Mereja.Forum

[MINILIK SALSAWI]

The Ethiopian port issue will only be resolved when the Eritrean government is removed, the Red Sea Afar Democratic Party said in a press conference in Addis Ababa today.

The party’s chairman, Ibrahim Harun, said this in an indirect response to a question posed by Wazema on whether his party accepts the fact that Ethiopia is the historical owner of the port of Assab.

Ibrahim also said that his party does not receive any military or other support from the Ethiopian government.

Ibrahim also stated that the party’s main objective is to protect the rights of the Afar people and remove the Eritrean government, not to separate the Afar people from Eritrea or integrate them with Ethiopia.

The party, which mentioned that it has filed a complaint with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights regarding the human rights violations that the Eritrean government is committing against the Red Sea Afars, stated that it will consider the issue of secession and continuation from Eritrea if the conditions do not improve. The party, which mentioned that it will consider the issue of secession and continuation from Eritrea if the conditions do not improve.