Network of Eritreans for Constitutional Governance (NECG)

'All That Glitters Is Not Gold', UN Tells Eritrea Ruler!

Op-Ed
Berhane M Tekeste
29 August 2010

Lately, primarily with the help of a third party(Qatar), Eritrea ruler Isias Afawarki has been showing signs and sending signals left and right that imply compliance with demands of UN Res.1907 that imposed sanctions under UN Chapter VII against him. While that sounded good, was music to the ears of the international community, and received with enthusiasm, in a report it published yesterday, the UN told Eritrea ruler 'all that glitter is not gold' and urged him to do more in practical terms, beyond any doubt, and in a way the UN can verify if he wanted to register full compliance with its resolutions. Knowing the eccentric nature of Eritrea tyrant all too well, that is fair enough!

Action speaks louder than words, as they say, especially when it comes to the words of Eritrea tyrant Isias Afawarki. No one can blame the UN in this matter, for Eritrea tyrant has been doing his business without the knowledge of and consultations with those that matter most like IGAD, AU, that called for the tyrant to be sanctioned and the UN that imposed the sanctions.

“While recent developments represent a move in the right direction, I urge the Government of Eritrea to do more to provide evidence of its compliance with resolution 1907 (2009) and the practical measures set out in it.” Said the UN report. Further, “It should be noted that the United Nations ability to verify Eritrea’s compliance with resolution 1907 (2009) is very limited.” Added the report.

There you have it! The UN, rightly so, declines to acknowledge Eritrea tyrant's signs and signals of compliance with its resolutions at face value!

By his actions, even if only on paper, and as correctly predicted by Djibouti Foreign Minister last April, Eritrea tyrant is slowly but surely bowing to the power of UN Chapter VII, the pressure of UN sanctions, and is literally submitting to all the demands of UN Res. 1907. Talk about about effectiveness of UN Sanctions! Who said UN sanctions don't work? Lol. The slogan of Eritrea tyrant's accomplices read as follows “Never kneel down, we kneel down only 2 times: When we pray and when we shoot”! Well, make it 3 times: Eritrea tyrant kneels down when faced with the pressure of international community too, like UN Res. 1907!

While Eritrea tyrant is busy telegraphing to the world his submission to the will of the international community, he has deprived the people of Eritrea of this information. Sounds bizarre but there is a very good reason for that: Eritrea tyrant cannot trust the people of Eritrea any more. The tyrant is no more sure if he can get away with it like the old days.

That said, Eritrea tyrant was hit with UN Chapter VII for being a threat to 'international peace and security'. The international community/UN needs to realize that mere compliance with Res. 1907 will not remove this threat. As long bare-faced tyranny persists in Eritrea this threat is not going to go away. Consequently and as a matter of necessity, if the UN is genuinely looking for long-lasting peace and security in the Horn Africa, then the UN needs to bring an end to tyranny in Eritrea. Resolving the inter-linked border disputes alone is not going to do it.

መርበብ ኤርትርያውያን ንቅዋማዊ መንግስቲ (ኤንቅመ)