Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed today indicated his government’s readiness to repatriate Ethiopians who migrated to neighboring Sudan after it has launched restoring rule of law military operation against the armed group labeled, Tigray peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), which admitted attacking the northern command of Ethiopian army in Tigray Region a few weeks ago.
Prime Minister Abiy told the special envoy of African Union (AU) this morning that his government is ready to receive, rehabilitate and resettle citizens that have fled, by setting up four camps established to rehabilitate returnees before resettling them back into their original locales.
The special envoy is delegated by the current chairperson of AU & South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. At his office this morning Prime Minister Abiy has met with the former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former President of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano, and former President of South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe.
During the meeting Prime Minister Abiy also mentioned the establishment of high-level committee of Federal stakeholders to assess and respond to essential humanitarian needs of citizens in the region. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his profound gratitude to the African Union Chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa for the utmost concern and understanding shared in Ethiopia’s efforts to end impunity and bring the TPLF criminal clique to justice, according to the press statement from the Office of the Prime Minister.
My utmost gratitude to President @CyrilRamaphosa & his Special Envoys for their concerted effort to understand our rule of law operations. Receiving the wisdom & counsel of respected African elders is a precious continental culture that we value greatly in Ethiopia. pic.twitter.com/2utnEXG94o
— Abiy Ahmed Ali 🇪🇹 (@AbiyAhmedAli) November 27, 2020
“He also appreciated the Special Envoys for their visit to Ethiopia, in elderly concern, reiterating the well-meaning endeavors of African brothers and sisters who are equally hopeful for a prosperous and stable Ethiopia. Ethiopia appreciates this gesture and for the steadfast commitment this demonstrates to the principle of African solution to African problems, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed noted. During the discussions, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed briefed the Special Envoys on the background to Ethiopia’s rule of law operations currently underway in the Tigray region.”
"TPLF clique preparing to repeat the Mai-Kadra massacre in Mekelle" – Major General Mohammad Tessema, Director-General of the FDRE Defense Force Indoctrination Unit in a Press Briefing
(24 November 2020) https://t.co/gynv3bZYJR
— Ethiopia State of Emergency Fact Check (@SOEFactCheck) November 26, 2020
The statement further stated that Prime Minister Abiy has discussed at length the patience with which his government handled the provocations and destabilization agenda the TPLF orchestrated for more than two years.
“Recounting the numerous attempts by the federal government to engage peacefully, he reiterated that the premeditated attack on the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, which constitutes high treason under the Criminal Code of Ethiopia, was the final straw which forced the federal government to act in protection of the constitutional order of the country. Prime Minister Abiy expressed the Federal Government’s constitutionally mandated responsibility to enforce rule of law in the region and across the country. Failure to do so would nurture a culture of impunity with devastating cost to the survival of the country, he emphasized,” the statement noted.
During the discussions with the Special Envoys, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed further reiterated:
• the Federal government’s utmost commitment to the protection and security of civilians during the rule of law operations, demonstrated in the National Defense Force’s avoidance to engage in combat within cities and densely populated areas, by weathering rough terrain instead;
• identification and announcement of a humanitarian assistance route for the provision of necessary relief materials to citizens in the region coordinated through the Ministry of Peace in collaboration with UN agencies;
• efforts underway to operationalize the Constitutionally established and multi-party Provisional Administration of Tigray, in towns and cities under Federal command to enable provision of government services;
• determination to apprehend and bring to justice the TPLF clique and their operatives who also perpetrated the grave crimes against humanity in Maikadra;
• commitment to rebuild public infrastructure destroyed by TPLF militia, including communication facilities;
• unwavering commitment of federal government to create a democratic Ethiopia that is inclusive of all without domination or repression of one group by another.
The statement also indicated that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has also underscored his immense gratitude to friends of Ethiopia who are engaging constructively during the federal government’s rule of law operations and expressed his commitment to dialogue with civil society and community representatives in the Regional State of Tigray as well as political parties operating legally within the region.
Minister of Finance H.E. Ahmed Shide speaks to France24 on current rule of law operations in #Tigray region. #EthiopiaPrevails#EndTPLFImpunity#JusticeForMaikadra https://t.co/ELlunYDmsi
— Ethiopia State of Emergency Fact Check (@SOEFactCheck) November 27, 2020