Asmara Eritrea June 02 2016 - Walking through Eritrea's 1952 - 2016 history

 

I planned to do some family visits in the morning, but on my way to Edaga Arbi I pass the Azmaro Pensione. I passed the small hotel a few days ago, and was invited for a short chat, because the hotel is managed / owned by a family with links to friends of mine living in Amsterdam. And as the Red Sea Pension is closed, the Azmaro Pensione might be a good candidate to replace the Red Sea Pension on our Eritrean information pages / hotel section.

I am welcome to review the hotel. Friendly staff shows me the two story, four wing hotel. Facilities are basic: 16 rooms with shared toilets and showers in every wing. All very modern and clean. I ask the manager how the visitors will find his hotel, and about the occupancy rate of the hotel. Proud he convinces me of the fact that the Sudanese know where to find good accomodation for a reasonable price. And so close - or even within - the center of Asmara.

Nevertheless I add the address data to my notebook, as I think the hotel is a good candidate to replace the Red Sea Pension.

In the small lobby of the hotel three women and a distinguished guest are drinking coffee (the typical Eritrean coffee ceremony). I am invited to join them. They ask me from what country I came, what brought me to Eritrea, and of course what I think about Eritrea and the Independence Day celebrations. No need to write down the details of my review of the celebrations. It was fantastic!

The only thing that worries me is the fact that I meet so many happy people in Eritrea celebrating their 25th Independence Day, and so many unhappy Eritreans in The Netherlands escaping their country. It changes the conversation into a political lesson of the distinguished guest. Basically it is a sharp condemnation of the United States and their role in the world's geo politics.

Watch the world for internal armed conflicts and it was the US that played a major role at the eve of the conflict. Removal of a dictator resulted in civil wars, breeding nests for ISIS or total anarchy. Here is the brief story of Eritrean history and the US geopolitical policy from 1952 up to Eritrea's 25th Independence Day: 

'From the point of view of justice, the opinions of the Eritrean people must receive consideration. Nevertheless the strategic interests of the United States in the Red Sea basin and considerations of security and world peace  make it necessary that the country has to be linked with our ally, Ethiopia.'

1952 words of US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, resulting in forceful federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia. 

1953-1958 The US arms Ethiopia in exchange for military bases in Eritrea.

1961-1991 Thirty years independence war. 65,000 Eritreans died / gave their life to restore justice and independence.

1993 Independence declared on May 24 after april 1993 referendum on Eritrea's political status.

1998-2000 Border incidents escalate into a border war. Ethiopia expels 76,000 Ethiopians of Eritrean origin. More than one million Eritrean civilians are displaced before a ceasefire is reached.

2001 UN peacekeepers patrol the border as the dispute goes to international arbitration.

2002 the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague published the conclusions of the EEBC that were 'final and binding'

2002-2016 Ethiopia refuses to give up their 'rights' on the disputed border territories stating that the EEBC conclusions are 'unfair' *). Ethiopia is challenging Eritrea by regular excursions on Eritrean territory. Strategic interests of the United States in the Red Sea basis is the US argument to support Ethiopia.The US proves to be an obstacle to the implementation of the EEBC conclusions. It was US calling the UN on imposing sanctions on Eritrea to force the country to kneel down.  The rest of the world does not care. Most of them even cannot point the location of Eritrea on the globe.

2015-2016 Many Eritreans leave their country: Addis Abeba > Sudan > Lybia > Italy. The formal arguments are the indefinite military conscription and the threat of a of a return to conflict with neighboring Ethiopia. The informal arguments: poverty, going for the easy money they will receive in the EU, attracted by the success stories of Eritreans that migrated to Europe, shared by modern social media. Sending out their children to the EU proves to be a good investment, as the kids will generate funds in the EU to support their parents in Eritrea, and assist others to migrate to the EU taking advantage of welcoming family reunion programs.

From the point of justice, the opinions of the Eritrean people must receive consideration. Nevertheless the strategic interest of the United States make it necessary that Eritrea kneels down, and accepts Ethiopian hegemony in East Africa. 

Result: around 200,000 Eritreans, or Ethiopians faking they are Eritreans leave their country. Begging for a smartphone from their Diaspora families, opening a Facebook account, checking the best options on the internet, and e-mailing, urging their Diaspora families to finance their trip, sometimes blackmailing their families telling them 'being kidnapped and tortured by Libyan smugglers'. When they arrive in the EU, it will help them to exaggerate their situation in Eritrea, or add some outright lies to support their request for asylum in the EU.

The world is mourning the many Eritreans that have drowned in the Mediterranean. Virtually nobody in the Western World mourned when 65,000 Eritreans lost their lives between 1961 and 1991 to restore justice and independence. Virtually nobody in the Western World mourned about the victims of the 1998-2000 border wars. Virtually nobody in the Western World care for the 6,000,000 Eritreans in Eritrea who suffer from US geopolitical interests, UN sanctions, and the 'no war no peace' stalemate.

  

Spaghetti & Pizza House - Harnet Avenue Asmara Eritrea.

Pensione Azmaro - Seraye Street Asmara Eritrea.

Eritrean Electric Corporation - Asmara Eritrea.

Alpha Builing - Warsay Street Asmara Eritrea.

Berhe Aiba Hotel & Night Club - Warsay Street Asmara Eritrea.

Road to Acrya - Edaga Hamus Asmara Eritrea.

Heavy duty private bus (Eribus Asmara) - Edaga Hamus Asmara Eritrea.

Barka Secondary School - Qohayto Street Asmara Eritrea.

Fiat Tagliero fuel station - Sematat Avenue Asmara Eritrea.

Ministry of Education - Harnet Avenue Asmara Eritrea.

Red Sea Trading Corporation - Asmara Eritrea.

  

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*) December 12, 2000 Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a peace agreement in Algiers, after a 2 1/2-year border war.

Article 4, sub article 15 reads as follows: “The parties agree that the delimitation and demarcation of the Commission shall be final and binding. Each party shall respect the border so determined as well as territorial integrity and sovereignty of the other party”.

On April 13th 2002 the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague published the conclusions of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission.

In September 2003 Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, formally informed the Security Council that Ethiopia rejected the decisions of the International Boundary Commission (arbitration of the International Court in the Hague). He declared the proposed 1 000 km international border drafted by the commission as "null and void".

This disrespect of Ethiopia for the decisions of the Court of Justice in The Hague has practically halted the peace process. Still the UN needs to live up to its responsibility of ensuring the implementation of the final and binding resolution of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's ruling on border delimitation.