BY HAILE DEMEKE
Egypt over the past days has been acting weirdly and trying to give wrong impression of the recent tensions unfolded along the Ethio-Sudan border. Ironically and in an act of blame shifting, Cairo lately has falsely accused of Ethiopia interfering with its internal affairs without providing any evidence, a stark reminder of the country’s intention to stoke violence between Ethiopia and Sudan.
Egypt’s remark in fact came following Ethiopia’s claim that there are forces that have vested interest in the animosity between Ethiopia and Sudan as well as neighboring countries operating from behind.
Though no names were provided in the claims, Egypt since had deliberately misinterpreted as if it was leveled against it, a clear manifestation that the country has indeed role in the ongoing border skirmish.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday indicated that Cairo would not have acted as offender had it not been involved in clandestine mission to spoil the warm relation between Ethiopia and Sudan. Why is Egypt solely interpreting Ethiopia’s claim as if it was directed against it when other countries are not acting the same?” the Ministry questioned.
Egypt has also wasted no time to shift the blame and set the tone that Ethiopia has been meddling in its internal affairs, accusations that far from the reality and acts to which Egypt is known for. On the contrary, Cairo itself has been accused of fomenting violence in the Horn Africa region. And, its recent acts have been an attempt to create illusion and hide its ill-fated efforts to escalate tension between Ethiopia and Sudan.
Cairo’s belligerent moves came when Ethio-Sudan representative of the two countries have been trying to find diplomatic resolution to the problem. Though the large-scale invasion of Ethiopian lands by Sudanese forces appears extremely concerning, Ethiopia, since the problem started to surface, has been exerting diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tension in the border foiling third party’s intention of getting the two countries into full-scale wars.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), addressing the situation, said that the historical relations between Ethiopia and Sudan are too deep to be shaken by the desire of conspirators. In statement issued in Arabic language by the Office of the Prime Minister last week, Premiere Abiy said that the social and cultural relations and bonds between the people of the two nations go back to centuries ago and are still shining.
Abiy recently tweeted that the government is closely following the incident with local militia on the Ethio-Sudan border. He stated that such incidents will not break the bond between the two countries as we always use dialogue to resolve the issues. “Those fanning discord clearly did not realize the strength of our longstanding relationship between the countries.”
Ethiopia has always been keen on the stability of its neighborhoods to the same extent that it is keen on the stability and security of its people. The government has recently been closely following what some parties are doing to distort the unique, intimate and good-neighborly relations between Ethiopia and Sudan, he said.
According to the Prime Minister, these parties move persistently to sow doubts and disunity between the governments of the two nations. Driven by hidden agendas, these actors planned and financed the recent confrontation that took place in the Ethio-Sudan border areas, he said. “Knowing who was behind these despicable acts does not require any effort from us or to think deeply,” the Prime Minister indicated. The conflicts that occurred recently do not represent the desire of both Ethiopia and Sudan at all, he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia said that it would try its level best to resolve the border crisis with Sudan peacefully.
The government of Ethiopia said that some regional anti-peace actors have been making the Ethio-Sudan border issues worse by sponsoring terrorist acts in broad daylight and inciting conflicts at border areas.
Ethiopian Border Affairs Committee Chairperson Alemu Yayne said that there is a clear involvement of the third party in recurrent Ethio-Sudan border skirmishes. Ethiopia and Sudan has never had aggressive conflicts like the current one so far.
“Ethiopia’s enemies are now doing everything they can to destabilize Ethiopia and make the region volatile. That is why some irresponsible elements have been provoking Ethiopia to engage in war by all means.”
The chairperson also noted that the two countries have been sharing long boundaries for the past forty to fifty years , during the aforesaid years, such aggressive conflicts had never been happening between the two countries. “Therefore, this vividly indicates that how enemy quarters are now actively involving in creating numerous messes between the two sisterly countries for unacceptable reasons.”
The anti-peace actors are doing their best to make Ethiopia battle land for the fulfillment of their agenda. The Ethiopian government has recently been closely following what some parties are doing to distort the unique, intimate and good-neighborly relations between Ethiopia and Sudan.
The border issues of Ethiopia and Sudan orchestrated by external forces will be settled with continued diplomatic engagement between the two nations, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Dina Mufti said.
However, it is indicated that the current developments seen in border areas since the mid of October, 2020 contravened the agreement signed between the two countries. The government of Ethiopia urged that the current developments, which are further changing the reality on the ground, should be ceased immediately.
Starting from November 9, 2020, Ethiopia has been observing organized attacks by Sudanese military forces using heavy machine guns and armored convoy, it was learned.
Agricultural products of Ethiopian farmers are looted, their camps vandalized, and they are also hampered from harvesting their own farms. A number of civilians have been murdered and wounded.
Ethiopia has been reaffirming that reactivating the existing mechanisms and finding an amicable solution on settlement and cultivation are the only ways to bring lasting solution to the issues in the common border.
Militarization and unnecessary escalation will only worsen the situation and create pointless tension in the border area and disrupt daily activities of peoples living in the border area, it was noted.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Dina Mufti this week said that the ongoing Ethio- Sudan dialogue would yield a positive result and the border issues would be settled soon. Ethiopia is committed to overcome the border issues through diplomatic means.
The government is ready to deploy all diplomatic approaches to resolve the issues peacefully. Ethiopia is always determined to overcome hurdles through diplomatic means, he added
The spokesperson insisted that Ethiopia firmly believes that Sudan also wants peace with Ethiopia despite some acts of unruly forces’ from the Sudanese side that undermine the cordial relationship between the two countries. “Ethiopia and Sudan should never open a loophole that could create opportunity for violent forces.”
Ethiopia has a longstanding fraternal relationship with Sudan. The countries have a history of working together for common goal of creating common market, he said adding the Government of Ethiopia is devoted to enhancing sustainable fraternal relationship with neighboring countries. “We are now working on strengthening the economic and political cooperation with the Sudan.”
The Ethiopian Herald January 2/2021
