UNMEE Could Have Done Better JOB.
It is going to be about more than
four years since UNMEE started its patrolling the border between Ethiopia and
Eritrea. Mostly, the UNMEE think that thanks to them the border between
Ethiopia and Eritrea is quite. On the other hand, Eritrea and Ethiopia believes
that; it is not the UNMEE that is keeping order and tranquility, apart from few
incidences, but the good will of both countries to abide by the session of
hostilities signed in Algiers on December 2000 that helped to this time keep
the border from confrontations. Be it the UNMEE or the good will of Eritrea and
Ethiopia or the contribution of all concerned bodies, anyhow there is no
occasions that lead us to blame for not tranquil to this date. The most
important thing is the agreement of cession of hostilities is practiced
irrespective whom the praise is to be awarded.
UNMEE is going to be remembered
apart from patrolling the temporary security zone (TSZ) and de-mining the heavy
landmine areas, its notorious acts of producing porno films, abusing sexually
little girls and stealing precious antiques and smuggling it abroad for sale.
When UNMEE is residing in Eritrea, having helicopters for surveillance and
different trucks for transportation, what we don't forget is the smuggling and
trafficking of personals abroad for unknown sum of money payments.
UNMEE to be in Eritrea, without
contributing any accomplishment, the supposed intention of their stay, an inch
of the border demarcation is insane. That is not enough. To stay more than four
years without observing an inch of demarcation is an insult to their uniforms
and the helmets they are wearing daily on duty. They are not supposed to
demarcate the border, but as they are doing now when their flight is banned
pressing Eritrea to allow them have their flight, they could have done the same
to press Ethiopia to abide by the ruling of the international court to
demarcate the border.
When we hear that some time the
secretary general of UN vows to pull out from the TSZ and the other time about
30 countries who contributed personals to UNMEE talks about an action against
Eritrea at the UN enlightens us about the motive of their actions. We will be
forced to ask what for are they stationing first of all in that place? Do they
know that the buffer zone is entirely on the sovereign territory of Eritrea?
Isn't it supposed the buffer zone to be equally distanced from Ethiopia and
Eritrea? When Eritrea accepted the buffer zone to be entirely on Eritrean soil
it didn't mean the UNMEE to stay these long years. The intention was to give
room for the case to be settled at the international court and after the decision released to be
implemented and the demarcation to take place expeditiously. It is not with out
reason the statement demarcation to take place expeditiously
emphasized precisely.
Now we have the verdict by the
international court and the decision is final and binding. To this time neither
it be the UNMEE nor their heads at the UN were serious enough to take actions
to implement it. Time is elapsing, the prime Minster of Ethiopia Mr. Meles
Zenawi is buying time to afloat in the sinking boat of his authority. He made
use of having Badme at his hand to trick the mind of those people to cast for
him to be elected again. For Eritrea, it has become mental and energy drain.
Purposely did the supporters of Meles engaging Eritrea in unwanted
confrontations simply to derail from the legally actions that should have been
taken to insure stability and peace in that region.
Though it is a crystal clear fact
that only and only demarcation is the solution for the problem between Ethiopia
and Eritrea the concerned parties are twisting the issue to have other faces.
They are telling us; some time USA is concerned that its ally Ethiopia is land
locked and the other time they telling us the government of Meles is fragile
and it will not stay alive if it goes on with the demarcation. As for the
Ethiopia is land locked, it is not an issue for Eritrea. It is resolved by
blood and not by argument. Were not USA arming Ethiopia to keep Eritrea for the
sake of having outlets to sea? Didn't USA offered Eritrea as a sheep for
scarifies to fulfil its strategic interest? Yes they did it. At that time the
Eritrean people had nothing. USA armed Ethiopia with fighter jets, tanks,
warrior ships and large amount of
weapons and military equipment's, everything a support Ethiopia needed at that
time to eradicate the Eritrean population from the face of this world. USA did
everything Ethiopia to annihilate Eritrea. They said we need the land and not
the Eritrean people.
The Eritrean people survived by its
sweat and blood. The sons and daughters of Eritrea sacrificed, we this time
proudly say I am Eritrean. It is not with out reason we praise our heroes every
day and we remember them day and night. We light candles and pay tribute on 20th
of June every year believing that what they did for us is monumental. I think
it is appropriate time to tell for those who are mocking to the Eritrean people
being it New York or Addis Ababa the so called UN or diplomats they to realize
that Eritrea is a land of sweat and blood and it is not a land formed by gifts
from western countries.
Eritrea did its best to accommodate
and give services as guests for UNMEE as long as they reside in its territory.
They used to invite their families and friends so that they enjoyed of not
being lonely. As time goes on for UNMEE became excursions staying in Eritrea.
It has became a privilege as UNMEE member to count on salaries and a stay away from
this rubbish world as safe heaven in Eritrea. They forgot that they too should
shout as they are doing now against Eritrea the demarcation to take place
expeditiously.
There should be made a mention about this word what the call is "dialogue". This word has become a disguised to the motives what the Meles's clique, USA and the UN's are looking for. Even they don't tell us what is about to talk. They can not say explicitly the talk is about implementing the verdict of the boundary commission. If it is meant the dialogue is solely for this purpose, then that is not a problem. Because it is clearly stated in the boundary commission's decision that the parties should talk how to resolve if problem arises during the demarcation. In the document of the boundary commission is given examples how Israel and Egypt resolved their differences during the demarcation on their border. It says that the last pole was difficult to be put on place as the decision was all the poles should be at equal distance from each other. At that time Egypt and Israel made a dialogue and resolved it. They agreed the last pole to be erected little bit longer than the others. This is what is called dialogue during the demarcation. But now, in the case of Eritrea and Ethiopia we don't see a problem arisen in the demarcation, as the demarcation is not started at all. So what kind of problem is to be dialogued.
They tell us; it is not only about
the demarcation. There are other issues to be discussed as well. What other
issues could possibly not discussed between Ethiopia and Eritrea is difficult
to guess. If they tell us they didn't discussed about to launch a spaceship to
send men to Jupiter is, probably it could be an interesting topic to have a
dialogue about it. Otherwise, they did had a common commission between Eritrea
and Ethiopia that deals on dialogue that concerns both countries. They were
dialoguing some times in Asmara the other time in Addis Ababa and sorted out
all issues that can be dialogued. In fact they were spending ample of time they
exhausted all talks. They became feed up with the talk and finally settled the
issue by arms on ground. The talks are finalized. In fact this time it is
appropriate to go directly for demarcation and see what the problems are
practically. As for the theoretical dialogue there is nothing to be added to
what the already dialogued which the documents are at the shelf of both
governments. For record, those who are advocating dialogue like Mr. Kofi Annan,
if thy have time, I mean good time they can take the documents and having a
good super with coffees at a table they can research what is dialogued between
Eritrea and Ethiopia.
In conclusion, Eritrea needs this
time its border demarcated and the UNMEE leave Eritrea with dignity. The time
elapsed is not short and the stay of UNMEE inside Eritrean territory only is
not fair. It shows the partiality of the UN how they are treating Eritrea as a
sovereign country. The UN has to ask itself for what purpose is serving their
surveillance to the movement of Eritrea being in Eritrean territory and let
Ethiopia concentrate forces and arms leaving Eritrea in danger. Eritrea did managed
before against all odds. What about now?
Tesfamicael Yohannes
Oslo, Norway.