History Will Hold Accountable Certain Discredited Media Organizations For Propagating Fabricated Allegations and Smear Campaign Against Eritrea: President Isaias

Interview with London-based Al-Hayat

Massawa, 14 February 2010: In an interview he conducted with the London-based newspaper "Al-Hayat" as well as the Qatar News Agency in the port city of Massawa, President Isaias pointed out that in propagating the smear campaign launched against the people and Government of Eritrea by special interest groups in Washington, certain media organizations have not only degraded their professional ethics and discredited themselves but will also be held accountable for their actions.

President Isaias went on to explain that in their attempt to demonize Eritrea as the primary destabilizing agent in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East as well as a country with no respect for human rights, special interest groups are using media organizations as a tool by fabricating conflicting lies. The fact that this smear campaign is being carried out at a time when the general public's awareness as regards such matters is increasing has turned it into a tedious joke, the President added.



"Just because we refused to be misled by those who proposed to 'help' us for nonexistent 'hunger' or 'conflict' and compromise with our policies and strategies, they sought to demonize Eritrea's image. Although such measures are quite astonishing they nonetheless will not derail us from our development progress," President Isaias emphasized.



As regards the issue of Somalia, the President stated that Eritrea has never believed that religion can be employed to resolve political problems and that it is playing its due role as a member of the region so that all Somalis can exist peacefully as a nation.



Indicating that anyone who understands that safety in the neighborhood will mean safety for his/her home will never try to destabilize neighbors, President Isaias underlined that the allegations that Eritrea has a hand in the problems in Sudan and Yemen are outright lies and that they merely reflect the frustration of those who fabricate such lies.



Stating that democracy is not a commodity that a wealthy benefactor can handout to some while denying others, President Isaias explained that political systems are a vehicle for achieving set out goals and that countries have the right to chose the type of system that better suits their objectives. We were labeled 'undemocratic' just because we did not emulate or conform to others' systems, he added.



In replying to a question whether the intensive propaganda could undermine the country's security, President Isaias underscored that lies have a short life span following the death of which the truth comes out even more brighter." We are not overly concerned because we are not the kind of people to be afraid of lies or use lies to terrorize others," he added. President Isaias went on to state that Eritrea cares about the peace and stability of its neighbors and also works to that end because it believes one country alone cannot achieve development or secure peace.



Finally President Isaias asserted that the people and Government of Eritrea will not be held hostage by the allegations and accusations designed by special interest groups and that they will keep on marching along their free and independent path till they achieve their ultimate objective.