Eritreans believed and hoped to see statements, decisions and actions that reflected justice, the rule of law and policies that can empower the people of the Horn. They also believed the international system will assist them toward a vision, a vision that could incorporate them and make them full partners in the Global Village. However, expectations, hopes, desires, wishes and prayers have turned into hopelessness and despair as a result of US policies that are ill conceived and outright destructive.

As a result of US policies and its incompetent custodians i.e. Dr. Janday Frazer, Americans are contributing to one of the greatest tragedies unfolding in the Horn of Africa today. Millions of Somalis are displaced and thousands are dying meaningless death. The social fabric of Somalia is unraveling without hope; their history is being written in blood ink to stain future relationships amongst them and with their neighbor countries. Kids are growing malnourished without any education and with tragic war related scars and scarred memories. Indeed, this is a true testament that the so called “international community” led by the US have failed to help ensure basic security for Somali mothers so that they can rear children into a world body to become full contributors to the so called Global Village. In the process people lose a sense of identity, grow negative and bitter about the international systems and the World around them. Sad commentary for America(ns) the Super Power.

While the Somali situation represents the worst case scenario, the fate of Eritrea would have been the same in the hands of the US backed mercenary regime in Ethiopia led by Meles Zenawi if Eritrea was not capable to defend herself.

In order to avoid war and bloodshed, with clear understanding of the ramifications, buttressed by a history and legacy of armed struggle; Eritreans in the US lobbied the US State Department, US congress and appealed to the Whitehouse hard. After the war broke out in May of 1998, Eritreans camped at the US Capitol grounds and appealed to any one who can listen. Mothers spent all night on the Capitol camp-grounds praying. Eritreans demonstrated in front of the Whitehouse and the State Department at critical junctures. They held lobbying drives and participated in election campaigns to put in office congressional representatives with favorable attitudes. Eritreans schemed, wrote letters and talked to friends who knew friends in higher places, in other words, did all they can to influence key players. In one occasion Eritreans set up a traditional coffee ceremony at the late Congressman Henry J. Hyde’s offices, a first traditional coffee ceremony in US congressional offices, a history on its own merit. Regardless of the emotional rollercoaster and constant rebuffing by US officials Eritreans never gave up hope.

In February of 2006 on a picturesque snowy day, a moment that will remain seared in the minds Eritreans particularly Eritrean youth for years; Eritrean youth organized one of the most moving demonstrations in Washington DC in front of the Whitehouse and the State Department. Thousands of Eritreans came from all around the United States and Canada to participate. For many Eritreans it was a proud moment because this young nation of a small population managed to present a united face in order to plead for justice and the rule of law. The line of the demonstrators stretched from the Whitehouse Lafayette Park grounds into the Lincoln Memorial grounds. The crowd was so big that the State Department asked the participants to congregate on the Lincoln Memorial campgrounds.

The State Department sent Ambassador Donald Yamamoto to address the crowd. Ambassador Yamamoto was appeasing, and said all the right things that the crowd wanted to hear. He stated his commitment to the Algiers agreement and border demarcation based on EEBC directives. In other words, he appeared to have a positive posture regarding the situation and gave his commitment to a peaceful resolution to the dispute. Eritreans believed Ambassador Yamamoto and invited him to attend the annual Eritrean festival in DC in August of 2006 which he attended with his wife and daughter. A short time there after however, Ambassador Yamamoto was approved by the US Congress to be the US Ambassador in Ethiopia and became a good custodian of poor US policies in Africa. He swears by the Meles Zenawi regime and he aggressively pursues a policy that places Addis Ababa as the center for African affairs that the US can manipulate. Ambassador Yamamoto is one Meles Zenawi’s best friends in the US.

The Parallels

Americans always pursue US policies purely based on interests. The policies are selfish, greedy and based on geopolitical domination. It is racist policy that is not based on justice or freedom. The history of the Americans in our region is full calamitous injustices that mired the region into a cycle of violence. The US will pursue an agenda that is counterproductive regardless of the consequences, long term negative implications and results are in Somalia or Eritrea.

In many respects, Eritrea and Somalia share a history that mirrors one another almost identically. They both experienced a legacy of Italian, British colonial past and the Cold War legacy that left a crippled region. Similarly, they both experience an aggressive neighbor in Ethiopia always obedient to foreign powers and leaders that always possessed a destructive warrior-mentality with foreign handouts, at the expense of starving children and with tragic consequences to all involved. That was true for Haile Sellassie, Mengistu Hailemariam and it is truer with Meles Zenawi. In fact the TPLF regimes genocidal human rights records and uncontrollable criminal ways have become a cause for major concern that American law makers are questioning the Bush administration’s military assistance to Ethiopia. Here is a quote from a letter sent by Senator Russell Feingold of Wisconsin to Secretary Condoleezza Rice asking for clarification and questioning the reasoning to the support of the brutal Meles regime in Addis Ababa;

“As the bipartisan 9/11 Commission found, “[o]ne of the lessons of the Cold War was that short-term gains in cooperating with the most repressive and brutal governments were too often outweighed by long-term setbacks for America’s stature and interests.” While there may be extraordinary circumstances where specific threats to U.S. interests justify targeted military assistance despite gross human rights violations, those circumstances should not be the norm and the President must clearly spell them out to Congress. I would appreciate a detailed explanation of why certifications of extraordinary circumstances are not required for Chad and Ethiopia.”[Read letter in PDF]

While the Senator made important observation regarding the human rights abuses by Meles Zenawi, he conveniently left-out human rights abuses in Somalia and the breach of the rule of law by rejecting the EEBC decision, major source of instability in the area.

The Somalis are left with no option but to struggle against an ill conceived occupation financed by the US in the same manner Eritrea fought for independence. To their credit the Somali’s are showing a great deal of resilience and they are winning the war. Ethiopia is in the verge of collapse with loosened joints and brittle bones as a result of decades of servitude to Western powers. Millions of Ethiopians are ill affected by starvation, diseases, death and war related injuries by leaders that failed them time and again!

A defining Parallel

After the USS Cole bombing in October of 2000 in Yemen, the port of Aden and the 9/11terrorist attacks, the US imposed itself on Pakistan and Yemen to stop “terrorism.” However, both Pakistan and Yemen are experiencing violence that is leading both countries into major instability. And as the famous American idiom goes, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. It is Ironic if not laughable to witness Ethiopia, a country that owes its very existence to Western handouts use the same strategy albeit phony and trumped up, to use tactics the US uses to rally support and wage wars against her neighbors in Eritrea and Somalia with disastrous results.  

While the current situation in Somalia is dire, it is not without hope. In many respects, what Meles’s regime did could have a galvanizing effect and an opportunity for Somali people to unite and work with one aim, free their country. It is time to find points of unity and reasons to come together in order to rebuild their country free from imposed influence of foreign powers. This is an opportunity for the Somali people to seize a moment, a moment that is tilting more in their favor for many reasons. It is truly a historic moment, because if they use this time to educate, organize and arm the Somali public and if they can put the people and children of Somalia ahead of political and personal interest, they will succeed. It is a proven strategy, a strategy that worked for Eritrea. The Somali elders and leaders must work together to try to provide services and means for the people of Somalia even while they struggle against Ethiopia.

While it is becoming clear that Somalia will become viable, in fact as shocking as this may sound to some, it is conceivable for Somalia to be in a much stronger position than Ethiopia in short term simply because of one advantage, access to sea; but that will happen when Somalis decide to put Somalia first.

This is critical and a defining moment to warrant Somali Unity because the threat of the repeat of Cold War is on the horizon. The Russians have decided to bring their ships into the Somali coast a clear indication of an active reengagement in the area. In addition, it is clear that the Western powers are yet to give up on their colonial bite. While it is important to focus on the occupying power Ethiopia, it is crucial to look at the bigger picture because a lack of focus would mean a repeat of history at the expense of the future of Somalia and definite lose of freedom for the Somali people for the foreseeable future.

There is a great deal of attention directed at Somalia by the international powers as they juxtapose for the strategic location and fight for exploitation of the rich resources of Somalia and the region as a whole. This presents a timely opportunity for the Somali people in many fronts: To show that they can unite for the good of Somalia and promote Somalia by giving one message .To show the world that they can stand on their own, correct their image for good and to handle their affairs on their own. To reestablish their countries social, institutional and physical infrastructures; show they can defend Somalia successfully particularly if they can defeat Ethiopia. And most importantly to show they are fed up of the damage the West inflicts upon the Somalis and demonstrate to the world they will not tolerate it any more; and prove that they are viable citizens of the world. Because Somali are in this position in large part due to negative foreign interference.

The role of the Diaspora Somalis must parallel that of the Eritreans in the US and around the world. What Eritreans were able to accomplish is unparalleled. In the most crucial moments of Eritrea, Eritreans play many roles; they are the ambassadors, financiers, motivators, lobbyists and defenders of Eritrea. They are the agents that promote Eritrea to the world. They keep the story, cultural norms, traditions and the history of Eritrea no matter where they are. They reinforce unity in Eritrea while they provide linkage to young generation of Eritreans abroad.

The story of the trials and tribulations of Eritreans is the story of strength. Historically, Eritreans and Somalis always stood together in good and bad times. This is one time to come even closer to cultivate a deeper relationship because there is always strength in numbers. One of the reasons why Eritreans were unable to influence US policies towards the Horn is because of their small population. For the Somalis to affect change they must unite with Eritreans and other peace loving people. Unite to bring respect, prosperity and most importantly be missionaries for PEACE for the region, because their people depend on it for their survival! SEGUM!

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