A war of words is brewing between regional rival Ethiopia
and Eritrea.
Ethiopia is warning it will take necessary action against Eritrea
unless it refrains from what Ethiopia describes as the Asmara regime’s
destabilizing role in east Africa.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn accused the
Eritrean government of destabilizing the peace and security of Ethiopia and the
region at large, in an address to parliament.
Addis Ababa has repeatedly accused Asmara of trying to
destabilizing the horn of Africa’s nation by backing Ethiopian rebels and
allegedly providing direct and indirect support to al-Qaida allied Islamist
militants in Somalia.
In 2009 the UN slapped Eritrea with sanctions over charges
it armed and provided financial support to Al Shabaab.
Asmara denies the allegations.
The two neighbours have routinely traded tough rhetoric
following a 1998-2000 border war, which killed an estimated 70,000 people.
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| Eritrean artillery (seen above) fires at Ethiopian positions during the last war between the two countries |
Every month around 5,000 Eritreans flee to neighbouring
countries to escape political repression at home.
Ethiopia hosts at least 90,000 Eritrean refugees.
The UN has accused Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki’s government
of committing extra-judicial executions, torture, arbitrary and incommunicado
detentions, enforced disappearances, sexual violence and other forms of right
abuses.
There are an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 political prisoners
in Eritrea.