History has never stopped teaching its lessons to whoever wants to listen and learn from it. When its lessons are ignored, history has no choice, as has always been the case in times past, but to repeat itself. In this past week, we have regrettably witnessed an act of omission by the U.N -bordering indifference and denial- when it failed to clearly and unequivocally tell Eritrea to obey international law, and withdraw from the territories it forcefully occupied. In so failing, this international body is paving the way for a replay of history.

It was almost 60 years ago that a similar act was played against Ethiopia. The difference between now and then is the identity of the actors and the magnitude of the crisis. Even then one can not help but notice an apparent irony in the identity of the actors. Then, the aggressor was Italy and the international body was the League of Nations. Now, the aggressor is Eritrea, a former colony of Italy, and the international body is the U.N, a successor and heir of the League of Nations.

60 years ago Emperor Haile Selassie appealed in vain to the League of Nations to spare Ethiopia from the unprovoked aggression of Italy. Last week, Ethiopia's Foreign Minister has appealed to the U.N asking it to demand Eritrea's withdrwal, and thereby discharge its solmen duty of enforcing international law. But, the international body, by its apparent silence, has tacitly told Ethiopia once again, as its predecessor did, to go it alone with the business of defending international law. With each passing day, therefore, the hope of a peaceful resolution of the crisis is suffereing from what I choose to call 'a day less a dollar short syndrome'. Hope is running out of time. The final out come for Ethiopia, however, is the same. Ethiopia will defend itself by itself as it has always done.

Ethiopia had defended itself in the 1890's, in the 1930's, and in the 1970's. No doubt that it will do exactly so this time around. What is sad and heart sickening to notice, however, is the failure of the international community to heed to the teachings of history and Ethiopia's victimization of the new breed of contemporary international politics which is guided by nothing other than a pure 'double standard'.

That is why, Ethiopia's call for the just enforcement of international law appears to fall on uninterested ears that do hear but don't listen. But, this doesn't change a bit the validity of history's repeated teaching that aggression however insignificant it may seem must not be tolerated but crushed lest the dreadful and the unwanted befall. Peace can only be guranteed by a collective action of all peace loving people. It is worth quoting what Emperor Haile Selassie said on this score in 1937. " In order that the work of evil may not triumph again over this redeemed humanity, all peace loving people must rally together for the definite re-establishment of right and peace". This requires courage- courage to speak out and act.

Of course, we applaud the efforts of all countries and international and regional bodies that are involved in the effort to bring a peaceful resolution of the crisis. But, they need to exhibit courage, which we have yet to see, to stand up and call aggression by its name and expose it for what it actually is and take meaures to reverse it. We still hope(though too wishful) that the moral faculty of the international community will be awakened and demand Eritrea to rectify its wrongful deed by withdrawing from the territories it occupied. Sadly, however, history, at least for now, is in the verge of replay.