BY STAFF REPORTER
It is undeniable that Ethiopia established strong diplomatic relations with European countries decades and even a century ago. It maintained the relations with principles of diplomacy and provisions of international law.
In this regard Ethiopia has been nurturing the relations through utmost respect to the overall support that European countries as well as the European Union make to Ethiopia out of good faith and friendship. However, Ethiopia has never compromised to any attempt to influence its internal affairs manipulating the longstanding relation and cooperation.
Recently, however, EU special envoy has expressed a statement that does not totally represent Ethiopians and the government’s stance towards its domestic issues. In response to the damaging remarks of the envoy as well as EUs attempt to unnecessarily meddle in the internal affairs of the nation, Ethiopians living in various parts of Europe have staged demonstrations. Among them, Ethiopians in Belgium and Luxembourg who are also members of the Defend Ethiopia Task Force, have accompanied their demonstration with a letter that clearly depicts the situation of their country at present as well as the facts that the Union should consider before falling prey to the false propaganda campaigns of TPLF junta and its sympathizers.
The demonstrators noted that Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia around the world have been following the stand of the EU vis-à-vis the situation in Ethiopia over the last several months with great dismay. Expressing appreciation to the continued engagement of the EU concerning the situation on Tigray region of Ethiopia, they indicated that they are puzzled by its failure to acknowledge and accordingly condemn the actions of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which publicly admitted to starting the conflict in the first place.
They also pointed out that the catastrophic situation which the people in the region in particular and Ethiopia in general find themselves in today was created by the TPLF. The junta chose violence over dialogue to resolve its political differences with the Federal Government. Yet, at no point did the EU acknowledge this fact and act accordingly.
The letter indicated that from the start, the EU attempted to employ its economic and political might in order to pressure the Federal government of Ethiopia to submit to demands of the TPLF, be it ceasefire or negotiations. It considers both Ethiopian government and the TPLF rebels – as morally and legally equivalent. We find this position of the EU perplexing especially given the fact that the EU is well aware of the atrocities committed by TPLF while it was controlling the Ethiopian government for 27 years.
These have been documented in multiple yearly reports by international organizations as well as its own findings. For more than a quarter of a century the TPLF dominated and controlled every walk of life in every corner of the country. Human right abuses were rampant, independent media and journalists were almost non-existent and arrest and intimidation of opposition politicians was commonplace.
“We believe that the current violent actions of TPLF were driven by its desire to seize back the political power it lost when the people of Ethiopia rejected its brutal dictatorship three years ago. Even at this stage in the conflict, the remnants of TPLF have no intention of laying down their arms and ceasing hostilities. In fact, we have every reason to believe that they have been emboldened in part by the actions and pronouncements that are coming from various institutions of the EU.
These includes the actions of some members of the European Parliament who have clearly demonstrated their allegiances to the group rather than the pursuit of the truth of the matter regarding the suffering people of the region. These actions, if not reversed in time, are likely to worsen the situation on the ground for everyone involved, not least the civilian population. The TPLF, at this moment, has turned to terrorist tactics of killing and kidnapping local administrators and NGO volunteers”
Majority of the people of Ethiopia are participating in elections, exercising their fundamental rights. It is a historic election because for the first time there is no political party in exile and the election is organized by an independent electoral commission. While we were disappointed by the absence of EU’s election observer mission to Ethiopia, we are heartened by the latest statement which acknowledged that this election, imperfect as might be, is an important step in the right direction and that election as such “is the fundamental democratic right of all Ethiopian citizens to be able to vote, everywhere in the country”.
They further expressed hope that the future engagement of the EU with Ethiopia will be constructive and based on mutual respect. In this aspect, we would like to draw the attention of the EU to the statements of its Special Envoy Mr. Pekka Haavisto that representatives of the government of Ethiopia intimated to him of a plan to “wipe out the Tigrayans for 100 years”. Clearly, Mr. Havisto has gone overboard in his attempt to lend credibility to TPLF manufactured crimes. We, members of the Ethiopian diaspora in EU demand that Mr. Havisto make his sources public. What he has said is blasphemous and an affront to the dignity of the people of Ethiopia who have lived together as brothers and sisters for thousands of years.
We urge the EU to desist from further actions that can damage its relations with Ethiopia. We also call upon EU authorities and members of the European parliament to help Ethiopia in its challenging democratic transition after nearly three decades of repression and violation of human rights.
The Ethiopian Herald June 27/2021
