Ethiopia warns Eritrea over fresh aggression
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle February 25, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia on Thursday threatened to take actions against neighbouring Eritrea over what Addis Ababa said was in response to latest aggression by president Issayas Afeworki-led regime in
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
February 25, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia on Thursday threatened to take actions against neighbouring Eritrea over what Addis Ababa said was in response to latest aggression by president Issayas Afeworki-led regime in Asmara.
At a press conference held in the capital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s communication minister, Getachew Reda, said Eritrea has continued to deploy armed groups and bandits as part of its long standing position to destabilise his country.
The minister was refereeing to the latest cross-border mass kidnappings carried out by armed Eritrean men in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region bordering Eritrea.
Recently, a group of armed men dressed in the Eritrean army uniforms crossed borders to Ethiopia and forcibly kidnapped over 80 young Ethiopian miners who were mining gold in Tigray regional state at Kafta-Humera district in Tsirga Girmai locality.
The abducted were among some 400 traditional gold miners who had long been engaged in traditional gold mining activities near the Ethiopia – Eritrea shared border.
While confirming the incident Getachew however downplayed it saying “it wasn’t a big surprise” coming from a sworn enemy.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if a same thing happened because it happens once in a while and because the borders are very porous and it is not like you can guard every inch of the border every minute of the day” he said.
He added all bandits and armed groups are being deployed to Ethiopia by Eritrea using some Ethiopian rebels or other armed groups the Red Sea nation harbors.
With regard to the latest cross-border attacks and mass kidnappings the senior government official said the Ethiopian government is following the incident closely and will take retaliatory actions.
Considering the level of the aggression “We have been taking proportionate measures in the past and we will take proportionate measures” this time Getachew told reporters.
The minister however refrained to reveal the type and level of those proportionate actions he said will be taken in response.
Ethiopia has routinely accused arch-rival Eritrea of orchestrating a number of cross-border attacks carried out in its soil, an accusation Asmara denies.
The Horn of African nation had previously carried out attacks on targets inside Eritrea to what Addis Ababa says is a proportional measures to Eritrea’s continued aggression including to cross-border kidnappings targeting foreign tourists.
In 1998, the two neighbors fought a two-year long war over their disputed border which has claimed the lives of at least 70,000. The row over their border remains unresolved and forces of both sides regularly engage in lower-scale skirmishes.
(ST)
AHMED SALEH !!! February 27, 2016
These two antagonistic governments exploit the unstable situation in their border to divert people’s attention . Life experience taught us
not to believe none of them , both learned to recognize the heavy
price paid from previous war . And this kind of threats now and then
only benefit to prolong Issays propaganda mechanism that left people
hostage on the conflict .
Hagherawi February 27, 2016
“Considering the level of the aggression “We have been taking proportionate measures in the past and we will take proportionate measures” this time Getachew told reporters.”
Ethiopia can completely remove the regime in Asmara from power in few days, but I don’t think they are not going to do that, because the longer Higdef remains in power, Eritrea is suffering irreversible damages, and that is more cost effective solution for Ethiopia in the long run. Their cousins in Eritrea are playing a crucial part in dismantling the country.
Musa Ali February 28, 2016
Iseyas will not worry a bit. He knows weyane may kill 100-200 demoralised national service soldiers as a retaliatory acton. He knows weyanes action will not go far enough to reach him.
Hagherawi February 28, 2016
“He knows weyanes action will not go far enough to reach him.”
Musa Ali
Brother Musa
Iseyas is a coward, otherwise he would not have killed disabled veterans of liberation war. When he is scared will do anything, including abandoning Asseb for Weyane to take it (he thought when they get Asseb, they won’t chase him to Sahel).
You are right, he will not be targeted. The Weyane do not seem to have any intention of removing him from power, because he is killing Eritrea. They may even try to keep him in power for a longer period, by downplaying his provocative actions, if he appears to be too scared and packing to move to Sahel.
Michael Tesfamariam February 28, 2016
Let them go and crash the regime once for all. There is no need to make repeated rambling statement now and then. I personally support 100% any military move by Ethiopia against the filthy thugs led by Issais and his marionettes wherever they are. I would be more than happy to offer all sorts of moral and material support to anyone able to conduct surgical strike against the regime. But the two ideal and immediate targets have got to be both Asmara Palace and Bisha. Some folks may well concerned about possible collateral damage to civilians. Well, there is no way to achieve what you want to achieve unless there is a will and readiness to pay a price for the problem which we are partially responsible for. We, the Eritrean people, whether we like it lump it, must be bear fair share of responsibility for pampering and coddling the man who is now known to us as the most wicked and evil person country has ever come across.
So, Ethiopia just go ahead, I will stand by you.
Musa Ali February 28, 2016
If weyane take decisive action I am with you and support the action 200%.
AHMED SALEH !!! February 28, 2016
And if Weyane take any action inside Eritrea , I give unreserved
support on fighting them back . The game to gain Ethiopian people
sympathy won’t work anymore and WEYANE dirty tactics of fake alliance revealed clearly to recognize their corrupted reputation .
The threat to their survival lies inside Ethiopia not from ghosts in
Eritrea .
Musa Ali February 28, 2016
Mohammed
Was weyane your friend in 1991 when iseyas told u they were our friends. Surely u can not argue that they supported our independence. So when did they become our enemies? In 1998, When iseyas declared war so as to kill the constitution and eradicate his opponents and control the youth and destroy the country.
Michael Tesfamariam February 29, 2016
You got it!
AHMED SALEH !!! February 29, 2016
Both of them can claim friends but Eritrean people suffered under both
hands inside the country and in Ethiopia since they controlled power .
By the way , why all the fuss to defend Weyane while you enjoy to smack
left and right HGDF authority ?
We say THE TWO EVILS , you said NO OURS IS SAINT and the general public
said incorrect OURS IS DEVIL TOO .
There is nothing to argue , MAJORITY RULE WINS .
Genet-orginal February 29, 2016
Musa Ali
Of course you do!
Why is this news. You came from tigray online, I mean offline.
I don’t know why, you think it is news about you supporting your own gov.
Just think about it “Musa Ali” supporting Ethiopian gov to invade Eritrea and its people. Change your name. Everyone knows what tigray online is doing. People like Musa Ali post as Oromo people with an Oromo name and support the Ethiopian gov to kill the Oromo students. You can’t get lower than that.
Musa Ali March 3, 2016
Dear Genet
I think u have been smoking weed. I did not say”this is news”
I know who my enemy is very well. I do not hate weyane for that matter and does not matter whether I hate or not them. U do not know who ur enemy is. Yesterday it was Amharas, today weyanes and Eritreans who oppose ur mafia boss. U could not bear my criticism of ur boss and uncovered yourself unintentionally. We know those of u trying to sneak in as justice seekers to transmit districting messages. For us the field is plain the difference is black white. Our number one enemy is the one who is destroying us pretending to be one of us.
ogbai February 28, 2016
One way the other why we have to go to war again, if we aren’t ignorant enough,that like the old days to obeyed the dictator even to go to our grave with him. We should learn to say no. Enough is enough! Don’t we learn enough from our past losses. Those two government seems that they are much more care on staying in power at any cost. That they wouldn’t care about our pain and suffering, but they more concern about their ego and empire. We might be back to the old days living in no peace situation for the sake of the evil dictators. This war could take us to worst situation like our neighbors Somalia, Iraq,Yemen etc… to ethical and other wars. No more playing with fire but with pen and paper,that if we have the right mind and heart. That was my last time call before the Badme war. Of course most people laughed on me, but later they came to me crying from both side of the border, I lost my brother and so on, I had cried with them, because it happened to me too. but it was too late. I said with a passion heart sons, daughters, brothers and sisters lets learn from this and never again please, were my response. The chicken said no more game with knives! Now, plying with fire again it may serve for the dictators plying game hide and seek for their long term hidden agenda, but I am sure not for the peace loving people on both side of the border. And God knows what what the hidden agenda is. . The people of both side should stand up and say high and loud No No and No for war again. thank you!
petros February 28, 2016
Though we are against the dictator, we should condemn Ethiopia’s actions. Iseyas and the TPLF led government in Eth had wicked intentions against Eritrean people. The blood of young Eritreans should be used to calm the situation in Eritrea.
TPLF has to know we hate DIA but we love our people and country.
Musa Ali February 28, 2016
Petros
Stop your lies. Thousands and thousands of Eritreans live in tigray some given opportunity to join university. We know who our enemy is. We hate dia can not be enough. It is now a new fashion that supporters are using to pretend and then communicate distracting messages.
Genet-orginal February 29, 2016
Musa Ali and Mich.
I am not sure if you guys are Eritreans, If you are, you must be a bit naive. Otherwise, you wouldn’t want Other tigray criminals terrorizing your own people and country. If you are Eritreans, didn’t you see Mola go back to Ethiopia leaving DIA intact. How much prove do want? Tigray dominated Ethiopian gov’s leaders are NOT GOING TO REMOVE DIA! Why should they? He didn’t do any thing to them. All DIA is doing is killing Eritrean and destroying Eritrea. He is a cancer. As a cancer he inserted himself in to our society in the name of “Tigray people and Eritrean people are bothers, they are the same people” Now, I don’t want any more Tigray criminals set foot to my country. DIA has spoiled the relationship of the two people. If you are Eritrean get your act together and stop being fools. If you are Tigray boys, stay out from Assenna. Go to Tigray online. I mean off line.
Musa Ali March 3, 2016
Genetina shikor
Do not worry where we are from. Discuss the issue instead. Stop singing higdefites songs.
Genet-orginal February 29, 2016
Musa Ali
Please, go to tigray online I mean offline.
How do you explain the Mola case? Mola was having tea with DIA not long ago. The Tigray dominated Ethiopian gov is not going to do any thing to DIA. If they dare to go to war, they are going to go to war against Eritrean. I mean, can you just drop the act of “I am so Eritrean and I want Tigray gov invade Eritrea and kill my bothers and sisters” Just go away. I mean go to tigray offline. FYI, if Trgray gov go to war with Eritrean people, they will endanger their own power in Ethiopia. They have been sealing Ethiopian’s land for the highest bidder and pocketing the money. Just what their bother DIA is doing in Eritrea. This is an amazing legacy. I wonder, who is going pay for their action. I feel sorry for the ordinary Tigray people, they are harboring criminals
Michael Tesfamariam February 29, 2016
That is why Issais is absolutely confident to continue his oppression policy against the citizens so long he has many posers or two-faced folks like you who pretend to be opponent of the regime but in fact they are disgraceful stooges. Well, lets just see what you can and can’t do to protect your regime in Asmara once what I called emancipation of the Eritrea from the saves has really begun.
Genet-orginal February 29, 2016
michael
No, you are the one two faces! You don’t even know Eritrean are reading your post. You are willing to welcome more killers to our country. May be you are one of those people in our Asmera city who prepared to open bottles of champagne, during the 1998-2000 war. Your kind of people were waiting for the Ethiopian to invade Eritrea and our people. Don’t you think Eritrean suffer enough under a know Tigray’s boy? DIA held grudge against our people and has been hemorrhaging our country literally. So, what kind of grudge do you have against our Eritrean? Just, let go and move on.
AHMED SALEH !!! March 1, 2016
Some suspicious commentators obsessed with Weyane ruling party are not
different than HGDF blind supporters who don’t show any shame to sing
and dance above humans grave .
Recent situation in Ethiopia has it’s own root cause and any excuses
that invite for violent conflict with Eritrea will escalate not to
put people inside Tigray region at unpredictable position .
For these arrogant warmongers we advice them to think big for their
own good . Hatred toward your northern and southern neighbors can’t
guarantee peaceful ending . Cruelty doesn’t discriminate to destroy
even it’s own house . We observed them in BADME war .
MAY GOD SAVE ERITREAN-ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE FROM EVIL DOERS .
Mekhalif February 28, 2016
Brother Michael Tesfamariam
Ethiopian spokesperson stated…
“We have been taking proportionate measures in the past and we will take proportionate measures”….
Brother Mike does that sound of a government that wants to take once and for all crashing measure..Off course ,I understand ,the Ethiopian decision not to take a measure ,but Ethiopian would be very stupid to overthrow the Eritrean government and replace it by hateful opposition that believe Isaias is killing our people because he is Agame…..
AHMED SALEH !!! February 29, 2016
Why you feel that way also depends on your mentality that doesn’t come
for any reason unless something inside bothers you . We don’t react
for nothing unless there is purpose of reason behind it .
I have nothing to hide for Ethiopian people because there is nothing
that makes feel guilty to react defensively .