Sheer hypocrisy: Ethiopia
accuses Eritrea of training rebels
24 April 2005,
EDnews- Ethiopia reportedly blames its most recent losses in the hands of the
Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) on Eritrea arming and training those
‘rebels’, ‘intruders’, and ‘raiders’. That is sheer hypocrisy at its best and
unedited.
Ogaden is a large SE region of Ethiopia inhabited
exclusively by ethnic Somalis. The OLNF has taken up arms and is fighting for self-determination
of the people and region of Ogaden just like the current clique governing Ethiopia
(Weyané rebels then) when it was fighting for self-determination of the people
and region of Tigrai.
How was it then right for Eritrea to support Weyané rebels
with arms and training in their just cause of self-determination but wrong for
Eritrea to support others for the same legitimate cause of self-determination?
No other answer but sheer hypocrisy.
Self-determination is a sacred human and political right
well enshrined in the UN charter. Even the constitution of Ethiopia grants the
nations, nationalities, and peoples that comprise the bizarre constellation of the
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia broad right to self-determination
including and up to cessation until reality sinks in and the Weyané renege on
the constitution because, they will say, the constitution granted only having but
not practicing the right itself. Consequently, the Ethiopian empire is held
together not by the will and wishes of the people but by the power of the
barrel.
Now back to Ethiopia’s hypocrisy. Not that it is right,
but how is it right for Ethiopia to train and arm various Somali factions but
it is wrong when others do the same? Again, no other answer but sheer hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy is what Ethiopia is all about. What Ethiopia does is right but when
others do the same it is wrong. Entire humanity is wrong if it doesn’t see,
adjudicate, or decide on matters Ethiopia’s way or in Ethiopia’s favor. This
has never been so vivid and evident as in Ethiopia’s defiant attitude towards
the peace agreement it signed with Eritrea only because it didn’t go its way after
accepting and agreeing to only abide by it not only upon signing the agreement
but also immediately after the border decision was pronounced.
Ethiopia’s charge accusing Eritrea of training ONLF ‘rebels’
is not only sheer hypocrisy, it is also an old and tired ploy to divert
attention from its defiant stance on the Algiers Peace Agreement, UNSC’s
standing call to accept the border decision without precondition and to let the
demarcation process proceed expeditiously, and even a shameless attempt to win
empathy for its defiance.
Eritrea has reportedly dismissed Ethiopia’s charges as ludicrous.
But there is no reason, legal, moral, or otherwise that would prevent Eritrea from
cooperating and empathizing with others whose legitimate right to
self-determination is being denied by those that at the same time pose a threat to Eritrea’s
national existence.
