Eritrean diplomat “mistreated”

The Eritrean government has protested against the treatment of one of its diplomats in Addis Ababa, who, it said, had been detained at gunpoint at the entrance of the Eritrean Embassy. Charge d’Affaires Salih Umar was held at gunpoint on Tuesday morning at the entrance of the embassy in Addis Ababa by a group of armed Ethiopian men in full military uniform, the pro-Eritrean government news agency Visafric said on Thursday. According to Umar, the military men discussed orders to take into custody any person who attempted to enter the Eritrean Embassy, Visafric said. In a letter addressed to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the Eritrean government said the treatment of Salih Umar was the latest in a series of breaches of the diplomatic immunities of its representatives by Ethiopia. “The incident is not only a violation of international law in its own right but also... a serious disruption of the peace process,” Eritrea said. It said it appeared that standing orders had been given to apprehend all individuals attempting to enter the Eritrean Chancery building. Eritrea said Ethiopian military officials forced Salih to enter his car, and ordered him at gunpoint to drive towards the Ethiopian government security headquarters. One of the Ethiopian military officials had fired his weapon as Salih entered his car, the letter said. Accompanied by the official, Salih was ordered to stop the car near the Ethiopian president’s palace, where the official stepped out, and the Eritrean diplomat was allowed to drive away.