The United Nations Security Council is reportedly considering pressure from the African Union to impose sanctions against the Eritrean government for “undermining the Djibouti Peace Process” and supporting the insurgency in Somalia.
The council issued a declaration today publicly condemning “the recent attacks on the Transitional Federal Government.” Eritrea has been blamed for the weakness of the Somali goernment, and the US and the AU have claimed Eritrea is directly supporting the al-Shabaab movement.
Eritrea’s Foreign Ministry condemned the Security Council’s statement, saying it no authority to prop up the self-proclaimed Somali government, which it termed “illegitimate.” It added the Eritrean government will never recognize a government “externally imposed” on Somalia.
Eritrea supported the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Somalia in opposing the 2006 Ethiopian invasion, ostensibly to repay the nation for its support in its own protracted war of secession with Ethiopia and while elements of the ICU have since taken control of parts of the dubious government of Somalia, the nation remains largely locked in a civil war over control of its major cities.
Eritrea: Press Release By Ministry of Foreign Affairs
10 July 2009
press release
Asmara — The Security Council released a presidential statement on Somalia yesterday, 9 July 2009. The statement does not merit an elaborate response as the true facts surrounding the matter are well-known indeed. For the record, however, the factual and legal dimensions underpinning the whole episode are underlined bellow.
The Security Council does not possess providential authority. The Security Council is not above the law. The Security Council cannot supplant international law and the Charter of the United Nations. The Security Council cannot violate the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and unity of Somalia in an arbitrary manner. As such, the Security Council has no legal mandate or authority to dub as “legitimate” and impose a “government” whose writ is confined to few suburbs in the capital on the Somali people against their will.
In the same vein, the following simple questions can be raised:
Does the Security Council recognize governments established in “Somaliland”, “Puntland” or Kismayo as sovereign or transitional entities? If the Security Council does afford them its recognition, then what is the legal basis of its decisions? If it does not recognize them, what are the reasons?
What about the Security Council resolution 1725 (2006) passed on December 6, 2006, which calls for ” respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and unity of Somalia”?
The Government and People of Eritrea have not recognized, do not recognize and will not recognize any government that is externally imposed on Somalia against the choice of the Somali people and in contravention of international law as well as the Charter of the United Nations.
In the event, the statement outwardly sponsored by the United Kingdom and Uganda and released in the name of presidency of the Security Council is devoid of any legality.
Instead of making statements that contradict each other and that are predicated on multiple standards which subsequently diminish its stature, the Security Council should have taken commensurate legal action against all those who prolong and exacerbate the suffering of the Somali people, and, the parties that are destabilizing the Horn of Africa region.
Indeed, the Security Council should have supported a genuine political process that is not encumbered by external interferences and that respects the choice of the whole Somali people in “Somaliland”, “Puntland”, Kismayo and other parts of Somalia as well as the Diaspora rather than postponing the solution time and again or seeking scapegoats to cover its failure.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara
10 July 2009
sanction yes to Eritrean govern…must bcs the state of eritrea is not a state..Those are pure rebells
Eritrea without constitution
Eritrea more than 100000 prisoners without any reasons
Eritrea supporting islamic rebells in somalia
Eritrea worst dictator who kills and support Alshebab islamister in somalia.war with Ethiopia,djubutti,Sudan,yemeni.the maddog DIA have to the netherland hagg soon..thats all eritreans hopp.therfore we need peace in east africa rather than war DIA do with all our neighbors.
WE WISH SANCTION TO THE STATE OF ERITRA.NOW NOW NOW
If self reliance , freedom ,and social equality means dictator ship, corruption and betroyal, yes you may be right. but just have a look on what developments are being done in Eritrea ,in all aspects instead of hearing on the loud noises of barking dogs. If specially u are Eritrean please do not sell your soul,always remember our Eritrea is of our martyrs , not of the UN or any of its allies. UN was there before many years before our independence, while we were crying and fighting for justice ,and did nothing for that. read history bros.and u will not be allarmed on a dog barking.
no to sanctions because if sanctions has to be imposed it is over ethiopia because ethiopia is over the sovernity of eritrean soil and in addition the others say there is no democracy but u have to know democracy is insidious not a one day process that you can impement and everone think before you act