Month: October 2022

GENEVA/CARACAS — The United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday renewed the mandate of its fact-finding mission in Venezuela, an initiative that Caracas has criticized as an aggressive tool for interfering in domestic matters.

The renewal of the mandate, created in 2019 to assess alleged human rights violations committed in Venezuela since 2014, was approved by 19 votes to 5 against and 23 abstentions during a Council session in Geneva. The mission’s work will continue for another two years.

Those opposed were Cuba, Bolivia, China, Eritrea and Venezuela itself, whose representative to the Council, Ambassador Hector Constant Rosales, dubbed the resolution “hostile.”

In September, the third report of the International Independent Fact-Finding Mission for Venezuela (FFM) found that state intelligence agencies under the helm of President Nicolas Maduro had suppressed the opposition through arbitrary detentions and torture that amounted to crimes against humanity.

The intelligence agencies “made use of sexual and gender-based violence to torture and humiliate their detainees” since at least 2014 and “the violations and crimes … continue to this day,” the report said.

The Venezuelan government said the accusations in the report were “false and unfounded.”

“Through a false report, without the slightest methodological basis or direct contact with the real situation of the country, they intend to keep attacking Venezuelan institutions,” the government said in a statement in September after the report was released.

Venezuela is a “democratic and social state, based on the rule of law and justice, which is committed to the promotion, respect and protection of human rights,” the government added.

Human rights groups welcomed the FFM’s extension.

The renewal was a “sign of support for the countless victims of grave human rights violations that have been, and continue to be, committed in the country,” Amnesty’s Americas Director Erika Guevara Rosas said on Twitter.

Human Rights Watch called the FFM’s extension “extremely important” and said it plays “an early warning role in the lead up to the 2024 presidential elections.”

Source: Voice of America

In its Resolution of 6 October 2022, entitled: “The recent humanitarian and human rights situation in Tigray, Ethiopia; notably that of children,” the European Parliament peddles baseless and untenable allegations on Eritrea. Among other things, the Resolution accuses Eritrea for “playing destructive role in the Tigray conflict” and, preposterous as it may sound, for “invading Ethiopia”.

The EU Parliament has a long history of unwarranted hostility against Eritrea. Still, the latest resolution illustrates utter ignorance and/or willful distortion of the origins and dynamics of TPLF’s War of Choice and Insurrection; as well as duplicitous interpretation of international law and established State practice.

In this context and to set the record straight, we will highlight the following facts and events:

1. The almost two-years long vicious war in northern Ethiopia was triggered solely and only because the TPLF launched massive, premeditated and coordinated military assaults on all the contingents of the Northern Command on the night of 3 November 2020. The TPLF deployed 250,000 Militia’s and Special Forces that it had trained throughout the years for the operation that its commanders dubbed as “blitzkrieg”.
2. The TPLF’s pronounced objectives in launching its reckless War of Insurrection were to totally neutralize the Northern Command; capture all its heavy weaponry (which constituted about 80% of the ENDF’s total ordinance) and topple the Federal Government.
3. Annulment of the historic Eritrea-Ethiopia Peace Agreement and subsequent invasion of Eritrea was an integral and pronounced part of the TPLF’s War of Insurrection. Indeed, the historical dilemma to Eritrea remains the TPLF’s “dualist agenda” which consists of: 1) territorial aggrandizement by incorporating some sovereign Eritrean territories to expand the land mass of the Tigray Region when it retains dominant power in Ethiopia as was the case until 2018; and, ii) Secession (Residual Plan B) if its political, economic and military dominance in Ethiopia is irrevocably reversed. The Residual Plan involves “annexation of most of the highlands and large parts of the eastern lowlands of Eritrea to create “Greater Tigray”.
4. The TPLF’s War of Insurrection was not confined to its reckless military assaults in November 2020. Even when the first offensive was foiled and against the backdrop of successive unilateral and humanitarian cease-fires that were declared by the Federal Government, the TPLF persisted in its war efforts to unleash the Second Offensive from June to September in 2021 and the Third Offensive on 24 August this year. In all these acts, the TPLF commandeered and funneled humanitarian assistance and WFP trucks to its war efforts; and, conscripted tens of thousands of child soldiers as cannon fodder in its costly human-wave war tactics.

These are the indelible facts.

The European Parliament cannot indeed feign ignorance; accuse the victims in order to absolve the villain; and, adopt irresponsible resolutions in the name of “peace and human rights”.

In the case of Eritrea, we must also recall and emphasize the EU’s decades-long, inexcusable policies – almost invariably endorsed by the European Parliament – that abetted and supported the TPLF’s occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories for almost twenty years in flagrant violation of the Algiers Peace Agreement and the final and binding EEBC Arbitral Award. These instruments were brokered and guaranteed by the EU along with other major parties. But the EU and the European Parliament chose to close their eyes and provide massive budgetary and other fungible assistance to the TPLF, when it was at the helm of power in Ethiopia, in spite of these flagrant violations of international law.

The European Parliament’s accusations of Eritrea for “invading Ethiopia” is too ludicrous to merit response.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — Ethiopia’s nearly two-year civil war with Tigrayan forces may finally see peace talks after both sides agreed to an African Union-mediated dialogue in South Africa this weekend. The talks would come after a series of airstrikes in Tigray, including one Tuesday that aid workers say killed more than 50 people when it hit a school sheltering war-displaced people.

There have been reports of heavy fighting since hostilities resumed in late August between Ethiopia’s federal government and the country’s Tigray rebels, with dozens of civilians dying in airstrikes.

This latest round of fighting also has seen Eritrea renew its involvement in the conflict on the side of Ethiopia’s federal military, with the Tigray leadership saying Eritrea has launched a “full-scale” offensive into northern Tigray.

Now, both the Tigray authorities and the federal government say they are ready to attend peace talks this weekend in South Africa sponsored by the African Union (AU).

According to the AU Commission, the talks will be led by AU special envoy Olusegun Obasanjo, who will be supported by former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

However, the Tigray leadership has requested more information regarding the structure of the talks before attending them.

They have long criticized Obasanjo’s role as a mediator, seeing him as close to the Ethiopean prime minister, and have insisted that international officials participate in cease-fire discussions as “observers” and “guarantors.”

Ahmed Soliman, a researcher at the Chatham House think tank in London, said there are “credibility questions” hanging over Obasanjo as a mediator. But he added that the talks could lead to a breakthrough.

“If these talks proceed in the next couple of days, they’ll be the first formal face-to-face, direct talks between the conflict parties,” he said. “And in that regard, there’s a huge opportunity to reset this mediation and try to build some confidence. Whether the opportunity is seized, of course, is another matter entirely. We’ve seen previous efforts not be successful, but I think what should be apparent is the seriousness of African partners [and] the international community to resolve this conflict.”

The Tigray leadership has insisted on four demands as part of any agreement to end the fighting. These are: “unfettered” humanitarian access to Tigray; the withdrawal of Eritrean troops; the restoration of the Tigray’s communication and banking services; and the return of territory lost in the conflict.

A previous round of informal talks held in Djibouti last month broke down without an agreement after federal officials failed to give guarantees on the restoration of Tigray’s services, which have been shut down for more than a year.

Soliman said the South Africa talks — if they take place — will not settle these issues, but they could kickstart a longer-term political process that does.

“And that needs to be communicated through this process as a longer-term process toward ending this conflict, not just a one-time meeting,” he said. “These talks should be seen as a stepping stone, not an end goal, not to achieve the ambition of ending the conflict. Because that, they won’t do.”

Will Davison, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the talks are likely to discuss “procedural issues” rather than thorny substantive issues. He added that any deal could also be derailed by Eritrea.

“Even in a best-case scenario where the federal and Tigray parties are able to come to terms on all of their outstanding disagreements, there is nothing like a guarantee that would stop Eritrea’s approach, which is currently a military approach,” he said. “They have fully re-engaged in the conflict over the last month, and there is really no indication that they’re interested in [a] negotiated settlement with the TPLF and Tigray’s leadership. Instead, [it’s] reasonable to think they are looking for a military solution and the total defeat of the Tigray political and military leadership. So, Eritrea could well be a serious spoiler, even if these AU-mediated talks between the federal and Tigray governments go incredibly well.”

So far, the Tigray rebels and the federal government have stuck stubbornly to their negotiating positions. But with the cost of the fighting increasing every day, they might be persuaded to sign a deal that stops the bloodshed, at least in the short term.

 

Source: Voice of America

The U.N. Human Rights Council called on Sri Lanka to get a grip on its economic crisis and prosecute corruption by public officials, in a resolution passed Thursday.

The United Nations’ top rights body voted 20-7 to keep up its focus on the South Asian island nation. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry told the chamber in Geneva that Colombo “categorically rejects” the text.

The resolution urges the Sri Lankan government “to address the ongoing economic crisis, including by investigating and, where warranted, prosecuting corruption, including where committed by public and former public officials.”

The council voiced concern at the human rights impact of the economic crisis, violence against peaceful protesters and called for a “comprehensive accountability process” for all rights violations and abuses.

The 19-point resolution was brought forward by 37 mostly European countries.

Sri Lanka’s 22 million population has endured acute shortages of food, fuel and medicines along with hyperinflation and lengthy electricity blackouts since late last year.

The island ran out of foreign exchange and defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in mid-April. It has since been negotiating for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

The crisis led to widespread protests that saw President Gotabaya Rajapaksa toppled in mid-July over allegations of mismanagement and corruption.

New President Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken a hard line against protesters who brought down Rajapaksa and used the tough Prevention of Terrorism Act to detain three student leaders.

Sabry made Sri Lanka’s case for a no vote in Geneva in person.

“We strongly object,” he said, calling it “deeply regrettable that this rambling resolution … ignores the institutional and political stability restored in Sri Lanka.”

Argentina, Britain, France, Germany, Mexico, South Korea, Ukraine and the United States backed the resolution.

Countries voting no included China, Cuba, Eritrea and Pakistan.

Twenty countries in the 47-member council abstained, including Brazil, India, Indonesia and Japan.

The resolution underscored the importance of addressing the root causes behind the crisis, “including deepening militarization, lack of accountability in governance and impunity for serious human rights violations and abuses.”

The council voiced concern at the human rights impact of the crisis and called for those responsible for violence against peaceful protesters and government supporters resulting in deaths, injuries and destruction to be held to account.

It called for a “comprehensive accountability process” for rights violations and abuses and extended the U.N. rights office’s capacity to collect evidence for future accountability for serious violations.

It called on Colombo to ensure a safe environment “in which civil society can operate free from hindrance, surveillance, insecurity and threat of reprisals.”

It urged the U.N. rights office to enhance its reporting on the situation, with oral and written updates at future Human Rights Council sessions.

 

Source: Voice of America

Veteran freedom fighter Mr. Tekeste Baire, Secretary General of the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers passed away at the age of 69 after a short bout of illness.

Veteran freedom fighter Mr. Tekeste Baire who joined the EPLF in 1976 served his country and people in various capacities of the Eritrean Workers Association in Europe and head of Public Administration in the Southern Europe Region.

After Independence, veteran freedom fighter Mr. Tekeste Baire served his country and people with utmost dedication since 1994 as Chairman of the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers.

Veteran freedom fighter Mr. Tekeste Baire is survived by his wife and three children.

Expressing deep sorrow on the passing away of veteran freedom fighter Mr. Tekeste Baire, the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers expressed condolences to family and friends.

The funeral service of veteran fighter Mr. Tekeste will be announced.

 

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea