Panafrican News Agency

Ethiopian Crisis: Government determined to free people displaced by 'terrorists' in Tigray region

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – While celebrating the Ethiopian New Year 2014, the nation has yet to make sure that its people in Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions are free from the grip of "terrorist elements", said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen.

Referring to the insurgency that erupted in the northern Tigray region in November 2020 and sparked a humanitarian tragedy that has affected the whole East African country, Demeke said the government has to make sure that internally displaced persons return to their normal lives.

In his message for the Ethiopian New Year on Saturday, he noted that as “a manifestation of change in the spirit of Ethiopians, the New Year comes around with sunshine and the colourful landscape of our beloved Ethiopia”.

Reflecting unity and determination to protect the sovereignty of the country, Demeke added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has handled issues related to the construction, operation, and filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile River.

Ethiopians showed their resilience and unshakable spirit in the midst of internal and external challenges in the past year, he said.

He regretted that the nation has lost brave soldiers of the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces “by the hands of the short-sighted and murderous Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) clique”.

“None of the soldiers deserved that horrible death. Nevertheless, they have got ultimate respect to their sacrifice by standing resolute and combating the challenges posed by the country’s worst enemy. Creating a united front against the adversaries is the ultimate honour given to the soldiers.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Sileshi Bekele, has said the necessary preparations are under way to enable two turbines of the GERD to generate electricity in the first months of the Ethiopian new year.

He told the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) that Ethiopia has encountered various challenges in the negotiation process of GERD.

However, he said, as the construction of the dam has intensified amid challenges, the nation is now working to commence generation of electricity by using two turbines on the dam.  

Noting that Ethiopia has the full right to use its natural gifts, he said using natural resources for development is vital in order to defeat poverty in the country.  

In this regard, GERD is a key instrument to tackle the development challenges in Ethiopia, the minister added.

Ethiopia's neighbours, Sudan and Egypt, are protesting against the construction of the dam saying it will affect the flow of water to their countries.  

-0- PANA AR/MA 12Sept2021