A call for the UN to re-assess its relations with Eritrea
04 March 2020 A call for the UN to re-assess its relations with Eritrea From: Eritrea Focus The United Nations is due to meet in Nairobi on 8th and 9th of March to consider how best to work with the
04 March 2020
A call for the UN to re-assess its relations with Eritrea
From: Eritrea Focus
The United Nations is due to meet in Nairobi on 8th and 9th of March to consider how best to work with the government and people of Eritrea. This is a possibly unique opportunity for all the UN ‘family’ to re-orientate its approach.
All Eritreans know, and appreciate, the work the UN in its many facets have done over the years, including the vast numbers who have been sheltered by the UN refugee agency upon whom so many still depend. But it is vitally important that the UN takes seriously its own research, analysis and advice. This was provided to it by the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea[1] and followed up by the UN Special Rapporteurs for Eritrea who have regularly reported to the UN Human Rights Council.
The most recent UN Human Rights Council received a highly critical report from the current Special Rapporteur, in which she concluded that in key areas including the rule of law, reform of the national service, progress on civil liberties, progress on women’s rights there had been what she said was: “no concrete evidence of progress.”[2] Rather, there had been the continued arrest of businessmen, religious and community leaders. Political prisoners remain in jail – some for as many as 26 years – without trail. Nor have the Eritrean authorities granted the Special Rapporteur the co-operation and access to the country that members of UN have repeatedly called for.
Her analysis is reinforced by the work of outside bodies like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The latter’s most recent assessment is chilling.[3] It assess that there has been no ‘peace dividend’ for Eritreans from the recent rapprochement with Ethiopia.
This analysis was recently endorsed by Reinhard Frauenfeld, of UNOPs, which is overseeing the European Union’s road-rehabilitation programme in Eritrea. As he rightly pointed out, there has been “a lot of engagement” with the government of Eritrea, but “little to show, so far” in terms of improvements in the country’s human rights.[4]
Time to act
It is time for the UN to take the weight of evidence seriously and to re-assess its relationship with Eritrea. It cannot continue with “relations as normal” by interacting uncritically with such a vicious and cruel regime which has driven hundreds of thousands into exile.
We call for a new direction for the UN in Eritrea – one that puts the needs of the people, rather than the regime – as its first priority. There cannot continue to be normal and supportive relations with a government that so blatantly violates the rights of its own citizens. There must be timely, monitored pressure on the Eritrean government to live up to their commitments on human rights and to free their people from the subjugation in which they currently live.
This comes at a time when the plight of Eritrean refugees hang in the balance. There are worrying signs that the rights of Eritreans who have fled into Ethiopia are being restricted. The situation in Libya, in particular, is critical, with Eritreans now trapped in a war zone. We call on the UN, and the UNHCR in particular, to act expeditiously to answer the needs of these people.
Habte Hagos
Chairman
rezen March 7, 2020
Subject: A call for the UN to re-assess its relations with Eritrea, From: Eritrea Focus, March 6, 2020
Humble Commentary, 6 March 2020
QUOTE: “We call on the UN, and the UNHCR in particular, to act expeditiously to answer the needs of these people, Habte Hagos, Chairman” UNQUOTE
With utmost humility and respect for the Chairman, let me ask a simple question: Have we Eritreans given up to clean our HOUSE by ourselves,, for our own benefit? If so, we have glaring questions in front of us >>> Didn’t Eritrea:
a) achieve its LIBERTY, in thirty-year (30) war, all by itself, for itself, for the glory of Eritreans of past, present, and future generations?
b) are we admitting for some “mysterious” background that we are NOT capable of restoring the LIBERTY that Eritreans — and Eritreans alone — achieved from naked betrayal of ONE SINGLE mortal human being, who acquired his own presidency and dictatorial ownership of the entire country called Eritrea?
c) Is it really possible that the entire highly educated, with top most academic degrees, from renowned universities around the the globe, are simply incapable of getting together and make a difference, while Eritrea becomes the beggar of the World and at the mercy of international organizations, whose education, by the way, is not more than our dear indigenous Ph.D Holders?
d) WE need an ANSWER of our own, arrived at by ourselves, for our benefit and for our future generations to come. What will it be? >>> a five-million helpless entity in the list of under developed counties, at the mercy of pity and alms from so-called developed countries or master of our own destiny in our own house?
Eritrea must answer the above questions, by itself,,for its own benefit or leave it to the single person who hatched a plan as to what to do with Eritrea, some fifty years ago!!!! Don’t forget the two words that he declared while he was at ease, triggered by alcoholic beverage >>> “kereyokoom iye” [literal translation: I WILL SHOW YOU]. Indeed, we have seen it to the point of being speechless and helpless, with 80 – 90 different groups, all claiming for the same goal!!! If we honestly believe THAT, we can believe anything under the sun. THE END.
rezen March 7, 2020
Addendum
Dear Readers,
In a rush to print my commentary, I forgot two important points
1. The UN as Mediator
Permit me to be audacious enough to say that the UN cannot help Eritrea to solve its own problem. Even if the matter is taken to the UN Assembly the Eritrean problem can never see the daylight of its indigenous problem. NEVER, for the simple reason that fifty members of the UN from the African Continent will never act against their brethren-dictator. After all, it is tantamount in passing UN Resolution AGAINST THEMSELVES. It goes without saying that the people of Africa must find their own way effective way of owning their own respective country. The UN will not — cannot — help Africa.
Looking for outside mediator >>> EXAMPLE: USA <<< is a probability, only because the President of the USA ,at this particular period of time, is very anxious to have a UN medallion that he lost to a Black African [ Ethiopian]. All others {especially, Europeans] will simply follow, holding their noses. Consequently, Eritreans must find their own way, for their own benefit.
2. Appreciation of Amanuel Eyasu ATV Presentation.
I listened to Amanuel’s oral dissertation on Eritrea, three times. I am impressed. His main point is to emphasize [even with physical gesture] the absolute necessity that we have to search our souls and come face to face with the reality WITHIN ourselves. Indeed, Issayas could NEVER have succeeded without his own analysis about Eritrean’s deeply etched weak characteristic, as the saying goes when the chips are down. Otherwise, how else could we explain the behaviour of Eritreans after attaining their LIBERTY. Indeed, the insulting of each other, after the facts, is really a reflection of our deeply etched characteristic.. THE END