In a statement on local TV, Debretsion Gebremichael gave no evidence for what would be a major escalation of the conflict in northern Ethiopia and Reuters was unable to confirm it.

“Since yesterday, the army of (Eritrean leader) Isaias (Afwerki) have crossed the country’s boundary and invaded,” he said. “They were attacking via Humera using heavy arms.”

There was no immediate reaction from Eritrea’s government, though its foreign minister told Reuters at the weekend that none of its soldiers had crossed into Ethiopia.

Reporting by Nairobi newsroom; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Duncan Miriri

Yiakl Stop the War Appeal

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement

ይኣክል | كفاية†| Enough

A call to the International Community to stop the war in Ethiopia

XX November 2020

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

[insert 1]

Dear [insert 2],

We the undersigned respectfully request that your good offices exert utmost pressure on the Ethiopian Federal Government to solve its internal dispute with the Reginal Government in Tigray peacefully and through dialogue.

The ongoing war in Ethiopia will have a devastating ramification for the Ethiopian people, and the Horn of Africa. It will have serious repercussions on the influx of refugees and internally displaced, which will overwhelm any humanitarian response. It will shatter the Ethiopian economy, which saw the fastest growth in Africa over the last decade.

The conflict has the potential to spill to neighbouring countries. It could have serious repercussions on the influx of refugees from different countries in the Horn of Africa to the West. Moreover, it could result in increased violence and internal displacements, which could overwhelm any humanitarian responses.

The Eritrean Government repeatedly and explicitly has been pronouncing that it would involve itself in Ethiopian issues, whenever necessary. Reports coming from inside Eritrea are indicating that it is already meddling in the ongoing internal conflict in Ethiopia. There have also been sightings of Ethiopian military units inside Eritrean territory. We are deeply concerned that the people of Eritrea could be dragged into a new conflict, which could culminate in the death of tens of thousands of Eritreans. Currently, Ethiopia hosts hundreds of thousands of helpless Eritrean refugees. The escalation of conflict could leave the refugees vulnerable to resentment and hostility. We, therefore, plead with you to exert utmost pressure on the Eritrean leadership to refrain from interfering in Ethiopia’s internal affairs and involving itself in the conflict.

We believe political differences within Ethiopia can and should only be resolved peacefully through dialogue, facilitated by formal and informal institutions within the country and the International Community.

Regarding the yet unresolved border issue between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the international community should encourage the two governments to implement the EBBC’s decisions, stipulated in the Algiers Agreement.

On behalf of the Eritrean People, we the undersigned human rights and civil societies call upon you, [insert 3] and the rest of the international community to intervene to stop this unwarranted and unnecessary war immediately.

We also urge you to call on the Eritrean Government to stop involving in Ethiopia’s internal affairs, and for the Ethiopian Government to withdraw its forces from Eritrea. Thank you.

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – Canada

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – Denmark

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – France

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – South Africa

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – Sweden

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – Switzerland

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – UK

Eritrean Yiakl Mass Movement – USA

Eritrea Focus

Eritrean Women Network – UK

Eritreischer Verein für Demokratie, Kultur und voneinander Lernen e.V. – Germany

Foundation of Human Rights for Eritreans in Holland

Human Rights Concern Eritrea

Release Eritrea

Eritrean Institute of Policy and Strategy

Snitna Eritrean Network Group

 

Brussels, 09/11/2020 – 15:31, UNIQUE ID: 201109_14

Statements by the HR/VP

“Over the past days, I have been holding talks to support efforts to restore peace and political dialogue in Ethiopia.

During my talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, I conveyed the EU’s concern for the risks to the integrity of the country and the stability of the wider region should the current situation endure. In this regard, I have offered the support of the EU for any action contributing to de-escalation of tensions, return to dialogue and securing rule of law throughout Ethiopia.

In talks with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, of Sudan, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and with Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, I renewed the EU’s support to any initiative of IGAD and the African Union to address the situation.

Additional consultations have occurred with other partners in the wider region and will continue.

Stability in the region remains a priority for the European Union.”

UN Secretary General’s statement on Tigray

Monday, 09 November 2020 23:34 Written by

Source: United Nations

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the situation in Ethiopia

The Secretary-General expresses his alarm over the reported armed clashes in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and calls for immediate measures to de-escalate tensions and ensure a peaceful resolution to the dispute. He underlines the importance of the stability of Ethiopia for the Horn of Africa region.

The Secretary-General renews the commitment of the United Nations, with its partners in the region, to support the Government of Ethiopia in its reform efforts aimed at building a peaceful and secure future for all its peoples.

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

As active member of Eritrean diaspora communities, scholars and professionals who are very familiar with the countries of Horn of Africa and members of the Eritrean Research Institute for Policy and Strategy (ERIPS), we are writing this urgent appeal to bring to your attention the looming war inside Ethiopia and involving the Eritrean regime. Some reports are indicating that the war has already started in the northern part of Ethiopia between the Tigray region and the federal government. If the US, EU, UN and AU do not intervene quickly to mediate, we believe the rapidly deteriorating situation will create humanitarian catastrophe claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of lives and causing massive displacements. The violence may also spread to other neighboring countries.

We truly believe there is no justification for this war and it’s the Eritrean and Ethiopian people who will bear the brunt of the crisis. We also believe that President Isaias Afworki of Eritrea is at the center of this crisis siding with the federal government of Ethiopia and attempting to destroy his long-time rivals in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The Eritrean tyrant has not only been creating havoc in the Horn of Africa but also, he has subjected the Eritrean people to unprecedented misery for the last 29 years. We urge the US, EU, UN and AU to take the following action to de-escalate the situation, quickly avert a humanitarian catastrophe and eventually move the region towards peace:

  • Pressure the federal government of Ethiopia and the government of Tigray region to peacefully and amicably resolved their outstanding dispute.
  • Take effective measures to contain Isaias and his regime; to stop him from interfering in the internal affairs of Ethiopia and to step aside and let a transition to democracy take place inside Eritrea.

Eritrean Research Institute for Policy and Strategy

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s  assault on Tigray came after he had forged the closest relationship with Eritrea’s President Isaias Afwerki. The two men have been in constant contact since this began with PM Abiy’s historic visit to Asmara in July 2018.

In just over two years the two leaders have made nine official visits to each other’s capitals (or gone on joint delegations to other states – Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Other meetings have been held by senior officials.

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Behind the scenes preparations

It should not be forgotten that many played a part in ending years of ‘no-war, no-peace’ hostility between Ethiopia and Eritrea that followed the 1998-2000 border war between the two nations, costing some 100,000 lives.

Much of the groundwork was done by the United States, with Donald Yamamoto playing a critical role behind the scenes.

This culminated in visits to Addis Ababa and Asmara by Yamamoto – among the US’s most experienced African experts. What he achieved has never fully been revealed, but it is clear that Yamamoto (along with other outsiders) did a great deal to help remove obstacles.

In addition to the visits described below there were a series of regional trips by President Isaias and his officials which would have been important in shaping this relationship.

Isaias – Abiy: timeline of a relationship

5 June 2018: Ethiopia’s governing coalition announced it will fully accept and implement the peace deal that ended its border war with Eritrea. It says it will accept the outcome of a 2002 border commission ruling, which awarded disputed territories, including the town of Badme, to Eritrea. This ended a dispute with Eritrea that sparked Africa’s deadliest border war in 1998.

20 June 2018: the Washington Post reported that after the Ethiopian government made the surprise announcement that it was ready to accept a nearly 20-year-old peace deal with Eritrea, President Isaias said it would send a delegation to Ethiopia to discuss the matter. “We will send a delegation to Addis Ababa to gauge current developments directly and in depth as well as to chart out a plan for continuous future action,” he said, according to an official translation of the speech. “The Eritrean people, but also the Ethiopian people, have lost an opportunity of two generations for over half a century,” Afwerki added.

26 June 2018: Eritrean delegation to Addis Ababa including Minister of Foreign Affairs Osman Saleh; PFDJ head of Political Affairs Yemane Gebreab.

8 July 2018: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed makes an historic visit to the Eritrean capital, Asmara. He receives an ecstatic reception from the public.

14 July 2018: President Isaias responds with a visit to Addis Ababa where he is rapturously received by Prime Minister Abiy. President Isaias declares: “Words cannot express the joy we are feeling now. History is being made as we speak.” President Isaias reopened his country’s embassy in Ethiopia and on 18 July Eritrea and Ethiopia resumed commercial airline flights for the first time in two decades.

24 July 2018: UAE hosts both leaders, lauding their “bold and historic” rapprochement as enhancing prospects for peace and prosperity.

16 September 2018: The leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a formal peace agreement during a summit in Saudi Arabia.

22 February 2019: An Eritrean delegation led by Eritrean Foreign Minister, Osman Saleh,  made an official visit to Ethiopia.

25 December 2019: President Isaias flew to Addis Ababa for his first meeting with the Ethiopian prime minister since Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize.

27 January 2020: President of Somalia and Prime Minister Abiy meet President Isaias in Asmara. “On the security front, the three leaders formulated a comprehensive plan to combat and neutralize the common threats they face, including terrorism, arms and human trafficking and drug smuggling,” the joint statement read in part.

3 May 2020: President Isaias visits Ethiopia.

18 July 2020: Prime Minister Abiy makes a reciprocal visit to Eritrea. He becomes the first Ethiopian leader to visit Eritrea’s main training base at Sawa, inspecting troops and military equipment.

12 October 2020: President Isaias visited Ethiopia, during which he visited a number of projects, including a hydro-electric dam and coffee plantations. He also went to the Bishoftu air-base – home to the Ethiopian air force. Both leaders took time to see each other’s key military assets ahead of the current conflict.

Source: US Institute of Peace

Thursday, November 5, 2020

US Institute of Peace

As members of the bipartisan senior study group on peace and security in the Red Sea arena, we are watching with grave concern the situation in Ethiopia. While many of the facts remain unclear, the risks of escalation are certain: Intrastate or interstate conflict would be catastrophic for Ethiopia’s people and for the region and would pose a direct threat to international peace and security. The acceleration of polarization amid violent conflict would also mark the death knell for the country’s nascent reform effort that began two years ago and the promise of a democratic transition that it heralded.As we cautioned in the study group’s Final Report and Recommendations released on October 29, the fragmentation of Ethiopia would be the largest state collapse in modern history. Ethiopia is five times the size of pre-war Syria by population, and its breakdown would lead to mass interethnic and interreligious conflict; a dangerous vulnerability to exploitation by extremists; an acceleration of illicit trafficking, including of arms; and a humanitarian and security crisis at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East on a scale that would overshadow any existing conflict in the region, including Yemen. As Ethiopia is currently the leading Troop Contributing Country to the United Nations and the African Union peacekeeping missions in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia, its collapse would also significantly impact the efforts by both to mitigate and resolve others conflicts in the Horn of Africa.However severe the events of the last 48 hours and the preceding violence in multiple parts of the country may be, a wider war is not inevitable, nor is it too late to prevent one if Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy and Ethiopia’s federal states exercise responsible leadership. To do so, they must take immediate, visible steps to defuse the crisis and signal to the Ethiopian public a commitment to de-escalation. These steps should include a cessation of military operations and the launch of an inclusive political dialogue that is credible to the Ethiopian people and lays the groundwork for free and fair elections. Neither will be possible while many of the country’s most prominent political leaders remain in prison. In addition, the closing of political space and internet and communication blackouts must be reversed while intercommunal violence and the rise of incitement and hate speech are addressed.

At this crucial inflection point, the United States, its allies and partners in Europe and in the region, the members of the U.N. Security Council and the relevant multilateral organizations, including the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, must speak with one voice in promoting de-escalation on this basis. The United States should support initiatives by Ethiopian religious and civil society leaders to reach a peaceful resolution of the crisis. To reinforce these efforts, the United States, including Congress, should make clear that any change by force or fiat either to Ethiopia’s constitutional order or to its internal or external borders will not be recognized, in line with the African Union’s standards. The United States must also signal that it will hold accountable those responsible for escalation, including any foreign states that exacerbate tensions or provide material support to any of the parties to the conflict. And Ethiopian leaders should refrain from attempting to draw their neighbors into their domestic dispute. Finally, as recommended at length in our recent report, U.S. development and humanitarian assistance should be anchored in a commitment to promoting inclusive, legitimate governance.

Ambassador Johnnie Carson
Senior Advisor to the President, United States Institute of Peace
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin
President Emeritus, Middle East Institute
Former Deputy U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
Former USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia-Near East

Ambassador Chester Crocker
James R. Schlesinger Professor of Strategic Studies, Georgetown University
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

Ambassador Eric Edelman
Roger Hertog Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence, School for Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University
Former U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy
Former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey

Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman
Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution
Senior Fellow, U.N. Foundation
Former U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs

Ambassador Michelle Gavin
Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Former Senior Director for Africa, U.S. National Security Council
Former U.S. Ambassador to Botswana

Nancy Lindborg
President and CEO, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Former President, United States Institute of Peace
Former USAID Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance

Andrew Natsios
Executive Professor, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University Former Administrator of USAID
Former Presidential Special Envoy for Sudan

General Joseph L. Votel
President and CEO, Business Executives for National Security
Former Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command

NOVEMBER 8, 2020  ETHIOPIANEWS

Source: New York Times

A senior United Nations official said it had become extremely difficult to travel inside Tigray, forcing the organization to suspend food distributions to vast camps along the border with Eritrea that house thousands of refugees.
 
Some humanitarian workers were stuck outside the regional capital, Mekelle, as they waited for clearance to travel from Tigray, said the official, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
 
Ann Encontre, head of the U.N. refugee agency’s branch in Ethiopia, said operations to assist asylum seekers had been badly affected in Tigray. “You can’t go in and out of the region, and the air traffic has stopped,” she said.
 
The government says its operation is targeted at Tigray’s leaders and not ordinary citizens.

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ONE COMMENT

  1. I think their is things you have to check rather than depending such ordinary talking. I have seen trusted TV show while my peoples around their talking things going like respecting Tgrian people’s! from this I want to conclude every things are going well only targeting which had been said “Banda” who is the responsible for such war and damage I said this I have been lookingthe petance while this team is doing some damage so many part of the country targating collapsing the bigining of democratization in Ethiopia.

ESSU AND ABICHU ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE

Saturday, 07 November 2020 03:09 Written by

The reckless Isaias and the light - weight Abiy are crafting some kind of a plan with a sinister motive to rick havoc in the region where instability is already the daily currency. whatever the two amigos are conniving to do,  the Eritrean people may be trapped   in bloodshed spilled out from the anticipated Ethiopian civil war being incited by the war lord, Isaias Afeworki and his willing accomplice, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The   Eritrean people gave  its all in the 30 year war for independence as a result of which thousands of its sons and daughters were fallen. Even though no war is justifiable at any time the suffering of our people in that period of struggle can be said it was legitimate because there was a noble cause behind the pain. Other wars fought throughout the Horn of Africa and beyond were illegal. The sad part is even after independence the people never got a breathing space much less to be rewarded with a democratic administration which was well earned. The suffering never ceased anyway.

At the time when Eritrean mothers just came fresh out of tears, Isaias opened unprovoked hostilities with Ethiopia (1998 - 2000) on one hand to tighten his grip on Eritrea by coming out victorious (in his own delusional thinking) and on the other to feed his insatiable greed for power or ambition beyond Eritrea. Anyway he didn’t think twice, he went on with his disastrous plan and sent our boys and girls underfed and under equipped into the merciless fire line. The   outcome of these adventurous provocations were quite predictable. Well over the figure Isaias admitted (19,000) of our   young lives were snuffed for no reason or rhyme. Those who were wounded are at least twice of the dead. Think about the continuously grieving Eritrean families. What is even harder to grasp is that the guy never accepts responsibility nor does he show any remorse for the devastation of lives and property which he alone caused by pushing our kids into the “Bademe” war that should have never been fought in the first place.

Throughout the years of his life in the struggle for freedom, Isaias had a parallel agenda for Eritrea. On the surface he used to act like he was for independence but in his heart he never wished to see a sovereign Eritrea. He showed this attitude way before the victory through his secretive meetings with the enemy at different times and places. Yet this treason was tolerated by his inner circle. In fact he used to consider the EPLF as his own private organization and this too was tolerated by a larger circle inside EPLF. After the joint forces of EPLF and TPLF pushed ELF out of the arena, Isaias got his unchecked freedom to do whatever he wished to do. And so the absence of Jebha in the arena gave him more latitude to the extent that he began to feel he owned the whole country. Consequently, he lost any accountability and transparency to the structures of the organization he eventually led to the sunset despite all the blood - letting and martyrdom of the brave fighters.

At last when Isaias made certain that there is no single soul in Eritrea who has the mendacity to question or challenge his actions, he brought his hidden dream out on the surface for everyone to know. Besides the lease or sale of the southern tip of the Red Sea (Assab) area to the oil sheiks, his first show down was his flight to Addis Ababa where he signed a bilateral agreement with prime minister Abiy Ahmed to deliver him the sovereign country of Eritrea. Imagine the arrogance of the dictator, all this was taking place without the consent of the owners of the country, Eritrean people that is. At this point those who didn’t know who Isaias   was and those who were only suspicious of him, now you know we had an undercover president who was spying for Ethiopia against our country. Admittedly, he was waiting for a convenient time to merge the country to his homeland, Ethiopia. Indeed, he did it at the time when Eritrea reached at her lowest point. In the height of his arrogance, the dictator said in Addis:  Ethiopia and Eritrea are one country, those who think otherwise do not understand history. Among other things he also shamelessly added that the liberation war of Eritrea against Ethiopia was a meaningless endeavor. One cannot find enough words to condemn his betrayal to the people and the country of Eritrea. 

Up to this date the two leaders continue their undiplomatic shuttle between Addis and Asmara in the hope of finalizing the handing over of Eritrea to Ethiopia. In the process however, they were well aware that they have a common enemy in Tigray which both of whom agree to either diminish or wipe them out militarily to realize their dreams. As long as the Weyane remains tall and unyielding,  the amigos cannot freely shake and move the country as they wish without often looking to their shoulders. Right now, we are all witnessing prime minister Abiy is moving and shuffling army command   centers from one area to the other in his effort to strike at Weyane positions. Do not also forget that Abiy is greatly depending on the promise of Isaias that he would simultaneously put pressure on the Weyane points from the northern flank so that the Tigrayans would in the end be sandwiched between the two lawless bandits who deserve to appear in the International Court for genocide in Eritrea and Ethiopia. 

Regardless of the outcome of their planned invasion of Tigray, the agenda of recolonizing Eritrea is alive and well. Read the opinions of the experts of the horn region like Martin Plaut and other Eritrean analysts on the topic. They all warn that occupation of Eritrea is a gathering danger waiting to happen. Since the faith of our country fell in the hands of Isaias and his co-conspirators, is there anything the opposition can do at this time to rescue Eritrea from the power crazed day - light hyenas (shulul Akerit) led by the arch salesman, Mr. Afeworki before it is too late? In my humble opinion yes, the opposition can do a plenty good by conducting one of a kind intensive diplomatic campaign to let the world know that Ethiopians are about to commit a crime over a sovereign people and country of Eritrea by invading their country and annex it to Ethiopia. Why wouldn’t   they when such a rare opportunity presents itself to them. From here on the future of Eritreans is facing humiliation and pain in the hands of our neighbors but For Isaias, it will be a heroic home coming with a priceless bounty for Ethiopia. 

Suggestion: Essentially the opposition is working hard to bring the aimlessly scattered organizations at least one step closer to each other. In the meantime however, considering the urgency of the dire conditions in Eritrea the opposition should and must form a special team to lobby the UN, EU, AU and other relevant countries to stop the imminent danger being weaved by Isaias and negus Abiy. I would rather not go into the technicalities or details of the team, nevertheless the group must be composed of experts in diplomacy and .skilled in languages. Please do not postpone this because once Ethiopia occupies our country, do not expect the world will be shocked; the super powers, African leaders, the Arabs and Israel will not condemn, sanction or force Ethiopia to withdraw from Eritrea. This, because (a) they hate the guts of Isaias, (b) they all believe Ethiopia deserves access to the sea, (c) they see there is nothing wrong with being united, after all it is right that works it is might. 

P.S. Do not discount the first part of this piece as simply rehashing the past. We have to own the bad and not so bad, it is our history and we have to always remember it and yes we have to rehash it.

The second part is the tragedy being predicated upon our sovereign state by Isaias  and his yes men. It was not written out of fear or paranoia, it is a real danger coming which all of us should take seriously. Who among us is not convinced that Isaias and Abiy are playing with fire, may be those who believe Isaias   can do no wrong? Let’s hope the big hole he is digging for us may be his grave. 

*Unfortunately after I finished this piece the war between Tigray and Ethiopia flared up immediately. However, I decided to go ahead and let it be posted.

 

By Asfaha Woldemichael