State Sponsored Terrorism in the Horn and the Response of the International Community

2 May 2007

The latest report of the US State Department on Terrorism published on 30 April has a grim outlook. We are indeed living in perilous times. The number of victims of terrorism has increased by 40 percent globally during 2006. The global terrorists are shifting from ‘expeditionary’ terrorism into ‘guerrilla terrorism’ where they started adapting to local networks by forging strong constituency among local groups.

In North Africa, al Qaida affiliated terrorists are showing increasing resilience. Similar developments are also apparent particularly in the Horn of Africa. The increasing influence of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in Somalia in 2006 brought a new face to the threat of terrorism against countries in the sub-region and the interest of the international community. Though the US State Department’s report has a global dimension, in this review an attempt would be made to highlight how countries in the Horn of Africa were reviewed. Though the report commend the positive measures taken by the Government of Ethiopia,  it is imbued with significant failings particularly in its hesitance to address Eritrea’s emerging role in sponsoring terrorism both in Ethiopia and Somalia.

The report acknowledges the operation of al Qaida in Somalia where it significantly undermines the future of the international peace keeping effort in Somalia, posing the most serious threats to Ethiopia, the United States and other allies. Though Ethiopia’s military intervention in Somalia ‘severely disrupted’ UIC’s strength, its elements are still actively operational.

The report highlights the various measures taken by governments in the sub-region to take measures with the view to tackle the scourge of terrorism. Though Ethiopia continues to face resource constraints and tough neighbourhood, the report states that the country has demonstrated the willingness to tackle the problem of terrorism. Its military intervention in Somalia in support of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is a reflection of its overall counter-terrorism drive. The report clearly underlines the fact that the UIC, and their professed programs and activities posed a threat not only to Ethiopia’s security but also that of other countries in the region and the international community as well. Other specific measures taken by Ethiopia were also mentioned as positive developments within the context of the country’s stance on counter-terrorism. These include: the adoption of the Federal Revised Criminal Code which criminalizes money laundering and other forms of financial crimes; the establishment of Financial Intelligence Unit within the institutional framework of its national bank; the institutionalization of counter-terrorism effort under its national intelligence institution; establishment of counter-terrorism units both in federal and regional law enforcement institutions; and the country’s active participation in the efforts of the African Union to deal with terrorism relates issues.

The report has also discussed a number of other African countries which have also demonstrated their cooperation in the global fight against terrorism. It does not say anything about Eritrea. No one, of course, expects Eritrea to be included in the list of countries fighting terrorism. What is so disconcerting about the report is the fact that it failed to take into account Eritrea’s increasing role as terror sponsoring state. For quite a long time, Ethiopia has clearly pronounced itself regarding Eritrea’s involvement in terrorism activities in Ethiopia. Eritrea has openly and publicly armed and provided training for UIC in Somalia to lunch another front against Ethiopia. It has also trained, armed and sent groups such as OLF and ONLF into Somalia to attack Ethiopia. It plotted to engage in massive terrorist attack against hospitality facilities in Addis Ababa during the session of the AU summit held in Ethiopia in January 2006. It directly involved itself in abducting Ethiopians and foreigners in a remote part of Afar region in Ethiopia. Both Ethiopians and foreigners were later released following extended period of ordeal in Eritrean military camp. Just recently, another shocking massacre was perpetrated in the Ogaden region of Eastern Ethiopia by Eritrean supported ONLF which murdered 65 Ethiopians and 9 Chinese. Ethiopia has intelligence information that the high segment of Eritrean Government’s intelligence and military institutions were directly or indirectly involved in these terror activities.

Eritrea has also become a conduit of financial exchange in support of terrorist groups in the Horn of Africa. It has currently hosted in Asmara several members of extreme wings of the UIC and has officially made it clear that it will stand in the way of peace overtures by the TFG in conducting the national reconciliation process in Somalia, thereby continuing its effort to destabilize the country and the region as a whole.

Eritrea has long become a pariah state which refused to abide by international norms regulating state conduct.  It rebuffed Ethiopia’s call for dialogue to implement the border demarcation decision by the Eritrea Ethiopia Border Commission based in the Hague, Netherlands. It has stifled the operation of the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission in Eritrea. It deployed its troops in the Temporary Security Zone in the border area between the two countries thereby effectively violating the Algiers Agreement. It routinely attacks international institutions and personalities. It has vilified Heads of State who tried to rein on Eritrea’s destructive roles. It has recently suspended its membership to Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, a sub-regional grouping set-up to enhance cooperation and peaceful-coexistence. Eritrea has become a failed state and a criminal one at that, where it is being directly involved in acts of crime. By arming, training and financially supporting terrorist groups in Somalia, Eritrea is not only severely undermining the stability of the entire sub-region but also directly opposing and undermining the global effort to tackle terrorism. It is baffling for seasoned observers of international relations that such action by one member of the international community should be tolerated. Just recently the Washington Post called the international community particularly the US and EU to impose sanctions against Eritrea. But regrettably the international community has chosen the road of silence over Eritrea.

The State Department’s failure to enlist Eritrea in the category of states sponsoring terrorism is indicative of this dangerous trend. Eritrea enormously deserves to be included in this list and duly merits the sanctions that follow such certification which include: ban on arm-sale; control over exports of dual use items, prohibition on economic assistance; and imposition of miscellaneous financial and other restrictions.

A. Mulu