Eritrea Identified With Active Terrorism and Politics of Destabilization

Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Thu, 09/20/2007 - 10:37. africa al qaeda eritrea ltte terrorism

Prof Dr Colonel (retired) K Prabhakar Rao

Eritrea is a tiny North East African nation close to Ethiopia. It overlooks the Gulf and strategically thus important too. It has Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan as immediate neighbors. It has long coast line of Red sea. The Eritrean War of Independence (1961 - 1991 ) was a conflict fought between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists, both before and during the Ethiopian Civil War. The war went on for 30 years until 1991 when the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), having defeated the Ethiopian forces in Eritrea, took control of the country. In April 1993, in a referendum supported by Ethiopia, the Eritrean people voted almost unanimously in favor of independence. Formal international recognition of an independent and sovereign Eritrea followed later the same year (1). Thus, another warring nation was born in horn of America adding to chaos, confusion and instability in a volatile region and strategically very important due to approach to Suez Canal, the link between Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Daya Gamage, US National Correspondent writing in Asian Tribune reported that A United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee report revealed that the Government of Eritrea was providing direct military assistance to Sri Lanka’s separatist Tamil Tiger rebels. The Senate report did not generalize that military assistance was coming from ‘Eritrea’ but authoritatively says ‘Government of Eritrea’ providing ‘direct military aid’ to the Sri Lankan rebels. This is the first occasion that an influential and powerful senate committee such as foreign relations has arrived at a conclusion when discussing the Tamil Tiger activities in Sri Lanka and the threat that it posses to this South Asian island-nation‘s territorial integrity, sovereignty and her near-six decade old democratic system in identifying a member nation of the United Nations providing military aid against another member of the same World Body which has a legitimate democratically elected government to facilitate a rebel group fighting for a separate state. The then chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar, now the Ranking Member of the same committee after the Democratic majority in the Senate took over the control of all committees of the Senate in January 2007, made the findings of his staff available for Congressional record on 15 December 2006 with copies to the White House, State and Defense Departments (2).

The international community is fully cognizant of the fact that the Eritrean Government is perpetrating terrorist activities aimed at destabilizing the region. It will be recalled that the Report of the UN Security Council Monitoring Team on Somalia exposed that the Eritrean Government has been training, organizing and providing weapons to terrorist groups in Somalia. The anti-peace activities conducted in Somalia by the Eritrean regime in collaboration with Afghan trained al-Qaeda extremists, the like of Colonel Hassan Dahir Aweys, Abdellah Al-Sudani, Adan Hashi Ayro, Muktar Robo and other extremists was thwarted by the Ethiopian Defense Forces. It is clear that the Eritrean regime is bent on reorganizing the remnants of the Islamic Courts in order to send them in yet other terrorist missions. Thus, it has become manifestly evident that the Eritrean regime not only supports and propounds terrorism but is also directly involved in active terrorism (3)

Eritrea, as a young nation with 50% Christian and 50% Moslem population and located in the strategically important and volatile Red Sea region as stated and has been in the front line fighting all types of well financed radical Islamists. These individuals and groups were coming from Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and from far away places such as Afghanistan and Pakistan to impose their version of Islam on the tolerant and visionary Eritrean Moslems ( Some claim Eritreans are tolerant). Even though these externally financed terrorist groups killed some innocent European tourists and experts, because of the determination and vigilance of the Government and the people of Eritrea, they were not able to penetrate Eritrean society and destabilize the country. Their agents and riff raffs were also uprooted from all parts of Eritrea. Thus it is seen that a section of critics and writers are of opinion that certain agencies are carrying out negative propaganda against the tolerant Eritrean people and nation. It is claimed that Christian religious fundamentalists too are up in the game and are crying hoarse that Christian population in Eritrea is being persecuted. Sophia Tesfamariam writing on Biddho.com claims that one such radical Christian fundamentalist, Todd Nettleton of the Voice of the Martyrs, someone who also entered Eritrea twice, pretending to be a “humanitarian worker” unabashedly told a Los Angeles reporter in July of 2004:

“…We don’t see persecution as a problem that we can protest or help or make it go away it is always going to occur, because Christ promised it would… Our mission is to fellowship with those enduring persecution, support them when and where we can and be a blessing to them. In turn, we are blessed with their testimonies of Gods faithfulness…”

It is claimed that This latest coordinated attack by some externally financed and recruited radical Christians on the people of Eritrea, their traditional institutions and cultures, their beliefs and understandings, is as dangerous and destructive as the radical Islamist aggression. It is not a new phenomenon, nor is it unique to Eritrea; religious wars and crusades have destroyed many cultures and traditions in the past (4). Eritrean government faces serious charges of religious persecution of certain minor protestant religions. Two years ago the Eritrean government introduced a registration system for religions which forced groups to submit information about them in order to be allowed to worship. Jehovah witness and Pentecost church followers are seriously persecuted. It is claimed that followers of these religions are not permitted to practice their faith and to pray. They are taken into custody while praying beaten black and blue. Eritrean government agencies claim that these sects are indulging in anti national activities and working for foreign powers hinting at USA. The government seems to have decided that anyone who does not follow a certain standard is an enemy of the people and is an enemy of the state. It is afraid that people who consider their highest allegiance to be God, at some point may not be patriotic and follow the state's instructions. There is other side of the coin too. Some are of firm view that Eritreans are allowed to practice any kind of religion so long as it is in conformity with the law of the land. The problem arises only when some religious groups such as Jehovah’s witness and Pentecost church followers refuse to abide by the law (i.e. do the national service). And those groups cannot be exempted to do their national duties for it would be unfair on those who do their duties, besides it would be open to abuse. Furthermore, Eritrea (a nation of 4 million) can not afford to scrub the National Military Service because of the tension with Ethiopia over the border (5).

Although Eritrea is separated from Ethiopia, it still pursues anti Ethiopian policies. It is akin to policy of Pakistan with respect to India. Currently, in an attempt to increase nationalism mood in Eritrea and to provoke Ethiopia one more time; the Eritrean government is sparking another war in southern Somalia. It is yet another war started by the young government of Eritrea which was ironically originally supported by the Ethiopian government. Involvement of Eritrea in this regard is indicated by the ministry of external affairs of Ethiopia in a statement issued on indicated that the army recently has taken all the legal measures deemed essential to stop terrorist acts perpetrated by this group in discharge of its responsibility to safeguard the peace and national security of the country and its people.

"All operations of the Ethiopian Defense Forces have been successful in this regard; cross-border arms trafficking and contraband has been put under effective control. The ruinous terrorist activities of the ONLF have been, by and large, curtailed," the ministry said in a statement.

The statement said the "terrorist group" allies itself with the defunct Union of Islamic Courts and the Eritrean Government in committing heinous activities to achieve their common goal of destabilizing the country and the region as whole ( 6).

The tense situation in Eritrea has resulted in issuing of warnings to the western travelers visiting Eritrea and immediate neighborhood. They are strongly advised not to travel to the regions bordering Ethiopia and Sudan. Tensions remain high along Eritrea's closed border with Ethiopia following restrictions imposed by the Eritrean government in October 2005 on the UN peacekeeping mission monitoring the border. Recent conflict in Somalia has sharpened tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Bomb attacks have occurred near Eritrea's border with Sudan. Conflict in neighboring countries could spill over into Eritrea, particularly along the border with Ethiopia ( 7). Thus Eritrea is considered as hot bed of terrorist activities against western nationals and interests.

Somalian fundamentalist outfits too influence Eritrean politics greatly. The Eritrean regime has involved itself in Somalia with the objective of opening another front against Ethiopia by directly assisting the faction of Hussein Aideed, the Oromo Liberation Front ( OLF) and also Al-Ittihad and the radical ONLF faction whose aims hinge at destabilizing the whole Horn of Africa. The Eritrean Government's ploy were openly alluded to by the US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Dr. Susan Rice, in her report to the house Africa sub-committee on the "US policy option in the Horn of Africa", dated 26 May 1999, in which affirmed that" we are concerned by credible reports that Eritrea has delivered large qualities of weapons and munitions to self-proclaimed Somalia President Hussein Aideed for the use of a violent faction of the Oromo Liberation Front. The terrorist Organization Al-Ittihad may also be an indirect recipient of these arms" ( 8). The ideology of Al-Ittihad Al-Islamia movement is rooted in the puritan (Salafi) tradition of Islamic Fundamentalism. According to Qoranic interpretation Al-Ittihad means Islamic judgment. It could not be comprehended how a terrorist group, whose aims and objectives are designed on imposing its will on the people of Somalia and those of its neighbors through terror, takes this name. This clearly misleads various countries and their peoples who have the belief those assisting organizations, who bear names - "Islamic Judgment" like Al-Ittihad and whose activities are quite contrary to their names would allow them to pursue the road to eternal life after death. Al-Ittihad Al-Islamia differs from the other Islamic movements that are active in Somalia in having its own armed forces. It shares with other Islamic movements a mixture of religious, political and social goals. It operates in many parts of the country.

Involvement of Eritrea with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) as described by the American study Group is rather strange. What gain the Eritrean will have by helping LTTE in a far off island nation Srilanka with which it has no cultural or religious ties. People are different, races are different and languages too are different. They are ethnically racially and culturally entirely different. The gang- up of Eritrea as a nation and a dangerous terrorist outfit like LTTE is not ideological or religious based. LTTE is fighting a long endured guerilla war with Srilankan authorities for creating a Tamil Elam (State) by bifurcation of the tiny island nation. It is the only such force that carried out assaults recently by its own small air craft on Srilankan targets successfully twice and could escape safely. LTTE obtains arms, weapons and ammunition by boats from surrounding nations such as Indonesia. They also manufacture certain weapons including anti tank rockets clandestinely within their area of control. Being an island nation, it has to depend on external supply and Sri Lankan Navy is all the time vigilant in thwarting such attempts of smuggling of arms and ammunition. Till date LTTE has not involved itself in terrorist activities involving American interests or have targeted nationals of other countries except the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi while he was out of office on election campaign. Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a female suicide bomber from LTTE while addressing the meeting at Sriperambudur near Chennai (Madras) on May 21, 1991.She offered a basket of flowers and blew herself and killing many others ( 14 people ) in the process. This was an act of revenge for sending Indian Army into Srilanka in 1987 as Indian peace keeping force (IPKF) that boomeranged on Indian Army. The peace keeping force instead of enforcing peace soon got involved in fighting the LTTE and was mauled very badly by LTTE cadres and there were many Indian army casualties. Indian army which considered their involvement in Srilanka in the role of IPKF as a honey moon or pleasure trip soon got the nasty and bitter taste of LTTE capabilities as a guerilla force. Many Indian army officers who thought that taking part in the peace keeping force abroad would be a feather in their cap and also fetch them an additional operational and foreign service ribbon on their chest, few more coppers to their bank accounts or an award for gallantry ( God willing) or distinguished service were sadly mistaken. Alas! They did not know what was in store for them soon in a foreign land. They were heading for an utter disaster. The Indian army was soon withdrawn from Srilanka after catastrophic casualties and disaster in 1990 and this operation is considered as a great fiasco in the history of Indian armed forces and in Indian foreign policy (9).World community did not give a nod to operations of IPKF in Srilanka. Consequently LTTE was banned in India. Prabhakaran the chief of LTTE is the main conspirator of plot for assassinating unsuspecting Rajiv Gandhi and is still at large.

The minority government in Eritrea is noted to assist AlQaeda. Bin Laden has invested funds in companies in Addis Ababa. “His (meaning Ben Laden) annual operational budget is estimated as $125 million, which comes out of revenues from family-owned companies”. "He (Ben Laden) has invested his stock in front companies registered in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Most of his investments are in satellite networks and cell phone companies." The million dollar question is how it possible for the “Ethiopian Minority Regime” to be in bed with both the Al Qaeda and the US government all at the same time? It is alleged that US diplomats and policy makers are trying to bury their head in the sand like an ostrich when it comes to the unholy alliance of Al Qaeda and the “Minority Government of Ethiopia”, whether they like it or not, the bitter truth is "he (Bin Laden) has invested his stock in front companies registered in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital”; earning him the “dollars” he needed to blow up the peace-loving people of the world. That is the fact that could not be whitewashed or buried under the rug. Never forget, Addis Ababa is where the worldwide financial institutions of Al Qaeda are registered to do business under the nose of US and Western diplomats. As per some critics, it is sad to see the noble and honorable ideals of the US are being hijacked by diplomats who are unable to navigate the dynamics of the Horn of Africa (10).

The country is so closed that the whole country appears like a prison. There is no independent free media and it is state controlled. As the result, the lone media that comes out of the nation is not about how different economic and other policies should be done in the country. It is usually propaganda news about countries that the government hates, which are of course Ethiopia and Western nations. Eritrea is thus is found involved in objectionable activities and it has been considered as a nation of concern by west. Thus Eritrea is in the thick of cob web of politics of destabilization of the region of Horn of Africa including countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and Kenya and this area is the hot bed of terrorism interfered by Al Qaeda. Horn of Africa is on the active agenda of fight of USA on global terrorism. All the countries around the area are strategically important by virtue of overlooking the gulf waters leading to Suez Canal the gateway to Pacific Ocean from Atlantic cutting across the African continent. USA has tough days ahead in achieving its ambitions of Global balance, peace and ensured safety for its naval fleet in the seas.

Bibliography

1.Eritrean war of independence, Wikepedia, free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean_War_of_Independence

2 . Daya Gamage, August 31, 2007, U.S. Senate Investigation Reveals Eritrea Providing Military Aid to Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger Rebels, http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:D4IOMpEvYb4J:www.asiantribune.com/index.php%3Fq%3Dnode/7196

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3. Press Statement, Kidnapped Ethiopians and Europeans, Victims of Terrorism. www.meskelsquare.com/Press%20Release2.doc

4. Sophia Tesfamariam, Eritrea, How the US State Department is working against President Bush’s policy? http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:IrwXlOWnabwJ:www.biddho.com/comments.php%3Fsid%3D08

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5. Jonah Fischer, Religious persecution in Eritrea, BBC news , Friday, 17 September, 2004, 03:00 GMT 04:00 UK africahttp://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:cGvs1015bj8J:news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3663654.stm

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6. Ethiopia: ONLF Terrorist Activities Curtailed – Ministry, 02 August 2007, http://allafrica.com/stories/200708020666.html

7. Travel advise, Eritrea, http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:UFM_20iLEiYJ:www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/

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8. Ejara Amante, Defending nation against terrorist organization, http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:7lLk4qeAlRwJ:www.ethioembassy.org.uk/articles/articles/march-00/

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9 .Bomb kills India’s former leader Rajiv Gandhi, http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:t5GdTrIkw1AJ:news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/21/

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10., Michael Fessehaye, Eritrea is the right hand of US in the war against terrorism, http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:MiR7Jv2hSigJ:www.alenalki.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content

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