Eritrea protests against Ethiopian presence in TSZ

The Eritrean government has lodged a formal protest with the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), against Ethiopian army incursions into the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), the Eritrean pro-government news agency Visafric said on Monday. In a letter on Monday to Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, the Commissioner of the Eritrean Commission for Coordination with UNMEE said that the Ethiopian army had occupied new areas in the TSZ - in Aromo (grid reference given as 14.37N 39.29E) and the area between Kesad Emba (given as 14.39N 39.16E) and Meketa (given as grid location 5412221). The letter said Ethiopian forces still occupied several areas “deep inside the TSZ”. It said Eritrea had lodged repeated protests with UNMEE against such violations, and that “these constant and continuing violations pose a grave threat to the peace process”. In the letter, the Eritrean Commission also said the presence of the Ethiopian army posed a serious threat to the ongoing return of the internally displaced population to their homes and villages. The Commissioner called on UNMEE to “take all necessary measures to address Ethiopia’s continued violations”, and urged the UN mission to “ensure full respect for the agreed upon limits of the TSZ in line with its mandate”. Ethiopia has also complained to UNMEE that Eritrea continued to have a presence in the TSZ, under the guise of militia.