Eritrea pays warlord to influence Somalia: UN experts
By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Eritrea is undermining stability in conflict-ravaged Somalia by paying political agents and a warlord linked to Islamist militants to influence the Mogadishu government, U.N. sanctions experts said in a
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Eritrea is undermining stability in conflict-ravaged Somalia by paying political agents and a warlord linked to Islamist militants to influence the Mogadishu government, U.N. sanctions experts said in a confidential report.
The Eritrean government has long denied playing any negative role in Somalia, saying it has no links to Islamist al Shabaab militants fighting to overthrow the Somali government. It says the U.N. sanctions imposed on it in 2009 for supporting al Shabaab were based on lies and has called for the sanctions to be lifted.
The latest annual report by the U.N. Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea to the Security Council’s Somalia/Eritrea sanctions committee casts fresh doubt on Asmara’s denials, undermining its case for lifting the sanctions against it.
“The Monitoring Group has received numerous reports about the warming of relations between Asmara and Mogadishu, and has obtained evidence of Asmara’s control of political agents close to the Somali presidency and some of the individual spoilers,” the group said in the report, seen by Reuters.
One such operative, the monitors said, is “Eritrean agent of influence Abdi Nur Siad ‘Abdi Wal,’ … who is reported to have a close relationship with a senior al Shabaab commander.”
The monitors describe Abdi Wal as a “warlord.”
“Abdi Wal is now a close ally of former ARS-Asmara (a Somali Islamist network in Eritrea) leader Zakaria Mohamed Haji Abdi, for whom he provides security in Mogadishu,” the monitors said. “He is known to command the allegiance of about 100 fighters in Mogadishu and is involved in contract killings.”
The monitors said in their report that they have “obtained direct testimonies and concrete evidence of Eritrean support to Abdi Wal and Mohamed Wali Sheikh Ahmed Nuur.” The Monitoring Group has reported on Ahmed Nuur in the past, describing him as a “political coordinator for al Shabaab” and a recipient of funds from Eritrea.
“A source on the Eritrean payroll in direct contact with Abdi Wal has confirmed that Abdi Wal has admitted in closed-door meetings that he is acting as an agent for the Eritrean government,” the group said in its latest report.
Eritrea’s U.N. mission did not respond to a request for comment.
RUSSIAN AND ITALIAN COMPLAINTS
The latest report said that Ahmed Nuur, also known as Ugas Mohamed Wali Sheikh, has repeatedly held meetings in Khartoum with Mohamed Mantai, Eritrea’s ambassador to Sudan and, since December, Iran.
“During these meetings, options for Eritrean financial support to Ahmed Nuur were discussed,” the report said.
“Mantai, a former military intelligence officer, has a history of operating in Somalia and was expelled from Kenya in 2009 after he returned from Somalia following meetings with al Shabaab agents,” the monitors said.
In addition to their nearly 500-page report on Somalia and Eritrea, the Monitoring Group produced a separate report of around 80 pages focusing solely on Eritrea.
Council diplomats said the longer Somalia/Eritrea report will be made public soon, but the shorter Eritrea report will not be published because of Russian objections.
According to a letter the Russian delegation sent to Ambassador Kim Sook, chairman of the Somalia/Eritrea sanctions committee, Russia “objects to the publication of the (Eritrea) report due to the biased and groundless conclusions and recommendations contained in it.”
Italian Ambassador Cesare Maria Ragaglini also wrote to Kim complaining about the report because of “misleading information and undocumented implications of violations of the arms embargo.” Reuters has obtained both letters.
According to diplomats familiar with the U.N. monitors’ shorter Eritrea report, an Italian helicopter exported to Eritrea for mining survey purposes was seen at a military facility there, raising the possibility of a sanctions breach.
The monitors said Italian authorities failed to provide additional information as requested, the diplomats added.
Ragaglini dismissed that allegation, saying “we did provide the information they requested (e.g. on financial flows), but there is no evidence whatsoever of military assistance from Italy to sustain the undocumented claims of the experts.”
China, diplomats say, is annoyed about references in the Eritrea report to Chinese machine tools procured for a large government depot in Eritrea that houses tanks, missiles and dual-use civilian trucks. But the envoys said there was no suggestion the Chinese government was violating U.N. sanctions.
Yerhiwo July 17, 2013
The UN is on your throat wedi Medhin Berad! There is no way to hide brutal dictator and certainly you will die in Eritrean “Fagnatura like your idol Geddaffi” or one gallant soldier will blow your head. You can’t mislead the world, US, UN or other Human Right Organizations as you are doing to poor and uneducated Eritreans!!
Please leave out country wedi Medhin Berad!! Go to Tembien with your cronies Monkey and Kisha!! You all belong to Ethiopia…please don’t kill and destroy our country!!!
Eritrea under you rule is poor, dark, hungry, backward, nightmare, hell, etc. etc.
belay nega July 17, 2013
Yerhiwo
You need to grow up,don’t you know the so called opposition leaders are Eritreans only day time and turn to be Ethiopians night time?
And you need to know too how Eritrea is being formed,with the fair help of Ethiopians.So if that is the case, what is wrong with the president if he helps Somalians to maintain the freedom?
For your information USA,UN……do not have any personal problem with the president,their issue is with the country,they are in love with Ethiopia ,that is why they kept quite when our embassies were being attacked.
Grass July 18, 2013
But also the report is deemed inaccurate by Italy, China and Russia. I know pfdj and Eseyas are destroying our country however the USA(UN) need to be fair to our people.
Work to take the man out if they have to instead of wasting time collating inconsistent reports and prolonging our plight. Power to the people and the sooner we grasp the concept the better.
Truly truly i say to you July 18, 2013
The UN security council they sanctioned the victimizing ordinary innocent Eritreans but not the criminals self Isayas and his bandit regime officials. This is realy a mockery of justice! Eritrea has no by people elect president or government, those in power at highest post most are mercenaries not real Eritreans. These bandits deliberately to what they doing crime, Eritrea as nation should not to be punished or sanctioned, but Isayas and his agents as far as found guilty for doing crime and supporting terrorist groups they should to face justice in international crime tribunal. This was a fare and real justice would be. But the socalled they calling “smart sanction” if it purpose is by accusing and giving hard to the nation and its rulers, when they fear because knows as they compromise even to sell the country and without proper accountability if systematical to steal and exploit our mine resources is, this i couldn´t call it smartness, or smart sanction, but pure sophisticated robbery it is. What is the use after all our natural resource systematically stolen, if the lift the imposed sanction, or even they help us or agree the regime to be overthrown? If they have truth, before starting mine exploitation activity by collaborating with Mafia regime, they should to help us first, this lawless mafia regime to be rid.
Truly truly i say to you July 18, 2013
The other mockery of justice is, normally Ethiopia by violating the international law, which occupied our sovereign territory should to be as nation sanctioned. But We observing the Eritrean regime Representatives if not to pretend, as they not pushing hard this concrete sensible violation theme to be discussed and to be regarded, though we as nation we have enough reasons to be left our occupied territory even the sanction it would be. But they wouldn´t do that, because it is not their interest. As i said those in key post high officials are not real Eritreans, but they are people with Ethiopian sentiment and agenda.
Genet July 18, 2013
Truly truly..
I agree!
Genet
Kalighe July 18, 2013
“ኣዝማድካ ኣስመራ መጺኦም ሓተላ ግለት ይእክቡ ንስኻ ድማ ሓተላ ግለት ትፈጥር።Keep up yor dirty Job”
NEW HOPE ERITREA
Daily you come to this blog to throw a few lines of hate message and try to create an impression that you are an ordinary Joe with poor writing skills. In reality you are one of the most dangerous people I have ever seen. As we have seen in your Facebook page (that you closed few days back, after being exposed) you are a highly skilled writer. I just wonder what benefit you get when you try to confuse people about your identity, because many on this blog know who you are ?.
I am really impressed by your Tigrigna poetry skills, although you are using it to humiliate Eritreans. It’s naive to think because you command good Tigrigna people will take you easily as Eritrean. People know that there are tens of thousands of Tigreyans who speak the same language with Eritrean accent, for having lived for long time in Eritrea. You keep insulting us ” እምባሕ ጥራይ ንበል ወዲ ኤረና ” as if Eritreans are a herd of cattle.
Here is another insult from the facebook page that you were forced to close:
” ..Eritreans during Italian colony regarded being whipped face down by fascist soldier as a badge of honor..showing off their whipped ass to their friends with pride…well , like father like son like grandson…Eritreanism is hatred of self & invented history, that makes them real Eritreans.”
I knew that you were going to do something to hide what you had written there, so before posting about you facebook page here, I showed it to my friends. As long as you keep insulting my people using different names, I won’t let you in peace, you will be exposed again and again.
gidewon July 18, 2013
Let me believe you New hope is Ethiopian or chinese,but to clear our doubts at first could you please tell us who are you??
Genet July 18, 2013
gidewon,
If you can’t tell who Kalighe is from his thought process and writhing, you are just exposing yourself who you are. Or you have problem understanding a written message. I can tell you, I have been following brother Kalighe for a while now; and I can tell he is a true Eritrean son. His genuine concerns about the current situation of our people makes him genuine Eritrean. Keep in mind Gidewon, Being True Eritreans’ sons and daughters is not about once biological makeup or blood lines. It is all about accepting Eritrea as your only motherland and nationality. Once you accept Eritrea as your only motherland, you care for Eritrean people; you are more sensitive to the suffering of your people. You respect the painful past endured by your people (Eritreans) under Italian and the many Ethiopian rulers and bandits.
Do you think it is appropriate for any man or woman who claims to be Eritrean, yet he/she is comfortable to insult Eritreans past and present. It is not appropriate; it is not OK to insult Eritreans while claiming you are Eritrean. It is like, a South African national to use the past action of apartheid to put down and insult the black South Africans. Yet pretending to be black South African. Any one who is comfortable to insult Eritreans and not sensitive to the suffering of our people, will be questioned and challenged about his identity and commitment to our people and country. We have been told by Ethiopians that we have a fake country. We have Tigray origin. There is no people called Eritreans. We will never be a peaceful people or country. Some of them insinuate that the only hope for us is to be united with Tigray or Ethiopia. And that is the goal of some of the people who are so comfortable to insult Eritreans while claiming to be Eritreans.
Genet
MightyEmbasoyra July 18, 2013
Genet,
I understand your concern/anger when some Ethiopians tell us we don’t have identity but we are not going to show certificate of compliance to anyone who doubt us. Who cares about them? Eritrea is as independent nation as any country. Anyone thinks otherwise is wasting their time. Let’s concentrate on our big issues.
One thing to remember, Ethiopia doesn’t work or care for our interest. We have to do our own and united.
Just my two cents.
Genet July 18, 2013
Mighty..
I can easily ignore all Ethiopians’ opinion about the Eritrean peoples’ identity. I know we are Eritreans. My concern is about the fake Eritreans; the people who claim to be Eritreans but not behaving like one.
Genet
belay nega July 19, 2013
Dear Mighty
“One thing to remember, Ethiopia doesn’t work or care for our interest. We have to do our own and united.’
History is repeating itself.
When the army struggle started was encouraged and supported by Arabs,until the founders of E.P.L.F found out the uselessness of Arabs and the ignorance of the world about our issue and decleared SELF RELIANCE.
And now that we realized Ethiopians and the world are the motivators and supplieres of the destabilization of Eritrea, are we going to square one SELF RELIANCE?
MightyEmbasoyra July 19, 2013
At Belay/Weizero/it Genet,
The good thing is we all care about our beloved Eritrea. However we have different ideology – at least with Ato Belay. I can tell how smart you are but I really couldn’t understand how you support Isayas’s administration (if I dare to call that). With your intelligence, I believe you would have big issue if you had to live in Eritrea.
Genet July 18, 2013
Kalighe
Good job. keep up the good work of weeding out the rootless vegetation. You know what I mean.
Genet
Kalighe July 19, 2013
Dear sister, insulting the whole country and it’s people is unacceptable, only an enemy does that. Like everywhere else in the world, we may not be in love with each other, we may have too many issues to sort out, we may not have been good at putting our resources together, to get rid of a regime that is dismantling our country piece by piece, but despite all that our country is still our first priority, there is no way we can also tolerate someone who hates the very idea of Eritrea being a sovereign entity. It’s too much.
Tes July 18, 2013
HGDEF and its tentacles will never learn and won’t stop from being a spoilers.
A government who could not able to provide water and electricity , have money to spend on supporting terrorists. What a helpless regime! good for nothing. The problem we have is there are some Eritreans who still believe the crooks when they are crying innocent and being picked unfairly. Look the history of this junta, the imprison without crime to its citizen they sell its subject for money, they rape their sisters their crime is countless. They ask for evidence when it suit them but they lock people behind the bars without due process. They are incompetent even to hire their evil deeds and they think they can out smart the world. Those thieves the only defense line they have is to lie without any shame. Everyone knows they are repulsive liars. Russia, China and Italy know that but they don’t want to associate with this repulsive regime in any way that is the reason for their reservation. Don’t be fooled they won’t stand and defend this horrible repressive regime. That is why the asmara regime choose to keep quit. I hope they will tight the rope much harder.
Tes July 18, 2013
Correction please read…They are incompetent even they can not hide their evil deeds …
Genet July 18, 2013
Tes.
Well said!
Genet
belay nega July 19, 2013
Tes
“I hope they will tight the rope much harder.”
Do not forget that the victim of the rope will be the people, the ever target of Ethiopia and its lovers.
Genet July 18, 2013
PFDJ and the dictator paying warlord to influence Somalia.
“Mohamed Mantai PFDJ’s ambassador to Sudan was former military intelligence officer, was expelled from Kenya in 2009” apparently, for the same reason. hmm….
So, the useless PFDJ’s system and the dictator are interfering in Somalian peoples’ issue. Even though the Eritrean peoples’ lives is deteriorating, like a metastasize cancer.
It is mind-boggling how the PFDJ’s leader thinks, as a head of independent state. He is just not thinking straight. He keeps a highly armed, the so called “Tigria freedom fighters”. inside our country on a strategic not one but tow bases. Now, he is financing a warlord. Why does he (the dictator) thinks that pressuring neighboring countries is more important, than doing his job caring and providing the Eritrean people, the basic needs of water and food. Is it not the primary responsibility of a head of state, to provide basic needs to people, before going and having devious extracurricular activities? What is the priority of the dictator? how long does he thinks, he is going to do this? About his supporters, why can’t they see this clearly? His priority is so off.
FYI, People, keep in mind, EVERY COUNTRY’S PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT ITS PEOPLES’ INTEREST NO MATTER WHAT. THERE FORE, DON’T BE SURPRISE BY OTHER COUNTRIES’ ACTIONS. THE WELL BEING OF THEIR PEOPLE COMES FIRST, UNLIKE THE ERITREAN DICTATOR.
Genet
Truly Truly i say to youy July 18, 2013
Thanks Genet for your patriotic reaction and for giving very competent reply to the useless guy called Gidiwon.
Zeray July 18, 2013
The UN and US does not have to tell us to know the Eritrean government. The PFDJ chairman with his cronies have done multitude of crimes both inside and outside the country that goes directly against the welfare of its citizens. Their decisions are flawed. Their stands are anti-civility.Their philosophy is to rule by intimidation and cruel punishment. And now for them to meddle in Somalia’s affair is miniscule when compared to the crimes they have committed against their own people.
belay nega July 18, 2013
Zeray
Is high time for you to recognize the unfortunate ugly Eritrean politics,instead of blaming a usefully challenged gov to maintain your ID.
belay nega July 18, 2013
Genet
“THE WELL BEING OF THEIR PEOPLE COMES FIRST, UNLIKE THE ERITREAN DICTATOR.”
Try to be fair,the Eritrean gov is one of those who care of the country and his people.
In fact immediately after independence started focusing on the infrastructures and lifting up the most needy.That is one of the main reason is called a gov of countryside.
But unfortunatly the people[Ethiopians] who played a fair contribution for our freedom and our economy was depending on them, reacted negatively and started saying “YOUR ID IS FAKE”.
To this end the gov was forced to look for other forces to maintain our identity which is the base of our well being.
As far as I am concerned instead of killing our time in giving names to a victim like us,we better focus on the main cause and make a choice,either to accept and live with the virus or proving them wrong.
Genet July 18, 2013
Hi Mr Nega
You are still not convinced that the Eritrean people have no Gov. to represent them. No Gov. to stand up for them. Mr Nega, What is your biggest accomplishments, when it comes to humanity?
Genet
belay nega July 19, 2013
Hi Genet
If we deny the existence of the gov ,we denying Eritrea as a country.Our gov can be democrat or autocrat for reason, but we do have a gov.
As far as humanity is concerned is not fair “ትዃን ክተጥፍ ገዛ ምብራዕ”
Genet July 19, 2013
Mr Nega
I am a big fun of Eritrean’s proverb. In this case, your proverb can be modified for the better. We don’t have to burn the house down, in ordered to get rid of the bed bugs. We can certainly exterminate the bugs in the house effectively. We can seek the offenders and make them pay. Once we get rid of the parasites, the house will be suitable for a family to use and be safe in their home. Get It!
Genet
belay nega July 19, 2013
Genet
“We can certainly exterminate the bugs in the house effectively.”
I really appreciate your wishful thinking and genuine ERITRAWINET.
But do not forget the so called Eritrean oppositions is made up of irresponsible guys like :
-Haile G/Tensae
-Tesfay Temnewo
Who are not only ready to burn the house,but are creating more burning staffs to destroy the land of Eritrea
Hailu July 18, 2013
I agree with Kalighe,
I have noticed many time that, NEW HOPE ERITREA, used to systematically send message that disappoint and humiliate Eritreans.
Although i appreciate his good command of the language tigrigna and his lovely creative poems, but , for a careful reader the tone and the messages are always against the core issue of being an Eritrean.
I do not object you view, for you have rights to express them, but do not try to throw messages that cuts Eritreans to the deepest for we are the results of the past history like you are.
I thank Assena for their website and this comment and analysis section is free, and it helped us to see the views and understandings of many people.The comments we read in this page are the real reflections what our society looks.The articles are a wisely decorated and may not reflect the writers views for many write “what they do not do “.But when people comment , it is real.
I would like to thanks also, Genet for your wise advices that i used to read and i appreciate also Mesinas as a writer.
belay nega July 19, 2013
Hailu and others
Small attention was enough to identify who NEW HOPE ERITREA is.I remember when he was in a good term with Kalighe and Ghenet, I compared him with an Ethiopian member of E.P.R.P who officially graduated in political science, and privately studied bible to challenge religion.
As an Ethiopian he is doing his job,but we Eritreans should stop saying [TSEDO,TSEDO] to his poems like Ghenet did one time.