ASMARA – In a world often quick to point fingers, Eritrea finds itself navigating the murky waters of blame. Recently, Eritrea refuted the allegations linking it to the persistent turmoil in the Horn of Africa. Former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome had directed accusations at Eritrea for its alleged role in the ongoing crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
But is it really fair to blame a neighbor for internal strife? Eritrea, for its part, firmly dismisses this. Yemane Meskel, the ever-persuasive Eritrean minister of information, suggests these accusations aim to ‘conceal and rationalize a warmongering agenda’ within Ethiopia itself. The narrative isn’t just about cross-border tension; it’s a tapestry woven from Ethiopia’s own political intricacies.
“Eritrea has always upheld its commitment to peace and regional stability,” Yemane emphasized, his voice unwavering. He elaborated on how Ethiopia’s current trials are deeply rooted in its internal dynamics. How can one expect to quell a storm by pointing fingers at the distant clouds?
To add another layer of complexity, one might recall the turbulent 1998-2000 Eritrea-Ethiopia border conflict. Eritrea asserts this bloody confrontation was sparked by Ethiopian encroachment on its lands. Natural neighbors turned adversaries, they only found common ground after Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018. Could this past be clouding the present perceptions? It’s a question worth pondering.
The narrative takes another twist during the recent Tigray conflict. There were murmurs, loud accusations, that Eritrean Defence Forces had sauntered into Ethiopian soil, leaving chaos in their wake. Yet, the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement in South Africa brought that chapter to a close, at least on paper.
“Eritrea has neither the interest nor the appetite to obstruct or interfere,” the statement boldly declared. Contemplating these words, one wonders about the motives behind such claims. What would Eritrea gain from an alleged military presence in Ethiopia’s border areas? The answer might be more nuanced than what’s visible on the surface.
Moreover, the internal friction within Ethiopia’s Amhara region offered another pointed finger, this time from the former Ethiopian president. He accused Eritrea’s President Isaias Afwerki of orchestrating a local militia, orchestrating conflict like an unwanted symphony. Once again, Eritrea deflects this, urging Ethiopia to confront its internal dilemmas rather than looking for culprits next door—a sentiment echoing through reports from the Addis Standard.
At its heart, this discourse asks a vital question: should nations externalize conflicts to escape internal responsibility? The complex issues plaguing the Horn of Africa, Eritrea insists, originate from within Ethiopia itself. Blame, after all, is a tool that can build bridges, or just as easily, burn them.
AXADLETM
Report By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring
