BY YOHANES JEMANEH
As a country that has over one hundred million people and a major player in the Horn, Ethiopia, has a responsibility of ensuring peace in the eastern African region. The repeated military aggression of Sudanese elements at a time that Ethiopia is bringing projects of regional significance to fruition reveals the identity forces that are putting the elements’ wheels in bad motion.
The truth is that the people of Sudan never stand by the side of these military elements who are gambling on the former’s national interests. Of course, it is the worst kind of betrayal for a nation-state when top leaders nurse a third-party’s benefit at the expense of their own. No matter what, Ethiopia has stood firm for the region’s peace and in respect of the Sudanese people who are struggling tooth and nail with the elements.
Ethiopia needs to achieve peace either at local or regional level to secure the well-being of its citizens in particular and the people living in neighboring countries in general. Similarly, striving for peace is also crucial to build strong economy and integrate with neighbors for common good.
It was in this motive that the country has been actively participating in various peacekeeping missions including in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. Ethiopia played a vital role in bringing peace between Sudan and South Sudan. The country also has invested indispensable share in the formation of the provisional administration of Sudan that came after public upheaval. Unfortunately, Sudan invaded and occupied Ethiopia’s land by displacing and killing Ethiopian farmers following the Tigray conflict.
In his recent briefing on the issue to Addis Ababa-based African Ambassadors, Deputy Premier and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen called on the Government of Sudan to refrain from unnecessarily escalating tensions and internationalizing the issue disclosing that the Government of Ethiopia is ready to solve the border dispute peacefully and amicably. As to him, there are various standing mechanisms the two countries can utilize to resolve the border dispute without resorting to conflicts.
Sudan also accused its peace ally (Ethiopia) of killing and allegedly captivating soldiers whom the Ethiopian government regretted the loss of life though they illegally crossed the border. However, Sudan still accuses Ethiopia as if these soldiers have died for just cause on their own land. A statement released by the Sudanese Army reads “the killings violated all laws and customs of war and international humanitarian law.”
The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) has rejected the statement that accused the Ethiopian troops of executing captive Sudanese soldiers. In a press conference ENDF Public Relations Director Colonel Getinet Adane said that the recent incident happened within the Ethiopian territory after incursions by a Sudanese army supported by elements of the TPLF and other forces. Both sides faced damage and the Sudanese counterpart has issued statements full of warning and intimidation by falsely accusing the Ethiopian Army of executing captives and civilians which are far from the truth.
Colonel Getinet expressed that the Ethiopian Army was not present in the areas where the Sudanese army intruded the Ethiopian territory. The clash had been with local militias. “Our forces comply with the rules of the country but the Sudanese army has continued its belligerence in border areas as a means of lessening internal political crisis and diverting public attention in Sudan. Despite continued belligerence by the Sudanese side, our force refrains from escalating the situation and insists on its peaceful approach.”
The Ethiopian Army is committed to its longstanding military professional ethics and known for its discipline, acceptance and outstanding achievements entitled it to be chosen for regional and global peacekeeping missions. Among others, The Ethiopian military’s discipline had been demonstrated in the Abyei region.
The Director pointed out that the ENDF is ready to cooperate with any external body interested to conduct an investigation on the incident and is willing to study the situation in a committee comprising representatives of the two countries.
“Ethiopia is still pursuing peaceful ways to resolve the situation taking the longstanding people-to-people ties between the two countries into consideration. It is not customary to the Ethiopian national army to engage in banditry to protect the sovereignty of the country and it is in a better position to shatter any belligerence in a dignified and apparent manner,” Colonel Getinet said.
Later, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry also released a statement noting that it would complain to the United Nations. “The ministry embarked on filing a formal complaint to the UN Security Council and the concerned international and regional organizations,” the statement reads.
Conversely, Ethiopia’s reaction to this accusation is still smooth, serene and far-sighted regarding the two countries’ fortune. In his message posted on Twitter following the incident, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) said that the people of Sudan and Ethiopia are brothers and they must intensify and cooperate in confronting and solving dilemmas that they have been encountering.
“This is for the sake of our common interests and the principles of good neighborliness. There should be no enmities between us. Rather, we must be partners in development, and rise together. We have all respect for the brotherly Sudanese people. We believe that Sudan and Ethiopia are capable of solving all the problems and difficulties they face in the spirit of lasting brotherhood and good neighborliness,” Abiy stated.
For Abiy, Ethiopia’s choice is to ensure peace between the two peoples. “Our choice is for mutual trust to prevail between us. There should not be confrontations between us, because of external pressures. We have to control ourselves and be restrained,” Abiy noted.
Undoubtedly, there are issues between Ethiopia and Sudan that needs to be addressed and there are many who want the two countries escalate the problems into military engagements.
Regional and continental organizations heard calling for the countries to pursue peaceful options just like what Ethiopia is doing. The African Union (AU) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have sounded this tone.
In a statement published on 29 June 2022, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat appealed the brotherly countries to refrain from any military action whatever the origin of the conflict. And he calls for dialogue between the two to solve any dispute.
The Chairperson notes that the recent border skirmishes should not scuttle the diplomatic solutions being sought to resolve ongoing internal challenges in the two Member States of the AU. In this regard, the Chairperson urged the parties to continue to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the border dispute under the auspices of the AU Border Program.
The Chairperson expressed the conviction that the long-standing brotherly relations between Ethiopia and Sudan, and their enviable status as founding Member States of the OAU/AU, will mutually inspire both parties to immediately end all hostilities in the prevailing interest of regional stability and collective security.
Similarly, IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu (PhD) has expressed his deep concern on the recent border escalation between Ethiopia and Sudan. Workneh called on the two countries to exercise utmost restraint and avoid actions that can further heighten tensions and to actively seek diplomatic means to find a lasting and sustainable solution on the matter.
The people of the two nations have long-lasting cultural, historic, religious as well as topographic relations. Differences between the governments of the two nations ought to be resolved in a peaceful means considering the enduring and strategic interests of the nations.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 5 JULY 2022
