Addis Ababa, January 12, 2022 (Walta) – Eritrea has no option but to bolster its constructive engagement as developments in Ethiopia have positive ramifications to Eritrea, President Isaias Afwerki said.
In his latest interview with ERI TV, the president said that despite both sides’ desire and commitment for constructive engagement, Eritrea ‘s concerns were not allayed due to overwhelming information on TPLF’s preparation for war.
Noting the over three years’ sweeping reform in Ethiopia, Isaias said that it has brought hope for Ethiopia and other rest of Horn of African countries, however, the terrorist TPLF with the tacit approval of its sponsors devoted unremitting efforts to roll back this reform and it was accordingly immersed in intensive military preparations.
Talking about the sudden assault that TPLF launched on November 3, 2020, he noted that nobody could predict such military adventure, but the terrorist group has been operating with twin objectives to topple Ethiopian Federal Government and attack Eritrea.
“ Moreover, we later found out, TPLF planned to hit over 100 key targets in Eritrea for extensive devastation.”
The president pointed out that: “Following TPLF attack, we had to provide sanctuary for some of the contingents in the Northern Command who resisted the initial assault. Our reaction was a spontaneous act of legitimate self-defense.”
According to Isaias , TPLF’s gross miscalculation to unleash the assault, which stemmed from its dominant control of Ethiopian National Defense Forces ( ENDF) during 27 years of monopolistic power, did not succeed as anticipated in the early months of the conflict.
He further stated that terrorist TPLF subsequently committed another reckless military campaign when it ventured into Amhara and Afar states, controlled Dessie and Kombolcha, and bragged about capturing Addis Ababa. “But, the debacle it faced subsequently was predictable from the perspective of objective military analysis.”
Concerning the call for negotiation, he said that critical issue now is whether there is real prospect for soul-searching by TPLF and its sponsors adding that flaunting “negotiations” as a tactical agenda will not serve the interest of regional peace and stability.
Indicating TPLF’s anomalous historical position and its dualist policy which oscillates from the monopoly of power to the establishment of “independent Tigray”, the president said that this has remained a cause of conflict and chaos for past decades apart from institutionalizing ethnicity in Ethiopia.
Regarding some western powers that have been encouraging TPLF’s ethnic polarization, he said that as it suits their agenda of control through pliable actors in various spheres of influence, these powers have traditionally supported such disastrous policies.