Eritrean Opposition group Brigade Nhamedu members met in Ethiopia last night. The group was formed by Eritrean diaspora community in Europe more than a year ago.
Brigade Nhamedu has been involved in attack on several festivals and community programs organized by pro Eritrean government community in Europe, Israel, Canada and the US. The opposition group is of the view that Eritrean government, through these programs, creates divisions in diaspora community, harasses its critics abroad and raises money for its war campaigns.
Eritrean government owned newspaper earlier this year accused Brigade Nhamedu of being a non Eritrean entity, formed, funded and backed allegedly by hostile intelligence agencies and enemies of Eritrea.
Since its establishment Brigade Nhamedu never organized any major program in an African country. But on Saturday, for the first time, the opposition group kicked off its organizational activities in an African country i.e. Ethiopia. Ethiopia shares border with Eritrea. Eritrea and Ethiopia were under one administration until 1991 when Eritrea gained independence.
Last night’s convention by Brigade Nhamedu was held in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Hundreds of Eritrean youths wearing blue shirts with group’s logo were seen attending the program. The participants were carrying placards and banners in the memory of Wedi Worku. Wedi Worku, an Eritrean refugee was stabbed to death last week in Tel Aviv Israel allegedly by a pro Eritrean government diaspora community member.
Interestingly, the convention was held in Haya Arat area which is stone thrown away distance from Eritrean embassy in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have been backing and arming opposition groups against each other in the past. But in 2018, they restored diplomatic ties and announced to work towards regional economic and security integration. In the two year long war in northern Ethiopia between Tigray fighters and Ethiopian federal forces, Eritrea militarily supported Ethiopian federal forces. However the bilateral relations strained after Ethiopian warring parties signed Pretoria Peace Deal in November 2022 to end the war.
The bilateral tensions hit new high last year when Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed, in a speech, claimed that Ethiopia, a landlocked country, had natural rights to gain access to the sea (ports) which were part of Ethiopia in the past. Most critics saw his speech directed towards Eritrea.
It remains to be seen how Eritrea will respond to the organizational activities of an Eritrean opposition group on Ethiopian soil.
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