An Eritrean journalist, Michael Abraha, quoted Ethiopian Prime Minister as saying that there will be more sanctions on Eritrea in a meeting with a group of intellectuals and professionals of that country.
Michale Abraha wrote on Sept. 14 that:
Addressing Eritrean professionals, intellectuals and political leaders in Addis Ababa on Friday, Prime Minister Meles reiterated that Eritrea posed a serious threat to the security of Ethiopia and to countries of the Horn Region. The Eritrean government was caught red-handed while plotting, executing, and overseeing subversive and terrorist acts on Ethiopia and its neighbors, Prime Minister Meles underlined. He was referring to Isaias’s reported plan to cause chaos and bloodshed in Addis Ababa in March when the African Union was holding a conference of heads of state in the Ethiopian capital.
He said tougher new UN sanctions will be slapped on the Eritrean regime as soon as the Security Council agrees on measures affecting foreign companies operating in the country.
The journalist also stated:
Asked by this reporter if Meles ever blames himself for what is wrong in Eritrea since he was once close to Isaias, he said “I did not create Isaias.” However, Meles said he did not believe Isaias would be good for post independent Eritrea given his record as liberation front leader in which he favored violent means to resolve conflicts and his lack of concern for human life.
The Prime Minister’s meeting with the Eritrean professionals was later reported in detail in the weekly press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Week in the Horn of Africa. In its Sept. 16 issue, the press release described the meeting as follows:
Eritreans discuss their country’s future
Last week, September 5th to 10th, a group of over sixty Eritrean intellectuals, professionals and other interested individuals, met in Addis Ababa for a seminar and a dialogue on the future of Eritrea. What was accurately described as a wide, diverse and representative group of Eritreans from civil society spent a week in discussions. Delegates came from all parts of the world and included a number of refugees now attending university in Ethiopia. Observers included leaders of a number of Eritrean political parties.
Participants set up four groups to focus on Diaspora affairs, the media, refugees and youth issues. They laid out strategies and tactics for an outreach campaign to encourage the struggle for democratic change particularly in the media, in the Diaspora and among the youth, the armed forces of the regime and other sectors of society, and agreed mechanisms to alleviate the plight of refugees. Among the tasks agreed on for participants was the formation of task forces to carry out various activities in the areas from which they came around the world. One of the aims of the debate was to encourage as many people as possible to participate in the upcoming Eritrean National Congress, likely to take place next month. Participants also assessed the performance of Eritrean political organizations in exile and the controversial nature of the regime in Asmara.
The seminar concluded with “The Addis Ababa Statement”: a damning indictment of the present government in Eritrea and “an urgent call to all Eritreans to remove the Totalitarian Regime and lay grounds for the creation of a free, just, democratic and united Eritrea”. The statement identified the sources of Eritrea’s current problems as being devoid of any of the characteristics of a government, being run without a constitution, with no independent judicial system, no institutions to control the president, no known national budget, no freedom of expression, religion or business. There is no functional cabinet, and even the ruling party does not hold congresses or elect its leaders: “the ‘yes men’ around the president allow him to run the country as his own property and treat the Eritrean people as his own servants.” The repressive regime has also failed to manage the diversity of Eritrea’s nationalities, languages and religions, misusing these to create enemies and antagonisms. Indeed it survives by constantly creating national and international enemies. It keeps the youth of the country hostage in endless military service. It has destroyed the University of Asmara. The regime has made Eritrea into a pariah state and one of the largest refugee producing countries in the world. “Hundreds of emaciated Eritreans cross the border into the neighboring countries every month.” In sum, the delegates concluded that Eritrea’s social-fabric was “in the process of destruction by a brutal totalitarian regime.”
The seminar also identified a number of common areas of understanding: Eritreans are the ultimate owners of their destiny; Eritrea is a multi-ethnic, cultural and religious society and its people “need to strive to create a free, just and democratic united country where all Eritreans are treated equally”; the regime is “totalitarian, monopolistic, chauvinistic and inhumane” and “does not represent any particular ethnic group”; the strategic alliance between the Eritrean and Ethiopian peoples in the struggle for democracy and for regional peace and security is important. The statement noted that participants appreciated the Ethiopian government commitment “in very clear terms to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Eritrea and its emphasis that it has accepted the border ruling of 2002 in writing to the Secretary-General of the UN. The Ethiopian Government is ready to demarcate the border through dialogue so that both peoples will enjoy lasting peace”.
The seminar commended everyone who has been struggling for justice, democratic governance and peace in Eritrea; it encouraged “all Eritrean individuals, civic societies and political opposition groups” to enhance their struggle, and commended the Eritrean Democratic Alliance and others outside this umbrella organization for their tireless efforts, and the Eritrean National Commission for Democratic Change for laying the groundwork for these seminars. It encouraged the Ethiopian government to continue its support to help Eritrea regain its dignity. The statement noted the concerns, even suspicions, of skeptics but stressed “we are convinced that positive engagement is the ultimate solution”. It said “we are confident that the Eritrean Democratic Alliance, the Eritrean National Commission for Democratic Change and the Ethiopian Government (and its people) will not disappoint us.” It called on all Eritreans to “focus on the biggest enemy of the Eritrean people: the ruling clique”, asking the “silent majority” to take their responsibility; and for supporters to stop backing “this evil regime”. In conclusion the seminar defined its mission as creating a united Eritrea where “there is no discrimination of nationalities, religions, languages and regions, …to create a country that is at peace with itself and with its neighbors, a country that is founded on democratic and accountable institutions rather than on the whims of egotistical and sadistic personalities.”
The meeting was addressed by Ato Bereket Simon, head of the Government Communications Office who emphasized that Ethiopia had no plan to impose its own political philosophy or system of government on Eritrea. He said it was up to Eritreans to bring about regime change but Ethiopia was ready to provide full support to the Eritrean people. Delegates also met with Prime Minister Meles who reiterated that Eritrea today posed a serious threat to the security of countries in the region. It had, he reminded participants, been caught red-handed plotting, executing and overseeing terrorist activities against Ethiopia and other neighbors. He said he expected tougher sanctions to be imposed on the leadership in Eritrea, and told delegates that the issue of Badme and the border depended upon guarantees for peace for the peoples of Ethiopia and Eritrea: the ball was in President Isaias’ court.
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Check the Eritrea Archive and the Eritrean Terrorism Archive for related posts.
