Eritrea delegation arrives in Ethiopia ahead of landmark talks
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - A high-level Eritrean delegation led by foreign minister Osman Saleh arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa for talks on ending the decades-long conflict between the two countries. The delegation - which was
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – A high-level Eritrean delegation led by foreign minister Osman Saleh arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa for talks on ending the decades-long conflict between the two countries.
The delegation – which was received by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday – also included Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s right-hand man Yemane Gebreab.
It is the first time in more than two decades that a top-level delegation from Asmara visits Ethiopia.
The visit comes a week after President Afwerki said the East African country would dispatch a delegation to Addis Ababa to “gauge current development” in the region.
“We will send a delegation to [Addis Ababa] to gauge current developments directly and in depth as well as to chart out a plan for continuous future action,” he said.
‘Committed to reconcile’
Earlier this month, Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Addis Ababa would fully accept and implement the terms of a peace agreement between the countries.
“We are fully committed to reconcile with our Eritrean brothers and sisters and extend an invitation to the Eritrean government to start dialogue and establish rapport,” Abiy told parliament earlier this month.
The UN-backed agreement, which was signed in 2000, awarded disputed territories, including the town of Badme, to Asmara.
The two countries fought a bloody border war in 1998 that left more than 80,000 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Eritrea, which comprised of Ethiopia’s only access to the sea, broke off from its larger neighbour in 1993 leaving Addis Ababa landlocked.
Abebe Aynete, an Addis Abab-based analyst, said the visit could mark the end of the political deadlock between the East African countries.
“This visit is very significant and when the agreement is fully implemented it will mean the people of the two countries can finally have friendly relations. It will also improve the security of the region. The proxy wars between the two countries will also end,” Abebe told Al Jazeera.
“The outcome will be felt not just in the disputed territories but across East Africa. The implementation of the agreement might also lead to political reforms in Eritrea,” he added.
For the first time since the start of the conflict, the Eritrean flag hung side-by-side with Ethiopia’s on the streets in downtown Addis Ababa on Tuesday.
Many in the Ethiopian capital welcomed the arrival of the delegation and the recent thawing of tensions between the two neighbours.
Broken family ties
The conflict not only displaced thousands but also broke up many families.
Sipping espresso in a coffee shop in downtown Addis Ababa, local journalist Yonas Abraham said the peace talks have been long overdue.
The conflict turned his world upside down in ways he never imagined.
“I’m Ethiopian. My family is Eritrean, so when the war started they were deported. I remained in Addis Ababa,” Yonas told Al Jazeera.
“I missed my fathers funeral because I could not go to Eritrea. I have not seen my family for 20 years,” the 40-year-old said, with his brother, the only family member he has left in Ethiopia, sitting beside him.
Abraham was not deported because he worked for a government-affiliated media outlet in Addis Ababa.
His brother, Bereket, who is also a journalist, was deported to Eritrea along with the rest of family but sneaked back into Ethiopia and sought refuge.
“There are no words to describe what happened to our family. We suffered greatly. We lost everything,” he said.
The brothers say they cannot wait for the two countries to normalise their relations.
“As soon as the door opens we will both go to Eritrea to reunite with our family. We miss them a lot,” Yonas, the elder of the two brothers said.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS
meretse June 27, 2018
Good day brother rezen, as well as other brothers/sisters
My dear brother rezen asks—the question is, now what are we going to do? I guess only God can answer that question. Knowing the consciousness of our people it is hard to predict even the most obvious ones. If Issays had suddenly to change his mind tomorrow, almost the entire people would say We Are with You. What we are doing right know is only encouraging someone, someone we do even know yet to raise up and take the intiaative. I guess anything is possible – what happened in Ethiopia is the best example.
Re: the so-called opposition it is a done deal. As a matter of fact, it reminds me the following lurics:
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, what you gonna do when they come for you? They were told, retold, retold million times and chose to wait for this time. Time changes but not you-sorry and farewell.
Here is a piece of a poem from my previous cmmentary
እምባሕ ዝተስእነን ተሰከምቲ ኣቅርንቲ
ንስሙ “ኣሎዋና” ኣብ ደንበና ከብቲ
ኣብቲ ዓቢ ደምበ በትሪ ከብቲ ኣሎዋ
ኣጡባተን ዝነጸፈ እንከይ ተጣበዋ
ብሓይሊ ዝትስኣ እምባሕ ዘቛረጻ
እንታይስ ይዓብስ ሎሚ እንተ መጻ
k.tewolde June 27, 2018
Since assuming power the PM A.Ahmed has been spreading nothing but hope,peace and brotherhood.He is a breath of fresh air,his soft spokenness and demeanor is contagious,he spreads good news and he is a great diplomat as well..I wish we have plenty of models like him.He is reaching out to the unreachable,he is breaking the mold of rigidity,stubbornness,empty pride,self aggrandizing….which are the hallmark of leaders we have been so used to over the years.Whatever his long term motives are,he punched a hole through the political stalemate and he is summoning us to break down the wall.There is an opportunity here,it is a big deal,can you see it,as an activist and a political leader who cares and fights for the well being of his people if you can’t,you don’t have business being one in the first place.It is time to make a move and lead the way or watch the impostors reinvent themselves and conduct the orchestra on the stage.
Wedi Hagher June 27, 2018
DIA is ready for a deal only if he can start a new conflict within the ruling coalition.
meretse June 27, 2018
Brother k. tewolde,
It is amazing to see how many grandpas (octogenarians) have refused to change. They do not want to let it go even when they are walking with three legs. Look! how many of them still believe they are the only ones who have it all. Theese are people who take naps between awel and baraka, yet they dream to lead Eritrea. God bless the soul of these dead-men walking.
Our hair is blackend with a duye,
our face whitened with a clay.
We walk we three legs,
and often we lay.
Our voice refused to change,
till time drags us to a cage
meretse June 27, 2018
typo: please read as blackened with a dye
Danilo June 27, 2018
The atmosphere of peace . as if it is on hand. programmes are laying down how to be summed up according the delegates in Addis ..although not clear what mission is going on? All say, ” we are one people “. for me, some thing is smoking.
Tes June 27, 2018
Hi all,
Lately there was/is a lot of optimism in the air. even the most hate propagandist website Meskerem.net become so mush optimistic, now displaying on its banner “first flight to Asmara presumably by Ethiopian airline…bla.bla…..I wish I was that optimistic. But the hard truth is that Eseyas won’t accept peace because he knows he can not survive in peace as he is not man of peace. He accepted the peace initiative to buy time until he get another excuse as he is currently under tremendous pressure from outside actors such as the Americans, boarder crisis with Sudanese, issue with Ethiopia and unhappiness within Eritrea etc Those combined pressure put the despot to become restless. He has no option but to accept any thing come his way to release the pressure . He refused identical offer from Meles for 18 years age but now accepted from the same ruling party albeit from new guy in the block, Abey. This may not be a issue as such but you just wonder what is he up to now.
If Eseyas truly want peace with Ethiopia why was he insulted weyane? How could be a peace with Ethiopia by aligning with Amhara & Oromo while Eseyas is trying to undermine TPLF. He thinking if he sided with one or the other on those allied parties, he may manage to create wedge b/w them to his short term advantage. A sane and genuine leader who seek peace didn’t start insult to the key player in the peace process. After all the Tegrai is the one who have issue with Eritrea. But he doesn’t care as far as it help him to stay in power. This shows his true character, Tegarus are his blood cousins, but this man is very cruel and seductive and intended to exploit this show of gesture from Ethiopia to his advantage. The interests of the two people are secondary for him or he don’t want to see.
In Ethiopia the change that has shown in the last two months are fundamental change both political y and economically. The new leader is more like a religious leader than a politician. He seems to like talking and for now it is working. However, In politics talking is much easier than delivering what is promised. Yes he did a lot of fundamental changes which should be praised such as releasing prisoners in thousand and manage to calm the tension between race and region. It seems for me he some time go beyond his call of duty and did fundamental changes and far reaching consequences. For example unifying nations , changing economic orientation from east to west. and deciding on boarder issues with out consulting the key stakeholders etc. The guy seems in hurry for whatever reason. His tendency is apparently not the right way to lead in sustainable peace and prosperity of the two nation. Anyway, I would prefers to restrain myself from prejudging him. I will leave that for time to reveal his true intention. For now lets enjoy the promise and hope of peace.
Simon G. June 27, 2018
Did anyone pay attention when Osman Saleh was speaking About Tripple-A in AA?
He said ምቕሉል ዝኾነ መራሒ ኣለና.
ኣለና? Have they already sold us to Ethiopia?
Danilo June 27, 2018
Simon G, not only. He said also we are one people. The delegates are on picnic. We are sold indeed.
Simon G. June 27, 2018
Danillo,
Oh yeah, I forgot about that. These shamless people will do whatever their despot of Adi Halo tell them to.
While they are on vacation there, Yemane Monkey can meet his Gojame brother and sister (source: from Filipo Kidane, wedibat’s article, you can check it at Togoruba’s archives) who resides in AA.
gerima June 27, 2018
He meant “ምቕሉል ዝኾነ መራሒ ኣለኩም።” May God send us like Abiy.
The $164,000 question is what is the agenda of going to Ethiopia while all the issues are pending.
Yemane should have talked in Tigrigna rather than Amharigna.
Hidat June 27, 2018
ፍረ ጻዕርኩም እዩ መራሕትና እንቓዕ ኣብኡ ኣብጽሓኩም።ሰላም ንሙሉእ ቀርኒ ኣፍሪካ
Amanuel June 29, 2018
27 amet Barnet maletki diki hidat? Likie aleki. Diper mikiyar yedlyom Alo keyirlom. Kab zibisbsu ametat halifu Alo.
Andom June 30, 2018
Merahtna da’a niertra axnitoma we bzekayedwo zeyhilel xaeri. Enkae Des beleki hidat.