Swift Law Enforcement Operation Eases Int`l Community Concerns: Ambassador

Addis Ababa December 1/2020 The timely completion of the law enforcement operation in Tigray Regional State will assuage the concerns of the international community, Ethiopian Ambassador to Belgium Hirut Zemene said.

Ambassador Hirut told ENA that since the start of the law enforcement operation in northern Ethiopia, the embassy has been working on creating awareness about the ultimate target of the operation to the Government of Belgium and international community in general.

The international community has expressed concerns that law enforcement action could lead to civil strife and a regional crisis.

Hirut, however, said that the conclusion of the operation as per the schedule will undoubtedly end all the concerns having been raised by some international actors following the law enforcement action by the government.

“On Saturday, it was disclosed that the law enforcement operation has concluded as per the schedule within short period. So, we informed to all concerned actors here. This surely assuages the concern and builds up the confidence of the international community that the law enforcement action will not slide towards civil war and spirals into full-blown regional crisis,” she said.

Hirut said successive briefings have been given for the high-level officials of the European Union (EU) where the embassy covers.

It was to be recalled that during his stay in Belgium, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen held talks with EU Commission Vice President Joseph Borrell and his Belgian counterpart Sophie Williams on the law enforcement operation in Tigray.

Hirut stressed that the embassy has been also working to change the wrong perception of European Union which tried to depict the ongoing law enforcement operation in Tigray as ‘a war between two forces’ which is not the representation of realities on the ground.

“Generally, there was a narrative of concern in the European Union member states that the situation will spiral out of control and spread into regional crisis as Ethiopia is a huge influential country in terms of size and population in the region. But, after the detailed brief they realized that the law enforcement operation is an internal issue and the situation can be handled by the government,” the ambassador said.

Hirut noted that the government has established a national committee for the humanitarian support and rehabilitation of the displaced people to address the concerns of the international community on access to humanitarian assistance for the displaced.

She further said the repatriation and resettlement of citizens who fled to neighboring Sudan will be executed in a coordinated way.