BY ENDALE HAILE (Ph.D)
This article focuses on how the West and the United States have taken an unjust decision against Ethiopia since 1936 and until 2021. The modern history of Ethiopia has shown that the West and the United States of America are standing on the side of Ethiopian internal or external enemies; the case was not the failure of Ethiopia’s diplomacy, but rather the self-inflicted interest of the West.
Ethiopia was one of ten independent countries which were never colonized by Europeans. Ethiopia established a diplomatic relation with European countries since 18th century particularly with Great Britain and France and it was the first African country to establish an embassy in London, Italy was also one of the first European countries to open diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. The United States established diplomatic relations in 1903, while Ethiopia with Russia established in 1943.
As noted by many historians trace modern Ethiopia’s foreign policy to the reign of Emperor Tewodros II, whose primary concerns were the security of Ethiopia’s traditional borders, obtaining technology from Europe (or modernization), and to a lesser degree Ethiopian rights to the monastery of Dares-Sultan in the city of Jerusalem.
From these one can understand that the diplomatic efforts of the country had traced back centuries. Since it had a long history in diplomatic relations with the United States and European countries it wouldn’t be benefited from them when we are comparing Russia and China.
For example, Italy and the British sought to invade the country at different times. In 1868, British forces invaded in a failed attempt to overthrow King Tewodros, and in 1688 Italian forces arrived to take over Eritrea, and in 1935, Italian forces under Mussolini again invaded and occupied Ethiopia and over through Emperor Haile Selassie.
Officially, the Western conspiracy and rag began when Haile Selassie I appealed to the League of Nations in order to stop an invasion by another resorting member state, a modern brutal colonization. Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, had claimed justice to the governments assembled in Geneva that saved the lives of millions of men, women and children of the deadly peril which was threatened by fascist Italian’s forces in June 1936. The emperor had asked only for financial assistance for purchasing armaments.
In 1977 Ethiopia and Somalia engaged in a brief territory conflict over the Ogaden region situated between and claimed by both nations. In this war, the USA and Western had supported the Somali government while the former USSR, North Korea, Cuba and Yemen had supported Ethiopia both armaments and military, even Russia supplied the mountain guns the Ethiopian army used in the Battle of Adwa.
The conspiracy and rag of the Western would also extend to destabilizing and destructing the fundamental unity and the integrity of the country. In this regard, the historic speech on the fate of Ethiopia and Eritrea referendum at US congress by Colonel Goshu Wolde who was the former foreign minister of Ethiopia (1983-1986) was not forgettable how the US and Western deliberately disintegrates the unity and territorial integrity of the country by providing weapon support as he was said for ethnically narrow believer and ideologically intoxicated rebel Junta. This is because of that US and the western were supplied for financial support and weapon to Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) who caused
for the death of hundreds of thousands in 17 years war from 1975 to 1991are the US and European.
Here, what Herman Cohen, who was the assistant secretary of state for Africa affairs did wasn’t forgettable in the minds of the people who need the fundamental unity and integrity of the country. The preamble of US constitution begins ‘we the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union…..’ which emphasizes for national unity and integrity of the country, while Herman Cohen still advises the Ethiopian governments to respect the individual states to secede from the federation. Why did he fail to advise governments to strengthen the unity within the diverse interest of the people rather than secession?
As one said that history can repeat itself, the António Guterres’ Security Council has also tried to repeat the history of the League of Nations in 1936. The UN charter is recognizing the principle of the non-intervention of states in the internal and external affairs of other states.
Contrary to this, the USA and some West countries have kneaded on the internal affairs of the country, for instance, D. J. Trump the former president of America said Egypt would not be able to live with the dam and might blow up the construction and he stopped aid from Ethiopia.
In addition, Ireland was proposed sanction on Ethiopia due to the humanitarian situation that occurred in Tigray region as a consequence of the war that was initiated by TPLF. But, thanks to Russia and China who are among the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council that opposed the sanction that proposed.
As you understood that some nations have prioritized their national interest which embedded self-aggrandizing interest, this is the case that Ethiopia wouldn’t find US and European countries on its side at the time of difficulties.
Contrary to this, other nations established a relationship based on mutual respect and true friendship; these nations stand on the side of Ethiopia whether the weather could be cold or hot, this is true what did Russia, China and India at the Security Council.
The Ethiopian Herald March 26/2021
