Letter: Ethiopia's war aims
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: I would like to point out a few facts about the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea that the Ethiopian ambassador (letter, 5 July) has avoided.
I live and work in Eritrea. In June last year, I was in Asmara, the capital, when it was bombed three times in two days. A few weeks later, the Ethiopian Foreign Minster bragged, "We shall have the port of Asseb in a few weeks."
Asseb and Massawa, Eritrea's two Red Sea ports, have both been attacked recently. This is not a border conflict but Ethiopia pursuing its centuries- old ambition of having the Red Sea coast.
Anyone can see that it would be foolhardy for a country of only 3 million people (Eritrea) to start trouble with a neighbour having 60 million (Ethiopia). Ethiopia is also attacking Somalia to the south and Kenya and Sudan to the west and north. Cynically, they even bombed villages and refugees in Eritrea whilst Kofi Annan's representative was in Addis Ababa trying to arrange a ceasefire.
My neighbour has a niece staying with him who was deported from Ethiopia, without her parents, as a security risk. She is nine years old.
Neither country can afford this conflict, and the truth is that Ethiopia is continuing to fight as a means of uniting the country, trying to avoid tackling its own internal problems. All Eritrea wants is peace, as do most ordinary Ethiopians.
DAVID WRIGHT
Asmara, Eritrea
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments