BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
ADDIS ABABA – The statement and the facts given by the Finish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto are purely unverified said Hirut Zemene Ethiopian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and EU institutions in a letter to the Editor of EU Observer.
“It is regrettable that the statement and facts given by Pekka Haavisto about the situation in Ethiopia didn’t reflect the current reality on the ground and contain unsubstantiated claims.”
Ambassador Hirut, on behalf of Ethiopia embassy, set the record straight to the esteemed readership by stating the facts about the situation in Ethiopia, particularly in Tigray.
The Finnish foreign minister, during his visit to Ethiopia in mid-February, was accorded the opportunity to be briefed on the situation in Tigray by relevant higher government officials of Ethiopia, including with the Prime Minister, she added.
“The government of Ethiopia was also more than willing to facilitate travel to the region for the foreign minister to have a first-hand account of the situation in Tigray.”
However, Minister Haavisto showed no interest to travel to the region, but instead resorted to visit the refugee camp in neighboring Sudan and extrapolate grossly inadequate information to provide unfounded claims that put unnecessary pressure on the government of Ethiopia,” she said.
The assertion made by the minister stating that “you have come to a situation which is militarily and human rights-wise, humanitarian-wise very out of control,” does not reflect, by any means whatsoever, the tangible progress being registered thus far.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who also travelled to Ethiopia this month to assess the situation in Tigray, said that “We have also established a system of coordination between civilian organizations like ours [and] the military (the Ethiopian military in the Tigray region) … all these foundations now will allow for this humanitarian operation to speed up and properly reach the people in need, who are in millions.”
Similarly, recent reports from UN agencies such as WFP and UNOCHA indicated that there is an improved access for humanitarian supplies and personnel and the process of assessing, distributing, and delivering food items has continued.
The Finnish foreign minister’s assertion that “the governments themselves do not have a clear picture, particularly in areas controlled by Eritreans …” is what one would not expect from a person in high office and representing the European Union, as there was no such confusion and gap of information with regard to such a critical matter of the control of the government of its own territory, she said.
As to Ambassador, such a statement is by far an erroneous claim and at best a condescending view towards Ethiopia as the country with a long history of statehood and as a sovereign country is capable of handling its internal affairs.
It seems that he did not get his facts right. If there is any concern from any corner what Ethiopia appreciates is not a patronizing attitude, but a constructive engagement, she pointed out.
The Ethiopian Herald March 3/2021
