The Blame Game: Eritrea cries foul, while Ethiopia is silent; my judgement on the 12th June skirmishes and claims.

While the Government Spokesman of Ethiopia Getachew Reda have claimed that the first shot on the border came from Eritrean forces and claimed they we’re at fault for the military operations on the 12^th June 2016. This happens while the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs claim it was the TLPF that was attacking the Eritrean border forces around the Tsorona Front.

With this in mind, it is not easy when these are sending conflicting information and also using all tactics to address each other internal misgivings. Just like the recent Human Rights Violation in the United Nations Reports from the Group of Experts in June 2016. While the Eritrean are claiming the internal oppression of the Omoro people and the killing of demonstrators; also silencing of media; the issue is that both nations have their blames and violations. The Ethiopian ruling party has total control and military control of the nation, the media is controlled and bloggers are detained for questioning the government, the Omoro demonstrations are hunted down and shut down with military forces. So the Ethiopian Government is far from innocent in their internal bravery.

But the Eritrean are nicknamed the “African North Korea” for a reason, all control is in the hands of the President Isias Afewerki, as the UN reports claim is that there is unlimited subscription to the army, slavery, rape and misuse of the citizens from the government officials, as the centralized power is all in the name of the president as he has control of the economy as the national budget is never released and the control of the money running of Eritrea as all under control of Afeweki. UN Report 2016 Eritrea this blog or article explains the matters of how I see on the report on the Human Rights Violations.

With all of this in mind, with the knowledge of the current affairs, and the escalation and worry of new conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as the fellow nations has been in war before. Eritreans are the ones really blasting Ethiopia in international media and defending their ways of government, as they are blaming Ethiopia even for making the accusations that are made by the experts in the recent report. That proves the level of animosity from Eritrean government towards Addis Ababa, as they might feel left alone in Asmara.

While the Ethiopian in the 12 June military operations claimed the aggression was directed from the Eritreans. After that the Eritreans claimed it was the Ethiopians… so there are a limbo and uncertainty, especially since none of these governments are really open to the media or having press freedom in either nation; while the assurance of the reality on the ground and the intelligence is unsure as they both are secretive from the beginning.

None of these nations are perfect, no nation in this world is, but both nations have scruples and has issues with tampering with human rights violations of different levels, they both have different supporters and allies that need the armies or alliances to mend on other issues either on the African Horn, like the Ethiopian who has soldiers in the AMISOM and other Peacekeeping missions and are an ally of the United States and their AFCON, surely as they pulled more armies from Africa after the failed “Black Hawk Down” in Mogadishu and with that in mind then President Bill Clinton pulled the army of around 1100 soldiers in 1993 from the Horn of Africa. And have been for long a steady military ally against terrorism in the region and also a place where the Americans have had military bases, as recently closed the United States Air Force base at Arba Minch in January 2016.

The certainty and clarity is not here in this matter, as there are many undisclosed reports, as the battlefield are kept for the armies and the media are not free in neither Ethiopia or Eritrea, as the stages are set for propaganda from both parties, as the ones who are speaking free on their blogs in for instance in Ethiopia ends behind bars. While the Eritrean are the best news from diaspora who have trusted messengers through online forums, as the silence and fear of detaining or slavery work for questioning the regime, therefore the amount of people going into exile from Eritrea.

So with this knowledge the battle of 12^th June 2016 can only be discussed and knowingly gain the needed intelligence when the men on the ground can speak freely and address thoroughly. If not they are realizing footage or pictures of the activity, while also proving the validity of the battlefield. As there will always from a warzone and skirmishes even be false statements, even wrong estimates and the reality will come closer, if not juked to fix the stages for either Eritrea or Ethiopia, as both need a straight face towards their citizens and their international allies and community.  As there reports of UAE and Yemen supporting the Eritrea, while Western nations as United States and others are supporting Ethiopia; but that is in general and their obligations world-wide and in military operations, as IGAD and others.

Therefore I cannot say who did what, as the implications of who did what is not certain. The Eritreans are the ones that beating the drum the most in international media, as they want to silence the UN report on Human Rights Violations. While the Ethiopian is easily getting the world to forget the violations against the Omoro demonstrations and Omoro Liberation Front (OLF); with these in mind, these skirmish or military operations just happen when the Eritreans wanted the world to forget the slavery and other accusations and the same with the killings of demonstrators from the Ethiopian regime. What we will not certainly know as these are actions and activity, kept behind sound minds in the central governments in authoritarian regimes who are militarized and not democratic. So the knowledge we will get is indications, but not the actual facts, as the numbers will be spoilt to make Ethiopia or Eritrea bad, the rhetoric will clearly defacing the other by all means. Though the response have been the clearest from Eritrea and accusations the loudest, that does not make it true, if it was so, then the screaming Donald Trump would be wisest politician ever; Ethiopia have another approach and more subtle, though countering the Eritrean, as they also claimed was the reason for the 12^th June 2016 skirmishes.

That there been rumors of a plot of taking down President Isias Afeweki of Eritrea, nothing is yet certain about that either, as the “rumored plot” have come in the waters from a unnamed source inside the military intelligence of the Ethiopian hierarchy, and for the moment it is hearsay, but the Eritrean are paranoid; so they do what they can to sell it to the world and those stories are better to sell then slavery and unlimited military subscription of their youth and citizens.

So what I said with many words, nothing is clear, there aren’t enough transparency or accountability to take a true stance, the only thing certain, is that there are taken some shots and that the armies did attack each other, too what extent is not easy to say; as the spokesmen and ambassadors are not talking about that, I am sure that is confidential at both parties. What is surely the fact is that there are fallen men and reported men taken by both armies. That Eritrea has taken Ethiopian men’s life and Ethiopian has taken Eritrean men’s life. Peace.

Eritrean Ethiopian Ambassadors Fight on Live TV (Youtube-Clip)

Part II:

The Whole Interview: 

Worth a watch right? Interesting, right? Peace.

Audio: Ethiopia attacked first in recent fighting, says Eritrean Ambassador

“Eritrea’s Ambassador to the UN has told RFI that Ethiopia was responsible for attacking first in heavy fighting earlier this week. Ethiopia had previously said their forces were responding to an attack by Eritrea around the Tsorana area. Tanks and heavy artillery were involved – although fighting has now subsided. RFI’s Daniel Finnan spoke to Girma Asmerom, Eritrea’s Ambassador to the UN…” (RFI English, 2016)

Conflicting information: continues clash of Eritrea and Ethiopia

“We fought for Eritrean independence from the colonial rule of Ethiopia. TPLF has paid a sacrifice for Eritrea greater than the combined sacrifice of the two Eritrean organizations – ELF and EPLF. Even if today Eritrea is attacked, EPRDF will jump into Eritrea, join the Eritrean people and engage the enemy.” – Sebhat Nega on Radio Woyane (May 28, 2007).

Just as the news and confirmed skirmishes on the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, both nations have not only traded bullet, but also blame for the current aggression. The Eritrean takes their whole Liberation history and blames every bullet ever shot on their soil on Ethiopia, while Ethiopia say the recent ones was the last straw; also they did answer to new shots of guns and artillery from the Eritrean side. As they have not only sent bullet towards the Ethiopian Government, but also sent spies and others to try do create terrorism in Ethiopia.

As the Eritrean Ministry of Information wrote on 14^th July 2016:

“The Government of Eritrea will issue detailed statement on the purpose, scope and implications of the latest act of military aggression by the TPLF regime.  It is nonetheless clear that mounting opposition from popular movements of the Ethiopian people, endemic corruption and associated economic crisis, as well as the desire to stem promising progress in Eritrea are indeed some of the factors prompting the TPLF regime to indulge in reckless military adventures.” (Shabait.com, 14.06.2016).

Ethiopian answer:

“Ethiopia’s military was provoked into launching this week’s attack on Eritrean forces in a disputed border area” (…) ” “major military engagement” (…) “I hope this time around they won’t make that stupid mistake of inviting us to wage a full-scale war” – Government spokesperson Reda.

When you have this kind of strained relationship and also “non” friendship or even diplomacy, no matter what occurs the aggression is seen as a signal of war and cut off the cease-fire. This with the recent worrying reports:

“The Sunday attack of June 12, 2016, launched through the TPLF regime on the Tsorona Front was quashed on Monday (13 June) morning entailing heavy losses to its troops” (…) ” In this reckless attack whose ultimate aim is difficult to comprehend, more than 200 TPLF troops have been killed and more than 300 wounded.  These are conservative estimates” (…) ”Why did this callous bloodshed happen? And, for what purpose?” (…) “Those who have instigated this reckless act have attempted to provide the TPLF with political, media and diplomatic smoke-screen, both before and after the attack.  They have also deceitfully tried to apportion equal blame to the aggressor and the victim. The Government of Eritrea will address these dimensions of the attack in subsequent statements” (…) “Ministry of Information, Asmara, 16 June 2016 – Eritrean Government”.

While this is worrying enough and by all means the Eritreans wants the numbers as bad as possible for them, as they want to be violated and hurt, the killings would make Ethiopian Government bad, as they have not released any numbers of killings from the Eritrean Army towards them. Not that the numbers game are important, but the propaganda and winning the media war, is as important as the initial battle; Eritrea want to look decent, as the UN Report are addressing the harassment and torture of citizens. So the skirmishes are making people and states forgetting the human rights violations.

Therefore this have been floated and rumoured that the Ethiopian Government have answered towards the Eritrean counterparts:

“Sources familiar with the issue told Aigaforum the government has floated the idea to key western nations as a comprehensive plan for the horn of africa region. The Ethiopian government has informed many western nations that if Isaias Afewroki is not removed from power there will be war and Ethiopia will defend vigorously” (…) ”The issue of Isaias Afewroki’s removal from power gained momentum over the last few weeks with Al- Shabaab deadly attempt to overrun Ethiopia’s AMISOM military camp in Somalia. However, our sources told us the recent clash between Eritrea and Ethiopia in Tserona Northern Tigrai region may have given the proposal more ammunition” (…) ”Many in the government of Ethiopia are convinced the Eritrean army may rebel against Isaias Afeworki and if they are convinced about Ethiopia’s disinterest of overrunning Eritrea then they may reform and establish a government of their own that is willing to live in peace with its neighbors” (Aigaforum, 15.06.2016).

If this is so the Eritrean should worry about a full-fledged war against them as they would even get support from the United Nations Security Council, the donor-countries and the ones that are funding the Ethiopian Peacekeepers around on the African Continent; these are the ones that are offering training and educating the army of Ethiopia.

Not confirmed reports are that Gen. Deriba Mokonene of Tserona Front, have deflected from the Ethiopian side to the Eritrean, but that might just be hearsay. As non-official report, while the Ethiopian officials have also addressed the claim of 200 dead soldiers from their side:

“they are entitled to delude themselves” Ethiopia’s senior military official sarcastically responded to Awramba Times without giving further explanation, on conditions of anonymity” (Awramba Times, 16.06.2016).

This here will not be silent for a while as the aggression and military activity continues, while the relentless differing allegations and reports will not be able to verify, just as it took two days before the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments answered the claims of military actions in Tserona Front and around the border of the countries.

Every single person losing their lives on both sides is a sad loss of life, as this is both in the names of arrogance and leadership from above high, as the President of Eritrea and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia are both responsible for the loss of life. This is can be start of a new prolonged conflict between the nations and the brothers. This can be fuelled by the few allies of Eritrea, or even the allies of Ethiopia, as they both have something to earn. Both none of the parties will really win, as they both will lose citizens and lose peaceful development through diplomacy and mutual understanding. Instead there is a continued bloodshed in the name of the leadership and the legacy of the Eritrean state and also the Ethiopian leadership. Peace.

Press Release: “Ethiopia has opened another unprovoked military attack against Eritrea & Peace on the Tsorona Front on June 12 2016” (15.06.2016)

Ethiopia’s retaliatory measure makes Shaebia to reassess all its mistakes: GCAO (Youtube-Clip)

Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia (15.06.2016)

NEW YORK, United States of America, June 15, 2016 – Today the Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Secretary-General expressed his concern about the recent reports of heavy fighting on the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, urging the continued application of restraint and a peaceful resolution through political means.

The Secretary-General expressed gratitude for the continued bravery of the Ethiopian troops of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and highlighted the critical importance of staying committed to AMISOM’s efforts, particularly ahead of the 2016 federal elections. The Secretary-General also emphasised the importance of encouraging the sustained implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan.

Brussels, 15 June 2016

Eritea-Ethiopian rumors – Border skirmishes, again?

There been rumors and reports, not yet verified from either governments of Eritrea or Ethiopia. This happens just days after the United Nations came with a staggering report of human rights violations and as the flames of Omoro continues. There are no clear indications, though some pictures of war and neither PM of Ethiopia or President of Eritrea have confirmed their violent intent towards each other.

So these reports are many from different sources. There are reported that the activity of military skirmishes have happen on both side of the border that follows river Gena Belesa, so even say this fights are also to let the mining interest of Ethiopia to go down close to the border, as the closing in of allies for the Eritrean nation is dwindling, but none of these rumors are confirmed, as much as the silence from the Governments are really making the uncertainty of actions.

Here take a look!

“Best to be cautious when receiving unsubstantiated reports of escalation of hostilities between Eritrea & Ethiopia” (Eritrean Movement for Democracy Human Rights – EMDHR, 12.06.2016).

What Eritrea answers with:

“#COIE ignored z voice of 45K+ #Eritrean all over z world but accepted nameless, faceless individuals.Repeating 1952“ (EPLF, 12.06.2016).

First Report:

There are reports of fierce batteling between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as the skirmishes are at the river of Gena Belesa; This is between the Gerhu Sernay and Tserona towns like Egri Mekal, Kuba Weyba and Kulo Brdo (Addis Gazetta, 12.06.2016).

Second report:

Unverified SOCMINT and OSINT intelligence reports show Eritrean army has conducted a large scale ground attack against the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF)” (…) ”If verified, it’s likely Ethiopia will retaliate through both mobilization of military resources and heavy deployment of the resources at the affected area” (Goldman, 2016).

Third Report:

“The isolated regime in Eritrea has launched a full-scale attack in northern Ethiopia last night, following the recent report by UN Commission of Inquiry, in which it says the regime has committed crimes against humanity, reliable sources confirmed to Awramba times” (…)”Isais Afeworki, who is now isolated both politically and diplomatically from the international community, has now chosen full-scale war out of frustration” (Awramba Times, 2016).

Fourth report:

“Eritrea army has moved its ground forces inside northern Ethiopia” (Aligato Africa, 12-06-2016).

Fifth Report:

“Arab Sunny Ethnic in the west have to be careful of rich Eritreans and their messengers. “Thanks to the Sugar daddies of Middle East, North Korea of Africa, Eritrea is provoking the south, Ethiopia at all fronts to abort the ongoing crime against humanity proceedings of Eritrean leaders in Geneva. Eritrean cross border surprises assault killed hundreds of Ethiopian forces at their bases in Zalambessa area east. Heavy artillery fires on Badme to the West, Tserona central and Bure from UAE base under expansion which was supposed for bombing Yemen “According to Eritrean sources. There is no doubt that Eritrea is getting arms from Saudi, UAE and Qatar because it is under UN arms embargo which is violation of UN Charter” (Meles Tekle, 12.06.2016).

Sixth Report: 

“The fighting is still going on around the town of Tserona. The Ethiopian army has successfully repulsed the Eritrean attack and is reportedly pushing towards Eritrean mainland.  TOL has credible information from residents in the area the town of Tserona might fall or already is under Ethiopian troops. The heaviest fighting was in the villages of Akran, Adi Mesgen, Kunnikunto, and other strategic positions. The fighting was supported with heavy artilleries, tanks, and RPGs. Small scale skirmish has been reported all along the border   The Eritrean army is reportedly moving mechanized units from a place called Mai Wurai to the heavy fighting area and Ethiopia might have mobilized some of its mechanized divisions towards the skirmish area. Some civilians around Egella are moving back from the reach of Eritrea heavy shelling” (Tigrai Online, 12.06.2016).

This is what I could collect of wisdom from now, but there are more to come, but none is verified from either government sources of either Eritrea or Ethiopia, Asmara and Addis Ababa have not yet said anything. Peace.

Reference:

Awramba Times – ‘[Breaking News] Isaias Afeworki Launches Full-scale Ground Invasion of Ethiopia, in retaliation to recent UN report’ (12.06.2016) link: http://www.awrambatimes.com/?p=14938

Goldman, David – ‘Reports Eritrea Army Attack Ethiopia; Large-Scale Ground Attack Reported By INT Assets’ (12.06.2016) link: http://intelligencebriefs.com/reports-eritrea-army-attack-ethiopia-large-scale-ground-attack-reported-by-int-assets/

Tigrai Online – ‘Heavy fighting erupted between Eritrea and Ethiopa’ (12.06.2016) link: http://www.tigraionline.com/articles/ethio-eritrea-war-erupted.html