The diplomat clarified that the Ambassador is actually holding him responsible for this decision when he learned that he has already sent an official letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his country in which he complained that “the Ambassador has committed numerous mistakes, one of which is not voting in the recent Ethiopian elections held last September”.
The official source indicated that the security personnel have gone to the Embassy to call the Ambassador ‘for questioning’ but they did not find him, so he was telephoned he was present at the Jabriya police station but he refused to be interrogated using his diplomatic immunity. Also the translator was called and interrogated.
The sources reported that the Ministry of Interior is going to report the case to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait which in turn is going to inform its counterpart to deal with the issue according to the appropriate protocols.
The sources also mentioned that the security protection was provided for the complaining diplomat.
KUWAIT – Ethiopian ambassador Hanfari Ali Mirah was led by a Kuwaiti police force to investigate him about the accusation by one of the diplomats at the embassy that the ambassador threatened to kill him. Kuwaiti authorities interrogated the ambassador after receiving a letter from the Ethiopian authorities indicating that the Ethiopian ambassador has no longer diplomatic immunity and that he is a regular citizen after being deposed from his position according to a security source.
The Ethiopian ambassador described the death threat accusation addressed to him by one of the Ethiopian diplomats at the Embassy as a joke, and the complaining diplomat who is the counselor in the embassy (Tesfaye Haile Mariam) is sick and not straight (which is an abnormal act).”
(A caption under the photo of Ambassador Hanfre reads: “The ambassador (left) in his office and one of the staff – Wondeson – talking on the phone).
But Ambassador Ali Mirah said: “I’m still an ambassador, according to the diplomatic protocol”. I’ll stay in my position until a new ambassador comes, takes over and produces his letter of credential. As long as I’m here, I am immune until the new ambassador arrives.
But we learned that the Kuwaiti police led Ambassador Mirah and started an investigation with him, after the Kuwaiti authorities [received] a letter from the Ethiopian authorities indicating that Mirah has become a (regular citizen) and no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity, according to a security source and in preliminary reports that leaked from the interrogation that ambassador Mirah denied the charges.
According to the story of ambassador Mirah, the police came to the embassy along with the counselor Tesfaye (the accuser) an hour after he spoke to Al-Rai Al-Am yesterday morning. But a high ranking security source confirmed to Al-Rai Al-Am before the evening development that no policeman has gone to the Embassy yesterday morning, and said: “On the contrary, the diplomat who raised the compliant Yesterday came to us, and wanted to raise another complaint claiming that the ambassador and his associates are sabotaging and destroying the files of the embassy stored in the computer, but after we inquired from higher officials, we apologized for not accepting the complaint and informed him that he has to raise such a complaint in the ministry of foreign affairs”.
However, Mirah told Al-Rai Al-Am: “When I went to the police station yesterday I thought that the matter was over. But today around 10 the staff member (Tesfaye) came along with the police and an Ethiopian who works in the court. They entered my office and the police asked me to me, “Did you attack the embassy? and I answered, “How could that be when I’m the ambassador?”
Then he told me that they waved my immunity, and when he asked me to escort them to the police station, I refused and told him: “If you want to arrest me, well, that’s your country you can do that, but not with my consent; it is impossible for me to accept; your procedure is totally illegal. It is then when the policeman informed me that he will get back to his superior and left”.
No one is above the law. But how many of us believe that laws are to be respected or implemented? Today, we are talking about an unusual incident that occurred in Kuwait lately. Its story in not yet over. The subject was an African ambassador in Kuwait.
The police tried to interrogate the Ethiopian ambassador. Why? A diplomat at the Ethiopian embassy made a complaint against him and his Arab interpreter in which he accused them of threatening to kill him. According to a security source, the reason behind this was complaints made by the man to the Ethiopian foreign ministry concerning some violations. The nature of these illegal acts was not explained to the press or by the security sources. But this event raised many issues about diplomatic immunity.
It is a privilege or an international law to protect formal foreign missions especially those who are at the head of them? What does the Kuwaiti ministry of foreign affairs have to say about this? Take the man and keep him in jail until further notice or what? I think the police should contact the foreign ministry before taking any action.
The fact that the police attempted to drag this diplomat from his office to a local police station is an insult. The ambassador refused to leave the office with the police. He said that he enjoys diplomatic immunity and if he is terminated he will stay in his post until the new ambassador arrives. I think this statement has a lot of sense to it. The ambassador stated that if the police wanted to arrest him, then he will have no words of objection because this is not his country. However, he has no intention of going to the police by his own will. I think he is right.
There is a common protocol that is well known and respected by all governments. I have worked with three government ministers and some international officials. The protocol forces him to stay in office until the arrival of the replacement.
This country may not be the same as the United States or the United Kingdom. but that does not mean we are allowed to despise them. I’m sure if the Kuwaiti ambassador was attacked or received similar treatment by any foreign authority, this would not be accepted by Kuwait. Embassies represent their countries and their dignity and independence, which must be respected by all regardless of its status, power or influence in the international community.
I am not concerned with the diplomat’s allegations or the mistakes committed by the ambassador or any of this staff. I think the Ethiopian foreign ministry is the formal representative of the country and is ultimately responsible.
