Sijali
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 30, 2010
- 2,672
- 1,814
I read with horror that our FM had cabled her counterpart in the UAE to, inter alia, condemn the recent al Houthi attack on that country, calling it a ‘terrorist act’. In my opinion, the move was ill-advised and pernicious.
I am aware that the current government of mama Samia is striving to forge closer relations with Arab countries…. not bad at all, considering those countries’ potential contribution to Tanzania’s economy.
However, Middle East politics should be handled with care and professionalism. This is a region that a today’s enemy may turn out to be your friend tomorrow, and vice versa. I think issuing condemnations against any entity in that region should be taken as the last resort against an extremely abominable act. Then, it should be in cahoots with other African countries or AU.
The Houthis are Yemenites. They had initially taken up arms to counter what they considered their marginalization by successive Yemeni governments, on the basis of their ethnicity and religious beliefs. Later on, they opposed the military interference by Saudi Arabia and the UAE in what they considered purely internal affairs of Yemen.
Now, we in Tanzania, may differ with their position and conclusions, but have absolutely no right to be judgmental, particularly when they are under constant military attacks for over six years, that have claimed thousands of civilian lives of Yemenis (strange, we did not condemn this!).
After all, nobody has asked us to condemn anybody. No other African countries, not even the AU, have issued such a condemnation. This act smacks of a dangerous amateurish slump in conducting Tanzanian foreign affairs, for a country that had been cherished in the past for its balanced, level-headed and oppressed-inspiring foreign policy.
By condemning al Houthi attack we are actually entering into uncharted territory which we obviously have no knowledge about. After all, the Houthis of today might become the government of Yemen tomorrow !
BREAKING NEWS: There is only one correction I want to make to the story so as to be fair. Three countries, mostly North African countries have also phoned Abu Dhabi to condemn the attack. Understandable. Most of these countries are clowns.
Tanzania should never be a clown or a profiteer; seeking to change her hitherto dignified foreign policy for a couple of Shekels!
I am aware that the current government of mama Samia is striving to forge closer relations with Arab countries…. not bad at all, considering those countries’ potential contribution to Tanzania’s economy.
However, Middle East politics should be handled with care and professionalism. This is a region that a today’s enemy may turn out to be your friend tomorrow, and vice versa. I think issuing condemnations against any entity in that region should be taken as the last resort against an extremely abominable act. Then, it should be in cahoots with other African countries or AU.
The Houthis are Yemenites. They had initially taken up arms to counter what they considered their marginalization by successive Yemeni governments, on the basis of their ethnicity and religious beliefs. Later on, they opposed the military interference by Saudi Arabia and the UAE in what they considered purely internal affairs of Yemen.
Now, we in Tanzania, may differ with their position and conclusions, but have absolutely no right to be judgmental, particularly when they are under constant military attacks for over six years, that have claimed thousands of civilian lives of Yemenis (strange, we did not condemn this!).
After all, nobody has asked us to condemn anybody. No other African countries, not even the AU, have issued such a condemnation. This act smacks of a dangerous amateurish slump in conducting Tanzanian foreign affairs, for a country that had been cherished in the past for its balanced, level-headed and oppressed-inspiring foreign policy.
By condemning al Houthi attack we are actually entering into uncharted territory which we obviously have no knowledge about. After all, the Houthis of today might become the government of Yemen tomorrow !
BREAKING NEWS: There is only one correction I want to make to the story so as to be fair. Three countries, mostly North African countries have also phoned Abu Dhabi to condemn the attack. Understandable. Most of these countries are clowns.
Tanzania should never be a clown or a profiteer; seeking to change her hitherto dignified foreign policy for a couple of Shekels!
