Re: A response to the opinion published on the politico Europe on August 02, 2021, by Baroness Arminka Helič on Ethiopia.
The opinion piece that was featured on the Politico on August 02, 2021, titled ¨ In Ethiopia, echoes of Yugoslavia¨ by Baroness Arminka Helič is factually and conceptually incorrect and a misconstrued parallel.
The writer in her attempt to draw a parallel with Yugoslavia has failed to understand the socio-political, historical, and cultural contexts of the country and its people. To begin with, Ethiopia and its people are known for their cultural and religious tolerance and lived in harmony for many centuries. There exists no enmity among the people of Ethiopia. Therefore, comparing the current situation in Ethiopia with the Balkans is a complete malposition.
The writer also, without properly understanding the nuances of the official Ethiopian language and statements made by our leaders with regard to TPLF, misinterpreted the description labelled at the TPLF clique as made on our compatriots in Tigray. Unless the writer intentionally tries to hoodwink the international community with an attempt to draw unwarranted interventions through disinformation and outrageous ideas, no Ethiopian official has incited ill intentions against its own people as what the writer laboured to portray.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), that provoked the conflict back in November 2020 by attacking the national defense bases in Tigray region, is now labelled as terrorist group by the Ethiopian Parliament. The TPLF leaders who caused and led the conflict in Ethiopia must be brought to justice for their act of war. No country would sit frivolously by while an attack is committed from any corner.
As to the situation in Tigray region, the Ethiopian Government, with the aim of resolving the problem in the region, has enacted a unilateral humanitarian ceasefire. The TPLF clique rejecting this peaceful gesture, rather has opted to aggravate the situation by continuing fighting. The writer’s adoration of the TPLF’s destabilizing character through expanding the conflict to neighbouring provinces demonstrates nothing but her intention of trying to justify the act of the TPLF as legitimate one and more so directed to unjustifiably impose sanctions on Ethiopia.
The Embassy of Ethiopia not only rejects the erroneous opinion by the writer but also would like to request her as a respected official of a reputed country to act in a responsible manner instead of sensationally drawing comparison between incomparable for the benefit of maliciously calling for an unwarranted action.
The Embassy of Ethiopia
Brussels
H.E Ambassador Hirut Zemene and the diplomats engaged with the diaspora and bilateral cooperation have met various representatives of #Ethiopia-n students in universities in Belgium.
The meeting was focused on assessing the situation of the scholarship provided by the universities and to exchange views on the current situation in Ethiopia as it is being regularly done with the Ethiopian community in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Ambassador Hirut and diplomats in the Embassy have briefed the students about the current status with regards to the Unilateral Humanitarian Ceasefire extended by the Government of Ethiopia, efforts made to reach out those in need of humanitarian assistance and the need to mobilize support to fend off the disturbance and terror that the TPLF clique is waging.
Representatives of the student’s community have expressed determination to do their parts to support the efforts in the country including by creating a healthy environment within the Ethiopian community in their respective universities. They have also demanded to get regular update about the current situation in Ethiopia to which the Embassy promised to beef up the information sharing mechanism.
The two sides agreed, as the situation with COVID permits, the relaunching of direct visits and links with the various universities by the Embassy will commence.
Participants came from the University of Ghent, KU Leuven, VUB and Hasselt.
Following the Government of Ethiopia’s enactment of a unilateral humanitarian ceasefire in the Tigray region, to enable farmers to undertake the seasonal farming activities and facilitate humanitarian assistance, we are witnessing the impediment by TPLF remnants of assistance delivery to those in dire need.
Prior to the June 29th 2021 enactment of a humanitarian ceasefire and related withdrawal of the Ethiopian National Defence Force from Mekelle and other cities in the region, the National Emergency Coordination Committee, which in three rounds had been provided humanitarian assistance for the past months, had also placed in storage more than 400,000 quintals of wheat and 2.5 million litres of cooking oil for distribution to those in need. In addition, close to 14million litres of fuel have been left in fuel depots within the region for utilization by citizens prior to the withdrawal of the ENDF.
It is to be noted that unfettered humanitarian access has been provided for partners and international aid organizations to avail the required assistance. The Government of Ethiopia remains steadfast in its commitment to support the safe delivery of critical supplies to its people in the Tigray region, without endangering national security. Full permission for humanitarian flights to fly to the Tigray Region have been facilitated, on the condition that they depart from Addis Ababa and land in Addis Ababa on the return flight. The condition to pass through Addis Ababa is in keeping with the Constitutional duty of the Government to preserve national security – a sacrosanct duty it is obliged to honour. Two flights by the World Food Program (WFP) have already been made in the past week.
The Government of Ethiopia is also facilitating humanitarian convoys through the Afar region and is working to fast-track security checks on the trucks to avoid delays. Relatedly, we once again condemn the attack by TPLF on an aid convoy on 18 July 2021, along the Semera-Abala road. The obstruction of humanitarian assistance to those in need within the region by the terrorist group TPLF for political gains is an act that should also be condemned by the international community. TPLF’s continued provocations directed at the Ethiopian National Defence Force, through the use of child soldiers and armed civilians, attempting to draw our forces into an altercation, need to also be strongly condemned by the international community.
The Government of Ethiopia has been working tirelessly in collaboration with development partners to ensure continued supplies of food and medicine to those that are in desperate need of it. It will continue to work with its humanitarian partners to prevent breaks in humanitarian operations and for assistance to reach all affected communities.
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