May 24 Special Day for All Eritrean
By Ibrahim A. Ibrahim
May 24, 2007 — Eritrea’s history passed through waves of conflicts and turbulences, due to external interference to score and divulge their interests.
At the time most of African nation were gaining their independence from European colonizers, the three nations under possession of Italy were supposed to gain their independence once Italy lost the Second World War. At that time the United Nations approved independence of both Somalia and Libya, however Eritrea was forced without the will of its people to be federated with Ethiopia. The main actors were the United States administration and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
John Foster Dulles was the Secretary of State (foreign minister) of United States. In his speech before the United Nations Security Council in 1952 he said the following: “From the point of justice, the opinion of Eritrean people must receive consideration. Nevertheless, the strategic consideration of the United States in the Red Sea basin and consideration of the security and world peace make it necessary that the country has to be linked with our ally Ethiopia.” With this decision Eritrea was forcefully federated to Ethiopia. The will of Eritrean to be free and independent was compromised for the benefits of US interest.
Eritrea had a democratically elected parliament and leadership. In the mean time the movements of United States and Ethiopia’s direction was known to the people, and had fiercely opposed the act. Ethiopia took the advantage of the world communities’ silence, acted quickly to break the agreement of Federation between the two countries, in contravention of the world body’s resolution. In November 14, 1962 single handed Ethiopia abrogated the Federal constitution and annexed Eritrea as its 14th province. The uproar of freedom and independence of the people of Eritrea fell on deaf ears.
In September 1961 Eritrean had no choice but to raise armed struggle for once own right. That is where the true path for independence started. It took 30 years and over 65000 martyrs to break outsider’s conspiracy and interest.
In May 24, 1991 Eritrea totally defeated Ethiopia, and in 1993 the Transitional Government of Eritrea, invited the United Nation to observe a referendum that voted 99.8% for independence. Eritrea officially ended and reversed 30 years of injustice to become a free nation.
The regime in Ethiopia tried to reverse Eritrean independence, under the guise of border war. When the intention fatally failed, the government of Ethiopia has no option but to sign the Algiers peace agreement of December 12, 2002, which led to court ruling pertinent to colonial treaties of 1900, 1902, and 1908. The court decided its ruling April 13, 2002 which is final and binding. Ethiopia was quick to accept the ruling and called upon the world community to pressure Eritrea to abide by the agreement. Soon the regime in Ethiopia changed its mind and since then it is flip-flopping its words from illegal, unacceptable, accepted in principle and so on.
Ethiopia is yet holding the border issue hostage with the blessing of United States, this time though the United States intention is not openly spoken as did Foster Dulles in 1952, but is clearly self repeating the same ignorant mistake that took lives of people and opportunity of development.
In conclusion, Eritrea has won its independence abiding by the rule of law and dedicating itself to fight for the right. Taking opportunity of this 16th Independence Day, I congratulate all Eritrean citizens, friends of Eritrea and peace loving people.
* The author is the Former Bank of Eritrea Administrator currently resides in United States of America. He can be reached at [email protected]