Source: BBC Amharic Service
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen stated that the federal government plans to resolve the crisis in Tigray through dialogue.
The Minister briefed members of the diplomatic community based in Addis Ababa on the current situation in Tigray and is currently holding a closed-door meeting.
Demeke said the Ethiopian government plans to hold talks with legally registered political parties, low level TPLF members who are willing to solve the problem, civil society and elders to resolve the crisis in Tigray sustainably and bring about lasting peace.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen called on the diplomats saying “we need your support; we need your help and friendship”.
Demeke Mekonnen blamed the TPLF for its refusal to resolve its differences with the federal government peacefully and for being the cause of the war that ensued.
He also said that the TPLF made ethnic based calls making the young people to participate in the war and was the cause for the displacement of many citizens from their homeland.
He accused the TPLF saying ‘while the federal government built telecoms, electricity, banking and other infrastructure, the TPLF was destroying them’.
Demeke recalled that a team is investigating the alleged human rights abuses in Tigray State and called on the international community to refrain from taking sides before the result of the investigation is made official.
On the other hand, Demeke said the federal government is committed to providing humanitarian assistance to those in need. He said the accusation that the government is “using famine as a [weapon of] war” is a lie and that the government has no intention of doing such a thing.
He said the government’s declaration of an immediate ceasefire would enable residents of the region to focus on their farming activities during the winter season and prevent more severe problems from manifesting.
Following the request by the Tigray State interim Administration for the federal government to undertake a humanitarian ceasefire, [the fed] had announced a ceasefire.
It is to be recalled that following this, on Monday, June 28, 2021, the Ethiopian Defense Forces withdrew from the Tigray Region and various areas fell into the hands of the rebels.
Delete Mekonnen is still playing a covering face for his government and his devastating role in the Tigrean war of genocide. He is is shouldering the Tigrean people in general and Their elected TPLF government all his miserable failures and destructions. Based on these facts it is only for diplomatic consumption nor him or his government can be a true partner for peaceful dialogue in this horrible conflict.
The right name is Demeke Mekonnen
Ethiopia does not seem sincere to solve the Tigray crisis
Currently, credible source are reporting on the amassing of Ethiopian and Eritrean troops on the border between the Amahara and Tigray region, and in western Tigray. Moreover, the Eritrean mechanized troops are again at Om-hajer are currently preparing to attack Tigray. This indicates that Ethiopia’s call for dialog is not sincere and it seems a tactic to gain time to prepare for another war.
The war Abiy and Issaias declared on the people of Tigray is not only a military one, but also an economic and social ones. If Ethiopia truly wants to stop the civil war through the dialog, it should halt all types of wars against the people of Tigray. For trust building, government must lift the economic embargo on Tigray people, stop ethnic profiling, release all prisoners, restore all types of communication, withdraw the Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara forces from Tigray etc. Otherwise, the call of the Ethiopian government for a dialog will not move an inch forward.
Tigray has an elected leaders and a legitimate government. Any dialog conducted excluding the legitimate government of Tigray and elected leaders of the people will not bring peace to the country and the region. If the Ethiopian government wants peace, the only option it has is to talk with the democratically elected leaders of Tigray and accept the demands of the legitimate government of Tigray. Without accepting the demands of the government of Tigray, calling only for dialog would not be enough to start the talk on the Tigray crisis.
In conclusion, resolving the Tigray crisis is only possible (1) by accepting the demands raised by the government of Tigray; and (2) through dialog only with democratically elected leaders of Tigray.
Victory to the people of Tigray!!!