Eritrean Envoy Seeks Support for Campaign

On December 23, 2009, the UNSC adopted the resolution imposing an arms embargo on Eritrea and travel bans on its leaders and freezing of the assets of some of the country’s political and military officials as punishment for aiding the anti-government rebels in Somalia and refusing to withdraw troops from its disputed border with Djibouti following the conflict in 2008.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Yohannes Teclemichael, Consul-General of Eritrea in Dubai, said 6,000-odd community members based in various parts of the UAE will pledge their support to the demonstrations being organised in Geneva, San Francisco, Washington DC and Melbourne on February 22 to protest the unjust UNSC resolution that imposed sanctions against Eritrea.

The community members will participate by signing a petition, as demonstrations are not allowed in the UAE. “We respect this country’s law, so we will only sign an online petition on the website www.dehai.og/petition,” Teclemichael said.

He said this resolution is unjust and baseless. “It’s a kind of conspiracy against Eritrea and its people.”

The UN special envoy, who recently visited Eritrea and investigated the 
 alleged Eritrean support to Somalian opposition, found no evidence to 
support the accusation.

The UNSC and the US accused Eritrea of invading Djibouti. “However, there is no army or military operation in the Djibouti territory. Nothing on the ground.”

Eritrea’s relations with Djibouti have been frozen as the government of that republic asked the Eritrean ambassador to leave its land and recalled its ambassador from Eritrea.

With regard to the boundary dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia, Eritrea has accepted the UN decision but Ethiopia still refuses to accept it and is occupying Eritrean land. “Why has Ethiopia not been accused of invading Eritrea?” he asked.

“As Consul-General of Eritrea, I request all Eritreans and friends to join the campaign to support Eritrea and its people by signing the petition online. I will have a meeting with the Sudanese Consul-General to request them to support us, and also the Eritrean community leader in Dubai will meet with leaders of Sudanese and other African and Arab communities in the emirates seeking support to Eritrea.”

Email: afkarali@khaleejtimes.com