USA should seek Dialogue with Eritrea
By Daniel Berhane
May 9, 2007 — European Union has made a bold move in recognizing Eritrea as a key player and its positive effort in brining peace in the Horn of Africa. Following a meeting with Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki, EU development commissioner Louis Michel told reporters that Eritrea was playing an important role in bringing parties involved in the Sudanese conflict to the negotiating table.
He described the meeting with the Eritrean President as an important event, an international signal for the EU and for Eritrea. This is indeed a wise move that recognizes the reality on ground and is at odds to American policy which portrays Eritrea in a different light. Although the EU and many other countries shared Eritrea’s concern about the Ethiopian-American invasion of Somalia quietly, there are more good reasons why the EU is now embarking on the new partnership with Eritrea to solve the problems from Darfur to Somalia.
Eritrea is an influential player in the region due to its success in putting an end to armed conflict in Eastern Sudan, the huge role it played in peace deal reached in South Sudan and its ongoing effort to solve the conflict in Darfur. Eritrea strongly advocates for the reconstitution of Somalia without the intervention of foreign governments. The peoples of Eritrea and Somalia also share historic bond, which will be helpful in any effort to solve the political problem of Somalia.
It is unclear if the US, in a face of crisis in Somalia and the region, turned to the EU to manage the situation, or if it disapproves EU’s new approach. The consequences of flawed US policy on the Horn of Africa combined with several blunders of the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer and the despicable acts of the Ethiopian regime, have plunged the region into ever deepening crises and tragic death toll of civilians.
This positive diplomatic move by the EU should be welcomed with enthusiasm. However, the fundamental problem of the region still lingers at the heart of the American policy on the region. Unless the US revises its policy to enforce its control on the region through baptizing the Ethiopian regime as a new regional power, the entire region will certainly endure more conflicts and sufferings.
The Ethiopian regime certainly fits the bill of a mercenary. Human life has no value for the regime and it is prepared to sacrifice so many young Ethiopians to hang on to power. However, this policy is doomed to fail for several reasons. By having the Ethiopian regime as its agent in the region, the US finds itself in conflict with the aspirations and struggles of the peoples of Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and the region as a whole. The fact is while the United States claims to be the champion of democracy and human rights in the world; it is punishing the people of the Horn Africa by supporting a regime that has continued to remain in power by force and obstructing the pathway to peace in the region.
When the regime stole the Ethiopian people’s vote in the election, they went into the streets to demonstrate and were met with bullets. The Ethiopian-American invasion of Somalia has imposed an unpopular government on the people who are sadly going through so much suffering under the hands of the Ethiopians and some Transitional Federal Government (TFG) puppets.
The Eritrean people have been held hostage as the regime through America’s encouragement continues to refuse to implement the final and binding ruling by the Eritrean-Ethiopian Border Commission (EEBC). When will the US realize its investment on the Ethiopian regime is like throwing good money after bad?
The fact is the regime in Ethiopia is purely run by the minority ethnic Tigrayans who only make 6 percent of the population and lack support from the vast majority of the population. Hence the regime can not hold on to power indefinitely while on life support. Similarly, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia can not be protected from its own people for ever.
Finally, there is a better way for the US to secure its interest and fight terrorism (if terrorism in the region is its main concern). This can only be achieved through equal partnership with all countries involved and take the will of the people into consideration. Sponsoring armed invasion and overthrowing governments to impose your own will only brings about short-term victories and tragic and devastating wars in the long-run.
The USA should also seek a true Dialogue with Eritrea. As recognized by the EU, Eritrea is a key player and is making positive effort in brining peace in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea recognizes a peaceful Somalia, a peaceful Ethiopia, and a peaceful Sudan is in its own interest and the wider world. Hence if the wish of the USA is to see a peaceful region, it must stop vilifying Eritrea to cover the failure of its policy in Somalia and form a partnership with Eritrea to solve the problems of the region.
The author is based in London. he can be reached at [email protected].