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Security Council Imposes Tough Sanctions on Eritrea

   Resolution,  drafted  by  Uganda, accuses Asmara of supplying Islamist
   rebels  with  money  and  arms  as  they  fight  to  topple  a fragile
   U.N.-backed transitional government in Somalia.

   Victoria Cavaliere | New York 23 December 2009
   Map of Eritrea

   The  U.N.  Security Council has placed sanctions on Eritrea for aiding
   Somali   rebels   and  refusing  to  resolve  a  border  dispute  with
   neighboring Djibouti.
   The 15-member Security Council voted 13 to 1 - with China abstaining -
   to  ban  weapons sales to and from Eritrea.  The sanctions also impose
   travel  restrictions  and  freeze  the  assets  of some members of the
   country's leadership.
   The  resolution,  drafted  by  Uganda,  accuses  Asmara  of  supplying
   Islamist  rebels with money and arms as they fight to topple a fragile
   U.N.-backed transitional government in Somalia.
   The  resolution demands Eritrea "cease arming, training, and equipping
   armed  groups"  blamed  for  violence  in  Somalia  and  for inflaming
   tensions on the border with Djibouti.
   Somalia's representative to the United Nations said the sanctions will
   be a positive step toward stabilizing the Horn of Africa.
   "Eritrea  has  given  refuge  and  safe haven to known terrorists," he
   said.  "Rebels,  spoilers  and violators of human rights whose purpose
   all along was to destabilize Somalia. These same groups have committed
   crimes against humanity and crimes against the Somali people."
   Eritrea  has  called  the allegations a fabrication led by Washington.
   In  a  letter  to  the  Security  Council  this month, Asmara said the
   measure risks engulfing the region into another cycle of conflict.  It
   also  said  it might encourage regional rival Ethiopia to "contemplate
   reckless military adventures."
   U.S.  Ambassador  to  the  U.N.  Susan  Rice  says  Washington saw the
   sanctions, originally sought by the African Union, as a last resort.
   "We do not see this as the door closing on Eritrea," she said. "On the
   contrary,  another  opportunity for Eritrea to play a more responsible
   and constructive role in the region.  We did not come to this decision
   with  any  joy  or with anything other desire to support the stability
   and peace in the region."
   The  only  Security  Council  member to vote against the sanctions was
   Libya.    That   country's   representative   called   the   sanctions
   ill-targeted.
   "Libya believes the resolution we have just adopted has an unrealistic
   point  of  view  and  is  too hasty," he said.  "Sanctions are not the
   ideal  way of resolving the current problem. Humanitarian effects will
   exacerbate  the  solution further in the Horn of Africa and we believe
   this  creates  an  obstacle  to the peaceful solutions to which we all
   aspire."
   The  resolution also demands Eritrea withdraw its troops from disputed
   territories  along  its  frontier  with Djibouti and engage in efforts
   leading to a mutually acceptable settlement there.

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