The United Nations Security Council passed new sanctions against Eritrea on Monday, punishing the tiny country in the Horn of Africa for its continued political, financial, training and logistical support to Al Shabaab, the radical Islamist militant group in Somalia an allegation which Eritrea denies. But with sanctions as weak as these, there's not much incentive for Eritrea to change its ways.
Helping the Security Council make up its mind to impose new sanctions on Eritrea were officials from five of Eritrea's neighbours, who spoke via video link from Addis Ababa. But it was Ethiopia, Eritrea's mortal enemy, that really enjoyed putting the boot in.
Said Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi: "Eritrea is a prime source of instability for the whole region. It's a problem of attitude, of a certain clique in Asmara [Eritrea's capital] that has never grown up; it's a problem of lawlessness and reckless disregard for international norms."
Initially, the sanctions proposed by Gabon, enjoying their temporary seat on the Security Council were tough, envisaging a complete ban on mining investment in mining imports from Eritrea.
This would have hurt the regime of President Isaias Afwerki badly, as his desperately poor country is rumoured to be on the verge of a mineral boom that could turn its economy around.
But the big boys on the Security Council in this case China, Russia and the USA weren't interested in such harsh measures, voicing concerns about punishing the Eritrean people as a whole.
But most likely they were thinking more pragmatically, unwilling to cut off potentially lucrative opportunities.
In the end, the new sanctions barely added to those already in place, which include a freeze on weapon sales to Eritrea and travel bans and asset freezes on selected officials.
The new measures, passed with 13 positive votes and two abstentions, reiterate the existing sanctions, and encourage mining companies involved in Eritrea to exercise "vigilance" to ensure they're not helping to destabilise the region.
They're a slap on the wrist for Eritrea, but nothing more. The UN will need to get a lot tougher if it's serious about reining in Afwerki's regime. DM
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ADDIS AND ASMARA BOTH NEED TO GROW UP. THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY AND ERITREA SHOULD BE A BIG PART OF EAST AFRICA. IT SEEMS THAT STUBBORNESS RELATES OR TRANSLATES TO FOLLY. WHY SHOULD THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA BE DIVIDED WITH CONTINUAL DISPARITY AND FRIVILOUS PETY ANOMISITIES. AFRICA TODAY HAS BEEN ABUSED BY FOREIGNERS THEY CAME THEY SAW THEY DESTROYED THEY EXPLOITED THEY PLUNDERED THEY MARAUDED WHY IS IT SO TOUGH WHENTHE THE "ALMIGHTY GOD" HAS GIVVEN THIS TO YOUR POSSESSION TO BUILD SEW GRTEAT SEEDS AND PAY HOMMAGE TO "THE ONE KING." , WHY ARE YOU DENYING THE FORWARD WAY THAT IS BEING PUT BEFORE YOU. THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR YET ALONGSIDE FAMINE THERE IS HOPE. ERITREA HAS FOUND TO BE RICH WITH RESOURCES. THE TOTAL ECONOMIES OF EAST AFRICA WOULD BOUND WITH IMMENESE TREASURES FOR THE EAST AFRICAANS. YET BECAUSE OF STUPIDITY AND THE LOVE OF SATAN THE DEVIL WHO IS FORCING THE HANDS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO CONTIUE TO SETTLE CONFLICTS WITH THE GUNS HE SUPPLIES YOU. IS NOT THE MOST AMAZING THING ON THE PLANET THESE STUPID LITTLE BLACK MEN IS WHAT WE CALL THOSE WHO ARE BEING WRAPPED UP TO BE ABUSED THESE ARE THEY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAMPLE THE SODOMY THAT THE WEST IS KEEN TO REFER THEM TO. HERE WE HAVE UNBELIEVERS THEY THE ETHIOPIANS DO NOT KNOW THEIR OWN HISTORY.THIS IS NOT ABOUT HISTORY WE WONT REFER T THE POPOF ROME ORDEREING MUSOLINI TO PILLAGE AND ATTACK ADDIS. MWE WONT ATLK OF THE GREAT KING HAILE SELASIE1 "WHO ASTOUNDED THE WORLD AND STOOD UP TO THIS WORLD POWER AT THE TIME. HE SAT BEHIND HIS MACHINE AND DEFENDED THIS GREAT PLACE. TODAY IT IS AFRICAS CAPITOL. THIS PREVILEDGE IS NOT HERE BY CHANCE THESE THINGS ARE BY DESIGN. WHY ISIT THAT WHITE MEN HAVE TO TALK AND SETTLE THE MANS' PROBLEMS. WHY AREN;T YOU ASKED TO HELP IN THE CURRENT EUROPEAN PROBLEM / EVERYTHING TAKING PLACE IN AFRICA YOU RUN TO YOUR SUPERIOR S FOR ADVICE. WHO IN AFRICA IS A LEADER WHO ARE THE PEOPLE BEING SUBORDINATED TO WHY ARE THEY. THE PEOPLE ARE LOOKINGFOR WIZE INTELLECT THOSE WHO ARWE VISIONARIES WHO WANTS TO SEE THEM EMPOWERED AD ABLE TO STAND ALONE. INSTEAD AFRICAN PEOPLE ARE APWANS BY UNSRUPULOUS STUPID LITTLE MEN WHO SELL OUT THE PEOPLE IN AWINK. THEY ARTE MORE THAN JUST CORRUPT THEY ARE RIDICULOUS. ADDIS ABABA IS TO BE USED AS THE HEAD OF ALL AFRICAN PROGRESS AND REDRESS. ADDIS IS THE HEAD OF THE AFRICAN BRAIN STORMING THE RIGH OF WAY FOR DISCUSSUSIONS BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS. AFRICANS ARE FAMILY THEY MUST LEARN TO STAY IN ADDIS UNTIL THE BROTHERS HAVE SAT DOWN AND REFLECTED DEEPLY ON WHERE THEY ARE ON THE PLANET AND WHAT THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS MEAN. THESE NATIONS OF SIX OR SEVEN MUST TRULY DETERMINE WHAT IT IS THEY NEED TO DO ASSURE THEMSELVES THAT THEY ARE BEING TRUTHFUL AND WHAT STEPS COULD BE TAKEN TO ASSURE THAT THEY REMAIN IN WORD AND BOND TO EACH OTHER. THEY MUST COME TO UNITE SO THE PEOPLE WHOM LIVE IN THE RE4GION CAN HAVE FAITH THEY CAN TRUST THEIR"LORD AND KING THE ALMIGHTY GOD" AT THE END THIS THE ONLY ONE WHO COUNTS. "HE" THE "ONE LORD AND MASTER2 HAS GIVEN TO YOU WEALTH IN ABUNDANCE SO THAT THEY THE PEOPLE WHOM HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH PESTILENCE FAMINE HUNGER STARVATION CAN EASE THEIR BURDENS. THIS IS "GODS" EARTH AND HE GIVES TO THOSE WHOM "HE" WILLS THIS IS NOT TO BE ABUSED BY FOREIGNERS WHILE THEY AND YOU BECOME FAT THE PEOPLE REMAIN LEAN. THIS IS NOT THE WAY FORWARD AND ITS BNOT MEANT TO BE. THE RICHES THAT IS YOURS IS FOR THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE BEEN SEEN WANTING AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH. ALL OF AFRICA HAS BEEN BLESSED ."THE LORD OF THIS WORLD AND ALL OTHERS" HAS GIVEN TO THOSE WHOM HE FOUND WORTHY, "HE2 HAS NOT CHSEN YOU TO BE THE DISTRIBUTORS TO THOSE WHOM TAKE WHILE THE PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN MISERY. HOW CAN YOU MAKE OTHERS JOYFUL AND HEARTY WHILE YOUR PEOPLE WHOM HAVE BEEN GIVEN THESE GIFTS ARE BEING ROBBED. THE CONTINUED CONFLICTS IN THE REGION IS OF SATAN . SATAN CONTINUES TO ARM YOU HE CONTINUES TO PROVOKE YOU HE EMBELISHES THE FACT THAT YOU ARE SO CONTROLABLE. YOUR IDOLATORY IS BEING RECORDED THE THINGS YOU DO AND HOW THAT YOU SEEM TO NOT HEAR THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPETS. THEY ARE BLARING LOYUD AND CLEAR YET YOU EMBRACE THE DEVIL AS IF HE IS YOUR KING. THERE IS ONLY ONE KING AND SATAN IS NOT IT."THESE UNENDING WARS THAT IS THE DEVILS OWN MAKING KEEPS GOING WITHOUT RESOLUTION. WHY? THE DEVIL YOU KNOW WHO CONTINUES TO CONVINCEW YOU THAT WAR IS RIGHT AND PEACE IS WRONG. HAS IT NOT BEEN WRITTEN THAT WHEN THE PROPHESSIES ARE BEING REVEALED THAT ALL THAT WAS HIDDEN IN THE DARK WOUL REVEAL IN THE LIGHT HAS IT NOT BEEN TOLD THAT ALL THAT IS RIGHT WOULD NOW BE CONSIDERED WRONG. HOW MUCH MORE EVIDENCE DO YOU NEED, THE PEOPLE HAVE COME TO THE ENLIGHTENED FACT THAT THE ONLY WAY FORWARD IS THROUGH "PEACE" "PEACE" IS THE PROCLAMATION OF THE "KING " WA SAALAMWHT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU. THERE IS NO DIGNIFICATION IN WAR THSI THE DEVILS IDEOLOGY THIS WHAT HE DOES TO DESTROY THE BOND OF BROTHERS. ADAAM WAS WIZE IN HIS TEACHINGS AS HE WAS THE FIRST PROPHET . HE TOLD US OFD HIS TWO SONS AND HOW SATAN CAME TO DESTROY THEIR LOVE AS HE HAD ALSO SMITTEN EVE AND CONVINCED HER TO FORNICATE. THE TRAGEDY IS THAT WHEN EVR SATAN BECOMESTHE HEAD OF THE FAMILY THERE IS GREIF AND THE END IS NEVER BEAUTIFUL. IT IS TIME TO TAKE UP THE OFFER OF THE "ALMIGHTY GOD" "OUR CREATOR" "HE" IS MOST POWERFUL "HE IS MOST VIGILLANT "HE" NEVER BREAKS HIS WORDS" "HE" IS THE " PROTECTION FROM THE ONE THAT IS MOST CUNNING THE ONE WHOM YOU FEAR! MANY TRY TO RIDICULE THE TIME WHAT IS AT HAND THEY SPEAK ABOUT DOOMS DAY AND THE END OF THE WORLD THIS WE WILL NOT SEE THAT WOULD BE SO FAST THAT IT WOULD TRANSPIRE IN A BREATH. WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS PROPHESY THE END OF THE WICKED MEN THOSE THAT TYHINK THEY ARE SO MIGHTY AND HIGH. THEY THAT ARE CONSUMED BY GREED ANDCORRUPTION IS THEIR AND BRIBERY IS HEIR LEGACY. THEY PROFANE RELIGOUSLY THEY BLASPHEME WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS THEY LIVE FOR ALL THAT IS EVIL THEY ARE THE HATERS OF HUMANITY . THEY DOWN PRESS THEY SUPPORT CORYDOWNTION"THESE ARETHEY OF THE SYNAGOGUES OF SATAN THAT JESUS THE GREAT AND RIGHTEOUS PROPHET SPOKE OF. ITS TIME TO BE WISZE AND PROFIT FROM THE GIFTS BEFORE YOU THESE ARE THE PEOPLES TO ALLEVIATE THEIR SUFFERING DONOT BE FOOLED
ras sideeq,
Have you thought about righting YOUR OWN Analyst or Article - instead of writing a comment (in the COMMENT SECTION) that is MUCH MUCH BIGGER than the article itself???!!!???