Network of Eritreans for Constitutional Governance (NECG)

Eritrea Joins The Ranks Of 'Pariah States'

28 December 2009
Editorial
The China Post

Over the last few years, the list of so-called "pariah states" blamed for stirring up trouble and supporting terrorism has been shrinking.

Following Libya's efforts to eliminate weapons of mass destruction and cut support for terrorist groups, major powers including the United States and Britain lifted sanctions and trade embargoes which had been in place for years.

Iraq also bowed out of the "rogue state" ranks following the toppling of Saddam Hussein and establishment of a democratic government in the country. A similar development happened in Afghanistan and that country has been welcomed back to the international community. Other governments, such as North Korea, Iran and Myanmar, are engaged in dialogue with major powers that they hope will result in the lifting of sanctions against them.

Reducing the number of states isolated by the international community is beneficial to global stability and should be encouraged. But it appears that the government of Eritrea is determined to buck this trend, especially now that the United Nations Security Council has imposed sanctions on the country.

Indeed, the small nation on the Horn of Africa, which won worldwide admiration in 1991 for winning independence from Ethiopia is now well on its way to becoming the world's newest rogue state. This is a regrettable development and more efforts must be made to prevent the situation from degenerating further. But given the recent actions of the Eritrean government, the international community has had no choice but to impose an arms embargo and trade sanctions against the country.

According to the resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council, Eritrea has regularly supplied arms and aid to al-Shabaab rebels in Somalia who are waging a civil war against the internationally recognized government in Mogadishu.

The Somalian rebels, aided by Eritrea, have direct links to the al-Qaida organization of Osama bin Laden and have constantly frustrated the international community's efforts to stabilize Somalia, which has lacked a functioning central government since 1991.

The U.N.'s move against Eritrea marks a rare occasion where a government is being punished for violating an arms embargo against another government, in this case Somalia.

Eritrea has constantly denied aiding the Somalian rebels and playing any role in destabilizing the region. According to the Eritrean government, the sanctions were drummed up by the country's arch foe, Ethiopia, and the United States, whose aid workers were expelled from the country in 2005.But international organizations including the United Nations and the African Union have confirmed the sanctions-busting by Eritrea, including shipments of guns, missiles and explosives. Under the new sanctions, all shipments going into and out of Eritrea will have to be inspected to make sure they do not contain arms bound for Somalia. The country's leaders are barred from traveling outside the country and overseas assets belonging to them will be investigated and frozen.

Ever since Eritrean guerillas led by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) succeeded in pushing out Ethiopian troops in 1991, the EPLF has controlled the country under a one-party state. While the EPLF has promised to form a democratic government, the country's ongoing tensions with Ethiopia have been used as an excuse to repeatedly delay nationwide elections. Today, the country still lacks a constitution and functioning judiciary system.

Besides its conflicts with Ethiopia, Eritrea has also clashed with neighboring Djibouti over territorial disputes and has had a rocky relationship with Sudan.

If the sanctions can persuade Eritrea's leaders to reach a deal with the international community, they will achieve their intended effect. Imposing punishment for violating the Somalia arms embargo is also an important step in demonstrating that the United Nations will enforce its embargoes when violated. However, a situation may emerge where the Eritrean government chooses to ignore the rest of the world and continue destabilizing the region.

In addition to the sanctions, the United Nations and African Union should work through various diplomatic channels to try and avoid a standoff situation. Based on past experience, standoffs can last for decades and ordinary people often suffer the most.

The U.S.-led embargo against Cuba and the international sanctions against Iraq after 1991 are a good example of how sanctions have failed to achieve their intended ends. But sanctions have sometimes worked, such as when they persuaded South Africa to abandon its apartheid policies and enfranchise the country's black majority.

Since international terrorism is a problem that cannot be postponed or restricted within national borders, a way must be found to cut the links between terrorists and the Eritrean authorities.

መርበብ ኤርትርያውያን ንቅዋማዊ መንግስቲ (ኤንቅመ)