Network of Eritreans for Constitutional Governance (NECG)

Eritrea Tyrant: IGAD My Way Or The Highway

16 August 2008
Berhane M Tekeste

Eritrea tyrant Afawerki stuck to his tyrannical modus operandi about his involvement in the East African organization Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). He let visiting delegates of same organization know in no uncertain terms that it is “IGAD my way or the highway”

The visitors got an earful about what the tyrant perceives as “the weakness of the organization” including that IGAD “violated its own resolutions and that of the United Nations”, as if he himself cares about UN resolutions, and “IGAD’s support to Ethiopia’s invasion of Somalia, and its little role in other issues of the region”[sic]. Further, Afawarki accused IGAD of “complicating matters instead of trying to resolve issues”.

Then, the self-styled-president-for-life Afawerki, outlined his dictates for IGAD’s way forward: The “need for reorganizing IGAD, as it could not achieve its set objectives the way it stands at present” and “the need for IGAD not only to get restructured but also introduce a new mechanism”. Source. Absent that, well, IGAD will have to do it without him. Poor IGAD! What is it going to do without Almighty Afawerki?

The delegation, comprised of the Foreign Ministers of Kenya and Sudan as well as the Executive Secretary of IGAD, was in Asmara yesterday pursuant to the following resolution passed at The 12th Ordinary Summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held at the Sheraton Hotel Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 14th June 2008:

“On the Membership of Eritrea in IGAD

The Summit,

• Noted that the continued absence of Eritrea from IGAD has implications for peace and development in the region.

• Directed that a Ministerial delegation under the Chairmanship of Kenya with Sudan and the Secretariat as members, do engage the Eritrean delegation on the sidelines of the forthcoming African Union (AU) Summit meeting at Sham-Al-Sheikh with a view to convincing Eritrea to reconsider her decision to suspend her membership in IGAD.”

  
  Eritrea tyrant's 'My way or the highway' destructive modus operandi has gotten him on the side lines of regional organization like IGAD, continental organization like AU, and international organization like the UN. Now what does the country get out of it but the negative consequences of international isolation? Why should we let our country's bright political, social, and economic destiny be held hostage by insane tyrannical whims of one man? Speak out against tyranny compatriots!

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