future directives out of it. Ethiopia is the home of more than fifty nationalities. Eritrea is also the home of more than nine nationalities. We can learn on how to deal with the issue of governance. The issue of the question of nationalities and religious freedom is a burning issue in both countries. We need to exchange expert ideas on these issues from both countries. The issue of nationality rights and religious freedom is of whether you believe in democratic right or you give lip service to democracy. It is not an issue of constitution, but an issue of governance. There are and were national constitutions which deny democratic rights. If organizations do not want to clarify their stand on democratic rights issue and want to hide behind referendum, it is obvious they are not democratic; rights issue is not a majority or minority issue, but whether you are democratic or pseudo-democratic.
When we deal with regional and international organizations and countries we can be effective and fruitful when we cooperate rather than we compete.
It is ironic to read what some Eritrean politicians of about three organizations down play the importance of strategic relationship of the opposition with Ethiopia. Some try to label it as invasion, intervention, occupation, while others state it as shameful and destructive. These politicians and organizations can be put into two groups. The first group is of the type “all the grapes are sour”. What ever the opposition suggests or implements are fudge unless they are in the throne. The second group is of the type “people of limited knowledge condemn every thing beyond their level of their understanding”. One has to present the merit or demerit of the issue to convince others and until you present demerit of strategic relationship of the opposition with Ethiopia we will continue to say fudge to your statements backed up with no reason.
The EAIM call upon the EDA to put STRATGEIC RELATIONSHIP WITH ETHIPIA as one of the AGENDA in its upcoming congress and we expect them to come out of the congress with a committee that has the mandate to discuss strategic relationship with Ethiopia
WE STRUGGLE WE SUCCEED
GLORY TO OUR MARTYRS
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