BY YESUF ENDRIS
The United Nations’ charter that declares the sovereign equality of states is violated as member countries particularly some with veto power have abused the privilege using their status inappropriately to infringe upon the internal affair of sovereign countries. This has put the Security Council in a weak position.
Critics contend that the concentration of so much power in few countries leads to resolutions unrepresentative of the bulk of the world’s population or, at times, gridlock and inaction. Criticism of the Western dominance of the Council also arises from the reality that most proposed resolutions are drafted by one of the permanent members. Over the past two decades, there have been repeated calls for reform of the United Nations Security Council, whose composition and function have often been described as out of touch with contemporary political realities and unfairly dominated by its five permanent members.
The recent UN Security Council session that convened to discuss the situation in Tigray state security issue has further lifted the lid on this fact as some countries making futile attempts to interfere on internal affairs of other countries while others say no.
Ethiopian government also has accused United States of America and European Union and its members abusing their status in UN and attempting to interfere with Ethiopia’s internal affairs, pronouncing it “violation of the international law”. US intervention is extension of its involvement in GERD talks during the Trump presidency when Washington sided with Egypt withholding aid to Ethiopia. The latest attempt has failed though as some member of the Security Council refused to collaborate with those countries that sought to meddle in sovereign matter of Ethiopia. As the latest session ended without agreement, Ethiopia is standing firm to defend its sovereignty.
Few days after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonen has discussed the issue with delegation of UN Security Council particularly in the matters of human right protection and humanitarian accesses. It was disclosed that he and the delegation have reached agreement to tighten humanitarian protections.
Amid the increased interferences are come countries that stand against intervention. Russia for Example has said after through its representative that the attempt by US State Department to impose interventions in sovereign countries must be stopped. China for its part also ignored US’ attempt to interfere in Ethiopia’s internal matter.
Spokesperson of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lately called on the US government to stop intervening in internal affairs of sovereign countries, adding “it is necessary to support our colleagues
to their effort to shift to constructive and realistic approach.”
According to the Embassy of Russia in Ethiopia, the Russian government is calling the US state department to “give up attempts of interfering in internal affairs of other countries”. But, the statement issued by the Russian Government has not mentioned which countries have been abused by the US State Department.
The Government of Ethiopia and the African Union have repeatedly declared that the operation in Tigray had been legitimately taken and ended without any violations of the international law. Despite of this fact, the US government and the EU that are very far from African affairs are trying to impose their desires on Ethiopia.
Following the press release issued by EU and US, experts have commented that no external power regardless of economic and other advantages have legitimacy to talk concerning domestic affairs of any external state in accordance with the international law.
The United Nations’ Charter, the chief legal framework to rule country to country relationship has declared in its Article one that “the organization is based on the principles of sovereign equality of all its members”. Besides, the Article in its Sub-Article 4 has also granted that all members of UN shall refrain from any threat or from any manner inconsistent with the UN.
But, the US and the EU have tried to impose pressure in contrary with the signed UN charter, and their efforts are motivated by fake news producers. Besides, it was visibly stated on the US is prescribing how and when Ethiopia should deploy its security apparatus in its territory.
In reply to the statement of US on Tigray Situation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that Ethiopia will never accept “any patrician interventions and politically motivated campaigns against the country and the government”. The Ministry also said that the intention of the statement issued by US is “to make pronouncements on Ethiopia’s internal affairs”.
The statement posted by the US government, specifically concerning Amhara regional forces deployment has been condemned in serious words by the Ministry.
The UN Charter also has compiled jurisdictions of sovereign states very close to the statement replied by the Ethiopian government. The Charter stated that such issues shall be ruled by the domestic administrators while the UN Security Council has a mandate to intervene if the local government requests assistance.
Continental Organizations like IGAD and AU have recognized that Ethiopian government has been exercising its legitimate right to protect the sovereignty of the nation.
Dejene Yemaheh is a lecturer at Wollo University and PhD candidate at Addis Ababa University, International Law School. Talking to The Ethiopian Herald, he said that continental organizations like AU have more proximities and rights to deal with Ethiopia’s affairs than of the rests. However, he said that non-African organizations and countries even those who have no any legal jurisdiction to internal affairs of Ethiopia are actively working to meddle in Ethiopia’s internal affairs. .
As to him, those countries that are trying to infringe with Ethiopia’s sovereign matter have long rooted involvement including in African countries.
“I think, conflict in the Middle East has got complicated because of the unlawful interferences of other countries making it a proxy war among the superpowers,” he said.
In reference to the international law, he stressed that the UN charter has been violated mainly by the US and by some countries of Europe.
“I do not know why the US should interfere. Both Ethiopia and US have equal sovereign rights.”
Adding, those who are yelling now were silent when the TPLF clique committed a wide range of genocides, and crimes against humanity, he told.
Some of them are using humanitarian issues as coverage to meet their hidden ends, while the rests of them are clearly violating the UN charter of sovereign equality. In case of this the Ethiopian government should act to protect national sovereignty through unilateral, bilateral and multilateral measures..
The Ethiopian Herald 12 March 2021
