Dear

I am writing to you to convey my dismay and concern that has been caused by the unjust and irresponsible action taken by the UN Security Council to sanction Eritrea following allegations that it is supporting and arming Somali insurgents against the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

The accusation against Eritrea was based on unfounded and unsubstantiated report produced by the U.N. Arms Monitoring Group. The Group accused Eritrea of shipping arms and claimed that 2,000 Eritrean soldiers were fighting alongside the Somali Islamic Court Union (ICU), which turned out to be pure fabrication. No Eritrean was found dead or alive following Ethiopia’s invasion of Somalia. A plane that was allegedly transporting weapons and fighters from Eritrea to Somalia was later found crashed in Uganda while being used by Dyncorp, a contractor for the US military and Intelligence service. [please refer to the report at http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/105329

The Eritrean government has repeatedly denied the accusations and called for evidence to be presented to the International Community. In a letter to the UN Security Council, the Eritrean Ambassador stated, "I wish to put on record my government’s strong opposition to, and categorical rejection of, the unsubstantiated accusations levelled against my country".

Furthermore, to a question asked by Mr Mark Oaten in parliament regarding reports that Eritrea is arming insurgents, Mr Chris Bryant, the Under-Secretary of State, responded on the 15th of June 2009 stating that the British government urge for any evidence to be presented to the UN Sanctions Committee and mentioned that the UN Sanctions Monitoring Group is due to present its findings on the issue. To date, no evidence has been presented and independently verified. In spite of the lack of hard evidence, the British Government has chosen to support the application of these sanctions further complicating the situation of this volatile region of Africa.

I am sure you will agree with me that sanctions do cause devastating harm to the ordinary people, especially to women and children. I urge you to reconsider the UK government’s position on this issue and dissuade it from taking measures that will only harm the ordinary people of Eritrea. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Faithfully,