Eritrean militia “guise” for troops

Eritrea has rejected Ethiopian complaints that Eritrea militia in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) are providing a guise for regular troops. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had complained to UN Special Envoy Legwaila Joseph Legwaila that Eritrea was maintaining a military presence in the TSZ. Ethiopia had issued a statement which said the Protocol Agreement signed between Eritrea and United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) violated the spirit of the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities of 18 June. Ethiopia also objected to the fact that the Protocol Agreement allowed for weapons to be used by militia inside the TSZ, diplomatic sources told IRIN. Temedhin Temariam, Counsellor at the Eritrean Embassy, Nairobi, denied that Eritrea had regular troops under the guise of militia in the TSZ. He told IRIN that it was up to UNMEE, in its peace-keeping and observer role, to speak up about violations and “declare whether of not there are regular Eritrean troops remaining in the TSZ”. Temedhin said Eritrea was adhering to the protocol agreement it had signed with UNMEE. UNMEE sources said it had repeatedly requested from the Eritrean authorities details on the number and composition of the militia, but had not yet received the necessary information. The source said that the Protocol Agreement did provide for Eritrean civil administration, including militia and police, to be restored in the TSZ, but that the Agreement did not specify the number of militia and police allowed.