UN mission protest against restrictions on movement

The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) says it has complained to the government of Eritrea over restrictions imposed on the mission's freedom of movement. An UNMEE logistics convoy was stopped at a checkpoint manned by the Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) on the main supply road from Mendefera to Tsorena, which is the main access route to the security buffer zone on the disputed border.

The EDF soldiers fired warning shots into the air to make the convoy turn around, an UNMEE statement said on 6 May. UNMEE said the incident had resulted in the mission lodging "a further protest", because Eritrea had guaranteed UNMEE complete freedom of movement throughout their territories.

"Despite this guarantee, however, UNMEE continues to face obstacles to its freedom of movement in Eritrea in terms of both ground and air access with regard to the TSZ [Temporary Security Zone], and especially areas adjacent to it." UNMEE said it had lodged 51 separate protests regarding freedom of movement since 26 February.

The statement said UNMEE had "engaged in negotiations at all levels", but guarantees were not consistently honoured on the ground. The statement said UNMEE's freedom of movement was critical to the mission's ability to carry out its mandate, and that the UN Security Council would soon be briefed on concerns over restrictions on freedom of movement and "other critical matters".