Ethiopian envoy warns against equating TPLF with federal government

JUBA – Ethiopia’s top envoy in South Sudan has warned African countries against equating the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) with the East African country’s government saying the TPLF is a terrorist organization as designated by the Ethiopian parliament.

The TPLF has been fighting in neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar after federal; forces withdrew from Tigray region in early July following its declaration of a unilateral cease-fire on June 29, to enable humanitarian access.

Speaking to Sudans Post in an exclusive interview on Thursday, Ethiopian ambassador to South Sudan Nebil Mahdi Abdullahi called on African Countries to stand in solidarity with the Ethiopian government to restore peace.

“We need the support of African countries because TPLF is a terrorist organization recognized by Ethiopian parliament as a terrorist group. They should not consider at the equal platform with Ethiopian legitimate government and at the same time, we want African nations to pressure TPLF to stop the war and withdraw from Amhara and Afar regions and accept the legitimate government of Ethiopia and constitution of Ethiopia and after this then negotiation can happen,” Mahdi told a Sudans Post reporter yesterday.

“African countries need to stand in solidarity with Ethiopia at this challenging time of Ethiopia and the African countries should not allow themselves to be confused by western media propaganda. What is happening is pure propaganda against the legitimate government of Ethiopia and against the will of the people,” Mahdi added.

The top Ethiopian diplomat asked the African States to condemn the TPLF which has been accused by international human organizations of human rights violations in Amhara and Afar regions following its advance and which has also been designated as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives to cease.

“Ethiopia and Africa will prevail and what we are requesting from African countries is for us to stand firm together at this critical time for the benefit of our countries,” he said.

He accused the Western Countries of having hidden agenda for a new colonization of Africa through Ethiopia which is the only independent country in Africa.

“The war is against Ethiopian sovereignty and their agenda is to destabilize the whole of Ethiopia, is not about the Tigray region, they don’t have agenda for Tigray. Their hidden agenda is to destabilize Ethiopia with intention of the ruling. They are looking for the possibility of ruling again, coming to power again and that is unacceptable,” he said.

He said if the TPLF succeeded in overthrowing the current government, it will have a negative impact on the safety and security of most African nations.

“If TPLF with its supporters succeeds to destabilize then the impact will go to all the regions and automatically the impact will come to South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, and the whole region. Supporting Ethiopia means for safety and security of each nation and state neighboring Africa,” he said.