VOICES | Saving the horn: The urgent need for diplomacy

In a recent meeting held in the Twin Cities titled ‘ Saving the Horn’ Seyoum Tesfaye, Atlanta based journalist and human rights activist eloquently presents the roots of the problems in the current Horn of African politics and solutions while more or less he directs most of his criticism toward his native country of Eritrea. Below is the full text of his speech.

Let me start by saying it is good to be back in the twin cities- St. Paul and Minneapolis. The cities that welcomed Norwegians and Swedish citizen’s centuries ago have continued the tradition by becoming a magnet for immigrants from the Horn of Africa. It affirms the fundamental truth that America renews itself with immigrant’s contribution.

This is the State that offered us the first Eritrean candidate for national congressional seat. I am sure it will not be the last one. I expect less from the state that gave us vice president Hubert Humphrey and Senator Eugene McCarthy: two Liberal icons that stood firm for inclusiveness and fairness. As the pendulum in the American politics moves to the center a new generation will rediscover the values, contribution and impact of these two senators.

I thank the African News Journal and The Eritrea Forum in Minnesota for going beyond the call of duty to make this event happen. This is an exemplary cooperative work that can be reproduced in other areas of the United States to expand the badly needed dialogue not only on the Horn of Africa region but on other parts of Africa as well. It is a need in search of concrete and immediate attention.

Allow me to do something I have not done before: dedicate my brief presentation to an Eritrean intellectual power house: Professor Berket Habteselassie. I just finished reading volume one of his detailed autobiography and was humbled by the depth and latitude of his vast experience. I am honored to call him my professor and mentor. I am neither skittish nor bashful when I say that he has been and continues to be Eritrean’s best gift to the Horn of Africa. This national treasure has been forced to live in exile instead of harnessing and shepherding Eritrea’s next generation of legal scholars and minds. yet undaunted and focused on purpose he is still deploying his sharp mind and his extensive intellectual capacity in a worthy endeavor by going against the trend and writing down not only his captivating personal story but also the turbulent and interacted history of two nations-Eritrea and Ethiopia . I cannot wait to read volume two of his work.

I hope and pray that he will live long enough to see a democratic Eritrea, a peaceful Horn of Africa and even get an opportunity to write a brilliant narrative on the Horn’s transition to peace and prosperity.

Professor this is for you.

I am honored to have this opportunity to present my perspective and only my perspective on what we – civilians- far from the leverage of power and our beleaguered region can modestly contribute to “save the Horn”.

It will be easier to rebuild the famous Gizza pyramid than trying to present the definitive analysis of the Horn’s history and its expansive challenges. Leave alone for a novice human right and freedom of expression activist like me the task is formidable even for certified specialists and experts who attempt to make a living by analyzing, understanding and professionally pontificating on the subject matter. It is intricate to say the least. At times it even seems intractable and hopeless. But I am a firm believer that there is no challenge without a solution as long as indifference and selfishness do not start governing our minds and our actions.

I stand here as an Eritrean American and a concerned global citizen trying to make a difference in the most volatile region in the world. I do not profess any special knowledge or expertise. But what I feel and think I will share with you. I am hoping you will be generous enough to add to my knowledge base by making this presentation a true dialogue than merely a one way speech. I am here to learn as much as to share my view.

Let me underscore some basic perspectives to anchor my presentation-

In my view:

• The crisis of the Horn of Africa, in its fundamental sense, is not a problem between the people of region.

• The crisis is basically driven by elite contention- in power or in opposition to those in power.

• The maneuvering and counter maneuvering by power centered and focused elites has been the engine of the crisis for over two generation and now it is proceeding to engulf a third generation.

• This does not mean that there were not or are not organic issues then or now that cry out for well- thought out solutions. The elites keep subordinating the issues to their immediate political agendas thus deferring and exasperating the challenges.

• The possibility of peace in one country at the cost of another nation is an illusion. Relative peace is an illusion that we as people cannot afford. The region needs peace. – a comprehensive peace that can only be generated by statesmen with wide angle vision and who are willing to use power to facilitate peace and not to subvert it to advance their narrow agenda.

• Unless the people organize themselves extensively and exert immense positive influence upon the elite political actors the region will further fragment and destabilize.

• Proxy warfare is a two sided knife- ultimately it will cut those who are manipulating it. The “my enemy’s enemy is my friend” approach is a short sighted tactical maneuvering that does not add democratic value, freedom of expression or constitutional governance to the people.

• The citizens of the Horn nations must stop buying into the hate politics of the elites and start open and direct conversation to see what is in their basic interest and common advantage to bring peace, justice and tranquility to the region- i.e. to themselves and to generations to come.

• The Diaspora Horn community at large should develop a direct communication channel by cultivating and developing a Track -2 approach in its search for solution. There are issues here in America that should bring us together as new immigrants. We cannot use the fact our regimes and political elites are not getting along as an excuse not to work together in our effort to make head ways into the American society and system. We should stop building and consolidating artificial walls around people.

• In the end each of us has the capacity and ability to utilize all the opportunities we have to do more and contribute modestly in transforming our beloved region.

Excuse the long list but it needed to be said. You have a right to disagree with it. I will honor and respect your right to have a divergent perspective.

In the year 2030, according to the August 10th 2006 The Economist print edition, the Horn population projection looks like this: Ethiopia will have 144 million people, Kenya -70 million, Somalia-20 million, Eritrea 9- and Djibouti – 1.5 million. A doubling of the present size- a total of about 244.00 million people!

In 22 years the region will have a quarter of billion people. Try to grasp the implication of this in terms of resource, development, water usage, energy consumption etc. We cannot be too busy not to stop and project our mind ahead and fathom the challenges on the horizon. The win –loss i.e. zero sum politics will not get us anywhere. Without regional peace and coexistence we will not be able to move with the advanced world.

How are we to manage all the challenges that will be implied in this kind of population expulsion? What political and social templates are we to bequeath to the coming generation? Advance and develop the usual conflict? Keep specializing in violence and war of attrition? Or are we to dare enough and think out of the box and tryout different kinds of conflict resolution methods?

We cannot assign, delegate, abrogate or defer this kind of humongous regional responsibility to politicians raised and still sustained on the seventies ultra left political and ideological culture. In their brand of politics the world is divided between enemies and friends. The gray area is too much work for their stagnant mind. Nuances frighten them and independent thinking citizens scare them. They consider unsanctioned cross-cultural conversation a national betrayal and refusal to follow their shallow and dehumanizing slogans sacrilegious. We have to revolt against this kind of confining and limiting polity.

We need to develop a different kind of path. We need to reach out and pull a chair and start communicating not to convince each other how righteous our political stand or sectarian policy is but more so to listen and see if there is even the slightest possibility of point of convergence.

Thus the need for a different format and activism becomes urgent and timely- the need for a Track 2 approach in the context of vibrant civil societies is obvious. I ask you to consider organizing hundreds of civil societies that will be direct channels for the people’s concerns and agendas without contending for power.

We might not be able to completely solve “the Horn” crisis from 10, 000 miles away and to be frank we have to be modest enough to know that our effort will have strategic importance if we slowly develop the contact and expand the communication with the understanding that right now our impact will be very marginal. But at least we will move from the problem exasperating column to the solution searching citizen category.

We will learn to listen to each other over the government’s slogans and look at the substance of the issue and develop empathy for each other’s posture. We might be able to craft some creative political solutions which could influence our people and hopefully even the political elites who want to monopolize our allegiance and aggressively or politely want to channel our effort to their narrow agenda.

Our broader agenda should include- demand for rule of law, constitutional governance, bill of rights, human rights, inclusiveness, tolerance, freedom of expression – press, media and artistic expression- less government interference in business, demilitarization of the region, free education and adequate health care etc. These are worthy and nobles cause that should motivate and galvanize us to support, defend and struggle peacefully to achieve them throughout the region.

It will be my duty to say few words about the suffering of Eritrean people under the present regime in this forum. I will not waste your time telling you that we do not have constitution 17 years after independence. That is a public secret. Let me focus on the lesson you should take from the Eritrean politics under the present regime.

The revolutionary government turned a one man authoritarian régime should be a clear message to those who tend to divorce the issue of freedom from political struggle whatever the context. The Eritrean struggle was both for independence and freedom. Now we are being asked to tolerate the most immoral and brutal regime because it speaks our native languages and it has our DNA composition. Make sure those who are promising you liberation are not going to end up brutalizing you once they get hold of state power. Vigilance and again vigilance is the only proactive position.

Let me assure you of one thing: already the intricate political balance in Eritrea is slowly shifting in favor of those struggling for Eritrean democracy and peace. Whether we are wise enough to marshal our minds and cultivate unorthodox thinking to do the unexpected and strategically tip the balance to change the dynamics of the Eritrean conflict is the central challenge facing the Eritrean forces struggling for rules of law and democracy.

I am appreciative of the critical role played by the Eritrean civic societies in the effort to unify the Eritrean political forces. I am not bashful about my explicit stand on why the Isaias regime- unelected brutal regime – should be removed from power as soon as possible.

I could not be more direct and forward with my strong disapproval of the regime in Asmara. Solving problems with violence and silencing dissent is not merely a tactical means for Isaias and his regime. It is an ideological conviction elevated to religious dogma. He has never solved a single conflict within the Eritrean struggle or with neighboring countries without resorting to violence. The list of organizations and countries betrayed by him is too long to enumerate. Some are in line to join the list. If he stabbed ELF and betrayed TPLF you think anyone is safe and secure form his subterfuge? Those who have chosen to trust him should just wait for their turn. He will not disappoint them.

Those who subjugate their own people to naked brutality and excel in building better dungeons to imprison thousands of their own people cannot be a true friend to those who are struggling for justices and freedom.

All of us are entitled to evaluate the regimes and governments that are governing our former homelands. That is our individual privilege. I inform you on what my evaluation of the Eritrean regime is. My responsibility is to work hard to create a peaceful and democratic climate within Eritrea. That is at the top of the duty list. Next is of course the effort to try to set the tone and climate for good region. That can only happen through the kind of forums that we are attending today. The citizen’s diplomacy (known as Track 2 by experts) is a good technology to employee in this effort.

I have taken too much of your time: Again my thanks to those who organized this gathering and to all of you who allowed me the time to present my perspective.

I will like to reiterate that what I said here today is my POV- point of view.