Ethiopia calls for political wisdom amid Egypt’s renewed violence
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
August 14, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Ethiopian government on Wednesday wished Egyptians to exercise political wisdom to end the escalated crises in the North African nation.
Hundreds wounded during clashes in Cairo that erupted early on Wednesday after Egypt’s security forces used force to clear pro-Morsi demonstrator’s sit-ins and camps in the capital.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune, a senior Ethiopian government official wished on Egyptians for calm and engagement in dialogue to ease the escalated violence.
“Egypt is a big nation and the peoples are wise, Egyptian political actors and citizens need to resolve their differences peacefully and through a dialogue” said Dina Mufti, the spokesperson of Ethiopia’s ministry of foreign affairs.
“Egyptians problems must be solved by Egyptian themselves” Ethiopian government spokesperson, Shimels Kemal told Sudan Tribune citing to Ethiopia’s long-standing position over the crises.
The Ethiopian officials refrained from giving further comments on the issue, which has been widely condemned by the United States and others.
Following Wednesday’s tragedy, Egypt’s Interim government said the country’s security has come under threat and later in the day declared a state of emergency due to last for one month giving the military more powers.
Morsi’s Islamist supporters from the Justice and Freedom Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, say the state of emergency will allow the Army to escalate their crackdown against them.
The Muslim Brotherhood has put the death toll at over 500 and those wounded at around 8,000. Hundreds if not thousands of pro-Morsi protests are also said to have been arrested by police.
Pro Morsi demonstrators have been forming camps since 3 July, when president Morsi was ousted.
(ST)