Poisoned Intent in the Name of Aid Intolerable, Law of the Land Redline: Scholar

The attempts being carried out by some western countries and international organizations to pressurize Ethiopia to open new humanitarian corridor via Sudan is to achieve their poisoned intention in the name of humanitarian aid by violating the sovereignty of the nation, according a scholar.

International law ratified by all members of the United Nations stipulates that the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of each member states are fully respected.

This international law clearly prohibits the interference in the internal affairs of member states, according to scholars of international relations.

However, some members of the international community have been violating this international tenet by meddling in the internal affairs of Ethiopia with the banner of humanitarian aid in Tigray, despite the government’s unreserved commitment to facilitate the smooth flow of aid to the people in Tigray.

Besides, the government of Ethiopia has invested more than 100 billion Birr to provide humanitarian aid to the people in Tigray affected by the ongoing conflict instigated by the terrorist TPLF.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, History and Political Science Scholar, Dr. Nigus Belay said humanitarian organizations who wish to provide aid to people in Tigray should operate according to the laws of the country so as to appropriately reach the beneficiaries.

Citing that any aid which crossed the Ethiopian boarder should be permitted and checked by the central government of the country, he said based on international laws “anyone who is operating in the land of Ethiopia should respect the sovereignty of the nation”.

Operating contrary to the stated facts is violating the sovereignty of the country and should be accountable, according to the scholar.

The scholar further stated that the government has the responsibility to oversee the contents of the aid that enter in to its territory and has to check the final delivery whether the humanitarian aid has reached to the appropriate beneficiaries or not.

As there are a number of routs available to transport aid to Tigray including Air from Addis Ababa, the demand for a new corridor via Sudan is nothing but some sort of conspiracy being orchestrated by the terrorist TPLF and its allies in the west, he said.

He further stated that the objective of the pressure being exerted by some international organizations and western countries on Ethiopia to open new humanitarian corridors is not a genuine humanitarian concern, but to achieve hidden agenda as the expense of humanitarian aid.

These members of the international community have been giving a deaf ear to the continued provocative acts being orchestrated by the terrorist TPLF that disrupted the smooth flow of humanitarian aid to Tigray.

This signals that there is a hidden agenda needed to be realized by some international actors through the terrorist TPLF by endangering the national security of Ethiopia, according to the scholar.

“The silence of the international community over the recent blockade of 189 trucks carrying food and non-food aid to Tigray via Afar regional state by the terrorist TPLF group has clearly demonstrated and exposed their hidden agenda,” he pointed out.

Any genuine aid organization should act based on the law of the land and has to operate in collaboration with the government, it was indicated.

“Exerting pressure on the government to open new humanitarian corridor that endangers the security of the country is against international law and should not be tolerated,” the scholar underlined.

The Ethiopian government on Wednesday announced the suspension for three months of three humanitarian NGOs for “for breaching rules of the nation and operating outside of their mandate”.

Source: Ethiopia News Agency