Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of terrorism over kidnapping
March 14, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia accused neighboring Eritrea Wednesday of masterminding the kidnapping of five Europeans and eight Ethiopians, describing it as an act of terrorism and fueling tensions between the bitter rivals.
The accusation came 24 hours after the Europeans were released from their 13-day hostage ordeal and taken to the British Embassy in Asmara, the Eritrean capital. They said Wednesday they had been treated well by their captors but the Ethiopians who were with them are still missing, with fears mounting over their safety.
“No doubt the crime of abduction was masterminded and executed by the Eritrean Government,” Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Thus, it has become manifestly evident that the Eritrean regime not only supports and propounds terrorism but is also directly involved in active terrorism.”
Eritrea, which gained independence from the Addis Ababa government in 1993 following a 30-year guerrilla war, denied having anything to do with the kidnapping and blamed an Ethiopian rebel group.
“These are outrageous allegations with no factual basis,” Yemani Gebremeskel, the Eritrean president’s spokesman told The Associated Press.
The five released hostages said Wednesday as they left Eritrea for Addis Ababa they were not mistreated by their armed captors, who held them in one of the most inhospitable places on earth, but there was no detail on who had kidnapped them or why.
“We were treated well by our captors — physically we are all in good condition but obviously very tired,” said a statement released on their behalf by the British Embassy in Addis Ababa. “We are immensely happy that we have been released and would like to thank all those who have been involved in our release. We look forward to being reunited with our family and friends.”
They arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa and were driven in a three-car convoy to the British Embassy where they were expected to meet with their families and loved ones, a British Foreign Office spokeswoman told The Associated Press.
Both Ethiopia and Eritrea are deeply hostile toward each other and the U.N. has expressed repeated fears that a bloody two year border war that ended in 2000 could re-ignite. The region where the hostages were taken is part of the border under dispute; rebels groups and bandits roam the lawless area.
Ethiopia called for international community to hold Eritrea to account, saying it had evidence of multiple terror attacks launched against it.
“Unless timely action is taken, the destructive activities of the Eritrean regime would further undermine regional and international peace and security,” the statement said. “Undoubtedly, this criminal act is part and parcel of the terrorist activities the Eritrean Government has been undertaking.”
Eritrea blamed the kidnapping on the Ethiopian rebel group Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front. ARDUF, established in the 1990s, aims to unite Afar tribespeople in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea.
The hostages were in the remote Afar region of northeastern Ethiopia when they were seized at gunpoint along with 13 Ethiopians.
Their 4×4 vehicles were later discovered abandoned, riddled with bullet holes and grenade shrapnel, although officials have said nobody was believed to have been in the cars at the time of the shooting.
The Europeans who were kidnapped are: Peter Rudge, first secretary of the British embassy in Addis Ababa; embassy worker Jonathan Ireland; Malcolm Smart and Frenchwoman Laure Beaufils of the Department for International Development; and Moore’s wife, Rosanna Moore, an Anglo-Italian.
It was not clear where the tour group had been held. Ethiopian officials have said the hostages may have been taken by rebel gunmen and marched across the porous Ethiopian border into neighboring Eritrea. But Eritrea said that the hostages only crossed into Eritrea immediately before being handed over to the embassy.
(AP)