African Union Calls for Eritrea Sanctions

[Tweek]

Link (http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSLN608215)


ADDIS ABABA, May 23 (Reuters) - The African Union called on the United Nations late on Friday to impose immediate sanctions on Eritrea for supporting Islamist insurgents attempting to overthrow Somalia's government.

But Eritrean Ambassador Araya Desta said in a letter to the U.N. Security Council: "I wish to put on record my government's strong opposition to, and categorical rejection of, the unsubstantiated accusations levelled against my country."

Fighting in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Friday killed at least 45 people, the highest daily death toll in more than two weeks of intense battles, after government forces launched a dawn offensive on the Islamist militants. [ID:nLM978588]

"(The U.N. Security Council should) impose sanctions against all those foreign actors, both within and outside the region, especially Eritrea, providing support to the armed groups," the 53-member African Union (AU) said in a statement.

The statement echoed demands made on Thursday by the east African regional bloc, the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). IGAD is made up of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

Eritrea suspended its membership of IGAD in 2007.

President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's U.N.-backed administration is the 15th attempt in 18 years to set up central rule in Somalia. Neighbouring states and Western security forces fear the nation could become a haven for al Qaeda-linked militants unless the hardline Islamists are defeated.

Somalia's transitional government has said the insurgents had been joined by foreign fighters and were receiving arms from Eritrea.

The AU reiterated IGAD's request that the United Nations enforce a no-fly zone on Somalia and block its sea ports to prevent foreign fighters and arms from entering.

"(We want) the imposition of a no-fly zone and blockade of sea ports to prevent the entry of foreign elements into Somalia, as well as flights and shipments carrying weapons and ammunitions to armed groups inside Somalia," the statement said.

In an interview with Reuters on Friday, influential insurgent leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys said Eritrea supported the rebel struggle. He said a few Arab fighters had joined the rebels in the name of Islam. [ID:nLM978588]

Aweys returned to Somalia in April from exile in Eritrea. (Editing by David Clarke)



So basically Eritrea was fucked before. If this happens, they're really fucked. But their 'leader' (dictator) Afwerki would probably be ecstatic. I'm not trying to say that sanctions are completely unjustified, just that about 5,647,168 (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/er.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/er.html) people are going to suffer. Yes, I know: This is nothing new. ;) It just fills me with quite a bit of anger.

[Jon Lyrik]

Nobody cares about black people on here, apparently.

But yes, when 80% of the country is malnourished, I don't think sanctions will do much.

[Homyrrh]

Nobody cares about black people on here, apparently.

But yes, when 80% of the country is malnourished, I don't think sanctions will do much.
Uh, no, not really. You do? I thought my TV just had to be adjusted.

[Homyrrh]

Uh, no, not really. You do? I thought my TV just had to be adjusted.
Seriously, TIA.

[Tweek]

Uh, no, not really. You do? I thought my TV just had to be adjusted.

Hmmm. I think I understand your comment. I'd rather give you the benefit of the doubt and ask what the heck you mean?

[Homyrrh]

Hmmm. I think I understand your comment. I'd rather give you the benefit of the doubt and ask what the heck you mean?
It was cryptic, and poorly satirical. Jon Lyrik mentioned, rhetorically, that apparently no one cared about Africa. I was trying to convey an individual ignorance as a metaphor for the way in which the rest of the world views the forgotten continent. And from 'Blood Diamond', TIA. This is Africa. Non-African citizens of the world read the "Africa" section of the paper with as much concern as the local performing arts section. Much like any news about the latest bombing in the Middle East, the populace has become numb to the reality of Africa and her pain.

[jolanar]

I'd say most people have become numb to it simply because despite the massive amounts of aid and volunteer work it only ever seems to get worse. People feel like why should they help someone who can't help themselves?

At this point, most of the problems in Africa will only ever be solved by an actual army going in and removing the warlords from power and establishing a democracy (basically Iraq.) This will never happen though since America has neither the man power, money or will to do this. Not to mention a white army in Africa will reek with imperialism and would never go over well with the international community. This is one problem the US simply can't throw money at to fix, and since that's pretty much the only way we know how to fix anything it's not going to get fixed by us.

Until then most American's will just idolize Bono for his mission work in Africa as if it somehow relieves them of responsibility or guilt.

[Potter82]

I'd say most people have become numb to it simply because despite the massive amounts of aid and volunteer work it only ever seems to get worse. People feel like why should they help someone who can't help themselves?

At this point, most of the problems in Africa will only ever be solved by an actual army going in and removing the warlords from power and establishing a democracy (basically Iraq.) This will never happen though since America has neither the man power, money or will to do this. Not to mention a white army in Africa will reek with imperialism and would never go over well with the international community. This is one problem the US simply can't throw money at to fix, and since that's pretty much the only way we know how to fix anything it's not going to get fixed by us.

Until then most American's will just idolize Bono for his mission work in Africa as if it somehow relieves them of responsibility or guilt.

This.

Sadly the constant state of warfare, vast poverty, widespread sickness, ever present famines, etc. have become what most people expect of Africa. For instance, when you hear that a famine has struck the Congo or what have you, it's no longer shocking - it's just assumed to be business as usual.

I don't think people ignore Africa due to racism, it's just that there are so many damned problems facing much of the continent that many people have become completely desensitized to the suffering of it's people and feel completely powerless/helpless to do anything about it.

Jolanar is right when he says only a massive international humanitarian force which completely reforms the continent, by gun point, and which is accompanied by a humanitarian project unheard of in it's scope and cost, things won't change anything time soon - and there is ZERO will any where in the world right now to embark on such a massive "African Venture". Remember what happened when the US briefly intervened in Somalia during the early days of the Clinton administration? That and look at the very tepid/hesitant international response to the Afghanistan issue - and that is only one country, not an entire continent!

[Tweek]

I'd say most people have become numb to it simply because despite the massive amounts of aid and volunteer work it only ever seems to get worse. People feel like why should they help someone who can't help themselves?

If they could help themselves then there'd be no problem. Or am I misunderstanding you?

This.

Sadly the constant state of warfare, vast poverty, widespread sickness, ever present famines, etc. have become what most people expect of Africa. For instance, when you hear that a famine has struck the Congo or what have you, it's no longer shocking - it's just assumed to be business as usual.

It's sad when something has to shock and surprise to get people to care.


I don't think people ignore Africa due to racism, it's just that there are so many damned problems facing much of the continent that many people have become completely desensitized to the suffering of it's people and feel completely powerless/helpless to do anything about it.

I do agree with you. I think a good deal of it is how you've said, but there's no denying that there are people out there who are enjoying this suffering.

[Tweek]

From Thursday... (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090528/wl_africa_afp/somaliaunresteritrea_20090528122906)

MOGADISHU (AFP) – Accusations that Eritrea is supporting hardline insurgents in Somalia gained extra weight this week as two former top beneficiaries of that backing joined an international chorus.

President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and a former warlord both corroborated growing international accusations that Eritrea has been arming and bankrolling radical Islamist radicals in the long-drawn Somali conflict.

"We know for sure that the majority of the weapons in the hands of the insurgents are coming from Eritrea. Eritrea is very much involved here. We know that Eritrean officers come here and bring money in cash," Sharif told reporters on Wednesday.

His one time arch-rival-turned-ally Sheikh Yusuf Inda'Adde, buttressed the accusations with details of how Eritrea is shoring up the insurgents.

"The guns and weapons were coming from two countries at the time of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). We bought them from Yemen and Eritrea," said Inda'Adde, who along with his fighters this month joined the government forces.

"Once a whole plane came from Asmara and landed in Mogadishu carrying arms for us during ICU times," said the former defense secretary of the ICU, which battled the former Somali government.

"Still the Al Shebab are receiving money and weapons from Eritrea," he said, adding that the last time he took delivery of cash and weapons from Eritrea was early this year when Ethiopian forces pulled out of Somalia.

The African Union and the United States have in recent weeks blamed Eritrea for fanning the violence in Somalia, a country that has not known peace for nearly two decades.

A United Nations monitoring group on Somalia has long detailed how Eritrea supplies arms and cash to opposition forces in the country.

In its latest report it said the government of Eritrea, two countries it did not name and private donors in the Arab and Islamic world, were among the main sources of arms, in blatant violation of a 16-year-old UN arms embargo.

The latest rebel onslaught is led by the Shebab, an extremist faction accused of links to Al-Qaeda, and Hezb al-Islam, a more political radical group loyal to opposition leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys.

Before he was ushered into office in January through a UN-sponsored reconciliation deal, Sharif was aligned to Aweys.

They both went into exile in Eritrea when Ethiopian troops rolled into Somalia in late 2006 to buttress an embattled government against an Islamist movement then led by Sharif and Aweys.

Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke describes the onslaught on his government as a "coup attempt" blaming Eritrea of masterminding it.

The hardline Islamists, also believed to be propped up by hundreds of foreign jihadists, want to impose a stricter Sharia law in the lawless country.

Sharmarke said there must be up to 400 foreign fighters, the majority of whom Sharif says are from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Al Qaeda foreign fighters are also involved and I think it is going to continue. Time is not on our side," warned Sharmake.

Inda'Adde said the Shebab fighters were receiving more funding from Somalis in the diaspora and that the money was being funnelled through neighbouring Kenya.

"Mogadishu can easily receive one million dollars a day from Arab countries," he added.

A country of around 10 million, Somalia has had no effective central authority since former president Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted in 1991, setting off a bloody cycle of clashes.



:rolleyes: Jeez.

[Potter82]

If they could help themselves then there'd be no problem. Or am I misunderstanding you?

It's sad when something has to shock and surprise to get people to care.

I do agree with you. I think a good deal of it is how you've said, but there's no denying that there are people out there who are enjoying this suffering.

I agree, it is sad. To quote my favourite movie, Se7en; "Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention." Sad but true

Also, this famous non-movie quote sums up the phenomenon pretty well "the death of one is a tragedy, the death of a million is just a statistic" - Joesph Stalin