The Destructive Role of Eritrea’s so-called Human Rights “Activists”

Eritrean Human rights activists and Ethiopian regime supporters, Selam Kidane (middle) and Meron Estefanos (right)

Employing ‘Activism’ As a Pretext for Ulterior Political Motive

By Bruh Metsae

Activist, according to Macmillan Dictionary, is a term used in referring to “someone who takes part in activities that are intended to achieve political or social change, especially someone who is a member of an organization".

One can name many great leaders of our past who truly fit this description. Mahatma Gandhi was a well known activist who fought tirelessly through nonviolent means to free the people of India from the shackles of Britain occupation.

Nelson Mandela was another greatest political activist of our time who fiercely resisted the Apartheid South African government even during the period of his imprisonment. As a Chairman of African National Congress (ANC) and a freedom fighter, Mr. Mandela played a leading role in the abolishment of Apartheid system which opened the door for Black South Africans to fully participate in the country’s political process. When it comes to Activism in American history, the likes of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King come to mind. Dr. King, replicating Gandhi’s ideology of seeking sociopolitical changes through nonviolent means, fought to bring about socioeconomic changes for people of color during the civil rights movement until the day of his untimely death in 1968. Of course, there were also many others who led genuine movements in seeking for social, political and economic justice in their respective countries.

There’s one common denominator that True Activists share which is distinct and inspirational for those who quench for peace, freedom and justice. They are selfless and willing to pay (and many did) the ultimate price in bringing about positive social changes. Their rewards are nothing beyond the realization of the cause(s) they fight for, be it social justice (Mahberawi Fithi), economic justice (Qutebawi Ma-ernet) or human rights.

The Misuse and Abuse of Genuine Activism

And then there are those who one may like to describe as “Pseudo-Activists” who talk the talk but do not walk the talk when it comes to struggle for social and economic equality. In a real sense, these groups have neither the will nor the desire in serving humanity. Yet, they like to portray themselves as “saviors” who are fighting to bring about positive changes. They are usually referred by their handlers and mainstream media with catchy phrases such as “Human Rights activists” as means of giving them legitimacy in carrying out a given mission.

Some have no clear agenda as to how to transform “ills” of a given society if there’s one other than exacerbating them further. More often than not, they are seeing spreading falsified and prefabricated information about a ‘country in target’ with clear intention of causing chaos. The likes of Ahmed Chalabi of Iraq, the shrewd politician who helped in the destruction of his country by feeding the west with fabricated reports on the nonexistent Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) for a personal gain is but one recent example whose characteristics many if not all of these “pseudo activists”share.

Others are simply hired to work covertly in acts of espionage using “activism” as a disguise. These individuals have no qualm in harming the very people they claim are working to “save” so long as the assignment given is in line with their submissive mission and the price is right. Simply put, they lack the basic principle of what it means to be patriotic and do not hesitate to sell their country to the highest bidder.

The rewards for these “wanna be Activisits” often come in a form of monetary and/or a rank from which they would serve their masters until rendered useless and discarded like a piece of trash.

True Activism Under Threat

At this juncture in which the world is witnessing escalation of civil unrests and military confrontations between countries the time is ripe for citizens who genuinely seek for peace and stability in the world to expose the true nature of those who are helping in the destabilization of countries and engaging in covert acts of espionage using important issues such as human rights, religious freedom or terrorism as a pretext.

One can’t help but notice with disgust the proliferation of such groups hovering all over conflict-ridden regions and adding fuels to the fire. We are witnessing helplessly as countries with rich history of civilization burned to ashes and whose inhabitants killed in drones and those who survive becoming homeless and seeking refuge in Europe and elsewhere all because of the reckless acts of greedy people who lack compassion and utterly ignorant. To the unsuspected, these so called “Activists” are seemingly “defenders of human rights” out there in “bringing democracy and social justice” to the oppressed. Digging deep down, however, one discovers something different “up their sleeves” and it has little to do with empowering people and more to do with greed of power and money.

The Destructive Role of Eritrea’s so-called Human Rights “Activists”

Like many other countries, Eritrea is not immune from these ills of society who are the main obstacle to socioeconomic and political progress, the very cause for which they unashamedly claim they are fighting for. This is by no means to suggest that all those who have opposing views on how Eritrea is or should be governed mean harm to the country and could possibly have genuine concerns, real or perceived, which they feel need to be addressed. And that’s perfectly fine. This article is directed at those who have sided with the enemy in attacking Eritrea and its people day in and day out with a clear goal of undermining its sovereignty. The timing at which these self serving subservients choose to engage in such hostile manner and their persistent silence on issues pertaining Ethiopia’s violation of international law and occupation of Eritrea’s territory and on the illegal and unjustifiable UN sanctions against Eritrea speak volumes of their ulterior motives.

As opportunists as they are these so called “activists” surfaced at a time when Eritrea was dragged into yet another war of aggression perpetrated by the mercenary Weyane regime in 1998, a highly miscalculated move with a belief that the mission for which they were hired to fulfill would be easily achieved when a country is engaged in a full-fledged war, hoping on the potential economic drain and depletion of manpower that may ensue.

Thanks to the resilience and steadfastness of the people and the government of Eritrea their devilish wish did not materialize as planned. However, the defamation and hostility against the country and the people by these agitators continued with high intensity. The Pseudo-Activists, well financed and fully geared with antigovernment slogans and hollow promises, came in batches and paraded on the streets of the west crying wolves. They called on United Nations and the western governments to impose a sanction against Eritrea on a false premise. In collaboration with the Weyane regime and its masters who have an axe to grind against Eritrean leadership, they persuaded UN to slap not one but two unjustifiable sanctions on some prefabricated and baseless terrorism allegations against a country whose record in the fight against terrorism has been testified as exemplary and second to none.

When things on the ground did not go as planned and as a clear sign of their frustration, which was growing day by day, the self appointed “Human Rights Activists” escalated their hostilities against nationals in diaspora who do not subscribe to their destructive political agenda through verbal and physical harassments. They worked frantically in denying Eritrean nationals residing in U.S., Canada and Sweden their duly rights to make a 2% contribution for rehabilitation, falsely attributing it for financing terrorism. The most recent decision by the Swedish government to reject their appeal to ban the 2% taxation Eri-Swedes contributed was certainly a major blow to their evil plot. And the only way they know how to show their displeasure over lack of public support is by engaging in acts of terror. Eritrean Embassies, community centers both in Europe and North America were broken into, burned and vandalized under guidance and with clear instruction from their handlers.

The Not So Hidden “Hidden Political Agenda” Behind Human Trafficking

The human trafficking issue pertaining Eritrea, as sad and tragic as it may be, has been influenced heavily by politics. It has become a major topic of discussion in many mainstream media one turns to for information. Interestingly, Eritrea is almost always at the center of the discussion as if it is the only country affected by such ugliest form of human rights abuse. Coincidence? I think not.

What’s rather odd is also to note with dismay those who encourage people to abandon their country with hollow promises to turn 180 degree and cry wolf when tragedy hits off shore of Mediterranean Sea and going as far as accusing the government of engaging in human trafficking.

At one of his most recent address on Human Trafficking to groups who attended Clinton’s Global Initiative-a “Nonprofit” organization that’s under major scrutiny for alleged financial mismanagement amid the US presidential election-President Obama uttered a few words on how his government plans to work with other countries in rescuing people from the hands of the abusers (in his reference to Eritrea), after slamming the East African country’s “poor human rights records”. Please follow the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E2NV4x5gho for the speech in its entirety.

Putting aside the question as to whether or not Eritrea is an abusive state for a future debate, one should seriously ponder on the underline message of such statement. Are the remarks by the US president to suggest that his government is working with others in smuggling people out of Eritrea? If so, does this not equate to acts of human trafficking? If there’s such a great concern about human trafficking why is it then the repeated call by Eritrean government for independent investigation given a deaf ear?

Given the leaked documents via WikiLeaks in which Eritrea’s youths were systematically targeted in the plot to weaken the country’s defense capability; considering the revelation and testimony that Eritrean immigrants to European countries and North America are given preferential treatment in granting them refugee status and political asylum as oppose to those of other nationalities, one can safely conclude that Eritrea is and has been a victim of a concerted and systematic campaign designed to undermine its sovereignty, thus affirming a long held suspicion of conspiracy against it.

Just like Chalabi of Iraq, the pseudo-activists of Eritrea have been playing destructive roles by disseminating false and unsubstantiated accusation against their country in a futile attempt to fulfill a narrow and selfish political objective.

How Do We Move Forward

If the recent diplomatic maneuvers taking place between Eritrea and many western governments are any indication it can only be because the political stand of the former has triumphed. The vilifications that have been perpetrated against Eritrea by the self-appointed pseudo-activists and their handlers for over 2 decades are rendered fruitless. The people and government of Eritrea have once again been vindicated. A number of western governments including Germany, Japan and Italy are re-establishing their diplomatic ties with Eritrea while discussions on how to work together for mutual benefits to both are underway with others. With exception of certain personalities within the State Department who have personal grudge against Eritrean leaders, many US government officials are showing signs of willingness to engage with Eritrea in a constructive manner. And it’s only a matter of time before the world witnesses the lifting of the illegal UN sanctions and the full implementation of the EEBC ruling, including the withdrawal of the invading TPLF army from Eritrean territory. What’s expected of Eritreans is to welcome the positive development unfolding with a grain of salt and, as before, to always remain vigilant for any eventuality.

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