Ethiopia is the aggressor against Eritrea: Kenyan Diplomat

Kenyan Foreign Policy has been 'hijacked' by Ethiopia says Kenyan politician

March 17, 2012 (ASMARA) — In an interview with Kenyan media, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, Mr. Farah Maalim, disclosed his country's policy towards Eritrea is based on appeasing Ethiopia and cautioned this position is not in Kenya's interest.

"Eritrea has had a war with Ethiopia, an issue that has gone to the international court, and determined by the international court, which actually said Ethiopia is illegally occupying Eritrean lands. They (Ethiopia) are the aggressors", said Maalim.

As members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region, Maalim noted the role of Kenya should be to bring Eritrea and Ethiopia to settle their dispute peacefully and maintain neutrality. However, he says his country has taken the side of Ethiopia and that this is a 'mistake' on Kenya's part.

"If you start taking sides, it becomes apparently clear and an open secret that we are doing the bidding for Ethiopia. It's like our foreign policy has been hijacked as far as the region is concerned by Ethiopia. There is no IGAD, IGAD is Ethiopia", the Deputy Speaker candidly explained.

In highlighting the extent Kenya has went to do the bidding of Ethiopia, he pointed to allegations made by Kenyan officials last November of Eritrea sending three plane-loads of arms to Baidoa, Somalia to arm al-Shabab, a claim later found to be completely fabricated by the UN monitoring group.

Mr. Maalim went on to add his nation is dancing to the tunes of Ethiopia and this hostile approach it has adopted against Eritrea will have severe consequences for his country if the Red Sea State were to return the favor.

"We're dancing to their tunes. And they (Eritreans) can only take so much. The day they decide to pay us back in kind, God forbid, God forbid. I don't want to even imagine that",  warned Maalim.

Eritrean mural -  Photo: DJ Adulis 'Chedo' Mokanan

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