Foreign help building Eritrea bases violates embargo: U.N. experts
By Michelle Nichols | UNITED NATIONS United Nations sanctions monitors warned in an annual report released on Friday that possible foreign support for a new military base and seaport in Eritrea and the presence of foreign
United Nations sanctions monitors warned in an annual report released on Friday that possible foreign support for a new military base and seaport in Eritrea and the presence of foreign weapons and equipment were likely in violation of an arms embargo.
The monitors told the U.N. Security Council last year that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had established a military presence in Eritrea as part of the Saudi-led campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which lies just 40 km (25 miles) across the Red Sea from the poor Horn of Africa nation.
They said the use of Eritrea’s land, waters and airspace by other countries to conduct military operations in a third state was not a sanctions violation, but warned that “compensation diverted directly or indirectly towards activities that threatened peace and security in the region, or for the benefit of the Eritrean military, would constitute a violation.”
In the past year the U.N. monitors collected evidence, including the construction of a new military base at Assab airport and a new seaport next to it, indicating “there may have been external support for infrastructure development that could benefit the Eritrean military.”
The monitors said they have also documented the presence in Eritrea “whether for training or transit, of armed personnel and related military and naval equipment of various Member States other than Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.”
The U.N. sanctions monitors determined the current terms of the U.N. arms embargo does not allow for such activities and recommended that the Security Council provide advice to U.N. states on compliance with the embargo.
They said it “could be reasonably determined” that foreign support for the construction of permanent military installations in Eritrea constitutes the provision of technical assistance, training, financial and other assistance to military activities, which is banned under the arms embargo.
The Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates missions to the United Nations were not immediately available to comment on the report by the U.N. sanctions monitors.
Eritrea’s Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed told Reuters earlier this year that the United Arab Emirates now uses Eritrean “logistical facilities.” The UAE has also trained 4,000 Yemeni fighters in Assab, Eritrea.
The U.N. sanctions on Eritrea were mainly imposed following accusations it backed Somalia’s Islamist al Shabaab militants, a charge Asmara denies. The U.N. monitors said in the latest report that they had – for the third year in a row – not found any firm evidence of such support.
Eritrea has refused to engage with the U.N. monitors and they have been unable to visit the country.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Bill Rigby)
Reuters.com
Lula November 4, 2016
This is a continuation of the Eritrean toxic history that many Eritreans are ashamed or afraid to touch. This toxicity had been brewing since in the 1960s in many different forms. It is as the result of this toxicity that Eritreans are living currently as slaves of Hgdef and Abeeds of the savage Arabs inside and outside of Eritrea. Just in case if you have not mentioned the savage Wahabi Jihadi al Sauds and their Gulf dogs are now in Port Assab and the Abeed regime and is acting as their mercenary to bomb the poor Hoothi Muslims of Yemen.
That is Eritrea in a nutshell.
Cabo November 4, 2016
Ayte Luel, This is the continuation of payback time to Sanna forum, do you remember Djibouti, Yemen, and weyane alliance called Sanna forum? They even handed Andargache Tsige to Weyane.
GantaAfeshum November 4, 2016
What payback? The Arabs are in Eritrea to exploit Eritrean resources and to enslave the Eritrean youth. They are not there to confront Ethiopia. It has nothing to do with Ethiopia.
And of course, this is the start of the islamization of Eritrea. Eritrea has now been handed to the Arabs on a silver plate. Thousands of years of Eritreans fierce resistance to Arabization sneakily thanks to the Thawra(Sewra).
The phrase “የዓረብ ቅጥረኞች”is now justified more than ever.
GantaAfeshum November 4, 2016
sneakily vanished**
Kisanet November 5, 2016
Signore fascist Mussolini Cabo, you might also be handed or sent back to Yemen or Libya for your beheading payback gift by your loving mama Italia. Are you also still mad that the old Woyane defeated and humiliated your fascist Italian in black Africa?
ዮሃንስ November 6, 2016
ኣብ ጊዜ ጸበባናን መከራና ሽግርናን ፍጋእ ሰርናይ ዘይሓገዙናስ። ሕጁ ምስተጻበቡን ምስ ተሸግሩን ብእንተታ ምስተውጠሩን ናብና ምጥማት! ኣብ ጥቓናዶ ኣይኮኑን ዝነብሩ ዝነብሩ ዝነበሩ እንትይ ድእ ተረኽብ ሕጂ? እህህህም። ይኣኽለና ገንሸል ስትራተጂካዊ ሃውሮኣኦምን ፖለቲካዊ መሳሪሒኦም ብቀጻሊ ካብ ምዃን። ጥሙያት ግን ኩሩዓት ህዝቢ ምዃን ይሕሸና ከምቶም ኣባሓጎታትና ዓባያትናን (እነሓጎታትናን)። ዘዋጻኣና ክንፈልጥ ኣለና። እታ ቀዳመይቲ ሃገር ዕጻይ ምጻጻይ ዝብዘሔት ነግ ፈረግ ዝበለት ብነጻነት ኤሪትራን ናይ ጐደቦና ሰላምን ቅሳነትን ዘይተዋሕጠላ ናይ መጀመሪያ ሃገር ግብጺዶ ኣይኮነትን? ስኑድ ታሪኽ ኣሎ ገና ቀለሙ ዘይነቐጸ። ኣየ ሽግር፣ ናይ ጽባሕ ኤርትራስ ንመን ኮን ትኽውን?
koubrom November 5, 2016
But it was ok when your master meles zenawi was sending terrorist inside country to bomb us ya Abiida.
We no exclave to no one they use to help us for long time, why wouldn’t help them now ,crocodile tears you will sell your mother for less than that you already sold your soul to woyane
Hailemariam November 7, 2016
Koubrom, Melles had his own G-15, he did not imprison them, he did not kill any! Wedi Medhin Berad(PIA) with his frenzy and unstable character order shoot to killto the war veteran disabled, put 15-top liberation commanders in a desert prison cells, condemn all the independent journalists to life imprison, put 15-years old Ali Abdu’s daughter in prison…etc…etc and Now he sales Aseb for 40-years for few bugs, and you are saying bla…bla shamelessly! talkative like you are intangible heroes and for sure you will never step your feet to Wedi Berad’s Eritrea.
Koubrom November 9, 2016
Please stop your propaganda no one is arrested for no reason ,you live outside the country you know nothing you just spread rumors by the way I’ll give my life for my country .
Well their people arrested in Guantanamo whiteout no charge until now so stop your nonsense give Eritrea a breack please
Eritreawit November 5, 2016
Lula, That is not Eritrea , that is the devilish Tembienay dictator’s job to finish Eritreans he is an agent, he has been for long time . We Eritreans will prevail.
Kisanet November 5, 2016
Prevail where in Mars or Jupiter? Keep day dreaming and blaming wedi Tembien anbessa. But the fact remains that wedi Tembien jigna brought you the miskin arab slave dogs worshipers the Eritrean independence. and would destroy it at any time as if he wishes so as poor Eritrea doesn’t have REAL men to stop him or challenge him, all you have is cheap sold out talkatives cowards and opportunist losers.
k.tewolde November 4, 2016
Isn’t that ironic,once upon a time this very clique in Asmara was spewing hate against Arabs and Islam in order to rally the gullible christian peasantry and the under educated urban to build a base, once it accomplished its goal by using and abusing this base the brutal clique came undone,started showing its true colors,forging alliance with them,clasping their hands tightly and licking their cheeks,sending its loyal followers en mass to work and train there,depositing its looted assets in their banks,leasing for decades our vast real estate that our martyrs died for without the consent of the owners-the Eritrean people.If there is anybody,I mean Eritrean, who hasn’t learned a lesson from this over the years,I suggest………I was going to say something,but I will leave it to a more prudent person that me.
k.tewolde November 4, 2016
read ‘that me’, ‘than me’ instead,thanks.
koubrom November 5, 2016
When was that? ?
Remember we don’t fundamentalist ,jehovah ,pentecostal, all who those see religion above country are not welcom.so please stop your propaganda
Z. Hagos November 5, 2016
The UN has the duty to make sure that the imposed embargo is fully in effect and, if possible, empowered in the event of violation to remove Isayas from his throne. As such, it is better for Isayas to respect the terms of the embargo rather than systematically with the help of Saudis and Qataris try to violate.
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If Isayas wants the embargo to be lifted, he should seek the approval of his victims who are represented by the Eritrean Diaspora justice seekers, who were last week in NYC demonstrating in support of Ms. Sheila B. Keetharuth, the mother and protector of the Eritrean youth. Isayas should know that if his victims agree and ask the UN to lift the embargo, an immediate UN resolution without hesitation will authorize the lifting of the embargo. Does that make sense? Whether Isayas likes or not, for sure it does! On the other hand, the victim can also call for the embargo to include travelling of Isayas and his enablers including Yemane Monkey, the UN without any doubt will include locking them in, not even a mile away from Eritrean borders and their passports will be revoked, not even acceptable in Qatar. The victims can also request UN for expanding the embargo to include freezing Isayas’s bank account in Swiss and other banks. Such UN actions will help the Eritrean people to have control over their mined metals including gold and with that the monies from sales of the mined metals will be diverted and spent on the Eritrean people for food, clothing and medicine.
zeregabir November 5, 2016
Know that Alturabi’s ideology is hitting it’s target because of Woyane.
Had Woyane agreed in Border demarcation no Arab nation would have arrive in Eritrea. But Woyane and a hen are the same.
Micheal huruy November 5, 2016
did Arabs enhance or destroy Eritrean pride and culture? let alone help Eritrea, the Arabs are even destroying their own women, children, culture and history. having said this the over all impact on the Eritrean society and Kebessa Christians in particular is negative and destructive. Through their interference we ended up migrating to the Arab countries across the red sea and ended up to be their house maids for the last 40 years or so. our women men are considered less humans(Called Ahmer-or Adgi in Tigrigna), our Kebessa women lost their god given freedom of enjoying the air and have to cover themselves with veil, and have to be raped by the house hold men with no consideration of human respect what so ever. I Will say our relation with the Arabs one that is disrespect and disgraced and our PFDJ leaders it as achievement when our women donate their Gold jewellery that was squired by prostitution and indignation of one’s self pride. The Arab =Eritrean relation end result so far is destructive.
AHMED SALEH !!! November 5, 2016
Haters have any reason to discuss politics relevant to the subject for discussion except to show their
frustration against Eritrean sovereign nation . And we shouldn’t feel offended if we can identify the
origin of this kind mentality .
The beginning of our state affairs politics started at the time our dream vanished in front of our eyes
when party loyalty became dominant factor at every aspect of national interest . The same goes with
their second face which is Weyane to solicit material advantage by any means necessary that might
lead into hostile future . We are the living observers of realities for a lesson to learn our mistake ,
For 25 years both crooked ruling parties in Eritrea and Ethiopia enjoyed the support of insecure blind
followers . Like the commentator put it ” yearab kitrenoch means Arab mercenaries ” that has been insult
for Eritreans until we gain independence , the root problem we can not deny lies on arrogance , rigidity ,
resentments and selfishness that open the door for foreign intervention .
Weyane bows to kiss American and westerners feet , Issayas bows to kiss Arabs feet . It is not fair to
belittle a weak minded and poor soul for begging to survive because he doesn’t know better ,
WELCOME TO ‘US VERSES THEM’ AFRICAN BABOONS POLTICAL FIGHTS IDIOTS SHOW .
PARADISE HOTEL November 5, 2016
AHMED SALEH!!!
you said it all impressive and constructive comment. that is the fact but – hatela tarikh -exist . those twisted mind are looking a sort of division as last tool. good job brother.
Gezae November 5, 2016
What embargo are talking about?? Your so called embargo and sanction have been already dead from the very beginnings. You are just simply spending your precious time and money moving from here to there for demonstrations or what so ever. Eritrea is modifying its policies from time to time and seeking unconditional help whether from East, West or our neighbors Arab states. So that we appreciate the Arab states help any time now and then to build the country of braves.
Change has happened in much difficult circumstances. But of course democratic reform comes with intelligent and vibrant moves. However, getting real reforms are very challenging. Real reforms will only be possible if we have an escape from this old political shell. If we are aiming for a real and attainable democracy change.
Z. Hagos November 6, 2016
Gezae, you must be the Gezae (Isayas) who is causing all the wars in the horse of Africa and condemning the Eritrean people to harsh lives. As Gezae or the ruler, you are referring to the imposed embargo as the “so called embargo and sanction” because it is not you that is suffering. Enough that you are disregarding the sufferings the Eritrean children and mothers are being exposed to and enough that you ignoring the effect of the embargo, eventhough your Yemane monkey is speaking against it, the so call embargo. You must admit that you, as Gezae or the ruler, has failed the Eritrea people and forced the youth to leave the country, dying will crossing the border to freedom, dying in the deserts, and dying in the oceans.
Ginda November 5, 2016
Read below what it says, who would have guessed this few years back and during the madness of the Ghedli era. It is a fact now Eritrean native languages, history and identity were burned down, Eritrean peasants were rounded up and marched to wars, the Kunamas had suffered annihilation, young Eritreans are forced in an indefinite National Slavery, Eritreans are sold in Arab slavery, women have been subjected rape and sex slavery, Eritrean organs have been harvested in the Arab world but nobody among the imbecile Ghedli generation had predicted that Eritrean land would be occupied by the backward of the Arab world, i.e. the Muslim Wahabi family in Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and the Qatari. This an insult to Ghedli and the people who died, maimed and sweat.
Was the original aim of Ghedli to hand over Eritrean languages, identity, land and ports to the Arabs?
UN published article says: “Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had established a military presence in Eritrea as part of the Saudi-led campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which lies just 40 km (25 miles) across the Red Sea from the poor Horn of Africa nation.”
Z. Hagos November 6, 2016
The UN’s embargo is and should be directed at weakening the tyrant’s embargo against the Eritrean people. The UN knows that the tyrant’s ugly rule denies the Eritrean people their basic human rights and causes fear that condemns the people to starvation, imprisonment, disappearance and slavery. The tyrant has crushed all means of freedom including denying access to social media and access to bank accounts. The people have been forced to surrender all sources of means, monies under pillows, monies under mattresses, and monies in their pockets. The Eritrean people under the tyrant’s rule lost self-respect and dignity. All the people including the youth and the elderly are condemned to live in trenches dug along the border with Ethiopia, where life is harsh and the conscripts are forbidden to join their families ever again till death.
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The UN has condemned all the means the tyrant is using to cause panic in Eritrea and strengthen his repressive rule. To end all the hardships against the Eritrean people, the UN’s embargo should be expanded to all materials that the tyrant is getting from Qatar and Saudi Arabia in order to strengthen his grip and his tyranny. In place, the UN’s embargo should enforce measures that free the Eritrean people from the harsh control of the tyrant by imposing the rule of law and giving the people the right to full access to all the sales of the mined gold and others metals and spending all the sales monies on their basic needs, freeing the children, mothers and the elderly from starvation and diseases.
Yimesgen November 8, 2016
why the PFDJ die hard media enablers Meskerem.net and dehai.org never mention a democratic election in Eritrea, but try to present us with the US election race through their websites?