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Eritrea:
The Tirade Of A Tyrant Over UN Peacekeepers
04 March 2008
By
way of a press release issued today by the Ministry of Foreign
Affair, Eritrea tyrant, Isaias Afewerki unleashed a tirade blasting
the UN over its decision to relocate its peacekeepers out of Eritrea
to Ethiopia. In that statement, Eritrea ruler, Afewerki, goes to the
extent of instructing the UN Security Council how to do its job
including what to focus on, how to treat binding international
agreements like the Algiers Peace Agreement, and even its own
charter.
“As
to the Secretariat of the UN, the Government-expects the body to
communicate in advance detailed plans and related information
concerning the status and future of UNMEE” concluded the
statement. Well, tyrant Afewerki can expect all he wants from the UN,
but the UN acts the way it has to act not the way tyrants of the
world want them to act or according to their tyrannical expectations.
And what if the UN does not act according to Eritrea tyrant's expectations, which is more likely than not? What option does tyrant Afewerki has? Continue holding the peacekeepers hostage until his tyrannical demands are met? What would one call this tyrant Afewerki's latest move? Cooperation or Confrontation? In my books, I call it senseless confrontation.
Following
is full text of the press release:
Press Release: False Accusations Cannot Undermine the
Final and Binding Boundary Demarcation Decision
By Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
Mar 4, 2008, 14:53
In the last few weeks the UN Secretariat has been
engaged in an unwarranted negative press and diplomatic campaign
against Eritrea. In spite of the provocations, the Government of
Eritrea has opted to engage constructively with the UN Secretariat
avoiding being marred in this senseless media game.
The aim of tarnishing Eritrea's image with accusations
is part of the strategy to deflect the attention from Ethiopia's
occupation of sovereign Eritrean territory and to penalize Eritrea
for its firm legal stance concerning the final and binding
demarcation of the border with Ethiopia. It is astonishing however
why the UN Secretariat is abandoning its neutrality and serving the
wishes of Ethiopia and its cohorts.
This partiality and subservience on the part of the UN
and the Security Council to the needs of Ethiopia and its patrons
started long ago. In 2003 Ethiopia publicly rejected the "final
and binding" decision of the Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary
Commission (EBBC) by denouncing it as "illegal, unjust and
irresponsible" and requested the Security Council to create
"alternative mechanism". The Security Council should have
condemned this gross violation of the Algiers Agreement and
immediately endorsed measures to ensure compliance with the terms of
the Agreement and maintain its integrity. Regrettably, the UNSC not
only ignored these fundamental parts of the treaty but also sought to
placate Ethiopia by endorsing "Special Envoys". Even at
this late hour, after the EEBC has formally submitted its Demarcation
Decision to the Parties, the Security Council, as exemplified in its
Resolution 1798 (2008) continues to allude to the "good offices"
of the UN Secretary General instead of taking action to force
Ethiopia to withdraw from sovereign Eritrean territories.
The Government of Eritrea firmly believes that any
"alternative mechanisms" and "Special Envoys"
related to the legally resolved border issue are irrelevant,
unacceptable and could set a dangerous precedent in international
law. The temporary "relocation" of the UN Mission in
Eritrea and Ethiopia (UNMEE) which came under the pretext of fuel
shortage, and the ensuing media and diplomatic campaign against
Eritrea on this regard are just part of Ethiopia's appeasers reaction
to Eritrea's rejection of the slightest derogation from the final and
binding demarcation of the border. Consequently, as outlined below
what transpired surrounding the temporary "relocation"
UNMEE does not justify the criticisms leveled against Eritrea.
Eritrea, as a sovereign country, a primary party to the
Agreement which led to the creation of UNMEE and a host to the
peacekeeping mission, should have been provided in advance with the
details of any changes in the status of the mission and the mission's
major movements outside its area of responsibility. However,
notifications and Note Verbales from UNMEE on these issues have been
incomplete at best and annoying and provocative at worst.
The Government of Eritrea was notified that UNMEE had
decided to relocate to Ethiopia on the afternoon of 12 February for
relocation that was supposed to occur on the morning of 13 February.
The Note Verbale that was sent by UNMEE did not include any details
on the scope and duration of relocation; legal explanation of its
implications to UNMEE's original deployment in terms of the
provisions of the Algiers Agreement; logistical details in terms of
route and other vital information.
The UNMEE Force Commander (FC) further informed Eritrean
Government authorities in Asmara that relocation would be for the
contingent on sector west to move to Badme; from the center to
Zalambesa and from the east to Bure. The FC had no answer when asked
how they could contemplate moving troops to Badme if this was
relocation to Ethiopia. The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations
(DPKO) later denied and retracted the information.
Concerning the "regrouping" of members of the
Mission to Asmara, the DPKO/UNMEE informed the Government of Eritrea
about the matter on February 22nd when the bulk of the troops had
already arrived. The Government of Eritrea was not provided in
advance with the plan for the movement, handling of the Mission's
heavy equipment and other necessary details.
Following this the Eritrean Government approached the
DPKO to know the UN's plans concerning UNMEE, however no such
information has been forthcoming. Rather the DPKO is sending
conflicting messages. In one Note Verable the DPKO asks for fuel
supply and lifting of restriction of movements for UNMEE to go back
to their original sites. Another Note Verbale written on the same
day, asks Eritrean Government to take custody of the "equipments"
UNMEE may have left on the sites - with no details. The other two
Note Verbales sent on the 27th of February list the posts from which
they have already withdrawn and requests for Eritrean Government to
give assurances that UNMEE could use the ports and airports in the
country in the event that they decide to withdraw their troops and
equipment.
The negative press and diplomatic campaign they have
been making is not justified and acceptable. The Secretary-General
accused Eritrea at the AU Summit in Addis Abeba without even
mentioning Ethiopia's refusal to abide by its treaty obligations.
DPKO and especially UNMEE in Addis Abeba have been spreading
poisonous information claiming that the lives of UNMEE's troops was
in danger; they had been denied food supplies; sometimes that they
had been forced to regroup; at other times, they were kept hostage
and prevented from relocating to Ethiopia. These days, they are
claiming that Eritrea intends to requisition the weapons of UNMEE as
many people find out that the propaganda of the past few weeks was at
variance with the facts.
None of these accusations are based on the facts on the
ground. Eritrea has never taken any action that could put the lives
of the members of the peacekeeping mission at risk or tampered with
their equipment. This whole episode is a manufactured crisis.
Washington and Addis Abeba are behind this negative campaign mainly
in order to shift the attention from the core issue: Ethiopia's
occupation of Eritrean territories. Indeed, the baseless media
campaign has emboldened Ethiopia and it is now demanding the UN
Security Council to 'impose punitive sanctions' on Eritrea - the
victim of its illegal occupation.
The Government of Eritrea regrets the Security Council's
entanglement in tangential issues by ignoring the continued illegal
occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories by Ethiopia. The illegal
occupation is a real threat to the peace, security and stability of
the two countries and the region as a whole. The Government therefore
reiterates its call on the Security Council to shoulder its legal
responsibility and act decisively to end the occupation in the
interest of regional and international peace and security.
Regardless of the campaign of disinformation and
intimidation the Government of Eritrea reaffirms that it will hold on
to the core issue and the legally concluded final and binding
boundary demarcation decision. As to the Secretariat of the UN, the
Government-expects the body to communicate in advance detailed plans
and related information concerning the status and future of UNMEE.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of
Eritrea
Asmara,
March 3, 2008
Source:
shabait.com
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